Alien side boob.

[Moon Rabbits]

So I bought Mass Effect a few days ago. It pretty much has consumed my life since then. I love everything about it.

Except the annoying romantic sub-plots. I think Bio-ware stuck the random lesbian alien sub-plot crap in to appeal to male gamers, not any of the queer community. I wants me some Shepard x Garrus loving.

Anyway, I hope they include the option in Mass Effect 2 ... though I doubt it. It would hurt sales too much I think and cause too much controversy. Though, I can still hope - Fable did it, after all.

Discuss Mass Effect and its upcoming sequeeeeeeeel~

[Slothy]

It can't cause more controversy than the alien side boob did. I was very disappointed to find out that Bioware gave a lesbian romance sub plot but no option for a gay male subplot. Not that I'd actually care about going that route, but it does demonstrate a severe lack of balls and a desire to appeal to your average male gamer on their part (as you said). I'm hoping they grow a pair so to speak for the sequel because I'm tired of seeing the double standard.

[Loony BoB]

It's not a "severe lack of balls", it's "business". They'll do whatever makes the game sell best. If they deem homosexual sex between males to cause them to lose potential profit and they have no reason to make some kind of social statement, they won't put it in. However, it's possible that they might see it as a way to get publicity and drive sales up that way - you never know. But I honestly don't expect it because, as I said, it's about business and little else.

I look forward to Mass Effect 2, very much.

[Madame Adequate]

Mass Effect does not feature lesbian sex. Liara is not female, she is an Asari, and they only have one gender which is neither male nor female. The fact that Asari happen to appear female from the Human perspective doesn't mean a whole heck of a lot. In fact the Humans are the only species I can call to mind who do have obvious (from our perspective) sexual dimorophism.

Also I think it is a bit insulting to suggest that something with A must have B. There doesn't have to be equivalence. I can't really think of someone with whom gay would have worked (Possibly Kaidan, I guess) and introducing or changing a character solely for that purpose would have been pretty insulting too.

I didn't encounter the romantic sub-plot first time I played through, incidentally. I didn't even see a hint of it.

[trancekuja]

random lesbian alien sub-plot

Where can I get this game?

[Mirage]

Gamestop.

[Slothy]

It's not a "severe lack of balls", it's "business". They'll do whatever makes the game sell best. If they deem homosexual sex between males to cause them to lose potential profit and they have no reason to make some kind of social statement, they won't put it in. However, it's possible that they might see it as a way to get publicity and drive sales up that way - you never know. But I honestly don't expect it because, as I said, it's about business and little else.

I look forward to Mass Effect 2, very much.

Trust me, you don't have to tell someone with a Business degree sitting on their love seat (because I'm too lazy to hang it anywhere :D) that it's all business. I just still find it sad that they'll have a lesbian relationship (I don't care if her fictional race has one gender, she's blatantly presented as female from a human perspective and calling her anything else is arguing semantics. If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck...), but not go the other way too. Of course, that says more about how prudish Western culture can be than it does Bioware.

[Loony BoB]

I imagine the same can be said for the Eastern cultures? YOU CAN'T HAVE ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER VIVI22!!!!!! >=(((((

[Depression Moon]

It's not a "severe lack of balls", it's "business". They'll do whatever makes the game sell best. If they deem homosexual sex between males to cause them to lose potential profit and they have no reason to make some kind of social statement, they won't put it in. However, it's possible that they might see it as a way to get publicity and drive sales up that way - you never know. But I honestly don't expect it because, as I said, it's about business and little else.


I look forward to Mass Effect 2, very much.

Trust me, you don't have to tell someone with a Business degree sitting on their love seat (because I'm too lazy to hang it anywhere :D) that it's all business. I just still find it sad that they'll have a lesbian relationship (I don't care if her fictional race has one gender, she's blatantly presented as female from a human perspective and calling her anything else is arguing semantics. If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck...), but not go the other way too. Of course, that says more about how prudish Western culture can be than it does Bioware.
It might also be that the developers just think that it's hot!

[Ouch!]

I was going to make the comment that it's not lesbian sex because Liara isn't technically female, but MILF already covered that for me.

