Companions and Romance

[Ryz009]

 

 

 

Maybe it's because I have Leaden Key Aloth. He approves of pretty much nothing D:

 

 

So do I...  

He approves of a lot of things in my game, like being diplomatic with the two families in Neketaka, agreeing to help them etc. 

His conversation with 1 approval triggered in Fort Deadfire (i go there straight from Port Maje) after conversation with Serafen about Remaro, when you find his chest. I basically chose not to pry into Serafen's personal affairs and respect his privacy. Same with Aloth, didn't push him with the Insight options. 

I don't know if it matters or not.

 

 

 

 

 

Really? Aloth is quicker than Eder for me, even though I am being as nice to everyone as I could. I have them both as well as Serafen and Xoti, and they are all at 1.

 

I still don't fully understand how the approval system works. It feels like aside from the obvious "Aloth rolls his eyes at Tekehu's every word" there are some hidden approvals and/or triggers in the conversations. That is when its an alignment-free response.

 

It's the same for me, I have Aloth at +1 and Eder is still sitting pretty at 0.

 

I should probably crack a joke, but then I'd lose allegiance with Aloth... Darn.

 

 

 

The joys of metagaming     Doesn't he disapprove more of chaotic/irresponsible behavior than jokes? 

 

 

I did all of that and got nothing D:

 

> bugs are killing me with this game.

[Aramintai]

Am I understanding it right that every companion besides Eder and Pallegina is bisexual? Great, I knew Obsidian still knows how to write well defined characters.

The correct term is "player sexual", because they also don't care about your race. Just imagine an aumaua sized Tekehu and an orlan...At least there's no awkwardly cringy animations of this stuff like it was with dwarves and tall companions in Dragon Age 

[arober]

The correct term is "player sexual", because they also don't care about your race. Just imagine an aumaua sized Tekehu and an orlan...At least there's no awkwardly cringy animations of this stuff like it was with dwarves and tall companions in Dragon Age 

 

How dare you? Cassandra/Dwarf Inky was one of the best, purest things ever.

 

Also, speaking of companion relationships - did Pallegina and Maneha use to be a thing?

[CaptainBiscuit]

 

Also, speaking of companion relationships - did Pallegina and Maneha use to be a thing?

 

Funny you should ask! When you recruit Pallegina, you can ask her about her and Maneha, and she says Maneha just got the wrong idea, so no, they were not a thing. So at least there is some consistency here unlike with Eder.

[arober]

 

 

Also, speaking of companion relationships - did Pallegina and Maneha use to be a thing?

 

Funny you should ask! When you recruit Pallegina, you can ask her about her and Maneha, and she says Maneha just got the wrong idea, so no, they were not a thing. So at least there is some consistency here unlike with Eder.

 

I know, I did ask her. But I thought it was ambigous, it made me think something may have happened there but Pallegina wasn't comfortable talking about it. 

 

I was just wondering, since I never had those two in the party at the same time in POE1.

 

But it was extremely odd to run into Maneha in the Deadfire and have Pallegina not comment on anything. It was also extremely odd to not be able to havea conversation with Maneha at all, basically... 

[Beyond The Sea]

 

Am I understanding it right that every companion besides Eder and Pallegina is bisexual? Great, I knew Obsidian still knows how to write well defined characters.

The correct term is "player sexual", because they also don't care about your race. Just imagine an aumaua sized Tekehu and an orlan...At least there's no awkwardly cringy animations of this stuff like it was with dwarves and tall companions in Dragon Age 

 

 

Playersexual describes an alternating sexuality based on the player characters genders or an attraction to the player character no matter what. The companions in Deadfire openly express their interests on both sexes regardless.

[Zack Fair]

 

Am I understanding it right that every companion besides Eder and Pallegina is bisexual? Great, I knew Obsidian still knows how to write well defined characters.

The correct term is "player sexual", because they also don't care about your race.

 

Such a shame that Obsidian did not write well defined characters. I'm not saying that this makes the game bad, but I think having characters that will jump on you nomatter what sex and race you are is just lazy writing. Or pandering, I don't know which one is worse.

[Ryz009]

 

Am I understanding it right that every companion besides Eder and Pallegina is bisexual? Great, I knew Obsidian still knows how to write well defined characters.

