Why? Just do not select clearly marked [FLIRT] Option when talking to persons of same gender.

This option you propose would require some weird turning off all [FLIRT] Options, as SGR is not any different from OGR from game code perspective.

Also, it is not like SGR would mean any explicit scenes, I mean, we do not even see normal kisses in OGR, just fade to black and that's it. BioWare got scared after what they did in Mass Effect (even though it mean awesome free publicity, and nothing offending was shown), and they are unwilling to do something like that in any other game now...

Why? Just do not select clearly marked [FLIRT] Option when talking to persons of same gender.

This option you propose would require some weird turning off all [FLIRT] Options, as SGR is not any different from OGR from game code perspective.

Also, it is not like SGR would mean any explicit scenes, I mean, we do not even see normal kisses in OGR, just fade to black and that's it. BioWare got scared after what they did in Mass Effect (even though it mean awesome free publicity, and nothing offending was shown), and they are unwilling to do something like that in any other game now...

Because just that flirt option is enough to irk some people. As for it being the same game code perspective it could be tweaked (sorry not a game designer don't know how or how hard it would be) to put a specific piece of code inside sgr and anything with that code could be blocked with the option off.

Now if that's not possible I don't know but i'm sure it could be done.

Because just that flirt option is enough to irk some people. As for it being the same game code perspective it could be tweaked (sorry not a game designer don't know how or how hard it would be) to put a specific piece of code inside sgr and anything with that code could be blocked with the option off.

 

Now if that's not possible I don't know but i'm sure it could be done.

I dont think that EA or Bioware will have a homophobia option in the settings when SGR comes out. As previously stated, just dont flirt with the male or female and you will be able to live your life happily.

Of course SGR "could" have some special tag, but I think it is meaningless. You could by that same logic argue to block all [FLIRT] options, because it may be offensive to Christians, Muslims and whomever else to suggest that you can flirt and sleep with someone before some ritual like marriage etc.

People being irked by freedom of choice in RPGs have no business playing them, in my opinion

Now, I am not a huge proponent of SGR (although what guy does not like watching two girls make out? ), but I do not mind them being there AS A CHOICE, as I know I have the freedom to choose other options.

Game is rated as 16+ by PEGI (T for Teen according to ESRB) with following warnings: Blood and Gore, Mild Language, Sexual Themes, Violence.

If any parent feels that his or hers kids might be affected in some bad way by it (although I think that people who blame videogames for violence and such things are stupid), they should not buy it or let them install or play it.

Parental controls already allow that, plus the game needs admin privileges to launch, and if you are paranoid parent in such way, your kids probably do not have admin rights anyway

of course sgr "could" have some special tag, but i think it is meaningless. You could by that same logic argue to block all [flirt] options, because it may be offensive to christians, muslims and whomever else to suggest that you can flirt and sleep with someone before some ritual like marriage etc.

 

People being irked by freedom of choice in rpgs have no business playing them, in my opinion

 

now, i am not a huge proponent of sgr (although what guy does not like watching two girls make out? ), but i do not mind them being there as a choice, as i know i have the freedom to choose other options.

 

Game is rated as 16+ by pegi (t for teen according to esrb) with following warnings: Blood and gore, mild language, sexual themes, violence.

If any parent feels that his or hers kids might be affected in some bad way by it (although i think that people who blame videogames for violence and such things are stupid), they should not buy it or let them install or play it.

Parental controls already allow that, plus the game needs admin privileges to launch, and if you are paranoid parent in such way, your kids probably do not have admin rights anyway

this.

It would be foolish of BioWare to not just go ahead and put a "Parental Controls" tab in the preferences, in which there would be checkboxes at least for SGR and OGR.

Accomodating one and intentionally not accomodating the other would make a very large and very irreversible socio-political statement.

It would be foolish of BioWare to not just go ahead and put a "Parental Controls" tab in the preferences, in which there would be checkboxes at least for SGR and OGR.

 

Accomodating one and intentionally not accomodating the other would make a very large and very irreversible socio-political statement.

Not a bad idea, however I wouldn't use separate checkboxes.

Either you get BOTH romance-options or none.

