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Some VN have a lot of story change depending on who you romance for exemple they have a main route(we discover the main "problem",the characters and you chose who's you want to romance) follow by a characters specific route(we discover a lot about the character chosen's past, we see their relationship evolve with the MC, we see the main "problem" resolution and most choice are only their to choose a bad or good ending)
That type of VN are great for story telling but are too linear.

In case of RPG, something like the SMT series could work,most of the game(90-95%) is the same but the end change in fonction of your choice.
they 're not about romance but you could make a game where the last act change depending who you romance, like loren's chapter 4 but with a lot more change.
the problem is that you need a scenario where that situation make sense.

The last way is to change the dialog in the main route in fonction of who you romance, not only in the camp and at the end.

Yes in Loren that was more noticeable, for example some scenes at the end of it.
As said with SOTW specific case, I focused more on the RPG aspect than the romance (albeit still present), but for Loren 2-3 I will definitely keep this in mind, since now that I think about it, is not the first person who asks that. Of course I don't have the same resources as big game makers like Bioware but still I want to do my best to include such features, even if it will means delaying the games a bit more
The current Loren 2-3 writer is the same who wrote Rommates, and that game has plenty of scenes that changes based on your current love interest ( even before you kiss/romance him/her). So I'm quite confident that he'll be able to do that

The only Bioware game that really, REALLY changes stuff based on your romance is Dragon Age Origins, and that game is insanely complex. In Mass Effect and Dragon Age II you just get some extra scenes and dialogue, not much different from what we have in Winter Wolves games, honestly. The jealousy scenes in Loren actually trump much of what we find in Bioware games.

That's not to say that more interaction and story branching with your romance interest after locking into the relationship wouldn't be welcome, but don't let it overburden the workload. I for one am pretty happy with what was done in Loren; there was definitely dialogue that changed slightly based on your romantic partner. SotW wasn't supposed to be romance focused (of course it wasn't supposed to be a big game either ), so what's there is good enough for what you set out to do, in my opinion.

Franka wrote:SotW wasn't supposed to be romance focused (of course it wasn't supposed to be a big game either )

Heh. Even Roger Steel started as small game, but writer already told me that from the supposed 90k words will be at least 120k... But it does have a lot of romance/friendship choices. It's more closer to Loren than SoTW

Fun .
(My comprehensive summary of this entire conversation, much thought was put into every word )

Another the reason I dislike SOTW is the twins.
What's so special about them? They treat each other quite similar to other main characters. I cannot say that there is a special bond between those two. Do they ever consult each other in making decision? Does one of them come and cheer up the other during emotional crisis? Why only one of them make decision? Don't they both have the same brain?
Does one of them ever complain and worry about other member of their "family" ? Like "Are you seriously going to put a Red Head sword for hire in our group? Any rich a-hole can just pay her to stab us in the back any bloody time!"
Are they attentive toward each other? "I know you wear bathing suit and all, but can you stop going in the bath to check out that woman's ab?"
Where are those moments where those two reminiscing their sibling happy childhood? "Remember that time you pissed you pant and I had to clean it up?"
Understand each other feeling? "Remember what I said about any a-hole that will pay her to back stab us? Can you not bring her to bed until you're certain she's retired? I know your feeling for her, but a knife never feel good even if you're a masochist... Not speaking from experience of course..."

SOTW focuses too much on its theme that it even forgets about its main characters, their relationship as well as their growth and development.

Probably overinterpreting here, but I see the twins as as their father's children here. They do care about each other (seen if the POV twin screws up and the other has to deal with the fallout at the end of chapters 1 & 2), but their manner is more reserved/stoic/introverted than extroverted (I'll edit a better word here if I can think up one later.)

To be fair about the romance thing, as Franka said, I think the game's been rather clearly touted (at least here on the forums and on Twitter) as RPG-focused game, little a couple of romance options. Romancing Krimm with Shea leads to small changes in the dialogue at end of chapter 3 (Qamar's quarters). Romancing Chas with Althea leads to a whole extra sidequest opening up. I know it's not what is meant by wishing dialogue variations via romance choices, but for a game that was supposed to be a (quick and small) RPG-battle-strategy focused game, I think it's plenty.

Just my 2 pixels.

fabulaparva wrote:They do care about each other (seen if the POV twin screws up and the other has to deal with the fallout at the end of chapters 1 & 2)

Really? When I share my secret with my brother, thinking I could trust him, he turns around and betrays me at the first opportunity!

Have you tried to not tell the twin?

(Besides, I don't think that the consequences really match the action upon "the betrayal" in this case.)

In hindsight, it would have been pretty cool if there had been more choices with your twin, like choosing to keep the wolf pup secret or sharing, and if those choices would then decide what kind of relationship they had with each other, if they were open and trusting or competitive and wary of each other, or whatever. It would have been more work, but it would have made the twin a more interesting character in the overall story.

In any case, it just sounds like SotW wasn't your kind of game, canhur. Nothing wrong with that, we all make bad (and costly) game purchases from time to time (looking at you, Ni no Kuni! ).