51 réponses à ce sujet

[DraGGon2k]

Hello,

 

so this thought came to me randomly. One thing that kinda bothered me recently with BioWare games is how you are often THE CHOSEN ONE aka the instant hero who's the only one who can save the world and everyone bows down to within 5minutes (like in DA:I most prominently). And part of that also being how basically everyone of your crew members wants to **** you.

 

I know I might be in the minority here but for me it takes away some sort of authenticity when theoretically half your squad is bi or gay and the other half is fitness models / botox faces. Basically what I'm saying is, why not for example(in a crew of 8-9) have 1 hetero romance option and one gay romance option, and the rest of the crew is asexual/not interested like Cole/Vivienne in DA:I and/or simply have their own families/partners at their home, thus also not being interested in you(although that could theoretically open new narrative areas as well, if a crew member basically cheated on his/her partner with you and the consequences/moral dilemma). Or too old/too young.

 

And instead you could meet romance options along the way OR in city hubs. For example if you had a spy(master) like Leliana that is however stationed at the Citadel and you visit her. Or someone you meet in another hub and have the option to follow it up. I also found the "opportunity" with Miranda in ME3 refreshing, because based on your prior interactions you could "repeat old times" as opposed to the usual "Say things they wana hear until they want to have sex"-shtick.

 

So I guess basically my point is that I feel like the player doesn't need gratification around every corner and half the crew being there/available to please you takes away from the experience for me. Why not go for a more realistic approach and limit crew romance options and instead open up new opportunities by meeting possible romance options on the way(like Miranda in ME3) or in city hubs, maybe even going as far as to creating a family.

 

What are your thoughts?

[katamuro]

 I think the point bioware was trying to make is not the instant gratification but that sometimes relationships arise from friendships. Plus people thrown together in high-risk environments do tend to get closer. Didn't really work so well but what can we do... 

Also thematically it wouldn't fit especially for ME1-3 to create a family. For future game, if one hub area dominates or is like a base to your character then sure but it requires for the character to spend significant amount of time in the hub area. One of the reasons it seems so abrupt in ME series is because it doesnt show passage of time very well, after all it would kinda weird if someone just jumped in your bed after a couple of conversations. So because there is a limitation to how much they could put in the time is implied. Basically what we got is the montage of significant points rather than the full relationship. 

[goishen]

Yeah, I mean, this game has really drawn me outta my shell in ways I couldn't even imagine.  Before, I liked strategy games, ya know?  Move here, do this, and then do that.  Never talking to anyone. 

 

Then I played ME2.  I still remember this, oddly enough.   One loading screen on there said something like, "There are no galactic dating services.  You have to get out there and talk to people in order to relationships with them."  I don't really wanna say that was an epiphany moment, or anything like that.  But that's what started to draw me out. 

 

To me?  Commander Shepard can have sex with whomever he/she likes.  Just be ready to handle the cat fights.

 

[katamuro]

That wasn't really a fight, just some mutual snarkiness. Loved it though. I was quite surprised when it happened in my game. 

[Tonymac]

In ME1 I wanted to have Captain Maeko Matsuo for LI.

[Abelas Forever!]

I'll have to ask. One hetero romance and one gay romance? For men? Because if you want to give options to both straight men/women and gay men and lesbians you need at least 4 LIs if they are either gay or straight and that is the half of the crew. However if the LIs are both bisexuals then you need only 2 of them.

 

It would be interesting to have LIs outside your crew like some random bartender. However I think it's difficult to make that work. Because you would have to meet that person and the place would have to be somewhere where players would go because otherwise it's possible that they never meet that person. Then the relationship would have to develop like you will go on a date with that LI and most likely several times. Because of those reasons I think it would take a lot of resources so that one person could be made into LI unless there are people with whom you just have sex and nothing more. It's not impossible to have LIs outside the crew but I think it's easier if the LIs are in your crew.

[themikefest]

In ME1 I wanted to have Captain Maeko Matsuo for LI.

