Game News Torment Kickstarter Update #5: Monte Cook Explains It All

[Lancehead]

Obsidian made pretty much the same statement as InXile concerning romances, which reads, more or less, "we're making characters with mature and complex interactions".

 

[janjetina]

The apology video was awesome. As for the update no.5, a single thumb down for the use of the (four letter) word 'streamlined', two thumbs up for no to Biowarean perversions and multiplayer. So, a net positive in my book.

 

[Monty]

Gaider et al must see all those kickstarter threads about 'romances' and laugh at the monster they've created.

 

[Haba]

Gaider does not laugh.

 

[hoverdog]

Gaider does not laugh.

but laugh he did?

 

[Captain Shrek]

Gaider does not laugh.

but laugh he did?

Oh snap.

 

[Catawampus]

Lancehead Actually, the Biodrones used that statement in support of their position. To the Bioware people, mature/complex interactions = sex/alien sex. Only mature people IRL understand the difference.

Obsidian has never made a definitive statement on the subject which inXile did in Update #5 -

"Meaningful friendships, even feelings of affection, will be possible, but relationships of the flesh would be inconsistent with our narrative. (Though we must admit we were amused by the Romance with Ball of Goo suggestion by billyboy. =) )"

 

[Arkeus]

Man, that apology was hilarious, in a bad way. Having the guy whining on how he is a misunderstood genius and being all butthurt does not bode well.

 

[Infinitron]

Catawampus
When asked, Obsidian have refused to confirm that there will be romance in their game. It's true that they haven't ruled it out outright, but Josh Sawyer's views on romances are well known.

 

[Brother None]

They probably just don't consider it important enough to talk about indepth. Have people asked JES through his formspring? Easy enough to answer in a straightforward manner, unless it simply isn't nailed down yet internally (which is well possible).

 

[Lancehead]

Lancehead Actually, the Biodrones used that statement in support of their position. To the Bioware people, mature/complex interactions = sex/alien sex. Only mature people IRL understand the difference.

Obsidian has never made a definitive statement on the subject which inXile did in Update #5 -

"Meaningful friendships, even feelings of affection, will be possible, but relationships of the flesh would be inconsistent with our narrative. (Though we must admit we were amused by the Romance with Ball of Goo suggestion by billyboy. =) )"

I don't see the concern here, Obsidian are not going to do the "relationships of the flesh", and Sawyer has always been very against such. The reason InXile needed to make such an explicit statement in an update, as I see it, is because they're allowing people to post "ideas" on their forums.

 

[Catawampus]

Infinitron That was the point I was making. I think it's great that inXile has put the statement in an official project Update. It's not left up to speculation which, in P.E.'s case, resulted in the abundance of 'Romance' threads that went on for months. Sawyer's and MCA's views are well-known to many people, but it doesn't stop speculation from the Bioware crowd. Their comments are always 'well it still hasn't been ruled out so we want to keep discussing all the possible variations of companion sex romance as possible'.

Also, it gets old having to put links to articles where the developers have made comments when new threads arise on the O.E. forums. With T:ToN, it's in Update #5 which most of us won't forget: Ziets, no MP, no tent shagging. It's an official, easy-to-remember update that can be linked.

 

[hiver]

Those "people" dont really understand what it means to implement romances in a game dev sense.... because every single one of them is asking for a very specific personal interpretation of that whole issue.
And most of those comes down to 1.flirting with a specific npc, 2. success.

The shear magnitude of that blindness is astounding.

 

[Catawampus]

Lancehead Apparently, my earlier post wasn't clear. I am just happy inXile made it official to cut back on the inevitable squeeing to come.

I never indicated I was concerned -- I'm not. Just happy they've taken a proactive position on the subject.

 

[Western]

Those "people" dont really understand what it means to implement romances in a game dev sense.... because every single one of them is asking for a very specific personal interpretation of that whole issue.
And most of those comes down to 1.flirting with a specific npc, 2. success. pants drop.

The shear magnitude of that blindness is astounding.

