Games about building strictly platonic relationships

[Fawn]

So, we have all this GxB, BxG, GxG BxB ect. in the forum. Almost every game has romance of some sort.

What about a game that there was no romance, but just friendship? Platonic friendship, just about getting through the conflict of the story without having to romance someone?

The more I think about a particular game idea I have, the more I realize I don't want it to be romantic at all. The main conflict/climax doesn't need romance, however it's still a relationship building game.


What do you think about this kind of relationship-based game? Are things just boring without romance, or is it weird to just have everyone be friends in the end and nothing more?

[Blue Lemma]

Are things just boring without romance, or is it weird to just have everyone be friends in the end and nothing more?

I think it reflects too many of our real lives too closely

All right, all right, I'm kidding... kind of. Ask me again after I get another girlfriend.

Some people would play and think "wait, what happened, is that it?" and have a "something's missing" feeling, but it would be different. A good game will be a good game, after all It would be interesting to see you try this out.

[Omnificent]

I like games with strong bromance components, I say go for it.

[Auro-Cyanide]

Why would it be weird? People are friends all the time. As long as it was written well, I don't care HOW the characters interact, as long as they are interacting. Not everyone is out to get into someone else's pants. Plus I agree with Omnificent, male friendship stories are really interesting to me because, well, males are curious in how they show affection to each other, so it's entertaining to read about.

[Deji]

I like this idea a lot!
I'd love to play a game like that, myself (:

[Kura]

I'm all for it! I actually somewhat prefer reading about platonic relationships, and I think it's quite a shame that fiction often treats romantic relationships as being more meaningful or story-worthy than platonic ones.

[Rewritten Ennui]

I like games with strong bromance components, I say go for it.

^This. I need moar bromance in my games.

Although some players have a tendency to ship characters if even the slightest hint of attraction is given. You see it all the time in fanworks, so it can't be avoided.

[Van Knox]

I love a good bromance. Sometimes(most of the times) I prefer a good bromance to romance. For example, while there are a lot of people who like to "ship" Sherlock Holmes and Watson, I think their relationship is much better described as a good old bromance. And one of the best bromances of all time, I might add!

[Mink]

Yeah, there's no romance in my game. At all. There's a part in it that may come off that way, but Word of God: it's not meant to be romantic.

It IS possible to share a bed with someone without wanting to boink them.

And yeah, why would it be weird? It's not like platonic relationships don't...exist. :/

@Rewritten Ennui: Sometimes I think that's just apophenia.

[DaFool]

I think most moe slice of life fall under the platonic umbrella. A lot of guys don't really want to see their favorite 2D girl hook up and actually have a boyfriend. Platonic moe slice of life enables us to enjoy the girls while avoiding the nerdrage that would come should she actually, well, engage naturally as a woman.

male friendship stories are really interesting to me because, well, males are curious in how they show affection to each other, so it's entertaining to read about.

Usually when thought in the context of Japanese media, we immediately think of shounen-ai undertones.

Some try to attempt this bromance slice of life thing, but it doesn't always work out:
http://jphinano.wordpress.com/2011/10/0 ... lob-anime/

It's something that would come naturally were I to write it, though. I've had plenty of good 'male bonding' moments in engineering school. There's more to guy talk than dirty sex jokes on one hand and being overly sentimental on the other hand.

(Hmmm... no wonder shonen is so popular)

[Blue Lemma]

And yeah, why would it be weird? It's not like platonic relationships don't...exist. :/

They tend not to be as interesting, in general, as romantic ones (think soap operas and Twilight.... er wait, actually don't)

[Fawn]

Ah well unfortunately it's not a bromance, the opposite- Womance xD A womance love triangle in fact- It's about 3 girls (including the POV character) who have felt isolated all their lives and end up having friendship together, changing their lives in the process. Depending on which girl you express more interest in, you get different endings.

I mentioned that it might be weird because so many games are about romancing characters (especially when girls are involved) and that players might feel like something's missing, as Lemma mentioned.

[Blue Lemma]

It would be interesting to get a female-made game on female relationships. I bet more guys would be interested in it than you think (and probably even more women.)

[Camille]

So it'd be kind of like Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants? XD Nothing wrong with that. I think personal relationships are interesting no matter whether they're romantic or not.

[DaFool]

It would be interesting to get a female-made game on female relationships. I bet more guys would be interested in it than you think (and probably even more women.)

And male-made game on male relationships.

How's that for realism and authenticness?