Sex and Romance Poll

[Rinu]

I voted for All except for 4th option (1st and 3rd preferably) but I actually don't mind if romances are absent. Good story and believable characters are top priorities for me.

[qloher]

I want a more Intellectual kind of sex\romance, with lots of interesting dialogue, quests and well behaved characters

Exactly this.

Also that does not exclude a possibility of option 1 and 2 (I personally am not interested in homosexual romances but I agree it's only fair to have those for people who roll that way; also we don't need cleavages everywhere, but having them occasionally here and there where it's appropriate and makes sense is always welcomed).

[Muzrub333]

I voted none of the above, not because I don't think they should be in the game, but because honestly, I could care less. Absolutely something I don't want to have to deal with, but if others like that kind of thing it's okay. Make any type of relationship pure fluff. There should never be any posative or negative results from relationships placed upon a character in game...the reward should be whatever stimulation the player gets from the experience.

 

In other words; sure, put them in the game, but don't punish/reward me in any way if I choose to ignore/explore them.

[General_Disarray]

I like it when there's a large, WELL-WRITTEN variety of romances. Of any sexual orientation. I find that romances can add to the game, but not if they only serve as a dating-sim style 'tick right flags, have a sex scene.' Done right it can serve to add an interesting extra dynamic to a character, but done wrong it can drag everything down.

 

Oh, but I don't want it to possible to romance everyone as anyone. There's something uncanny, and immersion breaking about everybody in the entire universe being bisexual. That and it screams 'these character's are just here to spread their legs for you,' which I detest.

 

That said, I don't see why they wouldn't have them in the game at all. If you like them, you take them, if you don't, well, it's possible not to take them, surely? It doesn't feel like implementing the option would drastically affect the experience of those who don't wish to follow a romance plot, or am I missing something here?

 

Side note: OP, in your poll what do you mean by 'well behaved'? This phrase carries odd connotations...

Edited September 17, 2012 by General_Disarray

[Luckmann]

I want something that doesn't feel forced or politically correct for the sake of being politically correct, like we so often see these days. I want a believable universe, not a make-believe mirror of the current cultural hegemony in our own civilization.

 

Romances can be well done, but often, they're just tropes and going-through-the-motions. If they are included, don't forget options, options, options. I think anyone going for an "evil" romance in Baldur's Gate II for example, was sorely disappointed. Or anyone playing a human; 3 options. All elves. Le sigh.

 

Edit: Unless you were female, of course. In which case you got Anomen. Which is, amazingly, even worse.

You know, all those woes are easily fixed by not having any romance options. At all.

Which is why I voted "None of the above".

 

I'd prefer no romances at all, to bad romance options.

 

Ultimately, I care very little for the romance options. Mostly, they just make me groan because they are badly done, forced, or both. I love how in Dragon Age, you can end up in a romance just by being nice to someone, they'll suddenly ask you if you want a relationship. Say no, or tell Zevran to "butt off" (no pun intended) and your influence tanks.

 

Thinking of it, it's the same in Mass Effect.

 

God, all those romances are just so horrible...

Edited September 17, 2012 by Luckmann

[Troller]

I like it when there's a large, WELL-WRITTEN variety of romances. Of any sexual orientation. I find that romances can add to the game, but not if they only serve as a dating-sim style 'tick right flags, have a sex scene.' Done right it can serve to add an interesting extra dynamic to a character, but done wrong it can drag everything down.

 

That said, I don't see why they wouldn't have them in the game at all. If you like them, you take them, if you don't, well, it's possible not to take them, surely? It doesn't feel like implementing the option would drastically affect the experience of those who don't wish to follow a romance plot, or am I missing something here?

 

Side note: OP, in your poll what do you mean by 'well behaved'? This phrase carries odd connotations...

