[Petal]

So I was looking through the forums for a thread like this, because I was wondering everyone's take on the topic.

Do you like romance in your games? Whether it be between an NPC and a PC, or two PCs?

I find the PC/PC may complicate things at the table, especially if the group itself has a couple in it. My group has 1 - 3 girls at the table at any given time, I'm the only one that is always there. But the NPC/PC romance holds the fear, for me, that the NPC is killed.

I'm really interested to hear everyone Else's takes, or experiences with this.

[Blond Goth Girl]

It  happens - never worried me.  It can be a motivation for characters.   The most powerful motivators I've found: money, love and power.

Money (treasure) is very simplistic.  If you want to add complexity to your games you hit the other two and I think love is the  most complex of them.

Love, (not necessarily romance) can be the most powerful.  During the last session, the group temporarily suspended a paying gig to rescue one of their adopted orphans and were ready to do so in a suicide mission.  However, they did think through the situation and come up with an unorthodox methodl

Don't be afraid of it - think of it as a challenge:)

[Rascal]

Starting my latest campaign I encouraged the players to make relationships of all kind with both other PC:s and with NPC:s. Ended up with a really tight crew of PC:s, with plenty of people who can get into trouble to make their lives interesting. They also spent a lot of time defining these NPC:s, so I got a lot to work with in the GM department as well. There is lots of love, some of it true, some of it new, some of it gay, some of it very much unanswered. (The fact that everyone seems to have some kind of ork-fetish is funny as well.)
Next session will be centred on the group trying to intercept a prison-transport carrying a brother of one of the PC:s. They are all very much agreeing on the fact that the brother probably deserves it, but the parents are already old (orks) and probably won´t live long enough to see their son again if he goes to prison. So they´re pretty much doing it out of love for the parents.

Best thing you can do with relations is "PC-NPC-PC-triangles", a technique from Apocalypse World. When playing action-centred games like Shadowrun all the PC:s in a group tend to have the same opinion on any given NPC. If you can give them fundamentally different relations with NPC:s, then both you and your players are in for a treat, making every dealing with those NPC:s a lot more dynamic!

[The_Gun_Nut]

The majority of my games have been predominately male.  Most guys don't want romance at the table (especially if it means role-playing with the male GM across from them!).  Men tend to want action and puzzle solving and guy-stuff RPing.

Now, with more women in the group, then romance is on the table.  However, since I am inexperienced in RPing romance (and may possibly have some mild social autism), it would have to be approached very carefully.

[baronspam]

I don't object to the idea of romance coming up in a game, but in practice if you took a look around the table that the chunky, semi-washed, cheeto munching dweebs that I usually game with, the last thing you want to watch is them try to get emotional over an imaginary npc, especially if that npc is voiced by me.  Thank you, no, pass.  Lets get back to the security on the Evo lab.

[Petal]

Hee, I can understand it, Baron. I don't GM, and the GM is my husband, so me getting emotional over an NPC he voices isn't weird. However one of our other players is often flirted with my many woman because of pheromones. Its hilarious.

Off topic: We're all in our 20s and 30s, so we're switched to having a dinner with each of us bringing a course. Though we are not adverse to sodas and cheddar and sour cream chips.

[James McMurray]

Our group has been all male for about a decade, though we have female PCs every now and then. Way back then we had a romance between my wife's PC and my GMPC, though it was background flavor text for the most part. Nowadays the closest we get is when various male PCs offer the female elf face some cash for some fun (it doesn't help that she works as a waitress at a titty bar for her day job).

[CanRay]

Gotta get that high Loyalty Rating from that contact somehow.  A loving relationship is the perfect way.

Also, an excellent way to get an Enemy:  Lover's Father or Enemy:  Crazy Ex.

If the last doesn't seem too frightening, well, you've never had a crazy Ex.  Or seen "The Blues Brothers".

[bigity]

I think romance/romantic relationships worked/work better on SR MUXes, where you can at least pretend the female characters are played by females. 

Even then folks tend to flock around the 'confirmed' girl players.

[Teyl_Iliar]

I think it takes a mature group players to approach romance inside of any game, mostly because romance is a very genuine emotion to express to anyone person much less the group of dudes I think most of us play with. That said I don't think many men want to open themselves that way to their gaming buddies, less they face mockery. It doesn't help doing romance with a Male GM when you, yourself are male, no matter who you or they are portaying, gets AWKWARD FAST. (<thusly my need for a mature group.)

As for my opinion, I like seeing it in game. It can set an atmosphere for social roleplaying just as fast the team getting ambushed can set a combat atmosphere. It can add intrigue and depth to a slew of different settings, atmospheres, even people, be they PC's or NPC's.

Good topic petal. +1

[Crimsondude]

I don't object to the idea of romance coming up in a game, but in practice if you took a look around the table that the chunky, semi-washed, cheeto munching dweebs that I usually game with, the last thing you want to watch is them try to get emotional over an imaginary npc, especially if that npc is voiced by me.  Thank you, no, pass.  Lets get back to the security on the Evo lab.

It was so much easier to do this online. You don't have to look your friend in the eye when you're writing, well, crappy romance. Plus the written record made enjoying other peoples' slashfic possible. Though the writers didn't quite enjoy it as much as the rest of us.

[CanRay]

It just hit me that everyone immediately jumped to the standard "Male-Female" connection of romance in a game, when Shadowrun has confirmed for decades (IRL and Game) that Homosexuality is one of an accepted norm for relationships now.

Which would, of course, lead to other types of awkwardness with some groups. 

Now, those Bisexual Sluts, they're still vilified and hated.  Unless it's a hot chick, then it's OK.   

[Wickidsurfer]

I try to encourage the development of relationships in my game.  I wouldn't push anybody into an uncomfortable situation.  I am satisfied with a character having a girlfriend, boyfriend, wife, husband, changeling fetish, etc..... and just acting in a manner that his character would toward his significant other is fine.  and saying I go home to my wife we have a relationship on the rocks is fine enough.  I try not to spend too much time on those details.  If i want to make something interesting I know I have players that have strong relationships and would do the "in character" thing.  We don't need to have long in character romantic talks between the 2 of us.  Even if my wife played a character in my campaign I wouldn't subject the rest of my players to that.

[Blond Goth Girl]

We have everything represented in game and some uniqueness in RL so anything goes.  Everyone is open minded which I haven't many gamers who aren't. 

Of all things, one of their little hometown missions was to solve a case of gay bashing along the lines of graffiti and harassment at a low pay rate.  They really got into it. 

[CanRay]

All of my characters that I create I have a Kinsey Scale for:
Jon "Money" Johnson is a 3.  He's also heavily monogamous so he does *NOT* fit the "Bisexual Slut" stereotype.  He's also still getting over his wife's death, so relationships aren't big for him right now.

Nas is a 1 (Bordering on 0), but due to psychological trauma.  He used to be a 4.  He's also the only one of my characters who has a relationship going right now, with his boyfriend moving in with him recently.

John Q. Public (AKA:  The Suit, The Accountant From Hell) is an X.  Yes, he's that bland.

Pup the Dog Shaman is a 5.  And loves him some Lesbian Shows.  (He's a dog of a man in a lot of ways.).

Mile-High Mike is a 6, and is slight squicked out by homosexual partners and public displays of affection, but isn't a hater or anything.  He just looks away.

And I've probably gone into TMI areas now...