ProfessorCaprion Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I'm not quite ready to join the doomsayers and lose faith just yet. The game's been out for only a little over a month, after all. Now, come spring and we still haven't gotten anything more than the same repeated responses, then I think we'll have some justification to worry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stonedhippo Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 1. I am a straight married guy with kids. 2. I am playing a female toon (big whoop). 3. If my toon is going to romance anyone I want it to be a female. End of my story. +1 guy characters should have the same option i guess, idk, but i am mostly looking for this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nozybidaj Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I'm not quite ready to join the doomsayers and lose faith just yet. The game's been out for only a little over a month, after all. Now, come spring and we still haven't gotten anything more than the same repeated responses, then I think we'll have some justification to worry. If I continued to play by Spring I'll have leveled all my characters and all sense of pacing or context of the romances to the story line of my characters will have been ruined. The only reason I am still here is because I am actually having fun playing characters that I didn't intend to play. The novelty of that is quickly wearing off though. The statement released saying they "plan" to add them post launch is from months ago. In the months since then they don't have a single update to that? This should have been a no brainer slam dunk addition for them. I for one don't see myself sitting around waiting for months before I'm allowed to be included in the game's content. I know I'm being probably more pessimistic than is necessary because of my frustration over this, but any good I have in the game is always tinged with the sour taste of this issue lingering in the background. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kraidy Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Sadly this is the closes we will ever get to S/S romances. http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/ab170/kraidy/stuff/Screenshot_2012-01-28_22_02_57_608400.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uluain Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 (edited) Since the forum is patently inadequate as a means of bringing this matter to BioWare's attention, I would like to suggest people take the time to address their concerns through other channels: support@swtor.com - include the keyword Venus in the subject and body of the text, as this is suggested by Customer Service to earmark your concern as related to missions in game. All romance / intimacy options, whether companion story arcs or casual NPC encounters, are initiated through beginning a mission from the NPC. feedbackSWTOR@swtor.com - this is the address for giving your impressions of the game so far. It is helpful to put your concern in context by also explaining what you like and enjoy about the game, and why the lack of SGAs is therefore disappointing. It might not hurt to mention and to provide a link to this forum thread, and to mention that it is the only thread on same-gender content which moderators allow anywhere on these forums. Should we continue to receive a non-answer answer, I will be sharing contact information for various advocacy and media organizations, which may be better positioned to call for an explanation or to bring attention to BioWare's disinclusive policies. Edited February 2, 2012 by Uluain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenebram Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Hah thats a cool idea.. hopefully it works in a beneficial way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uluain Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Hah thats a cool idea.. hopefully it works in a beneficial way Hat-tip to Nozybidaj on that one - I just solidified the idea and posted both in-house emails. I haven't been a boat-rocker for years, but this is important especially because BioWare is coming under fire from anti-LGBT organizations over content that isn't even available. If only they say anything, it is possible it never will be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nozybidaj Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Hat-tip to Nozybidaj on that one - I just solidified the idea and posted both in-house emails. I haven't been a boat-rocker for years, but this is important especially because BioWare is coming under fire from anti-LGBT organizations over content that isn't even available. If only they say anything, it is possible it never will be. No need to tip your hat to me for anything. The issue does tend to highlight things I find fascinating about media and people in general though. BW seems at the very least to be hesitant to even talk about same gender romance options (I'd like to say terrified might be a better word, or even oblivious) yet they had no qualms at all about including this kind of content. How completely messed up is that? I mean seriously... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kioma Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I'm not willing to give up hope and join the doomsayers either, frankly, but emailing both of those addresses with our concerns (note: concerns, not blatant rage-filled flaming) sounds like it would be a very good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusedMoose Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Since the forum is patently inadequate as a means of bringing this matter to BioWare's attention, I would like to suggest people take the time to address their concerns through other channels: support@swtor.com - include the keyword Venus in the subject and body of the text, as this is suggested by Customer Service to earmark your concern as related to missions in game. All romance / intimacy options, whether companion story arcs or casual NPC encounters, are initiated through beginning a mission from the NPC. feedbackSWTOR@swtor.com - this is the address for giving your impressions of the game so far. It is helpful to put your concern in context by also explaining what you like and enjoy about the game, and why the lack of SGAs is therefore disappointing. It might not hurt to mention and to provide a link to this forum thread, and to mention that it is the only thread on same-gender content which moderators allow anywhere on these forums. I'd been thinking about suggesting a letter-writing campaign; good to know I wasn't the only one. We can talk about this here as much as we want, but if we can