BioWare - LBGT Approach Benefitting All Gamers

more options, more fun.

Except the way Bioware does it imho is gimmicky and lgbt-only-for-the-PR-of-doing-lgbt. The sexuality of their lgbt npcs had nothing to do with the depth of characters and indeed made them seem shallow. Indeed, were I a member of the lgbt community, I might take offense at the oversexualized, will-hit-on-you-every-chance-i-get-to-emphasize-this-game-has-lgbt-themes way the characters are portrayed. Their lgbt-ness didn't seem like part of their personality so much as it was forced just for the sake of it.

What they put in their games to do this is just not fun. Zevran and anders were cringe worthy - I actually left them out of my party because it was just so f'ing annoying having that crap shoved down your throat endlessly. ME was even worse, dating sequences right in the middle of saving the galaxy from an IMMINENT world ending threat?!?!

I already prefer playing female characters as it is, but when I have the freedom to have sex with other female characters, it makes me happy.

Maybe I'm a lesbian trapped in a man's body

If, by all gamers, they mean minorities who think that games are automatically better because precious resources are being spent ensuring that they're represented in the game, in ways that have almost no bearing on what the game is otherwise about, then sure.

If this sexual orientation obsession of theirs changed the games for the better, I would get behind it in an instant. But when it's just pandering in products that are pathetically void of creative power - I'm less impressed.

But I have the power to buy or not to buy, and that's enough for me here.

Originally Posted by Wisdom
The article of "more choice = better for all" is a silly argument. It takes 10 seconds to get Joxer boiling when some company puts "more platforms = better for all" on their kickstarter design page. Rightly so. It doesn't benefit everyone that all that "choice" is there if its not being used. In most cases its a hindrance to all because something was cut in the budget to allow for it.

Of course more platforms do not equal a better game, it is in most cases the opposite. But that is an external factor, comparing this to something that enriches the game itself makes little sense.

More choices in the game always affect players. Of course, a player that never uses a choice will not see its content. But that is the one of the points of a good RPG, not to be able to see everything with one character. To be able to have differing experiences with different characters. And to have some content for a wide variety of players. ME is not a purely linear game. And as I said, willingly not making a decision is in itself a decision. If I know that there is content in a certain direction and chose not to follow it because it would not fit my character, then I am actively roleplaying, which is what a story/character focused RPG should make me do.

And yes, every optional choice takes budget away. But I'd rather have a 20-30 hour game like ME that I can replay more often than a 60 hour game that offers little choice or sideway paths at all.
I definitely wanted to replay ME2 & 3. Before that utterly BS ending completely ruined the trilogy for me. So, my desire for more choices in ME4 comes with the wish of a less screw-it-all-in-your-face-ending.

I like more variety in roleplaying aspects. But, Bioware's effort and focus on sexuality and romancing roleplaying would be better redirected on gameplay improvements. Or at least roleplaying choices that have deep and meaningful impact on the storytelling, rather than shallow payoffs with gratuitous and horribly bad cyber sex cutscenes.

Meh. Just give us a decent story and let us turn off the romance pathways if we want.