Did I hear this right?

[Alohen]

Who really cares about Companion Romance, the most low priority thing in this game, even lower than The option to wear Star Trek outfits... It's like if they started developing useless fireworks that you could buy in the Cartel Market.. Oh..

[Grammarye]

Who really cares about Companion Romance, the most low priority thing in this game, even lower than The option to wear Star Trek outfits... It's like if they started developing useless fireworks that you could buy in the Cartel Market.. Oh..

Actually, if true, it suggests they have long term content plans that aren't just the next shiny that everyone wants and they can gouge on the Cartel Market. That is the sort of news that suggests they have a plan, and indeed intentions of developing fluff and all the 'extra' stuff that tends to make MMOs that bit more interesting (whether it's interesting to a given individual personally or not).

 

The cynic in me says it got cut.

[Alohen]

Actually, if true, it suggests they have long term content plans that aren't just the next shiny that everyone wants and they can gouge on the Cartel Market. That is the sort of news that suggests they have a plan, and indeed intentions of developing fluff and all the 'extra' stuff that tends to make MMOs that bit more interesting (whether it's interesting to a given individual personally or not).

 

The cynic in me says it got cut.

 

I suppose, although it's been said time and time before, EA are making the worst decisions and stick to them. Heck i'd not be surprised if EA themselves would be spending all the money they earn from the Cartel Market on making sure 2012 will happen, just so they can tick off another thing to ruin.

Edited December 19, 2012 by Alohen

[amnie]

Which again, doesn't and SHOULDN'T matter what so ever to a gaming company's attempt at making new content for a broad audience. Do YOU get it?

 

it's a widely known fact that the vast majority of player do not play the 'top end' raiding content.

 

 

 

it's a widely known fact that the vast majority of player do not care about chat bubbles.

 

 

it's a widely known fact that even on PVP servers a lot of player don't like warzones (and don't even start on PVE server)

 

 

it's a widely known fact that a fast majority of player don't give a rat's behind on space missions (neither current, nor future 'secret' space missions)

 

 

and don't even let me get started on stuff like the Ilum revamp, events, hardmodes of flashpoints and all that jab.

 

 

and you know what? I want it all in-game.

 

 

however, the difference with same gender romance arc is that there already is the [flirt] option for opposite gender.

 

I have yet to see anyone opposed to sgra explain this to me.

[Revanchis]

It's odd that people don't seem to understand that the vast majority is made up of a bunch of small groups. Everyone has their little area that interests them.

[DarthRamette]

Why must someone who does not want SGR in the game explain it to as well as why do you have to explain why you want it. If you don't, you don't and if you do you do. We all have our own areas that we like and don't like, what I want or don't is mine, and I don't have to explain my reasons, they are my own.

[chuixupu]

You don't have to share any reasons, but if you can't share any reasons for making a stand on something, there is absolutely no reason why any player or any developer should take what you say seriously.

 

Imagine this political campaign: "You should vote for me. Why? I don't need to tell you why. I have my personal reasons for wanting to win this election. Thanks for your vote!"

[DarthRamette]

You don't have to share any reasons, but if you can't share any reasons for making a stand on something, there is absolutely no reason why any player or any developer should take what you say seriously.

 

Imagine this political campaign: "You should vote for me. Why? I don't need to tell you why. I have my personal reasons for wanting to win this election. Thanks for your vote!"

 

Sounds like the sanest campaign there could be, no one to accuse you of lying or breaking a promise. If one gives a reason like it's their own personal beliefs or something of that nature they get slammed for saying this is why. You want a reason then when given a person gets slammed, so its like damned if you do damned if you don't.

Edited December 20, 2012 by DarthRamette

[Nozybidaj]

I have yet to see anyone opposed to sgra explain this to me.

 

Because they can't obviously. I haven't seen a single post anywhere on this forum opposed to SGRA's being added that wasn't based entirely in fear and ignorance. That's really all there is to say about it.

[natashina]

Yeah...I'm going to state this over here...

 

 

I'm going to say this. This isn't meant to offend anyone that enjoys other forms of content, but I do have some points.

 

Edit: I mean a sincere thank you for the support, no matter what!!! I need to make that very clear. None of us could do what we do without all kinds of support. I apologize if I seem rude or attacking anyone. I assure you all it is not my goal.

