[NSFW] NWOD As A Dating Simulator: What Would It Be Like?

[GibberingEloquence]

In case you don't know what I'm talking about, click here.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: I am not in any way asking you to say what your romantic and sexual preferences are. You may do that at your discretion, but no one is demanding it.

I'm more interested in knowing what other users think about the nuances of romance in NWOD. Like, how would dating a Promethean man or woman even work? How would the protagonist handle Disquiet? And if there is an option for them to live together, what about Wastelands? And Pandorans?

My guess is that it would be a considerably self-aware game. They might crack a dry joke here and there about all the darkness in the world and the spooky things going on. Maybe they even break the fourth wall. But the general atmosphere is mostly serious, with a strong dose of eeriness and Gothic-like aesthetics. A good soundtrack is a must have, methinks. Bad endings would probably outnumber the good ones by a fair margin. As for what kind of art style it would have, I dunno. If you know any artists that are good with Gothic scenery and/or expressionism, be they classic or online, I'd love to hear it.

Not to mention that the numerous factions for mortals and supernaturals could make for some interesting combinations. How would you reconcile the religious/spiritual conflicts between, say, a Nosferatu of the Lancea et Sanctum and a Messenger Integrator? What about the differences in leadership methods between a Fairest of the Spring Court and a Ventrue of the Invictus?

For the purposes of not making the game absurdly huge, I think the protagonist can only be a mortal. Perhaps you could unlock a Beast protagonist somehow.

[Leliel]

Let's check what this School Days on googl- OH GOD WHY?

Fetu of the Heart: Yessss! Feel our agony, human! Know a fraction of the frustration and horror we know every second of day beyond the Second Gate! Seriously, the Judges are terrible animators and storytellers, that's on the better side of the shows they make. Bleh.

Seriously though, new Secret LI:

Released Fiend: This Kheti is honestly one of the saner and more stable of her kind, which is to say all three of her personas are mildly yandere, and only her fiendish self is aware of how precarious her mind is, hence why she's cut back on memory theft, looking for coherent ones that will merge her alters rather than provoke the emergence of new ones. She is unlocked if you have a good relationship with the demon and the mummy, when they pool their resources and realizes an entity the Unchained has confused for one of their own seems rather more interested in a Cover than actually using it. Opening her route requires giving her a memory that makes her human personas aware of each other, which she promptly takes as reason to swear eternal loyalty to her savior (much to the horror of the Arisen). The driving question in her route is "Can you use power to heal rather than harm?"

[LostLight]

No one actually likes School Days.

Let's check what this School Days on googl- OH GOD WHY?

[ArcaneArts]

Na, some people do like School Days because they like seeing the scumbag protagonist get murdered for his nonsense.

I stand by what I said.

[Penelope]

I see

In that case, that’s not what I meant. I don’t know much about dating simulators, and if that’s the basic idea behind it then I don’t like them. I just thought it would be cool to include romance plot lines in a Chronicles of Darkness RPG or video game without necessarily making romance the sole focus of the game. I know some video games like Dragon Age have them.

Anyway, never mind. My bad.

[Aiden]

No one actually likes School Days.

Na, some people do like School Days because they like seeing the scumbag protagonist get murdered for his nonsense.

[ArcaneArts]

Isn’t that the basic idea beyond most dating sims. You talk to them and you learn how to solve the “Puzzle”. And you get awarded with a Sex scene.
Like many media, that says ‘You act nice to a girl,” you “Deserve” to by in a Romantic relationship with you. See Incels and Eliot Rodger,

Add some outside drama. And spooks. and you get a psychological Horror game. Maybe you could even deconstruct the idea of Love and Romance in Western culture. Disguised as a Dating Sim.

And no it’s not the “win condition”. I think it ends with Love intrest Killing you.

No one actually likes School Days.

[Konradleijon]

I think what Konradleijon meant is what I meant: that having a victory condition where you basically pressure or manipulate your love interest into having sex with you would be a really BAD idea.

Isn’t that the basic idea beyond most dating sims. You talk to them and you learn how to solve the “Puzzle”. And you get awarded with a Sex scene.
Like many media, that says ‘You act nice to a girl,” you “Deserve” to by in a Romantic relationship with you. See Incels and Eliot Rodger,

Add some outside drama. And spooks. and you get a psychological Horror game. Maybe you could even deconstruct the idea of Love and Romance in Western culture. Disguised as a Dating Sim.

And no it’s not the “win condition”. I think it ends with Love intrest Killing you.

[Penelope]

I think what Konradleijon meant is what I meant: that having a victory condition where you basically pressure or manipulate your love interest into having sex with you would be a really BAD idea.

[Konradleijon]

No. No. No. no. Fuck no.

Oh god I think I phased that wrong. I’ll fix that.

[ArcaneArts]

"Excuse me? I'm a bit of a stickler mummy. What about your dating game, just in case this doesn't work out?" *aims athame at random person*

"Yes, I can see that you're a Sesha-Hebsu."

[Leliel]

Not directly related to the Fate reference(although, Yes), but

Fun Fact: In the middle of all my gothic imaginings of possible Mummy games, I have one Kheru character I will use at some point and time who everyone has some kind of bone to pick with due to one very shared Descent.

That Descent started with said Kheru awakening to the purpose of some dipshit wanting to claim his one true love, and as the Kheru became increasingly frustrated and blocked in his efforts to fulfill that purpose proceeded to Mr. Meeseeks all the other local mummies into the problem by having their cults awaken everyone else to help him.

Cosmic horror, generational gothic dramas, and brutal pre-bronze age violence sagas, and in the middle of all that, a fucking hapless loser romance story.

"Excuse me? I'm a bit of a stickler mummy. What about your dating game, just in case this doesn't work out?" *aims athame at random person*

[Master Aquatosic]

No. No. No. no. Fuck no.

i think he was saying the route would be a deconstruction of typical dating sim behavior? the love interest recognizes you're basically just trying to tell them whatever they want to hear for nefarious reasons? still probably uncomfortable.

[Second Chances]

I know that gets really creepy, maybe having one route end with your Love interest telling you. Being manipulating them and slowly breaking there self-esteem so you could F.ck them,

No. No. No. no. Fuck no.

[Konradleijon]

I know that gets really creepy, maybe having one route end with your Love interest telling you how creepy and manipulating you have been and slowly breaking there self-esteem so you could F.ck them, as a deconstructions of Dating sims and Pickup culture, And treating people like games.