So, that Panel today......

[Dragon Master]

Apparently it is offending a lot of people for all kinds of reasons. From the un-bear-able threads popping up either clutching pearls about a druid doing druid things or calling people bigots for said pearl-clutching and being just as judgemental to the audience during the impromptu AMA asking one ridiculous question after another to try an corner Swen and his team into making some socio-political statement.

They handled those questions masterfully, by the way. Loved the way they kept the focus on the game and avoided the trap questions.

The reality is simple. Larian isn't trying to spread a message one way or another. They aren't trying to make any particular statements. They aren't thinking about the implications of the stories being told or how it may or may not affect people.

All they are doing is making a game set in the Forgotten Realms universe where gods, goddesses, devils and demons freely seek to redeem or corrupt, save or destroy the mortal soul. Magic of all kinds from all sources exists, from nature to gods to a dragon grandparent.

They just want to give as many players as many tools as possible to play the game however they want to play it and let what happens after happen. If you want a gay romance, you can have it. If you want a hetero romance, you can have it. You want no romance, you can kill everyone who flirts with you and have a camp full of corpses.

They even made a unique origin character that is 100% customizable for the murder-hobos.

The stories involving the characters make sense for their powers and skill-sets, who they are as characters and their beliefs. A druid who can transform at will almost definitely will be using wildshape for all kinds of things. Never mind the polymorph or other transmutation spells.

Heck, the school of enchantment can have some pretty diabolical implications in this light as well but that is just the nature of the world.

Play the game the way you want to play it. There will be plenty of content for you and most likely the content you enjoy will probably offend someone you dislike just because you enjoy it, whatever "it" is.

Let's all play and have fun at the end of the month.

[ExcaliburV]

As sensible as ever, Dragon Master. It would be nice if we could spend the final days we have leading up to the full release without finding more reasons to bicker in this forum. We've been doing it for years now.

[Lazydrones]

People are going to find reasons one way or another to bash a game
You'll get it from one end of society to the other regardless of what is done

[Delta Centauri]

Eh, I'm just worried the focus on romantic options could bite them in the ass later in the future. I know people always ask/beg for it, but it can always lead to complications as the years go on.

As long as Larian doesn't make a blogpost saying they're disappointed in the stats over how people played the game more tame than they imagined, I'm fine with as much player choice as people want. I'm excited for Baldur's Gate 3 because I generally struggle with the Pathfinder games and I like how this (and Solasta) plays into verticality and turn based so well.

[Dragon Master]

Originally posted by Delta Centauri:

Eh, I'm just worried the focus on romantic options could bite them in the ass later in the future. I know people always ask/beg for it, but it can always lead to complications as the years go on.

As long as Larion doesn't make a blogpost saying they're disappointed in the stats over how people played the game more tame than they imagined, I'm fine with as much player choice as people want. I'm excited for Baldur's Gate 3 because I generally struggle with the Pathfinder games and I like how this (and Solasta) plays into verticality and turn based so well.

While there may be a focus on romance that seems mostly to be a byproduct of their focus on role play in general.

Being able to create a character as any race or class and having dialogue unique to those options, creating more options in dialogue for players, and being able to give options to players for how to interact with whatever characters they want in whichever manner they choose.

Just like how D&D works.

Romance and developing relationships will just be a part of that, especially after it has become so popularized in rpgs over the last 20 years when BG2 first introduced romanceable companions.

Whether it was the romance or just the ability to do what you and give in to The Dark Urge, the role play is there for the player and that seems to be the focus.

[Dragon Master]

Originally posted by ExcaliburV:

As sensible as ever, Dragon Master. It would be nice if we could spend the final days we have leading up to the full release without finding more reasons to bicker in this forum. We've been doing it for years now.

Thanks.

Yes, it is unfortunate that humans will human, especially when it comes to "their tribe".

[ShayRey]

Dark Urge has me most excited. Not because I wanna murderhobo, but because I wanna see how defying it would look like. I know Larian had similar sorts of endings for Origin characters in DOS2, but likely aren't as fleshed out as they would be here.

Either way, I can play Dragonborn, they look amazing, and that's all I needed!

[ExcaliburV]

Originally posted by ShayRey:

Dark Urge has me most excited. Not because I wanna murderhobo, but because I wanna see how defying it would look like. I know Larian had similar sorts of endings for Origin characters in DOS2, but likely aren't as fleshed out as they would be here.

Either way, I can play Dragonborn, they look amazing, and that's all I needed!

