Romance and friendship?

Personally, I'm against romances in the game as I've never played a game previously that had romances in it where they weren't done absolutely appallingly. Some seriously cringe-worthy moments altogether.

 

I'm just not convinced they can be done well in a computer game. I do enjoy the deepening of relationships between the player character and their companions and people they meet, but it always goes horribly wrong once it edges towards being a romance. Plus it gets to the stage where you can't talk to the character more than a couple of times about anything and they start offering you constant romance options.

 

So, I'd be happier if they're left out but it's up to the developers at the end of the day.

One of the things I thought Dragon Age did well was the little relationship meter. I don't mean the fact I could see it, but the fact NPC's went from indifferent, to warm, to friendly, etc. The downside was getting them to be romancable was damn easy.

Influence/friendship/whatever meters don't work. By adding them, you make the player pick dialogue options not based on his/her opinions or feelings, but rather what he thinks the NPC wants to hear, to get a relationship boost and unlock new conversations or bonuses. It might be better if it's hidden, but still I'd rather not have such mechanics.

Only when you are metagaminng or roleplaying a complete flatterer. If it's the first option, then congratulations, you are ruining the game for yourself by your own choice.

Influence meters are the only way to keep non player characters reactive to player's choices throughout the game.

This is a role playing game reborn from a bygone era, tactical party based combat, an original and brand new setting. Some of the greatest writers and designers of RPGS ever are working on this project. and what are some people most concerned about ? if they can have a virtual romance ingame......

 

Seriously get your prioritys sorted, this promises to be at the very least one of the greatest RPGS of the last decade. Be excited about us getting a fantastic game with a grand story. Be less excited about playing dating sim mini games.

 

Look at what Bioware have become, look at what they did with Dragon Age 2, or as I like to call it "Dragon Age : we'll **** anything that breathes!" You add some romance options and the" I WUB MY WAIFU!" crowd decend upon every social media platform and demand more. For gods sake they spent more time making sure you could shack up with people then writing a coherent ending! Stay tuned for Dragon Age 3 : "This time you can date a Qunari!"

 

You put in party banter and flirts, and they want harems. You put in a peck on the cheek and they want full blown orgy sex scenes.

 

Well I say NO MORE! The line must be drawn here! This far no further!

 

I would rather the writers spend time creating meaningful dialogue, where I find out all sorts of interesting things about my party, then waste one second constructing meaningless romantic overtures. Its' one of the reason's I'm so glad this is Josh and MCA's baby, cause I know they wont.

 

You want a realistic and great romance plot to come out of Project Eternity? Give it to people in the third game when the party members have known each other for years and have seen and been through some serious crap together.

Only when you are metagaminng or roleplaying a complete flatterer. If it's the first option, then congratulations, you are ruining the game for yourself by your own choice.

Influence meters are the only way to keep non player characters reactive to player's choices throughout the game.

 

Which I can tolerate fine as a black box mechanism, but under no circumstances would I ever tolerate a visible meter of any sort in relation to character development. That just cheapens the entire effort into a very visible minigame. Copious amounts of flaming dog feces upon certain doorsteps....

One of the things I thought Dragon Age did well was the little relationship meter. I don't mean the fact I could see it, but the fact NPC's went from indifferent, to warm, to friendly, etc. The downside was getting them to be romancable was damn easy.

Influence/friendship/whatever meters don't work. By adding them, you make the player pick dialogue options not based on his/her opinions or feelings, but rather what he thinks the NPC wants to hear, to get a relationship boost and unlock new conversations or bonuses. It might be better if it's hidden, but still I'd rather not have such mechanics.

Only when you are metagaminng or roleplaying a complete flatterer. If it's the first option, then congratulations, you are ruining the game for yourself by your own choice.

Influence meters are the only way to keep non player characters reactive to player's choices throughout the game.

Or we can simply have them react to flags for previous events/choices and the one currently in. No?

For some reason the majority of bisexual characters are rogues, while kights in shining armor are always straight. Coincidence?

 

As an aside, I have never seen anyone as happy with a romance in a game as one of my gay friends was after he modded Dragon Age to allow a gay romance with Alistair. Both he and his boyfriend (they played the game together on a huge-ass TV) ended up with a huge crush on that character.

Or we can simply have them react to flags for previous events/choices and the one currently in. No?

 

Like in the original BG & P:T?

 

Thats the best way me thinks.