 

This is what happens when a LS Sith gets grumpy. After the podcast, apparently this is a sore spot for me.

 

Heart of a Jedi, passions and temper of a Sith.

 

 

It's not so much anyone in this thread at all, including the supporters saying hello, but I'm tired of hearing the words, "wasting resources" floating about freaking everywhere as an excuse to exclude this content.

 

The use of the word "you" is a general term.

 

Show me where I said it should come before game breaking bug fixes. Show me where anyone in this community said this. Myself and others have stated time and time again that we want bug fixes to happen. Link the post please; I'm not going to go by a quote on this one.

 

Links or it didn't happen.

 

Show me where it is stated that the writing team, the PvP team, the animation team and the bug fix team happen to all share team members and they can't work on multiple things at once.

 

I'll start this just from a feature perspective alone:

 

A minority amount of players use end-game PvE. So I guess that's resources wasted, right? I mean after all, not a lot of people want this content, right? I enjoy Ops, but that doesn't make me a majority.

 

A minority amount of players play PvP right? So I guess that's resources wasted too. After, most of a MMO playerbase does not PvP. Oh and PvP servers are a waste too, right? Most MMOs lowest population servers are PvP, so no point there?

 

I don't go into a thread and tell them that they are wasting their time developing this content. That is rude.

 

I hope you're mad that they are using precious resources for chat bubbles. Or that they are using resources to work on hood toggles.

 

So the majority vs minority argument really has no weight.

 

If anyone honestly thinks that they deliberately wasted writing on Makeb just because of SGRs, then I think they are very mistaken. I don't think a continuation of class story was intended at any point for this story update. SGRs or not. To imply as such seems quite erroneous.

 

If they want us to pre-order Makeb...you know, the story update...then they need to come clean. This isn't overreaching at this point. We have a right to know if this is coming. They want our money? We want an answer.

 

Edit #2: Rant about some of the handling of information here. Took it down to cover my butt.

 

Any and all threads are shut down and redirected to only one of two places.

 

Please don't even try to invoke the "no multiple threads," nonsense. Read the General forums anytime, and you'll see a bunch of multiple threads on all kinds of other topics. The hottest one of which is a lot of the Life Day/Cartel Shop items. Go count the number of threads that are not locked and redirected to only two areas.

 

For the record, I do think some of the Cartel Shop problem is just that: a legitimate problem. So I'm not saying our content is better, but it is as game breaking for some of the players in the LGBTQ community.

 

Why is that okay? Why is the rules not enforced for everyone, for every thread? How should this be any different?

 

So that is some of the reasons why this email campaign took place. They talk publicly about how much they love giving the LGBT community game content. EA straight up let the idea that ToR already had SGRs in it get published. Go look at the linked October 15th article and take a look at that correction notice at the bottom. Actually read the whole article if you really want to know what EA claims to think about this content.

 

We had to write to the editor to get a big assumption changed.

 

They had a picture of ToR that said very clearly, "Same gender romances are a staple of EA games such as Star Wars: The Old Republic." They took that down and replaced it with a shot from ME3 after we wrote in, using slightly different font.

 

So if EA/BW wants to claim they find it worth their time, then it obviously isn't a waste to them. They need to quit doing pro LGBTQ articles if they think it's a waste of time. We went to GLAAD because that article hit, then they ignored us at the Livestream, and now they are not enforcing certain forum rules for everyone. Just us.

Edited December 20, 2012 by natashina

[natashina]

PS: One final thought and then I'm off to go play DA: O

 

You is still a general term, but I am venting some.

 

I don't still see why it's considered that the writing team is "wasting" time on SGRs by working on them. That is still pretty wrong to me. It's a waste to write for the LGBT community?

 

I'm betting they are already working on new class content for quite some time, we just haven't seen it yet. At least they were smart enough not to talk about it in advance this time.

 

Why can't they work on both SGRs and class expansions at the same time? Just because Makeb isn't coming with them, it doesn't mean that they excluded class story expansions for this. I'll say again that I don't think at any point in time was Makeb going to have expansions for class stories, whether SGRs are coming or not.

 

Why would they just have to focus on one aspect of the story at once?

 

Why would they only work on one thing at a time storywise????

 

Makes no sense if you want anything resembling a lead time.

 

I know what some of you are thinking. "But but...PvP and end game PvE are expected of a MMO."

