Earlier this week, a video interview with one of Bioware's developers stirred up a veritable poop storm of controversy when it was suggested that Star Wars: The Old Republic would not feature same-sex relationships between players and compantions. In his latest column, MMORPG.com Managing Editor Bill Murphy offers his opinion on the issue. Read on and then weigh in with your (calm, cool & collected) thoughts in the comments.

But in all honesty, I guess I just don’t get the hubbub. I won’t go into the reasons BioWare has for not including this option (did they give one?), but I’d like to comment on why it’s such a big deal in the first place. I’m straight, not narrow. And while there wasn’t (that I know of) any same-sex relations in either trilogy, I’m willing to bet there have been a few instances of such things in the bazillion books which have been written. Is there then precedent?

Read more of Bill Murphy's Sex & Games & Rolling Dice.

Star Wars is for children, they decided that Gay and Lesbian relationships aren't for children.  Thats ONE reason... there's so many possible and plausible reasons to go along with it.  For instance... they didn't want to have to write MORE script and record MORE audio for alternate homosexual story-arcs. 

And the list goes on

Take that as you wish.

(Sidenote: In the original KOTOR, Juhani was the first lesbian to make an apperance in the SW mythos, though there was no actual romance story-line with her character.  It was merely a vague declaration at the end of the game, if I'm not mistaken.  Exact facts may be distorted by many years of time.)

I will start off by saying that I myself am not gay, but I am fully 100% supporting the idea of having same-sex relationships in the game.  As stated in the article, why are we removing the choice to play that way for all those who are?  The relationships with your companions will all just be personal, and not affect other players, so why are they removing that option from a portion of their subscribers?

Bioware could go a long ways towards ending a lot of the hate after that announcement if they'd just release their reasoning behind removing that option.  I doubt that the companion relationships will be a big part of the storytelling, but to just completely dismiss an entire group of people/players seems kind of unwarrented.

I say just let players make their own relationships, take the system out entirely.  Take yet another page out of WoW's book, which they seem to be following cover to cover up until now, and oust any sort of relationship feature entirely.  It's not needed, and if your going to be contravercial about it, it's probably best to leave it out.

I can understand the frustration and personally think if Bioware was going to include relationships at all, then they should include same-sex relationships as well. However, I guess I am old school because I like having relationships with people and not characters in a  game. I rather form friendships or even romantic relationships with a person and not some animated character with pre-dtermined phrases and comments. It is as fake as fake can get and in every possible way.

So honestly, I do not get it. I will not have a relationship with any companion in the game but with the other people playing the game. That is what matters to me. And I can control whatever type of relationship I want to be in and Bioware cannot change that.

Mm.  How to start this?

Well, let's take a look at history a bit.  I played Knights of the Old Republic.  And in those games, yes, you had relationships, but they were man to woman.  And there wasn't such a screaming, that I knew of back then, from the LBGT people.  And Bioware gave you a choice to be involved in the relationship aspect or not.

Fast forward to today.  The voices from the LBGT group are loud and proud.  They make they're presence known, as they should, they are in fact a minority based on sexual orientation.  Bioware, in Mass Effect and Dragon Age, put in the same sex relationships as a valid choice, and why shouldn't they?  But the question begs to be asked.  And you may have pointed this out, Bill.  Dragon Age and Mass Effect are NOT Star Wars.  Star Wars is a name that's been around since 1979 (?) if not a bit before.   There may be a certain expectation there.  Dragon Age and Mass Effect have only been around for 5 years.  And in those 5 years (and again I should go back about 5-10 years further back but that's when ME and DA came out, about 5 years ago), LBGT relationships have become acceptable (Outside of the complete religious right wing nuts screaming foul at the top of their lungs, but that's a seperate debate for another forum) and no one said boo about that in those games.

It could be two things.  One, Bioware might be keeping to Star Wars so as to not break the trend they set in THAT GAME.  Or two, they are getting pressure from someone (LucasArts, government, special interest group), to keep the same sex out of the game.

There could be more.  But I want to keep my thoughts open ended.

Originally posted by CujoSWAoA

Star Wars is for children, they decided that Gay and Lesbian relationships aren't for children.  Thats ONE reason... there's so many possible and plausible reasons to go along with it.  For instance... they didn't want to have to write MORE script and record MORE audio for alternate homosexual story-arcs. 

 

 

I don't see how gay or lesbian relationships would be any less suitable than straight relationships for a younger audience 

I don't like hearing "I'd rather just form a relationship with someone in reality."

Firstly... SW:TOR, like Dragon Age or Mass Effect, is a role playing experience. It involves killing, sexing, living and loving.  There seems to be such an insecurity behind saying... "I'd rather form relationships in reality." when you're talking about a video game.

Its a story... enjoy all aspects of role playing a character's fictional story....

"I'd rather murder people with a lightsaber in reality."

Why do we even need sex relations in a video game, that is what real life is for.  Honestly some of these folks need to go get a real life and find a real partner to have relations with.

