NPC Romances?

Nairinhe · February 2021

Yes

HawkFest wrote: »

Lugaldu wrote: »

vivisectvib16_ESO wrote: »

lmao wtf is this supposed to mean?

Not very difficult to understand, all people are different, some enjoy pixel romances, others save their emotions for the real world...

When you have the choice between romance with a sentient avatar or a dumb NPC.. IMHO the 2nd route would be like a lazy solution for a fear problem or something thet will not get addressed.. Now if you have a GF or BF in real life, some could react very negatively in knowing that you'd use your leisure time for cheap romance with dumb NPC rather than themselves

Let's go further and assume they got upset because we're playing "dumb" videogames instead of spending time with them, LOL.

The worst reaction I've ever got for thirsting after a character out loud was literally this:

(lightly, with a tablespoon)

Technica · February 2021

Yes

Syldras wrote: »

Technica wrote: »

For me at least; it was nice to come home, be approached by your spouce, enter a dialogue window and for them to say something like "oh you're home! I made this for you, my love" (I don't remember exact lines I need to marry someone in my current Skyrim pt) and I'd always be like "awww, thank you ".

For me it seemed too... shallow. Not enough dialogue, too many repetitions. In the end it was just returning home, "Hi, darling! Here's your cake! Here's your gold! Bye!" Always the same text.

Also, finding a potential spouse wasn't that much of an emotional or immersive thing either. What kind of bond do you even have to a person who married you after you've barely spoken 2 sentences before? There were npcs who married you just because you won a tavern brawl, sold them firewood or even gave them one single gold coin. That wasn't exactly convincing and I'm glad they have more detailed quests in mind for the ESO companions.

I do agree with you there - I literally only married Balimund cause he was the first one to notice the amulet, lol. But he grew on me.
I think he was the only NPC I married and this was probably my first playthrough from years ago, but I do remember it fondly. Maybe rose tinted nostalgia goggles but still.

Syldras · February 2021

Yes

HawkFest wrote: »

When you have the choice between romance with a sentient avatar or a dumb NPC.. IMHO the 2nd route would be like a lazy solution for a fear problem or something thet will not get addressed..

You know it's a game, right? It's not even me having a romance with another npc, but my character. So I also won't necessarily choose someone I'd want to have a relationship with in real life, but someone who fits my character's personality and backstory. I enjoy the storytelling and dialogues, and the roleplaying aspect. That said, I did also roleplay being a couple (or lovers, or whatever you'd want to call it) with a friend once. So? It was both fun, in a different way.

HawkFest wrote: »

Now if you have a GF or BF in real life, some could react very negatively in knowing that you'd use your leisure time for cheap romance with dumb NPC rather than themselves

So you spend every second of your freetime together? There are no situations when you're at home and your partner is still at work, or doing something with friends or whatever? If so, why are you even playing ESO? Or post here at the forum? You could spend time with your partner instead, if it's so important to you.

LadyLethalla · February 2021

Yes

Lugaldu wrote: »

HawkFest wrote: »

When you have the choice between romance with a sentient avatar or a dumb NPC.. IMHO the 2nd route would be like a lazy solution for a fear problem or something thet will not get addressed.. Now if you have a GF or BF in real life, some could react very negatively in knowing that you'd use your leisure time for cheap romance with dumb NPC rather than themselves

I suspect that some people fear that their real partner might be hurt, regardless of whether it is about an avatar or a dumb NPC. But what do I know.

IMO what he doesn't know about an imaginary romance won't hurt him. I mean, I was infatuated for a long time with the main character of the novel I've been writing for nearly 20 years. It in no way affected my relationship with my husband.

Lugaldu · February 2021

Yes

LadyLethalla wrote: »

IMO what he doesn't know about an imaginary romance won't hurt him.

The old saying "What I don't know, I don't care to know" may be right for some, I just got the impression here that others cannot reconcile that with their personal morals, even if it goes just about some imaginary characters.