Copper Dragonborn Dark Urge Rogue. Lessgo, I'm so excited for the 3rd.

[Tommy The Gun]

I think that they showed what they showed purely for a "shock factor" so that we would talk about it (and not necessarily about BG3) . And while I agree that it is the player who will make decisions and make romances as they like... I kinda think that it is a shame that this topic has stolen the show after the panel ended. Almost no one seems to be taking about new cool Dragonborn race or Monk class or new Origin.

Well, at least now after 1 day it has become less shocking and more meme-ish & funny.

[ExcaliburV]

Originally posted by Tommy The Gun:

Well, at least now after 1 day it has become less shocking and more meme-ish & funny.

As tiring as the arguments have been, some of the jokes that have come out of some of these threads are freaking hilarious.

[Dragon Master]

Originally posted by Tommy The Gun:

I think that they showed what they showed purely for a "shock factor" so that we would talk about it (and not necessarily about BG3) . And while I agree that it is the player who will make decisions and make romances as they like... I kinda think that it is a shame that this topic has stolen the show after the panel ended. Almost no one seems to be taking about new cool Dragonborn race or Monk class or new Origin.

Well, at least now after 1 day it has become less shocking and more meme-ish & funny.

It's also a shame that no one is talking about how a warlock's patron has actual meaning in the game now.

[ShayRey]

I'm really most excited for the things I mentioned. I don't blame people for talking about the bear scene, but I could care less really. I wanted scaly boys and got them, we got a potentially cool custom origin, and it's Larian making this.

Suffice to say, I need to get a better computer before the game comes out, cause the one I have can't even run Solasta. XD

[Delta Centauri]

Originally posted by Dragon Master:

Originally posted by Delta Centauri:

Eh, I'm just worried the focus on romantic options could bite them in the ass later in the future. I know people always ask/beg for it, but it can always lead to complications as the years go on.

As long as Larion doesn't make a blogpost saying they're disappointed in the stats over how people played the game more tame than they imagined, I'm fine with as much player choice as people want. I'm excited for Baldur's Gate 3 because I generally struggle with the Pathfinder games and I like how this (and Solasta) plays into verticality and turn based so well.

While there may be a focus on romance that seems mostly to be a byproduct of their focus on role play in general.

Being able to create a character as any race or class and having dialogue unique to those options, creating more options in dialogue for players, and being able to give options to players for how to interact with whatever characters they want in whichever manner they choose.

Just like how D&D works.

Romance and developing relationships will just be a part of that, especially after it has become so popularized in rpgs over the last 20 years when BG2 first introduced romanceable companions.

Whether it was the romance or just the ability to do what you and give in to The Dark Urge, the role play is there for the player and that seems to be the focus.

That's fine, I have nothing to disagree with. Just remember when you go about saying, "how to interact with whatever characters they want in whichever manner they choose" that devolves into sketchy territory like people complaining here of bestiality, whether or not Halflings can represent negative kinks, or people who struggle to understand consent.
This is coming from someone who played Dragon Commander and chose Ophelia way back when, none of this is a new 'controversial' concept to me.

[ExcaliburV]

Originally posted by Dragon Master:

It's also a shame that no one is talking about how a warlock's patron has actual meaning in the game now.

Oh, man, I actually forgot about that! Yeah, that's really cool, I was worried the warlock patron is just something that would have to be headcannoned.

I still don't think it'll be as fleshed out as Wyll's, but still, pretty cool.

[cl656]

Originally posted by Dragon Master:

Originally posted by Tommy The Gun:

I think that they showed what they showed purely for a "shock factor" so that we would talk about it (and not necessarily about BG3) . And while I agree that it is the player who will make decisions and make romances as they like... I kinda think that it is a shame that this topic has stolen the show after the panel ended. Almost no one seems to be taking about new cool Dragonborn race or Monk class or new Origin.

Well, at least now after 1 day it has become less shocking and more meme-ish & funny.

It's also a shame that no one is talking about how a warlock's patron has actual meaning in the game now.

Wasn't impressed with that. They chose to showcase Wylls Patron when referencing that. Made it look like a marketing tactic to get people excited. They should have shown a single example of any of the three types of patrons you can have as a custom.

[Dragon Master]

Now for a bit of levity.

Remember everyone, with the difficulty options that come with the full release of the game that nothing, absolutely nothing, is more shameful than lowering the difficulty. You will be judged. By the NPCs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIrLt8d2KKE