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Should Beamdog make a same-sex romances update?

Although you may not notice it from their game development, Beamdog live in a progressive modern society. Isn't it time to end the inequality and embrace the sexual tension that's always existed between Minsc and you?
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Comments

  • kamuizinkamuizin Member Posts: 3,704
    no. But i would appreciate some video cutscenes for the romances, instead of a bunch of worlds a night of sleep and the NPC informing that we had a thing in the last night.
  • VarwulfVarwulf Member Posts: 564
    kamuizin said:

    no. But i would appreciate some video cutscenes for the romances, instead of a bunch of worlds a night of sleep and the NPC informing that we had a thing in the last night.

    lol, the way you worded that made me crack up :)
  • reedmilfamreedmilfam Member Posts: 2,808
    No. They shouldn't even consider doing so. If such things get added, use different characters. It's immersion breaking when the NPC entities and what they are is different so that CHARNAME can romance them. It's one of the many worst things about DA ][ and using that as a model here is a step backward, not forward. I don't meet real gay (or straight) people, who then change their preferences based on who is talking to them.

    Gods, this topic is getting old (it's been rehashed far too many times in these forums).
  • pkmnpkmn Member Posts: 22
    I'll say no just because I remember accidentally stumbling into a gay romance in Dragon Age: Origins.
  • shawneshawne Member Posts: 3,239
    Speaking as a straight man RPing a gay Bhaalspawn? Some of the scenes in Dorn's romance made me go

    image

    Beamdog got it right this time.
  • ShinShin Member Posts: 2,344
    If you want to change it so that e.g. Viconia goes for women or Hexxat falls for men to experience the content, it's relatively simple to alter the triggers to make it so - although the dialogue will still be written as it is, of course.
  • OtherworldlyOtherworldly Member Posts: 13
    This is going to sound horrible, but why are both same sex options with evil companions. Well I guess it doesn't' matter since I like Neera better anyway, but still. What message are you trying to send Beamdog? (sarcasm)
  • SchneidendSchneidend Member Posts: 3,190
    gent070 said:

    Although you may not notice it from their game development, Beamdog live in a progressive modern society. Isn't it time to end the inequality and embrace the sexual tension that's always existed between Minsc and you?

    Emphasis mine. You, eh...you doin' a bit of trollin' there, bro?

    @reedmilfam
    Isabela was already bisexual, Fenris is a new character, Sebastian has no gay option, and I don't believe Merrill ever did anything to confirm she was not bisexual. The only odd duck here is Anders, who was pretty clearly a womanizer in Awakening.
  • ShinShin Member Posts: 2,344
    Unless I'm mistaken the male-male romance was once upon a time planned to be Rasaad, but changed to Dorn to be the, perhaps, less predictable option.
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447

    This is going to sound horrible, but why are both same sex options with evil companions. Well I guess it doesn't' matter since I like Neera better anyway, but still. What message are you trying to send Beamdog? (sarcasm)

    Believe it or not, we had some conversations about that. In the end, though, we had to do what was best for the characters. I think the romances are substantial and interesting enough that "evil" shouldn't be a factor (well, except for Dorn, but he's a blackguard). I like to think that those characters are evil because of their actions in the world, not because of their sexual orientation.
  • KidCarnivalKidCarnival Member Posts: 3,747
    Something something Hitler!

    Now I call Godwin on this topic, and we can bury it. So tired of this coming up again and again. If you want romance, play a dating sim and leave the quest for godhood to us demi-gods. *rolls all eyes*
  • shawneshawne Member Posts: 3,239

    This is going to sound horrible, but why are both same sex options with evil companions. Well I guess it doesn't' matter since I like Neera better anyway, but still. What message are you trying to send Beamdog? (sarcasm)

    Realistically speaking, they didn't have much choice. Consider:

    1. Hexxat had to be evil. This goes back to the original SoA, where you couldn't have a full party with evil characters (which meant you had to manage reputation just to keep someone like Nalia or Anomen with you). Now, not only are there finally enough evil NPCs for a complete group, but they're a balanced group: two front-line fighter types (Dorn and Korgan), one utility thief (Hexxat), one healer (Viconia) and one arcane caster (Edwin).

    2. By the same token, being the only new character in this EE, she had to be available as a romance option for female players. Granted, maybe with a little foresight Neera could have been tweaked to serve the same purpose, but the whole "bisexual wild girl" stereotype is just as problematic IMO, so maybe it's better they didn't go that way.

    Given the particular circumstances, I think it's just a coincidence.
  • SchneidendSchneidend Member Posts: 3,190
    edited November 2013

    Something something Hitler!

    Now I call Godwin on this topic, and we can bury it. So tired of this coming up again and again. If you want romance, play a dating sim and leave the quest for godhood to us demi-gods. *rolls all eyes*

    I know, right? I know I would never grow attached to somebody I see literally every day, live with, and have saved the life of and been saved by in turn. That'd be silly.
    jankiel said:

    Whats the deal with people being obsessed with game romances?