 

This is a role playing game reborn from a bygone era, tactical party based combat, an original and brand new setting. Some of the greatest writers and designers of RPGS ever are working on this project. and what are some people most concerned about ? if they can have a virtual romance ingame......

 

Seriously get your prioritys sorted, this promises to be at the very least one of the greatest RPGS of the last decade. Be excited about us getting a fantastic game with a grand story. Be less excited about playing dating sim mini games.

 

Look at what Bioware have become, look at what they did with Dragon Age 2, or as I like to call it "Dragon Age : we'll **** anything that breathes!" You add some romance options and the" I WUB MY WAIFU!" crowd decend upon every social media platform and demand more. For gods sake they spent more time making sure you could shack up with people then writing a coherent ending! Stay tuned for Dragon Age 3 : "This time you can date a Qunari!"

 

You put in party banter and flirts, and they want harems. You put in a peck on the cheek and they want full blown orgy sex scenes.

 

Well I say NO MORE! The line must be drawn here! This far no further!

 

I would rather the writers spend time creating meaningful dialogue, where I find out all sorts of interesting things about my party, then waste one second constructing meaningless romantic overtures. Its' one of the reason's I'm so glad this is Josh and MCA's baby, cause I know they wont.

 

You want a realistic and great romance plot to come out of Project Eternity? Give it to people in the third game when the party members have known each other for years and have seen and been through some serious crap together.

 

Dont wanna burst your bubble, but romances or "adult romantic interations" as i think it was put in the interview are confirmed to be in the game.

 

Also, you underestimate what a romance between characters can do from a storytelling perspective, Dialogue & Inner party "banter" was what made "old-school" RPGs for me. Thats Why BG & FO are my favorite RPGs of all time.

 

But since i have strong feeling that post was kinda troll. lol

Edited October 17, 2012 by BR4ZIL

Only when you are metagaminng or roleplaying a complete flatterer. If it's the first option, then congratulations, you are ruining the game for yourself by your own choice.

Influence meters are the only way to keep non player characters reactive to player's choices throughout the game.

 

Which I can tolerate fine as a black box mechanism, but under no circumstances would I ever tolerate a visible meter of any sort in relation to character development. That just cheapens the entire effort into a very visible minigame. Copious amounts of flaming dog feces upon certain doorsteps....

Makes sense.

One of the things I thought Dragon Age did well was the little relationship meter. I don't mean the fact I could see it, but the fact NPC's went from indifferent, to warm, to friendly, etc. The downside was getting them to be romancable was damn easy.

Influence/friendship/whatever meters don't work. By adding them, you make the player pick dialogue options not based on his/her opinions or feelings, but rather what he thinks the NPC wants to hear, to get a relationship boost and unlock new conversations or bonuses. It might be better if it's hidden, but still I'd rather not have such mechanics.

Only when you are metagaminng or roleplaying a complete flatterer. If it's the first option, then congratulations, you are ruining the game for yourself by your own choice.

Influence meters are the only way to keep non player characters reactive to player's choices throughout the game.

Or we can simply have them react to flags for previous events/choices and the one currently in. No?

You can't really base a general attitude of a certain NPC towards the player on dozens of fundamentally different flags, that would be a mess and a designer's nightmare. Unless there are like 4 flags per character per game. Flags are good for permanent underlying reactions like "player kills an innocent civilian/child => companion X now hates and wants to kill you no matter your previous relationships" or said 4 flags per 4 crucial points. For more trivial things there should be a meter.

Edited October 17, 2012 by qloher

Well, if there are no romances I still would buy the game...wait, I already have!

 

But really, I don't get it why some people are so against it. Reminds me of some threads and post at the Bioware forums about DA3..or any other Bioware game.

 

As I see it: Romances so far always were optional. You didn't have to make out with Morrigan or Alistair if you didn't want to. And yes, I am a cynical romantic, I even added the "Marriage Celebration Mod" for Alistair and my female Warden...got me over my ME3-Depression!

 

A little "sexual" or romantic tension in dialogues in PE...Why not? It is a natural thing, a pleasant thing. It doesn't need to be the main focus of the game, but a little flirting here and there, maybe a kiss...what is to say against it? Every RPG tells a story, and most stories have a little romance in it (even Conan the Barbarian flirts around .. and worse ... after beheading some people!)

