Using rivalry in romance games

[Randommerade]

In many games that I've played, you have the option to romance other characters. (For example, Harvest Moon.) I've also seen games where you have other characters who will eventually "get with" the romance candidate if you don't get with them first. Since I'm making a game kind of like this, I was wondering whether to put in these rival romances or not (and how to program them, yikes).

A negative that I can think of happening is that the time limit (as looong as it is) might scare some people off from romancing characters (which is one of the key features of the game since there's so much you can do when you have a partner). But of course I'd have other options too, without a rival love interest (so the player has a Plan B when they fail to get their preferred choice). On the second hand it would be pretty interesting for the game, and for those who like the challenge, the negative thing may not be so negative.

What do you guys think?

 

[whitesphere]

I think, if the time limit is long enough, and it's made pretty clear to the player that s/he's not the only game in town, it's fine to have romantic rivals in the game.

How to program a romantic rival?  At its most basic, it's basically "at Time X, year Y, trigger Romance Level 2 with Rival."  For example:

Oko and Mai first big date - Year 2, Month 1

Oko and Mai second big date - Year 2, Month 3

Oko and Mai moonlit walk - Year 3, Month 4

Oko and Mai talk to parents - Year 4, Month 3

Oko and Mai get married - Year 5, Month 2

If you are doing a Harvest Moon clone, you already have a time-based calendar.  So it should be straightforward to have an event trigger with the rival, unless the character is involved with/married to the rival's interest.

The more complex part is making romance work for the player, since typically these games have "X loves gifts A and B, likes C, D and E and hates F." and other requirements, such as "To level up romance, player must complete various quests for love interest."

 

[Randommerade]

-snipped

Oh I already have an idea on how to make it work for the player, it's the NPCs getting together I was worried about But thanks a ton! And thanks for your input as well. I think I'm gonna go through with it ^.^

 

[Celianna]

Instead of rivals, why not make it a side-quest or something of the sort, to get certain villagers together? Like a wife and husband that are slowly drifting apart, but you get them back together. Or a shy girl who doesn't have the nerve to talk to the boy she likes, you act as the middle-man. There doesn't need to be any rivalry just because Harvest Moon has it, and it has NEVER come across well with fans (they universally hate the rivals).

 

[Randommerade]

Instead of rivals, why not make it a side-quest or something of the sort, to get certain villagers together? Like a wife and husband that are slowly drifting apart, but you get them back together. Or a shy girl who doesn't have the nerve to talk to the boy she likes, you act as the middle-man. There doesn't need to be any rivalry just because Harvest Moon has it, and it has NEVER come across well with fans (they universally hate the rivals).

Well, my game isn't exactly a clone of Harvest Moon (in fact it barely has any features of it and it's a totally different concept) but that sounds like some interesting side quest ideas! And it would work out too - if a player wants to get with the boy, but another girl wants to, she simply doesn't do the side quest. I'll definitely look into it

 

[whitesphere]

Some of the love interests might require say you to bring together a broken family which makes the love interest more meaningful.

 

[SunDog]

With my first game, one of the main characters will get to choose between 2 females. I have a variable for "romanced_X" for each female. I think the deciding factor will be at a social event where it is customary to have a date, and at that point, he will go with whichever one he has romanced more.

As a tie breaker for a hornball player, there will be a gift (flower bouquet at the moment) and he can give it to the one he really wants. I haven't decided on what to do if he is a douche to both of them, though.

Here is another romance bit. The main character is a samurai with a kunoichi. Her family has been retainers of his family for generations.

The short version with this one is she will stay if you rack up enough points. If you're a dick to her, she will leave later. This is near the beginning when you get attacked by his rival.