Unless there is a specific source that says SGRs are scrapped, they are going forward as planned. I see no evidence otherwise and so far BW has done a good job in many other areas in getting features/content out. Since it's been proven and talked about that BW/EA is still going through with this, and since Lucas supports gay marriage, I know it's going to happen. As recently as a week ago a dev mentioned that SGRs are still being worked on and it looks tied to 1.5(since that's the big story patch.)

So yes, BW/EA and LucasArts do care about LGBT players.

Edit: Also, Uluain has been very diligent about getting in touch with the moderators about this issue. One of them posted on 9/07 in 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

While it isn't much to be sure, it shows that the devs and mods are listening to us and take our concerns seriously. It isn't a cut and paste response. This thread would have gotten another one of those, if they didn't care. If they even would reply at all.

We were told in March that we would likely not hear any more about this until it got closer to implementation. I don't know if you were around when we finally got a status update at the Guild Summit or not, but that was also when they were saying "this year", and that SGRs would come with new story content. Now we know that new story is coming with Makeb after F2P, and at least one developer has mentioned SGRs specifically in association with Makeb.

That is more than they have ever previously said about release and, while the dev speaking is not with the story team, he seemed to have no doubt that SGRs are very much in development among other contened in the chute for release.

Oh god.

I had a terrible thought.

What if Bioware introduces new companions for SGRA's and they're all awful stereotypes?

Hall Hood is the lead writer at the moment, correct? I keep Googling him but can never find what he has written before and I don't believe I know which stories in-game he has worked on (I think someone mentioned the Smuggler story, which I've yet to play).

(Again, apologies, but I like SMBC.)

I don't think we have to worry about any companions going "I'm super, thanks for asking!"

I think we're probably safe on that score. They're in Austin, not Waco, and the writers have probably actually met gay people from time to time.

Austin also has a really great music scene as well. A few of my favorite bands come from there. \o/ It's the only city in Texas that I would consider moving to if I had to.

Sorry, I had to throw that out there.

Oh god.

 

I had a terrible thought.

 

What if Bioware introduces new companions for SGRA's and they're all awful stereotypes?

Depends. If SGRAs are solely available on new companions - and I got the impression at least some would be available with existing companions - I suppose it's something of a risk. That said, awful gay stereotypes are the sort of thing that gets you unwelcome attention these days. I'm sure if BW want to do this properly, as they have claimed they do, they would try to avoid something as glaring as that.

Looking at the existing companions, I don't see any I would describe as an awful stereotype. I know we're talking about the prospect of new companions here, but what I mean to say is that if it's also available with existing companions and they're okay, I think it's reasonable to assume the new ones will be as well. I got the impression from what was said at the guild summit that it would be existing companions as well as, or instead of, new ones.

So. I think we're safe. I hope we're safe...

It would be just our luck to wait over a year for SGRA's and end up with Jack* from Will & Grace.

*Nothing particularly wrong with Jack, I just don't believe that people should be forced into a mold because of a single aspect of their person, even if the stereotype could be considered 'positive'.

I just hope the lesbian or bisexual female characters aren't the "butch" variety. Heck, right now one "straight" female LI is about as butch as you can get (Akaavi Spar). lol

Some of us girls like the 'butch' variety thanks - and the girlie variety and the ones in-between too for that matter.

Not that I wouldn't mind new companions further down the line, romance-able or not, but from a resources/finances point of view, it would make more sense to open up some of the existing companions first before adding new ones with later class-story expansions.

I have to say, while I'm here, the little bit of info re Makeb and possible inclusion with that content has brought me back to playing again after a few months not really bothering - I'm trying to get my cyborg BH to 50 so when SGRAs do arrive, I'll be all set to make my cyborg JK for (hopefully) Kira

(That's if my laptop will stop playing silly mares with me - I think she's annoyed I keep switching games after an hour or so lately hehe)

That 'approval' process is why I'm so glad that fans like Dulfy still exist for this game - she had the transcript and video of the livestream up a couple of hours after it ended, allowing those who hadn't seen it to get an unsanitized version of the the questions and their answers. I'm not interested in Bioware's bare bones responses being stripped back into the ubiquitous 'Soon' - seeing the word 'approval' made me genuinely worried about how communication is handled and how it will continue to handled. Yes sometimes you need to be delicate with the subject matter, but using management-speak in every interaction or in our case not having any interaction at all (no, I don't count Mr. Gonzalez coming into our thread and going "yay, soon!" as interaction) just smacks of bad things. I don't know whether it's fear or apathy and I'm getting to the point where I am beyond caring about the difference between the two. Because bloody hell this game is going down emotionally - every single player based prediction for the future gets undermined and undermined by increasing negativity. At first you can blame that on MMO players having great expectations for releases these days, but when people are coming to minor, quality of life details and going "If this ever gets in, we'll have to buy it from the cash shop" then there is an underlying problem that goes beyond generic disgruntlement.

