Y'know what? I should be happy we finally got a response, but I'm really not.

 

Basically, all the ideas and suggestions we've been encouraged to make (into a void no less) over the past year, and it boils down to this - buy Makeb or no inclusion for you - so 'pay-for-gay'.

 

I can't be the only one pissed off by this

You're not, but there is the hope that it's...only for a short amount of time, and that by the time Makeb comes out, they'll have other SGR flirts ready to put in place.

EDIT: "...we are adding SGR with some NPCs on Makeb..." is pretty clear, as far as whether they're likely to be available for free yet.

I guess it's because I know I've got crappy work days ahead of me, but am I the only one a little... underwhelmed?

 

I mean, it's good that we're getting NPC flirt options, and it's nice that Mr. Hickman acknowledged the wait for this content, but...

 

...eh.

Before it was "I just want an answer" now that you have one, and they're putting in a few SGR flirt options with NPCs, you say "eh"?

Basically, all the ideas and suggestions we've been encouraged to make (into a void no less) over the past year, and it boils down to this - buy Makeb or no inclusion for you - so 'pay-for-gay'.

Like others said, I think we need more clarification.

That would be bad...on top of that, we're talking about "romance" content I'm personally not interested in (I don't like one night stands/meaningless flirting).

Basically, all the ideas and suggestions we've been encouraged to make (into a void no less) over the past year, and it boils down to this - buy Makeb or no inclusion for you - so 'pay-for-gay'.

Would you prefer they had pulled a 180 and said "sorry, no SGR for you ever in any capacity"?

You're getting what you want, first in a smaller world-arc style romance (by the sound of things) and once they hash out and do what needs done to make companions SGR viable you'll get them as well.

I hope you're right on that Kioma, I really do.

Maybe it's the copious amounts of Lemsip swimming around my system, but as it stands my tolerance for more 'wait and see' from BioAustin is pretty low right now

Long-time lurker just stopping by to say:

It's less than I'd like, but more than I was honestly expecting by this point and the first real step in the right direction. To be honest I'm just overjoyed to finally hear something positive.

They can have my money for Makeb now

I hope you're right on that Kioma, I really do.

 

Maybe it's the copious amounts of Lemsip swimming around my system, but as it stands my tolerance for more 'wait and see' from BioAustin is pretty low right now

Yeah. As Melycinya points out it does look a bit... straightforward, but I really do think we need more info.

Lemsip is awesome stuff, by the way.

Actually I don't think there's anything that implies how they're going to address companion SGRAs, other than 'not with Makeb'. They're throwing in non-companion NPC flirts, and are working toward companion SGRAs at a later date.

 

I mean we can read things into their words until the cows come home. The past nine months or so of silence shows that it doesn't do much good to do so.

 

What I'm now hoping for is a developer post here at the front lines. That'd be nice.

No. Of course not. But I'm basing this on a few factors as well.

1) Old companions require the old voice actor brought back for a few new lines or there will just be a disconnect in the scene.

2) A few cut scenes redone if not new ones all together.

I'm actually curious as to what will happen with cutscenes (Which I'm guessing Makeb will have) and ones companions in Makeb. Could it be, if they do get the voice actors back for any new needed lines, will the only thing holding them back for SGR scenes be the actual animation time and possible game mechanic triggers?

Or will Makeb make use of previous companion chat lines or just have the companions stay quiet the whole time?

As I understood it, this thread was mostly about getting a simple yes or no answer. I'm very happy they have finally given us a yes. I'd love to see more options, and I stay hopeful that we'll get more eventually. MMO's are always evolving so we just need to keep up the friendly support for the features we want.

^.^

I'm so glad to hear that SGRAs will be introduced soon, even if it's not companion romances yet. It was quite a pleasant surprise to see this in the blog.

I do still wish for some information on how future additional companion romances will be implemented, whether they'll be integrated into existing content or essentially stand-alone.

I think what he's saying is that the first run of SGRs won't be companions, because that's taking a long time (I can't help but wonder if there's an issue with voice actor(s) here...what else could be so much more complicated than the other romances?), and that the first run will be NPC flirts, instead.

This was what I got from it too, yeah.

As for "what's complicated," some romances would need rewrites. While many romances are pretty gender-neutral (Vector and Kira spring to mind) and wouldn't require much time or effort, not all are. Corso, for example, has the Carth thing going; he's very very enthusiastic about the fact that you're a woman, and likes referencing it every third sentence and talking up how beautiful you are. It would take more re-writing than just swapping out pronouns to make him s/s viable. It still shouldn't take this much time, but I suppose the layoffs and f2p stuff and general implosion at headquarters has wreaked a lot of havoc.

