@typo_tilly that would be your loss. Both the DA game are great games. They are not perfect, but no game is. The idea that you need to do "an entire walkthrough to avoid romance or rivalry" is just not true. A relationship of rivalry with many of the companions can be just as rewarding (it doesn't mean that they hate you, quite the contrary, you can still romance a character that has large amount of rivalry with you, and they romance will reflect that, most of them appreciate that you stand your own ground and don't agree or appease them about everything), as can a relationship that fluctuates (personally I try to max out Sebastian's rivalry in each and every walkthrough). And you don't really have to avoid romance constantly. Just avoid the glowing hearts and after about the third conversation they'll stop appearing. The so-called woes of @Troodon80 are more his fault than the game's (again, I don't mean to offend, but it's the truth). Just like in life, you just need to have an open mind, and not to make too many assumptions about other people. And there's no way (or need) to "turn off" the romance dialogue options. Just don't pick them, and at some point they'll stop appearing.
The so-called woes of @Troodon80 are more his fault than the game's (again, I don't mean to offend, but it's the truth). Just like in life, you just need to have an open mind, and not to make too many assumptions about other people.
Truth, in this case, is very subjective when assumptions about the way people think are made. As I said in my previous posts, the reason why I said—paraphrased—I was comfortable with the friendliness is due to that fact that I, and, by extension, my character, was not uncomfortable. To me, that's what I would call being tolerant and open-minded. The same dialogue wheel is arrived at by selecting different options, and in one of the alternate routes he asks if the fact that he has "been with men bothers [Hawke]." Again, from a personal point of view, not my place to judge; so, no, it doesn't bother me in the slightest. In my opinion, this is similar to Ashley asking Shepard if her being religious bothers him/her (in Mass Effect). That's not going to change by gender, at least not for me. In order to avoid Anders' romance, I am supposed to get hot and bothered and tell him to knock it off. That's not how I want to respond, but it is how I am forced to respond. But, again, let's leave it there. It is apparent that we are not going to agree on this, and insulting one or the other isn't going to bring about some sort of clarity that we didn't previously have on the matter.
What JonSnow said is a very good idea. Like a violence slider for people who just cant stand gay relationships. It´s not cool to force this topic on every person just to show these people you devs care about them and on the other hand you destroy for me or some others the whole story or parts of it. Being bothered by a gay dude just after a hardcore fight is definately the very last what my Players want! Not to mention how unbelievable all this stuff is... sorry.
Imagine a world, even a phantasy world where the chance is 50/50 that every humanoid is gay. In the next 100 years there are no more man on the land because they just die out. And the few that keeps making babies will be easy fooder for the goblinoids!
it's kind of disheartening to see people unable to deal with sexuality different from their own. i also fail to see how presence of (perhaps) 1 bisexual and 1 lesbian npc implies half of the world is gay.
@JonSnowIsAlive i think you should read the whole thread, the suggestion has been debated and you're repeating stuff.
Yes @JonSnowIsAlive, this issue has been raised already, still i support the idea like you, that didn't even knew it was raised before.
I fail to see why ppl has to be forced in live with this issue when they clearly don't want that. The same way i fail to see why a gay directed character (or person if he/she project his preferences in his/her characters) has to live with heterosexual NPCs hitting his character all the time.
In the speech of equality, diversion become something imposed, not optional. If i said that i want a racist, homophobic, xenophobic, hater joinable NPC will one be added? Cos as the same justify for homosexual characters, this kind of person exist in real life and some ppl that play baldur's gate can even think that way.
A cursor that not only restrict gay content for hetero people but at the same time restrict hetero content to gay people isn't something so terrible to think about. (an option at character creation would be better). If not is changed nothing would be limited.
I have been hit by ppl of my sex sometimes in life, had always declined politely, but normally my behavior, way of speak, act and move are sufice to keep people from hitting me, and this simply can't be repeated inside the game, a slide (button, option...) would provide a suport for this.
