Originally Posted by Metarra
Can Spawn Astarion please get more kisses? If they're already in the works then disregard!

I love the work that was put into AA and that we got so many cool new kiss animations with AA. The problem with the AA kisses is the expression on Tav/Durge's face during the kiss. The expression during rough and degrading kisses does not fit how I roleplay my character that ascended Astarion. I know AA is a bad ending and I know his actions and words can be considered abusive. Most adults understand these things, so why is a negative expression forced onto my character's face during AA's kisses?

My character is a dark urge who likes pain a little too much and she wanted to know what her own burning flesh smells like when Priestess Gut branded her. She went through Abdirak's beating gleefully. The dark urge throughout all of act 1 can pick dialogue options that highlights they like pain and blood.... but then they have to look disappointed when AA kisses them roughly or in a degrading manner? Why? I'm hoping this was just an oversight by Larian and it will be fixed eventually.
Originally Posted by Nicolean Complex
I can't believe I actually signed up to join the forum - I've been a long time lurker, lol. But just reading about it isn't cutting it for me anymore. I am a woman in her late 30's. I have been playing RPG via tabletop or video games for about 20 years. I have been into Vampires since I learned of their existence. I have been "Team Lestat" since I was a teenager. (Louie, Louie, Louie, always WHINING). My mother & I used to watch True Blood - if any of you remember or watched that show there was this one scene with this vampire named Franklin, he had kidnapped one of the characters because he was in love with her. She was very upset and crying and he walks in and says "Who made you cry? I'll KILL them!!!" My mother and I looked at each other and said in unison "I WANT A VAMPIRE BOYFRIEND!!!" (we're both freaks like that).


I am also a survivor of DV & SA. I went through a lot of healing and established healthy coping mechanisms. I have the occasional flashback, or PTSD episode if something triggers it, but I am very lucky that a lot of things that used to trigger me now no longer do. WHELP, I didn't realize it at the time because it seemed so silly, but Patch 6 triggered a PTSD episode. I didn't play the game for over a week, and avoided videos talking about it, cause it would spike up my anxiety. When I realized what happened I was able tostart my helathy habits again, and took to the forums and some of the AA youtube channels (shout out to Dark Urge Diaries, Nirrart, & Nyloth - I love your work!) to see I wasn't alone. I emailed Larian, and posted on the discord (oh boy what a toxic crapshow that is) my feedback and it's basically the same as everyone's here: We know it's not *healthy*, we don't want tooth-rotting fluff with AA, we want "Dark Romance." Obsessive, possessive, passionate. And it feels like instead of letting us explore and roleplay a Dark Romance in a safe environment, we now are being forced to simulate intimate partner violence. Like wtf?


Originally Posted by Sereda2
I understand people being uncomfortable with the shove/slap and the kneeling too (not my thing personally) BUT if Tav had a different expression, I'd be fine with them. If she appeared to be enjoying the power play it would be fun. If Tav only responded with a smile, a little laugh, even a cheeky wink, I wouldn't feel uncomfortable at all. Anything to show that she knows it's a game and is happy to play along. As things stand, it doesn't look like a game at all, just abuse.

So when I originally saw the "bite kiss" and the face shove I HATED it.... for reasons above. Then I realized I actually hated it for the same reasons I disliked the other kisses, Tav's face. An old boyfriend of mine used to shove my face away from him kinda like that, especially when I was teasing him. It was playful, there was no malice behind it at all. If after the shove Tav's face was a cheeky little smirk I'd be so down for it! Cause that's literally what I used to do! On the kneeling one, I just don't like that it can trigger in public cause like, don't force your kink onto others. I don't have any issue with the scene in private, besides again... the player's face. being shown in absolute terror at a partner grabbing my throat brings back TERRIBLE memories. Showing a face that is more sultry or pleased when he grabs their throat would bring back HAPPIER memories like when my partner & I were exploring those dynamics with trust and consent and it was HOT.

Amazing what just a facial expression can change.


I think you and I would get along really fine in "real" life lol. I just agree with everything you've said here and I don't know if you've read my previous posts but I too have experienced some VERY disturbing things with my ex husband which still triggers me to this day. Usually video games never triggers me, I'm not that soft but patch 6 just did with that throat grabbing, something i didn't expect and didn't want to admit at first, it's not an easy thing to admit for me tbh, I'm often worried to be seen as weak.

But on to something else, I really just wanted to comment on your "True Blood" thing, I absolutely LOVE that show!!!! And I could never get why she didn't like Franklin LOL laugh He was such a protective, dark boyfriend aaahhhhhh..... My favorite was the vampire Eric!! ??? That's the thing with me, I too want a dark romance with a dark hot vampire who is possessive, it's just so attractive but I don't want the abusiveness, it has to be consensual!

This thread has been going on for a while now and Larian has a way of being silent sometimes even though that they are aware of the situation but it would still be nice to know if they intend to do something about it. Just correct the facial expressions and I'll be happy.

Btw, I apologise if my posts and quoting always looks a bit weird, it's because I always write from my phone so I can't edit like I want to....

Last edited by Gunsumber; 01/03/24 05:25 PM.