For my own game, the way I think about it romances are there but they will pretty much always be secondary to the plot, at least in the sense that you’ll have access to the characters that it makes sense to the current point in the MC’s journey to have access to, and some might not be romanceable. I know that it’s popular and would likely make my game more successful to have 8 romance options of malleable genders that follow the MC around everywhere he goes but I’m not interested in writing that and I happen to have the luck of writing in a medium where I have the freedom to do what I want.
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Oh absolutely! I should clarify that I don’t think that there’s anything wrong with announcing a game without a demo at all - people should do what works for them, and if they can garner some excitement ahead of a release, so much the better.
It’s more the excitement that can swell up around them that tickles me a little, though - it seems like a bit of a mixed bag for the authors themselves, half seem galvanized by it, the others a bit overwhelmed. A tricky one.
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GOD, me too. i am burnt out!! sometimes i want to play a game for the sake of the game itself, not in search of playing out a romance arc!
i worry a little about the trend of WIPs that are totally romance-oriented popping up way more than non-romance focused games. sometimes i worry the whole WIP catalogue will gravitate more and more to straight-up escapist romance; i don’t think that’s true, necessarily, but it still makes me skeptical for reasons i can’t quite pin down. i don’t feel like those are good for the soul in the long run, at least not if that’s the huge majority of stuff out there. maybe i’m just a snob, though. 
it definitely makes me unsettled to see authors so frequently being recommended to include ROs even if they’re not naturally inclined to, just for the sake of audience favor/possibly better sales. that especially doesn’t feel very sustainable.
i actually just FINALLY finished playing through VtM: Parliament of Knives for the first time the other day, not a single thought to romance the whole game. that was such a good game! it helped a lot for my reading that i was recently engaged in some VtM TTRPG media recently, too, so i didn’t have to think quite so hard on what the stats were doing. it was a little more intuitive, so i got super immersed. very cool with all the different threads of intrigue and betrayal and suspicion going every which way!
okay i think that’s enough ranting and rambling for now. i’ll be back tomorrow (august 1 for me) with my goals for the month, haha.
AHHH ME TOO! can my PC just have a couple good buds?? holy shit.
huge agree with this as well. i have ROs in my current demo but at the point it’s at, they’re not even really flagged as “someone you can romance” in the game because there’s still too much going on and the PC doesn’t really truly know any of them except one. on reddit and stuff, when people have occasionally mentioned the game, sometimes there will be an added caveat “no romance so far, though” 
can be a little discouraging. i’m like, but don’t you like the story?? aren’t the characters interesting even if you’re not “romancing” them yet??? 
urghhhh.
not that i let that change how i’m doing my project. i’m actually very certain of it, the pacing and where i’m going with it. and the characters are what i’m most confident in, funnily enough! i love writing interesting people. i know them all pretty inside-and-out by this point. and i know in my gut that there must be readers who like the game without the thought “oh, but it would be so much more fun if there was more romance” by now—i just imagine that they’re less likely to give public feedback or response.
at the very least, i know i would like my own game less if it was written any differently than it is. luckily intrinsic motivation is much more sustainable (and inspiring, i’d argue) than extrinsic 
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Thank you @myeraland for starting this month’s thread, and for linking those discussions. My goals for this month are relatively small as I’m still trying to ease back into routine.
- Write around 30k this month across chapter 5, patreon, and misc. writing.
- Fix my realtionship stats screen.
- Try to clear out some of my Tumblr ask box
Replies Regarding RO Talk
I don’t get a lot of traction on the forum, and it’s mostly just the same loyal handful of readers being like “great update” or “hope you’re doing okay” with occasional questions about how to pass certain checks or access specifiic scenes. But my Tumblr is quite a lot of worldbuilding questions and questions about MC’s family which I think it funny because I’m actively marketing my game as a romance, but a lot of readers seem way more interested in the politics or the side characters. 
That to say, like you, I am curious as to what factors contribute to what readers decide to focus on in their discussions of certain games. 
I say go for it. Even if you never share it with anyone, I think it would be worth making just for your own enjoyment.
I love writing romance, but honestly Mara, I respect you a lot for this. I think there are a lot of people who would be a lot happier if they stopped writing romance as well.
I think this is starting to die down a bit actually, as I’ve seen more and more readers saying they won’t follow demoless projects anymore. People certaitly still do it, but I don’t think it brings in popularity like it did a few years ago.
I whole heartedly agree with this. If a character is multidimensional with clear (to the author at least) motivations then I think a good romance arc will come naturally from what is already there. That’s what I try to do for my own characters at least. (Also for what it’s worth, I adore the romances in BotL.)
