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Author Topic: Romance in Tabletop Games... How?  (Read 5165 times)

Battle Mad Ronin
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Romance in Tabletop Games... How?
« on: May 15, 2015, 06:09:15 AM »
I'm currently running a swashbuckling adventure game (1600s fantasy France). We had just wrapped up our game night when one of my players said to me "I think that NPC would make a really good love interest for my Character. Do you mind if I play up a romance angle towards her?"

Now I thought that was a great idea. I'm all for letting players create connections in the game world, and having a love interest is the kind of relationship that can create some really interesting stories. The problem is I have no idea how to actually let the player get involved with that NPC.

I'm open to suggestions from the player herself, but before talking to her about it I'd love to hear if anyone on this board have experience with rpg-romance play, as a brain storm to help me formulate some concrete suggestions for my player and for my own adventures. What's corny, how do the two get involved in a way that doesn't necessarily happen off-screen and how can the proposed relationship be used in-game?

The player is female, her character is a mechanic/inventor (also female), and the NPC is a female gunsmith's apprentice. Thoughts on how to handle the romance aspect welcome.

TheShadow

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Romance in Tabletop Games... How?
« Reply #1 on: May 15, 2015, 06:18:21 AM »
I recommend really getting into character, and emoting, with LARP elements. Basically, dry humping while spouting lines from your favorite erotic fan fic.
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jeff37923

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Romance in Tabletop Games... How?
« Reply #2 on: May 15, 2015, 07:57:12 AM »
Quote from: The_Shadow;831639
I recommend really getting into character, and emoting, with LARP elements. Basically, dry humping while spouting lines from your favorite erotic fan fic.


As amusing as this may be, I'd advise against the above.

If the Player is taking it seriously, then the PC should take it seriously and the NPC will take it seriously. It may be difficult, but do not mock the possibility of romance between an NPC and a PC. When I have done it, I have used a method acting approach and behaved in a manner that the NPC would believably act in this situation.

A good place to start is ask yourself both "What do you as GM want out of this romance?" and "What does the NPC want out of romance in general or this romance in particular?"
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Gabriel2

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Romance in Tabletop Games... How?
« Reply #3 on: May 15, 2015, 08:11:22 AM »
Play the NPC.  Don't play a "romantic NPC."  Just have the characters talk about things they would logically talk about.  If the player is actively seeking out the NPC to build their relationship, then you're doing it right.

It means getting into the NPC.  It means coming up with their hopes and dreams and little anecdotes about their life.  I've always found it helps if the NPC has some kind of tragic secret or something dark in their life, but that's far from a true requirement.

I suggest this.  Open up a word processor, and start typing about the NPC.  If you can't type up at least a full single spaced 12 point font page about the NPC, then they're not interesting enough for a player to want to engage with them on a long term basis.
 

Bedrockbrendan

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Romance in Tabletop Games... How?
« Reply #4 on: May 15, 2015, 08:16:07 AM »
Have an NPC fall in love with the character first if you want to introduce romance but the players haven't initiated anything. My only advice here is be cautious with how you do it because everyone reacts differently. I used to be 100% no romance or love in my games, but I realized I was missing out on a lot of cool developments because I had one or two negative experiences with it.

Necrozius

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Romance in Tabletop Games... How?
« Reply #5 on: May 15, 2015, 08:49:29 AM »
Some of my players have been more comfortable roleplaying these things out in writing pre- or post-game. Not a solution for everyone, of course, but it helps if people ever feel awkward once things get "real". I mean before you get to a "fade to black" moment.

Ulairi
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Romance in Tabletop Games... How?
« Reply #6 on: May 15, 2015, 08:51:40 AM »
Romance doesn't have to be sexual. If they have a relationship you never have to talk about anything sexual. Just the relationship stuff.

David Johansen

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Romance in Tabletop Games... How?
« Reply #7 on: May 15, 2015, 10:05:26 AM »
Well, there's certainly interesting social obstacles that can play out in that scenario but I'd check and see what the player wants first.