NotaDaedraWorshipper · February 2021

Don't care

Lugaldu wrote: »

I suspect that some people fear that their real partner might be hurt, regardless of whether it is about an avatar or a dumb NPC. But what do I know.

If someone's partner gets jealous or upset with them because of a fictional character, romance or not. Then that relationship have some issues.

Lugaldu · February 2021

Yes

NotaDaedraWorshipper wrote: »

If someone's partner gets jealous or upset with them because of a fictional character, romance or not. Then that relationship have some issues.

Agree, but as we know, some people get upset also about other, incomprehensible things.

Technica · February 2021

Yes

NotaDaedraWorshipper wrote: »

Lugaldu wrote: »

I suspect that some people fear that their real partner might be hurt, regardless of whether it is about an avatar or a dumb NPC. But what do I know.

If someone's partner gets jealous or upset with them because of a fictional character, romance or not. Then that relationship have some issues.

I romance NPCs without issue.
I personally couldn't romance another player. This is because I'm not so fully immersed in the rp and seeing "Sir Brent Donavan the strapping Breton" I'm seeing another real person.
I feel a distinct difference between NPCs controlled by the game, and digital avatars of real people.

wheresbes · February 2021

Yes

Technica wrote: »

Syldras wrote: »

Technica wrote: »

For me at least; it was nice to come home, be approached by your spouce, enter a dialogue window and for them to say something like "oh you're home! I made this for you, my love" (I don't remember exact lines I need to marry someone in my current Skyrim pt) and I'd always be like "awww, thank you ".

For me it seemed too... shallow. Not enough dialogue, too many repetitions. In the end it was just returning home, "Hi, darling! Here's your cake! Here's your gold! Bye!" Always the same text.

Also, finding a potential spouse wasn't that much of an emotional or immersive thing either. What kind of bond do you even have to a person who married you after you've barely spoken 2 sentences before? There were npcs who married you just because you won a tavern brawl, sold them firewood or even gave them one single gold coin. That wasn't exactly convincing and I'm glad they have more detailed quests in mind for the ESO companions.

I do agree with you there - I literally only married Balimund cause he was the first one to notice the amulet, lol. But he grew on me.
I think he was the only NPC I married and this was probably my first playthrough from years ago, but I do remember it fondly. Maybe rose tinted nostalgia goggles but still.

Aaah, the rose-tinted nostalgia goggles, I wear them from time to time

My husband in Skyrim was Marcurio; I liked the way he fought, he was looking nice but most of all, I LOVED his remarks. He was sooo cocky and sarcastic! Unfortunately, when I've married him the dialogue package swapped and, while I liked him calling me sweet names, his personality was gone

I hope our future romantic interests in ESO will not lose their wit.

Grianasteri · February 2021

Don't care

I was just boosting about Shadowfen for Lorebooks and I stumbled across one of those nice wee wilderness huts with a couple of old witches/hags outside chilling by their fire, with a brew on... Sadly one of them made the mistake of noticing me and I dunno maybe they had just had an argument or it was her hormones, but she couldnt help attacking me... I was all like, chill babe, let it go, Im leaving... but she became hysterical and as is the ESO way her hut mate just watched as I had to delete her in 2 seconds flat.

The point? I felt real bad... like they were clearly besties, shunned by society for their peculiar non conforming ways, at least they had each other, at least they could keep each other warm through the long cold lonely nights... now... now that poor women is destined to live out her days alone.

Weep with me

Nairinhe · February 2021

Yes

LadyLethalla wrote: »

IMO what he doesn't know about an imaginary romance won't hurt him.

Taking into account that it came from Lugaldu's idea that it might hurt one's partner if they knew, I find such point of view awful, imaginary or not. If you consciously do something that can hurt person you love, at least don't hide it.
Being lightheartedly ridiculed for pixel crushes is a small price for honest and respectful relationship. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Vanya · February 2021

Yes

To able to romance,date,marry or flirt with Altmer Females such are for example but not strictly limited to High Kin Lady Estre, Kinlady Avinisse,Arianass,Quen,Laranalda,Valsirenn,Valaste,Chief Justicar Suriwen,Umbarile and numerous other non-interactable Altmer Ladies ,etc etc will make my Dream come true Furthermore therefore I VOTE YES!