 

But please, for all that is holy: I never EVER want to see a charactrer like Anomen Delryn from BG2 as the only possible option for a female char. Than rather no romances at all for anyone...

The demand for Bioware level romance in games reminds me of the 'extended' version of Stranger in a Strange Land that included 2x the content that was cut from the original printing. The extra material basically was a precursor to the sexual revolution, except that by the end the author implies that the only way to truly know and love people is to sex them. You can not know and love parents, children, best friend, anyone unless you sex them regularly... I understand why the publisher demanded the extra content to be cut originally... because it was juvenile masturbatory fantasy. This must be what the current RPG customers want, because 'romance is a vital component of all deep relationships'.

 

Why can't we just have real relationships that don't hinge on bumping uglies?

This is a role playing game reborn from a bygone era, tactical party based combat, an original and brand new setting. Some of the greatest writers and designers of RPGS ever are working on this project. and what are some people most concerned about ? if they can have a virtual romance ingame......

 

Seriously get your prioritys sorted, this promises to be at the very least one of the greatest RPGS of the last decade. Be excited about us getting a fantastic game with a grand story. Be less excited about playing dating sim mini games.

 

Look at what Bioware have become, look at what they did with Dragon Age 2, or as I like to call it "Dragon Age : we'll **** anything that breathes!" You add some romance options and the" I WUB MY WAIFU!" crowd decend upon every social media platform and demand more. For gods sake they spent more time making sure you could shack up with people then writing a coherent ending! Stay tuned for Dragon Age 3 : "This time you can date a Qunari!"

 

You put in party banter and flirts, and they want harems. You put in a peck on the cheek and they want full blown orgy sex scenes.

 

Well I say NO MORE! The line must be drawn here! This far no further!

 

I would rather the writers spend time creating meaningful dialogue, where I find out all sorts of interesting things about my party, then waste one second constructing meaningless romantic overtures. Its' one of the reason's I'm so glad this is Josh and MCA's baby, cause I know they wont.

 

You want a realistic and great romance plot to come out of Project Eternity? Give it to people in the third game when the party members have known each other for years and have seen and been through some serious crap together.

 

Spot on! *brofist*

Edited October 17, 2012 by jarpie

Also, you underestimate what a romance between characters can do from a storytelling perspective, Dialogue & Inner party "banter" was what made "old-school" RPGs for me. Thats Why BG & FO are my favorite RPGs of all time.

 

But since i have strong feeling that post was kinda troll. lol

 

I don't think BG or FO has romances though, at least as we currently understand them.

 

I am just saying do not underestimate how all consuming and destructive romances can be from a storytelling perspecitive. I don't mind if they are there and will enjoy them if they are but they need to be small optional content not become this huge consuming thing like with the Bioware games. But generally I like how Obsidian has handled these things in the past so I probably should not be worried.

Just a question for those anti-sex, anti-romance, anti-all supporters.

 

What do you think about Mr. Fisto Robot and Ghoul Cowboy Prostitute from Fallout: New Vegas game?

Well, if there are no romances I still would buy the game...wait, I already have!

 

But really, I don't get it why some people are so against it. Reminds me of some threads and post at the Bioware forums about DA3..or any other Bioware game.

 

As I see it: Romances so far always were optional. You didn't have to make out with Morrigan or Alistair if you didn't want to. And yes, I am a cynical romantic, I even added the "Marriage Celebration Mod" for Alistair and my female Warden...got me over my ME3-Depression!

 

A little "sexual" or romantic tension in dialogues in PE...Why not? It is a natural thing, a pleasant thing. It doesn't need to be the main focus of the game, but a little flirting here and there, maybe a kiss...what is to say against it? Every RPG tells a story, and most stories have a little romance in it (even Conan the Barbarian flirts around .. and worse ... after beheading some people!)

 

But please, for all that is holy: I never EVER want to see a charactrer like Anomen Delryn from BG2 as the only possible option for a female char. Than rather no romances at all for anyone...

 

Wow, was Anomen Delryn (lol, he had an surname) that bad as a character? i never had him for long in my party (sorry anomen, but Edwin's gotta take your place) so i really cant say much about him (a problem i am currently facing, since i have no ideia for a banter between him & my NPC mod)

 

I don't think BG or FO has romances though, at least as we currently understand them.

