Relationship system?

[KihyiFelhede]

If they ever go this route (which I don't think they will) it seems like a bad idea to suddenly start making branching relationship paths with your MSQ companions. I do like seeing the NPCs have romances and I'd be down to have something optional in a society or job quest sort of thing, with a dedicated character in side content, but once you introduce the idea that one character has that canon possibility to fall in love it just puts all their interactions through a different lens. I'm not by any means a hater of relationship routes in RPGs but I think many people will get what I mean when I say it'll result in dialogue that's very clearly meant to nudge the player in that direction and can become very annoying very quick when you'd rather have that companion be a friend. It also has the reverse issue where you do go down the romance route and they still treat you like good buddies in the main story.

If you don't offer Hildibrand Heliodor Maximilian Manderville, it's not worth it.

yk what, this is the one character I would be totally on board with. even if they play it straight the sheer 100 levels of manderville madness before it makes it inherently funny. bonus points if it gives you extra dialogue options in the MSQ about your beloved husband.

[RedLolly]

I think letting players marry each other removed any potential mode to officially romance with an NPC. I'm not sure it's totally out, however, as the devs seemingly retconned Y'shtola's romance with Runar (suddenly calling him a younger brother, yeoch) and, bafflingly, there was a live, official event where you could have a lunch date with G'raha. I was gobsmacked seeing it was a real thing that SE made. That's why they're suddenly in every quest!

That said, having some sort of affinity quest series for each of our main companions is something I really want. Just like a few quests that are some way for the WoL to both bond with a character outside of the main scenario but also maybe learn a few more things about them.

[Annihilism]

Just accept that Y'shtola belongs to Runar, I know it hurts but you need to move on bro

[Joeoj]

Thank you for replying.
I tried to summarize your opinions—let me know if I misunderstood anything.

[Opinions about the system]


・Attraction can feel hollow or tacked on, without real emotional connection.

・Some people don’t want a forced romance system and feel the game doesn’t need it.

・There’s concern about disrupting players’ headcanons.

・A romance system would only be okay if it could be fully turned on/off.

・Some would prefer dating retainers instead.

・Garrus is amazing.

・There’s a lack of “wife options” for straight male, bi, or gay women.

・Some want the system, but the character they want isn’t in the story anymore.

・Some will only accept it if Hildibrand Heliodor Maximilian Manderville is included.

・having some sort of affinity quest series for each of our main companions is something I really want. Just like a few quests that are some way for the WoL to both bond with a character outside of the main scenario but also maybe learn a few more things about them.

・Y'shtola is our wife
・Y'shtola is Runar's wife

・If they ever went in this direction (which I doubt), I think it would be a bad idea to suddenly add branching romance paths for MSQ companions. I enjoy seeing NPCs have their own romances, and I’d be fine with something optional in a side quest, job quest, or society-style quest with a dedicated character.
But once you say a main character *can* fall in love with the player, it changes how all their interactions feel. People who don’t want that relationship will start noticing dialogue that pushes romance, which can get annoying when you’d rather just stay friends. And on the flip side, if you *do* choose the romance path, the main story will still treat you like you’re just good buddies.


[If a relationship system existed]

・Keep it completely outside the main canon. The plot shouldn’t change at all.
Instead, players could unlock optional bonus scenes. In every path, the WoL and their chosen Scion, city-state leader, or even enemy keep the relationship secret, distant, or unrequited for the sake of saving the world.

・It depends entirely on two things:

1.Is it purely optional for people who don’t want it?

2.Are the romance options broad enough to appeal to many player preferences?

・Some players prefer going to Limsa and engaging in RP with real people instead.



My idea:
・There could be a side questline involving special items you can give to certain characters. When you do, you unlock a few lines of dialogue and a short scene with them—totally optional, completely separate from the main scenario. It could even clarify that these events occur only in your world (or shard), so it doesn’t clash with anyone else’s canon.
Maybe in another shard Thancred engages with Urianger, and in yours the WoL engages with Thancred.

・Truth be told, I just really want to date Estinien, lol.
Whether you like selfship or not, all opinions are equally good. Each preference doesn't make you better or worse.
I’d love to hear more ideas and opinions—not to decide what’s “best” for the game, but to gather perspectives from different players.

[KihyiFelhede]

falling back on "most popular" immediately has people fighting for or against certain NPCs (see Y'shtolaXRunar versus Y'ShtolaXWarrior of Light)

That's also a part I totally missed in my reasoning. If the story is meant to accommodate for the possibility of character x WoL being the "canon" story, it'll shut out writing of character x character romances. Though extensive rewrite options could theoretically work it also then has to account for a player choosing to pursue the romance later and it'll be a very abrupt end to that story thread. And, realistically, that's just an insane amount of effort for something being added so far into the game and optional flavor side content. Dating systems with companions are a selling point for a lot of RPGs, true, but I just cannot see it going over well if it's dropped as optional content locked to the 6th expansion at level 100+ (and there's just no shot they'll go back and do rewrites for earlier content; can't imagine it going well if they left in playboy thancred, moenbryda x urianger, the y'shtola x runar tease etc while they're supposedly married to the player either).

[Joeoj]

Yes, it’s difficult to create something like this without affecting someone’s headcanon.
However, I think it’s a topic worth discussing, because many people enjoy WoL-ship just as much as they enjoy NPC shipping.

There wouldn’t be a need to rewrite past dialogue either, as long as it takes place after Endwalker. Thancred or Urianger could form new relationships while still respecting their past ones. And if they keep the options limited such as only involving Scions, it wouldn’t add too much work.

I also doubt the developers would write explicit NPC romance for the Scions; and even if they did, it would likely be vague, since they seem wary of backlash from both self-shippers and NPC shippers.
So if it never becomes a major canon element in the future, I don’t think making them romanceable would cause issues.
As others and I have mentioned, they could make it completely optional side content with no special flavor text. Some characters would still refer to the WoL as a friend, but I don’t think that’s a serious problem.

That said, if many players don't like romance entirely, or feel that adding a relationship system itself is too much, then it would be difficult to implement other than friendship.

[Rueby]

Having a tryst with Zenos would be a dream come true. (I for example can think of two potential points, one in SB, one in EW)

I think an optional system with maybe side quests would be cute.
We could have someone like the wandering minsteral, all the savage and extremes are imaginings (made up/exaggerated tales) and none are 'canon'. It'd also open up potential for exploring non-canon different endings....

That way people who don't wish to engage with the system, can simply not engage with it and it'd be just some extra fluff for those who'd enjoy it and won't have an impact on the story since it'd be in its own bubble I guess.

[MicahZerrshia]

Having a tryst with Zenos would be a dream come true.

This is such a bazaar take to me. It gives the same vibes as the ppl who want a Joker/Harley type relationship.