    That's kind of like asking why people are obsessed with romance sub-plots in fiction. Escapism, emotional investment, and the glaring reality that well-written characters are essentially real people and real people crave companionship.
  • OtherworldlyOtherworldly Member Posts: 13
    @Shawne
    So do I, hence the (sarcasm) tag. I was just giving the developers a hard time.
  • MungriMungri Member Posts: 1,645
    I have horrible taste in romance options because I always fine Aerie irresistable and cant stand Viconia or Jaheira.
  • KortokKortok Member Posts: 165
    No. Their time is limited and that is about the last thing I would want them spending it on.
  • marcerormarceror Member Posts: 577
    Why no hamster romance option?
  • MathsorcererMathsorcerer Member Posts: 3,044
    Romance should never be an option in a game, anyway. If you want romance, turn off the game and try real life.
  • shawneshawne Member Posts: 3,239
    @marceror: Because Boo would never cheat on Minsc. :)

    @Kortok: You could make that argument about anything in the game you didn't like, though. I mean, I'm not crazy about the Black Pits - can I then argue that because the devs' time is limited they shouldn't have wasted it on a battle simulator?
  • marcerormarceror Member Posts: 577

    Romance should never be an option in a game, anyway. If you want romance, turn off the game and try real life.

    But in game romances are so much safer!
  • SchneidendSchneidend Member Posts: 3,190

    Romance should never be an option in a game, anyway. If you want romance, turn off the game and try real life.

    What part of Role-Playing Game is difficult to grasp? Is it the role-playing part? It seems like it might be that part. I just can't really tell, given how inane a statement you just made about a game with a clear narrative arc and plenty of characterization to support a romance sub-plot.
  • KortokKortok Member Posts: 165
    shawne said:

    @marceror: Because Boo would never cheat on Minsc. :)

    @Kortok: You could make that argument about anything in the game you didn't like, though. I mean, I'm not crazy about the Black Pits - can I then argue that because the devs' time is limited they shouldn't have wasted it on a battle simulator?

    I mean if you are really arguing that a same sex romance is of the same value as The Black Pits then I suppose. But I find a whole "challenge" mode to be far better than a few lines of romance dialogue.
  • SchneidendSchneidend Member Posts: 3,190
    Kortok said:

    shawne said:

    @marceror: Because Boo would never cheat on Minsc. :)

    @Kortok: You could make that argument about anything in the game you didn't like, though. I mean, I'm not crazy about the Black Pits - can I then argue that because the devs' time is limited they shouldn't have wasted it on a battle simulator?

    I mean if you are really arguing that a same sex romance is of the same value as The Black Pits then I suppose. But I find a whole "challenge" mode to be far better than a few lines of romance dialogue.
    Some would argue exactly that, and with gusto. Not me, necessarily, but for some characterization and story trump combat.

    But, if it's just a few lines as you say, then surely the cost in time won't be severe enough to hinder other aspects of production. Hurray!
  • KortokKortok Member Posts: 165

    Kortok said:

    shawne said:

    @marceror: Because Boo would never cheat on Minsc. :)

    @Kortok: You could make that argument about anything in the game you didn't like, though. I mean, I'm not crazy about the Black Pits - can I then argue that because the devs' time is limited they shouldn't have wasted it on a battle simulator?

    I mean if you are really arguing that a same sex romance is of the same value as The Black Pits then I suppose. But I find a whole "challenge" mode to be far better than a few lines of romance dialogue.
    Some would argue exactly that, and with gusto. Not me, necessarily, but for some characterization and story trump combat.

    But, if it's just a few lines as you say, then surely the cost in time won't be severe enough to hinder other aspects of production. Hurray!
    You make a fair point no question. That said, the question was do "you" want the devs to spend the time to make a same sex romance and "I" personally do not. Every line of romance that they make (same sex or straight mind you; this isn't some anti-gay rant by me) could be time spent fixing a bug or making a new kit.

  • shawneshawne Member Posts: 3,239
    Kortok said:

    You make a fair point no question. That said, the question was do "you" want the devs to spend the time to make a same sex romance and "I" personally do not. Every line of romance that they make (same sex or straight mind you; this isn't some anti-gay rant by me) could be time spent fixing a bug or making a new kit.

    Categorically untrue - Beamdog has separate teams for content and bugfixing.
  • SamielSamiel Member Posts: 156
    I am in favour of introducing new NPCs of varying sexual orientations. Just as long as they leave current NPCs as is. I thought the way they did it in Dragon Age II was an abomination of the highest order. Full marks for trying to incorporate same sex romances, but not by hitting every possible romanceable companion with a bi-ray. Bisexuality is but one of many sexual orientations there are. Making everyone bi denies the many varied tapestry that is sexuality, and all should be embraced and done justice.

    As it stood the romances were staid and bland, because they had to reasonably fit into non-gender specific dialogue, I would rather they had just stuck to straight romances, or none at all in that case. If you are going to do straight romances do them properly, if you are going to do homosexual or bisexual ones please do them the same justice. For the record I am not anti-bi either. Zevran was one of my favorite NPCs in the original Dragon Age, and his sexuality was a crucial part of his personality and how he communicated it. And whilst I never romanced him, the game was in my view better for his presence.
  • AndrewFoleyAndrewFoley Member Posts: 744
    Contractually, I'm not sure we'd be allowed to alter the sexuality of the original NPCs, even if we wanted to.
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