The correct term is "player sexual", because they also don't care about your race. Just imagine an aumaua sized Tekehu and an orlan...At least there's no awkwardly cringy animations of this stuff like it was with dwarves and tall companions in Dragon Age 

 

 

I'm so tired of people using playersexual improperly. Takehu isn't playersexual. He very blatantly tells you he's down for anything (as is Serafan for that matter). Aloth is Aloth ((hell does he even show attraction to anyone?) and Xoti hits on every single person in the party just about that's not Pallegina. How are they playersexual? Not caring about the PCs race does not equal playersexual. Being playersexual requires they show no attraction to anyone of the PCs race/gender other than the PC.

Edited May 13, 2018 by Ryz009

[arober]

Such a shame that Obsidian did not write well defined characters. I'm not saying that this makes the game bad, but I think having characters that will jump on you nomatter what sex and race you are is just lazy writing. Or pandering, I don't know which one is worse.

 

And I think it's nice I don't have to play through the entire game as an elven female to see the Solas romance. I'd rather be able to romance him with a dwarf male as well. It's fiction. Let the fictional people be without sexual preferences. There are more interesting things about them than who they bang.

[arober]

I'm so tired of people using playersexual improperly. Takehu isn't playersexual. He very blatantly tells you he's down for anything (as is Serafan for that matter). Aloth is Aloth ((hell does he even show attraction to anyone?) and Xoti hits on every single person in the party just about that's not Pallegina. How are they playersexual? Not caring about the PCs race does not equal playersexual. Being playersexual requires they show no attraction to anyone of the PCs race/gender other than the PC.

 

Iselmyr comments that it always takes a lot of effort on her part to make Aloth touch anyone's flesh. But the scene in which it took place definitely did not suggest he has anything against men.

 

Maybe everyone on Eora is just pansexual and nothing ever hurts.

[Aramintai]

 

 

Am I understanding it right that every companion besides Eder and Pallegina is bisexual? Great, I knew Obsidian still knows how to write well defined characters.

The correct term is "player sexual", because they also don't care about your race. Just imagine an aumaua sized Tekehu and an orlan...At least there's no awkwardly cringy animations of this stuff like it was with dwarves and tall companions in Dragon Age 

 

 

I'm so tired of people using playersexual improperly. Takehu isn't playersexual. He very blatantly tells you he's down for anything (as is Serafan for that matter). Aloth is Aloth ((hell does he even show attraction to anyone?) and Xoti hits on every single person in the party just about that's not Pallegina. How are they playersexual? Not caring about the PCs race does not equal playersexual. Being playersexual requires they show no attraction to anyone of the PCs race/gender other than the PC.

 

They are because they all want player character regardless of race or gender. What they say in the background are just blurbs that are there for you to stop questioning devs lazy writing. They could have wrote them more nuanced - some female specific, some male specific, some race specific. But instead it's all the same for them whom to bang which not only smells of pandering but also destroys any suspense of disbelief even for a fantasy game. It's like DAO2 all over again, but even worse.

Edited May 13, 2018 by Aramintai

[Ryz009]

 

Such a shame that Obsidian did not write well defined characters. I'm not saying that this makes the game bad, but I think having characters that will jump on you nomatter what sex and race you are is just lazy writing. Or pandering, I don't know which one is worse.

 

And I think it's nice I don't have to play through the entire game as an elven female to see the Solas romance. I'd rather be able to romance him with a dwarf male as well. It's fiction. Let the fictional people be without sexual preferences. There are more interesting things about them than who they bang.

 

Also Solas wasn't bi because they didn't want to do the evil bi dude again. (which huh considering Bull). Cullen's race restrictions were because of animating issues he was a bonus romance like Solas was. Hell Bull was originally not going to be with dwarves either but the animator working on his scenes did overtime because for Bull it really wasn't handwaveable.

 

He was always supposed to be restricted to elves though which makes a lot of sense given his grandpa racism.

[Ryz009]

 

 

 

Am I understanding it right that every companion besides Eder and Pallegina is bisexual? Great, I knew Obsidian still knows how to write well defined characters.

