Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback WOW so Baldur's Gate has gone from fun GAMe to borderline cartoon porn?

*finger guns* :p

Oh yeah, wasn't he supposed to be making kids with Aerith in the original? And he is underage!

The whole situation with Cloud at the Honey Bee feels like a pretty deliberate reference to Onnagata, male actors who played female roles in kabuki theater, who were often put into erotic situations during shows, and who also were pursued by patrons for sexual services.

What hypocrisy!
In order to get Minthara porn you have to do a lot of nasty things, kill a lot of good characters.
If you are so vulnerable, then play a good character and then you will not see the "dirt".
For example touching kiss with Shadowheart.

Not hypocrisy. You know, it amazes me how many people get so vehemently upset and attack people over this. But if I were to start retaliating and treating you the way you treat me, you'd get super bent out of shape and start calling me even more nasty names and acting like I'm even more of a monster and bad guy than you do now.

For your info, I standardly never play evil characters. I don't like to be bad. Even though I know the characters aren't real people, I still feel guilty. I've played the evil path in BG3 once, and I REALLY had to force myself to do it. I did it ONLY because I heard I was missing out on some story content, which I was. There are dialogues linked to the sex scenes that give you more info on certain character backgrounds. Fortunately, most of the scenes at the time were incomplete, but the voice acting in them and script made it clear what was happening and even that was more than enough for me.

And then, for the sake of not talking out my butt on these forums, I actually did try the Minthara romance, because it was the one everyone was talking about. I used the covering up the screen method with a piece of paper to censor the material - which is not full proof, btw, and that is why I would definitely like some form of fade to black option in the game so I can have the option to romance a character without needing to hear or see any of it. You people might like to see that crap, but I don't. I truly detested the whole thing.

Also, as many have suggested, leave something to the imagination. Create your own romantic scene in your mind. Why do you want Larian dictating to you such an intimate thing?

Take Lae'zel. She forces you to do obviously painful things, and you have no ability to stop her or try to teach her a thing or two. You're just stuck with a weird, disturbing dominatrix scenario that they describe as being rather unpleasant. At least, that's what it sounded like in it's incomplete form anyway.

But don't worry. I have no intention of ever playing the scenes again. I've decided to make up my own custom characters and imagine my own romances. My only reason for continuing to care about this topic is that I fear Larian will add more sex stuff that I can't avoid without any option to turn it off.

Every newcomer baited by the OP isn't singling you out GM4Him

As we've brought up just hiding the images isn't so simple, we're making decisions during them. You also have no idea if you'll be given the option to romance characters without it entailing a sex scene, you're just extrapolating that because there are sex scenes in the game for some of the companion characters right now, at one point in the story.

I've scene the fig-leaf model, it might be what they'll use to censor nudity, which would mean there will be a way to censor the even more ribald scenes. Intimacy isn't off limits to a video game, sex also doesn't equate to intimacy, you might not like it being treated like that but for some of the characters in this story that's what we see. I can understand having trouble disassociating yourself from being cruel in a video game, but that's hardly the case with the sex scenes.

That is continued issue with Baldur’s Gate3 using cinematics - it wouldn’t be a problem if our protagonist was characterised (as Geralt is in Witcher3) and things and relations Tav would have, would make sense for Tav as a character. As such we are stuck with a blank state, we are meant to characterise, but cinematics take control away from the player. The game is very inconsistent with control it gives us over the character.

I concur. I didn't find anything wrong with the sex scenes in those games or Cyberpunk 2077 at all. I actually like them. I was excited when I saw how spicey the scene with Minthara was. I just don't see how it's silly or humorous. It just needed some polish and some tweaking. I hope they continue with that route with the rest of the companions sex scenes. I'm actually glad that games are becoming more open-minded about sex. I mean,,, it's just sex. I just don't see the big fuss. 🤷‍♂️

Inconsistent is a good word for the game I've been playing

Up to 22 pages...

I commented eleven pages ago and I think I was not the first one to suggest that an option should, and probably will be in the final game, added to limit the graphic sex stuff. This is a no-brainer for a modern cRPG but then again who knows for sure...

