Poll: Romance in Games, what's your take?

[AwesomeCool]

@Euphony - There is no need to be upset.


Waifus for all!!!!

 

[Little Adventurer]

@kaukusakiWow. Someone's cynical. What, you don't like friendship either? Then why is everyone working together at all, besides personal goals then? Building bonds is a good thing, it makes the team dynamic stronger, and having everyone not like eachother is not really going to make people care if they die or not since "Hey, they don't care about eachother, so why should we?". Well, you'd hate my stories then, because I do have romance and friendship building as part of my games.


Chose More Than Friends and Yes. Makes logical sense to me: start off as friends, get to know them, and then decide together if a relationship can be done if they want to take it further, you know?


That's actually something I'm paranoid about when it comes to my writing: Can I do the relationship well, not making it shallow and/or out of nowhere? Can I actually show WHY these characters like eachother beyond the physical attractiveness? Can I give these characters enough personality on their own, so that's not all they're known for is being "X's love interest" and nothing else?


I hate love triangles though.


Speaking of the "choose your own love interest" option, though...

Spoiler

One thing I love about the new King's Quest game is, in chapter three which deals directly with the romance between Graham and Valanice, is that both Vee and Neese (whomever you pick in the end is your Valanice, and the one you don't has her fate currently unknown) have likable things about them (Neese is the nice, fun loving one who thinks like an adventurer, Vee is the punny, more serious one who likes competition, for example) and there's really no "wrong" girl to pick. And what makes it really good is that they pull off both relationships VERY well- they don't accept Graham's proposal straight away without question like in the original King's Quest 2, they actually have some things in common with Graham, and you choose not because of looks, but personality. Which lady do you think you'd be more compatible with? Which one better suits Graham to you? Do you go for a like minded gal, or think opposites attract? And the chapter is really good at showing off different sorts of love as well- the power of friendship, helping someone learn to love again after they'd shut it out, and even seeing marital love between two people who've been together for decades. Seriously, it's ADORABLE!  

 

[kaukusaki]

@kaukusakiWow. Someone's cynical. What, you don't like friendship either? Then why is everyone working together at all, besides personal goals then? Building bonds is a good thing, it makes the team dynamic stronger, and having everyone not like eachother is not really going to make people care if they die or not since "Hey, they don't care about eachother, so why should we?". Well, you'd hate my stories then, because I do have romance and friendship building as part of my games.


Chose More Than Friends and Yes. Makes logical sense to me: start off as friends, get to know them, and then decide together if a relationship can be done if they want to take it further, you know?


That's actually something I'm paranoid about when it comes to my writing: Can I do the relationship well, not making it shallow and/or out of nowhere? Can I actually show WHY these characters like eachother beyond the physical attractiveness? Can I give these characters enough personality on their own, so that's not all they're known for is being "X's love interest" and nothing else?


I hate love triangles though.


Speaking of the "choose your own love interest" option, though...

Spoiler

One thing I love about the new King's Quest game is, in chapter three which deals directly with the romance between Graham and Valanice, is that both Vee and Neese (whomever you pick in the end is your Valanice, and the one you don't has her fate currently unknown) have likable things about them (Neese is the nice, fun loving one who thinks like an adventurer, Vee is the punny, more serious one who likes competition, for example) and there's really no "wrong" girl to pick. And what makes it really good is that they pull off both relationships VERY well- they don't accept Graham's proposal straight away without question like in the original King's Quest 2, they actually have some things in common with Graham, and you choose not because of looks, but personality. Which lady do you think you'd be more compatible with? Which one better suits Graham to you? Do you go for a like minded gal, or think opposites attract? And the chapter is really good at showing off different sorts of love as well- the power of friendship, helping someone learn to love again after they'd shut it out, and even seeing marital love between two people who've been together for decades. Seriously, it's ADORABLE!  

I'm not cynical AF, I just don't understand people and their emotions shaping their motivations. I write about it often exploring various avenues. It's not like I'll hate your stories (side eye at most) but I'm always curious as to how others work - their mindset, worldview, etc

 

[Little Adventurer]

Because our emotions shape how we are as people. They give us personality and life. Yes, sometimes it's bad to be driven entirely on emotion for a motive because sometimes you take it too far or forget your goal, but it's also bad to do the opposite because everyone will view you as a frigging robot and that makes for a VERY boring character, particularly if they don't get any sort of development. If the characters have no emotions, if they don't care about eachother or anything, never forming any sort of attachments... then why should we care? Having a mindset and worldview serving as part of their motive is fine, but if there's no emotions tied to it, then it's not really believable.

