Remove Gender from Romantic Relationships

Benny the Icepick · April 08, 2016, 12:17:36 PM

As Nasikabatrachus so eloquently put it, attempting to represent the entirety of human sexuality can be very trying in a game like this, especially one with such a small population of colonists. Rather than trying to code in traits for the LGBTQ community, and crossing your fingers that the two gay colonists might maybe be socially compatible, wouldn't it be easier to allow relationships of all stripes to occur regardless of the pawns' genders?

You're out in the middle of nowhere with only a few humans in your immediate vicinity. The likelihood that you'll develop strong feelings (whether positive or negative) for the people around you is practically inevitable. Why not allow the possibility for romance to form between anyone? (barring relatives, of course)

PotatoeTater · April 08, 2016, 12:22:35 PM

I think that the gender requirements are set simply because all characters in the game are pawn, so technically removing a gender requirement would make it harder for animals to mate since they wouldn't sneak out the opposite gender always. By making "gay" a pawn trait, it allows for that problem to be side stepped since animal pawns do not have traits to modify them.

Lady Wolf · April 08, 2016, 12:33:10 PM

As someone pointed out in another thread about same sex relationships, until such time at EDP's prepare carefully mod is updated to include setting relationships you can easily enable debug mode once the colonists crash land, and use the dev menu to add the trait to any colonists you choose. (takes only a min whenever you start a new game.)

Not an ideal solution, but does let you change the sexual orientation of your colonists as desired.

mumblemumble · April 08, 2016, 01:38:29 PM

Really absolutely against making all colonists bisexual, its not fair as a mechanic to say, force straight characters (as in creative rewards characters) to be incidentally gay no matter what. In fact, that feels like it would be a serious violation. It was would also be extremely unrealistic for ALL PEOPLE to be open to bisexuality.

Also just because you have a small community does not mean everyone would get with everyone, even if you insist in high attraction / compatability, SOMEONE PEOPLE SIMPLY WILL NOT TANGLE WITH THE SAME SEX. These people exist, and are common. And its really bad to assume everyone is bi but "just in the closet", because at some point along the line, a choice is made. Not to feel certain ways, but to embrace / act on such thoughts. And you can't get with the same sex unless you choose "I'm going to get with the same sex", regardless of any feelings, pursuing is a choice.

I also want to say, as predicted, adding in gay traits only added fuel for people asking for more. I don't think I even saw anyone thank tynan for adding it in the first place, just demanding more.

haad34 · April 08, 2016, 03:57:32 PM

Who the hell cares... its a game the creator does what he see's fit. Removing gender based relationships from the game, that's just ridiculous. Stop trying to be an SJW and just enjoy the game. Not everyone is a bisexual. There are people who are gay in the game.

PotatoeTater · April 08, 2016, 03:57:58 PM

Quote from: mumblemumble on April 08, 2016, 01:38:29 PM
Really absolutely against making all colonists bisexual, its not fair as a mechanic to say, force straight characters (as in creative rewards characters) to be incidentally gay no matter what. In fact, that feels like it would be a serious violation. It was would also be extremely unrealistic for ALL PEOPLE to be open to bisexuality.

Also just because you have a small community does not mean everyone would get with everyone, even if you insist in high attraction / compatability, SOMEONE PEOPLE SIMPLY WILL NOT TANGLE WITH THE SAME SEX. These people exist, and are common. And its really bad to assume everyone is bi but "just in the closet", because at some point along the line, a choice is made. Not to feel certain ways, but to embrace / act on such thoughts. And you can't get with the same sex unless you choose "I'm going to get with the same sex", regardless of any feelings, pursuing is a choice.

I also want to say, as predicted, adding in gay traits only added fuel for people asking for more. I don't think I even saw anyone thank tynan for adding it in the first place, just demanding more.

Every well said mate. You have a great point about people's thoughts and a good point about the creative rewards system.

Mathenaut · April 09, 2016, 04:45:38 AM

Can someone explain to me why someone just doesn't mod this? Or is this a specific insistence that it be in the core game for some reason?

Little Hell · April 09, 2016, 12:37:35 PM

Quote from: Mathenaut on April 09, 2016, 04:45:38 AM
Can someone explain to me why someone just doesn't mod this? Or is this a specific insistence that it be in the core game for some reason?

You brought peace to this issue (?

WAIT! There's a bisexual trait?

RemingtonRyder · April 09, 2016, 07:14:31 PM

No such trait exists. Basically what's being suggested is that the Gay trait be removed and all colonists would then default to being bisexual. Which would be an oversimplification.

Many people develop strong preferences for romantic and/or sexual relationships with the opposite gender. For the rest, preferences can and do vary. It is true that you would find it difficult to trait out all of the particular labels, however it wouldn't be a problem to plot them as a continuum (i.e. an individual could mark a spot on an X Y plot which best represents their attraction to others).

Thing is, it's a bit more work than it's worth. Yes, I'm saying that even though I would like to see it happen.

First of all, assuming the technical hurdles can be overcome, you have to go back to all the Creative Rewards people and ask them to fill out the new data for their pawn. And ask anyone who signs up for it in the future.

Secondly, the data goes into the game and the system is tested.

Finally it makes it into a release and everyone complains about it either because there aren't enough pawns which are mutually attracted, or because there's a mutual attraction that they don't like.

tl;dr 21st century humans have quaint notions about sexuality, ergo it's not likely to get past the first step because Tynan doesn't have to be prophetic to see how things are going to turn out.

Mikhail Reign · April 09, 2016, 08:53:06 PM

couldn't you counter some of this argument with the 'all old timey sailors were at least bi because of the the loneliness' trope?

Lady Wolf · April 09, 2016, 09:19:40 PM

Quote from: Mikhail Reign on April 09, 2016, 08:53:06 PM
couldn't you counter some of this argument with the 'all old timey sailors were at least bi because of the the loneliness' trope?

One could also cite that culture helps determine sexuality, such as the sexual openness of the Greeks, and the Roman empire. Depending on the culture that comes to being in the space faring setting of Rimworld there's arguably a solid reason for everyone to be bi, and an equally solid reason for it to remain a definite minority.

But since the Rim World galaxy is by and large an unknown, and the specific details of it are left up to Tyann, I'm happy to leave such chances to various mods. (Knowing some people, I can imagine there will also be a "no same sex relationship" mod as well, which is also fine since it lets those who want to experience a "straight" story in Rimworld to do so.)