Same gender relationships clarifications?

[natashina]

can i just say something. Not being negative or anti gay or anything but if you look at this from Bioware's stand point and see the amount of work to be done to implement this and then look at the track record of the game and the decline in subs, well then you must realize that your most likely not going to get this in game.

 

Like it or not this game isnt going to well, it would be a HUGE waist of money and time for Bioware to do this, and for what? its all about money and im sorry to say but you most likely will never see this in Swtor.

 

 

This is from 9/07 from the this thread:

 

Hi folks, I'm here to give a quick update to this issue. It's not much, but we actually do not have any new information to share with you at this time. Should that change, I'll be more than happy to update this thread!

 

Thanks for your patience and thank you for supporting the game! As I mentioned in the email to Uluain, we really do appreciate your discussions on here and we are definitely keeping tabs.

 

MTFBWY

 

This from Hall Hood on 9/25(as seen on the FAQ currently):

(1/2)@StoleTarts Thanks, Megan. I know it's frustrating to wait for answers, but be assured we're not ignoring our SGR fans.

 

So yes, SGRs are being worked on. I suspect that a lot of the work was done before launch, but they couldn't finish it in time.

 

This is why we need a community manager or even a developer to come in and talk with us openly. The current state of BW's team and the game itself looks like it has some players nervous about the future of SGRs.

Edited October 17, 2012 by natashina

[Baptes]

This is from 9/07 from the this thread:

 

 

 

This from Hall Hood on 9/25(as seen on the FAQ currently):

 

 

So yes, SGRs are being worked on. I suspect that a lot of the work was done before launch, but they couldn't finish it in time.

 

This is why we need a community manager or even a developer to come in and talk with us openly. The current state of BW's team and the game itself looks like it has some players nervous about the future of SGRs.

Seriously, if I was a community manager I would have this huge urge to pull a Sam Kinison and start screaming "SAY IT!! SAY IT!!!". Of course I would shortly lose my job, but man it would feel good.

 

Talk to us. We have waited this long, we're not going to go all postal on you. Just give us a few simple answers to a few simple questions. You're not guarding the Queen's Jewels here, it is a bit of info on how SGRA will work. Time to break down that wall of silence.

[natashina]

Seriously, if I was a community manager I would have this huge urge to pull a Sam Kinison and start screaming "SAY IT!! SAY IT!!!". Of course I would shortly lose my job, but man it would feel good.

 

Sorry for the sidetrack, but man I haven't seen Back To School in years! Rodney Dangerfield was a genius and Sam was, is and will always be one of my heroes. <sniffle> I had some very cool parents and they let me see all of his taped specials as a kid. I enjoy him even more in my 30s.

 

 

Talk to us. We have waited this long, we're not going to go all postal on you. Just give us a few simple answers to a few simple questions. You're not guarding the Queen's Jewels here, it is a bit of info on how SGRA will work. Time to break down that wall of silence.

 

Simply echo'ing this. A little bit of direct information would go a really long way at this point.

Edited October 17, 2012 by natashina

[natashina]

Edit: My rant really isn't appropriate right now. I'll post it again later, maybe. Edited October 17, 2012 by natashina

[Uluain]

Talk to us. We have waited this long, we're not going to go all postal on you. Just give us a few simple answers to a few simple questions. You're not guarding the Queen's Jewels here, it is a bit of info on how SGRA will work. Time to break down that wall of silence.

 

Yes, please. Joveth, Allison, Loyal Community Support Person anonymously reading this. We aren't asking when (we know that, more or less, and that is enough). We are asking how. This affects how people are choosing to play so as not to miss out.

 

Answers to any of my recent questions are welcome, but some detail as to how these new romantic options will work for existing player characters is the very most important. Please escalate this to whoever can approve a discussion of this. Please let us hear from the Dev Team how this will work.

[Palar]

So yes, SGRs are being worked on. I suspect that a lot of the work was done before launch, but they couldn't finish it in time.

 

This is why we need a community manager or even a developer to come in and talk with us openly. The current state of BW's team and the game itself looks like it has some players nervous about the future of SGRs.