But I will not romance any other race ,It has to be for me specifically Altmer Female.

NotaDaedraWorshipper · February 2021

Don't care

LadyLethalla wrote: »

IMO what he doesn't know about an imaginary romance won't hurt him. I mean, I was infatuated for a long time with the main character of the novel I've been writing for nearly 20 years. It in no way affected my relationship with my husband.

...That sounds like you keep it secret from him, and that it would be problematic if he knew. I'm starting to worry over people's relationships and their attitude about them in this thread, going by how they seem to view liking a character in some game.

I don't think this has ever been close to be a problem in any relationship I've had. Neither have it been close to one for me when a partner have liked some character. It's a game/movie/book whatever with fictional characters. We're supposed to like or dislike them.
Besides, if they add romanceable npcs, if. Then it's likely being at the usual Bethesda level, like Skyrim or Fallout 4, which isn't much to make noise about.

SerasWhip · December 2021

Yes

Jeirno wrote: »

No. This is an MMO. Not a Singleplayer RPG.

It's actually an MMORPG. So he is not wrong.

Jeremy · December 2021

Yes

Technica wrote: »

I did a quick search for "romance" in the bar and couldn't really find a discussion like I was thinking of.

Honest opinions on if you'd like an optional romance path with some of the NPCs? (I mean... Darien Gautier... for example)

I'm a huge Dragon Age fan, and I live for my romancable NPCs in that game.. I have a romancable NPC shaped hole in my soul as I wait for Dragon Age 4 to release.
I know some people aren't interested in the slightest, but, even in DA they are completely optional and can absolutely be ignored. So you wouldn't be forced into them if you don't want it.
I personally love them cause they're adorable and it makes me happy, same as I love getting a happy ending for 2 lovers in a side quest.

This year's Smolder Scrolls left me wanting more in the main game, since we got a Fennorian romance for 5 seconds.. That sated my DA4 romance yearning for a while, lol.

So, what do you think?
If you would like romance options, who would you choose?

I really do like Fenn, so I think he'd be my choice

I romanced Theron on SWTOR and it was a lot of fun. lol

So I would like to see more interaction between players and NPCs on this game. This game does occasionally have some very cool characters. But it does lack at giving players interesting options on how relate with them. Hopefully the companion system is a beginning and will open the door for a lot of this kind of stuff to start happening.

TelvanniWizard · December 2021

Yes

Give me my alts for romance, or any maormer gurl!

francesinhalover · December 2021

Yes

I think romance with companions should be possible. You use a pledge of mara with a companion and you have permanent 10% xp boost if you use the companion.

other than that, i don't see much of a point.

Just hope if it is ever implemented it isn't cringe worthy.

Kiralyn2000 · December 2021

No

It's fine in single player games, but I'm not sure it would really fit the shallow level of character interaction in this game.

(and heck, even in the SP TES games, it's pretty darn shallow. "Oh, you're wearing an Amulet of Mara! Let's get hitched!")

Stanx · December 2021

No

Not for me. Each to their own. I wouldn't complain if they implemented it, just wouldn't participate.

Chrysa1is · December 2021

No

It's not for me i'm afraid, i find all that stuff weird.

Didnt realise I already commented. My B.*

Khami · December 2021

No

renne wrote: »

I think you're setting yourself up for a failure if you're expecting Bioware level romances, but if you go in there expecting it to be about on par with other Bethesda games like Skyrim and Fallout 4 you should be fine.

Which is why I voted no.

I got Lydia killed in Skyrim and all the romance is good for in Fallout 4 is for the buff. Other than that, they're as meh and meh can be.

Blinx · December 2021

No

EW, no thanks!