Y'know what? I should be happy we finally got a response, but I'm really not.

 

Basically, all the ideas and suggestions we've been encouraged to make (into a void no less) over the past year, and it boils down to this - buy Makeb or no inclusion for you - so 'pay-for-gay'.

 

I can't be the only one pissed off by this

I was pissed off about thirty pages ago, but I'm zen now; it appears that you won't be able to level to 55 without buying Makeb either (and therefore, not be able to participate in endgame content like ops and flashpoints or endgame PvP), making your $10 more of a mandatory gameplay fee than an optional isolated content purchase.

First time posting, long time lurking (didn't keep track, but I've been reading every day for a few hundred pages).

Just have to pop in and show my support. LGBT issues lie very close to my heart. And I'll admit I want this in the game for RP reasons as well. I consider it a huge part of my Agent's personality, for instance.

Always enjoyed the game, but the weird handling of this topic was starting to wear down on my already cautiously positive view on BioWare (FYI, I was part of the Retake movement, donating to charity and the cupcake campaign for ME3).

I was having a rather terrible day until I read the news. I'm thoroughly convinced that you guys, Natashina and everyone, brought this answer on. You broke the silence, for better or for worse.

I see some people are disappointed or angered by Hickman's update. I'm an unshakeable optimist, so I'm simply just gleeful at the moment. Though I understand the concerns. No way of knowing how/if we're getting more than these NPC flirts, but honestly right now I'm just incredibly thankful for what we're getting. Makes it a lot easier to support BW and this cause in the future. This is a good first step.

A big thank you and much love to everyone who posted here, sent emails or otherwise made noise so SGRA's didn't end up forgotten in the dark!

No. Of course not. But I'm basing this on a few factors as well.

 

1) Old companions require the old voice actor brought back for a few new lines or there will just be a disconnect in the scene.

 

2) A few cut scenes redone if not new ones all together.

 

I'm actually curious as to what will happen with cutscenes (Which I'm guessing Makeb will have) and ones companions in Makeb. Could it be, if they do get the voice actors back for any new needed lines, will the only thing holding them back for SGR scenes be the actual animation time and possible game mechanic triggers?

 

Or will Makeb make use of previous companion chat lines or just have the companions stay quiet the whole time?

it's been bandied about a bit that the voice acting might actually have been partially done even before launch. If they planned to add SGRAs in (which they assure us they did) then they might have gone as far through the development process as getting some of the voice acting done (though obviously not all of it) before they shelved the feature. But that's all sheer speculation, of course.

Also, with SGRAs being added to some NPCs, I wonder to myself if one of the issues they've had in getting more voice acting done is due to the voice actors themselves not being available due to other work? Just a thought...

I'm actually curious as to what will happen with cutscenes (Which I'm guessing Makeb will have) and ones companions in Makeb. Could it be, if they do get the voice actors back for any new needed lines, will the only thing holding them back for SGR scenes be the actual animation time and possible game mechanic triggers?

 

Or will Makeb make use of previous companion chat lines or just have the companions stay quiet the whole time?

I believe only class story quests ever have companions make commentary. Makeb has no class story quests, so the companion voice actors probably wouldn't have been called in for it. That said...it could be why SGRs are taking so long. Optimisctically, the VAs are just busy and can't come in. Less optimistically...they might have personal reasons they wouldn't want to, and negotiations have been in the works.

Y'know what? I should be happy we finally got a response, but I'm really not.

 

Basically, all the ideas and suggestions we've been encouraged to make (into a void no less) over the past year, and it boils down to this - buy Makeb or no inclusion for you - so 'pay-for-gay'.

 

I can't be the only one pissed off by this

It's not "pay-to-gay" untill they make a companion that's only available in the cartel market (and my guess is it'll be a free option for subs, if that is the case...like HK)...it's pay for the expansion and there's SGR flirt options with it.

*Gets run over by a Gundark*

*Then gets run over by ninja'd posts*

*Then gets run over by the thread exploding in elation*

*Gets up from the ground, completely trampled, looking all goofy and contorted* Did anyone get the license plate of that information we just got? Which way did they go, George? Which way did they go? *Collapses, seeing stars*

Less optimistically...they might have personal reasons they wouldn't want to, and negotiations have been in the works.

This is what I've always wondered, but most VA's tend to be pretty open minded and hey they're getting paid and are under a contract so it might not be that ominous.

In any case the update is a good first step, I did a double take reading it

I think what he's saying is that the first run of SGRs won't be companions, because that's taking a long time (I can't help but wonder if there's an issue with voice actor(s) here...what else could be so much more complicated than the other romances?)

