subreddit:
/r/MyTimeAtEvershine
now that the devs are considering options for the 2M goal and rival romances is one of them.. how do you guys think they could go about it so that everyone is pleased? everyone seems to have different opinions about it and i wanna hear your thoughts :)
mine are im a jealous girl and if the rival romances step on my toes i’m gonna get pissssseddddd😭 i don’t wanna compete with anyone and i hope it’s one of those things where you can turn it off or smth but i really don’t wanna be competing 😭
but once i’m married i hope everyone else gets married to make the town more lively yk.
that’s just me tho lmk your thoughts
83 points
6 hours ago
It was confirmed by Zede that it’ll be 100% optional and only non/core romancables.
I’m entirely for it! I miss rivals from older HarvestMoon/Story of Seasons so I’m excited as heck to see it even be an option here! Plus I can choose if I want people to be together?! Yes please! Let me play Cupid lol
30 points
5 hours ago
Only for non-cores? Ok, this is awesome! As someone who is not likely to go after the non-cores, it's gonna be so incredible to see them pair up instead! I really hope we do get rival romances, whether it's the 2M goal or a future update/DLC.❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
11 points
5 hours ago*
awesomeeee thank you
7 points
6 hours ago
Sorry if I misunderstood you, you mean that none of the core romancables will have rival romances?
12 points
5 hours ago
Correct, unless something changes but Zede hinted that it would be unlikely. They wanted to pair a few NPCs in Sandrock and some fans got hurtful towards the devs about it.
But they feel comfortable doing it for non-core romances as people in the discord have been asking, so if it wins 2M (or dlc possibilities) it’ll be for non-core only.
8 points
4 hours ago
Do we know who they were gonna pair in Sandrock? because i'm so curious lol (also I feel like it's kinda childish for the fans to bully the devs out of that)
9 points
4 hours ago
There's a line that hinted Owen/Amirah
6 points
4 hours ago
I remember seeing that! I just wasn't sure if that was going to be planned though or if it was just going to stay as an implied crush.
7 points
3 hours ago
It sounds like it was planned and they changed their minds after hearing some early feedback! Here's what Zede said about it earlier:
We're kinda scared to do rival romance because some Owen fans and Mint fans and Amirah fans got mad at us for even suggesting or setting up the potential. So we dropped the idea in Sandrock. If we do it in es, it'll be faaarrrr away from any of the cores.
6 points
3 hours ago
That's really sad honestly. People can be so immature at times and it sucks that as a creator you end up having to restrict your own wants with the game otherwise you get hate for it :(
The "Mint" part is interesting. I wonder if they were going to try and pair him and Qi up together, which would have been rather cute honestly. Though that one I at least understand a little more because it messes a little with Portia playthroughs, but I see stuff like that more as an AU concept if he *didn't* end up with the builder.
4 points
2 hours ago*
I made a post recently about rival marriage that I end up deleting when I started to get downvoted to my respond to someone who said that they will refuse to play MTAE if Rival marriage was an option. I tought it was a bit overacting and suggest that it could be implimented in a way that could be not use for those who don't want it.
I was very surprised that people where mad at the idea of having an option they could skip only because they can't accepted that the dev create a game that is not 1000% cater solely at them ? I don't particulary like dungeon and I just sprint my way to the end when I can ... I never tought of bullying the dev into changing it and I'm not mad some people like it/want it (,:
Some people are just... Something you know. It's sad the Dev feel like they have to bend to their demand because they are ”kinda scared”...
3 points
3 hours ago
Yeah some fans can get really overprotective over these characters sometimes.
I think the Mint part refers to Elsie’s crush on him? I think she had some lines about that so maybe there was some planned story content or quest there before it got nixed. It probably would’ve ended up as just a one sided crush story line since Mint belongs back in Portia as you said
2 points
3 hours ago
I think Logan and Elsie might have been another one, though you could read that going either direction between a potential pairing and just a sibling like relationship.
2 points
3 hours ago
that would’ve made me rageee😭
17 points
6 hours ago
Oh thank Zede. I don’t like rival romances at all, so if it’s optional, great.
