First of all, I've missed that option. I was so pleasantly delighted in KOTOR when I found out Juhani was a romance option (albeit, one that scared LucasArts so much that they gutted her dialogue). Sky and Silk Fox were also wonderful surprises.

 

Same gender here? I would suppose it depends greatly on what story you have. Right now, I have a female Consular. All your companions, save Nadia, are gents. And you don't get Nadia until you're in the middle of Act 3. Furthermore, I'm feeling like I dodged a bullet playing female because the dear girl's so sweet and naive that I'd feel like I'm taking advantage if I played a romance with her - not to mention the questionable aspect of dating your student. The only time when dating the Padawan didn't come off as creepy was F!Exile/Atton (and Atton was creepy for many more reasons).

 

As for same-sex romances on a male Consular? There's something about Iresso. I'm not sure I'd slash him with a male Consular. I'd actually mod Zenith or Tharan. Now, Tharan is because the guy is crazy enough to try anything twice for the sake of science, and it could lead to some comedic gold out of Holiday. Sure, she gets jealous if her Tharan is getting emotionally involved with another woman, but if it's a guy, she might just request to watch. The issue with Tharan is that he's pretty darned camp, which could play into some unfortunate implications.

 

That leads to Zenith. He's certainly driven, focused, would definitely more along the manly or "straight acting" gay. The romance arc with him would either be an LS Male Consular getting him to loosen up and be a bit less of a jerk - "Once this is over, I will join you on Balmorra, and we'll remake it as a paragon for other worlds to follow" or a DS Male Consular essentially saying "Once we're through, we ditch the goofballs and take the fight to the Imperials - you and me, starting with Balmorra."

 

All things considered, who in your party would make a good same-gender romance, and how could it play out differently from the heterosexual one?

 

Iresso actually really grew on me on my shadow (female) who is 100% LS and pretty much asexual (or at least she won't make her deeper feelings shown at all) but he still 'tempted' me, the player behind the character. lol

I'd love to see how he would 'unfold' with a male consular, but can't really say anything since I haven't actually played the romance arc. not that I think it would make a difference, though, because I plan on only eventually playing a Sage when they give us Togruta (DAMN YOU BIOWARE. TWI'LEK BUT NO TOGRUTA? GRRRRRR!) she will be female too, and a bit more 'wonky in the head', and she's gonna romance Iresso because she will have the constant urge to slap Theran. lol

 

apart from that, I don't know...

for most classes I really don't care much, but my gunslinger has a huuuuge crush on Corso and I can definitely see that one working out perfectly. my scoundrel is female and I've played through that romance arc, and I loved it buuuut Corso was a bit too 'cute' with his 'I need to protect my lady' stuff, which my scoundrel was really not all that into (she thought it was 'adorable' at first, but eventually told him to quit it ) .... with a male/male romance arc I could see him a bit less of a 'I need to protect you' guy and actually 'lighten up'. more of a 'bromance' that develops further, if that makes sense.

 

and my dream come true would be if LS Jeasa was actually available for a same gender romance arc... sigh.

Didn't read through whole thread so in case this migth have been mentioned before, sorry.

 

The trick is, same gender romance is sort of already in the game. You can marry same gender characters in your legacy tree, worked for my female sorc and female sniper.

 

Technicalities aside, this thread is specifically about same gender relationship arcs (as in story arcs) with companion NPCs. Legacy trees are all well and good but really they're a completely different issue.

It's been two months since I resubscribed to the game again, and in this time I haven't made any progression on my straight male Smuggler's story. Not knowing how the SGRA situation will look like for female Smugglers is very discouraging. So most of the time in the game has gone into endgame content and crafting for my straight female Bounty Hunter.

 

I'm thinking I'll play a Dark Side no-romance female Inquisitor/Sorcerer, though. I'll save the romance for my Light Side Assassin. I'd just like to play the character with someone else, so I'm hoping I can convince my brother to play the game again.

It's been two months since I resubscribed to the game again, and in this time I haven't made any progression on my straight male Smuggler's story. Not knowing how the SGRA situation will look like for female Smugglers is very discouraging. So most of the time in the game has gone into endgame content and crafting for my straight female Bounty Hunter.

 

I'm thinking I'll play a Dark Side no-romance female Inquisitor/Sorcerer, though. I'll save the romance for my Light Side Assassin. I'd just like to play the character with someone else, so I'm hoping I can convince my brother to play the game again.

