Will Jeff consider adding Romance Options in Geneforge Remakes

[Valdain the King]

It would be awesome for just a few characters. If it works for Avadon, a very small romance of certain npcs would be epicness!

Geneforge 2-Male characters can woo Shanti with claw bugs as the flower girls.

Geneforge 1-Female characters can woo Brodus blade with Glahhks pouring sparkling cider at wedding (alcohol makes me dizzy)

Alright maybe those are bad examples but I am trying

I think Greta would be an excellent choice in later games 4 and 5 but I only completed 4 so I don't know completely.

Another thing if jeff is going to be implementing romance features in his rpgs people will eventually want all options like Winter Wolves and Baldurs Gate series.

[Randomizer]

You can create a fyora to give you a hot time.

[Valdain the King]

Well if a fyora gives a hot time I don't think I want to go near a cyroa. Might break my heart. Or turn me into Mr. Freeze.

[ArchMage81]

It would be awesome for just a few characters. If it works for Avadon, a very small romance of certain npcs would be epicness!

Geneforge 2-Male characters can woo Shanti with claw bugs as the flower girls.

Geneforge 1-Female characters can woo Brodus blade with Glahhks pouring sparkling cider at wedding (alcohol makes me dizzy)

Alright maybe those are bad examples but I am trying

I think Greta would be an excellent choice in later games 4 and 5 but I only completed 4 so I don't know completely.

Another thing if jeff is going to be implementing romance features in his rpgs people will eventually want all options like Winter Wolves and Baldurs Gate series.

I think you are sick

[Giant Frog]

I hope he will. Romance can be really cool if it's done right.

 

However, the way I see it, full fledged romance options are merely the icing in the cake that is characterization. Before we can have them, we need the cake itself, or the romance will feel too artificial and tacky for the setting. Truthfully, characters in the Geneforge series are definitely more engaging than Avernum characters in general and they definitely show clearer signs of growth and development thorough the series (for example Greta, Alwan and Litalia) but I think there's still a long way to go.

 

Characters need to react in more significant ways to the player's decisions in quest outcomes and the dialogue tree; this not only makes them more believable by themselves but it also empowers the player with a feeling of agency.

This would require some extensive rewriting and expansion of player-NPC interactions.

 

It would be a lot more practical to add a new creation type. For example, Giant Frogs.

[Jerakeen]

Welcome to the forums, Giant Frog! I like your avatar.

 

Let's all just pretend I've said something witty about sanity and/or fluffy turtles.

[Goldengirl]

There's romance present in the Geneforge games, but it's always a back current. Consort Leela and Shaper Taygen in G5, Alwan and Miranda in G4 (hinted at more in G5), more minor NPC's and probably some major ones from the first three games. (I haven't actually played the first three games all the way through, just the demos). A big part of the usage of canisters is the alienation factor, which makes the characters that do use canisters incapable of attaching themselves to love like that.

[Fluff]

It's kind of hard for me to explain, but I'm not sure a romance option would really work in a Geneforge game. I guess one my issues would be feeling that NPC's are only attracted to my characters actions, not their actual personality (e.g. a pro-servile person who will be available to a pro-servile character), with the result being that any thoughts I have as to what my character is like are irrelevant. Faction reputation is one thing, obviously the serviles will like someone who helps them and despise someone who oppresses them, but the idea that this hypothetical love-interest could be attracted to two (in my head) completely different people would make the whole thing feel a bit cheapened.

[Catoblepas]

Greta/Alwan seem like logical choices for this in a hypothetical remake of the Geneforge games, at least for G3. Alwan is in a relationship in 4 (and would be unlikely to start anything with a lifecrafter anyways) and on life support in G5, while Greta is a canister user in G4-G5. I suppose there are a few minor characters and temporary companions that could be expanded on to be romantic interests, but for G1-2 any such characters would have to be added to the game, I think. I don't think having to make servile-specific RI would be too hard, considering that the only two games playable serviles appear in both have servile companions. I think Romances would be a nice addition to any future Geneforge games/Geneforge remakes, and I'm happy that Jeff has started to include them in his games. I'm about equally excited for the ability to influence faction loyalty of companions in Avadon 1+2. If Jeff decides to include these two facets into any future Geneforge remakes, I'll be rather happy. it would make the conversations between Alwan/Greta/PC in G3 a bit more interesting in particular, I think.

[Upon Mars.]

"Romantics" have been a minor aspect of G1, be it the serviles and perhaps Masha. In G1, the only information develloped about the serviles is that to have "bonding rituals" and are seen as monogamous, and capable of love as human beings, be it on Sucia Isle or the mainland. The serviles, are according to Freud´s terms, like "normal" people; they both have a job and are capable of love.

 

After that I am largley ignorant of why and how romance is used in later games.

[Fluff]

After that I am largley ignorant of why and how romance is used in later games.

 

Having played through all of 2 and 5 and some of 3, I can tell you with mild certainty that it more or less isn't.

[Alorael at Large]

Remakes are a long way off, and I think romance's inclusion depends largely on its reception in Avadon 2 (and probably 3).

 

That said, I'm not sure it's a good fit for Geneforge. Maybe G3, but Greta and Alwan already have their own non-romantic arcs. It could be added, but I'm not sold on the way it should be. And Avadon 2's romance seemed fine but hardly a great addition to the game.

 

—Alorael, who would rather see more characterization to go around than a single character or handful of them given romances, especially if they don't get enough character to go with it.

[springacres]

Remakes are a long way off, and I think romance's inclusion depends largely on its reception in Avadon 2 (and probably 3).