BretonMage · December 2021

Yes

I'm a huge fan of DA romances as well (speaking of which, does Bastian remind anyone else of Alistair? The ginger hair, the family complications, the innocence and idealism..). I'm really looking forward to companion romances in ESO; more quests, more content and more dialogue would be fantastic. I find characters and quests in ESO to have similar depth to those in Skyrim, with a lot more breadth, so I think it would be perfect to have romances here.

TheImperfect · December 2021

Yes

One of my characters is already married to Hroltar the boaster, her sister can't stand him. They are sisters, their father is from Daggerfall but mother is a reach woman and one sister was raised in the Reach and the other in Glenumbra.

meekmiko · December 2021

No

I'd be extremely sad if there was more to Player/NPC relationships than for Player/Player relationships in-game for those of us who have bought and used the Pledge of Mara over the years with a very small perk (10% XP Boost while adventuring together BUT only while you're both wearing the ring) and no special interactions.

Heck even the "marriage ceremony" with the Pledge of Mara is just your characters being lifted up a half a foot, spin around, and that's it.
Some QoL improvements for the Pledge of Mara would be very welcome.

amapola76 · December 2021

NotaDaedraWorshipper wrote: »

Nairinhe wrote: »

I'd like to echo the idea that RPing romance with real people is weird. Pixel crushes or romancing an NPC for *** and giggles is fine, but toying with other people's feelings (even mutual toying), "RP-zoning" and outright cheating is the biggest no-no.

What cheating and toying with people's feelings? "In character" and "out of character" are different things. Just because one thing lead to another, and my dunmer started to like a a friend's dunmer thanks to a bunch of interactions, it doesn't mean we are having a thing. That's story like anything else in RP, and not that much different than liking an npc for your characer and thinking of stories with them. Is my partner bothered by this? Of course not, because it's harmless nerdy roleplaying. At most I get a loving eyeroll when I'm discussion with friends how horrible our characters are together.

I know that not everyone seperate IC and OOC, but that's not the norm and on them, not RP itself. And if you find it weird, then you find it weird. Nothing can be done about that, because people like different things. But saying it's cheating and toying with people's feelings is not a roleplaying thing.

To each their own, and if you have discussed it with your partner and those are the rules you have worked out within your own relationship, then that's all that matters for you, no judgment whatsoever.

However, not everyone feels that way. I wouldn't care whatsoever if my partner had a romance with a companion/NPC, because there's not a real person on the other end of the screen. But if my partner were RPing a romance with another live human being, even in the context of "RP" then I would be extremely unhappy, because I would consider it cheating. And the same goes for me, which I know, because we have discussed these and other hypotheticals frankly.

Where people get into trouble is when they don't have those honest conversations, either with their IRL partner or with the person with whom they are RPing (and that person in turn with any of their IRL partners, etc.). I'd even say that it's probably more common than not that people are not having those honest conversations about expectations, and that is a big part of what leads to all the drama, both in and out of games.

With respect to the pledge of Mara, this is a bit off-topic, but I really wish those weren't account-bound. I have one on both NA and EU, I guess because I bought the imperial edition? And I will never use them because my partner doesn't play ESO. So I wanted to give them to a friend of mine as a gift for her anniversary, because at that time she and her spouse both played. But because pledge scrolls were bound, I couldn't. I know they don't usually like to make items like that giftable, I assume because people would then try to sell them in guild stores (although, really, who cares?), but it's a shame, I'm sure I'm not the only person who would have liked to gift them.

LadyDestiny · December 2021

Yes

I wouldn't mind a romance option. One of my disappointments with companions was feeling that their back story and quests were severely lacking. Since we only have two, I think zos should have developed them a lot more.

That's what I love about games like swtor, dragon age, mass effect etc. Lots of conversations and loyalty quests. More opportunities to build friendship or intimacy level.

Now as far as the morality issue here that some people seem to have. Just don't initiate interest. Don't go with the romance. It's as easy as that.

But yes, give us more for companions.