Sex and the Sh*tty: Why RPGs Should Break up With Relationship Quests

Just because they're in your party, it doesn't mean you have to sleep with them. Here's why relationship quests need to go.

[Godmars290]

The "never nude" policy at the very least.

And it would be surprising how game devs are bad at scripting relationships - if they were script writers instead of dev/PC programmers.

[NewMonday]

Witcher dose them great

[Godmars290]

Yes, but they're nude.

There's the Austin Powers' "strategically placed object blocks view" gag, then there's just had sex but underwear is on.

[bluefox755]

Witcher is about the only game that portrays relationships in a non-awkward and cringeworthy manner.

[SaveFerris]

Maybe it just needs better writers? Even movies get this wrong, though it can be due to factors like the lack of chemistry between the actors, poor acting, and writing, and they only have 2 hours run time.
Game romances are about as shallow as the ones in a James Bond movie. Perhaps the romance should be dropped and instead focus on building trust and friendship between the party members as part of the story?

[JayPi3]

I agree, games like the Persona series can get relationships right without ever needing the characters to kiss or remove their clothing (as far as I know) yet somehow all these other games try to shoe horn cheesy sex scenes into their games.

As you said, the focus should be on building trust, and friendship which the Persona series does great. If more games focused on genuine bonding with deep characters sex could be treated more as an option than a end game you have to get to just by saying all the right things.

[Kreisen]

Im sorry to break it to you but real people dont actually interact with each like they do in Persona games (or anime). Not even in Japan, where i have lived for the better part of my life i might add.

[VsAssassin]

I agree with you guys. I don't get the forced-in sex in games in the previous generation going into the current. The only in-game sex that I consider classy and not forced was in Indigo Prophecy, but I can live without such in my games to be honest.

Building good relationships without the use of sex is definitely the way to go.

[Derceto]

Wow. I couldn't even be bothered to finish reading that pathetic article.

Some comically bad arguments and comparisons. Get real.

[Warshade]

I prefer the Witcher and romance being part of a narrative. My least favorite is Bioware.

[Nu]

Peach is chocking and Mario is trying to help her?

[sullynathan]

Focusing on romances really has to go, focus on gameplay instead.

[Aloren]

Why ? Romances in rpg usually represent about 10 minutes out of a 30+ hours experience.
It's not much, you don't have to play those 10 mins if you don't want to, and many people like these. Why do you care ? Removing it is not gonna change anything to your experience .

[sullynathan]

The developers put too much time into focusing on romance. Go to Bioware's dead forums or VDPR's and you'll see what the majority of the fans are talking about. Romances instead of gameplay

[Aloren]

Yeah, their fans talk about romance. A lot. It's even a selling point for many of them, yet it's not even 2% of the work that goes into creating the game. A few dialogue options, one or two short cinematics, it's really not much, but it's a decisive factor to their fans. So why should they drop it ?
And again, I see no reason why short romance cinematics in a story-centered game would negativly impact the gameplay. Do you really think that the witcher or mass effect would play differently if they hadn't put romances in there ?

[Ogygian]

Romance has been a core part of fiction since the beginning of time. Helen and Paris. Tristan and Isolde. Faust and Gretchen.

It is central to many stories because it is a central part of life. To ditch it would be to make games even more shallow than they already are; that would be ridiculous, and a massive step backwards.

All that's needed is good writing. Having said that, I really enjoyed the Dragon Age Origins and Mass Effect romance quests. I don't get all the hate - they were good for their time; the problem isn't that Bioware never took the money forward like CDProjekt did. Perhaps the answer is making them more central to the story.

Furthermore, sex is a very important part of our relationship mythos. There's a reason Catholic marriage requires consummation before it is beyond annulment. No sex, no consummation; no "completeness" (and gamers like completeness). To be honest, most of the criticism seems very immature, and lacking in historical perspective.

[kreate]

U don't need to be in a relationship to be having sex. I mean, if a girl circles around u long enough, it's bound to happen.