BruceVC

Wow I have to be honest, this is the first time I have ever read so much positivity towards any one game from these forums. This game really must be good

I have to say the penalty shootout must be one of the most exciting things a person can watch in sports. I felt sorry for Costa Rica because they have played skilfully throughout the whole series and achieved more than anyone predicted but my team got through, go Netherlands !!!! Now I predict a Germany vs Netherlands final ...the problem is these are my 2 teams I generally always support...so who do I support in the final ?

Using increased emphasis on romances as a sign if their "decline" is a but curcukar, IMO, since that emphasis is placed there mostly by media/snarky gamers. For example, I don't think a romance has been morecore to a Bioware story than Bastila was in Kotor... Me2 has a wrong type of emphasis on romance in the npc stories due to locking out character interaction and progression outside romances, but it's something they did pick up on and fix for me3. Truly, the whole "BioWare focuses too much on romances" is more than a bit of hyperbole. Romances are still a tiny, optional part of every game, and arguably their presence isn't any larger than it used to. Hell, some people who work at BioWare have expressed frustration that their fans won't shut up about it and bring it up in every situation, instead of, you know, focusing on other parts of the game. There is much legitimate criticism to throw at BioWare. Their romances being cliche, cheesy and fan service is one of them. Their romances being the focus of the game, not so much. Absolutely correct young grasshopper, absolutely correct All this invective towards Bioware because of the perceived state of Romance and how it has derailed there games is nothing but a form of propaganda and the normal "Bioware Bashing. Most of it is unfair criticism that is used due to a dislike of BSN and how "weird the people on it are "Look everyone, people on BSN are talking about how thy want to date a horse" and other exaggerations despite the fact there are hundreds of discussions on BSN and Romance forms a small part of it

Big day planned today, in South Africa the 5 July is a prominent horse racing event called The Durban July We are celebrating that and a friends 40th birthday by going to an event call The Pink Punter which replicates the horse racing by hosting it at the Johannesburg Zoo lake. The weather is perfect so it should be a good day

Gromnir would you say you found Ravel attractive as a Romance option if she had been one? And there is judgement here, I generally never question anyone's Romance interest the insurmountable flaws inherent in bio-style romances that we has identified ad nauseum would turn the love o' ravel for the nameless one into something trite, juvenile and laughable. your incarnation o' the nameless one has no history with ravel, and almost immediately after meeting her, the core ravel, the real ravel, is dead. there is, thankfully, no basis for anything other than an unrequited love. alter ravel character such that she were capable o' being won via the sex-'em-up companion mini-game would require fundamental changes. a romanceable ravel would be different. ravel would be different and not better. HA! Good Fun! That's a good answer, its not what I expected. Well played sir Sometimes it may seem like I ask a strange or random question but there is often method to my madness

Even if there were any, the gerontophiliac implications go away the moment one remembers that we're talking about an entity capable of shapeshifting That's actually an excellent point. You wouldn't be worried about the looks of a Night Hag because she could look like anyone she or you wants. But the Night Hag may start thinking the Romance is superficial if you always expect her to look like someone else during moments of intimacy

Gromnir would you say you found Ravel attractive as a Romance option if she had been one? And there is judgement here, I generally never question anyone's Romance interest

Volo can you give some examples instead of "Yes there is" I'm not saying you are wrong I just think clarity is important because I don't remember anything specific I had to do to kill the Archdemon except for standard combat and running around

No you misunderstand me my Canadian friend I said there isn't a societal issue with violence against men. In other words violence and abuse perpetuated against men by women is much less.

GD when you lived in Florida what colour was your speedo that you use to wear to restaurants?

