Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback Romance trigger and reactivity problems (formerly "Add a 'no horny' option PLEASE)

Even without having read all of the above, i was thinking along similar lines as the OP.

You cannot say nice things to the NPCs without it getting into romance...and "approval" does not mean "for mating" for me. So either romance responses should be clearly distiguishable from the rest and need a "just beein nice" alternative that earns approval rating nontheless.
And maybe add some line that ends all futher romance with that NPC until you clearly state otherwise.

If you're bothered by the sexual content in the game, there's a doozy waiting for you in act 3.

Look, even some of the people fucking every bear and mindflayer in the land will sooner or later get annoyed.

I'm a flirty person. I actively have to try not to do it. I still don't want every single companion to hit on me. Sometimes you just find someone incredibly unappealing, yet also don't want to hurt their programmed feelings. It's an emotional drain.

The game's confusion around tags also doesn't seem to help. I wouldn't be surprised if they're not even supposed to act this way, but keep forgetting you turned them down.

Larian straight up messed up the romance paths in this game

I am going to copy what I wrote in my thread, because one of Larians lackeys wants to bury the truth aboout the criticisms. (im sorry im voicing my displeasure this way, but im actually pretty frustrated about it at this point)

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I am going to put this as simple as possble, the romance paths in this game are broken... Larian screwed up here, its the only major blemish on this game.

The game interprets literally every act of kindness, and compassion, as a romantic gesture. Characters frequently assume you are in a relationship when you are not... and there is no clear option for turning them down most of the time.

The game essentially is forcing players who even want to be a little bit good into relationships with everyone.

The romance paths need to be overhauled, and we need to get ways to get a lot of the content without there being romantic angles to it.

Gales magic scene where he teaches you magic shouldnt ahve to be romantic... yet regardless of your choice at the end (which is clearly one option that pursues romance, and one where you dont) he still fucking assumes you are romantically attracted to him.

Romance options need to be clearly tagged and marked, and there needs to be options for being kind to people without it triggering romance.

I cant believe I have to say this to Larian, but as my female friends have told me "this is what every woman has to deal with when men are nice to them"

Being nice to people, does not mean you are sexually or romantically attracted to them...

Hell saying anything to halsin at the party, leads him to thikning you are romantically attracted to him...

You guys bragged about how much effort you put into the romances, but somehow missed hte fact that "being nice to people is not the same as being romantically attracted to them"

Look, I love this game... but this really needs to be fixed.

And for the love of god, when the inevitable press release comes out and Larian apologizes and promises to update the romance paths.

dont say some shit like "we sincerely apologize, we forgot to incorporate paths for asexual/aromantic players" or anything like that, we dont need you insinuating everyone who hates being creeped on is of a specific sexuality. Thats like saaying every woman not into you "must be gay" or "must be crazy"

Im not discrediting the aro/ace experience, im saying dont weaponize them throwing them under the bus as an excuse.

Larian fucked up here, and they need to own it instead of putting it on the shoulders of the players... this was downright despicable how the romance paths were handled almost. (im exaggerating here, but I am very frustrated with it at this poitn in the game,i ts making me dread talking to my companions)

Did larian just assume nobody would talk to their companions unless they were horny for the companions? I am going to assume in good faith that Larian was so busy playtesting the romances, worried about getting them right, that they missed the fact that the non-romantic paths werent working properly, and that there are glitches with non-romantic paths not flagging properly...

But... christ... at least add a tag at the end of dialogue that initiates romance. A heart? The word Romance in brackets?

(I also want to add, the companions are way to forceful about it, which feels very creepy and offputting to players. One or two companions being flirty is okay... but this is out of control feeling and creepy)

I completely agree with most being said. I had to turn down both Gale and a certain mind flayer AFTER they declared their love to me, completely unmotivated. It is like great friendship is being equalled to love, which it is not.

Sometimes your only options in a conversation is either to be rude or to be flirty. In these moments it feels like you are playing some sort of dating game. It would be understandable if a love interest was woven into the story that there would be focus on romance with that character, but this is not the case, the romance in BG3 is just something extra added on top of the game guests and regular story. Larian said that romance and sex would require you to actively pursue it, well, seems you have to be very adamant in order to avoid it, unless you are just being rude and unfriendly to every party member.

You ahve to actively fight it, I have had to select "I dont want to romance gale" options, like... 3/4 times.

