Originally Posted by WarBaby2
Originally Posted by robertthebard
Originally Posted by WarBaby2
As I already said, I don't have a problem with romances in story driven games in general, I do have a problem with how badly and tropy they are presented these days, however... especially when it comes to games with custom protagonists, because they also have to be written in a one-size-fits-all way in those. Couple that with the delicate timing of non linear storytelling, end the end product is usually bad... very bad... like penny romance novel bad.

Uh oh, people are gonna talk, but I don't disagree here. However, per our dialog elsewhere, I'm not convinced I can lay this solely at Larian's feet. Yeah, they did similar in DOS 2, but, they're gamers, making games, and I'd be willing to bet, they read gaming forums too.

Flashback to Dragon Age Origins, and the BSN's reaction to not being able to bang Alistair with a gay protagonist. There was, surprisingly, less uproar about Morrigan with lesbians, but there was some. Fast Forward to DA 2, with "player sexual" companions, and once again, the forums burnt down, because all the options that were on the table were on the table, no matter who Hawke was. See the pattern? Care to guess how it went in Inquisition, where they reverted to Origins for the LIs? If you guessed grab a fire extinguisher and some popcorn, you'd be absolutely correct. Guess what happened in ME Andromeda, some of the characters suddenly officially became bi, and mods took care of the rest. At any rate, this is a no win scenario. Obsidian caught flak for no romance in Outer Worlds, and BioWare caught tons of flak for not being inclusive enough, and too inclusive. It's a classic Catch 22, damned if you, damned if you don't situation, so they chose to err on the side of "inclusivity", and even the people that might be running around with signs during the day screaming "we need inclusivity" aren't happy, because someone didn't submit a resume before having the audacity to flirt, or be hurt because the PC chose someone else, or did something that they don't approve of.


Yea, well, it would be a cach 22 if not adhering to "the mob" would actually hurt gaming companies, which it generally doesn't if they stick to their guns (aka artisic integrity) from the start, and ignore what (certain) games media and (certain) vocal minorities say, and neither does it actually benefit them when they do... but that's something - especially US - games companies have yet to learn.

Until then, I guess we'll have to life with "the cringe"... wink


I find it funny (at least for now as it may end up with creative dumpster) personally as those most vocal groups not only most times are more despotic than anyone else, they contradict themselves and the best part the don't care about stuff like games and comics at all. Which some project and companies learnt hard way when they went with following this non sense.

I mean, I can get over that everyone likes and sleeps with everyone in game/story. But calling it anything other than the mob pleasing treatment is just non sense. It hurts writing, overall story and just limits characters. Best supporting examples for this would be games from Japan or like Eastern EU where they just don't bother about things like it at all.

Also imagine game in 2020 with white male character that hates or even is just afraid all women in general. Even with perfectly justified backstory like his mother beating and tormenting since childhood or just him having Gynophobia.