@kamuizin ironically, if we go along with your real life analogy, this CAN be repeated in the game. namely with a "Sorry but you're barking at the wrong tree." conversation option that stops further romantic advances. so, BG dialogue tree imitates that successfully without resorting to buttons already.
the thing is, in real life you don't have an option to disable lgbtq people from existence, we simply are and you choose your reaction. also, i definitely do not care for disabling straight content in my game.
Some people are bothered by blood or gore, some people by some kind of music etc. so you really wonder why a a sexuall orientation/ practise you are confronted with could be "nothing" to be bothered about? Dont know what people´s view on the human race is but wars are being fought about different kind of religions. Something no one can see inhale or taste you know?!
And reallife is not a phantansy world with trendy features or faked stories that promote a few people!!!
Well @trinit, clearly the actual system isn't good enough, otherwise people wouldn't be complaining about the issue. You're barking to the wrong tree means that somehow the other NPC feel a chance of hit on you, means that i can't behave as i do in real life (or maybe strings can't read feelings).
The opinion is given, again. Jon give it so pure and directly that i feel i don't even need to add much.
it's funny how something that aren't even going to change the content can upset ppl so much. The rule is open content, if someone want to limit he/she will just have a resource in the game. What is the harm in people get a way to block something that bother them?
Obs: Most of my chars have no problem in say a no. But sometimes, my low inteligence barbarian/zerk warriors aren't very good with words, a punch in the face is a no for him, and Dorc woudn't take a punch in the face ligthly.
Some ppl by their own nature will reject the idea being present in the game, while i have no problem as that (i already pursued Dorn gay romance for example, with a bard Main Char) ppl has the right to deny it, the game is something to please the customer, not impose politial correct stuff.
When I play baldur's gate and I see Dorn cleaving a dragon in two, I expect him to turn around and say *piece of cake*, not *you look handsome in that studded leather, sugar*. There's no precise reason to it, that's just the way I envision Dorn.
Is it any stranger than him saying it to a female PC in that scenario, though? It seems the problem there is less a matter of orientation and more of situational plausibility.
@JonSnowIsAlive: Here's a suggestion - play the game before you make very broad (and very unfortunate) assumptions about how gay/bisexual characters act. Dorn will not flirt with you. Ever. You have to actively pursue a romance with him to get him to reciprocate. So if the thought "traumatizes" you (seriously?), don't pick the dialogue option to hit on him first.
Also, I think you've missed @trinit's main point: insofar as BG romances specifically are concerned, those dialogue options are the "clear separation" you're asking for. These are clearly-worded verbal triggers which activate romance storylines - you don't need another variable at character creation to "protect" you from unwanted situations. Don't flirt with them, they won't flirt with you. It's that simple.
It's rare for me to agree, even partially with @Shawne, but he's speaking the truth about Dorn, you got some specific banters provoke options that in fact trigger the romance. But as an general options for other romances that will come, and that's the point of the discussion (from which i believe we should even have more bi/homosexual ones) an panel control is a right entitled to be asked by any customer that want it.
Ps: there's nothing unfortunate on Jon comments, he read the spoilers and gave his 2 cents, that's a right of express himself without restraints only, a point raised to control in his PC something that bother him.
@kamuizin: I'm consistently amazed that you seem to equate free speech with automatic validation - just because people have the "right" to make requests doesn't mean their stated reasons for those requests are justified.
In this case, @JonSnowIsAlive is informed by a completely imaginary scenario that never happens in the game , just as you were under the impression not too long ago that Dorn would rape your male PC if you recruited him. It's gay panic, and it's an ugly phenomenon that has no place in a civilized society.
The reality is that requesting toggles is an artificial attempt at segregating content you're uncomfortable with; this, despite the fact that there are so many ways to avoid that content in the first place (don't take the character with you, take them but don't flirt with them, etc.) You might as well ask for a "black" toggle that removes Dynaheir and Valygar - you know, because that's a right entitled to be asked by any customer that wants it too.
Unfortunately for you and @NWN_babaYaga, the devs have decided to take an inclusive approach to the games. And given that we're dealing with a sum total of two characters - two characters out of a grand total of forty-two NPCs - I think you're just going to have to figure out a way to cope with the notion that somewhere in the vast landscape of Faerun there's a guy who might be into other guys.
