Dating Sim RP

[Mollisol]

Hi all,

I've been tossing around the idea of an RP version of a dating sim game for a while now. To help myself create it, I figured I should get a good idea of what someone would be thinking when they see the words "dating sim RP" and what their idea of the concept is. So, I'd love if people could answer the following questions:

1. What do you think of when you hear the words "dating sim RP"?
2. Does it sound slice-of-lifey or dramatic?
3. Do you consider it pure romance with minimal or no additional elements? Or is there room for another genre or even two?
4. How would you want to play it? (Would your character pick one love interest and pursue that person solely? Would they do a short RP with one love interest, finish their route, and then reset the timeline to pursue another? Would your character date all of them in a big harem?)
5. How important is the idea of "wish fulfillment" in a dating sim RP?

Looking for different people's perspectives on this concept.

 

[Nemopedia]

Oooh, I saw someone attempt a Dating Sim rp once. It is a fun concept for sure, but one that is also hard to execute despite its simplicity because of a variety of factors.

What do you think of when you hear the words "dating sim RP"?

A RP designed similarly to a dating sim. Focussed on romance(s), with multiple character routes, where the choices/actions the MC makes affect the game.

Does it sound slice-of-lifey or dramatic?

Dramatic for sure, since that tends to be one big part of the game to bring the MC and character together. Slice-of-life not so necessarily, only if set into such a setting and plot.

Do you consider it pure romance with minimal or no additional elements? Or is there room for another genre or even two?

Dating Sims itself are pure romance in my imagination. A Dating Sim rp probably will be as well. It can have some additional elements though, but most of the time it is very minor and the focus is all on the romance in my experience.

How would you want to play it? (Would your character pick one love interest and pursue that person solely? Would they do a short RP with one love interest, finish their route, and then reset the timeline to pursue another? Would your character date all of them in a big harem?)

I'm no biggie on romance rps. Though, the one time I saw someone do a Dating Sim rp they did it as a 1x1. They played all of the romancable options and the partner the MC. Every now and then the MC could choose with which character they wanted to continue, which I guess is a route? It looked tiresome since they ended roleplaying all routes consistently.

It depends if you organise it as a group or as a 1x1. Both have their cons and pros.

Pros to a group format would be: offering more 'romancable' options. A con would be: you risk that all the focus will be on the 'MC' if you decide to have one, which also leaves the rp vulnerable if the MC leaves.

Pros to a 1x1 would be: both side would have the center of the attention and will be the main of the story. Cons: limited options, since the other assumedly can't be playing multiple characters full at once while the other partner leisurely plays one and sits back for the story to unfold. Unless that is not minded, but I can imagine that it can be tiresome to play so many at once.

How important is the idea of "wish fulfillment" in a dating sim RP?

What do you mean with 'wish fulfillment'? That the rp in sorts is a replacement for what they miss in life?

If so, I don't think that's important at all and should be avoided because it really can suck the fun out of the rp when it becomes personal rather than fictional. I know and understand that it is a huge part of the game genre itself. However, they don't have to personally interact with the players, whereas you need to in a roleplay. As a favour to yourself it would be better to avoid getting too personal, or making it some sort of emotional service for others and create expectations for a fantasy that are likely unatainable. It has to be fun, not a job. Writing the story you want is one thing. Writing to replace an aspect in life/emotions you miss comes with expectations and emotions that can get really nasty when one party takes it too far and personal.

 

[One Who Tames]

[QUOTE="Quincunx, post: 3857478, member: 24306"

1. What do you think of when you hear the words "dating sim RP"?
2. Does it sound slice-of-lifey or dramatic?
3. Do you consider it pure romance with minimal or no additional elements? Or is there room for another genre or even two?
4. How would you want to play it? (Would your character pick one love interest and pursue that person solely? Would they do a short RP with one love interest, finish their route, and then reset the timeline to pursue another? Would your character date all of them in a big harem?)
5. How important is the idea of "wish fulfillment" in a dating sim RP?[/QUOTE]

Question 1: I think of Newgrounds.

Question 2: Lots of clicking.

Question 3: Too many minigames.