 

And that's what we're clinging to as a sign it's happening.... "We're well aware you guys are still hee-hawing about this, but we're not saying Jack. Feel free to stay subbed, though, we like your patience."

 

..... Screw it, I don't care anymore. Good luck with the waiting game.

[TheronFett]

(1/2)@StoleTarts Thanks, Megan. I know it's frustrating to wait for answers, but be assured we're not ignoring our SGR fans.

 

So yes, SGRs are being worked on. I suspect that a lot of the work was done before launch, but they couldn't finish it in time

 

"We're not ignoring our SGR fans" does not translate to "we're working on this". With this development team's inability to implement an update or even a patch without breaking the game, it's a safe bet that they are not working on SGR, nor have plans to in the foreseeable future.

 

There are a lot of bugs in TOR, some lingering since beta. F2P is on the horizon, as well as a bunch of other things that they've already announced. None of those include SGR. Frankly, I would consider putting SGR into the game at this point a waste of development time, and grounds for unsubscribing, when there are plenty of other more pertinent issues.

Edited October 17, 2012 by TheronFett

[natashina]

I know more story content is expensive, but please look at the fact that BW has already started taking about Makeb. You know, the story update with the new planet? The update that Gabe Amatangelo's interview talked about, and he said that SGRs should be coming with Makeb. "It's just a matter of getting it onto to the schedule."

 

That has got to cost even more than writing and VA'ing some fresh dialog for SGRs. Plus, the money has already been spent.

 

Here's the link to Gabe's interview with the mention of SGRs:

 

 

 

From another poster just one page back:

One, the money and development time has already been spent. Gabe Amatangelo has already said that it is just a matter of getting this onto the release schedule.

 

Two, the game lost subs early. Those were probably not people who would have stayed with the game anyway. On my server, I see players brand new to the game all the time. SWTOR isn't dying. It is still finding players, they have huge amounts of content lined up for 2013, and F2P is going to be a huge new influx of money.

 

So we know it has been worked on, we have all but had it confirmed officially that it is coming with Makeb. Players who find development time spent on this will just have to realize that not everyone is going to like everything added to the game.

Edited October 17, 2012 by natashina

[Fyuria]

I have barely even checked in on this since launch, they said it would take time, and would not be ready for launch or even shortly after so I put it out of my mind and enjoyed the game, and generally continued on with my life.

 

We're coming up on swtors first year in december, and it would be disappointing if it still wasn't ready after a year, but we've still got time, so here's hoping for the best.

[natashina]

And that's what we're clinging to as a sign it's happening.... "We're well aware you guys are still hee-hawing about this, but we're not saying Jack. Feel free to stay subbed, though, we like your patience."

 

..... Screw it, I don't care anymore. Good luck with the waiting game.

 

I wish I knew what to tell you. I stepped away from the game for a few months back in May due to frustrations over SGR as well as some RL issues going on. Hopefully we'll see you again, and with us finally getting some real news.

 

Edit: This poor poster is irrefutable proof that a developer or writer needs to come in and say something. Between players talking about qutting if they put in SGRs(even though the money has been spent,) and dedicated yet frustrated players like Palar, the vague answers are really doing them more harm than good.

 

Time to start Tweeting again and emailing.

Edited October 17, 2012 by natashina

[Captain_Zone]

Just came to this thread from another one in the General Discussions- I was getting angry at people saying that SGRs aren't at all related in the Star Wars Universe, obviously because they had problems with it. And NO, you can't just assume that all people who want it are ***** 16 year old boys who want to see Lesbian romances. I sincerely want to see SGRs for the STORY. As stated at the homophobes before, if you don't like it, you don't have to participate in it.

 

I like watching two ladies kiss. Is that so wrong?

 

But seriously, that's only part of the reason I support this. The main reasons are because BioWare has pioneered SGRs in RPGs since KotOR, and finally made them fully fleshed out in Jade Empire. Also because I am a firm believer in human rights for everyone.

[natashina]

I just sent this email to both the community team and Ms Berryman is getting it via a PM(Joveth's email address isn't working):

 

Hello, my name is ____ and I'm currently a subscriber in ToR. My username is Natashina and I'm the one that helped coordinate and write the SGRA FAQ.