 

That said, I'm not sure it's a good fit for Geneforge. Maybe G3, but Greta and Alwan already have their own non-romantic arcs. It could be added, but I'm not sold on the way it should be. And Avadon 2's romance seemed fine but hardly a great addition to the game.

 

—Alorael, who would rather see more characterization to go around than a single character or handful of them given romances, especially if they don't get enough character to go with it.

Or enough game time with the PC for a believable romance to develop. (I felt that was the real drawback with Ava2's romance arc, not enough game time with Silke/Rainer before they got kidnapped for me to really grasp how my characters might feel about them. I felt the scout character was decently fleshed out for what appearances they did make, however.)

Edited December 14, 2013 by springacres

[Hyena of Ice]

Remakes are a long way off, and I think romance's inclusion depends largely on its reception in Avadon 2 (and probably 3).

 

That said, I'm not sure it's a good fit for Geneforge. Maybe G3, but Greta and Alwan already have their own non-romantic arcs. It could be added, but I'm not sold on the way it should be. And Avadon 2's romance seemed fine but hardly a great addition to the game.

 

—Alorael, who would rather see more characterization to go around than a single character or handful of them given romances, especially if they don't get enough character to go with it.

 

I imagine any signs of a budding relationship would have to start up on Harmony Isle (it seems like you're just getting to know each other the entire time on Greenwood Isle) You'd want it to be fairly progressed by the end of Dhonal Isle which will make things the most interesting when you leave for Gull Island.

Unless this is changed in the remake (and I certainly hope it's not!), it definitely wouldn't depend on which faction you lean towards since those two have already been given character traits to explain away why they would still travel with you when you voice support of the opposite side (Greta is amicable towards you even if you commit horrible atrocities against the rebels/servilles-- and she states she enjoys travelling with you even if you are pro-Shaper, while Alwan is in complete denial unless you do something bad enough to shatter it)

[Gharbad the handsome]

Please consider adding romance to geneforge if you remake it.

 

There should be the option to see your creations as equals. They fight harder the more you look after them and they begin to love you.

 

Maybe there can be a marriage system where you have a permanent bond with one favorite creation until it dies. If you marry a thad for example he will jump in front of ranged attacks that would hit you and maybe if you get knocked unconcious an intelligent creation would perform CPR and bring you back if they manage to finish the battle on their own.

[SpiderBalls]

 

There should be the option to see your creations as equals. They fight harder the more you look after them and they begin to love you.

 

Maybe there can be a marriage system where you have a permanent bond with one favorite creation until it dies.

Maybe with NPCs; it's my understanding that creations, due to the fact that they are born of your essence, are considered either mere animals (if dumb) or like your own children if intelligent which, as I think we all can agree on, isn't something anyone should want in a game.

 

Geneforge 2-Male characters can woo Shanti with claw bugs as the flower girls.

Geneforge 1-Female characters can woo Brodus blade with Glahhks pouring sparkling cider at wedding (alcohol makes me dizzy)

Alright maybe those are bad examples but I am trying

Though the examples were somewhat silly (okay, really silly ) I see some merit in them; personally, I feel some kinship with Brodus of G1 (who, by the way, was female).

[Randomizer]

Jeff is more likely to use later game mechanics in remakes. So minor changes to spells, adding a junk bag, and changing combat so you can't duck back around a corner after attacking are more likely.

[Jerakeen]

Please consider adding romance to geneforge if you remake it.

 

There should be the option to see your creations as equals. They fight harder the more you look after them and they begin to love you.

 

Maybe there can be a marriage system where you have a permanent bond with one favorite creation until it dies. If you marry a thad for example he will jump in front of ranged attacks that would hit you and maybe if you get knocked unconcious an intelligent creation would perform CPR and bring you back if they manage to finish the battle on their own.

First of all, welcome to the forums, Gharbad!

 

Second, gross.

[Sudanna]

Yeah, the second part of the traditional greeting is. . . really not necessary in this case.

[Goldengirl]

I don't know, I've heard that gazers are very "biological." (thanks for that weird tidbit of information from G4, Jeff)

[Slawbug]

Anaximander or GTFO.

[JustifiedGlory]

scary!

Edited June 24, 2018 by JustifiedGlory

[JustifiedGlory]

d

Edited June 24, 2018 by JustifiedGlory

[SpiderBalls]

Screw Servile rights.

 

Careful, Glory. That's a dangerous opinion to have.

[Hyena of Ice]

I don't know, I've heard that gazers are very "biological." (thanks for that weird tidbit of information from G4, Jeff)

 

Anyone else see a likely pairing with Japanese anime girls, here? >_>

[Hyena of Ice]

Maybe there can be a marriage system where you have a permanent bond with one favorite creation until it dies. If you marry a thad for example he will jump in front of ranged attacks that would hit you and maybe if you get knocked unconcious an intelligent creation would perform CPR and bring you back if they manage to finish the battle on their own.

Maybe with NPCs; it's my understanding that creations, due to the fact that they are born of your essence, are considered either mere animals (if dumb) or like your own children if intelligent which, as I think we all can agree on, isn't something anyone should want in a game.

 

Why not? After all, a few idiots in the USA and Europe have married themselves for "female empowerment" (and gotten away with it due to a lack of laws against marrying yourself :\ ) over the past century.

[JustifiedGlory]

On 12/31/2014 at 7:58 PM, SpiderBalls said:

 

Careful, Glory. That's a dangerous opinion to have.

dang

Edited June 24, 2018 by JustifiedGlory