After lurking on the subject since pre-launch I finally decided to post on it and, within minutes, the thread's deleted.

 

Pfff...

 

Anyway, I just want to throw my hat in the "getting fed up waiting" pile; still got characters either waiting to be made or loitering mid-way through their stories (who are already lost causes for all I know..). The reason I'm playing this game at all is for the characters and stories; if by the end of the year they say "it's been delayed, release tba", or they say nothing at all, and I can't enjoy the elements of the game I'm here for the way I want, I may just go play something else.

Edited December 1, 2012 by MozOTheUndercity

I have taken the next step and communicated with the community manager Joveth Gonzalez, it remains to be seen if he will reply to my PM. Keep those e-mails and letters going to GLAAD, folks.

 

All we want is an honest answer...instead of the great wall of mod and dev silence.

 

~JC

I have taken the next step and communicated with the community manager Joveth Gonzalez, it remains to be seen if he will reply to my PM. Keep those e-mails and letters going to GLAAD, folks.

 

All we want is an honest answer...instead of the great wall of mod and dev silence.

 

~JC

 

We'll keep the letters going, but I gotta be honest here.

 

Myself, Uluain, Tatile and I don't know how many others have contacted Joveth in the past. He will not address this issue, or at least hasn't before in any direct and/or meaningful way. The only time he has come out and directly talked to the thread was the same day as Gabe's little off-handed comment. I hope your PM bears more fruit than ours did.

 

BTW, what came of talking to your colleagues at the university that are a part of GLAAD? Anything new?

Edited December 1, 2012 by natashina

I've contacted an in-game mod today, waiting for answer. If I have a dormant subscription with me not playing, I might as well do something with it.

I would have liked to have read Uluain's 'rant'. Did anyone happen to have copied it?

My sub is running out in 12 days. I cancelled because I want to play the new Rift expansion, and I'll probably stay there for a while. This game's "content" is all raids and PVP and **** I don't care about, so once I see an update to the stories that INCLUDE same gender romances, I'll gladly quit Rift and any other game I'm working on.

 

Rift isn't any better, but at least I have more options in that game.

Was sort of hoping that they would say something in the livestream, but oh well...

 

(seldom poster, lurk here sometimes)

We'll keep the letters going, but I gotta be honest here.

 

Myself, Uluain, Tatile and I don't know how many others have contacted Joveth in the past. He will not address this issue, or at least hasn't before in any direct and/or meaningful way. The only time he has come out and directly talked to the thread was the same day as Gabe's little off-handed comment. I hope your PM bears more fruit than ours did.

 

BTW, what came of talking to your colleagues at the university that are a part of GLAAD? Anything new?

 

I won't hear anything until probably Monday or Tuesday. That is way of things I suppose. You know I am GLAD someone shot BW the middle finger. The more I deal with this issue, the more I begin to believe that punishing BW monetarily and in the public eye will be the only logical course of action. Corporations seem to only respond to stuff that hurts their public image and bottom line.

 

I hope so as well. It would be nice if someone was human enough to actually respond to our concerns.

 

~JC

It's mostly just empty politics, many words spoken to avoid public outrage, but no actions to follow, but the public has been appeased and the minority silenced. Goals achieved.

 

That pretty much sums up this whole issue since it first started in April of 2009. Empty words, inaction, and silence.

from the looks of things it seems some of the elder sgr posters (natashina, tatile, uluain) r startin to lose some hope. ive been followin y'all since day one and as obnoxious as it has been i hope you'll still keep faith. as a sith passion is what guides me so i totally understand the stress of silence. but we havent been told no and this thread only gets bigger so ya never kno. we still havent got makeb nor REAL new companions (or atleast unique ones to each faction) and u kno they will eventually add more companions so i expect when they come so will sgrs. granted it may be six months from now but it'll happen eventually. im sure of that.

 

-Darth Aeonis "Lord of Passion" ;P

Edited December 2, 2012 by DarthAeonis

from the looks of things it seems some of the elder sgr posters (natashina, tatile, uluain) r startin to lose some hope. ive been followin y'all since day one and as obnoxious as it has been i hope you'll still keep faith. as a sith passion is what guides me so i totally the stress of silence. but we havent been told no and this thread only gets bigger so ya never kno. we still havent got makeb nor REAL new companions (or atleast unique ones to each faction) and u kno they will eventually add more companions so i expect when they come so will sgrs. granted it may be six months from now but it'll happen eventually. im sure of that.