I really do not understand how people can be so upset if a game character of the same sex starts to flirt with him/her. Is it so difficult saying "No, thanks?". If something like this happened in real life (where you have not the option to enable/disable gay people existence), you would surely go bananas. Once, a female associate tried to hit on me. I told her nicely that I was not interested in women. You know what? I was not shocked or traumatized. It is just a matter of being mature.
@Aedan: I think it's more a question of prejudice than emotional maturity - look at how often people on this thread have gone on tangents based on what they thought might happen when interacting with a gay character. Never mind that these scenarios have no basis in reality, it's what they believe and it's what they're responding to.
@JonSnowIsAlive well, apology accepted. i guess you don't see gay characters as tough and i won't argue about that.
so far, i've yet to see a solid argument for button implementation that goes beyond personal discomfort or irritation with fictitious political correctness.
Why you people needs to adress our oppinions is very clear to me and i understand your intentions but it doesnt change my view on anything. If you are familar with video games you know that this is a trend in RPGs only. A gay agent in a medal of honor game would drop the sales i bet. So why is it a topic always being brought up in RPGs?
Seems to me that gay gamers see in RPG´s a backdoor to push forward this "social" topic into the society because of it´s open nature in general and so there is a reason to talk about. But thats abusive no less than using games as a propaganda tool for a political or religious view! IF you dont see the similarity i give up on you guys!
If you do this by adding a relationship via a mod hey cool but not officially forced into a game that is just entertainment and not a political statement whatsoever!
And i must say that the already done implementation of it in BG:EE and BG2:EE is something i hate to be honest because it was not added originally but later due to your interventions and talk!
*sigh* @NWN_babaYaga it is you that make it out to be a political statement and/or simple propaganda, like sexuality and love are simply ideas that you get from thin air. they are integral part of human being, not taught or chosen like religion or politics so comparing them makes no sense. this discourse reminds me on recent russian "ban all mention of lgbt anywhere in the state" which resulted in rise in extremist violence toward lgbt people. google it.
i´m aware of that agenda in russia and i dont like it. I´m not supporting any violance against anyone, not even the ones i personally hate. But that i am the one now doing propaganda was expected. You maybe dont know what propaganda is?
And it is a part of "your" privat life, nothing more so please keep it or see it as a gift if you want. Like a religion, do your prayer but dont tell or force your habits onto others.
So straight people are allowed to have relationships in games while gay people are not because they can "hurt" someone. Do you know that it makes no sense?
Live and let live. I have played numerous games where gay and lesbian relationships were in the game, and you know what? I experienced none of them.
Why would that be I wonder? Well, that would be because I am not gay and would prefer my in-game romances to be heterosexual with the intention that I roleplay better. When Zevran (DA:O) pinches my bum I tell him "No, means no" in a firm but friendly demeanour.
Why on earth should game producers force gay/lesbian players into straight in-game relationships? It would make no sense, and if the game is an RPG would completely ruin the immersion for the player.
Personally, I think it's fantastic when my male pc is hit on by gay/bisexual NPC's. I like the OPTION of turning them down.
You know - options? free will? realism? For heaven's sake isn't that what we ALL want from a role playing game?
@NWN_babaYaga - Your entire argument is based around the view that heterosexuality is as private or underground as homosexuality. This is simply not the case and until homosexuality is seen as a social norm there will be people out there, who will be persecuted and assaulted for their orientation.
@NWN_babaYaga: Amazingly, almost nothing that you've said is true.
1. A gay character in "Medal of Honor" would drop sales? Prove it. I mean, it's nice of you to be concerned for Activision, but there is no hard evidence - none - that the presence of a gay character in a video game has ever had an impact on sales. You may find that idea comforting because it conforms to what you already believe, but don't tout it as an established fact because it isn't.
2. This is not a trend in RPGs only. If it's more prevalent in RPGs than in other genres, it's probably because RPGs are arguably the genre most defined by its characters rather than AFGNCAPPs.