 

What's keeping you from leveling your OGR Smuggler? Or is it you think you may want to reroll your smuggler to a female for a SGR? If that's the case, reroll, level up, just don't put progression into the companions affection.

 

Companion story arcs are based on affection and won't even progress into certain chapters. My SI for instance had max affection with Andy before chapter 1 was over (trying to max out Treasure Hunting, I just kept sending my other companions out for gifts) and the storyline with Andy still didn't end untill Chapter 3 had started.

 

If you're not leveling a character because you don't want to miss out on the chance for a SGR with a companion, just don't level their affection.

If you're not leveling a character because you don't want to miss out on the chance for a SGR with a companion, just don't level their affection.

 

I was under the impression that one had to start [Flirt]ing with the companion in question immediately, to be able to enter into a romance with them.

I was under the impression that one had to start [Flirt]ing with the companion in question immediately, to be able to enter into a romance with them.

 

It may start but no new convos will happen unless you get the affection up and the convos you have are related to what part of your story you are as well. I didn't do all of Broonmarks convos till after I hit 50 and just bought an absurd amount of Trophy gifts for the hairball.

I've held off on advancing companion affection for various reasons, such as just indecision about a particular choice, and just let their quest icon sit over their head till 50. You have nothing to lose by doing that, you'll just get a whole bunch of quests popping up in succession. Maybe that would break immersion for some people, though.

I was under the impression that one had to start [Flirt]ing with the companion in question immediately, to be able to enter into a romance with them.

 

Well, you may have to make the right choices in the convo, but if the convo's don't start, you're safe. So there's no reason to stop leveling when you can put off building affection and use a companion you don't care to get in a relationship with (or can't get in one with).

 

Getting 1 - 50 without giving gifts and focusing on just one companion, you're not likely to hit max affection either, or even get to the level of affection needed for all conversations, unless you run non-stop Black Talon/Esseles to try to max it out.

Well, you may have to make the right choices in the convo, but if the convo's don't start, you're safe. So there's no reason to stop leveling when you can put off building affection and use a companion you don't care to get in a relationship with (or can't get in one with).

 

I'm talking about when you acquire the companion in question, not when you start speaking to them aboard the ship (I realise that Vette may be an exception - you don't have the option to romance her until after the shock collar is removed.)

I'm talking about when you acquire the companion in question, not when you start speaking to them aboard the ship (I realise that Vette may be an exception - you don't have the option to romance her until after the shock collar is removed.)

 

Nope. I didn't even get an option to flirt with one companion untill after they became a member of my crew and I had their affection up, buuut, my character was already with someone else, so I didn't.

 

Not to mention people have married multiple companions on their character, so it's not like the game keeps track of "oh hey, you married this one, so this storyline isn't possible" and it doesn't even give you a break up scene with the first one.

Generally flirt options don't start coming in until you get a companion into at least 3k affection mark. It varies a lot per companion as to what you need to do to get a romance going, and how to screw it up, but I know that you can actually turn down flirts with some of them in the beginning and still have chances later. From the ones I've been through, there's been clear points where I started and ended the relationship.

Nope. I didn't even get an option to flirt with one companion untill after they became a member of my crew and I had their affection up, buuut, my character was already with someone else, so I didn't.

 

Not to mention people have married multiple companions on their character, so it's not like the game keeps track of "oh hey, you married this one, so this storyline isn't possible" and it doesn't even give you a break up scene with the first one.

 

Sounds like something bugged-out then, because those scenes are in there.

 

(spoilers) Edited December 29, 2012 by Palar

I would think if you want to get new players and keep existing ones Same Gender Romance options would be a route to go, as that might get players who were otherwise disinterested in the franchise to give it a look, and keep us current players who are rather fed up with silence.

I would think if you want to get new players and keep existing ones Same Gender Romance options would be a route to go, as that might get players who were otherwise disinterested in the franchise to give it a look, and keep us current players who are rather fed up with silence.

 

But even without it, there's no reason one doesn't have to not play, when they can still play the game, and save the companion quests for when they're either implemented OR they add a one size fits all SGR romance option (which if it comes in the next expansion, is my guess to how it will be, so you'd have to be level 50 anyways).

What's keeping you from leveling your OGR Smuggler? Or is it you think you may want to reroll your smuggler to a female for a SGR? If that's the case, reroll, level up, just don't put progression into the companions affection.

