Guild Wars 2

For a modern RPG, I do find it odd that some kind of relationship is not an option. I am not saying I expect it or that there has to be one. Most RPG’s never thought of it back in the day. I just thought adding such an option could be there. The loner selfless hero is classic, but not realistic. Most people don’t work like that. This coming from a single man who kind of has that attitude, ironically.

As a Human Male Nobleman for my first character, I did get hit on by another noble woman (forgot name). I had the option of telling her at a party that the Baroness and I are a thing or not. By telling her we are not, I left it open that I am single and okay with her coming on to me. That’s about as far as it gets. I only completed one character’s story, but I doubt the others will have such an option. Even with a limited option, I wouldn’t mind having her be my character’s love interest.

Some people might point two problems with modern RPG romances. Sex and same sex relationships. First off, you don’t need sex scenes in every game. If you want mature content, its out there. Romances doesn’t have to be the same as love making. As far as the same gender issue, that’s solved with the Sylvari. Gender is a very loose term to them, which means they love individuals and not genders as we know them. Those who want same sex relationships can simply play Sylvari.

Just a suggestion to flesh out your character and story more. This would been purely optional of course. If romances came up, it could add to your story in some way. At least, give you a person to come home to after each dragon battle. Why not?

Too much variable stuff. They’ll probably add a marriage system eventually (they were going to add housing in the home district), but aside from that, there’s no in-game romance. Even in GW1, they didn’t involve our characters that way. I personally don’t mind, but I can understand what you’re saying. It is more incentive to fight and whatnot, but it’ll come to an awkward point when hundreds of characters are married to the same npc

There’s too many combinations.

For interesting romance role-play, you need at least 2 choices otherwise it’s not really role-playing. Then, in 2012, after Bioware opened the door to that, you’re pretty much expected to have a same-sex option too, so the actual minimum is probably 3 romance options per race, and per gender. That would force Arenanet to write 30 romance story, and this looks like quite an undertaking.

If the devs are willing to put the resources to do that, I’d be very, very happy. I’d absolutely love to see my character fall in love, but I feel I’d be asking a lot to the devs to make it true.

I would have no problem with that being an option… as long as it was optional. I prefer to come up with that sort of thing myself rather than have the game come up with it for me. (My character as I’ve created her is already happily married, so it would be awkward to say the least.) I think it could be cool for other players as long as I’m not required by the storyline to take part.

Slayer Lord.5023:

As far as the same gender issue, that’s solved with the Sylvari. Gender is a very loose term to them, which means they love individuals and not genders as we know them. Those who want same sex relationships can simply play Sylvari.

Eh…though I do think you are being sincere and well-intentioned, I can’t say that I’m crazy about treating potential same-gender content differently than it’s opposite-gender equivalent. That move carries with it a subtext that I find disagreeable.

I’m totally fine without any kind of romantic storylines in the game. Not that I would oppose such content or complain about it’s development and inclusion, but it’s the sort of thing that needs to be handled very carefully.

They should work on writing a more engaging and rewarding story first.

It’d be pretty awkward to have the option to have one’s player character fall in love with a particular NPC only for hundreds of other players to end up going down the exact same route. If anything, player marriages would be a better route to go down, though even then it’s pretty awkward and dodgy territory due to how seriously some people take it.

Slayer Lord.5023:

Gender is a very loose term to them, which means they love individuals and not genders as we know them. Those who want same sex relationships can simply play Sylvari.

That doesn’t make sense. Why would you limit other races in such a way? Personally, I think sylvari are hideous and can’t play them. Would that mean I am unable to play the character I want as a different race?

I think if they’re going to do this at all, they need to have equal options (including same sex options) available to all characters and races. If that is too difficult for whatever reason, the developers should just leave it out period.

I should also point out that this is a fairly easily thing to do yourself, whether or not ANet builds it into the game. See an NPC who would suit your character as a mate? Write that into your character’s story for yourself in your own mind or in some fiction, and it’s done.

“Romances” in say the Bioware games are as shallow as a parking lot puddle. To really do them justice in this sort of MMO would be even harder, especially since there are no companion characters. And overall, the story in this game is awful enough that there are about a dozen huge issues that I’d rather see fixed and changed long before even thinking about including this sort of thing.

Garenthal.1480:

It’d be pretty awkward to have the option to have one’s player character fall in love with a particular NPC only for hundreds of other players to end up going down the exact same route.

It wasn’t an issue in SW:TOR. Since all the romance conversations took place on the ship no-one else saw them anyway. ANet could go for a similar option by using the home instance. If anything immersion is easier with this game as the npcs are not companions who you see running around, many of them identical, all over the map.

Bearhugger.4326:

There’s too many combinations.

For interesting romance role-play, you need at least 2 choices otherwise it’s not really role-playing. Then, in 2012, after Bioware opened the door to that, you’re pretty much expected to have a same-sex option too, so the actual minimum is probably 3 romance options per race, and per gender. That would force Arenanet to write 30 romance story, and this looks like quite an undertaking.

