To be fair Obsidian's romances haven't been like that for the most part. KotOR II's Atris sub plot in particular was very well done (especially with the restoration mod). Granted it's not the fairy tale romance you'll find in a BioWare game, quite the opposite, but it never really made me cringe.

I completed KOTOR 2 three or four times yet it's romance subplots have left no impression upon my memory whatsoever, so they must've been doing something right I suppose. Would that I could forget Fahrenheit or Dragon Age too.

Atris' romance subplot only truly shines with the restoration mod, and obviously a male protagonist. Most of this particular subplot was cut from the final product due to time constraints, but the restoration team added it back in. Again though, it's not a hammy fairy tale romance like what one would expect from BioWare. Atris doesn't even acknowledge that she loves a male Exile until he leaves for Nihilus' ship (assuming you let her live), so there's no truly cringe-worthy dialogue.

This, I think, is a key point. I think some people who object to a romance subplot think it will somehow overtake the entire game. Obviously, if it's done right, that doesn't have to happen. I don't think Fallout should turn into a sims-style life simulator. But whenever I play New Vegas, I'm put off by the presence of all the romantic songs, and the total absence of any opportunity for romantic RP. Cass and Veronica almost seem written deliberately to rule out any romantic RP.



Which means it isn't unprecedented, and it's very possible to write it in such a way that it doesn't overtake the whole game. Granted, I'd like the romantic storyline to go a little deeper than in Fallout 2.

Heh. You could tie those kinds of reactions to stats. I.e., low endurance = "was that it?" etc.

Yes it will be done like that where you need certain perks to even be able to romance and six is tied to your stats. Also you should have to have a certain level of charisma to start a relationship up. Then you would be able to tell if there is a romance option for that character. Likewise if you don't have enough charisma then you can't start a relationship.

Hearkening back to some of what was done in Fallout 2.

Thats what I was going by

Fallout 2 was a bit ridiculous in that respect to be honest. I can't imagine walking into a place called the "Golden Globes" and being a sixploitation movie star. Honestly, the only reason it was entertaining in Fallout 2 was (at least for me) the fact that it was all done in overhead views with tiny bit characters. I think we're a bit more mature than that now as a franchise.

Fallout 2 was zany all around. I kept wondering "is there really a market for porm in the wasteland? who has the working electronics needed to play it?" Every TV depicted in the game is inoperable. Maybe Vault dwellers watched it on their pip boys or something.

Oddly, I thought it was shown in theaters.

I suppose that would make some sense. I don't remember any triple XXX theaters in Fallout 2 though.

No, just an assumption. I figured that "porm=Regular movies" in the despicable fallout world.

{670}{}{We lucked out'we don't NEED any of that stoneage crap. We stumbled across a WORKING pormo'er, holo'graphic projector}

From the mouth of the Studios owner.

If it were done right, then I can't think of a better addition to the Fallout experience- to come home to a loving spouse after a hard day's (or sometimes many days') work. However, here are some major pitfalls to avoid:

1.) Age barriers- the Lone Wanderer is only 19 when he steps outside the Vault. How on earth will he be capable of sustaining a romantic relationship when the Sugar Mama angle is present?

2.) Unstable conditions- you work night and day in the wasteland, your spouse will never know when you'll come home, or if you'll come home. How could you expect him/her to be able to deal with that kind of uncertanty?

3.) Psychological barriers- let's face it, the protagonists of this series haven't been exactly the most level-headed men. The nightmares, the flashbacks, the sounds of the dying, you'd have to a pretty messed up person to just accept that as the order of the day. PTSD would take a huge toll.

4.) Money- how will the player support his family with only the money he/she makes from selling scavenged weapons? Think of how expensive it would be to feed yourself and your spouse; you'd barely have enough left over to buy a box of 10mm. How will the player manage finances? What about taxes and bills? Will it be like the Sims where a repo man comes and snatches your gear if you don't pay up?

5.) The spouse's feelings. Think about it from the spouse's point of view; he/she (the spouse) will marry someone who will hardly ever be home (you), and only comes home to drop off their stuff and hit the sack. How will he/she spend quality time with them? What about the inevitable questions "Have you been faithful?" and "Will you ever stop wandering" or the classic "Why aren't you ever home" or the dreaded "Can you babysit junior while I go shopping"? How will romance balance against the fact that the focus of Fallout is combat and the thrill of the chase?

If the next fallout were to feature a dynamic, rewarding and fun romance system, (with adjustable raunchiness) then the player character would need to be capable of supporting a romantic relationship. This would require someone with a superhuman ability to tolerate extreme gore on a daily basis who is still able behave like it is something horrible and alien when with others. This doesn't make any sense, and would require psychological modelling that would be more annoying than the Vault 13 canteen. For instance, you would seize up after cutting a Raider in half with an auto-ax. Sleep would feature nightmares and your character could wake up crying in the middle of the night.