 

Same gender romance was expected of a BioWare game as well.

 

Is it because PvE and PvP are more mainstream?

 

Lest we forget, EA/BW promised us this content. If they want to take it out, then they should just say so and be done with it once and for all. If it is coming in, then the LGBT player base would like to know before they spend their money.

 

A direct, public, concrete answer acknowledged at this point is what we ask. Personally, I'd like it coming right out of Hickman's mouth, but I will take a high level current employee talking openly about it too.

 

Let's put aside GLAAD for a second. The members of the press did not have any idea that GLAAD had been contacted when I sent out those letters. I wanted the press to take a look at the facts at hand without any outside influences tainting their views.

 

If no one likes it, thinks we're wasting our time/their time, or just are flat out anti-SGR, go on ahead and write to news sites why you think it's a waste. Make sure you provide 9 months of community research to back up your point. Stuff that is easily checked by an fact checker, with trust worthy links.

 

Be pro-active like we did. Oh and yes, that FAQ has got several months of research behind it.

 

Also, make sure you take the time to write a well thought out letter too. And send it off to several websites. Also, make sure the other people that don't want this content do their part.

 

I'll bet you won't. I bet you wouldn't even think of such a thing. Most people would just sit in the forums, complain and not try to do something.

 

GLAAD got involved as it became apparent that not only was EA/BW being two faced, but some of their forum rules applied to only us and not others.

 

I consider talking about loving a minority loudly in the press while ignoring a part of that minority to be very wrong. As far as I'm concerned, that's just lying.

 

If they "love" including this content so much, they should have no shame in telling the players.

 

Again, I'm not directing this towards anyone. I'm venting after weeks of reading that. Please don't take it personally!

Edited December 20, 2012 by natashina

[Nozybidaj]

I consider talking about loving a minority loudly in the press while ignoring a part of that minority to be very wrong. As far as I'm concerned, that's just lying.

 

If they "love" including this content so much, they should have no shame in telling the players.

 

That's not atypical behavior for companies like this, they want the good press from looking like they support a minority community, but aren't particularly interested in doing the work to go along with it.

 

"Yay! Look at us! We are such a great company because we support the GLBT community! Just don't expect us to include you in the game."

 

For anyone interested in this issue, we've been getting quite good coverage lately in gaming sites and news outlets, hopefully this will create some momentum for us and get the word out to even more sites.

 

Do we think this will lead to EA eventually getting off their duffs and giving us the content we deserve? No of course not. But just getting the word out and seeing so many folks asking why was the content missing, and why won't you talk to this community is a reward unto itself.

 

Join us there, since for the most part we aren't particularly welcome on the general forum. http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=476215

[amnie]

Go log in and ask in gen chat which are more important. SGR or new WZ/FPs/Ops. Let me know how that turns out.

 

what exactly is that supposed to acomplish, if I may ask? general chat will call ME a '***' when I say I love romancing Corso.

 

my scoundrel - and myself - are female.

 

nobody in general chat will tell you they want sgra when people freak out about people asking where they can find the reskilling npc.

 

actually, there are times when on my server (PVP) people freak out when you talk about wanting a new fp/ops....

 

 

none of this relevant, though. opposite gender romance isn't 'important', either. however, it is in game. it is a story driven MMO. bioware better deliver. if you don't want more story, why are you playing a story mmo?

[DarthRamette]

Oddly I have seen nothing about your SGR issue on any mainstream media sites and I cover 5 of them per day being a news person I have.

[Revanchis]

Oddly I have seen nothing about your SGR issue on any mainstream media sites and I cover 5 of them per day being a news person I have.

 

Issues in videogames don't tend to show up on mainstream news sources. Issues like this do tend to show up on the big gaming news sites, like Kotaku, although this issue hasn't shown up recently.

[Jacen_Starsolo]

Issues in videogames don't tend to show up on mainstream news sources. Issues like this do tend to show up on the big gaming news sites, like Kotaku, although this issue hasn't shown up recently.

 

ME3 ending showed up all over the place. Just saying.

[Revanchis]

ME3 ending showed up all over the place. Just saying.

 

That's true, and this issue had been showing up in a quite a few places during the launch, but after Bioware/EA came out and said it was coming in the future it kind of quieted down. Since then there's barely been a peep about it. They "support" it to get people to shut up and then they let it quietly die.