It might be as simple as saying "okay she's into it, you're a couple now" and leave it to that.

I'd usually avoid having the bad guys go after the love interest without player permission.  Except in GURPS where you got points for that dependant so you'd better take good care of them because they were fair game the moment you wrote them down on your character sheet so you could afford that extra point of Dexterity.
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Batman

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Romance in Tabletop Games... How?
« Reply #8 on: May 15, 2015, 10:59:32 AM »
Use dice for everything........completely randomized. It'll be crazy and awkward but the NPC is a girl so it's fitting....


Joking aside I'd think the best way to approach it would be to flesh out the NPC more. Create motivation (not just in the interest of the PC but in the world and herself) as well as goals, desires, and a strong backstory. This should breath more life into the NPC and set her on a path that hopefully will intertwine with that of a PC.

Also, I'd suggest trying to be more realistic with the NPC in that they're not fawning over the PC all the time or following them around like a lost puppy. They'll have their own agenda and if it coincides with the PCs, then great. But let the PC slowly discover what that agenda is. Dates, time spent together, and a slow opening up of information might be a good way for the character to "get to know" the NPC. The NPC is a gun-smith so maybe she wants to invent new ones or discover new formulas for gun-powder or find a way to create a new ballistic shell or somehow infuse guns with magic. Now the PC might not be on-board with all of that, which is fine, but it also means that the NPC isn't going to automatically stop her dreams just because the PC is off on some quest in another area of the world. Sometimes people never get to the "love" stage and just remain friends.
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Romance in Tabletop Games... How?
« Reply #9 on: May 15, 2015, 11:08:42 AM »
I have *lots* of experience with this. All romances are different because what people want from their romances are different. Take the player's lead on this. Apparently, something about the way you have played the NPC has attracted their character. There is no reason to assume the NPC even knows this, let alone reciprocates, but that is entirely up to you.

It could be a slow, gradually increasing romance. One of my players' characters in my Sunday IRC game has been in love with an NPC for years, but for one reason or another - mainly to do with her position - they did not communicate this openly. When she left that position, things opened up, and now they are a tightly bound couple. Another of my players' characters prefers whirlwind romances. She is married to one NPC, affianced to another, and romancing a third with an eye to marriage - the culture permits multiple marriages. Still another player's character responded to an NPC who openly pursued her. She pushed him off while flirting with him, until he left his career to follow her, after which they became a tight couple.

The thing is, let the PC dictate the pace and the style of the romance. They know what they are comfortable with. Since the NPC has attracted the PC already, play the character as they have been played already, but add, when appropriate, flirtations or clever quips or sincere and deep confessions, or whatever it is the PC wants out of that relationship, as appropriate to the character. Do not change the character - reveal another dimension of that character.

Sex - for our group - is always inferred, never played out. That makes many people feel awkward. Thing is, it's not the sex that's important. They want relationships. Romance. Bonding.

Hope this helps!

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Zevious Zoquis

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Romance in Tabletop Games... How?
« Reply #10 on: May 15, 2015, 11:43:30 AM »
Hmmm....for myself, I'm inclined to think that romantic attraction falls into the realm of the GM ftmp.  As a player, I don't feel like I get to say "I fall for that npc."  It doesn't feel like that's the way it works.  I'd be more inclined to say that the GM could determine "you find beguiling and you are strongly attracted to her/him."  Then, it would be up to me to respond to that.  If I didn't want to proceed in a romantic way it might come down to a test of my characters willpower to resist the attraction.  I just feel like "love" is something that happens outside of our control and therefore is more of a nature thing that the GM would manage.  

But then I'm a guy who isn't really looking to roleplay romance anyway and I like PC death to be on the table so what do I know?  In other words, I actually like the suggestion up thread to "use dice to handle everything."  lol...

flyingmice

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Romance in Tabletop Games... How?
« Reply #11 on: May 15, 2015, 12:21:47 PM »
Whoa! I would never say that to a player, Zevious Zoquis, unless the player character were the target of some kind of coercive spell - which I don't like to use in the first place. I certainly wouldn't start any kind of romance like that! Wow!