 

I'm conflicted about which romance arc I want to try, since (assuming that SGRAs are coming) I don't know if Risha or Akaavi will become available to the female Smuggler I'm planning to roll eventually.

 

On the one hand, I could just continue down the path of the Risha romance and hope that BioWare end up going with the "obvious" choice of making the butch Akaavi available for my female Smuggler. On the other, it would be super-amusing to have my male Smuggler realizing that he'd rather be with Akaavi after having courted Risha since pretty much the moment he got his ship back... and there's always the chance Risha would get the SGRA, since BioWare might want to avoid going with the "butch lesbian"-esque stereotype.

 

It's easier to just play a romance-free Sorcerer right now. And give in to those Dark Side urges for once.

I'm conflicted about which romance arc I want to try, since (assuming that SGRAs are coming) I don't know if Risha or Akaavi will become available to the female Smuggler I'm planning to roll eventually.

 

On the one hand, I could just continue down the path of the Risha romance and hope that BioWare end up going with the "obvious" choice of making the butch Akaavi available for my female Smuggler. On the other, it would be super-amusing to have my male Smuggler realizing that he'd rather be with Akaavi after having courted Risha since pretty much the moment he got his ship back... and there's always the chance Risha would get the SGRA, since BioWare might want to avoid going with the "butch lesbian"-esque stereotype.

 

It's easier to just play a romance-free Sorcerer right now. And give in to those Dark Side urges for once.

 

No reason one has to choose right away. The game doesn't end at 50 (or 55 when the level cap gets extended). If you can't decide which companion you want your character with (or if it's not an option yet due to SGR) just don't bother with them untill you've decided/it's possible.

 

For my SI, while parts of Andy's personality is annoying, imo he was just the better option, and I'm open to having all the companions being open. Ashara I just don't see as being a good companion for anyone really The other options are really meh :/ The old geeky guy (Talos, who I believe has options to make him look younger, buuut, it doesnt change anything about him other than his looks), and two companions who can't be courted (I don't think Xalek can be courted anyways, could be wrong, but he comes off as another you wouldn't want to anyways).

 

Which leaves me a bit curious...as Ashara's personality just seems so off putting, is it people wanting a SGR just for SGR that have them wanting to court her at all? Or does her personality improve if you play a male SI?

No reason one has to choose right away. The game doesn't end at 50 (or 55 when the level cap gets extended). If you can't decide which companion you want your character with (or if it's not an option yet due to SGR) just don't bother with them untill you've decided/it's possible.

 

Well, I think part of the appeal of the story arc is lost if it doesn't progress alongside the class and faction stories. It just wouldn't feel organic at all to go through all the conversations in endgame.

 

With my Bounty Hunter I did the romance arc with Torian, but I played through the entire game with Mako as my primary companion. So in addition to Torian's romance/story arc being really flat and monotonous, I didn't go through it until after the rest of the story was done, and so that made the whole thing feel even more artificial.

 

...And suddenly I want to just go back to Dragon Age: Origins and finish my Mage playthrough (Zevran romance), for whatever reason.

Edited December 29, 2012 by JediMB

Nope. I didn't even get an option to flirt with one companion untill after they became a member of my crew and I had their affection up, buuut, my character was already with someone else, so I didn't.

 

My female Jugg, during the Balmorra part of her class story, pretty much got a [Flirt] in every conversation with Quinn. And that's before he joins her crew. If Quinn becomes available for SGR, a male warrior would miss all those flirts. Doesn't matter if you plan on holding off convos with companions.

I wonder if a similar thing happens with Elara on Taris. If that's the case, my lvl 30 Trooper already miss those

But even without it, there's no reason one doesn't have to not play, when they can still play the game, and save the companion quests for when they're either implemented OR they add a one size fits all SGR romance option (which if it comes in the next expansion, is my guess to how it will be, so you'd have to be level 50 anyways).

 

No, to be accurate, there's no reason you can see not to play. Which is fine, you don't get it, that's no problem, but just because you don't get it doesn't make it a truth.

 

A long term poster here who has since left used to say that every time he encountered an OGR flirt during his male Smuggler's story (and there are a hell of a lot of them) he was reminded very sharply of how the people who made this game made the conscious choice to exclude SGRs from the game. Every flirt prompt was a slap in the face to him - not just with companions but with mission NPCs. You can't get off Ord Mantell without encountering about three of them. And no, you don't have to choose them, but they are strictly OGR. Not a single SGR.

