[moral relatively]

Realistically I think dilemmas are a crutch for not-so-great writing. They almost always feel forced.

 

That's a pretty ridiculous blanket statement, especially when it comes to video game writing.

 

Games themselves could be easily seen as a series of dilemmas and problems for a player to figure out.

 

Okay, give me some examples.

 

Examples of what? Problem and dilemma solving in video games?

[moral relatively]

Realistically I think dilemmas are a crutch for not-so-great writing. They almost always feel forced.

 

That's a pretty ridiculous blanket statement, especially when it comes to video game writing.

 

Games themselves could be easily seen as a series of dilemmas and problems for a player to figure out.

[Gender Prejudice]

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.

 

That is some interesting political correct history white washing you got there. This must be the disney version of our history because it sounds too politically correct for the history I read about.

 

Actually that poster is quite right in implying the the modern form of femininity and the role of women didn't really mature until well into industrialization, although as with anything its origins can be found far, far back.

 

Many of our preconceived notions about what gender roles should look like in the middle/high middle age setting that most fantasy takes place in draws more from that industrial mentality than anything that existed in medieval Europe. There does seem to be much more overlap for the general populace for the roles of men and women during that time, at least within the household and within families, than popular culture would lead you to believe.

[Please! Less classes, races, factions, companions, regions, and other features!]

No multiplayer, no god, please no.

 

Obsidian is already going to be dealing with a tight budget and schedule. The creation of multiplayer, especially good multiplayer, would remove many resources and much time from the development of the single player experience.

 

We're not talking about some inconsequential or minor feature here, like the OP seems to be implying.

[Romances, yay or nay?]

I just can't agree with this at all, I guess. I have never understood the Anders... controversy, I guess. I don't see what people dislike about having the freedom to pursue whom you want, especially when all romanceable characters are objects defined by their sexuality; at least I get to choose which one I want regardless of my sexual orientation? There is nothing more frustrating than finding out that a developer had no desire to implement something so harmless and engaging for a large minority of players.

 

Well, I wasn't talking about Anders specifically. I did have an issue with the fact I couldn't let him down easy and had to lose a bunch of "yay, friendship!" points or whatever. That's less a romance issue though and more an issue with them not giving enough options for Hawke's responses. I had the same issue regarding Merril's quest.

 

I do, however, prefer each character to have their own sexuality. Largely because it just feels more...plausible I guess. Its not really a huge issue for me in the long run though. Again, my biggest issue is just that they turn characters, no matter what their sexuality, into strictly sexual objects in their romances. I find this offensive for both straights and gays, men and women.

[Humor?]

Most good, compelling and long stories tend to have a variety of tones and whatever.

 

Humor is good to break up the grimdarkness a bit, makes characters a bit more likable

[Romances, yay or nay?]

Question: why is it that people demand more maturity out of the plotlines (romantic or otherwise) for Project Eternity and in the same breath attack Bioware and its community? That strikes me as a bit immature, especially considering how much Bioware has done to really make different groups of people feel included in their romances...

 

Sure, the people actually attacking Bioware and their fans are immature, but there are many that make a good case as to why Bioware's romances in their more recent games have been pretty awful. For example: just as you said, they make sex the end goal.

 

As to the second part of the above quote, this may take another separate thread to cover and it is a hot topic, but I feel that Bioware is entirely offensive in how they handle various sexual orientations in their games. Its pandering and, as I posted above, reduces these characters to little more than objects defined by their sexuality.

[What makes a villain you love to hate?]

I feel that one of the most interesting antagonists in games is Dagoth Ur from Morrowind. He was mysterious, legendary and pitiable all at the same time. Partly the reason why he was such a powerful character however was that the games overall plot was so interesting. The deeper you dug into the history of Morrowind, Nerevar's death and Dagoth Ur's fall the more it made you wonder if you were really doing the right thing in your quest to destroy him.

 

Dagoth Ur only really made a couple of appearances but there was still the ever present nature about him. Really though, what works for one character won't work for another. A large part of what makes a strong antagonist, protagonist or whatever is the strength of the overall plot.

[Romances, yay or nay?]

Sure, if they do it right

 

The way modern Bioware does it is the wrong way: everyone instantly wants to mount the main character. Pretty much no matter what you say or do you're successful. The romances are just there for wish fulfillment and, in my opinion, can become rather offensive since they turn women, men, gays, straights, what have you into nothing more than sexual objects.

 

I much prefer BG2's style where you have both work for them and they feel natural in the way the NPC's react.

 

Also, the point of a good romance in these type of games should be to further characterize party members as well as the player character. Player characters can be somewhat hard to characterize and a good romance is a tool to be used for that end. If the romance doesn't characterize and/or add to the gameplay in any way however, they should just be left out.