You shouldnt feel pinned against the wall, forced to struggle out of something... just because you put a hand on a friends hsoulder once and said "Hey, everything is going to be okay"

Because reassuring a friend, shouldnt put you on a romantic path for fucks sake... this is downright creepy, and gross.

They hired a coordinator for sex scenes, but nobody said "hey, we should hire someone to make sure the romance paths arent rapey"

im sorry im getting a little heated about this, but its important larian hear what the community is saying. Its a prominent blemish on an otherwise near-perfect game. And if they address the problem they are very likely going to include a "turn off all romance" toggle, as if there its a binary choice between complete sexlessness and not wanting companions to be borderline rapey at all times regardless of how often you turn them down.

This isnt a binary thing, its not "complete sexlessness" and "promiscous individual who wants to be in a relationship with all companions at all times, and have them all constatnly hitting on me"

Its not to much to ask that we have to initiate our own romance options, and that they be properly labeled, and for the game to know the difference between "kindness" and "romantic feelings"

Yea, I'm at the point where if Gale or Wyll want to 'talk' to me, I just immediately say "not interested, bye".

Maybe there should be a setting that allows you to toggle romantic advances by character? So only having toggled on people you’re remotely interested in… but I guess there’s an immersion aspect to getting attention where you don’t want it.

Or just properly label which dialogue options advance romance

I have played D&D since the Blue Box Set came out (1977). Following the arrival of personal computers, and, subsequently, the internet, I have played many, many CRPGs and even worked on a few online titles. I really enjoyed Larian’s past offerings, and I loved the past Baldur’s Gate titles created by other developers. I have been looking forward to BG3 for years…

However, from what I am reading here and on other forums, this game is just too sexual predator and homosexual culture focused to be enjoyable for many folks—myself included. I care for everyone and respect their various gender, sexual, etc. lifestyles, but I likely won’t purchase this game, as it appears I will have my adventure and enjoyment repeatedly interrupted by having to turn down unwarranted homosexual advances at every turn (or similar heterosexual advances, for that matter). How difficult would it really have been to make a truly inclusive game (such as options to turn off various types of unwanted sexual advances)? (I have done a lot of game programming and modding, and I don’t believe it would have been relatively difficult or time consuming.) Side note: I am no prude—I have enjoyed a very active sex life for decades… but, frankly, I am just not into cartoon sex or being hit on by members of the same sex for no good reason (rarely happens in real life).

Perhaps Larian could consider patching the game to provide truly inclusive options for everyone? I suspect such changes would increase long term sales.

Myeah, I've got very few issues with the game, and most of them aren't exactly things a lot of people share, but this romance thing.. yeah, Larian, please fix this.

Yeah, a [Romance] tag would be helpful, along with options that aren’t romance but also aren’t “I hate you and think you’re weird.”

Also check the quest journal because it would be nice if certain actions that we missed during a pivotal moment could be followed up on as a quest (like cooling Karlach off, still salty about that).

As I said in the OP, it just gets worse the longer you go.

I had Halsin suggest a threesome with the character my character is romancing(yes, all these advances towards my character are while he is romancing a separate person!) after I've rebuffed Halsin two or three times now.
I benched Halsin because he's so damn horny.


For anyone looking for advice for what companions to use for minimum horniness:

Shadowheart, she's not very forward at all. I think she's the best written companion overall too, so that's a bonus.
Without spoiling anything, the female druid. You'll know it when you see it.
As for a third, I don't have a good suggestion here yet, but I have a feeling a companion you get in the city is going to fit well here. Too bad it takes so long to get that person.

And now I'm getting "about that night we spent together" dialogue options from Gale??? wtf? I completely rejected him at EVERY opportunity!

Some dialogue is outright broken, not just romance I think, friend had Shadowheart's night happen twice, exact same thing, but also had a story convo with lae'zel abruptly end.

I find it curious, that their pushing so much or at least it appears to me. The only one hitting on me are guys and the girls are hitting on each other. Then the is a lesbian... Ha Im all about you do you ill do me, but their pushing it really hard here. IMO kind of makes the game Icky. Perverse, immoral? are these words we can still use in todays society?

Yes, Yes, I know you can kill children in this game. Not a fan of that either.

I kissed Shadowheart at the end of Act 1, killed her at the end of act 2. No one's come after me since I kissed Shadowheart, though. I failed to do something and Halsin was too sad to come along, and no one else is offering.

So you think, homosexuals are perverts and immoral? Did I understand that correctly?