show BW that this is important enough for us to take the time and e-mail them specifically about the issue, it's bound to get more attention. Please make sure your letters are polite and informative - like Uluain said, describe your concerns and tell how they're affecting your enjoyment of the game. Threatening to quit, whining, and/or acting entitled are all bad ideas and shouldn't be part of these e-mails. Also: don't write just once. (Don't write every day either. ) Back in days before e-mail, people doing letter-writing campaigns would write once or twice a week to make sure they were heard. More than that will probably be too much - I think this would work better if it's a steady, ongoing show of concern rather than a massive wave of e-mail that quickly trickles off. I remain optimistic about this, because BW has not yet given me a reason to doubt they will do what they've said they'll do. However, I'm tired of just waiting and hoping for the best. Let's see if we can get BW's attention and get some news, hmm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kioma Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I remain optimistic about this, because BW has not yet given me a reason to doubt they will do what they've said they'll do. However, I'm tired of just waiting and hoping for the best. Let's see if we can get BW's attention and get some news, hmm? Yeah, this is where I'm at, too. Hopeful, just tired of waiting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nozybidaj Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Yeah, this is where I'm at, too. Hopeful, just tired of waiting. I'm just sick of having my JK on hold sitting on Coruscant. Waiting, and just waiting. That was supposed to be my main character and now I can't even play it since I don't want to spoil and ruin the entire class storyline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kioma Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I'm just sick of having my JK on hold sitting on Coruscant. Waiting, and just waiting. That was supposed to be my main character and now I can't even play it since I don't want to spoil and ruin the entire class storyline. I was doing the same for a long while before I decided that if they put in same-sex relationship content they'll need to make it accessible to higher levels. I mean either way you look at it, it'll be there. Maybe not with Kira (though I hope it will), but if they bring in ANY new companion characters then irrespective of level we'll have to have access to them. Bringing in a new companion character that you can ONLY get if you're level 10-23 (for example) makes zero sense from a post-launch content perspective. And if they do include same-sex relationship content for existing characters but don't make that accessible to higher level characters (ie. not accessible past those companions' primary flirt points) then I'll be satisfied knowing that the content is there for others. My own JK is level 50, and bi. She'd have jumped Kira in a second but Doc was too... Doc for her. She likes him but he's too full of himself for her tastes. If they include a better male companion my JK might go that way, if they include a better female companion then she might go that way. And if she gets to pursue her ongoing crush on (a so far apparently disinterested) Kira, then all good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nozybidaj Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 (edited) I was doing the same for a long while before I decided that if they put in same-sex relationship content they'll need to make it accessible to higher levels. Probably, but as I said that ruins the whole class story really, and the pacing and context of any of that romance content is completely ruined. I agree they should make it an option for folks already at 50, but for me I want to experience the content they way it was meant to be. I would actually be enjoying the game immensely and probably never even be visiting the forum if they had only included this content for launch like they should have. Instead I seem to spend more time in this thread than I do playing the game. I mean either way you look at it, it'll be there. Maybe not with Kira (though I hope it will), but if they bring in ANY new companion characters then irrespective of level we'll have to have access to them. Bringing in a new companion character that you can ONLY get if you're level 10-23 (for example) makes zero sense from a post-launch content perspective. If they only introduce the options through new characters I'll already have lost interest. New companions are a long long long way off, if they ever introduce new ones at all, they'll probably only come with new expansions, and their stories will probably only be pertinent to that expansion. If that is the only way they allow same gender romances (through 2nd hand companions) then they obviously don't care about or understand the real issues (at least mine) or the players asking for this content. Maybe some would be happy to settle for that, but I don't see any reason players should be excluded from the main content they way they are currently. Edited February 2, 2012 by Nozybidaj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusedMoose Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I'm just sick of having my JK on hold sitting on Coruscant. Waiting, and just waiting. That was supposed to be my main character and now I can't even play it since I don't want to spoil and ruin the entire class storyline. I hear you, and I'm in much the same boat, just a little farther along - I love playing the character, the class, and the companion so much that it was hard to stop. Only realizing that I'd just had the dialogue that (I think) starts the Kira relationship made me realize that I might be missing out later. Anyway: I've written my two e-mails to BioWare tonight. I plan to send at least one e-mail every Wednesday and every weekend. Anyone else done this yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couac Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Anyway: I've written my two e-mails to BioWare tonight. I plan to send at least one e-mail every Wednesday and every weekend. Anyone else done this yet? Yep, just did I even wrote them that I don't want to see that age old "don't call us, we'll call you" message about their future plans anymore, for it has lost its meaning a long time ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nozybidaj Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I hear you, and I'm in much the same boat, just a little farther along - I love playing the character, the class, and the companion so much that it was hard to stop. Only realizing