I wanted Gianna Parasini for a love interest

[Vazgen]

A romance option should be a major character and most of the major characters in the game are in your crew. There is an option to make the antagonist a romance option though. Kai Leng romance!

[Judas Bock]

I would not be opposed to having non-crew romances, but I would be opposed to having just a couple of romance options on the crew.

 

Firstly, having a squaddie as your LI gives you a lot more possibilities for romance content since they can be with you all the time, and not just meet you every now and then.

 

Secondly, in regards to "everyone wants to **** you", this is a role-playing game. You play a role, and depending on what role you play, pretty much everyone (except those who have absolutely no interest in romance) should have a chance of falling in love with you. Should they all be available no matter what? No, I don't think an alien should get into a romance with a total human supremacist, for instance. But I think that more or less every squaddie should be available, depending on how you roleplay and what choices you make (now the number will obviously be limited by development resources, but I think that at least in theory everyone should be available, and the complaint that "everyone shouldn't be able to fall in love with you" holds no water to me).

[DraGGon2k]

I would not be opposed to having non-crew romances, but I would be opposed to having just a couple of romance options on the crew.

 

Firstly, having a squaddie as your LI gives you a lot more possibilities for romance content since they can be with you all the time, and not just meet you every now and then.

 

Secondly, in regards to "everyone wants to **** you", this is a role-playing game. You play a role, and depending on what role you play, pretty much everyone (except those who have absolutely no interest in romance) should have a chance of falling in love with you. Should they all be available no matter what? No, I don't think an alien should get into a romance with a total human supremacist, for instance. But I think that more or less every squaddie should be available, depending on how you roleplay and what choices you make (now the number will obviously be limited by development resources, but I think that at least in theory everyone should be available, and the complaint that "everyone shouldn't be able to fall in love with you" holds no water to me).

Well I disagree. For me having those options thrown in your face(basically for 20h in DA:I I had a "Begin Romance"-Heart in every dialogue with Cassandra/Dorian; Cassandra agreed with me a lot and suddenly I got a "I've noticed how youve been looking at me" romance-initiation cutscene - what the hell?) takes away from the experience. It makes it less realistic/mature and more like some fanfictiony romance simulator. Especcially if the rest of the game treats you like a god all the time as well, as is the case in DA:I especcially. It just feels very artificial to me. Maybe BioWare games are not for me anymore with this direction they're heading. They seem to reduce choices/consequences and instead focus on more often than not cringeworthy romances.

 

 

 

I'll have to ask. One hetero romance and one gay romance? For men? Because if you want to give options to both straight men/women and gay men and lesbians you need at least 4 LIs if they are either gay or straight and that is the half of the crew. However if the LIs are both bisexuals then you need only 2 of them.

 

But this is part of the problem imo. Why does everyone need to be represented and equally at that? It just seems so pandering to me and destroys authenticity. I'd rather have only one love interest total who's gay or hetero(whatever fits the character) than have 1 hetero male, 1 gay male, 1 hetero woman, 1 gay woman, 1 bisexual man, 1 bisexual woman. It just feels dumb and super artificial.

[katamuro]

Well I disagree. For me having those options thrown in your face(basically for 20h in DA:I I had a "Begin Romance"-Heart in every dialogue with Cassandra/Dorian; Cassandra agreed with me a lot and suddenly I got a "I've noticed how youve been looking at me" romance-initiation cutscene - what the hell?) takes away from the experience. It makes it less realistic/mature and more like some fanfictiony romance simulator. Especcially if the rest of the game treats you like a god all the time as well, as is the case in DA:I especcially. It just feels very artificial to me. Maybe BioWare games are not for me anymore with this direction they're heading. They seem to reduce choices/consequences and instead focus on more often than not cringeworthy romances.

