The "Unofficial" P.E. Relationship/Romance thread

[Uomoz]

I don't see why romance should have more space then any other PC\NPC interaction. I think there should be love (as it almost always pops up, human nature), but it should be treated as all the others interactions. My team, I want my bro, my lover, my teacher etc. Like in PST :D.

[Crusty]

Geez, and people get offended when the dating sims line gets thrown around.

 

I'm all in for natural romance. With no streamlined outcomes. That is:

 

- No 100s of gifts that fill a relationship bar.

- No relationship bar in the first place. A person can fall in love with someone who he/she hates, given a romantic moment happens.

- Romances should not have preset consequences such as bedding, marriage, children or what not. Player choice + NPC characteristics should decide what happens.

- Romance options shouldn't be limited to Player - companion. Other NPCs should be romancable as well and even companions can fall in love with eachother.

- Bitter relationships such as marrying someone you widowed, rape, becoming a widow etc. should happen as well.

 

Reads like a feature list for Love Plus or School Days or other games like it. Also, rape? Really?

Edited October 18, 2012 by Crusty

[Rahelron]

I think a large part of what made recent Bioware romances so tacky was the cinematic approach it took. It was all just a way to reach a climactic "scene". That combined with a lack of dialogue options and subtlety went a long way to turning people against romance in RPGs I believe.

 

I hope Obsidian includes a range of romances in this game and more importantly, they do it justice. After all, character relationships are important in a party based, story driven RPG, and romances are a very significant aspect of that.

 

I agree with you. If you decide to develop a party based RPG you have to take into account that the players are going to ask you well developed relationship between the party members, with a particular focus on the relationships between the main character and its companions. Being love one of the most important feelings in the world you can't avoid takling that topic either.

Edited October 18, 2012 by Rahelron

[Gorgon]

Rape happens a lot in the real world, it would be novel in a traditional CRPG, but I don't think the world is ready for a 'rape option' in a romance either. Just too creepy.

 

Be mindful what language you use when discussing it though, or the thread will likely wind up locked.

[shadbaze]

I enjoyed the romances in Baldurs gate 2 very much and would like too see something resemblant in PE.

 

A few tweaks to the BG2 System:

- Relationships should'nt end just because of ONE wrong answer (Maybe implement somthing like a hook-question to get back on the right track)

- More dialogue options per dialogue that lead to success (Does anyone how careful you've had to pick in the Jaheira dialogues? *sigh*)

- The last thing i want to hear in a Dungeon with a ton of Beholders, is that my main char got someone pregnant. Goes for all romance dialogues. (Seriously Aerie, youre preggers and the right time for you to discuss this is in the Underdark?)

- If you work with trigger events for romances, make sure that players actually stumble upon these triggers and dont have to google how to get things further (Jaheira, again)

- Make alignment count, not in the sense that every character just says "Uuh, you're Lawful good and I'm the wicked witch of the east, I don't want to talk to you", more in a sense that they are struggling with themselves. Would be silly if this would work for all romances, but one or two characters with flexible alignment would be nice

 

What BG2 did right is the depth, no cutscenes, the different characters rivalising for your love.

[ComMcNeil]

 

- The last thing i want to hear in a Dungeon with a ton of Beholders, is that my main char got someone pregnant. Goes for all romance dialogues. (Seriously Aerie, youre preggers and the right time for you to discuss this is in the Underdark?)

 

I am pretty sure, the romances stopped in the underdark and went on when you were out of there. I may be mistaken about the place, but there were definately points in the game, that halted progress in the character dialoges.

[shadbaze]

- The last thing i want to hear in a Dungeon with a ton of Beholders, is that my main char got someone pregnant. Goes for all romance dialogues. (Seriously Aerie, youre preggers and the right time for you to discuss this is in the Underdark?)

 

I am pretty sure, the romances stopped in the underdark and went on when you were out of there. I may be mistaken about the place, but there were definately points in the game, that halted progress in the character dialoges.

 

I stand corrected. It was only an example that I made up. I don't remember where exactly it happened, but I got some romance Dialogues in places where it just did'nt fit.

[svartelric]

The romance in BG was too invasive in my opinion; Torment's approach is something I find more interesting and nuanced, and a good compromise could be the KotoR2 or New Vegas way...

 

The point is, in my opinion, that the romance in the game should depend on the lenght and depth of the game itself; romance should not make or brake the game, but rather occupy a niche (optional, preferably) that sometimes, maybe even in important parts of the story, overlaps with the main storyline.

 

I think it should be a minor storyline that could be activated or not, like any other sidequest.

[Gorth]

- The last thing i want to hear in a Dungeon with a ton of Beholders, is that my main char got someone pregnant. Goes for all romance dialogues. (Seriously Aerie, youre preggers and the right time for you to discuss this is in the Underdark?)