 

Yeah i kinda went off a little bit , i meant BG2 & ToB and FO for the exemplary NPC (not only companions) dialogue

Edited October 17, 2012 by BR4ZIL

The word romance hasnt been mentioned once, Mr Avellone chose his words carefully. There is nothing wrong with party banter and interaction. There is something extremely wrong with writers being forced to construct characters that fall head over heels in love with you. I dont have anything against romance, what bioware portray as romance is laughable. It's masterbation for the player, there is no meaning behind it.

 

I would argue that the only way party romances could work and be well written is if they were between two party members and excluding the very blank faced and generic PC. Thats romance between two characters that the writters have created and I can live with that.

Edited October 17, 2012 by diablo169

One of the things I thought Dragon Age did well was the little relationship meter. I don't mean the fact I could see it, but the fact NPC's went from indifferent, to warm, to friendly, etc. The downside was getting them to be romancable was damn easy.

Influence/friendship/whatever meters don't work. By adding them, you make the player pick dialogue options not based on his/her opinions or feelings, but rather what he thinks the NPC wants to hear, to get a relationship boost and unlock new conversations or bonuses. It might be better if it's hidden, but still I'd rather not have such mechanics.

Only when you are metagaminng or roleplaying a complete flatterer. If it's the first option, then congratulations, you are ruining the game for yourself by your own choice.

Influence meters are the only way to keep non player characters reactive to player's choices throughout the game.

 

Meters are fine and dandy, but I am happy that the option to hide them will be present in PE. Seeing meters like make it hard to invest myself in the characters and dialogue. Hopefully OE will be able to satisfy the metagamers and LARPers roleplayers with the optional functions!

Or we can simply have them react to flags for previous events/choices and the one currently in. No?

 

Like in the original BG & P:T?

 

Thats the best way me thinks.

 

This is a role playing game reborn from a bygone era, tactical party based combat, an original and brand new setting. Some of the greatest writers and designers of RPGS ever are working on this project. and what are some people most concerned about ? if they can have a virtual romance ingame......

 

Seriously get your prioritys sorted, this promises to be at the very least one of the greatest RPGS of the last decade. Be excited about us getting a fantastic game with a grand story. Be less excited about playing dating sim mini games.

 

Look at what Bioware have become, look at what they did with Dragon Age 2, or as I like to call it "Dragon Age : we'll **** anything that breathes!" You add some romance options and the" I WUB MY WAIFU!" crowd decend upon every social media platform and demand more. For gods sake they spent more time making sure you could shack up with people then writing a coherent ending! Stay tuned for Dragon Age 3 : "This time you can date a Qunari!"

 

You put in party banter and flirts, and they want harems. You put in a peck on the cheek and they want full blown orgy sex scenes.

 

Well I say NO MORE! The line must be drawn here! This far no further!

 

I would rather the writers spend time creating meaningful dialogue, where I find out all sorts of interesting things about my party, then waste one second constructing meaningless romantic overtures. Its' one of the reason's I'm so glad this is Josh and MCA's baby, cause I know they wont.

 

You want a realistic and great romance plot to come out of Project Eternity? Give it to people in the third game when the party members have known each other for years and have seen and been through some serious crap together.

 

Dont wanna burst your bubble, but romances or "adult romantic interations" as i think it was put in the interview are confirmed to be in the game.

 

Also, you underestimate what a romance between characters can do from a storytelling perspective, Dialogue & Inner party "banter" was what made "old-school" RPGs for me. Thats Why BG & FO are my favorite RPGs of all time.

 

But since i have strong feeling that post was kinda troll. lol

 

They were? Care to provide me link to the said interview?

Just a question for those anti-sex, anti-romance, anti-all supporters.

 

What do you think about Mr. Fisto Robot and Ghoul Cowboy Prostitute from Fallout: New Vegas game?

 

I don't see anything wrong with them. They aren't in-depth companions that I am supposed to interact with frequently or take seriously.

You can't really base a general attitude of a certain NPC towards the player on dozens of fundamentally different flags, that would be a mess and a designer's nightmare. Unless there are like 4 flags per character per game. Flags are good for permanent underlying reactions like "player kills an innocent civilian/child => companion X now hates and wants to kill you no matter your previous relationships" or said 4 flags per 4 crucial points. For more trivial things there should be a meter.

First off, the meter isn't required to be seen by the player, it's just a variable on the background. Second not everyone will care about everything(except from a paladin, or any other kind of extreme lawful aligned character, perhaps). Third nesting of structures helps. Fourth C&C, choices should matter, so flags should still exist.