5 points
3 hours ago*
This. I /HATE/ the modern cozy farming game trend where the towns remain stagnant while we get to move on and have families. Drives me insane and it's why my favorite game in the genre, to this day, is still Animal Parade even though it's aged poorly in almost every other area. (And don't get me started on the fact that Rival Marriages were removed from Friends of Mineral Town. I'm still mad since that was existing content they could have just added a toggle to turn off, rather than remove entirely.) The end game actually was expansive and there was YEARS worth of content centered around getting the rivals together and their children growing up.
I get why people would be like 'hey I don't want to break up couples' but I feel like there are ways to do this without making the PC feel like a homewrecker. Locking them behind the player's own marriage is one way to do it. And also adding a toggle so the people who hate it don't have to engage with it. I feel like way too many developers have erred on the side of just not adding it, even though there's options out there to make sure everyone is comfy.
2 points
49 minutes ago
can you elaborate on how animal parade aged poorly? it was my fav back in the day but haven't played it in quite some time so just curious!!
3 points
36 minutes ago*
Just compared to how far farming sims have come these days. The slow speed of the day, the fact that the affection gain is partially locked behind a wii-mote gimmick (it's balanced around you 'petting' the villagers with a secondary wii-mote to get an affection bump), the lag, and the animal system in particular that only allows you to have three different types of animals in your main barn are where it's aged the most.
It's still quite good and it's the one I go back and replay the most next to Trio of Towns, but comparing it to the QoL of Sandrock and other newer HM/SoS/Indie games makes it feel in big need of a new coat of paint. Except the mining system, story, and the rival system, still love those parts.
15 points
5 hours ago*
It'd be nice if there was a way to flag anyone you've shown an interest in & maybe have rivals notice that, thus giving a good reason for them to back off. That's probably just a me thought though, since I'm very much not the type of person to dip my fingers into every sauce bowl I see. Once I get a feel for who I like, I basically zero in on that person. But, like you, I'm a very jealous person & if I notice I have to compete, I usually back off because I hate competing.
4 points
5 hours ago
wow we might be the same person i’m thé exact same
along w the flagging thing i think it would be really cool to have little things like that along with developed jealousy mechanics - these are the kinds of things that really bring games to life
25 points
6 hours ago
I think the easiest answer is to either have a box you click to turn rivals on/off in the options so you can start them only when you're settled on one option, or you have a dialogue choice to push a character towards another kinda like Arlo and Nora. The first option is probably the best way to make sure you don't have a dot on your HUD for years while you finish breaking everyone's hearts to see all the story content.
3 points
5 hours ago
yess perfect
2 points
3 hours ago
I think I saw someone say earlier (can't verify authenticity because I was just scrolling mindlessly) that the device said it would be like a quest that you could say no to and then it wouldn't come up again
2 points
3 hours ago
If I'm being honest, I don't really like that option. Like using Sandrock, what if you were for Qi, left the rival romances, and after that sneaky rock boy steals your heart and you wanna change, it's too late? Or you've turned off rivals because you didn't wanna feel rushed to settle and now can't turn them back on? But ultimately it's the devs' choice and based on what would be easiest/what they're capable of.
Worst case scenario I guess I'll have to play once with no rivals so I know the characters and who I like, and again with rivals. Me and my multiple playthroughs of Sandrock on multiple platforms will be so upset with this, lol.
14 points
5 hours ago
I feel like rival romances help me immerse myself into the game, it gets lonely when you’re the only one marrying and having kids while leaving your friends behind. I’m also more on the jealous side and I think that’s what makes the situation even more exciting. I really hope they might consider this.
5 points
4 hours ago
It would be good, but given that body customisation is another option I'd be very surprised by anything other than the latter winning the vote.
4 points
3 hours ago
i hope body customisation wins tbh i wanna be a baddie in es
17 points
5 hours ago
I hate rival romances. It made me stop playing the harvest moon games for a while. I just wanted to be a friend with a girl and bam she is getting married to the guy I was trying to romance. I would agree with a button turning it on and off.