 

 

 

 

But this is part of the problem imo. Why does everyone need to be represented and equally at that? It just seems so pandering to me and destroys authenticity. I'd rather have only one love interest total who's gay or hetero(whatever fits the character) than have 1 hetero male, 1 gay male, 1 hetero woman, 1 gay woman, 1 bisexual man, 1 bisexual woman. It just feels dumb and super artificial.

 

You cant really compare DAI, after all the main character is literally regarded as a messenger from the bride of the Maker, a messiah. Plus you can flirt with any number of people and it won't come to anything, that is pretty realistic. 

Also rpg's have employed a wide variety of romance options for a while now, they might have been less obvious but they were still there. And guess what but there are all kinds of people in the world playing rpg's that would like to enjoy a choice(I know a big shock). And when I was in university my circle of friends involved gay men and women as well as bisexual men and women in addition to straight men and women. I have been friends with asexuals too. 

Also no one is forcing you to even romance anyone. No one is grabbing your finger and making you press the buttons. However limiting the options to one heterosexual and one homosexual romance would be forcing the player who wants a romance in the game to choose between the two options. 

And how do you even justify limiting the amount of roleplay in a roleplaying game? 

[goishen]

It would be interesting to have LIs outside your crew like some random bartender. However I think it's difficult to make that work. Because you would have to meet that person and the place would have to be somewhere where players would go because otherwise it's possible that they never meet that person. Then the relationship would have to develop like you will go on a date with that LI and most likely several times. Because of those reasons I think it would take a lot of resources so that one person could be made into LI unless there are people with whom you just have sex and nothing more. It's not impossible to have LIs outside the crew but I think it's easier if the LIs are in your crew.

 

 

Plus...   You'd have to find out when they got off of work, stop back by their work to pick them up, do your thing and then drop them back off by home.  

 

It's the girl/boyfriend you never wanted!  The one without a car.  Or in this situation, a starship.

[Jaquio]

I would not be opposed to having non-crew romances, but I would be opposed to having just a couple of romance options on the crew.

 

Firstly, having a squaddie as your LI gives you a lot more possibilities for romance content since they can be with you all the time, and not just meet you every now and then.

 

Secondly, in regards to "everyone wants to **** you", this is a role-playing game. You play a role, and depending on what role you play, pretty much everyone (except those who have absolutely no interest in romance) should have a chance of falling in love with you. Should they all be available no matter what? No, I don't think an alien should get into a romance with a total human supremacist, for instance. But I think that more or less every squaddie should be available, depending on how you roleplay and what choices you make (now the number will obviously be limited by development resources, but I think that at least in theory everyone should be available, and the complaint that "everyone shouldn't be able to fall in love with you" holds no water to me).

 

I think it's a decent point, but I would like to emphasize that I think how you roleplay in these games should matter way more than it currently does.

 

One thing I'd like to see is them getting rid of the "heart" icon and just going back to the maze of interactions.  I remember in DAO during the Leliana romance, if you didn't say the right things at the right times, it wasn't going to happen.  They cheapened the whole thing in DAO with the gifts being able to override who you are.

 

I really want to see them make romances more complex, and less about pumping Romance tokens into a love machine. 

 

But I want more complex interactions in general.  For example, more satisfying personal friendships only available to one or two characters during a playthrough.  I never really talked to Vega nor took him on missions, but I took Garrus on almost every mission over the course of three games.  I'd like to see the games do more with that kind of info.

 

Unfortunately, due to increased resources, they've been going in the opposite direction.  Less complex and personal, and more achievement oriented.  I hope that changes though I'm not overly optimistic.

[Han Shot First]

I think the issue is that if you had random civilians on the Citadel as LIs, that it would feel too much like a romance sim. Those characters would have no role in the story outside of being a potential love interest for the main character. Beyond that there would be no justification for their existence in the game world. That differs from squad mates, who do have some role in the story beyond a potential romance arc.

[DraGGon2k]

You cant really compare DAI, after all the main character is literally regarded as a messenger from the bride of the Maker, a messiah. Plus you can flirt with any number of people and it won't come to anything, that is pretty realistic. 