Spoiler

Consider one of my characters, Sir Quintus Vesper. He's a Knight, well, former Knight technically. He's a stoic character and doesn't really like anyone in the party and is just here because he has to be- orders from the King to protect the other members, plus they needed/wanted someone stronger and more experienced in combat and the world in general (he's the oldest member of the party) anyway so it works out perfectly -and generally isn't one to talk much or show emotions around other people. But he actually has a reason behind why he's like that, and if you build up your relationship with him, he opens up more and becomes friendlier to you and the rest of the party. If you don't, then he's going to have a bad time later on as he's hiding something from them and by the time the endgame comes, it's too late to do anything about it. Though of course, if you never liked Quintus as a character to begin with, I doubt you'd care.

 

[kaukusaki]

Because our emotions shape how we are as people. They give us personality and life. Yes, sometimes it's bad to be driven entirely on emotion for a motive because sometimes you take it too far or forget your goal, but it's also bad to do the opposite because everyone will view you as a frigging robot and that makes for a VERY boring character, particularly if they don't get any sort of development. If the characters have no emotions, if they don't care about eachother or anything, never forming any sort of attachments... then why should we care? Having a mindset and worldview serving as part of their motive is fine, but if there's no emotions tied to it, then it's not really believable.

Spoiler

Consider one of my characters, Sir Quintus Vesper. He's a Knight, well, former Knight technically. He's a stoic character and doesn't really like anyone in the party and is just here because he has to be- orders from the King to protect the other members, plus they needed/wanted someone stronger and more experienced in combat and the world in general (he's the oldest member of the party) anyway so it works out perfectly -and generally isn't one to talk much or show emotions around other people. But he actually has a reason behind why he's like that, and if you build up your relationship with him, he opens up more and becomes friendlier to you and the rest of the party. If you don't, then he's going to have a bad time later on as he's hiding something from them and by the time the endgame comes, it's too late to do anything about it. Though of course, if you never liked Quintus as a character to begin with, I doubt you'd care.

I'm not an emotionless robot lolz because i don't get people and their emotions don't mean I can't try. Hence researching and try to understand it. I write for a living exploring various relationships and their complexity. It's interesting seeing how others interpret how they see the world and crafting their unique stories.

 

[Little Adventurer]

I know. Exploring different types of relationships and their complexity is interesting. But having you say, "I don't get people or their emotions" makes me wonder why you play any games at all, when a lot of games do show that in some way, through friendship and love, that passion to complete their goal through more than just "I have to do because it's my job" or they're being forced to, through the characters. Especially in RPGs where emotions and personality are a huge part of making characters likable in the first place. It makes us give a damn about them.


Yet it feels like you don't get why friendship is needed in people's lives. Why romance and companionship makes us who we are and helps us through our struggles. That's just really creepy, man.

 

[Astel]

As I writer I have found that it's impossible for me NOT having a romance of some kind in my stories, however it mostly ends up as a pitiful harem anime... no, I'm not apologizing


In general, having the option of romancing character it's always a plus in my book.

 

[Little Adventurer]

By accident or on purpose? 

 

[Punamaagi]

Although I picked 'Choose-your-own-love' as my answer for the first question, I also chose 'no' in the second because lately I have been more interested in platonic relationships than actual romantic ones. For me, it's more about choosing the person with whom your main character will form the strongest bonds than hugs, kisses and whatnot. I enjoy well-made dating sims and wouldn't shy away from romance in games, but stories about friendship (or family bonds, or anything similar) currently interest me more.

 

[Niten Ichi Ryu]

But having you say, "I don't get people or their emotions" makes me wonder why you play any games at all, when a lot of games do show that in some way, through friendship and love...


Yet it feels like you don't get why friendship is needed in people's lives. Why romance and companionship makes us who we are and helps us through our struggles. That's just really creepy, man.

Don't be too harsh judging the way people feels, and the relationship they have to their own feeling and to other's feeling.


Being not on top of the emotional spectrum does make you "inhuman". I for instance, am considered as someone, helpful, caring and easily friend-able, and I do understand that we need friendship and relationship but inside I'm a bit like @kaukusaki not really understanding of feeling, particularly the one of others.


And that's why we play games, all of us, for the catharsis.


@kaukusaki @Little Adventurer  did you girls checked out the MBTI thread? what's your type? it may give you insight on how you considers the importance of feelings, particularly others

 

[kaukusaki]

Don't be too harsh judging the way people feels, and the relationship they have to their own feeling and to other's feeling.