I’m kind of torn about this. I do think in 90% of cases, there should be options to dislike characters, especially ROs. Still I do think with more defined MC’s there is a place for differentiating between players not liking a character vs MC is very attached to this person. I just think it needs to be done sparingly and with intention. I also wouldn’t do this for attraction unless it’s very important for the plot.
Hard agree. I think ROs should have their own agency to reject the MC if the MC is either consistently a jerk as you point out, or just does something that is completely out of allignment with the ROs moral philosophy.
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I can certainly respect a need to just have a place where you can ramble about your worldbuilding and out-of-context plot details…
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I was joking there. I will not write a story about quasars, because my games are all set in the Solar System. I find nearby planets and moons more interesting than nameless, distant stars.
I’m also a little facetious about my dislike of romance. There are absolutely scenes and characters I’ve enjoyed writing, I just hate how many ROs I’m expected to have, and how little I can do with the actual relationships without turning readers away.
You know what? I’ll have my revenge by including an RO/RO ship in my current story, and also a RO/NPC one. I know readers dislike those, but I’m not writing half a dozen romancable characters just for them to go celibate if the player doesn’t pick them. My characters will romance one another if you don’t hook up with them, and nobody has the power to stop me.
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That is the inner energy you need. However, after all of our rants we need to do what is best for the game itself and for us as writers.
I needed lots of years and therapy to reach out the conclusion. Search for validation is human. However if we don’t value ourselves and our writing external validation just become imposter syndrome.
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here my two cents on RO discussion too xD
very much This:
I tbh don’t particularly care about the precise labeling of the relationship as long as I can form some kind of deeper connection (and get/ give huggies). I like just having interactions free of being locked into romance or having enough flirt points or something. I do kind of dislike being rushed into romantic declared interaction/ forced to flirt as my only option to get to do things down the line, instead of just having a relationship develop, getting to actually get to know those people and them having some actual agency/ reactions to whatevs bs I might get up too.
Often I feel like romance is the only option If i don’t want to miss out on actually getting to from connections at all when friendship/ non romance seems to get brushed over or doesn’t get much happening. Or they won’t let me do the same things for them story wise, assuming I’d somehow care less. You better believe I’ll drop everything to help a precious friend just as gladly as for a lover.
Let me be attached without it having to be s3xual plz.
oh, I like that. But: Will you let me play wingman then? Pretty please? (or mercilessly tease them about their crush)
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Well, I’m planning to have friendships at least! Still a bit leery on the idea of adding romance to the reality-breaking one, mostly because there are no suitable characters and because the pacing might suffer (there’s a serial killer on the loose, would seem more prudent to focus on that, and you freaking have known these people for years, the federal agent notwithstanding, so it’s not like you’d need to act now) but I haven’t finished drafting yet so who knows.
Anyway, continuing my rumblings from last thread, after revising the timeline of the characters involved and realizing this coat-turning spy is second of their codename, I’m fairly convinced this is when they switched sides, although the MC learns it only a lot later:
I think this knee-jerk LALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU says a lot.
Sharp whistle from the hills behind the village stops the farmer on her tracks, so you stop as well. Around you, people start running around, carrying this and that, disappearing into buildings with their cloak-wrapped bundles of vegetables, spoons, hammers, and engine parts. Dogs start barking, first a single one behind the abandoned-looking house, then a second one sitting on the roof of the yellow one joins in, and one by one, the barking chorus grows.
“What’s going on, LT?” [P] asks.
You don’t really have an answer to that. “I don’t—”
“Soldiers,” the farmer cuts in, starting to move again. “Probably looking for you.”
That doesn’t sound good.
“Then what’s everyone else doing?” [J] rushes after her.
“Might not be all they’re looking for.” She walks briskly and with purpose. You follow, and before long you’re all standing in front of some kind of smallish outbuilding. Garage? Woodhouse? Do these people use firewood? That feels way too low-tech. She opens the door, revealing what can only be described as barn, and ushers you in.
You and your team swiftly hide into the haystacks. There’s a lot of it, but the space isn’t too large, and there’s a lot of your team in comparison. It’s impossible to cover everything, no matter how deep you burrow. But the only light comes from the door and the cracks of the walls, and the shadows help. You do your best to blend in.
The farmer closes the door, and you settle in to wait in the darkness. Nobody speaks, nobody moves; all you can do is listen.
It takes a while longer. but before long the soldiers reach the village. Shouting at the edge of the village, marching boots, insistent knocking. Angry words exchanged, too fast and too far for you to decipher. In one direction, wood cracks as a door is kicked in. In other, someone screams, the sound cut short by a gunshot. Sounds coming closer, on multiple sides.
