3 more for today.

Got my pre order last week. :) New computer should be here NEXT week too!

Yikes! Glad I pre ordered as well.

Hi Guys, A friend of mine shared this link with me and I'm glad I've pre-ordered already, just thought I'd share it incase anyone is waiting to pre-order.

http://uk.videogames.games.yahoo.com/82/news/old-republic-in-short-supply-45d582.html

I would hate it if some of us couldn't play at launch.

Having had Druid in WoW and Science in STO i think I'll go for a Trooper in SWTOR.

Bored with healing. I want to kill stuff.

Episode 360 - Deep Space Nine - "The Visitor" - 10/09/1995

http://www.allstepisodes.com/megvid.php?n=3403

An elderly Jake Sisko relates the story of how he lost his father to a temporal displacement accident.

Enjoy!

Quote by Aldente

Quote by Virgo59

Pre-ordered the CE from GameStop. Was disappointed over the SGRA thing but decided it wasn't a game-breaker for me. Being part of Knights of Stonewell will definitely help. :)

Glad to hear it! The SGRA decision is definitely disappointing, but I'm sure we'll have a great time in the game.

It was very disappointing to hear but I don't play games to have virtual relationships so it wasn't much of a loss for me as far as content was concerned. What I found disheartening was the lack of equality.

I believe that we will see this added down the road though. Bioware has been made well area of the concern. It would be easy for them to add a couple of non-class specific companions to the game that you could acquire from side quests. The homophobic types could not complain because the companion would not be forced on them. They would have to go out of their way to obtain them.

Imperial Agent: Operative - Medic spec for my main.

I am an altoholic so I will be playing all of the Sith Empire classes. I'm not sure when I will ever get around to playing Republic classes though...

What does that change? How does the saying go... the road to hell is made with good intentions. And: Well meant is the opposite of well made. I can respect their desire not to discriminate us. But in the end of the day, the decided we did not matter enough to push the issue. And that is why Bioware and Lucasarts is a culprit. They gave in to someone's bigotry. Bioware, EA and Lucasarts are no small companies! They could have forced the issue for the sake of justice, but they DID NOT. It isn't what they *wanted* to do that matters, but what they DID, or rather did not.

I appreciate what you're saying, but at the end of the day, Bioware and Lucasarts are businesses. At this late stage, the changes necessary to introduce same-sex relationships (by which i mean software changes, programming, voice work, art, as well as contract changes, hardware changes and more) would probably have cost more money (contract re-negotiation, early termination of contracts, delays to the release date).

They are in this to make money from a product people enjoy. Therefore they have to balance the demands of gamers with company time and resources.

Quote by Ranir

As I read through this, I can't do but sit back and laugh. (ha)
I find it rather amusing some of the rants and raves, i understand some, shake my head at others, and just think to my self, seriously?
No matter what anyone says or does, there are going to be the homophobes, and with that same grain of salt, there is going to be those who think the world owes them something because there are homophobes. You are not going to win any prizes by getting up into someones face and yelling, I'm gay, lesbian(etc etc), YOU OWE me. Make a point? Yes, but like some people have said, you must do it respectfully, if you make a stink, you'll just get thrown out, if you make a stink but sugar coat it, they may take a second look. But anyways, i digress. If you are going to get mad at someone for something, make sure it's the right person, like some people have said, it could be LA and not Bioware, or we don't know why, cause no-one is saying. Wellllll..... Some of you know me, and know "who" some of my friends are, so you did NOT hear this from me...

The Official, Unofficial, doesn't exist, you'll have to take my word for it cause I won't be able to prove nor back it up statement.

