550 réponses à ce sujet

[Oni Changas]

I'd rather they don't at all. I don't want to have preconceived notions about the characters.

[Urdnot Shasta McNasty]

BioWare shouldn't reveal characters at all before release. /unpopular opinion

 

Seriously, though, they'd be better off spending their marketing dollars trying to hook people who might not be buying their game no matter what.

 

As for the hardcore fans, remember that first BW game you picked up on a whim, and how floored you were by the characters? Knowing so much about them before release is going to make recapturing that magic all the more difficult.

 

Edit: Ninja'd by a like-minded Bro.

 

This. Leaving more to the imagination makes it better I think.

[10K]

I'd rather them hide the characters sexuality. I'd rather the characters themselves hide their sexuality also, unless asked about it, telling a story that may hint upon it (i.e. speaking of an ex), or being hit on by the protagonist. It would make for a more realistic and fun experience. I never tried to flirt with Sera in Inquisition with a male protagonist, because I already knew her sexuality before the game even released and I knew it was a waste of time. But not doing so, I probably missed some funny dialogue. I think we should know as little as possible about the companions, so we as players can unravel each of them ourselves, and judge them as the story progresses not before.  

[dgcatanisiri]

The problem with Inquisition related less with being revealed and more the slow trickle of reveals - if you were hoping for a particular character being romanceable in your preferred play style, you weren't getting the sting of learning that they aren't dulled by the learning of who IS. The LI reveal was strung along for a few months - we didn't learn about Blackwall as the final LI to be revealed until about two or three months before release, while Cassandra and Cullen were the first revealed about five or six months before release.

 

Though I'd still sooner see the LIs all be bi - if we're getting seven companions, depending on if they're going to have ship-only crew as romances, there's likely to only be four to six at a maximum of LIs. So it's possible that the only way to provide options for everyone will be to make them all bisexual options. But if they don't, then yeah, I think they should release that information with the reveal, just so we aren't getting our hopes pinned to a particular LI only to see them dashed.

[CronoDragoon]

I'd rather them hide the characters sexuality. I'd rather the characters themselves hide their sexuality also, unless asked about it, telling a story that may hint upon it (i.e. speaking of an ex), or being hit on by the protagonist. It would make for a more realistic and fun experience. I never tried to flirt with Sera in Inquisition with a male protagonist, because I already knew her sexuality before the game even released and I knew it was a waste of time. But not doing so, I probably missed some funny dialogue. I think we should know as little as possible about the companions, so we as players can unravel each of them ourselves, and judge them as the story progresses not before.  

 

I can read the Sylvius post now:

 

The character cannot know their orientation before being told, and therefore I should not know, either.

[Panda]

I like it, cause it's information I need before playing the game. I don't want to go blind to romances and romances are one of major factor I plan my characters with. If BW doesn't reveal sexual orientations I need to wait before someone else has played and tells them to me.

 

What comes to marketing, I really don't think BW has marketed LGBT+ as much as people like to think. Gaider mentioned that he liked writing Dorian who is his first gay companion character in DAI and online gaming newspapers took that line as head of their articles. That's not BW marketing LGBT+, that's journalist highlighting LGBT+ characters.

[AtreiyaN7]

I think they're simply mentioning it in advance so that people don't get their hopes up about romancing a character, only to later have all their hopes and dreams mercilessly crushed/run over by a bulldozer after finding out that the character they had their heart set on will never, ever be into them.

[Panda]

BioWare shouldn't reveal characters at all before release. /unpopular opinion

 

Seriously, though, they'd be better off spending their marketing dollars trying to hook people who might not be buying their game no matter what.

 

As for the hardcore fans, remember that first BW game you picked up on a whim, and how floored you were by the characters? Knowing so much about them before release is going to make recapturing that magic all the more difficult.

 

Edit: Ninja'd by a like-minded Bro.

 

There is different kind of joy of knowing about characters and discussing about them months in the forums and all over before actually playing the game. Cause waiting for game can be better experience than actually playing the game, especially if game doesn't deliver in the end.

[Vapaa]

Seriously, though, they'd be better off spending their marketing dollars trying to hook people who might not be buying their game no matter what.

It only takes one forum post by a dev, like Laidlaw did (quite late) for DAI.

[SnakeCode]

Either do it or don't but don't repeat the mess of DAI romance announcements.

 

How did they mess it up?

 

AllI remember was straight people going insane when Sera was announced to be a lesbian and LGBT people going insane (as well as Tumblr nearly imploding) when Cass was announced to be straight.

 

The word 'pandering' was used many a time.

[10K]

How did they mess it up?

 

AllI remember was straight people going insane when Sera was announced to be a lesbian and LGBT people going insane (as well as Tumblr nearly imploding) when Cass was announced to be straight.

 

The word 'pandering' was used many a time.