The correct term is "player sexual", because they also don't care about your race. Just imagine an aumaua sized Tekehu and an orlan...At least there's no awkwardly cringy animations of this stuff like it was with dwarves and tall companions in Dragon Age 

 

 

I'm so tired of people using playersexual improperly. Takehu isn't playersexual. He very blatantly tells you he's down for anything (as is Serafan for that matter). Aloth is Aloth ((hell does he even show attraction to anyone?) and Xoti hits on every single person in the party just about that's not Pallegina. How are they playersexual? Not caring about the PCs race does not equal playersexual. Being playersexual requires they show no attraction to anyone of the PCs race/gender other than the PC.

 

They are because they all want player character regardless of race or gender. What they say in the background are just blurbs that are the for you to stop questioning devs lazy writing. They could have wrote them more nuanced - some female specific, some male specific, some race specific. But instead it's all the same for them whom to bang which not only smells of pandering but also destroys any suspense of disbelief even for a fantasy game. It's like DAO2 all over again, but even worse.

 

 

That's not what playersexual means. Like at all. You can consider it lazy writing but playersexual has a very distinct meaning and you trying to claim it here is just invalid. And of course they could've wrote them more nuanced but that also takes resources and they decided to put those resources other places and I can't blame them for it. Destroys any sense of disbelief for the characters that express attraction to multiple races to be attracted to a PC of multiple races? Really? How does that work? Especially given one of them's an Orlan to begin with and the other's a godlike?

 

(Also I will never get the fantasy races can't be attracted to one another because 90% of the time they're humans that are smaller/larger with pointy ears and other minor crap like being blue. Oh noes someone that looks just like a human woman with pointy ears. The ears are totally the dealbreaker! Let me get my angst of most fantasy races being lazily done off my chest. Man the only game fantasy race I liked were the Geth. Least they felt original...until ME3 T_T)

Edited May 13, 2018 by Ryz009

[Aramintai]

Destroys any sense of disbelief for the characters that express attraction to multiple races to be attracted to a PC of multiple races? Really? How does that work? Especially given one of them's an Orlan to begin with and the other's a godlike?

Their dense concentration in one place is what's jarring. It's a very tired argument in all recent BW games - why are there so many bi & gay people in your party? You can try arguing that it's a fantasy game, but actually it's not normal for any fantasy world, just for player party, it seems  . Because recent BW games resemble pandering date sims wrapped in fantasy settings more than anything else. Too bad POE2 went the same way and it's not because of lack of money, it's because they chose to:

https://jesawyer.tumblr.com/post/173771124776/before-deadfires-release-you-said-that-every

[Lorenna]

Is Eder really difficult to get positive relationship points with or am I doing something wrong?

Everyone else has one or 2 positive points and hes still sitting on 0. I've done his quest, bring him everywhere but nothing. He never has anything to say to me either.

Anyone now anything in particular that gives him positive relationship points?

[Ryz009]

 

Destroys any sense of disbelief for the characters that express attraction to multiple races to be attracted to a PC of multiple races? Really? How does that work? Especially given one of them's an Orlan to begin with and the other's a godlike?

Their dense concentration in one place is what's jarring. It's a very tired argument in all recent BW games - why are there so many bi & gay people in your party? You can try arguing that it's a fantasy game, but actually it's not normal for any fantasy world, just for player party, it seems  . Because recent BW games resemble pandering date sims wrapped in fantasy settings more than anything else. Too bad POE2 went the same way and it's not because of lack of money, it's because they chose to:

https://jesawyer.tumblr.com/post/173771124776/before-deadfires-release-you-said-that-every

 

 

The party that's filled with at least 2 godlikes (these are supposed to be rare), freed slave pirate Orlan, a watcher that's been revived by Berath herself, an awakened Elf, A spy, and a priestess that captures souls in her lantern for her god? Like you do realize your PCs party is made of exceptions to the rule right? So all these rare people on the boat is fine...til they're sexualities aren't straight. *Then* its an issue? Also judging from the brothels it doesn't look like there's any stigmatizing of sexuality so why wouldn't people be more open about it in the Deadfire? Also lol dating sim. You've never played a dating sim to compare BW games to one. They're not. For one thing there's no mission failed if you can't get Eothas to fall in love with you enough

 

Like seriously as in most rpg games your party is a circus troupe. It's a bunch of people that have little logical reason to have been anywhere near each other but for the sake of the plot band together to beat the big bad. There's only a sheer handful of rpgs if any that defy that trope too.