Also rpg's have employed a wide variety of romance options for a while now, they might have been less obvious but they were still there. And guess what but there are all kinds of people in the world playing rpg's that would like to enjoy a choice(I know a big shock). And when I was in university my circle of friends involved gay men and women as well as bisexual men and women in addition to straight men and women. I have been friends with asexuals too. 

Also no one is forcing you to even romance anyone. No one is grabbing your finger and making you press the buttons. However limiting the options to one heterosexual and one homosexual romance would be forcing the player who wants a romance in the game to choose between the two options. 

And how do you even justify limiting the amount of roleplay in a roleplaying game? 

So what? Nobody forced a gun to their head in making the decision that you're the messiah and everyone loves you and you are the best and get pats on your shoulders around every corner.

 

As for your university circle: Do you want a medal? I really don't know what your point is with bringing that up. I know that there are different sexual orientations and whatnot and haven't argued against it, but that doesn't mean everything has to be represented equally in every game. I'd rather have no hetero romances in the game if that meant the other few romances are better developed and the crew feels more realistic.

 

"And how do you even justify limiting the amount of roleplay in a roleplaying game"? Well how did BioWare justify continually removing choice and consequences more and more from their games recently? That is way more important to any average roleplayer than 2-3 romances(which are 90% cringeworthy anyways) less.

 

But it does seem a little like BioWare nowadays prefers pandering in regards to characters aswell as overgratifying the player instead of actually focusing on creating a believeable world with intensive choices and consequences and realistic people in it.

 

 

I think the issue is that if you had random civilians on the Citadel as LIs, that it would feel too much like a romance sim. Those characters would have no role in the story outside of being a potential love interest for the main character. Beyond that there would be no justification for their existence in the game world. That differs from squad mates, who do have some role in the story beyond a potential romance arc.

It wouldn't be random civilians. For example you're on some mission in a city hub, meet a thief on the way, help her/him out and you meet them again eventually and things can develop etc. Of course there would have to be enough context as opposed to ME3 Diane Allers who basically had a sign on her head saying "I'm just here for you to have sex with!"

 

 

I think it's a decent point, but I would like to emphasize that I think how you roleplay in these games should matter way more than it currently does.

 

One thing I'd like to see is them getting rid of the "heart" icon and just going back to the maze of interactions.  I remember in DAO during the Leliana romance, if you didn't say the right things at the right times, it wasn't going to happen.  They cheapened the whole thing in DAO with the gifts being able to override who you are.

 

I really want to see them make romances more complex, and less about pumping Romance tokens into a love machine. 

 

But I want more complex interactions in general.  For example, more satisfying personal friendships only available to one or two characters during a playthrough.  I never really talked to Vega nor took him on missions, but I took Garrus on almost every mission over the course of three games.  I'd like to see the games do more with that kind of info.

 

Unfortunately, due to increased resources, they've been going in the opposite direction.  Less complex and personal, and more achievement oriented.  I hope that changes though I'm not overly optimistic.

 

I agree. Why can't things just be friendships nowdays? Everything has to be a romance. I really liked Dorian as a character and saw him as kind of a "bro", then again there were constantly the romance options in the chat which was kinda offputting. Same with Cassandra who I saw as "my trustworthy second in command" and same thing but even worse with the auto-cutscene that comes when they agree with you enough. Or in DA:O/DA2(?) where suddenly the elf guy asks you for as threesome - what the hell? That feels like some horny teenagers wrote that in a blog, not professional writers.