Well I guess well behaved like a more religious kind of thing you know, sex only after marriage, girls with decent clothing that kind of stuff I imagine

[^Rayne^]

Some people are taking the No Romance option only because it was done poorly in some other games they played. Let's assume for a second that a group of professionals who are interested in making a superb game are also focused on making some adult level romance options too. I think the designers are up for the challenge and this is funded by players so they don't have to cater to teen ratings when it comes to dealing with adult subject matter. For those who don't want to engage fine, don't bother with it when the option presents itself, but it is clear there is a larger half that wants something smart in the game and for that crowd I don't see how it can hurt to have some smart options available here. (By the way when I say adult and mature I'm not talking about X-rated, I'm talking about complex and realistic relationships that are not designed to be the next sequel in the Twilight series).

 

Who knows if Romance options are in the game and handled well maybe it will convert some of you on the "nay" side of the fence. I trust the designers they have on this project to do great work here.

Edited September 17, 2012 by ^Rayne^

[Phekdra]

Please no, unless it's really integral to the plot. Not the select enough correct replies and you get a chance to share my tent of recent and not so recent Bioware games.

 

By major games standards this is going to be meagrely funded, even if we get to 3-4 million, and I'd be absolutely furious if my pledge was going towards computer porn. And if there ends up being a stretch goal for romance I promise I will pull my pledge before spontaneously combusting.

[Karranthain]

Reading these forums one might think that Project Eternity is actually a dating simulator, not an RPG. Sorry, but I'm a bit fed up all those romance topics - there are far more interesting topics to discuss - be it mechanics, the setting etc. etc. This game doesn't need romances.

Edited September 17, 2012 by Karranthain

[Elerond]

I voted for option 5, but really I don't really care lot of the option 2 and for options 1 and 3, want is too strong of the word, prefer would be better word. Truth is that I don't mind romance options I usually go them through if they are writen well, but they are not deciding factor for me to support this game.

 

More important for me are understable relationships, logical reasons for companions to travel with me and stay with me. In most of the new RPGs you can be very abusive towards your companions and play against all their beliefs and goals and still they don't leave you and some games even reward you for doing this (read DA2, with it rivalrity option). I would like see same kind relationships what they were in Arcanum, which had characters who join with you for common goal, but if you slip of from that they leave you or some cases they even try stop you. And of course there was those companions that hate each other from reason or other and attack target of their hatred on sight and even you if you are with the target.

 

If there are romances the reason for romance should be reasonable, but I would like see some other plot twist than PC actively chase after his/her companion/s. I would like see companion who have case of hero worship toward PC and actively try seduce PC and if PC say no companion tries even harder and this kind thing leads in most of the cases in absolute disaster, but also add game's fun factor.

[JediMB]

Reading these forums one might think that Project Eternity is actually a dating simulator, not an RPG. Sorry, but I'm a bit fed up all those romance topics - there are far more interesting topics to discuss - be it mechanics, the setting etc. etc. This game doesn't need them.

 

An RPG doesn't necessarily need adventure either, but no one is saying to leave those for the adventure games.

 

I agree on that there are too many threads on the subject, though. Perhaps the moderators should try to enforce keeping most of the romance discussion in the same thread.

Edited September 17, 2012 by JediMB

[Tamerlane]

yeah. adventuring ain't a swinger party -.-

You and I have been on vastly different adventures, comrade.

 

EDIT: But srsly, there's some real "Twilight was bad, therefore A Farewell To Arms was, too" **** all up in here.

 

 

_{Though I wasn't actually a big fan of A Farewell To Arms, save for a few scenes...}

Edited September 17, 2012 by Tamerlane

[Karranthain]

An RPG doesn't necessarily need adventure either, but no one is saying to leave those for the adventure games.

 

I would venture to say that adventure is far more integral to the RPG experience

[gongal]

Why not make it a transsexual visual novel for that matter? And please remove all the RPG elements, it's boring.

[JediMB]

An RPG doesn't necessarily need adventure either, but no one is saying to leave those for the adventure games.

 

I would venture to say that adventure is far more integral to the RPG experience

 

Only in an adventure-oriented RPG. Which, granted, is exactly what this is.

 

But, you know, you could have a War RPG or any number of other RPG variations that don't involve adventuring.

 

And for a lot of people, the Adventure genre (both in film and games) involves romance in some form.

 

Why not make it a transsexual visual novel for that matter? And please remove all the RPG elements, it's boring.

 

Define "RPG elements".

