Still here and still feeling positive and hopeful.

A continued thank you for everyone's hard work.

Natashina my thoughts are with you and I hope you're health issues resolve in a positive manner real soon.

Prayers and hugs flying your way:)

Have a Very Merry Christmas everyone and I so know Santa is pro is SGR and has it on his list! 2013 will be our year...Kira is still waiting for me!

Seasonal hugs all round

We all know that it takes days or even hours, not a year, to disable the 'gender check' for the romances in the game, so time has nothing to do with why it hasn't been implemented yet, its just because they dont want to. But I'd like to offer a pro-active suggestion. Since obviously they are afraid of negative feedback for implementing this option, there's a super DUPER easy way to avoid it, it's super obvious but I've never heard anybody suggest it, so maybe this is one of those 'hidden in plain sight' deals. You know how they have companion gifts? I always like those by the way, thats a cool part of the game. You know how one type of gift is a 'courting' gift. Suppose they made that the 'trigger' for the SGRAs. You simply give the LI you want to romance, but up til now haven't been able to, a 'courting' gift, and that activates the romance, you can now romance them the same as any other LI. It would take away any and all complaints, because if somebody says 'Oh no, I've been hit on by (fill in the blank), this is terrible!' you can laugh at them and say 'Well why were you courting them in the first place?'. Anybody who doesn't want SGRAs in their game still wouldnt have them, because they wouldnt be giving courting gifts to an LI they werent interested in, and those who do want them would finally have them, because courting gifts are super duper easy to get and give to the teammate of your choice.

 

Of course the easiest thing to do is to just disable the gender checks and give us the SGRAs tomorrow, and I'd certainly enjoy it if they did that, but if they wanted to take a few days and do it the way I suggested, that would probably be the better way to go for them, in terms of making everybody on both sides happy. But whatever they do, hopefully the pressure we're putting on them will force them to do it soon.

 

PS, on the topic of companion gifts, until they do fully activate the romances for the existing teammates, they could at least make them respond to our courting gifts in a more positive way, 'as if' they were in a romance with our character. You know, the little things they say when you give them a gift. That wouldnt require any new voicework or anything at all, it would just be a nice little piece of the romance to experience until we got the whole thing. Maybe somebody could make that suggestion to one of the higher-ups, that'd certainly be something they could do in virtually no time at all and wouldn't make anybody unhappy.

I like that idea, but that would basically be a SGR toggle, which is discriminatory.

Now if they made it so courting gifts activated ALL relationships, SG and OG alike, that would be ok with me.

But, to address your other point, it takes a lot longer to sort things out in code than you would think. For all we know the devs REALLY want to release the content tomorrow, but every time they try to introduce this content every player and npc's heads show that 'no texture found' stuff that was so common in beta, all the exhaustion zones specifically in the dune sea on Tatooine stop functioning correctly, and the world boss on Dromund Kaas spawns inside Kaas City.

Changing, deleting, or adding a single line of code can make all sorts of things you wouldn't expect to be linked suddenly wonk out. Given the information we have been given they have probably finished most of, if not all of, the content and are trying to test it for bugs. With a game this size that is a monumental task because they would probably have to take each companion from each class to every location in the game. They would have to give these companions different gifts to make sure that works, they would have to go into the area without a companion quest active (when you are told they want to talk to you), go in with one active, cause one to become active, talk to the companion, etc., etc., etc. They would then have to go through every single companion quest in every single location you can talk to them in and make sure it all works correctly. They have to do this all with every companion and in every conceivable location, preferably with all different kinds of gear (both on the PC and companion) to make sure those aren't going to bug out.

I could keep going on, but I think you get the idea. This is why, personally, I don't even want an eta from Bioware, I just want some kind of dialog that tells us they are working on it.

Final word for a few:

I'm not doing a thing that anyone else is incapable of. All I did was write some emails and start making a general nuisance of myself. I wanted to help this community get the respect we deserve. The respect BW-Austin has not given us.

Anyone can do this. Anyone can write emails or blogs passionately. Anyone can try to alert the press. I'm not that special, trust me. I could not have and would not have been able to do this without the support of this community and of my loving husband.

Never take silence for an answer. The only way things will improve in the gaming industry is if we as players and customers show the world that games do matter. That the games themselves reflect and shape society.

This won't change the world overnight. It might change this game soon with the inclusion of SGRs. However, it is steps like this that will help us make our mark down the road. I'd love for a day that LGBT content isn't seen as controversial, but rather matter-of-fact and polite. You know, the way all romance/story content should be treated.

As long as you have net access, some time to edit your point and a few minutes, anyone can do this. Don't forget to link that podcast anywhere you guys feel up to. Even just one outside site.

Talk to you all soon.

Just for the record:

I am NOT buying the expansion unless it has SGRA in it. Period.

Just for the record:

 

I am NOT buying the expansion unless it has SGRA in it. Period.

My thoughts exactly.

Just for the record:

 

I am NOT buying the expansion unless it has SGRA in it. Period.

Here here.