 

-Darth Aeonis "Lord of Passion" ;P

 

Forgive me if I'm not my usual coherent self. I'm still on painkillers from yesterday's wisdom tooth extraction.

 

I can safely say that I'm not losing too much hope. I still believe SGRs are going to make it in.

 

What I am losing is my patience.

 

After the Livestream, the silence has gone way too far. All this thread wants is an approximate time line or heck, even if SGRs have been pushed back/scrapped.

 

We've gotten no concrete answer at all since the Guild Summit and we've exhausted almost every means of communication at our disposal.

 

This includes:

 

 

• Twitter to Hall Hood and other representives at BW/EA
   
  
• Emails and PMs to Allison Berryman, Joveth Gonzales and others
   
  
• Snail mail directly to BW-Austin (weird, but we've done it)
   
  
• A petition on All Out...abandoned due to the sheer amount of spammers.
   
  
• Writing in our questions to Ask the Devs and other such Q&As.
  

 

 

We even had to correct an article that had a photo of ToR with a caption that said that SGRs were already in the game. Even though I'm sure EA never said as such, they allowed that assumption to be published. It wasn't an oversight either, in my opinion. That misinformation spread to another gaming news site before we got that fixed.

 

I'm not sure if you knew, but GLAAD stepped up last year for the ToR players regarding this very matter. It was right after GLAAD put pressure on BioWare that the now infamous boilerplate announcement by Stephen Reid was released.

 

Myself and others have decided to go above BioWare and directly write to GLAAD. The fact is it isn't in the game yet is bothersome, but that's not really the problem right now. The problem is that no one has stepped up and talked about SGRs at all in any official capacity since March.

 

Not on the Dev Q&As, not anywhere on the website (we had to grab transcriptions of Daniel Erickson's statements from the Guild Summit from Darth Hater,) not on any sort of Livestream.

 

The only employees of BioWare that said anything at all officially about SGRs have all left. All of them. And they still won't acknowledge this side of the playerbase.

 

While I can appreciate Gabe's attempt at answering the question, that is far from official. Ask any of us about Hall Hood's deleted Tweet and we'll tell you how concrete Gabe's answer really was.

 

We're not going to collectively blow sky high and start storming the forums. We are going to go beyond BioWare at this point. We figure if doing things the polite way and being quiet isn't doing any good, we're stepping up.

 

I appreciate the support!! Nice to see supporters popping out of the woodwork.

Edited December 2, 2012 by natashina

hmmm i understand. and sorry bout the teeths. but yea i try to keep up with this thread (and post on random other ones) relatively often and ive seen the comments. i can only assume theyre afraid of saying it outright due to the sales. many threaten to leave after all. idk they must have a reason for sayin nothing. i mean if they just said no we cant do it atleast we kno to drop it (for the most part) tho bioware has a history of gay love lol i guess the use of sgrs (which could be in game already just gender nulled since so many claimed it was included) at launch seemed reckless for a new time of game that required alot of money put in. idk im just speculatin. im all for lettin kno what we want but i just hope y'all dont end up death star blastin EA in oblivion lol

hmmm i understand. and sorry bout the teeths. but yea i try to keep up with this thread (and post on random other ones) relatively often and ive seen the comments. i can only assume theyre afraid of saying it outright due to the sales. many threaten to leave after all. idk they must have a reason for sayin nothing. i mean if they just said no we cant do it atleast we kno to drop it (for the most part) tho bioware has a history of gay love lol i guess the use of sgrs (which could be in game already just gender nulled since so many claimed it was included) at launch seemed reckless for a new time of game that required alot of money put in. idk im just speculatin. im all for lettin kno what we want but i just hope y'all dont end up death star blastin EA in oblivion lol

 

I can let you know right now there is not any SGRs in the game. I think there is a handful of same gender flirts out there, and I heard about a FTB between a fem Smuggler and a fem NPC, but those are very obscure and hard to find.

 

They had also said that they aren't just pronoun swapping and actually writing new dialog to fit with SGRs:

 

(The question, gathered from online submissions, was summed up as, "Is there any update on same gender romance?")

 

This is an interesting one because it sort of lit up, and we didn't honestly -- if we should give an update on it every single time -- We've always said the same thing with it, which is that it's coming, and it's coming with story updates. And we totally understand when people hear "soon", um, maybe I should have put the TM next to it that, "writer Soon"? The writers have a much, much larger lead time than you would expect, and we wanna do any of this stuff right. We heard suggestions, and we do read the stuff, and let's talk a little about the stuff we were not willing to do. We were not willing to go in and just change all the dialogue to work for the other gender. That is not writing. That is not good storytelling.