If the devs are willing to put the resources to do that, I’d be very, very happy. I’d absolutely love to see my character fall in love, but I feel I’d be asking a lot to the devs to make it true.

If you want to make it really interesting they might throw in some cross-species romance options as well. The sylvari are pretty open on relationships. One could fall for a human, for instance.

It’s a neat idea but it does sound like a lot of work. Maybe for a Valentines update?

I am not trashing the entire game, but when it comes to personal stories…

As bad as the personal stories were in this game, Anet should just avoid the whole Romance Arc idea. They couldn’t pull of a simple War story arc, and when romance plots are done badly they tend to become objectifying and insulting.

IMHO they should stick to the stuff they do well, like more dynamic zone and world events. Halloween was a blast and might be the best Holiday event in any MMO ever. The fact that the November event might allow us to have some real impact on the game only a few months after launch has me really excited.

I love romance in a game, but I think it’s kind of limited if you want it to be with an NPC. I’d rather see something possible between characters, though I’d want to keep the cyber-sex bit to a minimum. I really don’t know how that would work out, it just seems like a fun idea.

Logan, oh Logan, forget Jenna…I’m the Hero of Shaemoor!!

Eir.. make it happen! :P

Bearhugger.4326:

There’s too many combinations.

For interesting romance role-play, you need at least 2 choices otherwise it’s not really role-playing. Then, in 2012, after Bioware opened the door to that, you’re pretty much expected to have a same-sex option too, so the actual minimum is probably 3 romance options per race, and per gender. That would force Arenanet to write 30 romance story, and this looks like quite an undertaking.

If the devs are willing to put the resources to do that, I’d be very, very happy. I’d absolutely love to see my character fall in love, but I feel I’d be asking a lot to the devs to make it true.

Who needs a romance story? These are harsh times in Tyria, there’s no room for long courtship. Find a NPC, marry it the next day. Then put it in your personal instance as a vendor who can give you a food consumable every day.
Wait a minute… I’ve seen this before…

I 100% fully do not support this idea. ArenaNet has a hard time writing their storylines already, the absolute last thing I was is for them to add a delicate, personality-and-story driven questline about a sensitive issue.

If you’re that desperate for NPC romance, pick an NPC and romance them. Remember, it’s an RPG. If you want to build up a love nest in your mind for your chosen group of pixels, go for it! But no romance storyline is going to satisfy everyone, and it’ll only cause a huge flamewar and hurt feelings. Remember, international game! Romantic expectations vary widely with culture.

ANet should focus on bugfixes, event tweaking, and pulling people into Trahearne’s backstory (or something to improve the personal story).

While I have no strong opinions on implementing such a thing in the personal storyline (I personally adore romance options in games, but as it’s been said, they are not easy and GW2 has bigger things to deal with), I think the suggestion that this could be toyed with as part of a Valentine’s Day event is a very good one.

Now I am very curious as to what sort of events will be offered up on Feb 14.

In GW1, in the Norn territory of GW:EotN, there are actually three side quests your character can take. Starting with the Great Ale Moot, if your character is male he is on the verge of marrying Olrun Olafdottir, if female then Olaf Olafson. These pending marriages are terminated when your character (male or female) out performs the intended spouse in reputation. Who knew Norns egos are so fragile?

But then there is my personal favourite: at the second Cantha New Year Festival, my main character received this fortune – You will be involved in an unrequited love with a charr.

I had a blast with that one because my main was constantly running with Pyre. (same sex was out of the question for him). So… for his personal background story – he was made a member of Pyre’s warband, and Pyre’s one sister took him for mate. He survived the mating ritual (barely), and fathered the first human Charr. He died at the age of 90 years, among the Charr a hero and protector. His name was made an honourary title. So, a hundred some years after his death, there now roams a Charr proudly bearing his title name.

So, romance in the game? Can happen if you as the player make it so. However, you need other folk for the RP to happen and become game magick.

It would be nice but they will need a system to determine which kind of romance NPC you’re looking for. First part is simple since it just need to determine your romance NPC origins such as humans being Ascalonian, Canthan, Elonian, or Krytan and Charr being Blood Legion, Iron Legion, or Ash Legion. Same goes for the other race romance options.

I generally love having Romance options in RPGs, but I think it extremely unlikely ANet will ever include them. It takes an enormous amount of writing to write a romance, and then you have to try and cater for a wide variety of tastes and inclinations. Even more so when you have non-human races like Charr, Asura and Sylvari in the mix.

Take a moment to think of the romances we already do see in game (Logan and Queen Jennah, Caithe and Faolin.) Think of the dialogue, the voice acting. Now tell me, honestly, do you really want to sit through more of that?

Urthona.3198:

Take a moment to think of the romances we already do see in game (Logan and Queen Jennah, Caithe and Faolin.) Think of the dialogue, the voice acting. Now tell me, honestly, do you really want to sit through more of that?

If that’s between my player character and Prof Gorr, yes.

In any other event, no.

/wishful RP-related thinking