Therefore it can't actually be considered a part of the story at all
Originally Posted by Auric
~Personal Interpretation~
You can't go into writing structure and technique with this either because tons of writers absolutely want their readers to have fun with their own interpretations of things. Even in the rare case when an audience does get the Word of God from the writer Death of the Author exists for a reason; because sometimes authors aren't just inconsistent in their writing, but inconsistently remember their own writing because humans aren't static entities and how we see things differs between each other and over time. If I argue with you about the content of the ending this will just go in the same damn circle because you've already made clear that if you personally define it as optional that means NO OTHER PERSON IN THE WORLD is allowed to let it affect how they interpret character development which is, pardon my language, absolutely RIDICULOUS.
Every Origin character (arguably except Karlach) can end the game as two completely different people in terms of their beliefs and convictions, with TONS more nuance between those primary two results based on your choices and relationships with them. There is simply too much to point at any of it and say "only this one thing is correct." It is just as correct to say that Tav doesn't know what Shadowheart's relationship preferences are in a playthrough that you never approach or learn anything about her romantically in which case it would be presumptuous to call her EITHER mono or poly because in that playthrough you simply don't discuss the subject with her at all. It is designed first and foremost for individual players to make their own judgements calls about pretty much everything choice-based. You've made yours, and others have made theirs, and others are not all going to have judged the same as you do. This should not be so difficult for you to understand. No one is asking you to find any way you possibly can to justify why you're right, because everyone already accepts your interpretation is valid. What people are asking is that you accept their interpretation is also valid. If you can't consider what others think as valid, you have no reason to engage in discussion with them other than to shut their opinions down. Mich isn't exactly super open to other interpretations being expressed either the way he constantly tries to find logical fault in them.
At this point you are just outright ignoring all logic and arguing facts. If it doesn't affect the story, it doesn't matter. There is no interpretation here. That is how plot works, for a fact!
If the optional porn stuff mattered the writers would have shown it did! That is fact. Stop trying to gaslight me. I learned about story structure and plot in high school, this is something most ppl are taught.
In all of the other plot points, there is cause and affect. There isn't with any of the porn stuff. It makes no sense that there's no change in the ending for it. Therefore, we must conclude that it's not considered to be part of the actual story, unless they add an ending for it. Because that is how plot - writing stories - works. And you cannot dispute this. It is fact. Trying to say otherwise is completely nonsensical.