 

Over the last few weeks, I've seen Gabe Amatangelo's interview saying that SGRs "might" be coming in Makeb. I saw a Tweet from Hall Hood confirming that information, only to have the Tweet deleted. There is only two vague tweets on record, one of which had simply said that they [bioWare] has "not forgotten our SGR fanbase."

 

With the Tweet deleted, and yet no confirmation or denial, posters in the SGRA Clarification Thread are starting to feel ignored. I've seen posters(rightfully,) show disdain for the limited amount of proof that SGRs are actually coming out. Many players in that thread are starting to feel like we've had nothing but lip service, since we have nothing concrete to go by other than, "we're working on it." I've seen several posters in the last few weeks(dedicated to both the game and the SGR content,) leave in frustration over the lack of information

 

This is directly from the thread itself, and this poster really does speak on behalf of all of us:

 

Yes, please, Joveth, Allison, Loyal Community Support Person anonymously reading this. We aren't asking when (we know that, more or less, and that is enough). We are asking how. This affects how people are choosing to play so as not to miss out.

 

What We Still Need Answered

 

[*]Will any current companions be available for same-gender romance?

[*]If so, which?

[*]If current companions are made available, will the new romantic content be available to players who have already completed existing story content with their companions without needing to roll a new character?

[*]Will same-gender content require and additional purchase, such as a legacy unlock, in-game credit expense or real-world currency through the Cartel shop?

[*]Will we ever see same-gender content beyond companion characters as [Flirt] prompts with various world or class story mission NPCs, such as currently exist as opposite-gender options?

[*]Will there be same-gender romances available to all classes and all genders?

[*]If so, how many?

 

 

Answers to any of my recent questions are welcome, but some detail as to how these new romantic options will work for existing player characters is the very most important. Please escalate this to whoever can approve a discussion of this. Please let us hear from the Dev Team how this will work.

 

Please give us an answer asap. I am really enjoying the game, but the lack of discussion on this is leading to anger and confusion. By coming onto the thread and speaking with us directly, it'll go a long way to reassuring the posters. It'll also help clear the air on a lot of misconceptions currently about SGR content.

 

Thanks so much for your time, and I hope to hear back from you.

Edited October 17, 2012 by natashina

[Captain_Zone]

I just sent this email to both the community team and Joveth, and Ms Berryman is getting it via a PM:

 

Natashina, we'll have our female Knights with Kira in no time! Love your enthusiasm!

[natashina]

Natashina, we'll have our female Knights with Kira in no time! Love your enthusiasm!

 

Heh, thanks man. If we get Kira as an SGR, I have a toon all ready to go. I still haven't decided if I want it on an RP server for the full experience, or still on my current server for all the perks.

 

And, tbh, Tatile and Uluain have been the ones to inspire me to get more hands on with writing the community team. The other motivation is seeing good loyal players feel ripped off and cheated. I can't do much about that, other than being another one to write to the community team. I may just have to break out pen and paper if we don't hear something by Halloween. I have good penmanship, a ton of time, patience and insomnia. Sending off some "snail mail," to BW might not help, but it sure couldn't hurt at this point either.

[Captain_Zone]

Heh, thanks man. If we get Kira as an SGR, I have a toon all ready to go. I still haven't decided if I want it on an RP server for the full experience, or still on my current server for all the perks.

 

And, tbh, Tatile and Uluain have been the ones to inspire me to get more hands on with writing the community team. The other motivation is seeing good loyal players feel ripped off and cheated. I can't do much about that, other than being another one to write to the community team. I may just have to break out pen and paper if we don't hear something by Halloween. I have good penmanship, a ton of time, patience and insomnia. Sending off some "snail mail," to BW might not help, but it sure couldn't hurt at this point either.

 

I hear ya on the cheated part, especially. Until then, I have my female city elf with Leliana and my femShep with Liara to keep me tided over until such time as Kira (please dear lord let her be SGR enabled) becomes available for my lil blue Jedi babe.