Here here.

I pre-ordered it, mainly because it's currently half-price for subscribers, and my money situation is tight enough that $10 is allowable but $20 would be stretching it. Having said that, if SGRAs actually aren't in this year (and at this stage I'm losing hope that they will be) then I'm going to be mighty annoyed.

Okay, I just thought of an excellent point to bring up as we continue to raise visibilty. I did buy the pre-order for Makeb, but this came to mind.

Is it in any fair for EA/BW to ask the LGBT playerbase to pre-order Makeb without knowing about the state of SGRs?

They are asking us to pay for extended content. More story content, to be specific. So why won't they tell us if a story based feature is even coming?

In my opinion, it is incredibly wrong for anyone that wants LGBT content to have to pre-order this content without knowing SGRs are going to be included. Therein losing on the sale price for the pre-order.

This is something I'm going to address with the staff of TORWars and a point that I look forward to seeing brought up in general.

Discuss. I'll be reading.

Okay, I just thought of an excellent point to bring up as we continue to raise visibilty. I did buy the pre-order for Makeb, but this came to mind.

 

Is it in any fair for EA/BW to ask the LGBT playerbase to pre-order Makeb without knowing about the state of SGRs?

 

They are asking us to pay for extended content. More story content, to be specific. So why won't they tell us if a story based feature is even coming?

 

In my opinion, it is incredibly wrong for anyone that wants LGBT content to have to pre-order this content without knowing SGRs are going to be included. Therein losing on the sale price for the pre-order.

 

This is something I'm going to address with the staff of TORWars and a point that I look forward to seeing brought up in general.

 

Discuss. I'll be reading.

This is something I don't understand either. If it's coming with Makeb, why can't they simply say so? I think the only reason they're not saying it's coming with Makeb, is because it's not coming with Makeb.

And that's not to be a negative Nancy. It's because it doesn't make sense to expect something to come, when they're not saying it's coming, only to make excuses why it might be coming but they can't talk about it. Ridiculous.

And good that there's some comparison with other features. Let's do that for a bit.

Chat bubbles. It's coming with Makeb! I know, I know, they haven't said so, but they never say so, so therefor it's coming with Makeb, but they just can't talk about it!

Sit features. It's coming with Makeb! Yea, they haven't said so, but they never say so, so really it's coming with Makeb.

Cathar. It's coming with Makeb! It's just not in the description, because it's going to be a surprise!

Secret Space Project. It's coming with Makeb! It's going to be fun, so they don't want to talk about it.

Class balance. It's coming with Makeb! EA told them to not talk about it, or maybe it was George Lucas, oh scrap that, it was Disney!

See a pattern here? First off, they talked about all these features even at the last LiveStream. Second, they would most certainly tell everybody it's coming. And I think they would tell everyone about changed or added romance options as well (they might not specify SGR though). But we're to pretend that they are working on SGR, but just cannot talk about it. That's ridiculous. If they're not talking, then it's not being worked on. Does that mean it's not on a list, we don't know. But I don't see why I should think it's coming with Makeb, when it's obvious that it's not in the list of things that are coming with Makeb.

And good that there's some comparison with other features. Let's do that for a bit.

Chat bubbles. It's coming with Makeb! I know, I know, they haven't said so, but they never say so, so therefor it's coming with Makeb, but they just can't talk about it!

Sit features. It's coming with Makeb! Yea, they haven't said so, but they never say so, so really it's coming with Makeb.

Cathar. It's coming with Makeb! It's just not in the description, because it's going to be a surprise!

Secret Space Project. It's coming with Makeb! It's going to be fun, so they don't want to talk about it.

Class balance. It's coming with Makeb! EA told them to not talk about it, or maybe it was George Lucas, oh scrap that, it was Disney!

On the other hand there's features we know ARE coming with Makeb.

Epic story progression: it's coming.

New level cap: It's coming.

New enemy: It's coming.

New planet: it's coming.

All of the people who want these features can purchase the expansion knowing they're going to get them because they're in the feature list. While they're certainly all vague they are nonetheless listed. Bioware: Austin has been kind enough to let those waiting for a level cap, new maps, epic story and Moar Hutt know that this is the expansion for them.

But us? No. We need to make the (increasingly ill-advised) gamble that BW:A might actually be intending to include the red-headed stepchild of game features, the one they won't talk about, the one that's received more absolute blank silence than any other feature since before launch: SGRAs.

This brings to mind the movie Brazil. It's bureaucracy gone crazy. Someone's made a Decision not to talk about this and now they're going to stick to it, irrespective of whether it's right (it's not), irrespective of whether their silence is damaging their company's reputation (it is), or whether they're driving away subscribers (they are) or whether people actually want to know (they do). Someone's made the Decision and it stands, probably because nobody wants to make another Decision to overturn the earlier Decision.

We are being made to gamble on a horse that's been shown to have knee problems. Currently BW:A has given us absolutely nothing to suggest that gambling on them is ever likely to pay off, and their continued silence is proof that the gamble is getting riskier by the day.