 

Well that's fair enough and I'm glad of it.

Edited May 13, 2018 by Ryz009

[CaptainBiscuit]

 

 Because recent BW games resemble pandering date sims wrapped in fantasy settings more than anything else. 

 

Uh, how does roughly 20-30 minutes of companion cutscenes and dialogues (which include not only romance, for that matter) out of 50-80 hour games translate into a datesim, I wonder?

Edited May 13, 2018 by CaptainBiscuit

[arober]

Also Solas wasn't bi because they didn't want to do the evil bi dude again. (which huh considering Bull). Cullen's race restrictions were because of animating issues he was a bonus romance like Solas was. Hell Bull was originally not going to be with dwarves either but the animator working on his scenes did overtime because for Bull it really wasn't handwaveable.

 

He was always supposed to be restricted to elves though which makes a lot of sense given his grandpa racism.

 

Y'know, this all makes perfect sense. 

 

But I still wish my lady Qunari Inquisitor could bang Cassandra and that my male human noble mage could seduce Cullen.

 

I genuinely do not care. Give me options. I'm glad Deadfire did just that. I'm already planning a lady Watcher romancing Maia.

[Aramintai]

 

 

Destroys any sense of disbelief for the characters that express attraction to multiple races to be attracted to a PC of multiple races? Really? How does that work? Especially given one of them's an Orlan to begin with and the other's a godlike?

Their dense concentration in one place is what's jarring. It's a very tired argument in all recent BW games - why are there so many bi & gay people in your party? You can try arguing that it's a fantasy game, but actually it's not normal for any fantasy world, just for player party, it seems  . Because recent BW games resemble pandering date sims wrapped in fantasy settings more than anything else. Too bad POE2 went the same way and it's not because of lack of money, it's because they chose to:

https://jesawyer.tumblr.com/post/173771124776/before-deadfires-release-you-said-that-every

 

 

The party that's filled with 2 godlikes (these are supposed to be rare), freed slaves, a priestess that captures souls in her lantern? Like you do realize your PCs party is made of exceptions to the rule right? So all these rare people on the boat is fine...til they're sexualities aren't straight. *Then* its an issue? Also judging from the brothels it doesn't look like there's any stigmatizing of sexuality so why wouldn't people be more open about it in the Deadfire? 

Godlikes, priestesses and all the other unique stuff of that world doesn't bother me as much because it is truly fantastical, without any parallels in the real world, so it is easy to suspend my disbelief about that. Everybody being LGBT around meis not, because in the real world it is not and I can't help by make parallels when I play. That's why it breaks the suspension of disbelief.

Also, brothel is a poor example because it's a brothel - a place where people satiate any kinds of sexual desires for money. It doesn't mean hosts there are LGBT, it's just their job.

 

But whatever, as I've said before, it's a very tired argument with no resolution. If you're ok with all that then good for you, I'm certainly not gonna judge your preferences.

[arober]

 

 

 Because recent BW games resemble pandering date sims wrapped in fantasy settings more than anything else. 

 

Uh, how does roughly 20-30 minutes of companion cutscenes and dialogues (which include not only romance, for that matter) out of 50-80 hour games translate into a datesim, I wonder?

 

I also love the "pandering" argument.

 

Every time it doesn't pander to YOU, it's suddenly "pandering".

 

Interesting. Real interesting. 

 

(and naturally I am not referring to you with this post.) (really, I am not.) (I keep adding more things because it comes off sarcastic when I'm actually being honest.)

[Aramintai]

 

 

 Because recent BW games resemble pandering date sims wrapped in fantasy settings more than anything else. 

 

Uh, how does roughly 20-30 minutes of companion cutscenes and dialogues (which include not only romance, for that matter) out of 50-80 hour games translate into a datesim, I wonder?

 

They make good "candy wrappers". But if you've ever looked at their forums and social media the most talked about thing are no "candy wrappers", but "candies" themselves.

[Ryz009]

 

 

 

Destroys any sense of disbelief for the characters that express attraction to multiple races to be attracted to a PC of multiple races? Really? How does that work? Especially given one of them's an Orlan to begin with and the other's a godlike?

