Current Events > How do you prefer romance options in games?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Curious how you all feel. There's been a lot of back and forth over the years. For example, Dragon Age. Dragon Age 2 had all the romances be playersexual and that got backlash. Then in Dragon Age Inquisition, characters had sexualities and that got people whining. Then in Dragon Age The Veilguard, they made all options canonically pansexual so I guess that's best of both worlds?

Anyway what do you think?

I prefer the latter.

I'm cool with bi/pan-sexual characters, but it kind of throws off my level of immersion when every romanceable option is.

plus, having characters with set sexualities can sometimes invite multiple playthroughs.

I'm not interested in realism in video games

If the romance is player choice, then every character should be an option. Limitation in such systems only brings disappointment, like FE3H. Engage was better for it

MC-sexual is the only way.

I hate pansexuality in games not because I think it's bad, but because it's usually executed poorly. in baldur's gate 3 for example you could be friendly with someone and next thing you know the characters are looking longingly into each other's eyes wtf

More power to the players, prefer if everyone is pansexual.

I prefer pansexual, but I'm fine with it if the characters have set likes and dislikes.

Set sexualities.

Hell, even make some characters who otherwise match the player's orientation completely off-the-market for them for one reason or another.

Set. Everyone being player sexual is kinda absurd.

None at all tbh.

I'm here to blow up Nazis and aliens and shit. Who the hell is going "oh hey, I hope this high octane racing game has vigorous romance options"?

Yeah that was one thing that took me out of it when playing BG3. Every character wanted to fug mine. I think having a variety of sexualities is better and defines the characters better imo

Solar_Crimson posted...

Hell, even make some characters who otherwise match the player's orientation completely off-the-market for them for one reason or another.

We already have had those.

Ah, "fond" memories of pining for Dr. Chocolates in Mass Effect.....

Cute girls marrying cute girls
Cute men marrying cute men

I dont like romance in the games I play.

Magic and dragons and such are totally believable, but prominent pansexuality is where I draw the line! /s

I prefer set sexualities. Adds more to the characters imo.

Set.

Set usually has the best written romances.

characters with set sexualities is more immersive and interesting

but i never, ever pick romances in games, so my opinion doesnt matter much

Everyone being horny for the mc is really fucking tiring. It's why I can't manage to play another round of BG3. So, set I suppose.

Set is better, but playersexual makes sense from a development perspective. I think allowing the player to set their sexuality would probably make more sense at this point, making it easier than having to set up blatant flag dialogue to avoid unwanted romances.

Set

I wanted to romance Alister SO HARD that my second playthrough I was a chick and he gave me his flower and it was totes worth it for that charming bastard

I haven't really thought much about it since I find the romance stuff usually kind of boring. But I suppose I prefer it being set. Kinda makes the characters feel more like individuals.

I prefer set, but I do admit to sometimes being disappointed when a character I really like is not a possible option for my MC.

Just like in real life, I don't really have a strong preference.

https://youtu.be/bB1RYVMBqQg?si=jV8GB_nBc-d1OMDn

Completely unnecessary

R_Jackal posted...

Everyone being horny for the mc is really fucking tiring. It's why I can't manage to play another round of BG3. So, set I suppose.

Exactly. As someone that admittedly liked baby's first harem show tenchi muyo back in the day I quickly learned that harem manga/shows that more often than not stars a total sap of a MC gets old so very fast. Like some of the lamest wish-fulfillment. Every other isekai these days also seems like they do the mandatory thing where every single female that pops up wants the MC even if the MC is clearly already dedicated to someone or even already married to somebody.

Like sword art online for example, I actually kinda' like kirito and asuna as a couple, but why in the fuck all these other hanger-on chicks into him too when they already know they stand absolutely no chance of actually being with him, lol. Dude's own cousin raised as a sister is wanting him and its just so fucking stupid. Of course the next check after her in the gun MMO wants him too........then the damn A.I. in a robot body. Fuck off.

It works the other way around too with a female lead, there is this series kiss him not me that you know what the premise is goofy but I can dig it. One of these men is just.....clearly miles ahead of these other superficial jackasses, and so why are they even here? Why are they a thing? I rather just have the entire series focusing on the relationship with the one guy she actually hooks up with.

Now that banished from the hero's party living a quiet life in the countryside show with the dude red chilling and being adorable with his wife rit? I crave this god dammit. Just two written-well characters into each other and no other bull-shit. The MC's sister comes along but thank god she isn't a part of a damn harem too and actually makes friends with her new sister in law. Just no bull-shit wholesome characters.

I actually hate it when they make these persona games where every single female just wants the self-insert MC. No, please, let ryuji and ann hook up or let me help them hook up, their playful banter and friendship would be great written around a romance subplot for the party members.

I think the only break I can give a harem manga/anime these days is if its meant as some sort of comedy and is not all the way serious. Stuff like girlfriend, girlfriend and 100 girlfriends who really love you. (and even then, they ain't got squat on something like the dangers in my heart I'm just sayin').

