As a result, there was likely inadequate QC of the impact of all the cuts… apparently someone decided they needed to increase the accumulation rate of approval rating as a result of shortening the game, and either no one said or decision makers didn’t listen when it was brought up that this could be problematic because they had tied the romance system into the approval rating system without an adequate separate set of triggers…. The resulting bugs are showing up all over the game (not just in the romance system), especially in Act 3, as more players progress through the content…
That would explain why people who are using the Approval Tweaks mod are saying they get MORE dialog options after enabling the mod than with their previous playthroughs without it - the OTT approval amounts are causing companions to go from neutral to thirsty so rapidly that it's skipping in between conversation options.
I've installed that mod anyway because I have no interest in being harassed by companions. It's a shame I have to Missing Stair manage companions whom I just want a deep friendship with like in previous BG games.