[LunarWeaver]

Jade Empire let a male romance Sky, another male. Bioware has already done it before, though there was no sex scene, only kissing. Although if I recall right, the same-sex kiss scenes black out earlier than the opposite sex kiss scenes. http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i29/LunarWeaver/Buttercup_Poster.gif I honestly didn't care about the lack of male on male action in Mass Effect, though. idgaf

I really love Mass Effect. I'm eagerly awaiting the sequel. They took decisions to a whole new level in my opinion. The work it must take to make these games gives me a headache to even think about. Thankfully the team is willing to do it. I hope the cover system is better in the second. I thought it was clunky in the first game, one of my few complaints. Oh, and the driving stuff, but I always hate vehicles in games coz I'm so like that.

[Moon Rabbits]

I much dislike the vehicular parts of the game. I don't understand abilities either (do your teammates automatically use their own abilities?) ... or weaponry. I don't see a reason for using the pistol; the shotgun sucks too. I'm only about 10 hours in though.

Asari are definitely female for the purpose of this discussion, imo¬ The codex says that they are an "all-female" race. It just annoys me that EVERY pairing is possible in this game, save for the manxman ones.

[Loony BoB]

It just annoys me that EVERY pairing is possible in this game, save for the manxman ones.
Meaning two pairings are possible. Or one if you play as a guy (which I did). You make it sound like there are hundreds of pairings. :p I wonder if there are any games that have guy-on-guy but not girl-on-girl, and if lesbians around the world were outraged or not...

[Iceglow]

I much dislike the vehicular parts of the game. I don't understand abilities either (do your teammates automatically use their own abilities?) ... or weaponry. I don't see a reason for using the pistol; the shotgun sucks too. I'm only about 10 hours in though.

Asari are definitely female for the purpose of this discussion, imo¬ The codex says that they are an "all-female" race. It just annoys me that EVERY pairing is possible in this game, save for the manxman ones.

The Mako is pretty cool once you get used to it just carry tons gel to fix it up by turning old equipment in to gel with the Y button.

Pistols for characters reliant on sniper rifles are invaluble try playing as an infiltrator (my favourite class by far) where you rely entirely on the sniper and pistol. Ok so you can use the shotguns and assault rifles too but with no "zooming" facility on the aim it's only useful to have a half decent assault rifle for blind fire situations and surpressing fire. Though if you're playing through properly you'll have someone who can use the assault rifle much more effectively (likely to be Ashley or Garrus) to put in the party.

Shotguns are brilliant "storm weapons" when going through as a soldier or other "close up" class I like using shotguns when fighting in tight corridors because up close a shotgun can do tremendous damage and kill tough enemies faster than an assault rifle.

As for abilities? You've got the ability wheel on one of the buffer buttons I believe the left button (360, unknown for pc) you teach them an ability and then when you want to say disrupt the enemies you can select an ability and command that person to use it the main difference I find is the Biotic abilities of Liara and Kaidan who will use the suitable ability regulary without prompting though they both have a tendency to overspam the lift/throw ability. I belive the game can be tweaked in options to make them use their abilities automatically however this can often leave them not taking cover when needed.

I also agree with the Asari comment, sorry Cougar but the Asari are clearly listed in the codex as "all female" they can mate with any other race however. That said I don't recall seeing any female Turians which means it is possible the two races represent the opposite ends of the genetic scale not to mention the Asari seem to come from worlds with a lot of flora and fauna where the Turians come from a world with so much heavy metals the race even has metal skin!

About the original topic of the gay/lesbian sub plots? I'm not too bothered by the idea of the gay/lesbian subplots but looking at the internet and most guys if you said to the general gaming/internet population "hey we're going to do gay love plots where you can go have guy sex with a metal skinned alien!" I can see that not going to cause mass riots for the game on launch but if you say "Guys, get this, you can have a lesbian relationship with a hot plant like chick who looks vaguely remniscent of a Twi'lek!" it's going to sell just remember that in KOTOR I remember chatting up a Twi'lek or two as a female char.

[Loony BoB]

On a random note inspired by the gel/Y-button thing, I think they also need to dramatically improve the inventory system. It was terrible.

[Iceglow]

Agreed BoB the inventory system was a little of a let down also there was at least for my infiltrator a lack of challenge of getting some very heavy firepower early on just by going to the "unexplored" worlds and finding wrecks ect with locked chests.

[Madame Adequate]

Huh, you guys are right about the codex. My mistake, general point conceded (Though I maintain that in the main they're stated to be a sui generis).