Fixed.

 

[oldmanpaco]

Wasn't there romance in Torment? I remember Anna getting all emotional as I walked off to fight in the war. I don't know why they cannot take it to the next level in this game.

 

[MasPingon]

Wasn't there romance in Torment? I remember Anna getting all emotional as I walked off to fight in the war. I don't know why they cannot take it to the next level in this game.

I want to be a buttpirate

 

[hiver]

Those "people" dont really understand what it means to implement romances in a game dev sense.... because every single one of them is asking for a very specific personal interpretation of that whole issue.
And most of those comes down to 1.flirting with a specific npc, 2. success. pants drop.

The shear magnitude of that blindness is astounding.

Fixed.

That too of course. About half of them ask why cant the romance then be consummated. As if its only natural you will be able to achieve success, right, because people just "fall in love" and everything is fucking great. And some even asked why then cannot there be an offspring... ffs... (and have a nice time not being able to sleep nights and changing diapers for fuck sake...)
But thats not my point.

Its that they are asking for this very simplistic feel good angle to it. While we all know things really do not work that way. And then that is followed by complaining why this or that specific NPC cannot be "romanced".

I almost feel like giving Adam a hand there and writing all of this in a sensible, carefully written post.
But thats going to end up with "hey im an imbecile and i didnt read your looong post!" or retarded answers that completely miss the point and just continue down the same drain.

-edit- fuck spelling.

 

[Roguey]

First of all - there was no 'romance' in P:T. Calling it romance is like saying soccer instead of football. Doesn't necessary makes you a bad person, still reveals you as American.

Yes there was. Unfortunately, every woman involved was grossly codependent. Avellone's inspiration for Annah and Grace was Betty and Veronica and Harlequin romance novels. I'm expecting none of that regressive nonsense in ToN.

It'd be nice if Mur Lafferty wrote an explicitly homoromantic asexual relationship for Lesi.

 

[Zeriel]

"Grossly codependent" roughly describes how most people act in real life. I'm probably in the minority, but I don't mind people acting in flawed ways if it's not everyone acting that way, or at least there's some sense of awareness that this is flawed.

 

[oldmanpaco]

Wasn't there romance in Torment? I remember Anna getting all emotional as I walked off to fight in the war. I don't know why they cannot take it to the next level in this game.

I want to be a buttpirate

See that's the good stuff. Anyone ever play with the mod that lest you sex up the stone gollem? She breaks your dick or something. Good time that are not repeated enough.

 

[Captain Shrek]

Quick! Someone post that Dwarf awkward buttsex scene.

 

[Curious_Tongue]

Someone needs to make an RPG with romance as the main theme, and I'm being serious.

People obviously want it, and I don't see how the old school RPG fans can claim to be a neglected market when the romance fans are having their romances crammed into games they wouldn't want to play in the first place.

We need to separate the romantics from the neckbeards, not make games that please both.

 

[Zeriel]

Someone needs to make an RPG with romance as the main theme, and I'm being serious.

People obviously want it, and I don't see how the old school RPG fans can claim to be a neglected market when the romance fans are having their romances crammed into games they wouldn't want to play in the first place.

We need to separate the romantics from the neckbeards, not make games that please both.

Dating sims. What's more, japanese dating sims have had insane choices & consequences for decades. IT'S LIKE AN RPGCODEX NIGHTMARE COME TRUE.

 

[Infinitron]

Someone needs to make an RPG with romance as the main theme, and I'm being serious.

People obviously want it, and I don't see how the old school RPG fans can claim to be a neglected market when the romance fans are having their romances crammed into games they wouldn't want to play in the first place.

We need to separate the romantics from the neckbeards, not make games that please both.

They're called "visual novels".

But you see, the thing is, the "romance fans" DON'T actually want all romance, all the time.

Having to fight trash mobs now and again gives them plausible deniability, and it also serves as pacing between the romance elements. You didn't just select dialogue options to get your waifu. You FOUGHT THE BAD GUYS and EARNED her love!