Hiya This is my first post, so bear with me. Some friends and I were discussing game ideas, and someone mentioned how Leisure Suit Larry Casino had been a fresh concept. So we got thinking, what about more adult multiplayer games? They''d certainly be popular, and I know as a female that girls would go for them as much as males (well, almost as much ). But I''m not much of a game designer, so does anyone have any ideas how hard this would be to do? Including the multiplayer aspect of the game as well as animations and such? I look forward to seeing peoples ideas on the subject, hopefully you''ll keep an open mind (and I''m not suggesting a hardcore porn game here, just something a little raunchy ;P).

Well, the technical side of things is always quite involved, depending on what you''d like to achieve.
For an "adult" game, the artwork is extremely important, and you''ll need some talented people working on it - I think that will be your main problem when developing.

The actual engine probably wouldn''t be anything too fancy, but that depends on the kind of game you have in mind. That is _the_ most important thing, how are you going to work a multiplayer game aspect into the adult theme?

Hmm, well I''m an artist, so the artwork aspect shouldn''t be a problem. My specialty is anime though, and anime is quite popular in the adult genre (think Hentai).
I was thinking about a typical MORPG (I have no illusions, this isn''t the type of thing to become massively multiplayer :D) but with more of a relationship aspect as well. Perhaps you could have certain rooms or places you go to with your lover/spouse and have various interactions (kiss, stroke, etc.) and perhaps animations/pictures of your character doing the chosen action. Again, it wouldn''t be a hardcore thing, but more an intimate side of the game. It would certainly encourage players to get together and form relationships.
I''ve heard a wish for something like this expressed many times - I wonder why it was never done before?

quote:
I wonder why it was never done before?

Probably the sensitivity of the audience - targeting an MMORPG mainstream game at adults only limits the audience quite a bit. Adult games tend to be lower budget than the typical MMORPG as well, I would think (things may be different in Japan, I'm not that well-acquainted with the market).

Manga style would be fine. The disassociation from realism will make the game less tacky without even changing the gameplay.

I'd make the theme of the surroundinggame adult-based too (love/dating would be fine, doesn't have to be pornographic in nature) though - a more targeted audience. The only problem is that I don't quite see how.


[edited by - MadKeithV on May 28, 2004 8:27:36 AM]

A lot of the appeal of MMORPG games is that you can interact and play with other people in the world from your own home.
To answer RuneLancer, I tried to stress that I didn''t just want the game to be all about sex. It would be about intimacy and forming close relationships with people. I myself have a boyfriend, as do most of the other people I know who play online games, and I''m sure we all agree that online relationships are purely for fun. Only unstable people will take it far enough to "withdraw into the online world". But I agree that it would be hard to satisfy the fetishes of many of the players - I''m not sure many game designers would take it that far. There are some problems with my ideas, but it''s not set in stone that I''m going to attempt the project (Lord knows I don''t have much programming knowledge myself).
MadKeith, a multiplayer dating sim is a really good idea You''d have to do some serious thinking about how to incorporate it into a working game that requires at least some skill.
The audience wouldn''t have to be large, I wouldn''t expect that. But I play a MORPG that only has about 50 people playing on it at any one time and it''s great fun (it isn''t adult-orientated ). But yeah, I really do like the idea of a multiplayer love/dating sim

quote:
I was thinking about a typical MORPG (I have no illusions, this isn''t the type of thing to become massively multiplayer :D) but with more of a relationship aspect as well. Perhaps you could have certain rooms or places you go to with your lover/spouse and have various interactions (kiss, stroke, etc.) and perhaps animations/pictures of your character doing the chosen action. Again, it wouldn''t be a hardcore thing, but more an intimate side of the game. It would certainly encourage players to get together and form relationships.

This sounds more like it''d be an add-on for another game than a standalone game - and IMHO rightly so, I dont think theres enough to it to form a standalone game that would enjoy a wide audience or re-playability.

Have you checked out the recently published game, Singles: Flirt Up Your Life?

Err, no, I have not played it. I only know as much as what
is shown on the web site.



Kami no Itte ga ore ni zettai naru!

quote:Original post by RuneLancer
That''s a good thing? Online relationships? o.O;
(...)
And, really, anything that furthers online relationships is a bad thing, in my personal opinion. People should be encouraged to meet real people, not withdraw further into the online world.

I''d have to disagree with your opinion pretty strongly. I know a number of people who have had a lot more success vetting partners online than offline. It''s easier to avoid uncomfortable situations, to meet strangers and get to know them, and to be yourself if you really want to, without the massive level of risk and pain associated with a face-to-face relationship, not to mention the repercussions that may occur with mutual friends and such. But YMMV.

On the topic of the original idea, I think that the success of ToonTown speaks to the potential for more niche MMOGs. ToonTown, for example, is built for a young audience, and building something that''s got the LSL sensibility for the humorous side of sex would be a great way to have people meeting and playing together.

ld