Frustrating relative lack of LGBT NPCs in this game

[Hurlstone]

There are benefits to both storytelling that is subtle and open to interpretation, and storytelling which actually aims to make a point and explore specific themes. The game should not ‘pigeon hole’ itself into one form of creative expression for specific aspects. Thats just cutting of interesting and potential ways to explore the worlds characters and lore.

[Caurcas]

It's the zeitgeist of the time. A political issue divides people into tribes, and these tribes conflict. Also, it is inherently sexual, so no wonder it creeps most people out.

[Xirean]

It's the zeitgeist of the time. A political issue divides people into tribes, and these tribes conflict. Also, it is inherently sexual, so no wonder it creeps most people out.

Care to explain how?

[deadman1204]

It's the zeitgeist of the time. A political issue divides people into tribes, and these tribes conflict. Also, it is inherently sexual, so no wonder it creeps most people out.

So every character to has a husband/wife is sexual? Is the valentines day just a big pron fest? Over sexualized? Why is straight not sexualized, but anything else is?

[Caurcas]

Care to explain how?

It's in the title, and is a relationship defined by sexuality. Not hard to understand.

[Xirean]

It's in the title, and is a relationship defined by sexuality. Not hard to understand.

So any romance of any kind is sexual to you?

[KizuyaKatogami]

That's not really what 'canon' means from a literary standpoint. Canon isn't true or false, and I think it's weird to talk about literature in those terms. Canon doesn't deal with interpretation at all. It just refers to the actual contents of the text put in front of the viewer. The music, the scenes, the dialogue. Anything the viewer takes out of that becomes interpretation.

"Ryne and Gaia are friends," is an interpretation. "Ryne and Gaia have a sisterly bond," is an interpretation. "Ryne and Gaia have a blossoming romance," is an interpretation.

Eden's story was left pretty open ended and ambigious, and the text supports multiple readings and interpretations. That's the beauty of storytelling, different people could come away with completely different readings of the same story, and that's a good thing.

A word to describe something that is true to the original story.

Things considered “canon” are basically considered “true” (in the story).

-Similar Words:
Not Canon; Something that isn’t true to the original story.
Head-Canon; Usually used when someone creates their own AU (Alternate Universe), and adds their own “canon” part in their story.

I don’t see what was ambiguous when the journal and story itself states they’re close friends, that Ryne wants to save her friend.

Would you take that stance if they were not both girls and nothing else about the writing changed?

Yes, simply because the writing and journal states that theyre friends. It is never stated to be anything more than that, especially if you bring Mitron into the picture and if you want to take the savage version as context, she seems to still care for him. Loghrif and Mitron are said to have been romantically involved. We can use that as a template to compare that to ryne and gaia and they arent very similar whatsoever.

There are a lot of "relationships aren't a part of the story or quests" posts but aren't there a load of side quests where you're helping someone find their husband/wife or something like that where it is very clear that two heterosexual people are in a relationship. Also do we not remember Dulia-Chai and Chai-Nuzz, who are very clearly in a relationship and a prominent part of the ShB story. So yes there are lots of instances of heterosexual couples everyone just doesn't notice it because its so "normal".

There are also side quests involving gay npcs though. Theres one again, wanderers palace npc's that are both explicitly gay. Theres those two guys in kugane where the one falls in love with the actor who portrays a woman and then they meet and the guys says he doesnt care that hes a man. You have various npcs around the world that are bi or gay as well.

[IkaraGreydancer]

Just kill the thread. Jesus christ. I'll say it again. Let the devs do what they want. Don't ask for representation, be that representation. Validate yourself, don't look for it elsewhere. And if you can't do as such you have some soul searching to do. Period

[SieyaM]

There are a lot of "relationships aren't a part of the story or quests" posts but aren't there a load of side quests where you're helping someone find their husband/wife or something like that where it is very clear that two heterosexual people are in a relationship. Also do we not remember Dulia-Chai and Chai-Nuzz, who are very clearly in a relationship and a prominent part of the ShB story. So yes there are lots of instances of heterosexual couples everyone just doesn't notice it because its so "normal".

[Hurlstone]

There are a lot of "relationships aren't a part of the story or quests" posts but aren't there a load of side quests where you're helping someone find their husband/wife or something like that where it is very clear that two heterosexual people are in a relationship. Also do we not remember Dulia-Chai and Chai-Nuzz, who are very clearly in a relationship and a prominent part of the ShB story. So yes there are lots of instances of heterosexual couples everyone just doesn't notice it because its so "normal".

I feel that finding/helping a characters significant other its almost as common as ‘fetch’ quests in MMOs (May Mankrik's Wife forever live on in WoW lore...) Plus in regards to main characters we have the wonderful Chi’s as you say, plus Y'shtola/Runar, Moenbryda/Urianger, Thancred being known as a ‘ladies man’ in ARR, Wedge and his crush on Tataru etc. I get that such things are in no way the main part of the game, but it is still present is some forms, and whilst in not in anway a necessity, it can be a worthy aspect of character development and storytelling.

Asking to find the husband of a guy is not the sexualization of a game nor is finding the wife. Attributing an orientation to the guy, straight or gay, is sexualizing the guy in the broader meaning of the word, not the game and it’s not pejorative or negative, it is a neutral term to describe a situation. SE did not give an orientation to many npcs and people can make their own stories.

To be fair the former is what most people are asking for, not the latter. Sexulisation is in the game no doubt, but in this case it has nothing to do with character writing or NPC relationships and more, well, I will gesture to the creative use of Adventure Plates and Glam gears!