Neither Bioware, nor Lucas Arts has any problems, issues or concerns about adding or protraying same sex relationships in their games or stories. This ideal has only relatively recently "come out of the closet". Both Bioware and Lucas Arts does infact have several same sex couples working in their respective industries and has no plans to belittle or estrange their genuine love and/or relationships. SW:TOR has IN-FACT recorded several hours of same-sex conversations and relationships for various arcs, and has every intention to add them into the game. Unfortunately, the company who actually owns and operates the physical hardware to enable the game to be played, instituted a clause in their contract stating that they could refuse the right to operate if anything they felt was offensive was placed on their systems. This was an unforseen issue that neither Bioware nor Lucas Arts anticipated. And unfortunately due to the short timeframe remaining until release, there is currently not the time nor resources to move it to a new provider or time to setup a new personal infrastructure. Whether we move the whole operation to a new provider, or we invest in placing on a personal system our end goal is the same as our starting goal, to let all of our players play our games the way they want to play them.

*edited for length, content, and personal stuff.. ;)

What does that change? How does the saying go... the road to hell is made with good intentions. And: Well meant is the opposite of well made. I can respect their desire not to discriminate us. But in the end of the day, the decided we did not matter enough to push the issue. And that is why Bioware and Lucasarts is a culprit. They gave in to someone's bigotry. Bioware, EA and Lucasarts are no small companies! They could have forced the issue for the sake of justice, but they DID NOT. It isn't what they *wanted* to do that matters, but what they DID, or rather did not.

Ranir,

Thank you. I had hoped something like this would be the case, but you can never be sure.

As I read through this, I can't do but sit back and laugh. (ha)
I find it rather amusing some of the rants and raves, i understand some, shake my head at others, and just think to my self, seriously?
No matter what anyone says or does, there are going to be the homophobes, and with that same grain of salt, there is going to be those who think the world owes them something because there are homophobes. You are not going to win any prizes by getting up into someones face and yelling, I'm gay, lesbian(etc etc), YOU OWE me. Make a point? Yes, but like some people have said, you must do it respectfully, if you make a stink, you'll just get thrown out, if you make a stink but sugar coat it, they may take a second look. But anyways, i digress. If you are going to get mad at someone for something, make sure it's the right person, like some people have said, it could be LA and not Bioware, or we don't know why, cause no-one is saying. Wellllll..... Some of you know me, and know "who" some of my friends are, so you did NOT hear this from me...

The Official, Unofficial, doesn't exist, you'll have to take my word for it cause I won't be able to prove nor back it up statement.

Neither Bioware, nor Lucas Arts has any problems, issues or concerns about adding or protraying same sex relationships in their games or stories. This ideal has only relatively recently "come out of the closet". Both Bioware and Lucas Arts does infact have several same sex couples working in their respective industries and has no plans to belittle or estrange their genuine love and/or relationships. SW:TOR has IN-FACT recorded several hours of same-sex conversations and relationships for various arcs, and has every intention to add them into the game. Unfortunately, the company who actually owns and operates the physical hardware to enable the game to be played, instituted a clause in their contract stating that they could refuse the right to operate if anything they felt was offensive was placed on their systems. This was an unforseen issue that neither Bioware nor Lucas Arts anticipated. And unfortunately due to the short timeframe remaining until release, there is currently not the time nor resources to move it to a new provider or time to setup a new personal infrastructure. Whether we move the whole operation to a new provider, or we invest in placing on a personal system our end goal is the same as our starting goal, to let all of our players play our games the way they want to play them.

*edited for length, content, and personal stuff.. ;)

I'm insulted by Bioware because I assumed that SGRA would be included. If I boycott this game, I need to boycott all games that don't have gay characters. I don't know any MMORPG with gay characters.

Quote by enrapture

I'm undecided if I play a female toon to get to romance males...or play as a spunky male toon & be stuck with a female love interest.

What will you guys choose? Which is the better option? Or just go cyborg n fall for a computer lol

I assume cyborgs still have gender :p.

I don't think i could play a female toon and pretend it's a male. Male toons wearing tight pants have an unnatural absence of a bulge. Female toons always seem to be big breasted.

Quote by enrapture

What will you guys choose? Which is the better option? Or just go cyborg n fall for a computer lol

lol I considered playing a male toon for like, half a second. Then I remembered that every time I've tried playing a male toon in any game, I get bored with him in under an hour. All female toons for me, as usual.

I'm undecided if I play a female toon to get to romance males...or play as a spunky male toon & be stuck with a female love interest.

