Alternatives to NPC romance, since it's a polarizing topic

[Senn]

There could be friendship levels. Do friendship quests and give gifts to increase your level. As you raise your level, unlock new dialogue options and cutscenes.

[Tennyoelf]

There could be friendship levels. Do friendship quests and give gifts to increase your level. As you raise your level, unlock new dialogue options and cutscenes.

That would be awesome! Maybe after a certain friendship level, you can take them out on trust runs? Or if that includes the scions, they'd grow a bit stronger? Which would nudge you towards BFF'ing more of the scions...hmmm

[Brynne]

I really like this! I could see it like side quests for each NPC that are optional but give you a greater sense of friendship and connection with the NPC. Maybe at the end you get a special screenshot with your NPC buddy posing with you in front of some scenery.

[Tennyoelf]

I really like this! I could see it like side quests for each NPC that are optional but give you a greater sense of friendship and connection with the NPC. Maybe at the end you get a special screenshot with your NPC buddy posing with you in front of some scenery.

Yes, exactly! And that idea with the screenshot is cool since we'd have the memento of the connection we made. I'd probably use it as a new desktop wallpaper lol

[SilverObi]

As I mentioned in the other thread on the front page regarding this topic, a system of interacting with specific NPCs would be fairly easy to implement based off that we already have a similar system in FFXI. Interacting with key points in main cities would let you call your companion NPC and hold dialogue with them along with the other aspects of that system. It'd probably be best as an area you click in The Rising Stones and then are able to interact with a few important NPCs from your story. Doesn't even have to be dating which for some reason people love jumping to immediately, it can just be a friendly get-together with some banter to give you some insight on how those characters feel about developments in the story.

[wereotter]

That's my point? It's a polarizing topic, so I simply suggested NPC buddy quests, which would have no romance nor erotica etc. As buddy quests, the point would be to simply spend time with your favorite NPC and help them out on a personal matter.

I would think even this would lead to the same problems the developers have stated they would run into if they added NPC dating into the game, specifically that it ties their hands too much when it comes to writing story. Consider this, what if, as a hypothetical, you spent a lot of time growing close and buddy buddy to Uriangier. But come some time in 6.0 they decide that for the story they need to send him off to the New World for several patches, or if he decides to engage in some heroic sacrifice and is dead from that point onward? Basically it means anyone in this system becomes off limits for any major story points like that. Also it might mean needing to write and voice certain quests entirely differently for scenes he's in, and that would apply to every character that they add in this option for, possibly multiple times depending on how far along you are in your relationship or if you broke things off with them. Ultimately it ends up creating a lot of extra work for anyone who's ever in the main story of the game.

They've thought about possibly creating characters specifically for the purpose of what you propose, but also know that the characters people want to have these kinds of experiences with are characters that already exist. And it seems that at least for now, they want to keep their options open to do with the characters what makes the most sense to drive the main story as opposed to personal side stories.

[Angua]

Some friendly banter with NPCs sounds like a really nice immersion-rich idea. Would also be nice to have those NPCs visiting our houses and apartments.

[Arillyn]

The 1.0 companions might be a wonderful place to repurpose into a full blown companion in bioware (and like game) style (loyalty quests also being another element from bioware, so obviously thinking in similar thought to you). Could be neat to have a create your own trust member experience. It's not really important to me to date a character in the game, though maybe Yoshida would have far less qualms if it happened to be an npc you named, created, and grew with, over a named npc that has a specific setting in the game for many players, but it would be cool to have relationship building gameplay mechanics even platonic in nature (grow a bro experience XD). Something fun with that, maybe primal, but like the delivery quests or even beast tribes are both enjoyable to me on perhaps a similar deeper level (and having a deeper social buddy, perhaps combat potential would be neat). On an aside I think thats why I had, loooong ago, really hoped they gave us a moogle companion like FFIX calling via flute.

Loyalty missions for trusts could be a decent way to move away from levels and into perhaps a sort of meriting / customization, special missions to make them better or unlock different AI narratives / costumes, etc. Also please include chocobo, NOT TO DATE lol, just really want to have a bonding experience better realized with them.

Would be fun to get our companions back. And while I guess the chocobos kind of fulfill it a bit, I do miss the scenes and dialogue with my companion. She was no-nonsense!

[Ceridwenae]

Sounds like an option for a trip to the Gold Saucer, based on previous interactions with (whoever), is needed for this! Just a one-time one-off event would be amusing enough, though more is always nice.

[Bright-Flower]

I don't mind stuff like the dinner with aymeric popping up now and then in quests, but I don't really want a feature dedicated just to 'hanging out' with npcs. Romantically or otherwise.