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

[Yandere-chan]

There are issues about romance in the game that isn't about story continuity. There are also animation limitations as well. If someone wished to romance Urianger as a Lalafell, that would take some genius animator to figure out a way to even show them hugging. If code limitations prevent them from ever figuring it out, then they may limit which races can romance which races, which would be very upsetting to certain players. Buddy quests, which are platonic in nature, would skip that need for extra animations.

Also, there are some who worry about what romance quests added would do to the game culture as well as the perception of the game to those who don't play FFXIV. I've seen some vehemently oppose romance quests. From a developer's POV, that means taking into consideration those who don't want such a thing. All of us are players of FFXIV, we all mean something to the developers. They're going to aim to make as many people as happy as possible.

As for your concern about my idea not addressing the concern, it comes down to the significance of what a best friend verse a romantic partner means to the average person. There is definitely an argument to make that a close friend is indeed just as important, maybe even more so, than a romantic partner. Saying being best buds with a certain NPC would have the same weight and writing constraints as a romantic partner is definitely something that will defer from person to person, from culture to culture. Generally speaking, most people weigh romantic partners are being much more significant than best friends, that a romantic partner will ultimately be the closest, most important person in your life, especially once being married is thrown into the mix. So taking the example of Urianger going to Mars from the article, if we are best buds with him, then an extra line or two, spoken or not, is all that is needed for a goodbye. If we were romantically involved, that means either breaking up or having us go with him. It'll cause a messy situation, especially since Urianger wants to go Mars despite being romantically involved with someone. Also, as the WoL, the developers probably don't want us following after our love interest or we can't because we gotta save the world again. Or Mars isn't going to be in any expansion any time soon. Saying "I'll wait for you!" is an extra writing constraint than, "We're bros, so I hope you come back soon!"

To me, I rather have extra time with my favorite NPCs, even if it must be platonic-based, than get nothing because romance turns out too difficult for the team. Or they're too reluctant because of writing constraints. Having platonic-based questlines for NPCs doesn't take romance quests off the table. They can be separate or even a pre-requisite if they do find a way to implement romance. But if they never do? If they remain reluctant? If those who oppose romance quests became the louder group?

I don't think animations are at all a problem. Tall races are already able to do the hug emote with short ones. That alone proves that such things wouldn't be an issue for the animation team if the current animations are not enough for such content. I don't see race limitations being a thing. And, no, buddy quests could just as easily have additional animations made for them. It also might not be necessary, but I'm thinking that they will only add extra animations if they want to for either route.

The...game culture? The idea that optional content would be excluded because some people don't care for it is so beyond absurd that I'm not sure if you're serious. Such a thing should never even remotely be a factor. Like, plenty of people don't care at all for limited jobs or Eureka-like content. Plenty of people aren't comfortable with same-sex eternal bonding. Some people hate certain races. A developer should not decide if things should be in game on the basis of the hatred of others. It's an illegitimate factor of consideration in regard to content that is ultimately optional. And, no, not every bit of optional content is aimed to make as many people happy as possible. A lot of optional content purposely targets niche interests. The idea is to have many different types of optional content so all together there are things for everyone. Of course, it doesn't mean that, as I suggested, a platonic option can't be an option too as a means to increase the number of people such content is potentially enjoyable to. But, the idea that they wouldn't have romantic optional npc quests because some people find it icky or whatever is just, again, beyond absurd to me.

The issue isn't a question of whether or not a close friendship might mean more to someone than a romance. The issue is if someone cares to be invested in a specific character, the developers want to be able to both maintain content that is related to said character for the content in question as well as being able to go keep happenstances open for characters as well. The investment people have in said characters is going to exist regardless of the titles in play and the same type of complaints would exist. If someone really likes Urianger, and wants to do this type of content with him specifically, it matters little if the quest dialogue tries to suggest it's platonic or not. It's still an issue of the player not being able to do the content they want with the character they care most about which is what the developer has expressed to want to avoid.

I don't think it's a matter of compromise. I think it's a matter of giving people what they want. People have constantly asked for romantic optional content for NPCs. Not platonic quests. It does not mean of course that some people may not just want platonic quests, but when the driving request is romance, it makes no sense to not actually give what was requested. From the interview, it's a matter of getting over the stated hurdle for it to come to fruition. The developer did not say, "we're worried about anti romance complainers." It isn't even a concern, so I'm not going to pretend it is as it's not even a valid factor worthy of concern in my mind. Some complaints simply are toxic in nature and should be disregarded. What you describe would apply. For me it goes in the same bag as those who request lalas being auto blacklisted or made invisible and what not.

[Iscah]

I think it's simply a matter of logistics. It's an ongoing story where the characters change and evolve over time. Giving them additional character development in a second, disconnected set of conversations is going to be confusing to the timeline and just hard for the writers to keep track of.