[DraGGon2k]

For an example of how I imagine it in a squad of 9: 

 

1) Gnarly old dude who can open up more throughout the game, a bit like Zaaed (not romanceable)

2-4) 3 alien characters (not romanceable)

5) Heterosexual female love interest (or male, just giving an example; romanceable)

6) Homosexual male love interested(or female; romanceable)

7) Young biotic supertalent that is <18 (thus automatically not romancable)

8) male/female character thas has a husband/wife at home or in another unit (not romanceable)

9) someone who is too conflicted/focused on personal things, someone akin to amanda ripley in Alien: Isolation(searching for clues of her family/past etc; no time for romance)

 

And outside of that you'd perhaps have:

 

A) Heterosexual male love interest like a thief in a city hub that comes with his own little questline

B ) Homosexual female love interest that's for example an activist trying to reveal corruption and you help her in her own little quest line

 

Additionally get rid of the "Heart" icons as well as the "... agrees very much" and replace it either by nothing or by visual clues(like shaking their head) or them complaining(whether its right in that moment or in private).

[katamuro]

So what? Nobody forced a gun to their head in making the decision that you're the messiah and everyone loves you and you are the best and get pats on your shoulders around every corner.

 

As for your university circle: Do you want a medal? I really don't know what your point is with bringing that up. I know that there are different sexual orientations and whatnot and haven't argued against it, but that doesn't mean everything has to be represented equally in every game. I'd rather have no hetero romances in the game if that meant the other few romances are better developed and the crew feels more realistic.

 

"And how do you even justify limiting the amount of roleplay in a roleplaying game"? Well how did BioWare justify continually removing choice and consequences more and more from their games recently? That is way more important to any average roleplayer than 2-3 romances(which are 90% cringeworthy anyways) less.

 

But it does seem a little like BioWare nowadays prefers pandering in regards to characters aswell as overgratifying the player instead of actually focusing on creating a believeable world with intensive choices and consequences and realistic people in it.

 

 

It wouldn't be random civilians. For example you're on some mission in a city hub, meet a thief on the way, help her/him out and you meet them again eventually and things can develop etc. Of course there would have to be enough context as opposed to ME3 Diane Allers who basically had a sign on her head saying "I'm just here for you to have sex with!"

 

 

 

I agree. Why can't things just be friendships nowdays? Everything has to be a romance. I really liked Dorian as a character and saw him as kind of a "bro", then again there were constantly the romance options in the chat which was kinda offputting. Same with Cassandra who I saw as "my trustworthy second in command" and same thing but even worse with the auto-cutscene that comes when they agree with you enough. Or in DA:O/DA2(?) where suddenly the elf guy asks you for as threesome - what the hell? That feels like some horny teenagers wrote that in a blog, not professional writers.

 

PEOPLE saw the guy/girl walk out of the damn fade with a glowing figure of a woman standing behind him, he can close the things threatening the world right now of course everyone is going to like him/her. 

As for why I brought it up, I didn't know what kind of orientation they were not at first, I got that information from the mutual attempts at dating each other or at least flirting. Flirting is a normal part of the human interaction, but just because its included in the game that you can flirt with a lot of people does not mean you have to. 

Also as for your scenes that you got, you must have given them an idea you were interested in them, chosen a dialogue options that lead to it, I never got them, to me dorian was still just a friend, Cassandra was a trusted comrade. Solas, just a weird guy. 

 

And in mass effect you did not have a "romance" button. You had to talk to them and you had to choose to say that you were interested. As for Allers, her entire inclusion into the game was a bit wasteful. 

And anyway the whole point is moot, BioWare is not going to go back and give just one or two romance options, it has been their shtick to be as acceptable of sexuality of the player as they could get away with, I still remember the explosion of complaints from more conservative people(I am deliberately choosing a nice word to call them) about same-sex alien alternative in the first game. At least they didn't do it like in the DA2 where everyone seemed to swing every each way. 

 

As for a non-crew romance option. Well one way of doing it convincingly if you start in the hub area, no crew, and you get to start a romance with someone there but then you get a ship and a crew and then you can either continue with it or leave it and start something else. It would be interesting to try but it would also require them to write a lot of dialogue and voice work for a character that might simply get abandoned a couple of hours in. 

[DraGGon2k]

PEOPLE saw the guy/girl walk out of the damn fade with a glowing figure of a woman standing behind him, he can close the things threatening the world right now of course everyone is going to like him/her. 

