BrutaleBent

As I'm an avid BG2 fanboy, I think it got just the right amount of voice acting needed to make it great. The more the sweeter, if done right, but I understand budgets... and stuff... >.>

--what type of romance plot do you enjoy (tragic, happy ending, marriage/family)? I'm definitely the kind who ultimately likes a happy end, though, if it fits the general theme, I’m not gonna reject a tragic or bittersweet ending. Though, I much prefer happy ends, because I love to be the god damn hero who kicks evils butt for goodness (Yes, I am just about Minsc, and can never get myself to play the/a bad guy, sadly). Marriage, and family more so, is something that should most likely belong in an epilogue, BG2:ToB style, for me. --are there particular game mechanics that you like to see when romances are included (complex questlines, cutscenes?)? Well, not gonna say no to a questline, but preferably it should have something to do with the main story, or feel important and just not a “Ohh, you travelled to my grandmothers ogre infested house to get her necklace, while we are on an hasty quest to save the world!” It has to make sense. . Cutscenes are nice if done right. By done right, I mean animations, lack of censor ship if so needed. Think The Witcher 2 had it right in that regard, it’s time we, the world, got past the “omg nudity is bad in games, think of the kiiids”, but that’s another topic completely. Knowing that this game will never go that way, I’m much in favor of how it was handled in BG2 + ToB, and KOTOR1. No visible “meter”, only variables in the background (meters makes for lousy romance/friendship RPG elements imo). Also, if animations are lackluster, BG2 style with just pop-up screens and text + good voice acting is fine for me. --what romances or relationship plots from other games did you enjoy that can serve as examples? Again, I really liked BG2 and KOTOR. What’s needed for romances, or even pure friendship/RPG in general, to work is that it feels natural, has depth, makes you feel something, like when watching a good movie and empathize with characters, be they NPC or your own. BG2 and KOTOR did that for me. KOTOR mainly because that game was made for exactly my type of character… Dual wielding lightsaber buttkicking mary sue getting the girl and saving the galaxy… Yeah yeah, sue me. :b And BG2 due it felt so “natural”, more or less. Dragon Age 2 romances felt very forced. There were some decent elements in them, but they were usually a little over the top for me either with how strong they came on or how the character was made; emo elf boy, childlike in spirit and body elf chick, powerful gay wizard coming on to you the first dialogue option more or less… It just came on too strong or characters felt so very cliché. Liked Isabella to some degree though (bye bye credibility). However, the NPC gem for me was Bethany – we got along well and I cared for her. --What, even, is romance? Love! Be it the kind spurred by the irrationality of being “in love”/attraction, or love made by taking it the slow way of friendship -> attraction -> couple. I prefer the latter, though the first is not to be ignored either! Though, romances (or love if you will) can play out in a huge variety of ways, sooo, it’s all in the hands of the creator, as it can lead to good and bad things alike.