Romance System

[SorceressVal]

The marriage system exists and that is fine as well as understandable . However a Romance system should be in place between npc and player queued if the player is not already married their should be a plethera of npc's complementing your look and flirting with you to that end a player should be allowed to choose to advance or not a relationship with them that extends just shy of getting married keeping the option available to break up open in case a player wants to get married later or romance a different npc .

[Iscah]

Being constantly flirted with by random NPCs sounds horrendous.

I want to play a fantasy story, not a romance sim.

[Jaywalker]

Being constantly flirted with by random NPCs sounds horrendous.

I want to play a fantasy story, not a romance sim.

I've played games where romance is an option but you can go through without being flirted with! Whole thing depends on your choices in certain dialogues. It's basically a percentage system, if you pick romantic options repeatedly through encounters the game basically goes "oh okay you're sure and want this well go ahead" and you get the romance. If you don't pick the romance you don't experience it and can keep going without.

I'd personally love the romance option simply 'cause I enjoy romances in stories. It's another kind of relationship dynamic, can be interesting and brings its own character insight to the table. If someone else wants to play more self-insert style though and have an element of dating sim... I mean as long as the rest of the game doesn't suffer and it brings in more money overall they should be allowed I think. As long as no one's forced to go with it, which again I've seen games manage just fine. This seems like it would be really doable in theory.

[Marnie]

Yes this please! This would bring so much more into the game. If they could make a system where people could turn the romance on or off that would solve the whole “I don’t want to be flirted with 24/7”. But adding a romance option would bring so much more depth into the story.

[Gula]

Based off the threads you've been making OP, I think you'd be better off with Fire Emblem Awakening. You have a voice, a backstory, and can have the waifu/husbando of choice. There's even FE Fates with even more options.

[Canadane]

Well you’re in luck!
https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/pr/blog/000692.html

[MorbolvampireQueen6]

the only npcs i want romance with are lord zenos,ifirt, diablolos

[Jaywalker]

Well you’re in luck!
https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/pr/blog/000692.html

Canadane, thanks for linking this! Imo this is exactly the kind of thing that would fit well with FFXIV. People who don't push into romance don't have to deal with it but people who do want it can have it.

[Arrhin]

Well you’re in luck!
https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/pr/blog/000692.html

Oki, I jus checked that out, not at all what I thought that system was about! (Never assume)

[Jaywalker]

Based off the threads you've been making OP, I think you'd be better off with Fire Emblem Awakening. You have a voice, a backstory, and can have the waifu/husbando of choice. There's even FE Fates with even more options.

Looked into this some, will second that OP probably will like Fire Emblem Awakening!

Can add a few other game options with romance available alongside varying levels of voice, backstory, and customization.

Dragon Age (Mainly Inquisition, but II and Origins/Awakening as well) both have this to varying degrees. Origins/Awakening you're mostly silent like FFXIV but you have stock phrases that get yelled in combat sometimes. Inquisition is fully voiced with multiple voice options, II is fully voiced with one default voice for male and one for female.

Pillars of Eternity (both the first and Deadfire, its sequel) both offer voices and character customization. Romance only comes into play for Deadfire but you have some backstory options pitched at the beginning of PoE.

Dragon's Dogma you're mostly not voiced, but you get two character designs, a bit of a backstory (not much room for interpretation) and you can pursue romance if you want.

In general though to Gula, I think part of the issue as someone coming from a similar standpoint is that frankly a lot of the other games I mentioned (can't speak for Fire Emblem Awakening) in the vein being described aren't as pretty as FFXIV, and/or are lacking a bit in some area or other. Dragon's Dogma characterization and romance are both kind of flat, although the monsters are fun imo. Dragon Age visually is much weaker across the board and sometimes has awkward points in terms of worldbuilding, character acting (body language), sometimes in dialogue, sometimes in terms of hamfist-y narrative choices. I do think it has stuff to offer too, but there are flaws. Pillars of Eternity the world and storytelling is solid and the voice acting of supporting cast is good but player character says less out loud and the combat/some visuals are limited.

While FFXIV might not be able to do everything OP has voiced interest in on a practical level, the favor system seems doable without imposing on people (and would honestly prob attract more players, which benefits everyone) while the backstory thing might be possible to weave in as the WoL goes through heavy stuff. If a supporting character pauses and goes "wait did you have a life before being WoL" or "do you ever miss home" and there are a few options including a "..." that would probably work out fine.