On a different note. I received word from AllOut on another one of my email addresses (I hardly check that one).

Hey <nameremoved>,

 

Thanks for this! The campaign was well received in the media and was paused after the page itself got hacked by bots upset about EA practices in other realms of work. I'll follow up with the campaign leads and keep you in the loop.

 

Best,

 

<nameremoved>

For what it's worth I wouldn't stress about the pre-order sale.

if we DON'T get SGRAs with Makeb, then we wouldn't have bought the expansion anyway.

If we DO get SGRAs with Makeb, then we'll easily spend a couple of months leveling all our parked alts to 50, and by that time there'll be another sale no doubt. Look how quickly the price of the original box crashed, within half a year the expansion can probably be had for 2.99.

I think it's about time we took this to the main forums or somewhere more noticeable though.

Thus far, it seems as though every statement they've made about SGRAs has been an outright lie, and I'm getting kind of sick of listening to it all.

At least nominate it for this week's Community Round up.

I'm not gonna sub again, until SGRAs are coming.

I could repeat this every day here, it would be on topic, and no, it's not insignificant.

I think I'm gonna do this from now on.

Visibility is important.

This is something I don't understand either. If it's coming with Makeb, why can't they simply say so? I think the only reason they're not saying it's coming with Makeb, is because it's not coming with Makeb.

 

And that's not to be a negative Nancy. It's because it doesn't make sense to expect something to come, when they're not saying it's coming, only to make excuses why it might be coming but they can't talk about it. Ridiculous.

Yeah, I'm starting to have doubts too.

They can talk about the Makeb story a bit but can't answer some of our basic questions (What level toon do I need? Is it coming with Makeb? Will each class have access to SGRAs?)

Hmmm....

Wait wait wait back up, guys.

If SGRAs are part of Makeb, that is pay2gay.

Why are we discussing how it's not fair to make us pay more or pay now without knowing if we're paying for queer romance? When did it become acceptable to even consider paying at all?

If there is a patch to the free content when Makeb hits (which there will have to be) and that patch contains s/s content and they just happen to come at the same time the way space missions and the new warzone came at the same time despite being unrelated, that's one thing. If the only s/s content we get is some new companion that's only available to Makeb players, that is very much another.

Yeah, I'm starting to have doubts too.

 

They can talk about the Makeb story a bit but can't answer some of our basic questions (What level toon do I need? Is it coming with Makeb? Will each class have access to SGRAs?)

 

Hmmm....

Gawd, we do ask hard questions, don't we?

Will each class have access to SGRA's? Yes or No

vs.

What is the reason for this planet's existence and how does it affect the power struggles in this war torn galaxy?

I sure as heck haven't pre-ordered Makeb and I actually canceled my sub with the info that has come out. No word on SGRA, No class storys, one planet and it more of an excuse for more bad PvP design than anything, nothing good in this expansion and I for one refuse to encourage this kind of behavior from Bioware EA. I love the story of theis game and really hope they can Hickman before he completely runs it into the ground but none of what made this game great is a priority for the devs at this point.

I certainly think it is pre-mature to pre-order makeb with no word on SGRA or how it will be implemented. Even if you do miss out on the sale the fact is that they are sitting smuggly silent on issues they shoudl be discussing and counting on blind hope getting people to open the wallet as long as that is true they will continue the same bad behavior. It is time to take the rolled up newspaper non-payment to this dog of a game.

Well, I've started in on the articles:

http://lezgetreal.com/2012/12/the-same-gender-romance-debacle-at-star-wars-the-old-republic/

Wonder if I should send this to Barryman, Woods and Green...see how they react then since I haven't heard anything form them about SGRA's.

Well, I've started in on the articles:

http://lezgetreal.com/2012/12/the-same-gender-romance-debacle-at-star-wars-the-old-republic/

Wonder if I should send this to Barryman, Woods and Green...see how they react then since I haven't heard anything form them about SGRA's.

*applaudes*

Well, do! I think it's time to let them in on the know how discontent we are with what's happening, if they don't know already.

Well, I've started in on the articles:

 

http://lezgetreal.com/2012/12/the-same-gender-romance-debacle-at-star-wars-the-old-republic/

 

Wonder if I should send this to Barryman, Woods and Green...see how they react then since I haven't heard anything form them about SGRA's.

Well written! thanks

Well, I sent it to Ms Barryman. If I don't hear soon, I'll start sending it out to a few more people to see if one of them will answer.

And thank you very much, Fab

Well, I sent it to Ms Barryman. If I don't hear soon, I'll start sending it out to a few more people to see if one of them will answer.

 

And thank you very much, Fab

Don't wait, send it anyway, that way they won't have time to talk to each other.

It's gone out to Berryman, Gonzalez, Woods, and Green.

So far, not even acknowledgement that they received it.

It's gone out to Berryman, Gonzalez, Woods, and Green.

 

So far, not even acknowledgement that they received it.

Generally you won't know unless they have an automated email reply system or a secretary who acts like one.