I really don't want my game play junked up with sexual relations,  I been around other games where chat channels was filled with that vile filth of folks wanting to cyber.

So I would just rather they don't have any type of sexual content at all, that would fix this.

Originally posted by Kwintpod

Originally posted by CujoSWAoA

Star Wars is for children, they decided that Gay and Lesbian relationships aren't for children.  Thats ONE reason... there's so many possible and plausible reasons to go along with it.  For instance... they didn't want to have to write MORE script and record MORE audio for alternate homosexual story-arcs. 

 

 

I don't see how gay or lesbian relationships would be any less suitable than straight relationships for a younger audience 

 

I don't either.

Originally posted by erictlewis

Why do we even need sex relations in a video game, that is what real life is for.  Honestly some of these folks need to go get a real life and find a real partner to have relations with.

I really don't want my game play junked up with sexual relations,  I been around other games where chat channels was filled with that vile filth of folks wanting to cyber.

So I would just rather they don't have any type of sexual content at all, that would fix this.

 

Why do we even need murdering people in a video game for?

That is what real life is for.

Seriously though... Do you honestly think that a pre-written and pre-determined story-line involving two characters developing a care for one another... relates to two human beings on an MMORPG typing out sexual erotica? You think those two things are the same thing?

That is severely obtuse.

There was already a post about this that got shutdown.  I wont be supporting this game either way after this if they cant support me.  Why would i buy there product if they are working against what type of person I am and making it harder for me to live.

Originally posted by Kwintpod

Originally posted by CujoSWAoA

Star Wars is for children, they decided that Gay and Lesbian relationships aren't for children.  Thats ONE reason... there's so many possible and plausible reasons to go along with it.  For instance... they didn't want to have to write MORE script and record MORE audio for alternate homosexual story-arcs. 

 

 

I don't see how gay or lesbian relationships would be any less suitable than straight relationships for a younger audience 

 

I agree but there are just too many people stuck in the old way of thinking.  That a gay relationship is somehow more "adult" than a straight one.   But if this game is going to be around for the long haul then while they may not be present at launch maybe in a year or two people will be ready to join the rest of us in the 21st century.

I'm fine with this. I think they went with this option because game is too big? Too much voice overs to be handled now that I think about it.

*snip*

 

Why do we even need murdering people in a video game for?

That is what real life is for.

*snip*

That is severely obtuse.

Talk about being obtuse.  A lot of games involved doing things you won't do in real life, like picking up a sword and cutting up people, or even animals.

Stupid Biowares got themselves into it..while they could easily avoid it..

just by saying something like.. - Yes you could have same sex relations in swtro, because it's so democratic and tolerant..

Unfortunally, all your companions are straight.. oh well.. that's a life..what's you gonna do..

you can't blame people for being straight ?

I'm straight but not allowing same-sex relationships (let alone announcing it early) in a role playing game is a bad move. They might as well have announced: "There are no children in our game because we hate children. Jews also." Grow up EA and Bioware.

Seriously, it's bad enough I have to put up with idiots who believe that curtailing freedom in the name of religion is a great idea, in RL. Now I have to put up with their crap in a damn video game?

I guess there's a reason that I'm christian but I stopped going to church.

Originally posted by Kizzatta

I'm straight but not allowing same-sex relationships (let alone announcing it early) in a role playing game is a bad move. They might as well have announced: "There are no children in our game because we hate children. Jews also." Grow up EA and Bioware.

OMG..there are no Jews in the game ??  Bioware - are nazi antisemits..Baby Jesus cries..

Originally posted by AstrumNival

Originally posted by Kizzatta

I'm straight but not allowing same-sex relationships (let alone announcing it early) in a role playing game is a bad move. They might as well have announced: "There are no children in our game because we hate children. Jews also." Grow up EA and Bioware.

OMG..there are no Jews in the game ??  Bioware - are nazi antisemits..Baby Jesus cries..

There probably is no religion (outside of the Force which is debatable if its a religion or not) in TOR and if so, it would not be modern religions anyway.

People will need to understand that games, even roleplaying ones, are supposed to run counter to our real lives. If not, then I would play an MMO where I teach college courses. I personally do not want sex, religion, etc...in my MMO's. I deal with it enough in the real world. We enter very dangerous waters when our games start mirroring real life TOO much. No where does it say TOR is supposed to be a cross-section of reality...hence the fantasy aspect of the game.

And there are plenty of games out there that offer those options. I do not play GTA games because I am sick of crime and turning on the news daily and hearing about shootings, etc... I do not play the Sims because I have a hard enough time keep relationships happy with those I work with, live with and care about in life - I do not need to mirror that in a  game. I play a game to have fun and to be honest, I wish there were NO relationships in TOR period. Your companion is meant to be your comrade in arms, not your lover (at least in my opinion).

I am sorry that Bioware did not include same sex relationships in TOR but honestly there is no history of it in the Star Wars universe. If it does upset you so badly, then speak with your wallet, do not purchase or play the game.