Prime example why little should be known about companions.

[Panda]

Prime example why little should be known about companions.

 

People would get angry anyways, shitstorm would just happen after release.

[Vapaa]

How did they mess it up?
 
AllI remember was straight people going insane when Sera was announced to be a lesbian and LGBT people going insane (as well as Tumblr nearly imploding) when Cass was announced to be straight.
 
The word 'pandering' was used many a time.

I didn't mean like that.

They messed up the announcement, Sera was revealed as lesbian LI in a Heroes of cospaly episode, Dorian was revealed as a gay LI in his character presentation, and every single LI was revealed at a different moment in a different manner with the last two in a forum post by Laidlaw. Not only was the whole thing completely messed up with no clear announcement plan whatsoever, it created tensions in the fanbase by treating the LI unequally. That really wasn't necessary, all they had to do was just spill the beans and be done it...which they ultimatley did.

[10K]

People would get angry anyways, shitstorm would just happen after release.

I slightly doubt it. If players barely have any information on companions, there are little presumptions they could make regarding them. Most likely these will be new characters never seen in the ME universe. If EAware hide companion's identities and leaves the player to discover them, then there is little disappointment due to there being little knowledge on who the player can and can not actually romance. People were disappoint because of their own presumptions. They saw Sera, saw how pretty she was and instantly said "I want to romance her" getting there hopes up. Later finding out they can't. So out of sight, out of mind.  

[rashie]

Bioware, sadly, have a tendency to drop spoilers in marketing material, id prefer if elements like who the companions are were just left in the dark.

[InfiniteAndBeyond]

I understand that quite a few of you like to know the characters orientation before release so you know "who to go for" when the game starts. I only wonder if that makes the experience more shallow for players. You are choosing who you will romance after a few released wisps of information, the character's looks, and their sexual orientation and gender. Would it not be a more fulfilling experience if you began friendships with these characters, started flirting with them, and then they begin to return your advances? Now I do understand that this is only my personal preference, but unfortunately it is not the only reasons that the pre-release of the sexual orientations bother me. I may be in the minority, but it has always come across as a bit exploitative to use a character's orientation as a selling point. These characters are creations that hopefully have full and developed arcs, and their orientation shouldn't be a defining characteristic of them unless it has majorly effected their lives at some point. When orientations are revealed prior to release chaos ensues over whether or not BioWare is stereotyping, or pandering, or not pandering enough. I believe even the negativity will do wonders for a game's marketing because the controversy gets many people to discuss the game. However much I enjoy the BioWare romance arcs, or do not as it may be, I find that the pre-release of sexual orientations has always rubbed me the wrong way especially for a company that is claimed to be as forward thinking as BioWare.

[Panda]

I slightly doubt it. If players barely have any information on companions, there are little presumptions they could make regarding them. Most likely these will be new characters never seen in the ME universe. If EAware hide companion's identities and leaves the player to discover them, then there is little disappointment due to there being little knowledge on who the player can and can not actually romance.  

 

Well seeing how people reacted to LI's sexualities even after release I do think that it would happen. People would hate that some characters aren't into them and hate that some characters are into them and make very vocal posts about that.

[10K]

Well seeing how people reacted to LI's sexualities even after release I do think that it would happen. People would hate that some characters aren't into them and hate that some characters are into them and make very vocal posts about that.

People only reacted because they got their own hopes up and were crushed when they found they couldn't romance a character they planned to romance after seeing that certain character. If EAware show the companions people will start planning there romances ahead and become invested in that character without knowing that character's personality and sexuality. Then when their sexuality is finally figured out that's when everything goes to hell. Seeing companion's will elicit a response from players, causing them to become excited about a certain companion, becoming invested. If we do not see companions then there will not be this over planning of whom one wishes to romance. It's the same as getting hyped over a new game, only to find out the game is garbage. We see the companions we become invested, then EAware reveals their sexuality and then we are crushed because the one we thought we'll be romancing, we can't.

 

Yes there will be disappointment if EAware doesn't share anything about companions and leaves players to discover companions themselves. But the fact that players didn't invest themselves in planning around a romance leaves no exceptions; and no high expectations leaves little disappointment.    

[Sylvius the Mad]

I don't think it's a big deal to just reveal that info. If they're going to showcase characters at all, they might as well.

They shouldn't showcase the characters.

I don’t want to know about the characters in advance. I'd call those spoilers.

They should reveal details about the setting and the mechanics (everything about the mechanics), but that's it.

[Broganisity]

They shouldn't showcase the characters.

I don’t want to know about the characters in advance. I'd call those spoilers.

They should reveal details about the setting and the mechanics (everything about the mechanics), but that's it.

I love when we agree, you crazy top-down guy you!