Their dense concentration in one place is what's jarring. It's a very tired argument in all recent BW games - why are there so many bi & gay people in your party? You can try arguing that it's a fantasy game, but actually it's not normal for any fantasy world, just for player party, it seems  . Because recent BW games resemble pandering date sims wrapped in fantasy settings more than anything else. Too bad POE2 went the same way and it's not because of lack of money, it's because they chose to:

https://jesawyer.tumblr.com/post/173771124776/before-deadfires-release-you-said-that-every

 

 

The party that's filled with 2 godlikes (these are supposed to be rare), freed slaves, a priestess that captures souls in her lantern? Like you do realize your PCs party is made of exceptions to the rule right? So all these rare people on the boat is fine...til they're sexualities aren't straight. *Then* its an issue? Also judging from the brothels it doesn't look like there's any stigmatizing of sexuality so why wouldn't people be more open about it in the Deadfire? 

Godlikes, priestesses and all the other unique stuff of that world doesn't bother me as much because it is truly fantastical, without any parallels in the real world, so it is easy to suspend my disbelief about that. Everybody being LGBT around meis not, because in the real world it is not and I can't help by make parallels when I play. That's why it breaks the suspension of disbelief.

Also, brothel is a poor example because it's a brothel - a place where people satiate any kinds of sexual desires for money. It doesn't mean hosts there are LGBT, it's just their job.

 

But whatever, as I've said before, it's a very tired argument with no resolution. If you're ok with all that then good for you, I'm certainly not gonna judge your preferences.

 

 

How is a brothel in the middle of the city a bad example? It's not hidden in the least. And of course there's other NPCs that express various sexualities without anyone bating an eye. And everyone *isn't* LGBT. Eder is straight and tells you so if you hit on him, there's plenty of NPCs in straight relationships just because your companions (who are all young and single for the most part) are all hitting on each other isn't a big deal and certainly didn't break my suspension of disbelief.

 

 

 

 

 Because recent BW games resemble pandering date sims wrapped in fantasy settings more than anything else. 

 

Uh, how does roughly 20-30 minutes of companion cutscenes and dialogues (which include not only romance, for that matter) out of 50-80 hour games translate into a datesim, I wonder?

 

They make good "candy wrappers". But if you've ever looked at their forums and social media the most talked about thing are no "candy wrappers", but "candies" themselves.

 

 

Wait are you seriously saying just because someone discusses one facet of a game the most that's all the game is about? You are aware of how ludicrous that argument is right?

 

According to that logic the only reason Crisis was made was to stress test PCs.

Edited May 13, 2018 by Ryz009

[CaptainBiscuit]

They make good "candy wrappers". But if you've ever looked at their forums and social media the most talked about thing are no "candy wrappers", but "candies" themselves.

 

Well, I did? Or all those discussions about lore I've read and participated in were figments of my imagination. One would also think that if people love to talk about companions so much it just means that those companions are actually good. 

Edited May 13, 2018 by CaptainBiscuit

[Aramintai]

I also love the "pandering" argument.

 

Every time it doesn't pander to YOU, it's suddenly "pandering".

 

Interesting. Real interesting. 

 

(and naturally I am not referring to you with this post.) (really, I am not.) (I keep adding more things because it comes off sarcastic when I'm actually being honest.)

 

I don't know what you mean by pandering but I perceive it as devs trying to please everybody - they don't want to see people going mad when some character isn't eligible for romance because the player chose the wrong sex and race. 

[Ryz009]

 

They make good "candy wrappers". But if you've ever looked at their forums and social media the most talked about thing are no "candy wrappers", but "candies" themselves.

 

Well, I did? Or all those discussions about lore I've read and participated in were figments of my imaginations. One would also think that if people love to talk about companions so much it just means that those companions are actually good. 

 

 

My god the debates I had about the Geth/Quarians *shudder* though all 3 games too my god.

 

Then there was Cerberus though that died in ME3 for obvious reasons.

 

Or even in so called pandering heaven about Templars/Mages (my god the wars waged over the ending decision). Actually I remember more discussions involving actual plot about DA2 than DAO lol. Though most of us could come together to call Hawke a ****ty protagonist.

Edited May 13, 2018 by Ryz009