On this point, it sounds (and this may be wishful thinking more than anything fact based so take the follow with a grain of salt) that they decided to actually deal with the "post-continuity" issue.

To wit: if they're having to devise a way to make specific companions SGR compatible from different points in the story line (to accomodate players who don't want to reroll just to experience the SGRs) it's going to be a hell of a lot more complicated than going back and tweaking the gender checks at the "original" branch points and rewording certain specific cutscenes.

I believe only class story quests ever have companions make commentary. Makeb has no class story quests, so the companion voice actors probably wouldn't have been called in for it. That said...it could be why SGRs are taking so long. Optimisctically, the VAs are just busy and can't come in. Less optimistically...they might have personal reasons they wouldn't want to, and negotiations have been in the works.

Eh. "I don't want to voice a s/s scene" is about the least likely explanation for a missing actor/scene in the history of video game design. Very few actors have that much power over their contracts once signed, even fewer are that bigoted, even fewer still are that stupid - it's not an industry where you get a lot of leeway to turn down jobs and still put food on your plate.

On this point, it sounds (and this may be wishful thinking more than anything fact based so take the follow with a grain of salt) that they decided to actually deal with the "post-continuity" issue.

 

To wit: if they're having to devise a way to make specific companions SGR compatible from different points in the story line (to accomodate players who don't want to reroll just to experience the SGRs) it's going to be a hell of a lot more complicated than going back and tweaking the gender checks at the "original" branch points and rewording certain specific cutscenes.

Good point!

Scratch my earlier criticism of their work speed, if this is true. (Although that sort of criticism and skepticism is very much the sort of thing that them telling us details of what they're actually doing would alleviate.)

Eh. "I don't want to voice a s/s scene" is about the least likely explanation for a missing actor/scene in the history of video game design. Very few actors have that much power over their contracts once signed, even fewer are that bigoted, even fewer still are that stupid - it's not an industry where you get a lot of leeway to turn down jobs and still put food on your plate.

Plus several of the VAs have actually done same sex content in the past for Bioware - Dragon Age 2 and Mass Effect both spring to mind.

Yeah....I'm assuming that when all those actors signed the contract to work for a Bioware game, one that pre-launch was already wanting to do SGR, that they'd be OK with it. I know Bertie Carvel has played the part of both a gay man and a woman on stage already, so I know he'd have no issue with it.

As to what their issue could be - maybe just budget, maybe just time and effort to write, recode, reanimate, maybe nothing, maybe he just said that because they would rather prioritize other things.

Before it was "I just want an answer" now that you have one, and they're putting in a few SGR flirt options with NPCs, you say "eh"?

I am so sorry for not being a mood that can be quickly filled with joy. Please, continue to tell me how much of a horrible person I am.

Like I already said, it's nice that we have an answer and it's nice that Mr. Hickman acknowledged our wait.

I'm a little bit concerned about companion romances, what with the news that individual class stories won't be, in the future. That implies that current companions won't be receiving same-sex romances in the future (Mr. Gonzalez is free to tell me I'm wrong on that assumption, but he won't), meaning that those who have waited for these companions are now left out. I feel that's a shame.

I believe only class story quests ever have companions make commentary. Makeb has no class story quests, so the companion voice actors probably wouldn't have been called in for it. That said...it could be why SGRs are taking so long. Optimisctically, the VAs are just busy and can't come in. Less optimistically...they might have personal reasons they wouldn't want to, and negotiations have been in the works.

Hmmm...I could swear Mako had lines on the Taris quest line with Thana Vesh, and that's a storyline all classes get.

I'm pretty sure she did as I just ran it last night with my BH that I'm leveling up and Mako is who I'd see my BH at least attempting to get with, so it's not like I don't want it for my own character concepts, I just try and see it from the company's PoV on cost effectiveness and realize I'll never have everything I want in an MMO to fit my character 100%.

I do hope that if they make it so you can romance your companions they reset ALL companion dialogue and not just the romancable ones.

Seriously, was that so hard.

Finally they took the time to get out of their mutism as should have been done a long time ago and gave us some long deserved information.

I was hoping for a bit more then that but at least it's a start. With luck we might see full SGR's before the end of this new year. (feel a lot better to have a shred of optimism about the game then the downward angrier spiral caused by their way of handling customers relations for the last 2 months)

Hopefully they will have understood that silence is not the way to keep these forums peaceful.

Happy new year everyone

PS: Natashina, my hat off to you for i truly believe all this came by your outstanding work and efforts