[Netzgeist]

I really like to emphasize the personal relationships of any character that figure in my games, and romance is usually a strong point.
But since I've been playing Shadowrun (not a lot of time, I admit) I find it a more and more distant point... My two current characters almost have no way of being romanticaly portrayed (Chakan, my Incan shaman-hacker would have to find someone so spiritual-centered as he for a relationship to develop; Fractal, the guerilla-artist is so hedonist that he has difficult telling his relations  to human beings and to his pets...).

[Mystic]

I am also of the opinion that as a rule, romance is never discouraged in-character. Somethimes, things just happen and yes, it can be a good motivator/plotpoint/GM fodder....er scratch that last one. And yes, most of my groups have been male dominated (as most of us game to "get away" for a bit) and we tend to handle any romance, especially PC-NPC in somewhat abstract terms; usually in a "the next day" type of way. The one time in my gaming history we 1) had a female player and 2) tried to play out the "romance" thing, it ended badly as sadly, this female player was the living embodiment of "the female manipulator" and caused a lot of chaos. Worse, she was the former GF of one party member, and current GF of the GM...but that is a different story. I'm just glad I was able to find another group.

But as far as character development goes, it can be a good thing. Case in point, in my current Pathfinder game, my ranger ended up hooking up with the main NPC from the Massacare at Hook Mountain module. I mentioned a few times that myself and the NPC talked, both being rangers, and next thing I know, at the end of the adventure, I'm a daddy to be! YIKES! Ah well, my God, Old Deadeye would approve as he is all about family.

[Petal]

I am also of the opinion that as a rule, romance is never discouraged in-character. Somethimes, things just happen and yes, it can be a good motivator/plotpoint/GM fodder....er scratch that last one. And yes, most of my groups have been male dominated (as most of us game to "get away" for a bit) and we tend to handle any romance, especially PC-NPC in somewhat abstract terms; usually in a "the next day" type of way. The one time in my gaming history we 1) had a female player and 2) tried to play out the "romance" thing, it ended badly as sadly, this female player was the living embodiment of "the female manipulator" and caused a lot of chaos. Worse, she was the former GF of one party member, and current GF of the GM...but that is a different story. I'm just glad I was able to find another group.

But as far as character development goes, it can be a good thing. Case in point, in my current Pathfinder game, my ranger ended up hooking up with the main NPC from the Massacare at Hook Mountain module. I mentioned a few times that myself and the NPC talked, both being rangers, and next thing I know, at the end of the adventure, I'm a daddy to be! YIKES! Ah well, my God, Old Deadeye would approve as he is all about family.

I agree with you on all points. I often shy away from trying to get more females into my group, because some of my friends are manipulative.

But also I had a PC-PC relationship with someone in my group and we had to stop role playing those characters due to the fact that I get too into my character's feelings.

[Gleeful]

Whoever said it earlier had it dead on--it is far easier to do romantic shenanigans in text than it is in person. Our group is somewhere around 60-40 male/female depending on who shows up, but almost always there is at least one girl(I do play lots!), plus 3 others.

However, since we're all middle-aged, and lifestyles set, it is just awkward to do face to face. I've found it's much easier to flirt with the GM pc's, and even the guys handle flirting with the male GM's face chicka better than they do flirting with, say, the new mom cuddling her baby.

That said, sure, it has a place in the game. Our physad has a half-serious, half-not, affair with one of his contacts, and we joke about what her current loyalty is before each game.

It did feel odd hearing folks wouldn't want female players because of it though. We(our group, anyway) spend far more time hashing out legwork, and plotting intricate methods to get the run done, and what we're making for potluck next game, than we ever ever ever do regarding romance. Maybe because no ones 'looking' for a new bf, and except for a married couple, no one's dating each other?

[Petal]

Whoever said it earlier had it dead on--it is far easier to do romantic shenanigans in text than it is in person. Our group is somewhere around 60-40 male/female depending on who shows up, but almost always there is at least one girl(I do play lots!), plus 3 others.

However, since we're all middle-aged, and lifestyles set, it is just awkward to do face to face. I've found it's much easier to flirt with the GM pc's, and even the guys handle flirting with the male GM's face chicka better than they do flirting with, say, the new mom cuddling her baby.

That said, sure, it has a place in the game. Our physad has a half-serious, half-not, affair with one of his contacts, and we joke about what her current loyalty is before each game.

It did feel odd hearing folks wouldn't want female players because of it though. We(our group, anyway) spend far more time hashing out legwork, and plotting intricate methods to get the run done, and what we're making for potluck next game, than we ever ever ever do regarding romance. Maybe because no ones 'looking' for a new bf, and except for a married couple, no one's dating each other?