Question 4: Impregnate everything.

Question 5: Isn't that sort of the point?


Serious Mode:

I'm much more curious about how you intend to carry out this RP than the premise itself. Certainly, it could end up being a "Slice of Life" sort of role play unless you keep to meaningful events only. Even then, the act of courtship is *usually* pretty mundane. Still, I know the idea tickles some so you will probably see interest in it.


Dating is a pretty dramatic exercise. Of course it has plenty of room for additional genres. You're only really limited by your imagination and your audience.

The *playing it* part is what stumps me. My first instinct is to think this will turn into a sandbox where people come in and try to meet up with each other for some juicy, juicy cyber relationships. However, if you're marketing it as a dating sim then I would expect it to be (at least somewhat) similar to the dating sim games. To me, that means an interactive "pick your adventure" narrative that players can engage in. That raises a lot of questions for me.

As the game mistress, would you be playing all of the "datable" NPCs? Would you be running players through their own self contained adventure or would it be everybody in the same world competing for your NPCs? Are there going to be event chains and stats and bla, bla, bla, etc.? If so, that all sounds like a pile of ass to keep track of. Then again, if numbers were water I would be hydrophobic. You may be able to keep up with that kind of stuff much better than I.

The Wish Fulfillment part is another big question. Do the players always get what they want? Is there a time where you tell them they have failed? If you are going in the vein of the traditional dating games then it is possible for players to fail utterly. This is a pretty good question for you to ask. If your goal is simply to simulate the dating experience then the option for failure should exist. Coming from a service industry background, my knee-jerk reaction is to say go with wish fulfillment. However, the communicator in me says to play to the audience.

So, I must ask, what were you intending this RP to be? A sandbox where people can go and try to meet up with others? Were you going to GM a bunch of NPCs? Something in between?

 

[Mollisol]

So, I must ask, what were you intending this RP to be? A sandbox where people can go and try to meet up with others? Were you going to GM a bunch of NPCs? Something in between?

I was going to GM a bunch of NPCs for a 1x1, where the partner plays the "protagonist". There would definitely be stats and event chains because I'm weak for those.

However, I've scrapped a lot of the idea, because I realized it was just an excuse to play a lot of characters with individual "routes" associated with them (which I can do without the dating aspect). But I do realize that's a boring answer, especially when you and @Nemopedia put so much thought into your replies. So I'll engage in discussion about it, because I'm sure there are other people who want info on this topic.

After turning over both you and Nemopedia's takes on wish fulfillment, I gotta say that I didn't take into account that it'd be difficult and probably uncomfortable to have to accommodate someone else's personal desires. I also think it's important to put in the "option to fail" because my goal is to create an compelling story of a dating experience, rather than an idealized one.

Also, as for genres, I thought some about how I'd incorporate other genres, and came to the following conclusion: it can incorporate other genres and still be a dating sim, but the romance would come first. (I wound up scrapping the dating sim approach because I wanted to do a sci-fi/action plot first, and romance subplot second.) I think it'd be important that romance is integral to the scenario in a multi-genre dating sim.

Thanks for y'a'll's in-depth replies! Sorry for being fickle.

 

[One Who Tames]

I wouldn't say it has anything to do with being fickle. I also wouldn't worry about how broken up we might be over it. These talks are just thought experiments for me. Dating and slice of life games are things I find to be obnoxious and boring. Talking over concepts is good fun, though.

 

[Nemopedia]

I agree with One Who Tames. It has nothing to do with being fickle. You posted the thread here because you wanted to hear other voices and with the potential of discussing them. We answered to that call.

I still find the idea interesting as a whole. The way you describe it sounds more like a visual novel than a dating sim, which is really interesting as well. Since you mentioned that you wanted to write multiple characters with their own routes and multiple outcomes I think you might be interested in a 'Choose your own adventure' (CYOA) format. When it focuses on romance it is also known as a 'Who would you fall for' (WWYF) or a 'Who would fall for you' (WWFFY). It is sorta like a visual novel/dating sim, but then in a written format, often a quiz, but it could also be done in short chapters/stories with multiple endings. Lots of possibilities that you can explore! :D