[Panda]

People only reacted because they got their own hopes up and were crushed when they found they couldn't romance a character they planned to romance after seeing that certain character. If EAware show the companions people will start planning there romances ahead and become invested in that character without knowing that character's personality and sexuality. Then when their sexuality is finally figured out that's when everything goes to hell. Seeing companion's will elicit a response from players, causing them to become excited about a certain companion, becoming invested. If we do not see companions then there will not be this over planning of whom one wishes to romance. It's the same as getting hyped over a new game, only to find out the game is garbage. We see the companions we become invested, then EAware reveals their sexuality and then we are crushed because the one we thought we'll be romancing, we can't.

 

Yes there will be disappointment if EAware doesn't share anything about companions and leave players to do that themselves. But the fact that players didn't invest themselves in planning around a romance leaves no exceptions; and no high expectations leaves little disappointments.    

 

So you think that they should not only tell LI's sexualities, they should not show companions at all?

 

I don't really know if that's best way to go, since waiting for game will be quite boring without Bioware's best feature (companions) to get excited about.. and I think that'd be already too late cause probably ME:A trailer already included some of our companions, N7 guy, Krogan and so on.

 

Also what if sexualities are revealed same time as companions? Wouldn't that fix the problem of people getting high hopes about LI's and being disappointed when they turn out to be straight/gay?

[10K]

So you think that they should not only tell LI's sexualities, they should not show companions at all?

 

I don't really know if that's best way to go, since waiting for game will be quite boring without Bioware's best feature (companions) to get excited about.. and I think that'd be already too late cause probably ME:A trailer already included some of our companions, N7 guy, Krogan and so on.

 

Also what if sexualities are revealed same time as companions? Wouldn't that fix the problem of people getting high hopes about LI's and being disappointed when they turn out to be straight/gay?

Do we actually know if those are companions? I don't think so. If sexuality is reveled at the same time as companions, yes that would fix the problem. But personally I'd rather find out from the characters themselves, not EAware saying: "this is Bob and Bob is gay." Why not leave the best feature for the players to enjoy without spoilers, it would make the experience that more exciting. There are many other things the devs can reveal throughout the development process. Like combat, the different classes, character customization, game mechanics, the new races, the new worlds, and many other things.   

[10K]

I understand that quite a few of you like to know the characters orientation before release so you know "who to go for" when the game starts. I only wonder if that makes the experience more shallow for players. You are choosing who you will romance after a few released wisps of information, the character's looks, and their sexual orientation and gender. Would it not be a more fulfilling experience if you began friendships with these characters, started flirting with them, and then they begin to return your advances? Now I do understand that this is only my personal preference, but unfortunately it is not the only reasons that the pre-release of the sexual orientations bother me. I may be in the minority, but it has always come across as a bit exploitative to use a character's orientation as a selling point. These characters are creations that hopefully have full and developed arcs, and their orientation shouldn't be a defining characteristic of them unless it has majorly effected their lives at some point. When orientations are revealed prior to release chaos ensues over whether or not BioWare is stereotyping, or pandering, or not pandering enough. I believe even the negativity will do wonders for a game's marketing because the controversy gets many people to discuss the game. However much I enjoy the BioWare romance arcs, or do not as it may be, I find that the pre-release of sexual orientations has always rubbed me the wrong way especially for a company that is claimed to be as forward thinking as BioWare.

So much this. Great post.

[9TailsFox]

Bioware bombarding us to much spoilers as it is, companions is worst example. I played DA:O knowing absolutely nothing about it. Some fantasy zombie killing game and it was amazing and unexpected. Now we get chart whit all companions biography. For me it's huge spoiler I want know nothing about people I meet in game and find out about them myself. And it's hard to hide from spoilers because on youtube I subsribed to people who tell all small details about game even in video title and I don't want unsubscriber every time bioware start bombarding us with spoilers new companions new antagonist or game premiss. I already know enemy we fight in Andromeda come on game only be next year and I already have enemy name.

[Panda]

Do we actually know if those are companions? I don't think so. If sexuality is reveled at the same time as companions, yes that would fix the problem. But personally I'd rather find out from the characters themselves, not EAware saying: "this is Bob and Bob is gay." Why not leave the best feature for the players to enjoy without spoilers, it would make the experience that more exciting. There are many other things the devs can reveal throughout the development process. Like combat, the different classes, character customization, game mechanics, the new races, the new worlds, and many other things.   

 

Not for sure, but I think it's fair to assume that they will be major characters.

 

I can see that, but it wouldn't fit my own playstyle. I'm into talking about these companions and LI's and crafting my characters months before actually playing and in order to do so I need to know about companions, LI's and sexualities of those LI's since I kinda base my characters on LI's. So if BW did that I'd need to wait to player leak that information for me before playing myself. So that's why I'm hoping they wouldn't do that, but they rather revealed companions, LI's and sexualities right of the bat.