Opinions on "Waifus" in Videogames?

[ChocolateCrane 156]

What do you guys think of the prominence of waifus as a gameplay mechanic in modern day Japanese Rpgs? For example, Harvest Moon, Fire Emblem, that kinda stuff. I have noted many anti-waifu people on these forums and I can only assume there are an abundance of pro-waifu people as well, so I thought this would make for a good topic =^-^=

[Luigi 7,869]

As far as characters in these games I appreciate are concerned, I don't think of them as waifus at all considering that I'm getting married in 2 months.

 

I'm not familiar with all of these Japanese shipping terms anyway.

[takai 1,060]

I enjoy the mechanic a lot. Honestly, you're hard pressed to find a game that uses the "waifu mechanic" where it's just for show. A majority of the time, it's very well integrated into a game making the feature worth while, on top of being there for the player to enjoy.

In Fire Emblem it can be used to power-up units and create even stronger units through children.

In Persona, it's hugely important for character development, which in turn helps you significantly in battle, which in turn can get you stronger persona.

I also just love waifus, I have about 100 of them.

[ChocolateCrane 156]

14 minutes ago, Yu Darvish said:

As far as characters in these games I appreciate are concerned, I don't think of them as waifus at all considering that I'm getting married in 2 months.

 

I'm not familiar with all of these Japanese shipping terms anyway.

 

I'm talking about games that incorporate diverse characters that give the player the option to pick and chose which to "pursue" in a romantic way. Basically, it's like a side-quest type mechanic that tasks the player with satisfying certain prerequisites in order to progress within these "relationships".

I personally, have mixed opinions on this, as it can very easily lend itself as a quick bandaid to cover up shallow gameplay. When utilized properly, however, they can be a really great payoff, getting the player THAT much more immersed within the game world

[Luigi 7,869]

1 minute ago, ChocolateCrane said:

 

I'm talking about games that incorporate diverse characters that give the player the option to pick and chose which to "pursue" in a romantic way. Basically, it's like a side-quest type mechanic that tasks the player with satisfying certain prerequisites in order to progress within these "relationships".

I personally, have mixed opinions on this, as it can very easily lend itself as a quick bandaid to cover up shallow gameplay. When utilized properly, however, they can be a really great payoff, getting the player THAT much more immersed within the game world

Oh.

 

well I do play along with the Support mechanic in Fire Emblem games, but I always research what might happen before I try anything.

[ChocolateCrane 156]

3 minutes ago, Yu Darvish said:

I always research what might happen before I try anything.

Aww, that's no fun xD I love the thrill of discovery!

/)^3^(\

^Best Fire Emblem ship imo. With both at S Rank, they utterly demolish everything in their path. Nowi being the powerhouse and Gaius supplying the speed and movement range. Even at Lunatic + this pairing had me covered (my other troops became seriously underleveled due to this o,o)

And that was a pairing I went for without any prior knowledge, as I played Fire Emblem Awakening completely blind from spoilers or online guides. Discovering things that just work in games like this is soooo satisfying! \(^o^)/

[Ganondorf8 11,310]

In video game context, I just see it as a mechanic the developers included to give players a variety of options they can use to give them the kind of experience they want to have. It also means that their choice won't be considered wrong but rather unique to their playing style.

[Sovereign Leader Rarity 12,006]

While it does add plenty of charm, control and replay value to the respective games that the mechanic is used in, one does have to be both aware, as well as cautious that it does not hinder and/or overshadow the gameplay in any shape or form. It's a fun little way to open up the player's mind to experimentation and can be utilized correctly to further enhance the game that it is in. Just make sure that it does not take centre-stage, as that platform belongs to the main gameplay. 

[gyashaa 252]

I like it. I find it cute and as a nice diversion to the main gameplay. Harvest Moon did it particularly well (I played the one on the N64);  i.e. Talking to your significant other and gradually gaining affection with every interaction. And even after marriage, there's still room for growth and you can even have a baby. (Man, do I love that game...! )

When the romance is done lazily, I still enjoy it but it does leave me disappointment. For example in Skyrim all you gotta do is 1 favor/quest for him/her and they instantly love you and you can already marry them. I mean, come on.