 

I am pretty sure, the romances stopped in the underdark and went on when you were out of there. I may be mistaken about the place, but there were definately points in the game, that halted progress in the character dialoges.

 

I stand corrected. It was only an example that I made up. I don't remember where exactly it happened, but I got some romance Dialogues in places where it just did'nt fit.

I remember Jaheira deciding to discuss relationship details with me... 0.5 second before Firkraag turned me into medium rare Beuf de Gorth. The entire situation so bizarre it was hard not to just laugh a bit and then reload.

[Ichi86]

against sex

pro relationship between companions (part of the plot? or maybe a nice questline with a death in the end?)

[Ruka]

The romance in BG was too invasive in my opinion;

 

How was it too invasive? You could have ended it at anytime.

[Hatori1181]

I love romantic happy endings and endings with marriage or families. I'll be the first to admit that I am a hopeless romantic, and I love those few times I can really relish in it.

 

First and foremost, if there is a romance option for PE, it should be just that; an option. Possibly a gameplay toggle. That way, people like me can have what we want, but others that do not want that in their game can simply turn it off.

 

I would love to see a complex questline/dialogue that leads from strangers, to acquaintances, to lovers. Is this hard to do well? Yes. Does it have to impact the game? Of course not. There's a lot of development and writing time untill 2014, and obsidian knows what they're doing.

 

I know I'm going to get jumped on for this, but I liked how the mass effect romances were almost separate from the rest of the game. Maybe romances can't be started untill we have the stronghold? The stronghold could act like the ship in ME2. Quest hub, shops, ect. but what if it's also a place where you can really get to know the companions? Those of us that want to go down that path can, and if the option is toggled, people can talk to their companions without fear of starting a romance they don't want.

 

No game has handled romances perfectly. While some of the dialogue was cheesy, and some of the animations.. unnecessary, I applaud BW for taking the chances it did. Travelling with people, regardless of reasons, can cause all sorts of stress and anxiety, ask anyone that has performed on a show. You spend the majority of your days with people of mixed sexes, and there's bound to be some attraction.

 

The trick is writing that. It's tough, and likely impossible if you haven't experienced it yourself. But I still think it should be attempted, if only to push that narrative closer to being realistic.

[jarpie]

I love romantic happy endings and endings with marriage or families. I'll be the first to admit that I am a hopeless romantic, and I love those few times I can really relish in it.

 

First and foremost, if there is a romance option for PE, it should be just that; an option. Possibly a gameplay toggle. That way, people like me can have what we want, but others that do not want that in their game can simply turn it off.

 

I would love to see a complex questline/dialogue that leads from strangers, to acquaintances, to lovers. Is this hard to do well? Yes. Does it have to impact the game? Of course not. There's a lot of development and writing time untill 2014, and obsidian knows what they're doing.

 

I know I'm going to get jumped on for this, but I liked how the mass effect romances were almost separate from the rest of the game. Maybe romances can't be started untill we have the stronghold? The stronghold could act like the ship in ME2. Quest hub, shops, ect. but what if it's also a place where you can really get to know the companions? Those of us that want to go down that path can, and if the option is toggled, people can talk to their companions without fear of starting a romance they don't want.

 

No game has handled romances perfectly. While some of the dialogue was cheesy, and some of the animations.. unnecessary, I applaud BW for taking the chances it did. Travelling with people, regardless of reasons, can cause all sorts of stress and anxiety, ask anyone that has performed on a show. You spend the majority of your days with people of mixed sexes, and there's bound to be some attraction.

 

The trick is writing that. It's tough, and likely impossible if you haven't experienced it yourself. But I still think it should be attempted, if only to push that narrative closer to being realistic.

 

 

That is exactly the thing we do not want in PE and I very much doubt, and I'd be almost certain that PE won't have stuff like that. Have you maybe tried Sims Medieval?

[Mrakvampire]

That is exactly the thing we do not want in PE and I very much doubt, and I'd be almost certain that PE won't have stuff like that. Have you maybe tried Sims Medieval?

 

By saying 'we' you mean yourself and your reflection in mirror?

[Gecimen]

Geez, and people get offended when the dating sims line gets thrown around.

 

I'm all in for natural romance. With no streamlined outcomes. That is:

 

- No 100s of gifts that fill a relationship bar.

- No relationship bar in the first place. A person can fall in love with someone who he/she hates, given a romantic moment happens.

- Romances should not have preset consequences such as bedding, marriage, children or what not. Player choice + NPC characteristics should decide what happens.

- Romance options shouldn't be limited to Player - companion. Other NPCs should be romancable as well and even companions can fall in love with eachother.