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Zevious Zoquis

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Romance in Tabletop Games... How?
« Reply #12 on: May 15, 2015, 12:36:14 PM »
haha, OK.  Doesn't seem like a big deal to me.  I mean I can't actually see or hear or interact in any real way with an NPC in a roll-playing game.  How am I supposed to know if my character is attracted in any romantic way?  I mean sure, maybe I can say "hmmm, in these circumstances I think there's a chance I might be attracted to that npc" at which point we might come up with a way to determine if that is in fact the case...but I suspect we may be encroaching on the whole story game versus rpg debate again so I should just bow out now or the thread will get derailed.  Like I said in the first place I'm not really looking to roleplay romantic circumstances all that deeply anyway...

flyingmice

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Romance in Tabletop Games... How?
« Reply #13 on: May 15, 2015, 12:54:05 PM »
Quote from: Zevious Zoquis;831700
haha, OK.  Doesn't seem like a big deal to me.  I mean I can't actually see or hear or interact in any real way with an NPC in a roll-playing game.  How am I supposed to know if my character is attracted in any romantic way?  I mean sure, maybe I can say "hmmm, in these circumstances I think there's a chance I might be attracted to that npc" at which point we might come up with a way to determine if that is in fact the case...but I suspect we may be encroaching on the whole story game versus rpg debate again so I should just bow out now or the thread will get derailed.  Like I said in the first place I'm not really looking to roleplay romantic circumstances all that deeply anyway...


This has nothing at all to do with "story games vs real rpgs", actually. I'm not a story gamer. It has to do with immersion, really. That's a whole 'nother kettle of fish. :D

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Opaopajr

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Romance in Tabletop Games... How?
« Reply #14 on: May 15, 2015, 01:09:40 PM »
Quote from: Gabriel2;831645
Play the NPC.  Don't play a "romantic NPC."  Just have the characters talk about things they would logically talk about.  If the player is actively seeking out the NPC to build their relationship, then you're doing it right.

It means getting into the NPC.  It means coming up with their hopes and dreams and little anecdotes about their life.  I've always found it helps if the NPC has some kind of tragic secret or something dark in their life, but that's far from a true requirement.

I suggest this.  Open up a word processor, and start typing about the NPC.  If you can't type up at least a full single spaced 12 point font page about the NPC, then they're not interesting enough for a player to want to engage with them on a long term basis.

I recommend this. Sure we can as GM and player sit down and negotiate the terms of attraction and the goals of relationship. But part of the fun of romance is its organic, uncontrolled nature. It also saves you from a lot of prep work.

Grab a 3x5" index card, scribble known details about the NPC (name, looks, 3 adjective personality...) and then separate a section for each tasks/routine, goals, and relationships. On the reverse, save for current news, quests, & secrets. Update accordingly, get in its headspace, and let loose.

i.e.:

Carlotta Duriel
wild, curly-haired brunette with fiery black eyes and commanding alto voice.
personality: passionate, quick-tempered, brooding.
job & routine: gunsmith, store open from M-F 10am to 6pm.
goal: match the quality workmanship of her grandfather.
relationships: Guillarme, silversmith --, Marquis Lac -, Duphrain, sheriff /, Lady Helene +, Armand, famed duelist ++. PC +.

(reverse)
news: mahogany gun handle shipment delayed.
rumors: Marquis Lac deliberately funds bandits to disrupt this town.
quests: a) find another source of good hardwood, fast! b) find evidence for truth in Marquis Lac and bandits rumor.
secrets: shot her last lover in the heat of jealous passion. she visits a lovely grave in the next county annually because of remorse.

Write it in pencil, edit regularly when they encounter each other, and let it flow organically. At worst, when the romance peters out or fails, you have a fleshed NPC and contact source.
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