Now i've read on these forums and my brother watches tech shows and I guess people are really mad about the inclusion of same gender romance to this game. So I suggest we allow it to be turned off in the options menu. I'm thinking something like when the original mortal kombat came out on snes. We have in it options and they can put a password system in place to turn it on and off so that parents can password lock it off for their kids if they want.

the option exists, initing a SGR like a OGR requires you to select a conversation option that says "flirt"

Let's also implement a toggle for black and Asian people, because seeing them irks me. [/blatant racism]

BioWare has already stated that a toggle would be considered discriminatory, and discussion on the subject is (last I heard) not allowed.

I dont think that EA or Bioware will have a homophobia option in the settings when SGR comes out. .

Don't see how being against something automatically gives you a phobia. You do understand what a phobia is, right?

Doesn't matter to me either way, I don't do any flirt options or romances.

It wouldn't make sense to give the option to every single NPC or companion that is romanceable. Some of the companions just don't make sense and others do.

Obviously (more like for legal reasons) they won't actually put someway to have SGR's as an option...not many people or large business's want to be sued for discriminating or be called "politically incorrect" or be diagnosed with a made up phobia.

I dont think that EA or Bioware will have a homophobia option in the settings when SGR comes out. As previously stated, just dont flirt with the male or female and you will be able to live your life happily.

I just love how people like you just jump right to the homophobia type slander right away. Myself I don't so much care about the option being there, as a parent that has a kid that plays form time to time it is something that I don't necessarily want him exposed to in game. I am capable of understanding the the implications of such relationships but my son being only 12 years old I don't feel is necessarily mature enough to understand all of the implications involved with such decisions. So please don't insult the intelligence of people like me by going off with the rote homophobia BS just because someone asked for an option to disable it if they so choose.

anonnn, I wholeheartedly disagree.

In my opinion, the Romance options should not be limited in any way. As I said, the game is rated "16+" in Europe, and "Teen" with "Sexual Themes" warning in US.

I am willing to bet that any 16+ year old has seen something way more hardcore than what we get in game. I am not going to say pr0n, but certainly something that implies sex much more than this game does, heck, Iron Man movie has much lower age restrictions (PG-13), and you can see Tony Stark getting it on with pretty hot journalist very early in the movie (mostly clothed, on bed, which they promptly fall off out of camera before clothing start coming off, SWTOR does not do even that).

If people are irked by the freedom to choose options that shape your character's personality in a Role-playing GAME, they should not play it or allow their kids to play it.

I just love how people like you just jump right to the homophobia type slander right away. Myself I don't so much care about the option being there, as a parent that has a kid that plays form time to time it is something that I don't necessarily want him exposed to in game. I am capable of understanding the the implications of such relationships but my son being only 12 years old I don't feel is necessarily mature enough to understand all of the implications involved with such decisions. So please don't insult the intelligence of people like me by going off with the rote homophobia BS just because someone asked for an option to disable it if they so choose.

Oh boy. I wouldn't have mentioned anything about having your child playing this game. Now they'll rip at you about "you won't expose your kid to SGR but you will expose him to violence!". It has happened many times with people being against SGR in the game.

Let's also implement a toggle for black and Asian people, because seeing them irks me. [/blatant racism]

 

BioWare has already stated that a toggle would be considered discriminatory, and discussion on the subject is (last I heard) not allowed.

What a load of disingenuous crap, and a terrible straw man argument at that.

Oh boy. I wouldn't have mentioned anything about having your child playing this game. Now they'll rip at you about "you won't expose your kid to SGR but you will expose him to violence!". It has happened many times with people being against SGR in the game.

Meh let em.

anonnn, I wholeheartedly disagree.

In my opinion, the Romance options should not be limited in any way. As I said, the game is rated "16+" in Europe, and "Teen" with "Sexual Themes" warning in US.

 

I am willing to bet that any 16+ year old has seen something way more hardcore than what we get in game. I am not going to say pr0n, but certainly something that implies sex much more than this game does, heck, Iron Man movie has much lower age restrictions (PG-13), and you can see Tony Stark getting it on with pretty hot journalist very early in the movie (mostly clothed, on bed, which they promptly fall off out of camera before clothing start coming off, SWTOR does not do even that).

 

If people are irked by the freedom to choose options that shape your character's personality in a Role-playing GAME, they should not play it or allow their kids to play it.

Its not that people are "irked" by the freedom to choose options, this too is a disingenuous argument. And if anything going off of your very own logic, giving people the option to control which flirt options (to include all flirt options) they see if any is adding even MORE options, so the premise of your argument is flawed even on the very face of it.

