Veleda

People have very mistaken notions of what the medieval world was like. Women DID own property, they inherited and passed it on, they worked in trades, they ran major institutions, noblewomen were educated and in the early Middle Ages likely more educated than men overall. In early England, husbands sometimes took their wives' surnames if they were the landed ones. Women outside the Greco-Roman sphere were sometimes warriors. It was the re-discovery of Roman law in Europe that led to property rights degrading, to a loss of economic and political power for women, which only in recent times has been rectified. So I prefer fantasy realms that acknowledge what earlier societies knew better than modernity did- that when it comes to tooth and claw, no one can afford to sit around being primped, everybody works and fights, and if you earn respect you get it.

Silicon Valley, California Surprised to see the vast majority are from Europe.

I'm a little weirded out at the paragraph on "ego stroking" the PC. Could you explain further? Taken too far, this could mean that companions have little identity of their own. I've also always enjoyed "bitchy" characters that don't just roll over for the PC.

While interruptions to player action should be rare IMO, I like narrated interludes, as well, especially if accompanied by beautiful art. The Witcher comes to mind here. The art was so beautiful (I'm talking the original Witcher game) that it almost made loading screens and narrative sequences a pleasure rather than something to get through.

I love setting up ambushes as a rogue character. I wouldn't mind if traps in the world are rare, though. It would be more realistic if they're rare and deadly than just a nuisance.

Where's the "none of the above" selection?

How long are people going to repeat this until they are forced to acknowledge that it's not true? I want interesting characters, that's my bottom line for everything. Interesting to me means variety, authenticity- NOT created out of a marketing impulse to please a certain demographic, be that straight male or whatever- and either humor or pathos or ideally both. Not good fiction.

If these things are present I would like them to be optional, as I generally find them tedious.

Throwing in my voice of support for the game to be available on GOG.com. I love Steam, but GOG.com and indie projects are a natural fit.

I have zero interest in PC romances. It becomes a sideshow and I'd rather do without, or have them be very, very minimal. Frankly it's gross to come on here and see "romances" and "what if we can have a child" as two of the major topics. I'm hoping this is not the Sims or a Fable clone.