Edited March 30, 2017 by gyashaa

[gyashaa 252]

BTW, which Harvest Moon is that in the gif?

[ChocolateCrane 156]

9 minutes ago, gyashaa said:

BTW, which Harvest Moon is that in the gif?

She's from both Back to Nature (PS1) and Friends of Mineral Town (GBA)

I can never decide who I like more, Ellie or Ann ^///^

 

[ChocolateCrane 156]

Lmao, I just realized I misread your question xD The game in the gif is Friends of Mineral Town ^^;

[Megas 27,629]

Usually pretty fun, I especially like most it when romancing is used to actually improve characters through gameplay, though I still enjoy the story parts(Persona 4 is still one of my all time favorites)

[Yakamaru 3,127]

Waifus. <3

One of my waifus is Tifa Lockhart from Final Fantasy VII.

Lydia from Skyrim.

 

[gyashaa 252]

1 hour ago, ChocolateCrane said:

She's from both Back to Nature (PS1) and Friends of Mineral Town (GBA)

I can never decide who I like more, Ellie or Ann ^///^

 

1 hour ago, ChocolateCrane said:

Lmao, I just realized I misread your question xD The game in the gif is Friends of Mineral Town ^^;

Lol thank you. I like Ellie too. She's so sweet. ^w^

Edited March 30, 2017 by gyashaa

[TBD 17,254]

what kind of a game is this? can someone explain it to me more thoroughly? 

[Gernia 691]

I think it makes a fun little part of the experience. The ability to make a connection and maybe unlock a new character or two, like in Fire Emblem, is pretty neat. Having a little crush on another character is harmless fun, not something to be taken seriously, imo.

[ChocolateCrane 156]

2 hours ago, TBD said:

what kind of a game is this? can someone explain it to me more thoroughly? 

Are you referring to Harvest Moon? It's like a sort of RPG where you play as a farmer. Instead of fighting monsters and magical beings you spend your time tilling the earth, planting crops, harvesting (as the name would imply), raising chickens, cows, sheep, llamas, you name it.

You also get to romantically pursue one of around 5-8 potential bachelorettes . You gotta give em gifts that they like (there are hundreds of different items you can give them, including your own produce from your farm) to raise their heart levels. You can also cook dishes for them later once you pay to get your house and kitchen expanded. There are these events you can trigger, kinda like something out of a dating sim, which require you to visit them at a very specific time of the day in conjunction with having their heart meter at a certain level.

Harvest Moon can get extremely hectic as everything happens in real time and you have to learn to multi-task efficiently or else it'll be night time before you know it! (People in the town will be locked away behind closed doors at night, so it tends to be a good idea to prioritize the townsfolk over your farm duties (since you can take care of MOST farm related things at any time). Then ofc, you need to make sure you don't expend too much stamina working the fields or else you will collapse and lose a full days worth of work (potentially resulting in your animals getting sick if they havent been fed, or your crops dying from lack of water). 

Needless to say, it is a very complicated game xD There are many other things I have not even mentioned like needing to upgrade your "gear" (hoes, watering can, axes, etc) in absolutely ABSURD ways, or participating in events the townfolk hold during certain dates you can see on the calendar. Part of the fun is just being overwhelmed with all the possibilities, and discovering how things work for yourself -.^

[Lucky Star 972]

I love RPGs with love interests. I find dating sims kinda boring. But when I find a game that does have a dating system in place but is not the main focus of the game my interest is peaked pretty fast. 

I wish marriage in Skyrim had been a little more like Harvest Moon or Stardew Valley. But who knows, maybe there's a mod for it out there. It just feels so sudden to be able to marry a person right off the bat just because you have an amulet of Mara. So sudden it almost feels like I used a cheat instead of a game mechanic and it sucks the immersion right out. 

That's why I go on a bunch of quests with the NPC in question before I pop the question, that way I can imagine him and I fell in love gradually.