 

Yes, it's been stated by BW:A that SGRs were excluded for time and budgeting reasons. But irrespective of why SGRs got the chop they still weren't included when OGRs were. BW:A could very easily have excluded both OGRs and SGRs until both were ready to be included together but they didn't. OGRs went in and SGRs didn't, and that's the bottom line.

 

Other people in this very thread, I have no doubt, experience the same reaction and worse every time they find an OGR flirt where there's no corresponding SGR flirt. I don't have that reaction myself but I do understand it, and I can comprehend how it might make playing this game very hard or even impossible; unappealing at the very least. I found it very difficult to progress through the Sith Warrior storyline after I watched him facilitate a torture so horrible that it made me decide the ESRB are wrong; this is no Teen game. I worked past that and my SW is now of a respectable level but nonetheless it disgusted me (as was probably the writer's aim).

 

So every time you say there's no reason people can't play through the game, that there's no reason to stall character development, that there's no reason to be disenchanted with the game you're really just stating an opinion as if it were fact.

 

There are reasons. They're just not the same as yours, SithKoriandr.

Edited December 29, 2012 by Kioma

No, to be accurate, there's no reason you can see not to play. Which is fine, you don't get it, that's no problem, but just because you don't get it doesn't make it a truth.

 

A long term poster here who has since left used to say that every time he encountered an OGR flirt during his male Smuggler's story (and there are a hell of a lot of them) he was reminded very sharply of how the people who made this game made the conscious choice to exclude SGRs from the game. Every flirt prompt was a slap in the face to him - not just with companions but with mission NPCs. You can't get off Ord Mantell without encountering about three of them. And no, you don't have to choose them, but they are strictly OGR. Not a single SGR.

 

Yes, it's been stated by BW:A that SGRs were excluded for time and budgeting reasons. But irrespective of why SGRs got the chop they still weren't included when OGRs were. BW:A could very easily have excluded both OGRs and SGRs until both were ready to be included together but they didn't. OGRs went in and SGRs didn't, and that's the bottom line.

 

Other people in this very thread, I have no doubt, experience the same reaction and worse every time they find an OGR flirt where there's no corresponding SGR flirt. I don't have that reaction myself but I do understand it, and I can comprehend how it might make playing this game very hard or even impossible; unappealing at the very least. I found it very difficult to progress through the Sith Warrior storyline after I watched him facilitate a torture so horrible that it made me decide the ESRB are wrong; this is no Teen game. I worked past that and my SW is now of a respectable level but nonetheless it disgusted me (as was probably the writer's aim).

 

So every time you say there's no reason people can't play through the game, that there's no reason to stall character development, that there's no reason to be disenchanted with the game you're really just stating an opinion as if it were fact.

 

There are reasons. They're just not the same as yours, SithKoriandr.

 

Also in reply to a previous responder. There's still classes one can play, that give you starting companions you can't or won't flirt with (JK and SI come to mind first).

 

Yes, nice to flirt along as you level, you'll also be level 50 and then have to continue to gain affection with your companion after 50, unless you're handing out companion gifts left and right to get the higher affection. Not to mention, you'd have to make every choice coincide with what gives positive affection from your companion, so you don't keep taking steps backwards. While the step back isn't usually big, I haven't met a person yet who picked all the right options without redoing a scene or cheating it (which then goes to the idea that one isn't really basing it on the story, but just getting positive affection).

 

No. I do get it. Saying you can't level (when you can) because of something you're not likely to get without really going all out for it by level 50, sounds better for the wanting than "Well, I can play the game and wait."

 

Getting to the courting part is usually about what over 2000 positive affection? Easily able to get to 50 without hitting 2000 affection rating.

So every time you say there's no reason people can't play through the game, that there's no reason to stall character development, that there's no reason to be disenchanted with the game you're really just stating an opinion as if it were fact.

 

Personaly I think this game was primarily made for players that enjoy Star Wars fantasy universe.

If someone isn't able to level a character just because he doesn't have a choice to watch animated romance fantasies of his personal choice then that person doesn't really want to play the game itself but instead looks for some virtual emotional and/or sexual satisfaction.

Also in reply to a previous responder. There's still classes one can play, that give you starting companions you can't or won't flirt with (JK and SI come to mind first).