Oh..okay Its actually an interesting point. Personally I probably would have an issue going into a room and killing hundreds of women. And reason is I know about the prevalence of violence against women and children that exists in RL. I wouldn't be able to separate that from the fact its just a game But you don't have a problem killing hundreds of men? No because there isn't a societal problem with violence against men

MGS4 had the FROGS, does that count? Sofa I wanted to say earlier how are you enjoying being active on these forums? I know you come from the old days of BSN\Black Isle forums but its good to see your perspective and the fact that you do contribute towards certain topics I am enjoying your views I a m Oh hey, thanks. It's nice, an interesting crowd here. You guys don't goof off nearly as much though. I just wish more of the people who brought me here were sticking around too... Yeah, I wasn't around in those days but from what you guys told me we debate more seriously and there is less of a "family vibe" I don't think its an indictment on any one person its just how the Internet has changed as we have so many choices and places where we can discuss topics there is less need to look for that kinship or connections that existed back in the older days of BSN

Clarification: nobody thinks your friend is racist because she prefers white men. But your post didn't read "I just prefer white men so that didn't work for me", it read "but he was BLACK so guess I'm skipping that huh". You can try and sugarcoat it now, but that is just an offensive statement. And don't forget the context: it's apparently mysogynistic to include only a black man as a romance. Mysogynistic! It shows contempt for women that this character was made black! Think about that for a second. The implication here is that your friend demands that her preferences be catered to (white beefcake, not whiny emo or black guy) and that all women think like that and it's mysogynistic if you don't comply. She ignores the fact that there are black women who play games and do want a black romance option. She ignores that some women like softies. She thinks that she is the typical woman and calls a writer mysogynistic because he didn't cater to her preferences. That's what makes her sound like a horrible person. But like I said, the numbers do support her main argument. And I agree that there are way too many romance options for guys - it's such obvious wish fulfillment and it's distracting. (And yet none of them were cool nerdy girls with pixie haircuts who like comics and indie music. Misandrist?) That's a good post that summarizes the crux of the issue that most of us have with the post, well said

MGS4 had the FROGS, does that count? Sofa I wanted to say earlier how are you enjoying being active on these forums? I know you come from the old days of BSN\Black Isle forums but its good to see your perspective and the fact that you do contribute towards certain topics I am enjoying your views I a m

we went and used the tedious search engine and discovered that the last time you asked, we gave an answer. is not a secret or anything, but we don't think it matters... or at least we don't believe it should matter. and as we did already tell you last time you asked, you can now go digging with the horrible arsed search function and Feel our Pain. see, now that is whiny. not bester level o' whiny, but we don't quite have the knack for martyrdom. HA! Good Fun! Okay I will find it, what thread was it under? I only remember the question I asked you and not the topic

Is it really normal that people don't date other races or is it the fact you live in a conservative country that says its normal and you have convinced yourself that's the way it is? I'm not attacking you, I want to understand your perspective

But you can't expect people not to react emotionally when a post is made in way that is suppose to create emotion. There are many ways to make a point in a way that doesn't across as offensive Dude, this is internet. And Bester is known troll But is he a Troll all the time? I don't know as he has raised some debatable and interesting points in this post of his?

Oh..okay Its actually an interesting point. Personally I probably would have an issue going into a room and killing hundreds of women. And reason is I know about the prevalence of violence against women and children that exists in RL. I wouldn't be able to separate that from the fact its just a game

