Extra Punctuation: Roleplaying Homosexual in Dragon Age 2

[Sniper Team 4]

I was going to ask how he handled the end game, but I see he covered that. I wasn't interested in Anders, and man was I angry at the end. I can only imagine someone pursuing a romance with him would be even more upset.
On a personal note, I don't think I like Anders being gay. (Throws in quick self-defense speech here), but because in Awakening, there was no hint of it. He seemed to be solely focused on the the ladies, so much so that it got to the point where I wanted to tell him to shut up. Him suddenly being gay was a bit of a jerking turn for me, breaking his character a bit. If it had been any other character I wouldn't have even noticed, but Anders I went, "Wait. Since when are you gay?"

 

[Loonerinoes]

After reading this article to its very end, I seem to have no recollection of what romance option it was that I picked in DA2. None at all! Nope. And even if I did, lord forbid that similar thoughts would float around in my head as were described here.

But I can say - thank you for writing this and may you continue to write onwards. I must say...you constantly keep surprising me and that is a very good trait of any person in my book.

 

[realslimshadowen]

Awww, Grumpy! You do care!

 

[20thCenturyBoy]

Interesting read!

It's lovely to know that you "pity" those who think differently from you...

"Those" being homophobes or any individual who sees homosexual romance as disgusting or unnerving.

 

[Dak_N_Jaxter]

But seriously, I admire Yahtzee's Balls.

Laying it all out like that, holding nothing back.

It's genuinely made me feel kinda crappy, since no matter how open minded I consider myself, in his position I would never be that honest about it.

 

[Prof. Monkeypox]

I named my Tepig Baykon, but there's no deeper meaning in that.

Back on topic. I really like these forays into Yahtzee's psyche, he brings up a lot of topics during ZP, and it's nice to sit down for a bit and understand what he really meant by (or what train of logic brought him to) a particular comment.

 

[fisk0]

I haven't played DA2 yet, nor really gotten into the relationship aspect of either Mass Effect or DA:O.
Yahtzee mentioned he went with the monogamy option, is there a 'legitimate' bi/polygamy option in the game? Since the monogamy-is-the-only-true-way thing in our society is mainly because of the dominating religions in the past millenia or so it could make sense in a fantasy world with a very different history than ours that no such restrictions would have been made up or enforced. So, how do your other mates react if you keep on pursuing new relationships after getting it on with someone? Will they always get mad if they find out or are there dialogue options to make your other mates accept that you're screwing around with your entire party?

 

[Jonabob87]

Interesting read!

It's lovely to know that you "pity" those who think differently from you...

"Those" being homophobes or any individual who sees homosexual romance as disgusting or unnerving.

To be a homophobe is to fear gayness, or being gay yourself. I'm not afraid of either of these things.

If you're meaning disliking gay people? Wrong again, gay people are as the term indicated "People who are gay". Still people and still worthy of every consideration you or me is worthy of of.

To be opposed to homosexual conduct or lovemaking makes me neither unpleasant nor insecure. It means I see something and don't like it.

If I saw something I didn't like and disliked the person for doing it that would be a whole 'nother story.

 

[Taluien]

A great view on the whole romance stuff that so freaking many people are crying about. I for one was quite a good friend to Anders with my first male Hawke. I encouraged him, I helped him, I trusted him. And although I never actively flirted with him as my Hawke was really after Merrill who was so very out of place in Kirkwall and confused and what not... I'm sorry, I lost focus here for a second. Anyway, after a certain mission for Anders he confessed to me he had started to develop feelings for me. And I sat there and could not decide on what to say to him for some minutes. I did not want to hurt him or give him the feeling that I shunned him for those feelings, but I didn't want to get his hopes up either. Now, in hindsight, I realize that at that moment this game and the characters that it contains, reached out and touched me, and made me think how both I and this Hawke would react to such an event.

Anyway, Yahtzee, thank you for pointing out how you thought about the whole ting with DA2 romances. It was a good read and lead me to think a bit.

 

[Ickorus]

My big problem was that they were all bisexual, it just felt like a lack of effort by the writers.

 

[Samnite]

Spoiler

I killed Anders. On both playthroughs. Just sayin'.

 

[ace_of_something]

I agree this was probably the first game where I didn't feel 'awkward' or really stupid while pursing a romantic subplot. My super kind-hearted version of Hawke took a fondness to the troubled Merrill and his love helped her from falling completely into obsession.
It was actually something i enjoyed watching.

Also, judging by the underware Merrill is wearing in the post-lovin' scene... she must be a fuhh-reeak if ya know what i'm sayin'

 

[daemon37]

I always role play the same character in RPGs. A straight(ish), red-headed human female magic-user. As a result, I've had the pleasure of romancing many virtual men... despite the fact that I am a heterosexual male. It does get uncomfortable when it's overly sappy, but usually it doesn't bother me much.

My recent romance with Garrus was strangely satisfying, but all REALLY awkward. Bioware has a talent for writing realistic romances.

 

[CleverCover]

You have just officially made my day. Really, that was just the best thing ever.

Finally, someone who writes about one of the greatest parts in these games. Role-playing and getting to know someone...through another person's eyes.

I'm gonna go have a private squee over in my corner.

 

[Darth IB]

It's nice to see someone write something nice about DA2 for a change.
And I agree, although I've never gone for a gay romance option yet, in any game. Guess I'm not secure enough for that yet, or maybe it's just coincidence that my characters don't turn out that way. What I do know is that it doesn't bother me when the male characters hit on my character.

 

[Gormers1]

This read made me "dawww", to say it as stupidly as possible. I really agree with the "not playing yourself part", but I guess thats what some people always wants to do.

 

[feauxx]

is post made my day, wonderful read.

i haven't finished dragon age: origins yet, so i have no experience with the dragon age romances. but i felt the exact same way when playing mass effect with a female commander shepard. she just belongs with liara. and there was no way in hell she was gonna settle for some dude in mass effect 2, what the hell was bioware thinking! but then they made lair of the shadow broker and shepard was complete again.

i look forward to finishing both dragon age games and hope bioware keeps up the diversity in their games and are not scared off by all this uproar over dragon age 2. it's probably too far along into the series but i wish mass effect had more versatile romantic options for male and female shepard like dragon age.

 

[qbanknight]

This has to be the most oddly deep post Yahtzee wrote, it's heartfelt and imaginative to explain the connection to a character. Forget the sexuality, the fact that the developers were able to make you bond with a character so closely is a testament to the developers

 

[Sparrow]

Damn. I suppose I should have stuck it to Anders, then.

[sup]Now that I think about it, watching my guy do Merrill was like watching a horse and a dog go at it: entirely wrong on every level.[/sup]

 

[Susurrus]

I found the gay romance in DA:O uncomfortable...