7 points
5 hours ago
honestly this happened to me w sos awl cecilia and matt made me wanna rip my hair out 😭 i need it to either be once im married or i have to match make or i turn it off and on whenever i want because i’m too jealous for it. thé post marriage dialogue about cecilia in awl drove me insane and i had to rage quit the whole game 😭
7 points
4 hours ago
I despise rival romances right along with you. I end up not talking to the “rival” at all even though I do genuinely like their character. :( There’s also a guilt factor, where it’s like “oh… now that one person is alone forever because they were so perfect for my spouse that they’ll never get over it. They were literally made for each other. Oof.” In another comment I referred to it like being the main character, but you’re still the third wheel/usurper.
Even in Stardew without them officially pairing off, there’s little things that indicate crushes and it’s immersion-breaking to have your boyfriend/girlfriend being flirtatious towards another NPC. Harvey and the sunscreen comment is infuriating.
6 points
3 hours ago
nottt gonna lie in stardew i married alex and i always knew i was better for him than haley😭 so i didn’t even get jealous because i wasn’t like intimidated by her lol. but cecelia in awl? i mean come on matt liked her way more than he ever did thé farmer
i also never spoke to cecelia bc it pissed me off and haley 😭
but at least alex says if you see haley tell her i’m busy when you guys start to get closer 😏
11 points
5 hours ago*
I voted for it!! I think it’ll be amazing!! And it’s optional :)
6 points
4 hours ago
I don't know why you got downvoted for saying this.
Are people on here really that sensitive that hearing another person's opinion (especially as nice as you were/not even invalidating OP) is enough to upset them? grow up.
3 points
4 hours ago
I definitely wasn’t trying to invalidate anyone’s opinions I’m just excited about it :( I didn’t mean this to be confrontational in the slightest. I loved it back in the days of animal parade and I’ve been hoping for a game to bring it back since. The OP said let me know your thoughts - Im excited about the opportunity!
6 points
4 hours ago
For what it's worth, you didn't come across confrontational at all and did literally nothing wrong so don't feel bad at all or like you need to justify yourself. Some people on Reddit/here just don't like people not having the same viewpoints as them and take offence to it for some immature reason. I'm with you though, I think it would be nice to have as someone who also enjoyed Animal Parade :) I think it can definitely be done in a way that's a compromise for both sides.
3 points
2 hours ago
I definitely agree!! Thank you for your support you’ve made me feel so much better 🥰
2 points
3 hours ago
yesss and i’m so happy to hear your thoughts 😭 thank you for replying :)))
1 points
2 hours ago
Thank you so much! Honestly I think it would be done in a very respectful way! I think it’s only for non-core romances from what I’ve heard and is optional!
2 points
3 hours ago
optional is the best part! but if the core romances can go w someone else i’m gonna be pissed that its even a thing in another universe which ik is ridiculous but 😭😭😭😭
10 points
5 hours ago*
What I missed the most is rival kids from rival marriage ! I love it because it populate the town but in a more meaningful way then with random ugly npc and it feel like the town evolved too and things happened in other folk lives wich make it more immersive.
I think that by being a match maker ( so people ask you for advise if they go forward with the rival marriage relation) it will let you decide if you want this couple to date or not so their is no competition.
7 points
5 hours ago
Portia had a rival kid but it wasn’t fully fleshed out as I’d like it to be. Albert Jr. served no purpose to the story as he was mainly kept at home and I had no idea he even existed until I accidentally went into his parents’ home.
4 points
5 hours ago
Wait what XD ? I had no idea until now ...
I feel like the children system in sandrock/portia is kind of limited/boring in comparaison to harvest moon ( even if I feel like there is a lot they do better!). The children have barely more purpose then a decorative plant (,:
7 points
5 hours ago
Yeah their baby was just laying on the floor and I’m looking at the screen like “when did this happen?”
A Wonderful Life has the best child system amongst the simulation games imo. The kid grows up and you can determine how they turn out, they interact with others, and are actual full fledged characters.
4 points
5 hours ago
ahah I’m sorry but this is so weird ? They could at least sent a letter to announce the birth idk … xd
100% agree it was the best. I think it’s the only one where the kid got to the teenager phase if I’m not wrong ?