The door creaks open. A soldier appears in the doorway, stepping in the pool of dim light from the lantern on top of the door like an actor steps on spotlight, and you catch the glint of a cranial implant edging their eye. They peer in, look around. Stop to stare on a glove innocently lying on the ground. A subtle shuffle in the haystack, and their head jerks towards the sound. Spasm in your arm, and they lock eyes with you.
Everyone freezes.
The soldier’s arm twitches. Then they take a sudden step back and out of your view. The door slams shut, with a little bit more force than necessary. Footsteps, retreating. Several footsteps, coming closer.
Your hand falls on your sidearm. Quick glance around confirms everyone’s gripping their rifles.
“Find anything?” a voice from a bit further away shouts.
“No,” a voice in front of the door replies. “Just rats.”
On one side, someone laughs at that.
“Didn’t we go through this village already?” the voice in front of the door continues. They fall silent for a moment, then speak again: “All right, then. There’s nothing here. Let’s go.”
Agreeing murmurs from all directions, then multiple footsteps march past your hiding place. In a surprisingly short order, the voices grow dimmer; then they fade away completely.
You let out a breath.
“What,” [J] whispers, “just happened?”
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For August, my goal is to finish Chapter 8 and get revisions for it in and to to outline chapter 9. I’d love to get at least 5,000 words into Chapter 9 by the end of August.
I’m up to 27K out of a proposed 30K for chapter 8. It’s been super complicated, because this is a chapter where you can spend time with any of the 7 MCs after a public execution, and the execution has 3 people that can die or you can stop it peacefully or forcefully and become a fugitive. The main characters need different versions depending on whether they were on trial or not or if one of their friends died, or if you’re on the run, or if you’re in a romance with them or not. One secret villain RO has 3-4 points where you discover their plot and most of those have options where you can oppose them peacefully or attack and possibly kill them. So I’ll have to test it and get others to test it carefully to make sure nothing horrible happens with the code. Chapter 9 will be vaguely similar, as it’s the last chapter with big romance/commitment scenes before the epilogue. Chapter 10 will be mostly pure action and plot with the other characters involved but not in individual scenes.
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Yeah, deep connection is key in any story of game that has choices. In fact in my opinion the big difference between modern If games from old school choose your adventure is that. There are really amazing old school parser and interactive games. Some had the most terrifying atmosphere I have ever read in something game related… But they feel hollow. You control what happens and where you go… But no what your character really is and how relatable is with others and for me personally Wastelander was the fist in 80s that have a little bit. And the Big one was BioWare Baldurs gate 1 & 2 with probably the best relationships in general in a party and romance ever done.
Still, I am parcial for Dragon age Origins and Kotor myself. for me my best mate is certain Hk-47 that call me master.
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I’m sorry, but I have to ask. Does that mean a villain who’s secretly an RO, or an RO who’s secretly a villain?
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Well, I guess kind of both, because you meet the RO and find out there’s a side villain around the same time, but only later do you realize they’re the same person.
They’re pretty justified for a villain (ecoterrorism, basically) but the game is kind of darker so I felt like the player should have the option to try to stop them at different points. It felt weird writing scenes like blasting them with rotting magic or strangling them with your bare hands after a fist fight, but the game has a darker tone and the player can choose not to do any of those things (you can even get them to join your side if you’re nature-friendly enough, or become a joint eco-terrorist with them).
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ooooh. the sound of that dynamic gives me slightly Specters of the Deep vibes (cecilia specifically, after it’s revealed she’s still around).
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Dang it! I wanted to nab the 1st comment of the month! But I’m glad to see everyone is doing well and fine.
Since Velocity released I’ve been on a little break to clear my mind and recover from months of constant writing and bug hunting. But I’ve now returned and I’m going full throttle on continuing Talon Saga. Plus I might update some of those fanfics some readers have been asking for.
Hopefully I can crank out Talon Saga in fashionable time.
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A-ha! I managed the shift between writer threads this time. No longer will I be talking to myself in an abandoned thread… like last month.
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I once posted in a decade old dead thread lol. We all have been there
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True. I once responded to a 16 yr old comment on YouTube about some videogame discussion. Surprisingly, they replied.
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Happy August everyone!
My goals this month are the same as last month: get the first case polished and released. I ended up taking some extra time to rewrite some things, and I am a lot happier with the current structure (though it still isn’t perfect).
Best of luck to everyone!
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With the Philippine GameDev Expo now behind me, it’s time to go back to developing Lily Adventuresses! Episode 4. And by the way, the RPG series is given an honorable mention in this article.
https://peopleplacesplates.ph/pgdx-2026-a-celebration-of-the-philippines-video-game-industry/
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