As for why I brought it up, I didn't know what kind of orientation they were not at first, I got that information from the mutual attempts at dating each other or at least flirting. Flirting is a normal part of the human interaction, but just because its included in the game that you can flirt with a lot of people does not mean you have to. 

Also as for your scenes that you got, you must have given them an idea you were interested in them, chosen a dialogue options that lead to it, I never got them, to me dorian was still just a friend, Cassandra was a trusted comrade. Solas, just a weird guy. 

 

And in mass effect you did not have a "romance" button. You had to talk to them and you had to choose to say that you were interested. As for Allers, her entire inclusion into the game was a bit wasteful. 

And anyway the whole point is moot, BioWare is not going to go back and give just one or two romance options, it has been their shtick to be as acceptable of sexuality of the player as they could get away with, I still remember the explosion of complaints from more conservative people(I am deliberately choosing a nice word to call them) about same-sex alien alternative in the first game. At least they didn't do it like in the DA2 where everyone seemed to swing every each way. 

 

As for a non-crew romance option. Well one way of doing it convincingly if you start in the hub area, no crew, and you get to start a romance with someone there but then you get a ship and a crew and then you can either continue with it or leave it and start something else. It would be interesting to try but it would also require them to write a lot of dialogue and voice work for a character that might simply get abandoned a couple of hours in. 

 

Again: BioWare decided to write the beginning like that. Aside the fact that for the first 5min you're a horrible criminal and then suddenly the hero in everybody's eyes. It just made me roll my eyes because it felt as if BioWare was trying to stroke the players ego at every turn. While at the same time removing any "evil" possibilities like there was with Shepard.

 

I still don't know what you are trying to go for with your university / conversative people talk. Nobody here is arguing about limiting or removing non-heterosexual relationships, but limiting / shifting crew relationships in general.

 

I did not give any "clues" that I'm interested in them, I was just moderately supportive and did the sidequests. The heart icon was there basically from beginning to end, with Dorian at least. It's just weird to see a companion as good friend / trusted fellow and then constantly you get a "begin relationship" button that is completely out of place. You can say "you can just ignore it/ not use it" but that's a cheap excuse imo because it is there and pretty in your face as well. Which is why I'd wana remove those icons completely.

 

Just because BioWare did this recently doesn't mean they have to continue this forever. They have the choice of at least reducing the pandering and focusing more on quality. But they seem to be going more for the romance simulator than for the believability. Which I guess if there's an audience for it, sure. But it's not the BioWare I used to love anymore, so maybe it's just not for me anymore.

[Cariel]

Bioware is just trying to appeal to the most amout of people while offending the least amount of people. On top of that they have to meet the requests and standards of their parent company (boo, hiss, whatever) and they're doing a pretty good job of it all-considered.  All of your ideas are good but the devs can only do so much.

[katamuro]

 

I still don't know what you are trying to go for with your university / conversative people talk. Nobody here is arguing about limiting or removing non-heterosexual relationships, but limiting / shifting crew relationships in general.

 

I did not give any "clues" that I'm interested in them, I was just moderately supportive and did the sidequests. The heart icon was there basically from beginning to end, with Dorian at least. It's just weird to see a companion as good friend / trusted fellow and then constantly you get a "begin relationship" button that is completely out of place. You can say "you can just ignore it/ not use it" but that's a cheap excuse imo because it is there and pretty in your face as well. Which is why I'd wana remove those icons completely.

 

.

 

You were arguing to limit ALL relationships to just one heterosexual and one gay option, so since asari can be both so you only need one romancable character in the game. They could write the greatest romance of all time but guess what people are not going to be happy. Some don't like aliens. So you need to include humans. So one heterosexual and one gay romance, both sexes or just male? Because if just male it already needs 2-3 characters but if both sexes than it grows to 4-5 characters you need to create. 