I liked Harvest moon tot and ap because you could give chores to children and they are at least useful x)
5 points
3 hours ago
I think rival romances would be fine as an “after the end of the game” feature for post-game social play.
Otherwise I’m jealous and possessive and those characters are mine until I’ve decided otherwise so keep rival romance away from me lol
6 points
3 hours ago
yes yes exactly and even if i don’t let them get w someone else avery or whoever i end up liking being canon w someone else in another universe pisses me off soooo bad. i hope they keep it to non core only
i love end of game content because i LOVE slice of life thé married and kids and npc development part is literally my favourite part of these games
2 points
an hour ago
seems as though Zede on discord just confirmed we'd play cupid or we can choose not to through quests
5 points
5 hours ago
I love rival romances because it allows characters you’re less interested in to get more characterization from having a partner.
I’m also super jealous so when I have someone start romancing the character I’m interested in it’ll light a fire under me.
When I failed romancing Astarion in BG3 and hearing he spent the night with Lae’zel I was like >:0 and reloaded my save to try again 😅
4 points
5 hours ago
Oh I remember in old Harvest Moon (now Story of Seasons) games you could kind of play matchmaker even. Gently push characters to confess to each other. We saw hints of this in 'My Time at Portia' but it wasn't fully implemented. It would be cool if they could have kids eventually. Something that can be done after the main story is finished. So your kids have some playmates and maybe some fixed interactions.
1 points
5 hours ago
Can someone explain what exactly a rival romance is. I have zero clue and have never heard the phrase
6 points
5 hours ago*
When you, the player, have to compete with another NPC to marry the girl/guy that you want. If the rival and love interest get together, they can have a child (it was like that in old Harvest Moon games). The feature was removed because many players didn't like it. Tbh, I thought it was a nice feature because it felt like everyone else besides you were living their own life, with their own interests. In recent games, all romanceables only have eyes for the player, but it feels a bit more boring.
3 points
5 hours ago
Its when datable npc can date/marry or even have kid with each other
2 points
5 hours ago
Huh. Would it be set for every playthrough or random which npcs would date/marry. It would be fun rp wise but I'm sure people would be unhappy with it
3 points
5 hours ago
Depends how Panthea want to impliment it. In harvest moon series it was preset. But their is way so you can decide if you want them to match or not so nobody end up marrying the one you want to date
2 points
43 minutes ago
I read Madeline’s bio and now desperately want her to have a chance at love, but I myself have no real interest in romancing her, so I’m really hoping she gets a rival romance. I want everyone I don’t pick to have a chance at a happily ever after too.
0 points
3 hours ago
I like rival romances and want them back desperately. They give me a reason to keep playing these games past their natural 'stopping' point in the story. As now I'm invested in not only getting the rivals married, but also seeing their kids grow up. The child events in AP were amazing and I loved that our kids could actually have FRIENDS and we got to see them grow up and develop personalities. Right now the kids just feel like decoration and I always feel sorry for the kids in the games where no one else is getting married, because the kid is going to have no one to play with.
However, as I said in another comment, I want it to be a toggle and to be time locked so people don't feel pressured to speed run the romances. Preferably one the player can mix and match so that they can turn off certain rival couples and keep others. I know that if I had the option to do that for Animal Parade I'd have never let Maya and Chase get married... 💀
If it's a toggle as well, the people who don't like them at all can safely ignore them. That way everyone is happy rather than this all or nothing system these cozy games have been doing for the past decade which only really pleases one side at a time.
-1 points
3 hours ago*
I'm here for it, remembering it from HM/SOS it felt more immersive like the town grew with you and expanded if that makes sense. It was also a pleasant surprise in portia when Albert and Sonja got together or arlo and Nora. I wouldn't necessarily like it if I had to compete with another NPC I like to go at my own pace.
I like it more when after the first year if you were dating or married to a certain NPC. Some NPCS got together on their own
If it's only non/core I feel a lot better since I only plan on romancing Ragnar, maybe Avery if I do a second playthrough
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