Turan Khan
Literate
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2014
- Messages
- 26
Hi RPG Codex! Hear me out, and bear with me...
Why can't Wasteland 2 have a romance system affecting Squad Morale positively or negatively like State of Decay's?
Both are post-apocalyptic games and both have you control multiple characters, instead of focus on one only. One is set in zombie apocalypse and the other in a post-nuclear apocalypse. However, it seems to me that in a zombie apocalypse with 6 billion fast runner zombies in the world, one would have MUCH less time overall, especially if on the move. In a way, post-nuclear apocalypse especially in fortified places like the Ranger Citadel affords MORE time for romance to develop than in a zombie apocalypse where even a FORTIFIED place isn't safe if even one infected enters it somehow.
This is how I picture a State of Decay romance system to be implemented in Wasteland 2:
At character creation, the player can set romance status between the four characters (like, girlfriend/boyfriend, fiancee, spouse). Or let the game randomly pair them up as best as possible, with possible romantic triangles and loners. Also, even if there is a loner on the team, that loner can have a romance with an NPC at base or out in the world.
Slight Positive Bonus on Squad Morale if a romantic pairing duo or triple or more functions well
For example, if the romance is requitted and just somehow supported by the player, then the two members get slight accuracy or aura bonuses when they fight together in the same unit and same vicinity for example. Like an earlier poster said, if a romantic triangle forms, then it could lead to shouting matches, jealousy, lowering Team Morale and as a leader you can either ignore it (with a chance that one of the romantic triangle's would just quit or worse yet go berserk and kill the other or both) or actively sort it out, either keeping the two together or somehow working out a menage-a-trois haha.
I just liked how in State of Decay I didn't know each playthrough who will like whom and whether that will cost me problems or not. I think a similar system could work very well in Wasteland 2. Both are apocalyptic and don't have "time for romance" but that's why State of Decay's minimal but present Romance system is at least somewhat covering that basic human instinct.
I just find that in a group of both men and women in the wasteland, fighting and surviving day by day, with nature in overdrive to pass the genes... you would have the opposite problem, of keeping romance out or contained.
It's just a very real disconnect how Angie CERTAINLY had romantic feelings for Ace... and then NONE of your ranger squadmates EVER do, over the entire epic run. C'mon, THAT is unreal. Unless the squad and everybody you've met are all irradiated sterile or replaced with robotic parts, but THAT is the only explanation for their stoic celibacy. Or more like it, InXile just decided not to bother with romances and that's why they aren't there.
Even in Fallout 2, there wasn't a REAL romance, between PC and Miria/Davin... but having that dark humorous shotgun wedding and the dastardly evil things one could do later is what's missing in Wasteland 2.
Wasteland 2 currently can't be played as an utterly depraved Ranger squad... more like a gray moral zone, but not full out evil. While goodie-two-shoes is very possible.
So, TLDR: Wasteland 2 can have F2-like dark humor romance (pimp your spouse, sell to slavery, etc) with romance affecting positively or negatively Squad Morale, like in State of Decay.
What say you? Flame on, but please don't haha.
If InXile isn't going to do this, then when and if they'll release modding tools, I'll try and implement such a romance system. It's minimal but I think at least for me, managing team personal relationships I'll find more IMMERSIVE, though perhaps more clunky and more chore-like as well, but if it helps with immersion, I'm all for it.
Why can't Wasteland 2 have a romance system affecting Squad Morale positively or negatively like State of Decay's?
Both are post-apocalyptic games and both have you control multiple characters, instead of focus on one only. One is set in zombie apocalypse and the other in a post-nuclear apocalypse. However, it seems to me that in a zombie apocalypse with 6 billion fast runner zombies in the world, one would have MUCH less time overall, especially if on the move. In a way, post-nuclear apocalypse especially in fortified places like the Ranger Citadel affords MORE time for romance to develop than in a zombie apocalypse where even a FORTIFIED place isn't safe if even one infected enters it somehow.
This is how I picture a State of Decay romance system to be implemented in Wasteland 2:
At character creation, the player can set romance status between the four characters (like, girlfriend/boyfriend, fiancee, spouse). Or let the game randomly pair them up as best as possible, with possible romantic triangles and loners. Also, even if there is a loner on the team, that loner can have a romance with an NPC at base or out in the world.
Slight Positive Bonus on Squad Morale if a romantic pairing duo or triple or more functions well
For example, if the romance is requitted and just somehow supported by the player, then the two members get slight accuracy or aura bonuses when they fight together in the same unit and same vicinity for example. Like an earlier poster said, if a romantic triangle forms, then it could lead to shouting matches, jealousy, lowering Team Morale and as a leader you can either ignore it (with a chance that one of the romantic triangle's would just quit or worse yet go berserk and kill the other or both) or actively sort it out, either keeping the two together or somehow working out a menage-a-trois haha.
I just liked how in State of Decay I didn't know each playthrough who will like whom and whether that will cost me problems or not. I think a similar system could work very well in Wasteland 2. Both are apocalyptic and don't have "time for romance" but that's why State of Decay's minimal but present Romance system is at least somewhat covering that basic human instinct.
I just find that in a group of both men and women in the wasteland, fighting and surviving day by day, with nature in overdrive to pass the genes... you would have the opposite problem, of keeping romance out or contained.
It's just a very real disconnect how Angie CERTAINLY had romantic feelings for Ace... and then NONE of your ranger squadmates EVER do, over the entire epic run. C'mon, THAT is unreal. Unless the squad and everybody you've met are all irradiated sterile or replaced with robotic parts, but THAT is the only explanation for their stoic celibacy. Or more like it, InXile just decided not to bother with romances and that's why they aren't there.
Even in Fallout 2, there wasn't a REAL romance, between PC and Miria/Davin... but having that dark humorous shotgun wedding and the dastardly evil things one could do later is what's missing in Wasteland 2.
Wasteland 2 currently can't be played as an utterly depraved Ranger squad... more like a gray moral zone, but not full out evil. While goodie-two-shoes is very possible.
So, TLDR: Wasteland 2 can have F2-like dark humor romance (pimp your spouse, sell to slavery, etc) with romance affecting positively or negatively Squad Morale, like in State of Decay.
What say you? Flame on, but please don't haha.
If InXile isn't going to do this, then when and if they'll release modding tools, I'll try and implement such a romance system. It's minimal but I think at least for me, managing team personal relationships I'll find more IMMERSIVE, though perhaps more clunky and more chore-like as well, but if it helps with immersion, I'm all for it.