In any case it does bring up an opportunity to point out and discuss the Anglo European sort of Puritan views on sex and it's depiction in media that are predominant in places like the US and Canada. Culturally, in general, we're fine with ubiquitous and/or brutal violence but showing sex is somehow taboo or reserved for "adults" across all media, not just cRPGs. In Europe though, at least the last time I was there in the early 00's most countries have actual porn on network TV after 10/11pm (not sure if this has changed). I'm less familiar with other culture's mores when it comes to depictions of sex in media but generally the more conservative and religious the culture the less sexually open they tend to be. This is important because Western nations like the US and Canada are some of the most culturally diverse the world have ever known and game companies are having to cater to a wide variety of views on the content they create for these markets. The logical approach is giving players the choice with options to choose what they consider appropriate for themselves. I certainly don't want someone else to choose for me and whatever side of this issue you may fall on I'm sure you you don't want me to choose for you what you have to experience in your gameplay.

PS. I'm in my 50's and Gen-X'ers like myself are pretty liberal about sex and sexuality but I have noticed that younger folks tend to be more conservative, not with sexuality per se but with showing sex. I'm curious what generations the folks who find sex in their media uncomfortable are.

Getting a bit off-topic, but I suppose some of this topic is stemming from the question: "what age-range should BG3 be made for?" Teens+? Only adults? Okay for Teens, but Parental Guidance advised?

Given BG3's cartoony violence, the fact that D&D Starter Set is rated 12+, BG1&2 were originally rated "Teen," and [probably more reasons] there's a decent argument that BG3 should be rated Teen. Or at the very least, on the less-explicit side of Mature.

And while the US and (I can't speak for) Canada have more Puritan views on sex, it still seems (from my admittedly lacking knowledge) that showing sex is generally still an "Adult Only" thing around the world. According to you, in Europe, actual porn is only on network TV after 10/11pm = after kids go to bed. Also, don't many (if not most) countries restrict porn watching to only those age 18+? Doesn't that make it broader than just the US and Canada who limit viewing sex to Adults Only?

Of course, there are big caveats on the above:
- "limited sex scenes don't necessarily constitute Porn" (which circles back to the Question: "What is the purpose of sex scenes in BG3?")
- "violence and other extreme themes are also limited by similar 'Adults Only/Mature' restrictions; it's the Puritan US who thinks that nudity/sex should be a step higher."

-"The advances of grafics and making things more life like, also makes it harder for people to see things as not real, and subsequently they start to drag real life morals into games, on the basis they cant deal with it... so as i said earlier, the problem isnt the grafics in all its form... its you me and others not being able to treat them as pixels..."

-No problem with romances and the OCCASIONAL graphic scene, provided it is tastefully and gracefully handled. I do prefer romance to be used for character development and roleplaying rather than reaching graphic scenes, but that's just me.
-No problem with people being horny in general as they live their lives.
-Do have a problem with people being horny all the time in suggesting things on the forum. Most of these people are not active anymore and were more active in the early days of early access, but I am always reminded of this shit:
https://i.redd.it/6fzwg58m4m411.png

You know what. Let's make a deal - you keep your sex scenes, but add dice rolls and skill checks to it.

People often joke about athletics checks or constitution saves... but let's be real here: the check you should be making during intimacy is probably an insight check to better read what your partner needs or is enjoying most ^.^

Okay, I decided for my own sanity a while back that I was not going to post in this thread again, but I have to break silence for that. It would be hilarious. I mean, Larian definitely shouldn’t do it, but I’m going to enjoy imagining how such encounters might go. Especially with critical fails on skill checks!

I was thinking Acrobatics and Performance, but you make a good point!

Not sure. With Minthara it could be a constitution check also when she chokes you to death with her bottom in 69 on a failed save. I would be laughing all day long.

But back to being serious - insight checks could really be utilized sometimes in intimate situations. Great idea actually

We already have an insight check to intuit Shadowheart wants a kiss. I think just having a back and forth here is just fine, it'd be interesting to play a game where your character's romantic subplot is derailed because you're incompatible in the bedroom.

And another check in the Wyl scene!

On a more serious note - I'm actually against having skill checks in intimate moments; these should be scenes and sequences that you have the freedom to rp and guide as you wish to, as a player, not beholden to the fickle dice.