675 réponses à ce sujet

[ColorsFade]

 

• Romances. This one still lingers on. I need to further consider the pros and cons scaled with the gain of having them. Some feedback and preferences would be nice here.

 

I know from working on my mod, and some of the feedback I got, and also from reading reviews of other mods: players like romance options. 

 

I think the key here is to only make one or two companions have that option. It would be a LOT of work to create the necessary dialog for every companion to be a romance option. But if you pick one or two, then it's not as daunting of a task. 

[rjshae]

I know from working on my mod, and some of the feedback I got, and also from reading reviews of other mods: players like romance options.

 

*Some* players like romance.    To me they feel like an artificial sequence of canned responses, so I try to skip them.

[GCoyote]

Believable romances are difficult to write well, even in a fantasy setting. I've seen a few good ones but most seem tacked on after the fact. 

[PJ156]

I put in just the one romance and I found it very difficult to do properly (some may argue that I did not do it properly anyways  ). It changes so many aspects of the relationship and dialogue that it needs to be thought about from the start and kept consistent throughout.

 

Even a close friendship is hard to do. Once you start to get into the writing the directions the dialogue could take you become huge and remaining true to the characters personality is very difficult it my experience. For me I any future projects will have few npcs and one romance at most.

 

PJ

[kevL]

Chuck!

.. Diana.

Chuck!!

.. oh Diana

Bob.

.. who's Bob

[-Semper-]

I know from working on my mod, and some of the feedback I got, and also from reading reviews of other mods: players like romance options.

don't you ever listen to the bioware crowd. don't turn that way.

[GCoyote]

I know from working on my mod, and some of the feedback I got, and also from reading reviews of other mods: players like romance options. 

 

I think the key here is to only make one or two companions have that option. It would be a LOT of work to create the necessary dialog for every companion to be a romance option. But if you pick one or two, then it's not as daunting of a task. 

 

Have you scrolled through these to see how romance options affected the build?

Romance Modules List [NWN2]

[Dann-J]

Romance and the adventuring lifestyle would seem to be at odds with each other. Who needs the added pressure of trying to maintain a long-term relationship, when most of the things you meet on a daily basis are desperately trying to separate your head from your body? Surely no-one could be that masochistic.

 

When it comes to adventure, I prefer the Witcher approach to relationships; If it tries to eat you, shove a sword into it. If it doesn't try to eat you and is vaguely female... employ something other than a sword.

 

Besides; it seems to me that playing RPGs mainly for romance is like going to monster truck rallies for intelligent conversation. You'll almost always be disappointed.

[andysks]

I agree with Dann on the last part. Perhaps it's a cool extra to have them, but not the main event. I see on that list most modules that have a romance go up to 1 or 2. Is that because there are not many companions to choose from, or for time saving reasons? I guess I could make one or two... for a female and a male character. 

 

There is also the idea of leaving it to the flirting. Something that will not lead to a tent while the rest of the company sharpens swords outside, or a marriage by the end, but just a way to get the stress of adventuring away.

[GCoyote]

Or as a bit of local color or a way to flesh out an NPC.

"I've been through this town several times. Let's look up my old girlfriend/boyfriend and see if we can hide out there until <next plot event>.

Like andy said, it doesn't have to be violins and fireworks. Just something to add depth to the story and characters.

[kamal_]

When it comes to adventure, I prefer the Witcher approach to relationships; If it tries to eat you, shove a sword into it. If it doesn't try to eat you and is vaguely female... employ something other than a sword.

Geralt is still employing his sword.

[ColorsFade]

 

Besides; it seems to me that playing RPGs mainly for romance is like going to monster truck rallies for intelligent conversation. You'll almost always be disappointed.

 

I didn't think anyone was suggesting that. 

[ColorsFade]

Geralt is still employing his sword.

 

I thought the way The Witcher handled sex was pretty crass.

 

I could understand the design decision to make sex more of a casual thing in Geralt's life; he's a genetically modified human, so maybe he doesn't catch bacterial and viral infections like the rest of the mortals. That's fine. I'd probably behave the same way if I knew my wiener wasn't going to fall off. I mean, if I weren't married, and knew I couldn't catch an STD, hell yeah, I'd have lots casual sex too. And if you live in a hostile world where everything wants to kill you, you're a monster hunter and your life is probably pretty short anyway, okay, yeah, casual sex seems like the best option. Enjoy your brief life while you can.

 

All of that is fine. 

 

But the trading cards? That was over-the-top crass. I just shook my head and thought, "What developer thought this was a good idea?" And I don't care about the "mature content" rating and kids seeing it. I was disgusted with it as an adult (and I'm no prude). Those were just totally unnecessary. 

 

If I'm playing a video game, I kind of live by the rule of, "Would I be embarrassed if my wife walked into the room right now and saw what was on my screen?" If the answer is 'yes', then that's not a good sign. 

[littletimepleaser]

Might be going against the grain here, but I actually like romance options in a game.. I have a feeling quite a few players do, but aren't very open about admitting it. I think the problem with romance is that its got to be well-written to be believable enough for players to buy into the romance, and many modders don't have the patience to write a well-fleshed one out. Can't count the number mods that I've played that have romances for the sake of just ticking off a box, which really spoiled my whole experience of the game entirely. 

