Over-saturation of Agenda Politics (SPOILERS)

[Maverick56]

Okay, so since the game launched, (But really since EA launched), this game has been a hotbed for a lot of stuff...

A big one being the LGBT+ side of things. For the most part I ignored these conversations, content with the thought that I could play the game however I wanted, and others could play how they wanted, and everyone could be happy. This unfortunately didn't happen...

For Act 1 (90% of which was available on EA) there is a distinct lack of identity politics, modern agendas, and pretty much anything that could be considered..."hot button issues" for the most part. Yes, all the companions are flirty, no mater your preference, and yes Astarion is...annoying as ♥♥♥♥, and yes, all the "strong melee buff classes" are played by females...but its all pretty much how I expected a Baldur's Gate game to be. Witty, crass, gore filled...it was great. Hence my positive outlook.

They had some random "Gay Gnomes" and such here or there which didn't really bother me because, sure whatever.


However that all went down hill with the full release and Act 2. From the start there was some clear...agendas going on. Zevlor the previous rallying cry of the Teiflings, abandons his people...okay odd off screen flip but sure, lets go with it.

You get to Last Light, and Jaheira..who is somehow now centuries old (Because this is set like 100 years after the Bhallspawn stuff) is back and totally without ANY of the character development she had in Baldur's Gate 1 & 2. Back to the crotchety female druid, who acts like the greatest thing since sliced bread, even though she is super incompetent. (Fortunately she admits this, but...she still acts like she is superior, while failing...?)

Then as we go through Act 2 the player is BOMBARDED with non-stop flirting from every companion REGARDLESS OF IF WE TOLD THEM NO. We are then stuck between 2 options.

1. Accept them and be forced into awkward as ♥♥♥♥ scene with them.
2. Decline and be a ♥♥♥♥.

In my play-through I decided I was going to romance Shadowheart from the start. I showed no interest in Gale, Wyll, Astarion, or Halsin. I did flirt with Lae'zel and Karlach a little, but never did I ever encourage "the boys" because I am playing a straight, male.

However even though I was literally in a relationship with Shadowheart, Gale guilted me into a super awkward look up into the night sky...Wyll wanted to dance, and Astarion the flamboyant one that he is, literally asked to go for a romp.

And if you decline, you come off as a HUGE ass.

But that isn't the end of the issue, it extends to the main story's writing too.

If you want Shadowheart to break free from Shar, you have to let the Nightsong live. If you do that, She..who is a lesbian Selunite assimar is somehow the "key" to beating Act 2's big bad guy. She then immediately claims the credit and center stage on your character, dose a "Girl Power!" move that is as cringe as the one from Avenger's Endgame, and then come to find out she is in a relationship with the Selunite daughter of the Act 2 boss, and that you are now forced to deal with her.

All this to say, I'm not overly fond of forcing this kinda ♥♥♥♥ into my playthrough when all I wanted was for Shadowheart to not be an emo slave to Shar...

[Maverick56]

Originally posted by ihatevnecks:

Originally posted by sunset261:

making literally every party character bi is as it doesn't reflect reality. Also it's kind of funny when people argue there's no political aspect when they literally hired a weirdo commie political youtuber as a VA.

They're playersexual. It's a simple choice made by Larian to allow players to romance any companion, regardless of their MC type, rather than restricting specific companions to specific preferences.

That's not "LGBT POLITICAL AGENDA OMG IDENTITY POLITICS" it's a game mechanic to allow the most choice. Because god forbid players are given more choice in an RPG.

Again, I've got no issues with the playersexual. Yes it's lazy, and is basically just pandering to the players, but hell, I'm a player, and I like being pandered to.

That being said, the implementation of the approval/romance system is bad.

Positive Approval Options are counted the same as Romance Options up until you say "No not interested" this is neither realistic, or immersive. This is my main complaint.

The "Agenda Politics" part of why I posted this is the over-saturation and poor writing behind other characters.

For example, the inclusion of the Gnomes in Act 1 being gay is perfectly fine, they have their own backstories, and it can be explored, or not based on the players interest.

Contrastly, Dame Aylin who can't be avoided, will bash you over the head with her (sob story if Isobel is dead) or basically non-stop assualt you with the fact that she is a tactless (by Isobel's own reaction) lesbian who would rather tell you what she is planning to do to her lover, then actually respond to your inquiry about Shadowheart's backstory...

[ihatevnecks]

Originally posted by Murderhobo:

I mean, if homeboy is trying to climb onto your ass, your choices there are kinda binary by default...

Did you want the option to tell Gale "just the tip" or something?

"Just the cantrip Gale, don't give me a whole spell slot"

[SpudByNight]

Originally posted by Gh0ulFrend:

Originally posted by Maverick56:

We just going to ignore Dame Aylin and all that forced down our throats? Got it.

This is what we mean my guy. You're not criticising the romance system. You just don't want queer people in the game. You don't want to see them. That's what we're calling you out on. We could have perfectly rational discussions around the romance system if you didn't base your entire discussion on "I don't want to see the gays. Them simply existing in game as part of the story is FORCING it on me".

Gay people are about 3%-5% of the population according to most census data.

In BG3 they seem to be about 60% of the in game population.

Maybe people are sick of a rather over the top depiction of things?

[Gh0ulFrend]

Originally posted by Zanteogo:

Originally posted by Maverick56:

Then as we go through Act 2 the player is BOMBARDED with non-stop flirting from every companion REGARDLESS OF IF WE TOLD THEM NO. We are then stuck between 2 options.

1. Accept them and be forced into awkward as ♥♥♥♥ scene with them.
2. Decline and be a ♥♥♥♥.

In my play-through I decided I was going to romance Shadowheart from the start. I showed no interest in Gale, Wyll, Astarion, or Halsin. I did flirt with Lae'zel and Karlach a little, but never did I ever encourage "the boys" because I am playing a straight, male.