If you want to develop your understanding of the supporting cast, you talk to them between quests and between every objective of quests they're involved in. They have a lot to say.

[Senn]

Now that I think about it, I wonder how this would work if a character were to die later on in the story. I guess it could be done only with characters that certainly wont die, but that would kind of be a spoiler, no?

[sarehptar]

We already have custom deliveries that lets you befriend and help NPCs. I have no idea why they haven't just added the scions to that and called it a day.

[Kolsykol]

I like the idea overall, but I also think there's some issues with it especially with the writing.
Both in that it limits what they can actually do with the characters in the narrative when it comes to romance and death, it limits what characters you can have subplots for involving romance with other NPC's.
And it also I think makes it problematic with writing death because if they kill off a character people will flip out about it and get way angrier and distraught about it.
I don't think that the devs should have to worry about these things, if killing off a character makes sense and would actually make for better writing I don't want them to have to stop and go '' oh shit, our players are involved in that way we can't kill their husband/ wife ''.
The whole husbando/ waifu thing is already a thing players indulge in even without dating etc, and there's people who would get really mad if Y'shtola for example was killed off.
But I think you'd make it far worse and you end up in sort of a situation where basically everyone ends up living in celibacy waiting for the player.

I am not one to really get super immersed in games and all that, but I guess that's one way to put it.
It feels a bit immersion breaking when the NPC's basically all just inherently exist for the player to hook up with them.
In Mass Effect for example NPC's kinda did hook up but it felt a bit contrived because it just essentially happens towards the end and just come across as a '' we're going to die so lets bang okay? ''.
I understand giving the player choices but on the other hand I don't think that always makes for the best story.

[Iscah]

We already have custom deliveries that lets you befriend and help NPCs. I have no idea why they haven't just added the scions to that and called it a day.

Being a custom delivery client ties the character down to a very static existence. The NPC has to stay in place permanently for ongoing deliveries and can't be updated besides altering what they say when you talk to them.

Compare Urianger being stuck in place at the Waking Sands due to being the questgiver for a lot of ARR optional content - no costume updates, no moving around until they finally decided it was better to leave the clearly outdated NPC there while putting a current-MSQ version of him elsewhere.

[Garnix]

I am personally against romance with NPCs in this game, unless it becomes canon and serves a purpose in the story (like Yuna/Tidus in X for example). And since you can get married to another player, that would be weird. (unless they make it really 'vague' and look almost platonic and open to interpretation)
Regarding buddy quests...I think it would be cool to give the main NPCs some life between patches. But not necessarily via some 'friendship stat'.
Having some campfire scenes with the whole cast (similar to FFXV campfire) that would be different depending on where you are in the MSQ could be fun.
The scene where everybody was just chilling in Mor Dhona at the end of 5.3 was very cool and having more of it would be nice.

[kaynide]

I think the problem/restraint is that whatever is done with NPCs in an optional way becomes hard to keep the story consistent.

An example is binding coil with Alisaie; at some point do we just write the story as if your character did coil, regardless of actually having done it? Because knowing the end results of that storyline have some pretty bit impact on our understanding on the nature of primals, and especially Alisaie’s personal knowledge and motivations.

Or do we just force the players to run the content, like crystal tower, so that the story can be consistent?

So if there were options to spend time with a scion in a way that was fun fluff but not really story-changing, sure, maybe? Something like FF9’s side scenes, or FF7s date at gold saucer.


To;dr:
I wouldn’t mind just being able to hang out with scions in some kind of activity (like going to the beach, or camping) for backstory/character development...but it’s hard to require it,

[sarehptar]

Being a custom delivery client ties the character down to a very static existence. The NPC has to stay in place permanently for ongoing deliveries and can't be updated besides altering what they say when you talk to them.

Compare Urianger being stuck in place at the Waking Sands due to being the questgiver for a lot of ARR optional content - no costume updates, no moving around until they finally decided it was better to leave the clearly outdated NPC there while putting a current-MSQ version of him elsewhere.

Rowena is literally everywhere at once. There are plenty of NPCs that already do this--you can go talk to Gerolt in Gangos, then teleport to the North Shroud and talk to him there too, with no updated dialogue. Players are quite used to this already. And it's also possible to lock custom deliveries behind certain main story quests, so it would be possible to make it so that players could only start custom deliveries with, say, Y'shtola, after completing the 5.3 patch quests, etc. etc.

The only possible issue would be if they killed off a character in the future, in which case there would have to be some contingency for those custom delivery quests. But there's plenty enough random excuses they could make up ("Our dear friend is gone, but she left us an allagan memory recording so you can still interact with her" or whatever lol) to not really make this much of a valid point either.

[Shibi]

On the surface it's a nice idea, but when one sits and thinks, there is a large problem;

Can I be buddies with Haurchefant? He makes me smile... after... all.