 

I can't imagine adding romance to a game that's already mostly written, though. Like someone mentioned, it could seem 'tacked on', making it artificial and off-putting. 

Personally, I'd love it if there were romance options in the game, but on the other hand writing a good, in-depth romance might be a bit tedious at this stage unless it fits well into your already written script. 

[rjshae]

Might be going against the grain here, but I actually like romance options in a game.. I have a feeling quite a few players do, but aren't very open about admitting it. I think the problem with romance is that its got to be well-written to be believable enough for players to buy into the romance, and many modders don't have the patience to write a well-fleshed one out. Can't count the number mods that I've played that have romances for the sake of just ticking off a box, which really spoiled my whole experience of the game entirely.

 

The PoE discussion forums had a long-running "Promancer" thread about the topic. It's one of those elements of CRPG that some people seem to really enjoy, like crafting or buying a base. I guess that's why CRPG developers keep trying.

 

I can't imagine adding romance to a game that's already mostly written, though. Like someone mentioned, it could seem 'tacked on', making it artificial and off-putting. 

Personally, I'd love it if there were romance options in the game, but on the other hand writing a good, in-depth romance might be a bit tedious at this stage unless it fits well into your already written script. 

 

Yes, I think if you're going to use realistic romance in a story, then you should build the story around it rather than just adding it on. Some day I'd like to see a CRPG series centered around a family and lasting for several generations. How you fare over the course of the series depends on the character of the woman you marry and the type of offspring issued.

[Dann-J]

 

 

I could understand the design decision to make sex more of a casual thing in Geralt's life; he's a genetically modified human, so maybe he doesn't catch bacterial and viral infections like the rest of the mortals. That's fine. I'd probably behave the same way if I knew my wiener wasn't going to fall off. I mean, if I weren't married, and knew I couldn't catch an STD, hell yeah, I'd have lots casual sex too. And if you live in a hostile world where everything wants to kill you, you're a monster hunter and your life is probably pretty short anyway, okay, yeah, casual sex seems like the best option. Enjoy your brief life while you can.

 

All of that is fine. 

 

But the trading cards? That was over-the-top crass.

 

Yeah - they made you feel as if you were 'collecting' women in some way. Although given the social status of women in mediaeval times, that's probably not so far off the mark from a historical perspective. Even being married didn't slow playboy nobles down much - hence the large number of bastard heirs to thrones that always seemed to emerge from the 'woodwork' (if you'll excuse the torturous pun).

 

Apparently there's a better balance of both male and female nudity in The Witcher III. At least an equal-opportunity smut-fest is a step in the right direction.

[GCoyote]

Another thing that mitigates against romance options is the scale of the module and what the player does with that PC from one module to the next. Currently playing through the Hero's Path list and having a different 'romance' in every other module just makes the whole idea look a bit silly.

OTOH if you create a pretty long campaign that ends up in the high teens with not much choice for further play, options for the PC to retire with a romantic interest make more sense plot wise.

[Dann-J]

OTOH if you create a pretty long campaign that ends up in the high teens with not much choice for further play, options for the PC to retire with a romantic interest make more sense plot wise.

 

Having the PC's love-interest die at some point, or end up betraying you in some sort of double-cross at the end, could be some interesting plot twists. Especially if those things only happen if you choose to romance them, so it becomes unexpected if you've played through the campaign before but not pursued a romance option. After all; how many great plays or epic poems written throughout history have ended with 'happily ever after'?

 

I'm playing through Arcania (Gothic 4) again at the moment, where your recently pregnant fiancé gets killed early on in the game (shortest romance ever!). Revenge for her death becomes the driver that motivates the PC to continue through the rest of the game. Grieving for a recently dead fiancé is also an excuse not to interrupt the ensuing slaughter with some dreary old romance.

[GCoyote]

Probably my favorite user created module ends with the PC reaching the final villain too late to prevent his mate from becoming a human sacrifice. First time I played it I thought it was a mistake or I'd missed an option. When I realized it wasn't, it brought the whole plot into focus; not epic romance but rather epic tragedy.

[kevL]

After all; how many great plays or epic poems written throughout history have ended with 'happily ever after'?

Candide, arguably, but after that book he deserves it.

/g

[Tchos]

More than a third of Shakespeare's plays end with everyone getting married (and not dying, except presumably of old age later), but it's up to you whether he wrote "great plays".

[kevL]

Shakespeare Bacon

[Dann-J]

More than a third of Shakespeare's plays end with everyone getting married...

 

That leaves nearly two thirds of his plays where people didn't.

 

It seems most of his better-known works are tragedies, a style of play that saw a resurgence in the 16th century (having been very popular with the Greeks and Romans before that). Judging by the predominance of bad news over good news in modern news media, it would seem that tragedy is still the more popular (or at least the more profitable) form of entertainment where the masses are concerned.

[GCoyote]

Candide, arguably, but after that book he deserves it.

/g

Shakespeare Bacon

Rather a well read little group here. Not too shabby for a 'gaming' forum.

[rjshae]

Shakespeare Bacon

 

Everything goes better with bacon, including Sir Francis...