1. Bioware didn't bring us Icewind Dale and Heart of Winter, BlackIsle did.
I know. I lumped them together since they used some of the same material. It was a mistake and will be retracted.
I feel this misses the point. Bioware have made that first step forward by remembering what companies forget time and time again: Female gamers exist.
Some is better than none then? I disagree. I don't see a token effort as anything to be applauded.
Women represent 10% of the gaming audience,
You have recent statistics to back this up? I think you underestimate.
this is a very male orientated industry (just look at E3). By dedicating 25% of the romances (almost more, a Haer'Dalis romance was scrapped, and a Valygar one was being worked into ToB) Bioware were making a first tentative step forward.
Many industries are male oriented. I work in the comics industry and am surrounded by the very essence of
male oriented every day. That does not mean that the boys-only mentality should go unchallenged. It also does not mean that every tiny step toward fairness should be applauded as if it were a trip up Mt. Everest.
This led to one choice, though the guy was an arrogant, vain fool. I believe Bioware misjudged in this respect, believing women would enjoy persevering, making him into a "better man".
I'm sure some women do enjoy that sort of thing.
However, we should not forget that this game stands out like a sore thumb for considering women at all. Did Planescape Torment? Nope. Star Trek Elite Force had a romance, though for women it was a lesbian one and virtually nothing changed (the sequel forces you to be a man).
Again, a token effort is just that. So they took a teensy step toward doing what most games
should be doing. So what? The effort they put into taking women gamers into account was half-hearted at best. For all we know, Anomen was designed
not for female players, but for the male player that sometimes likes to play a female PC.
Perhaps there is another, but I can think of no other game that offers women a dedicated romance (when they take on a role within the game), and certainly not one with this level of interaction. Bioware should be praised for their forward thinking... even if they went backwards in NWN (in so many ways).
They deserve praise only if this is a real effort on their part. Taking a tiny step then backtracking in NWN (and I have to rely on you for this as I haven't played it) is not a real effort.
Look, if I sound angry it's because I am,
but not at you. I am simply sick and tired of being expected to cheer for every piddly, supposely pro-fem effort that comes down the pike. It's not enough anymore.
We all know what needs to be done. By not doing it, (or not doing it right) BioWare only proves their lack of real interest. Now they can throw up their hands and say,
"Oh well, we tried and it didn't work. Now we can get back to the way things have always been..." It simply remains to be seen if that is how it all works out.