 

The problem is that they won't say another word. 9 months is a very very long time in the world of gaming and MMOs. It's been shown that they have no issue talking about other aspects of the game that could be several more months out, such as Makeb, Cathars, talking about 1.6 two months ago, ect ect. So that excuse holds as much water for me as a buckshot ridden bucket.

 

EA is allowing this assumption to continue to maintain their reputation within the LGBT gamer community. They are really proud of that apparently; about 2-3 weeks ago they did a piece talking about how thrilled they were to have benefits for both hetero and homosexual couples as well as their inclusion of SGRs for all of their games. Which everyone that plays ToR knows isn't quite true.

 

Also, I highly doubt we'll be able to nuke EA from orbit. That's actually contrary to my goal. I want to see the game succeed. GLAAD got them to talk last time, so we hope to see that again. EA especially has had so much bad press over the years that it's obvious to me that we can't take them out. I personally wouldn't want to, even if it is supposedly "the worst company in America."

 

Voting with our wallets obviously didn't work, so we're gonna hit them in the only other place they care about.

 

Their precious PR. Please join us in our email campaign if you wish.

Edited December 2, 2012 by natashina

well i dont see why not join. i do want my bro-love. gay power! lol

but u did bring up a good point. bioware does tend to pride itself on its "gayness" which is why ive been content on waiting for it cuz it was sure to come...eventually...

btw ur acts dont seem very jedi-ish. ever thought switching sides

Edited December 2, 2012 by DarthAeonis

well i dont see why not join. i do want my bro-love. gay power! lol

but u did bring up a good point. bioware does tend to pride itself on its "gayness" which is why ive been content on waiting for it cuz it was sure to come...eventually...

btw ur acts dont seem very jedi-ish. ever thought switching sides

 

Heart of a Jedi, passions of a Sith.

 

I'm actually a pretty nice gal, and for the most part I've been very patient. My PMs and emails were not only polite, but enthusiastic about the game.

 

I'm also one of those weirdos in game that'll randomly stop by a planet and offer free gear (if I have the mats,) as well as answer any "dumb" questions people might have. Shoot, one guy I spent about 2 hours talking with after a PUG to help him out. I always try to help keep a cool head on the forums too.

 

The Sith side of me wants to start flooding the threads in a blaze of glory, making sure the news is spread as far and as wide as possible before I get an inevitable ban. Burn baby burn!

 

You should have seen my Mad-Libs rant. Now that was the Sith side at play.

 

The Jedi side of me actually the reason why I'm taking this route. This is probably the most productive way to go about this information at this point short of being psycho about it.

 

As far as in game, I'm a LS sniper. Make of that what you will.

 

oh, here's the link to GLAAD:

 

http://www.glaad.org/contact

 

Thanks so much! Spread the word and tell your friends to send their mails too! Even if they don't play ToR, this is something that I think the entire LGBT gaming community needs to know about. Particularly since EA talks quite a bit about their inclusion of that community w/ SGR content.

Edited December 2, 2012 by natashina

So, its only a few more days before SWTOR turns a year old. And from what the devs said at the Guild Summit, Same Gender romance was still "on schedule" to be released "this year" with full story. So....any updates? I google searched and there seems to not have been any updates given lately. I just want to make sure SWTOR keeps it's promise If I am to continue to play this game and hold off on my main characters.

So, its only a few more days before SWTOR turns a year old. And from what the devs said at the Guild Summit, Same Gender romance was still "on schedule" to be released "this year" with full story. So....any updates? I google searched and there seems to not have been any updates given lately. I just want to make sure SWTOR keeps it's promise If I am to continue to play this game and hold off on my main characters.

 

Absolutely nothing - they won't even tell us if we should hold off on levelling characters, or conversations.

So, its only a few more days before SWTOR turns a year old. And from what the devs said at the Guild Summit, Same Gender romance was still "on schedule" to be released "this year" with full story. So....any updates? I google searched and there seems to not have been any updates given lately. I just want to make sure SWTOR keeps it's promise If I am to continue to play this game and hold off on my main characters.

 

Write to GLAAD and ask them, Bioware has no clue that LGBT players even exist anymore.