I prefer the latter. With games that involve romance options Im more inclined for them to be as immersive as possible. Everyone being pansexual would take away from the realism.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/1/1f48b145.png
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/a/a5f348e1.png

Nice

LonelyStoner posted...

I prefer the latter. With games that involve romance options Im more inclined for them to be as immersive as possible. Everyone being pansexual would take away from the realism.

There are times when I think this is fine (games like Stardew Valley/Harvest Moon/whatever where part of the main gameplay loop is including romantic options), but if its only supplementary I have no problem with set character preferences.

Like Cyberpunk 2077 had 4 romanceable characters, but each one would only respond like that with a specific character you were playing as. It was a side quest you could do, but it wasn't a main part of the game, and you had an option available to you regardless. The goal in CyberPunk was to make it seem like a real world, and these could be real people that aren't changing their preferences for you, and I liked that. But I would dislike it if it was a major gameplay feature like in Stardew Valley.

My condition is that the main character cannot be a create-a-character (e.g. Shepard) and the love interest should be part of the main cast and not a side character. They can be anything-sexual as long as it was made clear from the start.

I've never been into romance in games, but if I was I'd prefer set sexualities. Having everyone be MC-sexual feels too much like wish fulfillment. It's too unbelievable for the romance to mean anything.

The former. Games that have romance options usually don't have them amount to anything other than some special dialogue, so may as well go all in on the wish-fulfillment and let people pick their preferred partner.

FuriousFox posted...

Having everyone be MC-sexual feels too much like wish fulfillment

Yes, god forbid you have wish fulfillment in your power fantasy

Ivynn posted...

Curious how you all feel. There's been a lot of back and forth over the years. For example, Dragon Age. Dragon Age 2 had all the romances be playersexual and that got backlash. Then in Dragon Age Inquisition, characters had sexualities and that got people whining. Then in Dragon Age The Veilguard, they made all options canonically pansexual so I guess that's best of both worlds?

Anyway what do you think?

iirc David gaider stated that making everyone
pansexual for anyone ruins characters

he said its find to make a character pansexual if it fits them but not everyone

In general I think set usually works better and is easier to do but either option is viable if you have good writing,

I like the 1st option cuz sometimes I play as a chick and romance other chicks >_>

It's always a bit of a bummer if there's someone I'd like to romance with my character but can't, but that's life, baybee!

Villain_S_Fiend posted...

but that's life

It's not tho

HighSeraph posted...

Yes, god forbid you have wish fulfillment in your power fantasy

Perhaps that wasn't the correct way to phrase it... To me, the whole MC-sexual thing just isn't believable. It makes it feel like the characters have no personality of their own, that they exist purely to please me. I suppose that's true in the context of being a video game, but from a storytelling perspective it makes them feel less like a real person. Without personality there's no emotion, and with no emotion there's no point. I might as well be romancing a blow-up doll. Letting the characters have their own set of preferences, and possibly being off-limits due to factors beyond the player's control makes them feel more authentic, which makes it easier for me to get immersed in the game's world.

FuriousFox posted...

Perhaps that wasn't the correct way to phrase it... To me, the whole MC-sexual thing just isn't believable. It makes it feel like the characters have no personality of their own, that they exist purely to please me. I suppose that's true in the context of being a video game, but from a storytelling perspective it makes them feel less like a real person. Without personality there's no emotion, and with no emotion there's no point. I might as well be romancing a blow-up doll. Letting the characters have their own set of preferences, and possibly being off-limits due to factors beyond the player's control makes them feel more authentic, which makes it easier for me to get immersed in the game's world.

That sounds more like you have a problem with bad writing. Also I'm not saying every single character should be romanceable (Avowed had no romances and that was fine) but that those that are should be available to PCs of both gender, it's a better solution than ending up with a character like Sera from DA:I

HighSeraph posted...

It's not tho

(in game)

Pansexual romances please. I am so tired of the mid-est possible gay romance options. Set sexuality doesn't even change much about the characters either. I never seen a convincing arguments for it. Realistic? Definitely but hardly something you would even know without one single line of dialogue from the wrong gender.

HighSeraph posted...

Yes, god forbid you have wish fulfillment in your power fantasy

Video games only work as a fantasy if you can immerse yourself into that fantasy.

Every character being horny for you isnt immersive.

LonelyStoner posted...

Video games only work as a fantasy if you can immerse yourself into that fantasy.

"Well I was having fun in this world of demons and magic but the thought that multiple characters want to romance me was just too unrealistic". Romance in games where there are multiple choices for the PC to choose does it rarely come up at all unless it's actively pursued by the player. Even when it isn't it's generally one dialogue option from being ignored in its entirety.
LonelyStoner posted...

Every character being horny for you isnt immersive.

That's not what's being discussed either. I'm not surprised you'd try to misrepresent what's being discussed tho.

Depends on the type of game, since romance options can many times end up having the possible romances have weak, if any relationships with other characters, especially with other characters of the same gender as the MC

Leave it out. I don't want my character romancing anyone, especially not by having it just happen through game mechanics you're expected to do.