Dating sim and JRPG

[Dororo]

I mean: dating sims are static simulations (you pick an activity, your score grow, events trigger on scores) that mostly work on temporized routine, while JRPG are most explorative games (reach place X to have event Y happen).
The two mechanics seems polar opposites: if you ever tried Tokimeki Memorial you'll understand the divergence.
Anyway...
Did you have knowledge of any game that mix the two (no, Persona is not such game), or have you ever planned to mix DSim and JRPG?

 

[PixeLockeT]

My second fav game in the entire world is one that mixes the two. Called Thousand Arms.

 

[Dororo]

@PixeLockeT : the game got overall positive reviews, I should indepth. Thank you!

 

[Finnuval]

It can be done and it has been done (dont remember the names though, sorry)) but it isn't often done very well as it is easy to learn to heavily in either one direction at the cost of the other.

That said, with genuine care and attention I dont think they cant bbe merged in a good way.

 

[Dororo]

@Finnuval: right said, most people misspell "dating sims" with "just branched stories with girls", so one side of the simulation is gone.

 

[Finnuval]

@Finnuval: right said, most people misspell "dating sims" with "just branched stories with girls", so one side of the simulation is gone.

Very true.
Not to mention to make a JRPG combo with a dating sim romance (or in some cases NSFW scènes) should not be the main factor behind it but it often is.

 

[kairi_key]

I've played such jrpg once and it's one of my favourite game, storywise. It's a trilogy called Ar Tonelico.
Most of the gameplay are quite easy jrpg with no challenge whatsoever, but the dating sim aspect is tied to your heroines/waifus' skill tree. Basically, to unlock your waifus' new skills, you need to play an imaginary roleplay dating sim inside their dream to help relieve the mental trauma or insecurities of those waifus. In order to view these dream events, you need to pay DP which is accumulated through battle with that waifu in your team(basically AP but for waifu). Some major event will require you to pick your answer that will result in varied DP pay to finish the event. After that, you'll unlock her new skill. It's more straight forward with little to no branching path so you could say that it's more of a VN than dating sim. Out of the dream world, there are a few branching path in a story that will determine which waifu you'll end up with after you save the world. In Ar tonelico 2 and 3, these few branching path choice can lock you out of the latter part of the dream world of the waifus you didn't choose (latter half for AT2, but quarter half for AT3). Both aspect of gameplay are pretty easy in difficulty anyway. Do check them out. I suggest Ar tonelico 2 because they have some interesting ties between the story and the dream world. Ar tonelico 1 is a more traditional jrpg, but you can pretty much blast through waifus' dream world with enough grinds, unlike 2 and 3 that have story locks. Ar tonelico 3 is called Ar tonelico Qoga in the US by the way and it has heavy fanservice elements and is mostly seen as a bit of a black sheep of the series.

 

[Dororo]

@kairi_key : nice example, I'll indepth Tonelico too. I'vee seen it but never tried. Thank you.

 

[Shikamon]

some game have love-sim like Sakura Taisen, Riviera the promised land, Agarest Senki, Conception series and I think there's quite a lot too from eroge haha

 

[Dororo]

@Shikamon : Sakura Taisen is the one that come closer, while Riviera have just "relationship" branchings and doesn't simulate quite nothing about (by the same logic, "Summon Night" isn't a dating sim game). It's a lil tricky, but having the MC talk and indepth with girls doesn't qualify for me as a dating sim.