Well, there is a difference between "cute romance" and "disgustingly cute rainbow sparkly flying ponies shimmering and kissing over a sparkling lake of jello." You know, the kinda thing that screams "trying too hard." I'm male, and I don't mind cute things, even enjoy them once in a while, but there are times where people just go way too far.

Totally agree. Altho there are some exceptions (or maybe it's just my personal taste). For example the anime Bo-Bo Bo Bo (or how many Bo was there?). It was a disaster smearead with bright colours that didn't make sense even for people after crack - but it was fun to watch

What is meant by "cute romance"?

It sounds disturbing, like cloying muppet babies mackin' on each other.

The muppet babies certainly qualify as cute, but applying the idea of "mackin'" to them is a bit bizarre. Typically if the characters are young, the romance is "sweet" meaning no sex, probably nothing beyond an exchange of valentines or a kiss on the cheek. What I had in mind was more like romantic comedies and anime.

I am male, and I am unenthusiastic about making any game which can be described as cute or romantic

The important part is to make a game, not just play it. I like cute games and I don't prefer violent games, but playing is not making.

The issue with making a game is to get hooked up. When you make a game where you can't get connected to it, it is a just-a-job experience. For me this experience was a major reason to leave the game industry .

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That's an interesting point. Perhaps we should have another thread with the topic "Why make the game you choose to make? What are our artistic goals as game designers, and why do we like our favorite game traditions and tropes?"

It was hard to answer this poll, because I'm fine with "cute" and bright, happy, humourous (I loved Space Quest etc), but romantic, well, it depends, but in general, no thanks. Mass Effect made me do things I didn't like or want to do. I dislike romance in movies very strongly, unless it's limited to emotional attraction. I don't need to see the physical stuff. You can hint that its going to or did happen, but puhlease, do NOT show it. There are other types of media that cover that area if I were so inclined.

Let me give an example, say in The Matrix. I have no problem with the Neo / Trinity love thing. However that whole scene at the start of Revolutions was just... ugh, someone kill me now. I hope I got my message across somewhat clearer than mud.


I should point out that I haven't read any other posts, just responding to the poll.

The muppet babies certainly qualify as cute, but applying the idea of "mackin'" to them is a bit bizarre. Typically if the characters are young, the romance is "sweet" meaning no sex, probably nothing beyond an exchange of valentines or a kiss on the cheek. What I had in mind was more like romantic comedies and anime.

Thanks for the clarification. Instead of the word "cute", I think you really mean "charming".

I have a friend at EA (Gary Napper, he's awesome, look him up!) who had an interesting theory on why the games industry has been particularly dark recently (although the games industry has been getting progressively darker to suit the desires of the NES generation of kids). Gary said that in times of doom and gloom in the world games get much darker accordingly, Gears Of War being an example after the, still shaky but patriotic, American population in the aftermath of 9/11 (this also led onto more military shooters).

Games then also went through another dark patch recently with the global recession (as can be seen with even eastern games getting a lot grittier, though this was also to appeal to a more western market) and with Japan going through a particularly bad time currently (my thoughts go out to them) I wouldn't be surprised if this had a knock on effect with the games they create as their audience will demand moodier titles.

Very few designers dislike cute games but audiences are swayed much easier by what they're going through at that point in time.

I have a friend at EA (Gary Napper, he's awesome, look him up!) who had an interesting theory on why the games industry has been particularly dark recently (although the games industry has been getting progressively darker to suit the desires of the NES generation of kids). Gary said that in times of doom and gloom in the world games get much darker accordingly, Gears Of War being an example after the, still shaky but patriotic, American population in the aftermath of 9/11 (this also led onto more military shooters).

Games then also went through another dark patch recently with the global recession (as can be seen with even eastern games getting a lot grittier, though this was also to appeal to a more western market) and with Japan going through a particularly bad time currently (my thoughts go out to them) I wouldn't be surprised if this had a knock on effect with the games they create as their audience will demand moodier titles.

Very few designers dislike cute games but audiences are swayed much easier by what they're going through at that point in time.

That's an interesting idea, but I think that there might be a higher level effect in play. Game technology has come a long way in the last three decades. In the days of Galaga, a cute game and a violent game would be pretty much indistinguishable from each other. In the 16-bit era, you had "cute" games, like Mario which were quite successful.