Because just that flirt option is enough to irk some people. As for it being the same game code perspective it could be tweaked (sorry not a game designer don't know how or how hard it would be) to put a specific piece of code inside sgr and anything with that code could be blocked with the option off.

 

Now if that's not possible I don't know but i'm sure it could be done.

I've only read the first three or so posts of this thread, so my reply reflects that.

You can't please everyone. IMO if people are going to be angry over an OPTION to do a {FLIRT] they can easily ignore, they are too touchy for their own good anyway.

There's people that get angry if you say "Hello" to them wrong. Seriously.

Anyway, I actually feel LET the people whom would actually nerdrage over a same gender [FLIRT] option nerdrage. They IMO are the sort whom would nerdrage over pretty much anything they have decided they hate this week.

I just love how people like you just jump right to the homophobia type slander right away. Myself I don't so much care about the option being there, as a parent that has a kid that plays form time to time it is something that I don't necessarily want him exposed to in game. I am capable of understanding the the implications of such relationships but my son being only 12 years old I don't feel is necessarily mature enough to understand all of the implications involved with such decisions. So please don't insult the intelligence of people like me by going off with the rote homophobia BS just because someone asked for an option to disable it if they so choose.

I can assure you that any kid capable of dealing with the idea of hetero relationships is more than capable of dealing with the idea of SGRs. It's usually the parents that have the problems. SGRs are not some weird 'higher level of complexity'.

If they are not prepared to deal with a game that features flirting or 'fade-to-blacks' in general then SWTOR is probably not for them.

Its not that people are "irked" by the freedom to choose options, this too is a disingenuous argument. And if anything going off of your very own logic, giving people the option to control which flirt options (to include all flirt options) they see if any is adding even MORE options, so the premise of your argument is flawed even on the very face of it.

Ok, I will admit I really did not fully understood what you just wrote here (I might be tired, I am not going to say you somehow stammered in the text making it not perfectly clear). But, if you see my older post in this topic, you will see I consider it bad practice to give any censoring options in game with this age rating, warning, and level of graphical representation of said "censorable" stuff.

You said your 12 year old kid plays the game. And in that case, I have to argue it is on your responsibility as a parent if you let 12 year old kid play something with 16+ rating, sexual themes warnings and what not.

As I said, plenty of other media has much lower age rating, and it is more obvious about sexual themes than this game is.

Now, if SWTOR had anything close to Mass Effect 1 (18+, M ratings) romance scene, I could understand why some people might be troubled by their kids seeing it, but since we have nothing even close to it, I fail to see what all the ruckus is about...

Oh boy. I wouldn't have mentioned anything about having your child playing this game. Now they'll rip at you about "you won't expose your kid to SGR but you will expose him to violence!". It has happened many times with people being against SGR in the game.

I personally don't really care for SGRs. I'm straight and I (miraculously, apparently) do not feel my sexual orientation threatened because there will be a button that gives me the option to flirt with an NPC.

What I find quite annoying though, is that people use their children as a means to get something they want (or avoid something they don't), whether that is "violence in games" or "SGRs in games" or anything they don't like.

How is "I don't want my child to see it" OK and the minute someone points out there are other (potentially worse)

things in-game that the same child will be exposed to, the person who mentions it is a troll that doesn't understand a parent's fear?

No, really. Why?

The solution is simple:

Bioware decides what goes in the game. The reason why they add or remove something could be because they support it, because they want to be politically correct or whatever else you can think of. They've already stated that they won't add a toggle button and that it's against the rules to even talk about it.

You don't agree with it? You don't allow your child to play the game.

Simple as that.

There is one particular belief, that I doubt has yet been brought up in any of these debates on this topic, that is difficult to just fly in the face of it without at least minimal reflection upon it, and is difficult to argue against people choosing to hold this belief as sacred to themselves and their own chosen way of life. It's a belief not held by all, but it's a belief that has been held sacred for countless centuries by much of the civil world. It's not a belief that is inherently forced on others, it's a belief that is held sacred amongst kinships and mutually shared theologies and entire ways of life.

To ponder the origins and the unstated necessities of this belief is to understand at least an inkling of the nature of some of civilization's rituals, behavioral patterns, and urgencies ...