Rant rant rant. Rawr rawr rawr. It's such a pity that the people I want to be telling this to won't pay attention to it

Some of us girls like the 'butch' variety thanks - and the girlie variety and the ones in-between too for that matter.

Not that I wouldn't mind new companions further down the line, romance-able or not, but from a resources/finances point of view, it would make more sense to open up some of the existing companions first before adding new ones with later class-story expansions.

 

I have to say, while I'm here, the little bit of info re Makeb and possible inclusion with that content has brought me back to playing again after a few months not really bothering - I'm trying to get my cyborg BH to 50 so when SGRAs do arrive, I'll be all set to make my cyborg JK for (hopefully) Kira

 

(That's if my laptop will stop playing silly mares with me - I think she's annoyed I keep switching games after an hour or so lately hehe)

I have my female JK in limbo right now waiting on Kira, hopefully. Kira FTW!

Oh, and my female JK is Chiss.

I just hope the lesbian or bisexual female characters aren't the "butch" variety. Heck, right now one "straight" female LI is about as butch as you can get (Akaavi Spar). lol

Eh? I mean, sure, no-one wants all the SGRA companions to be a load of walking gay stereotypes, but there is such a thing as going too far the other way.

Eh? I mean, sure, no-one wants all the SGRA companions to be a load of walking gay stereotypes, but there is such a thing as going too far the other way.

Mass Effect 3. The way they handled the SGRs in that game was perfect. If they do the same with the SGRs here, I don't see a problem. I liked how the SGRLIs in ME3 were just matter-of-fact about who they were. No stereotypes.

Eh? I mean, sure, no-one wants all the SGRA companions to be a load of walking gay stereotypes, but there is such a thing as going too far the other way.

If they must have a character or two who do behave like the stereotypes (for any sexuality) I would personally like them to also add a greater depth of character than just 'ooh! isn't he fabulous? shOOooes!' and - also personally - I would prefer it not to be a significant number of companions who adhere to these stereotypes. Yes, there are genuinely real people who do act like these stereotypes but I find it hard to believe that that is the entirety of their personality.

I will freely admit that I do not have any gay friends, but then I do not really have any male friends, female friends or friends in general. That is likely through a lack of trying, but I also don't consider friendship to be something one can easily equate to Pokemon (I have a friend, now I need a shiny one so I can breed them together in the Day Care centre).

If they must have a character or two who do behave like the stereotypes (for any sexuality) I would personally like them to also add a greater depth of character than just 'ooh! isn't he fabulous? shOOooes!' and - also personally - I would prefer it not to be a significant number of companions who adhere to these stereotypes. Yes, there are genuinely real people who do act like these stereotypes but I find it hard to believe that that is the entirety of their personality.

 

I will freely admit that I do not have any gay friends, but then I do not really have any male friends, female friends or friends in general. That is likely through a lack of trying, but I also don't consider friendship to be something one can easily equate to Pokemon (I have a friend, now I need a shiny one so I can breed them together in the Day Care centre).

Pokemon?? o0 omg NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mass Effect 3. The way they handled the SGRs in that game was perfect. If they do the same with the SGRs here, I don't see a problem. I liked how the SGRLIs in ME3 were just matter-of-fact about who they were. No stereotypes.

Of course sexuality should only be a part of a character's personality and of course obnoxious stereotypes should be avoided. What I am disputing is the idea that lesbian/bisexual female characters shouldn't ever be unfeminine. That's not a sexuality thing. As you stated, there is a straight female companion whom you perceived to be "butch".

If they must have a character or two who do behave like the stereotypes (for any sexuality) I would personally like them to also add a greater depth of character than just 'ooh! isn't he fabulous? shOOooes!' and - also personally - I would prefer it not to be a significant number of companions who adhere to these stereotypes. Yes, there are genuinely real people who do act like these stereotypes but I find it hard to believe that that is the entirety of their personality.

 

I will freely admit that I do not have any gay friends, but then I do not really have any male friends, female friends or friends in general. That is likely through a lack of trying, but I also don't consider friendship to be something one can easily equate to Pokemon (I have a friend, now I need a shiny one so I can breed them together in the Day Care centre).