- Bitter relationships such as marrying someone you widowed, rape, becoming a widow etc. should happen as well.

 

Reads like a feature list for Love Plus or School Days or other games like it. Also, rape? Really?

Rape happens a lot in the real world, it would be novel in a traditional CRPG, but I don't think the world is ready for a 'rape option' in a romance either. Just too creepy.

 

Be mindful what language you use when discussing it though, or the thread will likely wind up locked.

 

Nah you get it all wrong. I don't suggest the option of rape being given to the PC or that I want to see it animated in any sort of way. I'm saying IT SHOULD HAPPEN in this game world (e.g. in quest dialogs), of course if it adds to the realism of the story. Rape happens a lot in the real world but it happened a hundred times more in the earlier ages. I seriously feel I'm being lied to when I see that young woman quest giver unharmed in the middle of a town that just been sacked and with all those male bodies lie around. It's just not real.

 

While I hate all sorts of violence, a person being decapitated, feels like a worse crime than rape to me. If the other happens, there's no realistic reason for the other not to.

[HereticSaint]

Geez, and people get offended when the dating sims line gets thrown around.

 

I'm all in for natural romance. With no streamlined outcomes. That is:

 

- No 100s of gifts that fill a relationship bar.

- No relationship bar in the first place. A person can fall in love with someone who he/she hates, given a romantic moment happens.

- Romances should not have preset consequences such as bedding, marriage, children or what not. Player choice + NPC characteristics should decide what happens.

- Romance options shouldn't be limited to Player - companion. Other NPCs should be romancable as well and even companions can fall in love with eachother.

- Bitter relationships such as marrying someone you widowed, rape, becoming a widow etc. should happen as well.

 

Reads like a feature list for Love Plus or School Days or other games like it. Also, rape? Really?

Rape happens a lot in the real world, it would be novel in a traditional CRPG, but I don't think the world is ready for a 'rape option' in a romance either. Just too creepy.

 

Be mindful what language you use when discussing it though, or the thread will likely wind up locked.

 

Nah you get it all wrong. I don't suggest the option of rape being given to the PC or that I want to see it animated in any sort of way. I'm saying IT SHOULD HAPPEN in this game world (e.g. in quest dialogs), of course if it adds to the realism of the story. Rape happens a lot in the real world but it happened a hundred times more in the earlier ages. I seriously feel I'm being lied to when I see that young woman quest giver unharmed in the middle of a town that just been sacked and with all those male bodies lie around. It's just not real.

 

While I hate all sorts of violence, a person being decapitated, feels like a worse crime than rape to me. If the other happens, there's no realistic reason for the other not to.

 

I, at least to a small extent understand where you are coming from. (Hell, do you really think the raiders in Fallout who capture people don't do sick, twitsted things to them before killing them and then EATING them).

 

But people are so conditioned to find rape such an abhorent crime that its even worse than death and cannibalism and I don't think that's going to change anytime soon, no matter how mature a world they want to develop.

 

edit: dyslexia ftl.

Edited October 18, 2012 by HereticSaint

[jarpie]

That is exactly the thing we do not want in PE and I very much doubt, and I'd be almost certain that PE won't have stuff like that. Have you maybe tried Sims Medieval?

 

By saying 'we' you mean yourself and your reflection in mirror?

 

By 'we' who don't want Bioware-style romances in PE. You are obviously trying to suggest that I suffer from somekind of personality disorder, very decent of you.

[Living One]

That is exactly the thing we do not want in PE and I very much doubt, and I'd be almost certain that PE won't have stuff like that. Have you maybe tried Sims Medieval?

 

By saying 'we' you mean yourself and your reflection in mirror?

He means people of refined tastes,of course.

[Hatori1181]

I love romantic happy endings and endings with marriage or families. I'll be the first to admit that I am a hopeless romantic, and I love those few times I can really relish in it.

 

First and foremost, if there is a romance option for PE, it should be just that; an option. Possibly a gameplay toggle. That way, people like me can have what we want, but others that do not want that in their game can simply turn it off.

 

I would love to see a complex questline/dialogue that leads from strangers, to acquaintances, to lovers. Is this hard to do well? Yes. Does it have to impact the game? Of course not. There's a lot of development and writing time untill 2014, and obsidian knows what they're doing.

 

I know I'm going to get jumped on for this, but I liked how the mass effect romances were almost separate from the rest of the game. Maybe romances can't be started untill we have the stronghold? The stronghold could act like the ship in ME2. Quest hub, shops, ect. but what if it's also a place where you can really get to know the companions? Those of us that want to go down that path can, and if the option is toggled, people can talk to their companions without fear of starting a romance they don't want.

