<a href=http://forums.bioware.com/viewtopic.html?topic=440300&forum=84>On romances:[/url]
David Gaider: We've probably also relied too much on having the NPC initiate everything. I remember we went away from that in HotU and went half-half... half the dialogues were initiated, half required the player to initiate them, and that worked better (the problems there were more the above BAM! factor, I think). I think it's likely we'll go further in that direction... at the very least I think it should require the initiation of the player to express their interest or indicate that a romance might be possible to get the ball rolling. People don't put their hearts on their sleeve without knowing that there's at least some chance of reciprocation.

As well, instead of timing the progress of the romance according to level-ups, we tie it to things that the player can initiate. Asking them questions, giving them gifts, solving their personal quests, performing actions that are compatible with their personality and motivations... these are the things that should warm them up to you and progress the romance (who didn't feel as if they'd earned the love of their party member in BG2 when they saved them from vampirism?) It shouldn't just require time and the patience to listen to them talk; there should be the chance for failure

Darcy Pajak: Dragon age is not a love story.
The romances that may, or may not, develop during the course of the story just seem like a natural extension of the party dynamic. The group you’re adventuring with will go through some pretty stressful events, life and death events. After living though such times it seems realistic that people want to get intimate, even if it’s just the result of some really basic instincts.

Normally the princess would not give the barbarian a second glance, but he just saved her life. Now she thinks there is a spark. And why not take a risk in telling him so as the next time they run into a dragon, one of them could die?​