3. Unless you believe Trent Oster, Dave Gross and the entire Beamdog dev team are gay, the inclusion of same-sex romances in BG:EE was not the result of an agenda being pushed by "gay gamers", since no one even knew about it until they announced it. In the unlikely event that you're interested in knowing why they did so, you might want to take a look at David Gaider's speech on sex, sexuality and sexism in video games.
4. Quite a few things were "not added originally" with the EE: oddly enough, I haven't seen you complaining about Neera's romance, or Rasaad's, or the addition of new weapons and armor, or the Black Pits. You seem to only have a problem with a very specific addition (as if that weren't clear from your use of the phrase "you people").
@JonSnowIsAlive: This is why it's important to have informed opinions. The hypothetical scenario you brought up is completely unlikely because Dorn isn't written that way, and because - more broadly - the player initiates romances in the BG games, not the NPCs.
The reason I'm attributing your comments to what you term "anti-gay feelings" is because you don't seem to have a problem with the possibility of four BG2:EE women potentially hitting on you (five if the last new NPC is bisexual rather than lesbian). Any one of those could potentially derail whatever stereotype you've attached to them (which, if that's really what you're looking for, you might have a better time with "Icewind Dale" than "Baldur's Gate" - BG's NPCs are scripted, they'll follow their own storylines whether you like it or not) and yet, much like @NWN_babaYaga, you only seem to have an issue with Dorn, and then only with Dorn and a male PC (since the scenario you've described would be coded as perfectly "normal" if he were flexing his muscles for a female character).
You are, of course, entitled to do whatever you want in your own game - take Dorn, don't take Dorn, take him but don't romance him, romance him with a female PC, whatever. There are many, many things you can do before asking for a button that makes the gayness disappear.
And while I'm sorry you can't play the game yet, you chose to get involved in this debate and present incorrect information as facts. So whatever salt's gotten into your wounds didn't come from me.
whatever i say my words are twisted and only a special detail of the full context is taken out to dismiss my point of view. Your very good at that and I never said any of the devs is gay. And if they are I dont care! It´s not my business what a person does in his private life aslong i´m not drawn into it and are directly confronted. Is that so hard to understand?
In the general discussions of RPGs today you can find these topics everywhere so it is not a trend? I dont remember any discussion back in my early modding days where someone felt the need of being represented because of his sexuall orientation. I have an issue with every promotion of gay relationships through a game and i might have my reasons. But i can keep that for myself;)
Seems to me that gay gamers see in RPG´s a backdoor to push forward this "social" topic into the society because of it´s open nature in general and so there is a reason to talk about. But thats abusive no less than using games as a propaganda tool for a political or religious view! IF you dont see the similarity i give up on you guys!
That's pretty clear to me: you believe "gay gamers" are pushing an agenda into video games and using them as propaganda.
Except... it was the Beamdog dev team who announced it. No one knew it was coming until the three new NPCs were advertised as romance options. So if there is an "agenda" being pushed, it's more than just "gay gamers" who are pushing it.
(Really, it's too bad that you ignored the Gaider video, he really lays it all out very clearly. Then again, you don't seem interested in understanding what's actually going on here, so...)
And i must say that the already done implementation of it in BG:EE and BG2:EE is something i hate to be honest because it was not added originally but later due to your interventions and talk!
Nope, wrong again! (You'd think a forum with a working archive would make researching this stuff easier, but I guess you need me to spell it out for you.)
So: the Beamdog devs were the ones who made the announcement. There were no "interventions", there were no organized "talks". In the months leading up to the launch, they revealed that Rasaad, Dorn and Neera would be potential love interests, and that one of them would be open to same-sex relationships. By that point, the decision had been made and the content had, presumably, been written (they were already posting snippets of the new characters' backstories).
This was before launch, and not - as you seem to imply - patched in later. It was part of the EE from the very beginning.
I don't see how I'm twisting your words by repeating what actually happened, but if you insist on indulging your fantasy of a Big Gay Conspiracy, go right ahead. This is a forum, everything's on record. Anyone with half a brain can look up exactly what was said, when it was said, and what was said in response.