Being not on top of the emotional spectrum does make you "inhuman". I for instance, am considered as someone, helpful, caring and easily friend-able, and I do understand that we need friendship and relationship but inside I'm a bit like @kaukusaki not really understanding of feeling, particularly the one of others.


And that's why we play games, all of us, for the catharsis.


@kaukusaki @Little Adventurer  did you girls checked out the MBTI thread? what's your type? it may give you insight on how you considers the importance of feelings, particularly others

depending on who you ask, folks say I'm nice (maybe too nice) and helpful, caring and empathetic. I don't get it but that's cool, I suppose. But then again my politeness either comes off as too cool or snark. Again I don't get it.


I'm INTJ and there's like 0.8% of folks who are like that. well it makes sense why I bomb at relationships of any sort (friends, work, personal). Bah

 

[AwesomeCool]

@Euphony - Being the worst is subjective.


But I think my epicness straight our pushes subjective out of the window and thus claim you are factually wrong (legit source)


@kaukusaki - You can't get the irrationality of a humans actions unless you dig stupidly deep into there history.  Sometimes even the simplest things done 10+ years ago, can make two people fall in love.

 

[kaukusaki]

@Euphony - Being the worst is subjective.


But I think my epicness straight our pushes subjective out of the window and thus claim you are factually wrong (legit source)


@kaukusaki - You can't get the irrationality of a humans actions unless you dig stupidly deep into there history.  Sometimes even the simplest things done 10+ years ago, can make two people fall in love.

pretty much got me pegged.

 

[Niten Ichi Ryu]

I'm INTJ

I am not surprised.


I am ENTJ and always found common grounds with other of the NTJ (E or I).

 

[Little Adventurer]

ISFJ is what I got recently. I took it a few years ago back when I started college too, but I don't remember what I got.


Back on topic though, I am paranoid about not pulling off my relationships correctly, particularly romance wise. >.<

 

[kaukusaki]

ISFJ is what I got recently. I took it a few years ago back when I started college too, but I don't remember what I got.


Back on topic though, I am paranoid about not pulling off my relationships correctly, particularly romance wise. >.<

I feel the same way. Because to me it's illogical AF and I don't understand the why behind it (other than just because and that's not a suitable answer for me). So I hope my relationships come out 'right' and hope it makes sense to those who expect that sort of thing. I have never written any successful romantic relationships unless they're tragic in some way. And folks prefer happily ever after or happy for now.

 

[Little Adventurer]

I'm just my own worst critic.

 

[XIIIthHarbinger]

I hate romance.

As a story concept, as a personal time expenditure, or both?

I don't understand romance and it appears shoehorned in and/or cheesy in stories.

If by your own admission you don't "understand romance", would it not be logical to assume that your perception of it being "shoehorned" stems from said lack of understanding on your part?  

I'm not cynical AF, I just don't understand people and their emotions shaping their motivations.

What is to not understand? It's not as though people are complicated, they simply like to imagine themselves as such. & much of that supposed complexity only remains so long as you indulge them in their duplicities.

I'm not an emotionless robot lolz because i don't get people and their emotions don't mean I can't try. Hence researching and try to understand it. I write for a living exploring various relationships and their complexity. It's interesting seeing how others interpret how they see the world and crafting their unique stories.

Speaking as one who has sometimes been nicknamed "T-1000", "The Machine without a Soul", "Robo Cop", among other things; I have to wonder how you "don't get people & their emotions". Despite the fact that most people are irrational creatures, largely driven by a combination of their biological imperatives, psychological insecurities, & the deceptions they project to themselves & others; their hardly that difficult to understand.


If they were, twisting them about wouldn't be so easy.

 

[kaukusaki]

As a story concept, as a personal time expenditure, or both?


If by your own admission you don't "understand romance", would it not be logical to assume that your perception of it being "shoehorned" stems from said lack of understanding on your part?  


What is to not understand? It's not as though people are complicated, they simply like to imagine themselves as such. & much of that supposed complexity only remains so long as you indulge them in their duplicities.


Speaking as one who has sometimes been nicknamed "T-1000", "The Machine without a Soul", "Robo Cop", among other things; I have to wonder how you "don't get people & their emotions". Despite the fact that most people are irrational creatures, largely driven by a combination of their biological imperatives, psychological insecurities, & the deceptions they project to themselves & others; their hardly that difficult to understand.


If they were, twisting them about wouldn't be so easy.

sigh.


Back to regularly scheduled programming.

 

[XIIIthHarbinger]

You are not going to answer a single question?


How very disappointing.