[Developer Update: Overview of the Planet Makeb]

So it's on Balmora? I mean Quesh? I mean Belsavius? Once lush world devastated by ecological disaster?

[Same gender relationships clarifications?]

I am thoroughly disappointed with BioWare's handling of SGRA. Restricting it to one planet, sticking it behind both a level wall and a pay wall and not including romanceable is just insulting. I was fine with BioWare's poor handling of other aspects of the game. That whole mess with the oceanic release, the sharding of areas, the lack of basic mmo features such as chat bubbles, the annoying restrictions the game used to have (alignment restriction of colour crystals for example), the gambling machine that is the cartel market, I could put up with all that, but this is pushing things too far. Not only does it not give me hope for the future of the game, it makes me question the future of BioWare as a company and all their games. Can we expect the same sort of treatment in DA3? ME4?

 

Remember, this is not far-superior BioWare Edmonton. This is totally inferior BioWare Austin. They came into existence only to handle SWTOR. They did not make and are not making and Dragon Age or Mass Effect Games. Even though the Mass Effect ending was handled as poorly as all of SWTOR (Space piloting? NAH) BioWare Austin has only messed up SWTOR and after this steaming pile, I am sure EA will only allow them to keep functioning to maintain SWTOR, at least until it becomes too unprofitable. BioWare Edmonton has always been open to SGR's, but BioWare Austin has dragged their feet for a year and are now putting in only enough SGR content to say there is SOME SGR content because EA is forcing them to do it. EA will kill a studio at the drop of a hat, so you can expect BioWare Austin to die when SWTOR ends as fast as they will delete these posts as soon as a forum mod sees them Monday morning.

[Same gender relationships clarifications?]

The current SGR situation with Makeb is discussed in an article on The Escapist Magazine

 

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/criticalintel/10145-Why-Makeb-Hits-LGBT-Players-So-Hard?utm_source=latest&utm_medium=index_carousel&utm_campaign=all

[Same gender relationships clarifications?]

I always have a chuckle when Skyrim is mentioned with regards to SGR. Sure, they handled it in a completely no nonsense kind of way, but that was because there was pretty much nothing in it - less work, maybe, because they didn't have to worry about gender flags.

 

In Skyrim, you wear a particular amulet and that allows you to go...

 

<PC walks up to, NPC and initiates a conversation>

NPC: Hello stranger, I see you're wearing the amulet of Mara! You're available, right?

PC: I am yes, do you want to marry me?

NPC: Yes, I will marry you.

PC: Goodie, meet me here, we'll get married.

<travel to the chapel, a short marriage scene, NPC dashes off home>

 

The reason is that, supposedly, the Nords of Skyrim are practical about these things. Members of other races will marry you too, I suppose picking up the tradition from the Nords. You can do this even with NPCs you are meeting for the very first time when you initiate conversation with them.

 

This is not the kind of "romance" I want to see in SWTOR.

 

The point was that they did not separate straight and SGR into two different experiences. They did them equal and identicle for both groups and no gender or orientation experienced anything the rest did not.

[Same gender relationships clarifications?]

Boiware Austin is NOT Bioware. It is a separate entity under EA that has not had anything to do with the other Bioware games, only SWTOR. The only reason they did straight relationships separate from SGR's was because the management of BioWare Austin does not like them. It makes no sense for them to have been done at a seperate time otherwise. Ask Bethesda or real BioWare (Edmonton) how they handled them in Skyrim, Mass Effect, etc. They are giving us just enough with Makeb to show they are doing "Something" to comply with EA's edictt that SGR's be added to the game and that's it. If you seriously think they will improve our options anytime soon after that, go take a look at the Female Flirts thread(s) and it will be clear that the management of BW-A is determined to keep SWTOR a straight male focused game.

[Same gender relationships clarifications?]

The key point few are talking about is that SGR's are NOT coming to the game. They are going to be SOLD to players in the expansion, not in the basic, free to play game. If they were for sale in the cartel shop would that be any different? It's separate and unequal treatment.

[Same gender relationships clarifications?]

I think if we want to predict what SGR will look like for Companions, we have to ask ourselves, "What is the least work?"

 

Imagine two new post-50 companions, ala HK. One is male. One is female. Both can be acquired by either Imperial or Republic players. Both can ONLY be romanced by the same gender.

 

This would satisfy everything we have been told thus far regarding SGR and Companions and it doesn't require anyone to go back into the game and rewrite or rerecord anything. You have to do the dialog tracks, but only for two companions and ONLY for the romance and any casual chat they make on kills or click or whatever. Considering the number of classes and genders in the game, its the most efficient way to create a playable SGR for everyone who wants one.

 

A very bad idea that would satisfy no one with a brain. Work through your whole game without a romance side story like straight characters and end up with the exact same choice as every other lesbian/homosexual. Not every male Sith Warrior or every female Agent but every player of your sexual preference of every class. There are many class/gender combinations with two choices among the companions, often the first companion you get, and none are the same as any other class. Vette is great but imagine if every Sith had her or nothing, whether warrior or inquisitor? She would get real old real fast.

[Same gender relationships clarifications?]

There is a world of difference between wanting to play something, not wanting to play something and opposing others being able to play it. People will not be forced to play SGR's but they should have the right to play as much of a romance with a character of the same gender as a straight person has to play one with a character of the opposite sex.

[Same gender relationships clarifications?]

We who would like SGR's pay/paid just as much for the game, but we have zero options now and the options that will be added require the purchase of the expansion and do not include any companions that will be with you from the start of the game like Mako, Vette, and several other straight romance options. Will you have to go back to Makeb every time you want to see your love? Will every Lesbian in the game have to accept the same girl or have none at all? Will every homosexual man be in the same boat? I personally cannot stand any of the male companions as romance options. I would rather romance Skadge than Torian, but all we get to choose from are bodies 1-3 humans and one Twiilek. Seperate but unequal treatment for LGB players and role-players. Thanks, EA-Ware!