I have also completed the sidequests and was supportive of them still I did not have any of that. Also you can flirt with scout Harding, the heart thing is there but its not like its going to lead anywhere. But even if they remove the icon and replace it with a generic string of dialogue that says exactly the same you are going to be happy? Because that was what Mass Effect has, no heart icon just dialogue options where you can tell them if you are interested in them. 

And anyway while romance is a visible part of the game you can easily not do it at all. In ME games its not a requirement for anything. You can be as alone as you want or go from fling to fling through the three games or just stick with one. 

[DraGGon2k]

but guess what people are not going to be happy

 

So? How is BioWare under the obligation to please every single demographic? I'd much rather have them create more believable worlds and more memorable, mature relationships. It's exactly this "there needs to be someone in the crew for every single one" that makes it feel so artificial and like a romance simulator. And again "you can just not use them" is not a good arguement because they way it's presented it's pretty much in your face. If you hang out with your best buddy, do you think "Hmm, I could **** him/her"? I don't think so.

 

They are trying to pander to basically everyone and imo it ends up greatly reducing the overall quality.

 

 

 

Bioware is just trying to appeal to the most amout of people while offending the least amount of people. On top of that they have to meet the requests and standards of their parent company (boo, hiss, whatever) and they're doing a pretty good job of it all-considered.  All of your ideas are good but the devs can only do so much.

 

True. It just saddens me to see what direction they seem to have taken.

[Cariel]

So? How is BioWare under the obligation to please every single demographic? I'd much rather have them create more believable worlds and more memorable, mature relationships. It's exactly this "there needs to be someone in the crew for every single one" that makes it feel so artificial and like a romance simulator. And again "you can just not use them" is not a good arguement because they way it's presented it's pretty much in your face. If you hang out with your best buddy, do you think "Hmm, I could **** him/her"? I don't think so.

 

They are trying to pander to basically everyone and imo it ends up greatly reducing the overall quality.

 

 

 

 

True. It just saddens me to see what direction they seem to have taken.

 

In what way? I'm genuinely curious

[Han Shot First]

I think one way to resolve there being several LIs aboard the ship who are interested in the main character, is by having the protagonist's actions affect squad mate approval. Choosing dialogue or an action that opposes the Council for example might lock out a potential LI who has strong Council loyalties, or a Qurian might be locked out if dialogue is chosen indicating the Quarians got what they deserved in the Morning War. 

 

Another way to resolve that, and which has never really been a problem with the Mass Effect series, is by giving the potential LIs defined sexualities instead of all of them being available to protagonist of any gender.

 

If the devs go that route on any given playthrough you are going to have some of those options not interested either because of the main character's gender, or because of his or her actions or dialogue throughout the game. The pool of potential LIs on any single playthrough would be small. 

[katamuro]

Meh, I am not anymore. 

And why is it pandering if they decided to do it because they thought it would be good to do? According to more than a few people on the internet and off that are obsessed about the whole bioware "choose your sexual partner" thing I am a the prime audience, white heterosexual male in mid-20's and the game panders to my demographic by including blue alien babes. 

Well so what? A game especially the size of Mass Effect is not just an art project. It is a commercial product and if they include some fanservice to make it more popular so what. Its entertainment. There is probably a statistic somewhere around which says how much dialogue is devoted to romance, and its probably not as much as you think. 

[katamuro]

I think one way to resolve there being several LIs aboard the ship who are interested in the main character, is by having the protagonist's actions affect squad mate approval. Choosing dialogue or an action that opposes the Council for example might lock out a potential LI who has strong Council loyalties, or a Qurian might be locked out if dialogue is chosen indicating the Quarians got what they deserved in the Morning War. 

 

Another way to resolve that, and which has never really been a problem with the Mass Effect series, is by giving the potential LIs defined sexualities instead of all of them being available to protagonist of any gender.

 

If the devs go that route on any given playthrough you are going to have some of those options not interested either because of the main character's gender, or because of his or her actions or dialogue throughout the game. The pool of potential LIs on any single playthrough would be small. 

 

Now that is a great idea.