 

I'm pretty sure "role-playing" could be an essential part of the experience, and when you're role-playing as a hero out on adventures with people s-/he potentially grows close with... Yeah.

 

And, really, visual novels--in my limited experience--tend to be fairly stripped-down RPGs, mechanically, so it's not like those mechanics have no place in an RPG.

[General_Disarray]

 

Side note: OP, in your poll what do you mean by 'well behaved'? This phrase carries odd connotations...

Well I guess well behaved like a more religious kind of thing you know, sex only after marriage, girls with decent clothing that kind of stuff I imagine

 

Hmm, I'd like it if a couple of characters were, for want of a better word, 'pure' so long as it was part of character rather than a trait, like 'the cute one' or 'the well-behaved one'. But not if all characters were wholesome. That would be boring.

[Amentep]

Got to say...I think I have no opinion on this.

 

Most relationships in RPGs are perfunctory or forced upon you (I couldn't create a character with a family, for example, or a family is forced upon me). So in that sense I don't mind romances but don't really need them either.

[Smejki]

I want anything that makes sense is feels believable (no matter how perverse it is). That's it. But Obsidian were always good in this so this is not an issue for me.

Edited September 17, 2012 by Smejki

[limaxophobiacq]

Voted 4 and I'd rather it not be a big focus if it is included, but if it is a homosexual option should be in there. I'd like to see other people in the setting who are in relationships though (and I'd probably enjoy it if a pair of party members are an item); most adults IRL are in relationships and it's pretty weird for so few named characters to be in most settings.

Edited September 17, 2012 by limaxophobiacq

[Elfwyn]

Including a "Dating Sim" into the Character Development like it was done in BG2,NWN2 and DAO is a good addition to character development in my opinion, as long as the player has the choice to ignore it alltogether. Since this game will not become a 3D-Monster it is save to assume that there won't be any scenes like there were in DAO.

I absolutely loved the the way BG2 included this theme, and I was really flashed with motivation when Aerie got abducted (oops Spoiler...)

I voted for 3.

[Auxilius]

I'm all for romances if they are included organically in the story. After all, love is bound to grow if you travel together with someone for a long time, saving each other lifes on a daily basis. It's a good way to keep you interested in a character, especially if they reference what they lived with the PC.

But if this is a sidequest where you have to go out of your way to make someone love you, then no, it's not worth it.

It's amusing but a game who succeeded at that was Skies of Arcadia. The girls became closer to Vyse naturally. It was subtle but there. You could completely ignore it if you wanted and most people felt it was the continuity of all the adventures they went through.

Also, there was no sweaty nor blatant sex. Sex can't be done correctly in fictions. See The Witcher 1. God that sucked.

[Ariya]

Maybe I'm just soppy but I've always loved a bit of romance in games and in fantasy books for that matter. RPG = Role Playing Game and I like to be able to play a character who actually has feelings, who feels like an actual person rather than just a bunch of stats. Plus I like being able to go "aww that's so sweet" in the breaks between bashing/shooting monsters/aliens etc in the face. But then I enjoy RPGs probably more for the story and character interaction than for the combat mechanics.

[gongal]

 

Why not make it a transsexual visual novel for that matter? And please remove all the RPG elements, it's boring.

 

Define "RPG elements".

 

I'm pretty sure "role-playing" could be an essential part of the experience, and when you're role-playing as a hero out on adventures with people s-/he potentially grows close with... Yeah.

 

And, really, visual novels--in my limited experience--tend to be fairly stripped-down RPGs, mechanically, so it's not like those mechanics have no place in an RPG.

 

Thank you, captain obvious.

Edited September 17, 2012 by gongal

[Exseed]

Optional, well-developed, believable, intellectual and emotionally engaging romance written by Obsidian? Why not. It's not like it's shoved down one's throat. It's just another sub-plot (feature) you have the liberty to experience or skip.

Edited September 17, 2012 by Exseed

[Azzy]

What I want is for Obsidian and the folk making the game to do what they want. What fits their talents and what fits their characters and the story they are telling. Saying none of this and must have/must not have in this area doesn't seem fitting I want to see what Obsidian makes when they aren't given a list by a publisher of do's and don'ts