 

Yes, nice to flirt along as you level, you'll also be level 50 and then have to continue to gain affection with your companion after 50, unless you're handing out companion gifts left and right to get the higher affection. Not to mention, you'd have to make every choice coincide with what gives positive affection from your companion, so you don't keep taking steps backwards. While the step back isn't usually big, I haven't met a person yet who picked all the right options without redoing a scene or cheating it (which then goes to the idea that one isn't really basing it on the story, but just getting positive affection).

 

No. I do get it. Saying you can't level (when you can) because of something you're not likely to get without really going all out for it by level 50, sounds better for the wanting than "Well, I can play the game and wait."

 

Getting to the courting part is usually about what over 2000 positive affection? Easily able to get to 50 without hitting 2000 affection rating.

 

This is not just about mechanics. There is also a very real impact upon the person playing the game to be constantly reminded that the production team thought that OGRs were worth putting in but SGRs weren't. Putting the level mechanics aside for a moment you need to consider that some people feel actively uncomfortable being faced with a dozen NPC flirt options they're never going to take but seeing the massive gap where SGR flirts should be.

 

As I said before, a point that you've completely side-stepped, this isn't just about companion flirts. It's about mission NPC flirts too. And there are plenty of those (mostly for male characters) that you cannot avoid seeing in the process of levelling.

 

Can someone physically and mechanically level without activating companion flirts? Sure. But there's a rash of non-companion flirts one can't avoid which would be tolerable for those people if{/i] there were SGR equivalents and there simply are not. So for those people it might be difficult or even intolerable to level a character without feeling tremendously uncomfortable with the game.

 

So no, actually, judging by your arguments I'd say you don't get it; in fact you've stated several times that you don't comprehend why people can't just shut up and play. You understand the mechanics just fine, better than a lot of people, I'd wager. Respect to you there. But there's emotive content here that you clearly don't even need to consider for yourself because it doesn't affect you. You're not putting yourself outside your own experiences and contemplating that these people might have emotionally compelling reasons to avoid levelling their characters that are just as valid as anyone's distaste with, say, PvP or end-game content.

 

Which, in a way, is fine. You don't need to do that. You don't even need to understand. Other people's emotive content certainly isn't your responsibility. My point is that you're presenting opinion as if it were fact without taking everything into account. Mechanics might be the whole sum of the game but it's not the whole sum of the people playing it.

Personaly I think this game was primarily made for players that enjoy Star Wars fantasy universe.

If someone isn't able to level a character just because he doesn't have a choice to watch animated romance fantasies of his personal choice then that person doesn't really want to play the game itself but instead looks for some virtual emotional and/or sexual satisfaction.

 

And that's your opinion, which is fine. It's wrong for some people but it's still your opinion and you're welcome to have it.

 

I would suggest that you remember that romance has been a part of the Star Wars universe from its inception. It is indeed romance that makes Luke leave for Ben Kenobi's in the first place. You think that theoretical person 'doesn't really want to play the game itself' but you're actually incorrect: they just want to play a different part of it than you do.

FYI, about being married to multiple companions, yes, there have been several bugs and exploits in that regard, there definitely was one for Agents that they had to hotfix twice (people purposefully exploiting or accidentally marrying two), and no, if working correctly, you can't marry two companions, in cases where you have more than one romanceable companion (Agent, Smuggler, Warrior, not sure who else), you WILL have a conversation that forces you to choose. The only exception to that is non-companion romances, they seem to be under a different rule. Edited December 30, 2012 by chuixupu

**pops in**

 

Wow, a mechanics debate! Utterly ignoring the missing story arc. Or the lack of an update on said story arc content.

 

The Legacy Tree does not count. It never has counted in my opinion. It looks like a little fun mechanic that has zero impact on anything what so ever.

 

What is this, 1.2 again?

 

Some will utterly refuse to get the point. They seem well meaning, but they are "concerned" for us and why should a little thing like missing story arcs in a story based MMO seems silly. Why, holding out for SGR and SG flirts is just a matter of mechanics.

 

That's their opinion. Stop feeding them at this point.

 

 

Take your demeaning and "concerned" arguments elsewhere. It's tired, old and I've seen it more times than I can count since late February.

 

This is the last words I'm saying to you, SithKoriandr.

 

Please. Go. Away.

**pops out, and will make a more positive post later**

Edited December 30, 2012 by natashina