It wouldn't be worth it in the end. Having to navigate an ocean of dialogue options just to get through the day makes the game too much like real life. The point of Fallout is to escape reality into a world where one can blast away the enemy and feel like a hero; not to have a nervous breakdown on day one. I'm all for doing things realistically, but breaking the pace of the game and making simple things like dropping off your loot tedious is taking it too far.

In the end, romance in Fallout would require two people who can show deep love while not having that which sustains these relationships- stability, maturity, and feasibility. The marriage would fail and both parties would end up brokenhearted and dissappointed. Unless the developers will allow you to have your spouse as a follower (highly unlikely due to the fact that they would quickly end up dead or breaking the game), then romance in Fallout is exactly what it ought to be: a completely optional and commitment-free way to escape the horrors of the wastes for the night.

-Penguin

I don't think they'll go that deep because it's a videogame but I see your point

Would be nice to see some minor romance options added to already existing characters. Cass/Boone/Veronica/Arcade should have been romance-material, for example. Or Joana from Gomorrah, there should have been an option in that quest to steal her away yourself. Though I wouldn't support putting characters in -solely- to be romance material, having it available in actual characters would add some much needed depth to Bethesda games.

Bethesda has a bad habit of making characters/stories as deep as mud puddles, though, so I wouldn't count on this being implemented at all, let alone well.

I think it would be awesome to be able to have a relationship with one of your companions. You're with those characters the most so it would stand to reason you might be attracted to them or develop some type of closer bond.

I'm all for romance. And for the people that don't want it, they can just ignore that part of the game.

Yep. It could already be perceived as Ballout with the unromantic whoring and roboting. :tongue: A romantic relationship on the other hand would be more "mature". I think it would be best implemented with the companions because those are the people you are closest to all the time. And it could be an option. they could do it through dialog and it people don't want to they can ignore that dialog. Or they can do it through perks. Like a "romance companion" perk. Just an idea.

First off: Why would one of the spouses have to stay home. They could both be wanderers or whatever together. It would be foolish of them to think they could sustain a traditional family model out in the wastes.

Second: They wouldn't have a family because they've both been exposed to too much radiation to reproduce successfully. And if they were both of the same six that wouldn't work anyway

Third: Why would they have to be married?

They could blast away at enemies together. They could be like Bonnie and Clyde or they could be the dynamic duo saving everyone.

It could work.

My opinion's split on this. xD my inner feminity is squeeing right now, and hey, I'm choosing to ignore it.



^ I really like the sound of that. It would certainly add a new dynamic. =)

I'm in two minds, really ... there are all kinds of implications, most of which Penguin has already mentioned, but at the same time, if it was a case of forming a bond with a companion, that's more likely to work than a complete stranger.

Maybe saying the right things out of a series of options and a few flirtacious events leading up to a small relationship, or some one-night romance. I'm hoping nobody means for the next fallout to have fully necessary romantic life. The closest thing to that would be needing to juice somebody for info by flirting... but that's it.

I like talking dirty to people when that option arises, but it ain't exactly romance. I'd like if there was like a showgirl in some casino that was a real woman, adored by everyone, the star of Vegas. And if you could flirt with her, establish a bit of a romance. Nothing like sailing steady with here, or marry her. Just, you know, lots of flirting. Gentleman flirting. Buying her a drink, admire her dancing/singing. Conversation could depend on alot. If you look good (Charisma), if you are smart (Intelligence), if you are strong (Strength), if you are rich, if you are successfull by the tables (thanks to some Luck), if you can notice interesting things about her to ask her about that makes her happy (Perception), maybe even if you are good at just saying the right things (Speech and/or Lady Killer/Black Widow (because maybe she's bi)). Then when you've pushed all the right buttons/chosen all the correct dialogue options things can get a bit more intimite. When that moment arises, her continued liking of you would depend on your performance, how long you can last (Endurance and even luck, low luck might cancel out a high Endurance. It can happen even the best.) and how good you are in bed (Agility, Strength)

And... I don't really know the outcome of this. What do you gain? Personal/secret information about important people? A discount of something? Is it an alternative way to open up a quest which would actually be revealed in another way? A special item? Good six? Or just the experience of having done this in the game, that your character has a little adventure that does not involve helping people in distress or killing bad guys?

Is this sick?

Keep in mind that she'd only like classy people, so no disgusting talk here.

I think they shuld add that to maybe do it how Dragon Age did where you have specfic people you can

While I sort of like this idea, it reminds me too much of Fable...while I actually think that it would make sense in this sort of society (not to sound cliche, but family can be the number one distraction, the number one reason to survive) the wandering that the playable characters in the previous fallouts incorporated into their lives prevents any sort of family and any sort of relationship beyond a one night stand.