Of course I don't have a problem with female NPCs hitting on a my leader, what is your point?
My point is that you're employing double standards. You made your case on the basis that you don't want characters to stray from the storyline you imagined for them (which, as @Dee pointed out, is really more of a general criticism of romance mechanics in the game), and yet you don't seem to consider four (possibly five) women flirting with you to be a derailment of that narrative. So really, all your talk of characterization is BS - this is about you being aware that there's a potential gay romance hiding in the game files and you don't want to acknowledge that it exists, let alone cope with it in-game.
What you don't understand - what you really, really need to understand - is that that content isn't there for you. It's there for people who are different from you, who want different things from the game than you, and who have - historically - rarely been given the opportunities that you take for granted. You are begrudging them their one romance to your four, and asking for a button to "shield" you from it, in spite of the fact that you will only ever see that content if you pursue it yourself.
Your character will not get cooties if Dorn is in your party. Your character will not be sexually assaulted if Dorn is in your party. Dorn doesn't even need to be in your party. The only way you'll be exposed to a situation you don't want to be exposed to is if you trigger it yourself. And if you do that? You're a hypocrite, plain and simple. Because you went and deliberately activated a situation you knew you didn't want to see, just so you could get offended.
Comments
And there's no way (or need) to "turn off" the romance dialogue options. Just don't pick them, and at some point they'll stop appearing.
Imagine a world, even a phantasy world where the chance is 50/50 that every humanoid is gay. In the next 100 years there are no more man on the land because they just die out. And the few that keeps making babies will be easy fooder for the goblinoids!
@JonSnowIsAlive i think you should read the whole thread, the suggestion has been debated and you're repeating stuff.
I fail to see why ppl has to be forced in live with this issue when they clearly don't want that. The same way i fail to see why a gay directed character (or person if he/she project his preferences in his/her characters) has to live with heterosexual NPCs hitting his character all the time.
In the speech of equality, diversion become something imposed, not optional. If i said that i want a racist, homophobic, xenophobic, hater joinable NPC will one be added? Cos as the same justify for homosexual characters, this kind of person exist in real life and some ppl that play baldur's gate can even think that way.
A cursor that not only restrict gay content for hetero people but at the same time restrict hetero content to gay people isn't something so terrible to think about. (an option at character creation would be better). If not is changed nothing would be limited.
I have been hit by ppl of my sex sometimes in life, had always declined politely, but normally my behavior, way of speak, act and move are sufice to keep people from hitting me, and this simply can't be repeated inside the game, a slide (button, option...) would provide a suport for this.
the thing is, in real life you don't have an option to disable lgbtq people from existence, we simply are and you choose your reaction. also, i definitely do not care for disabling straight content in my game.
And reallife is not a phantansy world with trendy features or faked stories that promote a few people!!!
The opinion is given, again. Jon give it so pure and directly that i feel i don't even need to add much.
it's funny how something that aren't even going to change the content can upset ppl so much. The rule is open content, if someone want to limit he/she will just have a resource in the game. What is the harm in people get a way to block something that bother them?
Obs: Most of my chars have no problem in say a no. But sometimes, my low inteligence barbarian/zerk warriors aren't very good with words, a punch in the face is a no for him, and Dorc woudn't take a punch in the face ligthly.
Some ppl by their own nature will reject the idea being present in the game, while i have no problem as that (i already pursued Dorn gay romance for example, with a bard Main Char) ppl has the right to deny it, the game is something to please the customer, not impose politial correct stuff.
Also, I think you've missed @trinit's main point: insofar as BG romances specifically are concerned, those dialogue options are the "clear separation" you're asking for. These are clearly-worded verbal triggers which activate romance storylines - you don't need another variable at character creation to "protect" you from unwanted situations. Don't flirt with them, they won't flirt with you. It's that simple.
Ps: there's nothing unfortunate on Jon comments, he read the spoilers and gave his 2 cents, that's a right of express himself without restraints only, a point raised to control in his PC something that bother him.
