The second GaymerX—the LGBTQ-oriented gaming convention—took place last weekend. In addition to workshops, parties and more Pokemon-themed competitions than you would think possible, the event also featured a number of guest speakers. Among them, Bioware's David Gaider, Jessica Merizan, Robyn Théberge, Karin Weekes and Patrick Weekes—who participated in two panels: "Building a Better Romance" and "Freaking out the Neighbours". Bioware have now uploaded the audio from both talks to YouTube.
Here's Building a Better Romance, described as, "a discussion of how romances came to be in BioWare games."
The second talk, Freaking out the Neighbours, focuses on representation, inclusiveness, and the negative reactions such topics can provoke. "What is 'good representation' in games and why would anyone be opposed to it?" asks the talk's description. "Considering the romance elements in BioWare games, we've heard it all, and it's worth discussing where some of these feelings come from and how it's possible for a developer to be inclusive in a way we can feel good about."
Each talk is just under an hour, but they're both interesting topics—and ones that reveal a lot about Bioware's approach and thinking.