[natashina]

I'm also sending that email to Ginger Maseda via her Facebook page. I also know that here in the next week or so if we don't hear anything, then I'm writing to gameindustrybiz.com(the same site with the article with Ms. Masea in it,) to let them know that there hasn't been any real sign or concrete confirmation about SGRs, and that the term, "Coming Soon" isn't cutting it anymore. Edited October 17, 2012 by natashina

[Fyuria]

I hope Jaesa, or at least someone like her becomes available, I mostly like her because she gives me that Kotor feeling of being able to affect how your crew member grows over the course of spending time with them.

 

Being able to push her to embrace her dark side, or not etc, I really liked that.

[Tatile]

If you're absolutely out of luck, I guess you could always try contacting here through Facebook. I found it rather easily through simply searching her name through Google, and her page lists her position at EA, so as long as you're respectful and polite, I don't see that it'd be an issue.

 

Thank you for that, but I don't feel that using someone's private Facebook page is appropriate when trying to contact them about something professional. I assume it's her private Facebook page as I don't have Facebook myself and clicking on the link tells me I need to join Facebook.

 

[...] I'm writing to gameindustrybiz.com(the same site with the article with Ms. Masea in it,) to let them know that there hasn't been any real sign or concrete confirmation about SGRs, and that the term, "Coming Soon" isn't cutting it anymore.

 

If you let me know when you're emailing them, I'll join you. Thus far every article I've seen about same-sex content and EA/Bioware has cited SWTOR as having them (at least recently) and it has annoyed me no end that everyone seems to be willing in provided this misinformation. If I didn't think Bioware were so inept at governing information, I'd suggest this was malicious on their part (i.e. to prevent outside observers from pointing out their blatant discrimination).

Edited October 17, 2012 by Tatile

[natashina]

Thank you for that, but I don't feel that using someone's private Facebook page is appropriate when trying to contact them about something professional. I assume it's her private Facebook page as I don't have Facebook myself and clicking on the link tells me I need to join Facebook.

 

You have a very valid point and managed to get everything deleted that I sent to her. Just...just....

Edited October 17, 2012 by natashina

[Tatile]

You've certainly gone a different route than I would have, which is likely a good thing. Ms. Maseda might not have appreciated me coming along and saying that SWTOR is a continuing example of the homophobia still very present in the gaming industry and that it's EA/Bioware's job to stand against and above the idiocy of the rest of the industry because they have said that part of their position, and that SWTOR is not only a failure for not having done so, but that it's an added insult to the LGBT community because of the game's heritage and because the Community Team, the producers, have decided that instead of honestly engaging with the LGBT community attached to the game, they're treating them like mushrooms (kept in the dark and fed ****).

 

The actual email would be more coherent, of course.

[losdia]

It's for both personal and work use(I checked her page since I do have FB mainly to keep in touch with my sister.) I did get that email sent to her via her Facebbok PM about an hr ago. Worse case scenario, she ignores me. I made sure I was polite. You can check it out on the last page if you want.

 

It's probably fine to contact her through facebook, but it may not be that useful. Her job title makes it sound like her duties are more about dealing with HR and internal LBGT issues at EA. I'm not sure though, as it is clear she does a lot of community interaction with EA sponsored things like Gaymercon. I think you're only going to get an answer from her if you're asking about something like the issues we've been having with the community team, rather than the general question about SGR.

[natashina]

Okay, I officially have ADD tonight.

 

I'll resend the email to Ginger Maseda's PM. I didn't want to be rude, but at the same time maybe she'll give us at least a response of some kind. I'll make sure a link back to the thread and the SGR FAQ is in there as well.

 

The beautiful part about that is that I can reword it slightly. Thanks for the advice.

 

Edit: Here's the reworded PM just for Ms. Maseda:

 

Hello, my name is <name removed>, and I'm currently a subscriber in ToR. My username is Natashina and I'm the one that helped coordinate and write the SGRA FAQ on ToR forums.

 

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=5287894&postcount=2368

 

Over the last few weeks, I've seen Gabe Amatangelo's interview saying that SGRs "might" be coming in Makeb. I saw a Tweet from Hall Hood confirming that information, only to have the Tweet deleted. There is only two vague tweets on record, one of which had simply said that they [bioWare] has "not forgotten our SGR fanbase."