In this case, @JonSnowIsAlive is informed by a completely imaginary scenario that never happens in the game , just as you were under the impression not too long ago that Dorn would rape your male PC if you recruited him. It's gay panic, and it's an ugly phenomenon that has no place in a civilized society.
The reality is that requesting toggles is an artificial attempt at segregating content you're uncomfortable with; this, despite the fact that there are so many ways to avoid that content in the first place (don't take the character with you, take them but don't flirt with them, etc.) You might as well ask for a "black" toggle that removes Dynaheir and Valygar - you know, because that's a right entitled to be asked by any customer that wants it too.
Unfortunately for you and @NWN_babaYaga, the devs have decided to take an inclusive approach to the games. And given that we're dealing with a sum total of two characters - two characters out of a grand total of forty-two NPCs - I think you're just going to have to figure out a way to cope with the notion that somewhere in the vast landscape of Faerun there's a guy who might be into other guys.
Once, a female associate tried to hit on me. I told her nicely that I was not interested in women. You know what? I was not shocked or traumatized. It is just a matter of being mature.
so far, i've yet to see a solid argument for button implementation that goes beyond personal discomfort or irritation with fictitious political correctness.
Why you people needs to adress our oppinions is very clear to me and i understand your intentions but it doesnt change my view on anything. If you are familar with video games you know that this is a trend in RPGs only. A gay agent in a medal of honor game would drop the sales i bet. So why is it a topic always being brought up in RPGs?
Seems to me that gay gamers see in RPG´s a backdoor to push forward this "social" topic into the society because of it´s open nature in general and so there is a reason to talk about. But thats abusive no less than using games as a propaganda tool for a political or religious view! IF you dont see the similarity i give up on you guys!
If you do this by adding a relationship via a mod hey cool but not officially forced into a game that is just entertainment and not a political statement whatsoever!
And i must say that the already done implementation of it in BG:EE and BG2:EE is something i hate to be honest because it was not added originally but later due to your interventions and talk!
for the rest of us it is a simple representation AND a part of life. here is a list of lgbt character in videogames: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_LGBT_characters_in_video_games
please notice these are not only rpg's.
And it is a part of "your" privat life, nothing more so please keep it or see it as a gift if you want. Like a religion, do your prayer but dont tell or force your habits onto others.
Why would that be I wonder? Well, that would be because I am not gay and would prefer my in-game romances to be heterosexual with the intention that I roleplay better. When Zevran (DA:O) pinches my bum I tell him "No, means no" in a firm but friendly demeanour.
Why on earth should game producers force gay/lesbian players into straight in-game relationships? It would make no sense, and if the game is an RPG would completely ruin the immersion for the player.
Personally, I think it's fantastic when my male pc is hit on by gay/bisexual NPC's. I like the OPTION of turning them down.
You know - options? free will? realism? For heaven's sake isn't that what we ALL want from a role playing game?
@NWN_babaYaga - Your entire argument is based around the view that heterosexuality is as private or underground as homosexuality. This is simply not the case and until homosexuality is seen as a social norm there will be people out there, who will be persecuted and assaulted for their orientation.
We all bleed red.
That sounds more like a critique of romances in general than of the sexual orientation of the characters involved.
1. A gay character in "Medal of Honor" would drop sales? Prove it. I mean, it's nice of you to be concerned for Activision, but there is no hard evidence - none - that the presence of a gay character in a video game has ever had an impact on sales. You may find that idea comforting because it conforms to what you already believe, but don't tout it as an established fact because it isn't.
2. This is not a trend in RPGs only. If it's more prevalent in RPGs than in other genres, it's probably because RPGs are arguably the genre most defined by its characters rather than AFGNCAPPs.
3. Unless you believe Trent Oster, Dave Gross and the entire Beamdog dev team are gay, the inclusion of same-sex romances in BG:EE was not the result of an agenda being pushed by "gay gamers", since no one even knew about it until they announced it. In the unlikely event that you're interested in knowing why they did so, you might want to take a look at David Gaider's speech on sex, sexuality and sexism in video games.