that I'd just had the dialogue that (I think) starts the Kira relationship made me realize that I might be missing out later. Anyway: I've written my two e-mails to BioWare tonight. I plan to send at least one e-mail every Wednesday and every weekend. Anyone else done this yet? Yeah, hopefully everyone that reads the thread and supports this will do the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uluain Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 (edited) Well, I have emailed CS already today, after an in-game ticket received the canned reply that did not actually address the point I raised. I mentioned why the canned reply was unsatisfactory and went into greater detail with my concerns. I will try to write to feedbackSWTOR@swtor.com later this week, but I am taking time to assemble my arguments and be sure I am stating them clearly, effectively and most of all courteously. I want whoever reads it to be sympathetic, not to alienate them. An additional email address was provided in a previous thread on this topic by the moderator who locked it: bwacommunitysupport@bioware.com. I'd suggest adding this to the list of recipients. Actually writing snail-mail letters carries a lot more weight, as there is a greater expenditure of effort and this tends to make an impression as there is this actual, physical artifact on one's desk. For those feeling energetic, I suggest writing to all three bodies claiming credit for SWTOR: LucasArts attn: Director of Public Relations P.O. Box 29908 San Francisco, CA 94129-0908 Electronic Arts attn: Director of Public Relations 7700 Parmer Lane Building C Suite 200 Austin, TX 78729 BioWare Edmonton attn: Director of Public Relations 200-4445 Calgary Trail NW Edmonton AB Canada T6H 5R7 Edited February 2, 2012 by Uluain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenebram Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 >.> The response I got in an email stating specifically that I was wanting something other than the same quote that had been used repetedly.. was the very same quote once again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kraidy Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 >.> The response I got in an email stating specifically that I was wanting something other than the same quote that had been used repetedly.. was the very same quote once again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uluain Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 (edited) >.> The response I got in an email stating specifically that I was wanting something other than the same quote that had been used repetedly.. was the very same quote once again Here is what I suspect may be up with that - CS may have its hands effectively tied. It may be company policy just now to say that and only that in regards to this issue. I received the same canned response, framed with effusive "thanks for contacting us, we're sorry you were inconvenienced, we value every member of our community" stock crap. I am sure someone worked very hard on that stock crap to try to convey the appropriate sentiments, but it was so obviously canned that the CS rep contacting me in the fictive guise of a protocol droid may as well actually have been a robot. But it was a highly unsatisfactory reply. I understand game developers frequently operate under a non-disclosure agreement. I am not asking anyone to put themselves at legal risk by violating the terms of an NDA. But there are plenty of things that BioWare does discuss as they are being developed. A non-reply reply to this issue is disheartening. Incidentally, can anyone supply a firm date when the stock canned response was initially released? I hear it is "months old". Who actually said it, and where? I would like to see the statement in its original context. That thing is a masterpiece of noninformation. Edited February 2, 2012 by Uluain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couac Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 (edited) Incidentally, can anyone supply a firm date when the stock canned response was initially released? I hear it is "months old". Who actually said it, and where? I would like to see the statement in its original context. That thing is a masterpiece of noninformation. I remember when it happened, it may have been in August? I'll try to find the original post if only I can. There is a database somewhere that has all posts that were sent to forums before The Great Wipe. I also have a hunch it was Allison Berryman's post. Edit: Is this the one you meant (afaik posted on Sept. 13th): from http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=486040 "Due to the design constraints of a fully voiced MMO of this scale and size, many choices had to be made as to the launch and post-launch feature set. Same gender romances with companion characters in Star Wars: The Old Republic will be a post-launch feature. Because The Old Republic is an MMO, the game will live on through content expansions which allow us to include content and features that could not be included at launch, including the addition of more companion characters who will have additional romance options." Edited February 2, 2012 by Couac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenebram Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 (edited) "According to an official post on the SWTOR forums, community manager Stephen Reid said the option would not be present at launch do to “design constraints.” Thats all i can find online. multiple websites have it as September 13, 2011 which is prior to the forums wipe so the original post probably no longer exists Also while looking I happened upon this: http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/27/activists-target-swtors-future-same-gender-romances/ Edited February 2, 2012 by Tenebram Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couac Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Also while looking I happened upon this: http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/27/activists-target-swtors-future-same-gender-romances/ Aahhahhaaa, thanks for posting this. If only it were true! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodalus Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 (edited) That story has been posted a couple of times (from different sources), but the mods keep deleting it. Hope more people see it before they come in and purge it again, since it show the ridiculousness that is the opposition (being outraged that something is in the game that. . . isn't in the game? really people?). Edited February 2, 2012 by Vodalus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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