 

Lastly the "choices & consequences being a hell" reasoning, is what made nothing matter in ME3, added the Avenger Assault Rifle or animation of bitchslap and the "Shepard is always a Soldier in cutscenes".

Edited October 17, 2012 by kenup

You guys didn't read the thread before posting, right?

 

Dont wanna burst your bubble, but romances or "adult romantic interations" as i think it was put in the interview are confirmed to be in the game.

 

They confirmed mature relationships. Mature relationship != romance.

 

http://forums.obsidi...60#entry1247996

 

But really, I don't get it why some people are so against it. Reminds me of some threads and post at the Bioware forums about DA3..or any other Bioware game.

 

Here are some reasons.

 

http://forums.obsidi...80#entry1248118

This is a role playing game reborn from a bygone era, tactical party based combat, an original and brand new setting. Some of the greatest writers and designers of RPGS ever are working on this project. and what are some people most concerned about ? if they can have a virtual romance ingame......

 

Seriously get your prioritys sorted, this promises to be at the very least one of the greatest RPGS of the last decade. Be excited about us getting a fantastic game with a grand story. Be less excited about playing dating sim mini games.

 

Look at what Bioware have become, look at what they did with Dragon Age 2, or as I like to call it "Dragon Age : we'll **** anything that breathes!" You add some romance options and the" I WUB MY WAIFU!" crowd decend upon every social media platform and demand more. For gods sake they spent more time making sure you could shack up with people then writing a coherent ending! Stay tuned for Dragon Age 3 : "This time you can date a Qunari!"

 

You put in party banter and flirts, and they want harems. You put in a peck on the cheek and they want full blown orgy sex scenes.

 

Well I say NO MORE! The line must be drawn here! This far no further!

 

I would rather the writers spend time creating meaningful dialogue, where I find out all sorts of interesting things about my party, then waste one second constructing meaningless romantic overtures. Its' one of the reason's I'm so glad this is Josh and MCA's baby, cause I know they wont.

 

You want a realistic and great romance plot to come out of Project Eternity? Give it to people in the third game when the party members have known each other for years and have seen and been through some serious crap together.

 

Thank you. :salute:

And just for fun, here's Bioware writer Patrick Weekes' somewhat amusing reaction to that: http://www.rpgwatch....98&postcount=32

 

Well no huge surprise but I kind of agree with him.

Only that I'd actually love someone to make me a medieval combat simulation, where every wound would be terrifying!

Gangrene, amputations and all the lovelies. And I wouldn't mind finding a good crpg with some nice harem anime thrown in.

Probably wouldn't make a great game with the two combined, but it'd be an interesting one for sure.

This is a role playing game reborn from a bygone era, tactical party based combat, an original and brand new setting. Some of the greatest writers and designers of RPGS ever are working on this project...

 

 

 

Good points, good points. Therefore the tasteful and mature implementation of Romance\Sex should be no issue in the game for people of such eminent technical ability?

[

I don't think BG or FO has romances though, at least as we currently understand them.

 

I am just saying do not underestimate how all consuming and destructive romances can be from a storytelling perspecitive. I don't mind if they are there and will enjoy them if they are but they need to be small optional content not become this huge consuming thing like with the Bioware games. But generally I like how Obsidian has handled these things in the past so I probably should not be worried.

 

Something I would like to see for a change, considering that PE hopefully becomes a franchise using the same hero as import, is a romance that has truly grown. Not just like "Hey, I am the hero, lets make out before we kill the endboss!"...but that evolves over time. And please, no showering with gifts to increase the love-level...either connect a relationship to the story and dialogue, or not at all.

 

Bioware actualyl had the chance for this with Mass Effect...but sadly they decided not to make a coherent trilogy, but three games simply labeled Mass Effect, and rather added a cohort of pointless side-characters instead of focusing on the already established ones...

 

Don't know if a romance like that is possible/wanted in PE, but it could become a powerful tool for transporting emotions. You know, for many people it really is something different to see a character in danger that their hero is in love with than...Randomcharwarriorhalforc.

This is a role playing game reborn from a bygone era, tactical party based combat, an original and brand new setting. Some of the greatest writers and designers of RPGS ever are working on this project. and what are some people most concerned about ? if they can have a virtual romance ingame......

 

Good romances can help people connect with characters and make 'you' care about them

Edited October 17, 2012 by Ruka