What will you guys choose? Which is the better option? Or just go cyborg n fall for a computer lol

Quote by Solari

You do realise as Jedi we can't have relationships! So you'll just have to contend with a good Mind F**K! ;)

THIS!

As a Jedi you should treat your companions well and if they start to fall for you just say *my heart belongs to another. The Force.* and be done with it.

For me personally I don't play mmos for the possibility of romance with an NPC. I've got an entire guild to hit on. ;)

I do understand the frustration with them omitting gay romance arcs but it isn't a deal breaker for me.

Quote by Elikal

I don't undertand why you make it SO EASY to trample on our dignity! It is NOT ok and it is OK a small issue!

SWTOR is about story to a major part. Romance is a big plot of every human story, so excluding us, especially when Bioware had so good experiences with DA gay romances, is nothing but a trampling on our dignity and honor and I will not take it! How much more must happen that we say ENOUGH?

It cuts my heart, because I loved SWTOR and Bioware games: but my decision is clear. I cancel my preorder, boycott the game and every Bioware game.

As much as I believe your boycott idea is on the side of right, I don't think it will actually do us any good. There will be plenty of people on the other side of this issue who will loudly agree with their pulling same sex romance from the story boards, and if our voices are busy boycotting the game, how will they be heard? I firmly believe that we should go ahead and play the game. Pay our dues. And let our voices be quietly heard by the powers that be, by writing letters, etc. In order to be heard by them, we need to be paying customers, and its harder to ignore a paying customer than a rabble-rouser on the outside who asked for a refund and isn't paying their company any money. I respect your right to boycott. I really do, but I don't think your boycott will really do any good. Lets be the rational ones here. Show the people at Bioware that we're actually the reasonable ones, not the hateful people who rant about queers and all that on their message boards. Bide our time, and I firmly believe they'll give us the justice we deserve.

There actually are gay and lesbian characters in Star Wars. Even in the original BioWare Star Wars game. Juhani, a companion character in the first Star Wars game, is a lesbian. Her romance was cut (poorly) due to various factors (some say LA pulling it, some say time and content), but the poor removal of it made it accessible by both male and female PCs. Seeing bits and pieces of the romance bits leftover.

In one of the official Star Wars books, a Mandalorian commando Goran Beviin is openly gay with his long-term relationship lover Medrit. They even are married. The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia also notes this.

Those are just a few examples. The material of Star Wars IS dense and open enough to include gays and lesbians, but omitting them in the game itself, and otherwise making it a very heteronormative affair (since flirting/persuasion/dialogue options for more social classes like the Imperial Agent and Smuggler are only opposite-sex driven due to this), it just makes for a less enriching and engrossing and representative universe. More than just books and single player games, this MMO marketed at everyone on the force of 'making your own personal story and character,' where your choices matter and you have true impact on the world and an evolving story, doesn't seem that inclusive by excluding options that are part of some of our stories. It'd be as poor as if they did not include the option to be asian or black or female in the game.

Since Bioware has in the past included same gender romance options, I find it odd and disappointing that they would not include it in the SW:TOR title. However, boycotting this game may not be the slap in the face that Bioware/Lucas Arts needs since you can provide no feedback on your order cancellation. However once you have a subscription and cancel, you will undoubtedly be asked why you are canceling, as with many MMOs.

I personally will take this approach. Based on the official forum post and polls the majority if the community has still voted for Same Gender / Bi romance Arcs if you include the same gender and all gender story arcs votes.

We shall have to wait and see.

A MMO with story is something different than a film or a TV series. I write a book or a TV episiode, I as author just follow my creativity. I do not have to depict all sort of races or sexual orientations.

A MMO based on story and a RPG heavily focussed on romance stories, where players want to Roleplay THEIR character is something ENTIRELY different, and consequently there are very different measures then with a movie or what.


"I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes?
Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions;
fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons,
subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means,
warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a Christian is?
If you prick us do we not bleed?
If you tickle us do we not laugh?
If you poison us do we not die?
And if you wrong us shall we not revenge?"