I'm sitting here really frustrated right now because I've got an evening free to play but all I can do is sit at the character select screen. My Warrior and Smuggler are capped. My Hunter/Agent/Knight are played up to the point where they receive Mako/Kaliyo/Kira and I dare not level them further lest I miss out on romance dialogues when they're implemented. I'm not interested in the Trooper class and my Consular and Inquisitor are healers for players who aren't logged on right now.

 

Granted, I fully acknowledge that it's my own personal preferences that render me unable to play right now, but I'm still frustrated as hell. I really wish romances were enabled so that I could move on with my Hunter/Agent/Knight characters.

 

I guess I'll just go play Dragon Age 2 instead to flirt with Isabela. I really wish I could play TOR instead to justify a subscription. Looks like I'm going to have to let my sub lapse again.

Edited December 2, 2012 by Samy_Merchi

I'm sitting here really frustrated right now because I've got an evening free to play but all I can do is sit at the character select screen. My Warrior and Smuggler are capped. My Hunter/Agent/Knight are played up to the point where they receive Mako/Kaliyo/Kira and I dare not level them further lest I miss out on romance dialogues when they're implemented. I'm not interested in the Trooper class and my Consular and Inquisitor are healers for players who aren't logged on right now.

 

I feel your pain. My warrior is capped, but has a little of Ilum left (ugh, that planet just feels so anti-climactic), my smuggler I RP with the wife, so we level together (also the only way to fake SGR), and most of the rest of my characters are as far along as I dare let get.

 

I have a male BountyHunter who's romancing Mako that I could play.... But he's starting tatooine. Tatooine is another planet that feels light on "why do I care" story elements. I'd find someone and RP to pass the time.... But RP in this game is hit or miss unless you know the people. Ah, well.

Edited December 2, 2012 by Macguyvok
Didn't finish

... I really wish romances were enabled so that I could move on with my Hunter/Agent/Knight characters.

... Looks like I'm going to have to let my sub lapse again.

 

Same situation here, most of my characters are all just sitting around in cantina's waiting for this content. I did start an IA cause I heard the story was good, but it only took about a week before I lost interest again, mainly do to this issue. Coming back for a month I knew eventually this issue would override any fun I was having in game, but a week was pretty quick. They've taken sooo long to do or say anything about this I can't help but feel they couldn't care less. I doubt I'll be back again after my month elapses.

Welcome to the thread! I'm going to copy and paste this from a couple of pages back.

 

Here's the link to GLAAD:

 

http://www.glaad.org/contact

 

Thanks so much! Spread the word and tell your friends to send their mails too! Even if they don't play ToR, this is something that I think the entire LGBT gaming community needs to know about. Particularly since EA talks quite a bit about their inclusion of that community w/ SGR content.

 

I have a strong feeling that this is the only way to get their attention. With all of us writing GLAAD and working together, we'll be able to get some action going. Finally.

 

Enough is enough.

Edited December 2, 2012 by natashina

It doesn't matter if you're in the US, Canada or Across the Pond. GLAAD will still read and listen. Why give up hope when we can finally fight back? All of us are sick and tired of this childish nonsense coming from BW/EA.

 

Worse case scenario it doesn't work. That wouldn't change anything. We're used to being at square 1, so no harm in trying.

 

Best case? BW/EA is publicly humiliated and closely watched until SGRs are put into the game.

 

Talk to your guildies, talk to your friends in and out of game. Let's have some fun and try to get this done.

 

Okay, I rhymed. But you get my point. This cannot be allowed to go on. ToR is one thing, but lying to an entire community that they have SGRs in all of their current games is another.

 

I for one am really pissed off about being treated like a second class citizen that is also used as an example for how good EA is with LGBT gamers.

 

You know, I'm starting to feel like that "gay friend," that every bigot claims to have.

 

"I can't be homophobic! I have a gay friend."

 

EA: "We're not anti SGRs! Look, we have gay content in other games! We give benefits to same sex couples!"

 

Ridiculous.

 

I didn't tolerate it in high school over 15 years ago when I was outed as bi, I'm not going to put up with it now as a 33 year old woman.

 

To quote Darkwing Duck here:

 

Let's get dangerous.

Edited December 2, 2012 by natashina

I sent mine.

 

Enough is enough.

Just had a quick glance through the Vette 101, and noticed that again in the romance section - while the big picture is a male Sith and Vette, the text is gender-neutral (deliberately so).