But what about a violent game? It's much harder to get violence across with limited technology. Sure, you had your Mortal Kombat and Doom, which were hyper-violent for the time, but those were specific genres of game in which violence is a core aspect. Your average side-scroller just can't deliver a very visceral dark experience, so we got beat 'em ups. But cute you can depict more easily, you don't need a lot of gancy graphics or anything to do so. That was the time of goofy Mario type games, and ren-ai games.

Now, with current technology, violence is much easier to depict and can be more viscerally experienced than in earlier days. It would be odd to have a hyper-realistic dating sim with the latest graphics and high level physics simulation. It's games that are more violent that have gained the most from technological advances, and I think that that's why such a large part of the industry is made up of such titles. National mood might have an impact, but I think that games as an industry have been becoming darker and more violent at a fairly steady pace, not bumping around with economic indicators.

I have no problem with cute games at all. That said, I do find that cuteness will generally cause me to file a game under the 'casual' category, which is not necessarily a bad thing but it does influence my expectations from the game in terms of duration, intensity, immersion etc.

As for romance.... Not really a fan. As part of a greater storyline romantic themes certainly can be powerful and effective, but as a significant focus of the gameplay itself? I don't really see how it could work from a gameplay point of view without sucking, and even if I could - still wouldn't be a fan. I dislike romcoms in general and I imagine I'd dislike the game equivalent even more.

[quote name='GameDesignDan' timestamp='1300122283' post='4785665']
I have a friend at EA (Gary Napper, he's awesome, look him up!) who had an interesting theory on why the games industry has been particularly dark recently (although the games industry has been getting progressively darker to suit the desires of the NES generation of kids). Gary said that in times of doom and gloom in the world games get much darker accordingly, Gears Of War being an example after the, still shaky but patriotic, American population in the aftermath of 9/11 (this also led onto more military shooters).

Games then also went through another dark patch recently with the global recession (as can be seen with even eastern games getting a lot grittier, though this was also to appeal to a more western market) and with Japan going through a particularly bad time currently (my thoughts go out to them) I wouldn't be surprised if this had a knock on effect with the games they create as their audience will demand moodier titles.

Very few designers dislike cute games but audiences are swayed much easier by what they're going through at that point in time.

That's an interesting idea, but I think that there might be a higher level effect in play. Game technology has come a long way in the last three decades. In the days of Galaga, a cute game and a violent game would be pretty much indistinguishable from each other. In the 16-bit era, you had "cute" games, like Mario which were quite successful.

But what about a violent game? It's much harder to get violence across with limited technology. Sure, you had your Mortal Kombat and Doom, which were hyper-violent for the time, but those were specific genres of game in which violence is a core aspect. Your average side-scroller just can't deliver a very visceral dark experience, so we got beat 'em ups. But cute you can depict more easily, you don't need a lot of gancy graphics or anything to do so. That was the time of goofy Mario type games, and ren-ai games.

Now, with current technology, violence is much easier to depict and can be more viscerally experienced than in earlier days. It would be odd to have a hyper-realistic dating sim with the latest graphics and high level physics simulation. It's games that are more violent that have gained the most from technological advances, and I think that that's why such a large part of the industry is made up of such titles. National mood might have an impact, but I think that games as an industry have been becoming darker and more violent at a fairly steady pace, not bumping around with economic indicators.
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Very solid theory you have there, one I may adopt with the one I've already become familiar with. There are definitely more than one reasons for the darker, bloodier games of late and it's an interesting predicament to be sure.

Games then also went through another dark patch recently with the global recession (as can be seen with even eastern games getting a lot grittier, though this was also to appeal to a more western market) and with Japan going through a particularly bad time currently (my thoughts go out to them) I wouldn't be surprised if this had a knock on effect with the games they create as their audience will demand moodier titles.

I disagree. I heard about this downfall of our civilization since decades. Actually, if you read medieval texts you will find those people complaing of the constant moral degeneration and how the old times were better too. If this was true we would be at the bottom depths of hell and misery many hundreds years ago Take a note that nowadays "recession" is a thing where economy increase become slower (yes, not going down, just not increasing fast enough, that's what we call a recession nowadays ), compare this with the great recession in 1929... I don't believe the violent games are connected with recession or natural disasters.

Also, I'm not really sure if there is an influx of these, as a gamers I have not noticed it... But the ones that are designed as violent would be more realistic because of better gfx cards capabilities nowadays, maybe that's what brought that impression.