4. Quite a few things were "not added originally" with the EE: oddly enough, I haven't seen you complaining about Neera's romance, or Rasaad's, or the addition of new weapons and armor, or the Black Pits. You seem to only have a problem with a very specific addition (as if that weren't clear from your use of the phrase "you people").
@JonSnowIsAlive: This is why it's important to have informed opinions. The hypothetical scenario you brought up is completely unlikely because Dorn isn't written that way, and because - more broadly - the player initiates romances in the BG games, not the NPCs.
The reason I'm attributing your comments to what you term "anti-gay feelings" is because you don't seem to have a problem with the possibility of four BG2:EE women potentially hitting on you (five if the last new NPC is bisexual rather than lesbian). Any one of those could potentially derail whatever stereotype you've attached to them (which, if that's really what you're looking for, you might have a better time with "Icewind Dale" than "Baldur's Gate" - BG's NPCs are scripted, they'll follow their own storylines whether you like it or not) and yet, much like @NWN_babaYaga, you only seem to have an issue with Dorn, and then only with Dorn and a male PC (since the scenario you've described would be coded as perfectly "normal" if he were flexing his muscles for a female character).
You are, of course, entitled to do whatever you want in your own game - take Dorn, don't take Dorn, take him but don't romance him, romance him with a female PC, whatever. There are many, many things you can do before asking for a button that makes the gayness disappear.
And while I'm sorry you can't play the game yet, you chose to get involved in this debate and present incorrect information as facts. So whatever salt's gotten into your wounds didn't come from me.
In the general discussions of RPGs today you can find these topics everywhere so it is not a trend? I dont remember any discussion back in my early modding days where someone felt the need of being represented because of his sexuall orientation. I have an issue with every promotion of gay relationships through a game and i might have my reasons. But i can keep that for myself;)
Except... it was the Beamdog dev team who announced it. No one knew it was coming until the three new NPCs were advertised as romance options. So if there is an "agenda" being pushed, it's more than just "gay gamers" who are pushing it.
(Really, it's too bad that you ignored the Gaider video, he really lays it all out very clearly. Then again, you don't seem interested in understanding what's actually going on here, so...)
Let's see, what else did you say: Nope, wrong again! (You'd think a forum with a working archive would make researching this stuff easier, but I guess you need me to spell it out for you.)
So: the Beamdog devs were the ones who made the announcement. There were no "interventions", there were no organized "talks". In the months leading up to the launch, they revealed that Rasaad, Dorn and Neera would be potential love interests, and that one of them would be open to same-sex relationships. By that point, the decision had been made and the content had, presumably, been written (they were already posting snippets of the new characters' backstories).
This was before launch, and not - as you seem to imply - patched in later. It was part of the EE from the very beginning.
I don't see how I'm twisting your words by repeating what actually happened, but if you insist on indulging your fantasy of a Big Gay Conspiracy, go right ahead. This is a forum, everything's on record. Anyone with half a brain can look up exactly what was said, when it was said, and what was said in response. My point is that you're employing double standards. You made your case on the basis that you don't want characters to stray from the storyline you imagined for them (which, as @Dee pointed out, is really more of a general criticism of romance mechanics in the game), and yet you don't seem to consider four (possibly five) women flirting with you to be a derailment of that narrative. So really, all your talk of characterization is BS - this is about you being aware that there's a potential gay romance hiding in the game files and you don't want to acknowledge that it exists, let alone cope with it in-game.
What you don't understand - what you really, really need to understand - is that that content isn't there for you. It's there for people who are different from you, who want different things from the game than you, and who have - historically - rarely been given the opportunities that you take for granted. You are begrudging them their one romance to your four, and asking for a button to "shield" you from it, in spite of the fact that you will only ever see that content if you pursue it yourself.
Your character will not get cooties if Dorn is in your party. Your character will not be sexually assaulted if Dorn is in your party. Dorn doesn't even need to be in your party. The only way you'll be exposed to a situation you don't want to be exposed to is if you trigger it yourself. And if you do that? You're a hypocrite, plain and simple. Because you went and deliberately activated a situation you knew you didn't want to see, just so you could get offended.
Do grow up.