One of my friends is always looking for a new BF, even when she's not single, rofl.

But as someone who has played both, I have no issue talking romance with people at the table. Albeit, its because the characters that aren't interested are played by my brother or someone else who does that(can't talk romance with me/GM's betrothed). So its the other party usually, I have no issue since i get SO into the characters, but that itself brings up other issues. Attachment to fictional characters.

[Rockopolis]

I've never really been comfortable with it.  Even online, though that is less embarrassment about being emotional, and more that it really hammers home that I'm a terrible writer.
It's another one of those things, like roleplaying in general, that I really like but really can't do or understand properly.

That, and I probably don't understand love.  I think I might have formatted it to make room for more Shadowrun, but I know I ended up losing the backups .  Anyone know where I can torrent or DL a new copy?

[Critias]

It all comes down to what the GM and the rest of the game table are there for.  If folks want fully realized, deeply three-dimensional characters that are going to spend table-time on interpersonal relationships and romance and all that, more power to 'em (I've played my fair share of those sorts of games, hell, it's how I met Mrs. Crit).  If folks see Shadowrun primarily as a means of escapism, with awesome movie star kung-fu hero characters that are normally too busy slingin' dice and shootin' dudes in the head, well, that's a perfectly valid gaming style, too.

There's no right or wrong answer to the romance-in-gaming question, it all just depends on what the rest of your gamers are interested in.

[SpiderWord]

I didn't read the whole topic cause I'm quite sleepy... However! Yes there's and there was Romance in my Stories. It was between PCs and NPCs. It was always quite "Real" I mean no absurb or weird situations. I tend to abuse such random (Random as I didn't plan it!) events to make wonderfull weak points for my Players (Yes I'm bad).

[Petal]

That's what scares me, but my GM doesn't always kill off our loved ones, especially if they become a dependent.

[TheWanderingJewels]

considering half my RPers are female, I have fun with this.

My current cadre is a streampunk themed medical magi, a elven pornomancer, a human changling with hands for feet and prehensile tail, a pixie stealth adept, and a gunslinger/hacker.

The groups Shepard (street name: Sonny Barger) recently retired after getting hooked back up with his elven GF, who is one of those rare elves with the pearl-coloured skin, silver hair, and blue eyes. She's also a Survivor of Yomi and has a bad case of PTSD regarding Japanese males (think 'comfort woman') and he has to keep an eye on her or she starts getting twitchy. She is otherwise very kinda and nice to people.

The ladies gravitated to her like a little sister needing help and in spite of Sonny's decidedly rough edges and embodying the trope 'Good Is NOT Nice', felt that he'd be the best one to protect her. He's also got a rep as 'The Liberator of Yomi' as he was one of the first on the ground after the Japanese started pulling out of Yomi Island to hit the intel files on the local guards and staff, give a bit of payback as they left, and funnel the information to certain groups who would have a few bones to pick with certain IJA & IJN people.

I use them as the 'normal couple' in the background as NPC's to give the game a sense of continuity and somewhat normalcy for the players, who tend to go on the screwball ops. Which the players have commented they actually kinda like

[James McMurray]

I misspoke earlier when I said it hadn't happened in years. One exalted campaign I ran had a PC falling in love with, marrying, and starting a kingdom alongside one of the Fae. It was caused by her glamour, not real love, and the player knew that. But the PC didn't, and the game was more fun because of it.

[Rockopolis]

Rats, wish I'd thought of "Love? What sourcebook is that in?" earlier. 

[CanRay]

That's what scares me, but my GM doesn't always kill off our loved ones, especially if they become a dependent.

So many other fun things to do with a thing like a loved one than simply kill them.   

[James McMurray]

Never kill off a PC's loved one. Let them do it themselves.

For instance, in the last session the street sam (who is looking for his mother) found his aunt instead. Unfortunately she was heavily sedated inside a toxic medical facility that was working on awakening in utero children and toxically corrupting them. They were there to destroy the place and all infected individuals. Her baby had already been infected so he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. (un)fortunately for him the decision got taken away from him when the enemy mage knocked him out and his aunt was killed a minute later when the team's bomb tore through the place.

Fun times.

[CanRay]

Not cyberpunk, but Discworld's Night Watch series.

Sir Samuel Vimes and his son, Sam.  The anguish that he goes through worrying about his family is something you want to aim for.

Use it as a low bar, and try to raise it.