So I recently started making a game for the hosted games category. Always wanted to do it however I never really got around to, probably due to laziness or lack of sufficient boredom. Whatever it was I took care of it because I am actually getting around to making one. I got my idea and made a flow chart (even though I’ll likely change it later) but I left out romance related things. I was thinking about doing something completely different but wanted to how people think it would turn out before I give it more thought.
I wanted to give additional requirements to romance options. Say romance option A was extremely loyal to monarch and in order for them to approach you you prove yourself loyal as well. Maybe romance option B is the opposite and won’t be a romance option if you show yourself to be loyal to the monarch. Romance option C could only approach you have a certain strength stat.
Something like that but with various stats as a requirements. I felt like that would be make the characters more realistic. Currently the way the system is in my head it would be a deal breaker to get them to approach you at all (even to be friends). Then additional little things that would open them as a romance option. Taking romance option A again the deal breaker is obviously loyalty to the monarch. However, for them to be open to romance with you maybe you need to be a certain gender and they like you to be a certain status such as a knight or high income level.
I’m honestly unsure if I am explaining this accurately because as I type this I see very little difference between this and the way most games go. Assuming I am though, the problem is that if I do this it would be possible to be not have a romance option when you wanted one.
I understand what you mean, and I think it’s a very nice idea, though it might be a bit complicated at first to figure out how to exactly do it with coding.
If that’s the way you wanna do things then go for it. It is a more realistic way of dealing with romance because like in real life different people have different preferences. Also I think it’s fine if you may have a Playthrough without a romance because that’s what the restart button is for.
I was thinking that as well but I would like to think I could figure it out eventually lol. Besides there is always the normal method to fall back on if it isn’t working out. Thanks for your feedback it makes me feel like its worth a shot. I mean if two people like it (myself included in the two) there has to be more people who would.
If I understand your post, your asking if we think separate “romance streams” will work in a Hosted Games setting where the RO are exclusive (and even have a non-romance option)…
and if I understood your post correctly, my answer is: Yes, I think this can work. It just means more writing that becomes gated by choices and for your audience to experience that content they will have to play multiple times.
Gated material available only to some play-sessions and not others is acceptable I believe even if some might complain, they will grudgingly accept the reality. If they enjoy your story, they most likely will want to explore multiple paths.
Since everyone seems to be for it so far does anyone know if there are any precedents for it already? I’ve bought a couple of games but none of them had their romance options set up like that.
This is actually easy to implement, in regards to code. It’s a little more complicated in regards to your writing, but still easily doable.
At the very, very basic level it’s a simple matter of
*if loyalty>50
*set loyal_romance true
You meet the loyal romance interest
*if loyalty<51
*set rebel_romance true
You meet the rebel romance interest
Jenny from Heroes Rise, and Brett from MetaHuman Inc are only available as romances if you’re female for Jenny, and male for Brett. The romance with JJ in Slammed! is only accessible if you’re not in a relationship with any of the other characters, plus if you meet a bunch of other requirements.
Choice of Romance is a good one to look at though. While not a Romance in the first game, there’s a politics section in it, where Vega will only approach you if have a specific stat high enough. I played and replayed that section extensively until I could befriend Vega.
You might find it more in Hosted Games.
Havenstone does it in Choice of Rebels. There’s a choice of one of two characters that will show up, depending on your stats.
I’d say play and then read the code for a few games.
I generally suggest Creatures Such As We, since it’s short but there’s a variety of character interactions there. Choice of Romance, (you just need to do the first one).
If you’re looking for complexity have a look at Zombie Exodus. I’d strongly suggest against trying to emulate it though.
Zombie Exodus is a hugely complex game in term of the character interactions, moreso than any of the choice of games. Most characters can like or dislike you, and that influences their reactions to you. On top of that some characters may or may not be present, may or may not be alive, may or may not be in a romantic relationship with you. By the time of the epilogues there’s so many things that need to be taken into consideration.
I’m actually doing this with my game, practically what I feel like you’re saying is that your romance options have requirements. I think the idea is always a great one cause like you said, it’s more realistic and the reader has more of a ‘hmm do I really want to sell my soul to romance this dork’!
But yea I feel like @FairyGodfeather has you in the right place, the coding is actually quite easy.