again, not black and about as far away from upper class as is possible. how many times we gotta let you know we ain't black before it sinks in? you is so dogged on this and we can't explain the origin. oh well, poor white kid growing up in the ghetto and suffering more racism than we can imagine sounds far more whiny than anything we has posted. am trying to decide if that is counting more as hypocrisy, irony or just plain stupidity on your part to not recognize that your complaint 'bout Gromnir followed right after your little hard knocks for bester tale. you need a tissue and a chance to compose self? btw, we thinks we kinda made clear that we ain't suffering oppression in the office. some o' our colleagues don't even think o' us as a minority and others clear forget that we is til after they say something stoopid. is like our euro friends who didn't seem to see us as American. Gromnir ain't poor educated. we don't talk funny, quote che guevera, or think oj were innocent. sure, we look different, but is amazing how folks can kinda ignore that kinda stuff. bester is in his own little world now... is probably his way to try and get himself out o' the horrible hole he dug with his hypothetical racist and homophobic girlfriend. and we got absolutely no idea how the tale o' woe o' how you suffered at the hands o' blacks and arabs is 'posed to make us think your girlfriend is less racist or that bioware is more misogynist. is it 'posed to makes us think that you is a racist but that you got reasons for it? am suspecting you think you made some kinda relevant point, but am not seeing it. HA! Good Fun! Gromnir I have asked you this before and you didn't want to answer, but what minority group are you? I respect the fact you don't feel its relevant but you can see how it creates certain confusion and assumptions. I also assumed you were African American but if you are not then I would have to guess you are Latino? But if you don't want to answer that's also fine, it won't change the fact in any respect that sometimes I agree with you and sometimes I don't

But you can't expect people not to react emotionally when a post is made in way that is suppose to create emotion. There are many ways to make a point in a way that doesn't across as offensive

I hear you but I never get upset by people that exhibit either intentionally or unintentionally dysfunctional mannerisms. I focus on people that want to be positive or people that are prepared to have a reasonable debate around issues

I travel overseas for work all the time and its been irrefutably proven that Canadians are by far the rudest and most cynical people...what do you think Malc ?

Do you suspect this is your dormant psychic abilities that are slowly manifesting themselves ......

Yay, this is amazing news !!! Nice post, I will be following this one closely

Do you date only because of how hot the girl is? That is kind of shallow, you know. Also, to answer your previous question, I don't know what gave you the idea that I didn't like romances, cause I actually do dig them if they are well written. I guess there's a fat lonely woman inside of me somewhere. Not that any of the Bio romances are well written. I'm actually trying out a few of the romance mods for BG2 right now and "Fade" is actually okay, 6/10. No offense but your "friend" comes across as raving homophobic racist. Even if that's not her intention. She is a paradigm of the worst type of Romance person If she really is your friend what you have done is belittle her and make her look absolutely stupid, you clearly don't respect her to post something like that. That's not how a friend treats a friend Also of course you initially have to be attracted to someone to date them? Surly in the beginning of a relationship that's a factor? No. I actually showed her this thread and she said some people on this forum are incredibly dumb because she's had black friends when she lived abroad and she's always made fun of people with prejudices. Also, she's a really kind person. She just doesn't get turned on by black people and bisexual men and there's nobody to blame, she lives a happy life. Yet in here she was called all kinds of insults, so look who's prejudiced. I think it's because a lot of people in here are locked into a certain way of thinking and lack openness of mind. I don't blame them, you can't ask a dog to count to 10 just like you can't ask these people to understand things that are beyond their cultural environment which they have never left in their whole life. They think their environment is alpha and omega and that theirs is the only right way to think, while in real life there's many other sorts of realities. I lived in many countries and speak many languages, so I guess I'm more privileged than they are. We're just on completely different levels here. Le sigh. So I'm going you the benefit of the doubt and assume you are not Trolling or trying to get a reaction from people and that you are being serious and respond accordingly As you know I am promancer so I can understand someone not wanting to Romance someone who they cant identify with. Part of a Romance option is some sort of connection. For example I have Romanced Viconia, Morrigan and Isabella. But I have never played a female character who has dated a gay female option I have no issue with anyone else doing this but for me my RP experience, which includes Romance, needs to resonate with me. So as far as your friend is concerned all I would ask is " what is the reason she doesn't find black men attractive" In South Africa when I have asked people I know "why wouldn't you date a black women that you think is attractive " ( and this also applies to black people dating white people ) I hear a variety of reasons and justifications. I don't believe most of it because end of the day the real reason is a historical view that "dating across the racial line is wrong" and some people have this almost subconscious and engrained perspective that inter-racial dating is on some level not acceptable. But at the root cause its because they have been raised a certain way and told " you need to date within your own racial group" even if they can't articulate the reason why