 

No game has handled romances perfectly. While some of the dialogue was cheesy, and some of the animations.. unnecessary, I applaud BW for taking the chances it did. Travelling with people, regardless of reasons, can cause all sorts of stress and anxiety, ask anyone that has performed on a show. You spend the majority of your days with people of mixed sexes, and there's bound to be some attraction.

 

The trick is writing that. It's tough, and likely impossible if you haven't experienced it yourself. But I still think it should be attempted, if only to push that narrative closer to being realistic.

 

 

That is exactly the thing we do not want in PE and I very much doubt, and I'd be almost certain that PE won't have stuff like that. Have you maybe tried Sims Medieval?

 

But if it were a toggle-able option, you could choose to turn it off. For you, it simply wouldn't exist.

 

Edit: Ah, so you want romances, just not those like in Bioware games. Fine, how would you want the dialogue to work? I only suggested the stronghold as a means of keeping the two things a bit separated. having a companion talk to you randomly is a novel idea, but it can get old and sometimes distracting.

Edited October 18, 2012 by Hatori1181

[Gecimen]

I know I'm going to get jumped on for this, but I liked how the mass effect romances were almost separate from the rest of the game. Maybe romances can't be started untill we have the stronghold? The stronghold could act like the ship in ME2. Quest hub, shops, ect. but what if it's also a place where you can really get to know the companions? Those of us that want to go down that path can, and if the option is toggled, people can talk to their companions without fear of starting a romance they don't want.

 

I quite dislike Bioware romances. First off if you choose to romance, it should absolutely affect your story. Of course it shouldn't be mandatory.

 

That is exactly the thing we do not want in PE and I very much doubt, and I'd be almost certain that PE won't have stuff like that. Have you maybe tried Sims Medieval?

 

Speak for yourself dude. Even if I somewhat agree with you.

Edited October 18, 2012 by Gecimen

[HereticSaint]

That is exactly the thing we do not want in PE and I very much doubt, and I'd be almost certain that PE won't have stuff like that. Have you maybe tried Sims Medieval?

 

By saying 'we' you mean yourself and your reflection in mirror?

 

Unfortunately a lot of the people opposed to romance believe they are the "true old school gamers" who speak for everyone else regarding how Project Eternity should turn out.

 

Completely overlooking the flaming and condescending remarks made by these people, even terms like, "wish fulfillment" bother me, wanting romance to be a part of the social interaction in the game isn't anymore wish fulfillment than wanting a certain class, combat to work a certain way (ex; attacks of opportunity), certain types of spell mechanics, etc. The difference being they plainly said they want an incredibly well written, mature story, which to me includes romance.

 

I guess time will tell, though.

[Mrakvampire]

By 'we' who don't want Bioware-style romances in PE. You are obviously trying to suggest that I suffer from somekind of personality disorder, very decent of you.

 

And those "who don't want Bioware-style romances in PE" allowed you to speak for them? Hivemind, obviously.

No, I never tried to suggest anything like that, that was just a simple question about why do you dare to speak for others.

[Vaesark]

This picture comes to mind when reading these threads:

 

[Mrakvampire]

He means people of refined tastes,of course.

 

Are you sure? Maybe you should ask him, before answering on his behalf? Hivemind?

[kenup]

I love romantic happy endings and endings with marriage or families. I'll be the first to admit that I am a hopeless romantic, and I love those few times I can really relish in it.

 

First and foremost, if there is a romance option for PE, it should be just that; an option. Possibly a gameplay toggle. That way, people like me can have what we want, but others that do not want that in their game can simply turn it off.

 

I would love to see a complex questline/dialogue that leads from strangers, to acquaintances, to lovers. Is this hard to do well? Yes. Does it have to impact the game? Of course not. There's a lot of development and writing time untill 2014, and obsidian knows what they're doing.

 

I know I'm going to get jumped on for this, but I liked how the mass effect romances were almost separate from the rest of the game. Maybe romances can't be started untill we have the stronghold? The stronghold could act like the ship in ME2. Quest hub, shops, ect. but what if it's also a place where you can really get to know the companions? Those of us that want to go down that path can, and if the option is toggled, people can talk to their companions without fear of starting a romance they don't want.

 

No game has handled romances perfectly. While some of the dialogue was cheesy, and some of the animations.. unnecessary, I applaud BW for taking the chances it did. Travelling with people, regardless of reasons, can cause all sorts of stress and anxiety, ask anyone that has performed on a show. You spend the majority of your days with people of mixed sexes, and there's bound to be some attraction.

 

The trick is writing that. It's tough, and likely impossible if you haven't experienced it yourself. But I still think it should be attempted, if only to push that narrative closer to being realistic.

Oh, God NO! I hope you are trolling. And spring 2014 is not that much of a development time. Guess what other games had more or less 2 years development cycle...