I agree. What I am disputing is the idea that LGBT companions should be anti-stereotypes. They should be people first and foremost. Saying "Oh, we can't make her in the least bit unfeminine, that's stereotypical" is just as bad, in my opinion.

I have my female JK in limbo right now waiting on Kira, hopefully. Kira FTW!

 

Oh, and my female JK is Chiss.

I just made a Mirialan Guardian for Kira!

Now, we need a Pureblood Sith...all colors of the rainbow!!!

Of course sexuality should only be a part of a character's personality and of course obnoxious stereotypes should be avoided. What I am disputing is the idea that lesbian/bisexual female characters shouldn't ever be unfeminine. That's not a sexuality thing. As you stated, there is a straight female companion whom you perceived to be "butch".

Hey, as long as she doesn't talk lower than Akaavi and look like she could kill The Hulk, and I can see my female toons making out with her, I'm good to go. Tbh, I can't even romance Akaavi with my male smuggler. In spite of Stacy Haiduk (who I've loved ever since The New Adventures of Superboy) I just can't do it. Not into bodybuilder type ladies, here.

Now, it WOULD be kinda fun to have a "Jack" type from Will and Grace on the team as comic relief, but then I always busted a gut laughing at Jack whenever I watched that show.

I agree. What I am disputing is the idea that LGBT companions should be anti-stereotypes. They should be people first and foremost. Saying "Oh, we can't make her in the least bit unfeminine, that's stereotypical" is just as bad, in my opinion.

I completely agree, but from a different perspective (just to be difficult): the personality and the character should come first, then the sexuality - yes life experiences based on sexuality can and do affect personality, but for the most part I consider those to be extra parts of a core. During the development of your character you can go "Ok, I have this woman, she's this and this and this. Ok, let's make her a lesbian, has she had any significant experiences as result of that? How have those affected her, how does that add/change the original plan?" etc. I do not like the idea of starting with "Lesbian! Let's have lesbian things and then.. I don't know... female things and then other things! Yeah, the core of this character's entire being is she likes having sex with women."

I completely agree, but from a different perspective (just to be difficult): the personality and the character should come first, then the sexuality - yes life experiences based on sexuality can and do affect personality, but for the most part I consider those to be extra parts of a core. During the development of your character you can go "Ok, I have this woman, she's this and this and this. Ok, let's make her a lesbian, has she had any significant experiences as result of that? How have those affected her, how does that add/change the original plan?" etc. I do not like the idea of starting with "Lesbian! Let's have lesbian things and then.. I don't know... female things and then other things! Yeah, the core of this character's entire being is she likes having sex with women."

I don't either. What I mean is, as I have already said, making a massive effort to make a gay character acceptable by stripping out everything stereotypical is much the same thing. You are still defining them by their sexuality, only this time you're doing so by desperately trying to avoid the stereotypes, rather than playing up to them. Functionally that is the same, because you still haven't made them a person who just happens to be gay.

I do apologise if I come across as somewhat grumpy on the subject. I'm a little tired of the "straight-acting" crap that seems to be doing the rounds in the LGBT community of late.

I think I'd rather eat my own liver than have Jack from W&G as a companion. Just, as they say, sayin'.

I do worry a bit, however, thinking back to Daniel Erickson's remarks at the Guild Summit that they have known from the inception of the characters which would be SGR-enabled, and it was those that "made sense". That could mean something as innocuous about not including companions like Qyzen or Khem Val, or it might mean "Pierce is tough - no way he could be into guys," or "Talos loves antiques and has these queeny mannerisms. Chalk him up for SGR".

I think Andronikos would be a far, far more interesting relationship option for my Sorcerer than Talos – even though I like Talos as a companion and his background in the Imperial Reclamation Service really is a very good fit for my character, whom I RP as a student of Sith mysticism and history. I have no interest at all in a Talos romance, however. Nothing about the character makes that appealing. Andronikos is much more intriguing.

It comes down to what "makes sense" to those who wrote the material. And I use past tense because it is almost certainly written by now, beyond our reach to change even if our wishes were considered. They could tell us. They could have told us in March. They said they could have told us in March and chose not to. I am interested to hear what our options will be and, yes, a little uneasy about what choices have been made in this regard, particularly.

I think Andronikos would be a far, far more interesting relationship option for my Sorcerer than Talos – even though I like Talos as a companion and his background in the Imperial Reclamation Service really is a very good fit for my character, whom I RP as a student of Sith mysticism and history.

Can I sulk and say I had my eye on Talos?