Poll: Romance in a tabletop.

[sir.rutthed]

So, I'm running a Star Wars d20 game and I want to introduce a romantic interest or two. To make it more interesting, I'm considering having one of my PC's run into her in a prelude session, just before my campaign. Thing is, the romantic interest was already involved with another PC while they were at the Jedi Temple together about ten years ago before she left the Jedi. So, is this a good idea? I think it could be a good plot device/character development for both the PC's. But it could also make things in and out of game kinda awkward, but I think my PC's could handle it. What say you, Escapists?

 

[emeraldrafael]

You can have romance without sex, but I would say only if other characters (players) dont mind and as long as it doesnt turn into your personal sexcapade rp.

 

[dyre]

Oh, please don't. There's too much romance in other media already without shoehorning it into tabletop RPGs.

This, and romance doesn't belong in multiplayer games anyway. Escapism is all well and good, but at a certain point it becomes weird.

 

[Versuvius]

Romance with NPCs or other PCs is just fucking creepy. Really. It is. And if its between Girlfriend and Boyfriend, keep that out of my fucking escapism and stop reminding me im a single virgin.

 

[Cain_Zeros]

I've done romance in tabletop games. Of course, I was a PC doing so with a fellow PC, and eventually ended up in a relationship with her out of game (that sadly ended), but that's besides the point. If the players are all ok with it, go ahead.

edit: I should also note that even the people playing them aren't entirely sure if the characters ever actually had sex. They were both quite strongly religious (and of a religion that strongly resembles Christianity in the Middle Ages).

 

[arsenicCatnip]

I personally don't think romance should be in a tabletop, but there are worse things.

I'm my GM's girlfriend, though, so it'd be super-awkward to have a romantic relationship pop up in the game I'm in. (He prefers to dump crap on me, and I accept it with dignity.)

 

[Toriver]

I'm not opposed to romance in tabletop RPGs; in fact, if it's done well, I would welcome it as good for character development and an opening to great plot points. But at least in my idea of tabletop RPGs, because the players are the ones who "are" the PCs, I feel that any romance should be initiated by the PCs themselves, rather than having a GM "introduce" a romantic interest to a particular player, or at least come up with the initial idea for it. If a player wants their PC to have a romantic interest, the player can consult with the GM to work out a way to make it happen and to what level the player(s) involved wish to take it. On the other hand, the GM could introduce a potential romantic interest and see how the PC reacts to their advances, but if I were the GM, I wouldn't push it as an integral part of the campaign or any character's development unless the idea "sticks".

 

[Groverfield]

Personally, I'd say no, it's too party dynamic unbalancing in all occasions I've seen it. The people who are a couple before will just roleplay their characters falling in love, and the rest of the people just watch, roll their eyes, and wait for their turn to do something. Even worse is the grudging that will start in your group against the couple that actually pull it off without prior relationship. Worst of all is if its player/npc, in which there will be no interest in it, or someone will hog the spotlight... and that's if it's a role-heavy campaign. If not, then they lose all impact.

The best nugget of wisdom I can give you is this: Romance is not a team sport. Do not expect your team to stay a team once love is involved. This is why "getting the girl" is considered the conclusion to most fantasy movies and animes, and most TV shows start excluding the friend characters for long extensions of romantic side-stories.

 

[sir.rutthed]

it will devolve into a hilarious circumstance.

person 1: "I rub her breasts sensually as I roll a seduction check of 17"

person 2: "I roll a 24, successfully grinding him."

I seen it happen before, it will happen again. Its funny as hell though.

Ya... I've seen that too. It's hilarious. But I'd rather do a Bioware-esque "You kiss and the screen fades to black for a time" kind of thing.

 

[coldfrog]

As long as it doesn't interfere with the game by taking the focus away from the main campaign, it can add some great situations. I mean, barring the fact that the star wars prequels actually got made, think about how romantic relationships affected Darth Vader and Luke - it can cause some good drama and choices for the PC's to make. You know, as long as they don't turn it into some horrible PDA.

And you know what, even if it hurts the game a little, it's a learning experience. If it gets bad, you can kill off the NPC or separate them somehow. There's always a way to fix it.

 

[Togs]

See what your PC's think 1st, just because their background contains a romance doesnt mean they want another- Ive had a bad experience with a DM coming to the conclusion that making a rakish rogue means that Iwant every other female NPC hitting on me, it got very creepy what with him voicing all of them.

 

[Pumpkin_Eater]

Aren't jedi forbidden from romantic relationships?

 

[Mikodite]

It is a proceed with caution scenario, for some people would like to have a romantic sub-plot while others find the subject revolting.

It really does depend on the group, as a romantic sub-plot can be just as damaging as in-party fighting in some groups ie groups with immature members using the game to carry real life fights into the make-belief world, or members who can't distinguish reality from the game. I've seen romantic sub-plots add something to the game, but I can understand how it can turn to ruin the experience.

This is not addressing those of us that hate 'romance' regardless of how tastefully it is presented. I'm not sure what to say to that other than the lukewarm passive-aggressive sentiment "its just a matter of taste I guess."

For me, it boils down to "don't be stupid," know the kind of people you are playing with and play it accordingly.

 

[sir.rutthed]

Aren't jedi forbidden from romantic relationships?

Well, my game's set in the Old Republic, right before the Mandalorian Wars. Jedi aren't forbidden from sex, and are sometimes allowed to marry under special circumstances. One of the themes of my game is exploring why the Jedi Code is what it is though, as well as the nature of the Force and the Jedi's role in galactic life. Part of why I want a romantic entalglement is so the character can really ask himself why he's a Jedi and is it really worth all he's giving up.