 

With the Tweet deleted, and yet no confirmation or denial, posters in the SGRA Clarification Thread are starting to feel ignored. I've seen posters(rightfully,) show disdain for the limited amount of proof that SGRs are actually coming out. Many players in that thread are starting to feel like we've had nothing but lip service, since we have nothing concrete to go by other than, "we're working on it." I've seen several posters in the last few weeks(dedicated to both the game and the SGR content,) leave in frustration over the lack of information

 

 

Please help us pass this message along to The Powers That Be. To be honest, we need an answer asap. I am really enjoying the game, but the lack of discussion on this is leading to anger and confusion. By coming onto the thread and speaking with us directly, it'll go a long way to reassuring the posters. It'll also help clear the air on a lot of misconceptions currently about SGR content.

 

Thanks so much for your time, and I hope to hear back from you or a community member that can help us some.

 

Sincerely,

<name removed>

Edited October 17, 2012 by natashina

[natashina]

If you let me know when you're emailing them, I'll join you. Thus far every article I've seen about same-sex content and EA/Bioware has cited SWTOR as having them (at least recently) and it has annoyed me no end that everyone seems to be willing in provided this misinformation. If I didn't think Bioware were so inept at governing information, I'd suggest this was malicious on their part (i.e. to prevent outside observers from pointing out their blatant discrimination).

 

I'm giving The Powers That Be until Samhain(Halloween) to give us something more concrete. That's in exactly 2 weeks from today. If we don't hear anything else by then, I'll be doing my letter writing to the site at that point. I'm not expecting miracles, but I will not go quietly.

 

And boy, it sure seems funny that I keep hearing about all this SGR content is implied to be ToR already...

 

Like...this...(from the gameindustrybiz article)

(as a caption)Same-sex couplings are a staple of EA BioWare games like Star Wars: The Old Republic.

 

Okay, stepping back from this for awhile. I've got my emails/PMs sent, and I'll let you guys know when I get a response. Gonna go have fun with my IA for awhile!

Edited October 17, 2012 by natashina

[Tatile]

Thank you Natashina

 

I don't know how appropriate it would be for Bioware to release a statement on Hallo'ween though... they should have used Coming Out Week.

 

Missed opportunities, Bioware, you fools!

 

 

Edit: Natashina, you may be giving them time, but I can't let false information slide.

 

In the recent article: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-10-15-Publishers-LGBT-Equality-is-Civil-Rights-Issue-of-our-Time "Publishers: LGBT Equality is "Civil Rights Issue of Our Time"" (Monday 15th October, 15/10/12)

 

the following caption was added to a picture from Star Wars: The Old Republic (a Bioware and EA game):

 

"Same-sex couplings are a staple of EA BioWare games like Star Wars: The Old Republic."

 

I would like to bring it to your attention that Star Wars: The Old Republic does NOT currently have same-sex couples, same-sex conversation options or any mention of same-sex content currently in-game (as of 17/10/12) and it has been this since early Beta. Whoever told you that such was the case has given you misinformation - indeed we (the players of Star Wars: The Old Republic) only have the vaguest idea of when same-sex content will be added to the game (if even it gets added at all, at this point). I merely think it would be prudent to have accurate information with regards to this subject, particularly when Ea and Bioware are so pleased to tell people of their pro-LGBT stance, but seem so hesitant to act upon it.

 

If you would like further information on same-sex content in Star Wars: The Old Republic, what follows is a link to the long standing and oft recreated thread: Same Gender Relationship Clarifications?

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=476215

 

Sent to both European Editor Mr. Matt Martin and US Editor Mr. James Brightman

Edited October 17, 2012 by Tatile

[Chaac]

I dunno if anyone's seen this link. It's an article about EA and Zynga's inclusion of LGBT themes. Presumably not EA's fault but rather the writer of the article, but it goes on to mention that SW:TOR recently added SGRA's. I know two people who saw the article and almost resubbed before realizing it wasn't true.

 

Anyways just thought I'd share it for anyone interested in reading about it.