However even though I was literally in a relationship with Shadowheart, Gale guilted me into a super awkward look up into the night sky...Wyll wanted to dance, and Astarion the flamboyant one that he is, literally asked to go for a romp.

And if you decline, you come off as a HUGE ass.

I agree with this 100%

The game tries to trick and guilt you into have a relationship with everyone. It's weird.

Gale is the worst for this by far. There is zero indication that what you are doing with him is supposed to be anything other than friendly. At the end it starts to lean towards more than just friendly and you can stop it. Problem is, the game doesn't see it that way, and he openly lusts for you and acts like your hot for each other afterwards.

I'm all for options. It's just weird when sexual things are FORCED on you.

Y'all are having WILDLY different experiences than I am. Genuinely not seeing this in my playthrough at all.

[zero]

Originally posted by SpudByNight:

Originally posted by Gh0ulFrend:

This is what we mean my guy. You're not criticising the romance system. You just don't want queer people in the game. You don't want to see them. That's what we're calling you out on. We could have perfectly rational discussions around the romance system if you didn't base your entire discussion on "I don't want to see the gays. Them simply existing in game as part of the story is FORCING it on me".

Gay people are about 3%-5% of the population according to most census data.

In BG3 they seem to be about 60% of the in game population.

Maybe people are sick of a rather over the top depiction of things?

who is included in this 60%, to make sure your data is accurate?

[Gh0ulFrend]

Originally posted by SpudByNight:

Originally posted by Gh0ulFrend:

This is what we mean my guy. You're not criticising the romance system. You just don't want queer people in the game. You don't want to see them. That's what we're calling you out on. We could have perfectly rational discussions around the romance system if you didn't base your entire discussion on "I don't want to see the gays. Them simply existing in game as part of the story is FORCING it on me".

Gay people are about 3%-5% of the population according to most census data.

In BG3 they seem to be about 60% of the in game population.

Maybe people are sick of a rather over the top depiction of things?

Dragons make up 0% of the population according to most census data.

In BG3 I've already seen 5!

[Maverick56]

Originally posted by SpudByNight:

Maybe people are sick of a rather over the top depiction of things?

This...

[高天原]

Originally posted by zero:

Originally posted by SpudByNight:

Gay people are about 3%-5% of the population according to most census data.

In BG3 they seem to be about 60% of the in game population.

Maybe people are sick of a rather over the top depiction of things?

who is included in this 60%, to make sure your data is accurate?

People trying to apply real-world statistica to a setting where bisexuality is the norm ROFLMAO.

[zero]

Originally posted by Maverick56:

Originally posted by SpudByNight:

Maybe people are sick of a rather over the top depiction of things?

This...

then dont engage in whatever you subjectively find "over the top"

[zero]

Originally posted by 高天原:

Originally posted by zero:

who is included in this 60%, to make sure your data is accurate?

People trying to apply real-world statistica to a setting where bisexuality is the norm ROFLMAO.

if your gonna claim 60%, you should be able to back it up, yes.

like i dont even think ive met a bisexual character yet, let alone enough revealing their bi to me to account for 60% of the people you meet.

[Kyutaru]

Originally posted by Maverick56:

Originally posted by SpudByNight:

Maybe people are sick of a rather over the top depiction of things?

This...

Then you admit it. You're afraid of the gays and don't want them in your game.

It's a Larian game, even Divinity Original Sin was over the top in everything from characterization to story to combat scenarios.

Funny how you draw the line at the presence of a certain type of people. What next? Too many elves? More goblins than what exists in real life?

[sunset261]

Originally posted by 高天原:

Originally posted by zero:

who is included in this 60%, to make sure your data is accurate?

People trying to apply real-world statistica to a setting where bisexuality is the norm ROFLMAO.

weird how this wasn't the case in BG2. But who am I kidding, you probably didn't play BG2.

[Isseus]

Originally posted by Proudly Toxic:

There's an easy solution OP.

Play Dark Urge, and give into the Urge every single time.

The Dark Urge is a joke. It's supposed to be this dark craving that you constantly have to fight, yet you can't do anything with it despite giving into it all the time. The game told me I'd chosen 10 RP options as the Dark Urge (achievement) and all I'd gotten to do was slaughter that bard girl, which was also completely scripted and not my choice. I want to be evil, but there's no options to do that apart from, what, killing the best mage in the game and eating a squirrel? Like act 1 is more than half the game in length and you can "giveinto your urge" three times.

[Call Sign: Raven]

Originally posted by Kalgert:

Originally posted by MrSaturn69420:

I know! But a blog post isn't a source!

Even if the "Blog Post" would showcase tweets from Larian calling out its playerbase for their choice of characters?

Actually, what WOULD be an acceptable source for you?

I'm aware of what Larian put on Twitter, it was clearly tongue in cheek and a joke.

Acceptable source? Well, they were talking about a percentage, so something peer-reviewed that supported the numbers the op was throwing out. Not a blog post from loltaku.

[Maverick56]

Originally posted by zero:

Originally posted by SpudByNight:

Gay people are about 3%-5% of the population according to most census data.

In BG3 they seem to be about 60% of the in game population.

Maybe people are sick of a rather over the top depiction of things?

who is included in this 60%, to make sure your data is accurate?

Lol of the 4 relationships you see in game (In ACT 1-2)

3 of them are.
Aylin + Isobel
Lunkbug + Gnome (Saved in Gyrmforge)
Alfria + L named tiefling (I can't remember she is saved in Moonrise)


1 of them is not.

Mayrina and her dead husband...

So it's around 60% yes.