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how can subtle sexual tension be created and developed?
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A Problem Worthy of Attack
Proves It''s Worth by Fighting Back
How would you define subtle sexual tension, anyhow ?
Is it involved with the joking, hinting dialogs, through loaded pauses and long stares (how on earth would you do THAT in a game), or in slow camera-pans along the object of affection ?
A lot of it can no doubt be introduced through external events.
One author that''s made frustrated sexual chemistry into a paying job is Rumiko Takahasi; Ranma 1/2, Maison Ikkoku and Inu Yasha all have lead-characters that are attracted to each other (in Maison Ikkoku''s case, very physically so), but are kept away from each other by social pressure/stubbornness.
5c
Is it involved with the joking, hinting dialogs, through loaded pauses and long stares (how on earth would you do THAT in a game), or in slow camera-pans along the object of affection ?
A lot of it can no doubt be introduced through external events.
One author that''s made frustrated sexual chemistry into a paying job is Rumiko Takahasi; Ranma 1/2, Maison Ikkoku and Inu Yasha all have lead-characters that are attracted to each other (in Maison Ikkoku''s case, very physically so), but are kept away from each other by social pressure/stubbornness.
5c
Another that springs to mind:
CJ Cherryh''s Gates of Ivrel books contains a female and a male protagonists. For much of the series, there is a strong push-pull attraction running between them, caused by honor, social stigma, and the fact that the female is a 1000 year old witch.. =)
A lot of it seems to come back to the fact that sexual tension arises from the "want, cannot have" push-pull reaction. You desire what''s in front of you, but something (either the lack of interest from the other part, something in yourself, or someting outside (social stigma, etc) is pushing you apart.
5 cents..
CJ Cherryh''s Gates of Ivrel books contains a female and a male protagonists. For much of the series, there is a strong push-pull attraction running between them, caused by honor, social stigma, and the fact that the female is a 1000 year old witch.. =)
A lot of it seems to come back to the fact that sexual tension arises from the "want, cannot have" push-pull reaction. You desire what''s in front of you, but something (either the lack of interest from the other part, something in yourself, or someting outside (social stigma, etc) is pushing you apart.
5 cents..
Has anyone actually looked at this from a game development point of view ? (I mean as in actual implementation, not just hand-wavy stuff?)
It''s the sort of thing that could be really cool to try out, but I dare you to ask your producer for time to test out things like this
It''s the sort of thing that could be really cool to try out, but I dare you to ask your producer for time to test out things like this
I''m not a game writer per se... I''m a game programmer / novel writer. I love sexual tension. Not just in my writing, either...
A useful amount of sexual tension comes from a distinct mismatch in experience: e.g., the womanizer/ladies'' man and the lovestruck, hopelessly romantic virgin. Vice versa works also. Or people from wildly different backgrounds trying to gain an insight into each other''s point of view.
These ideas can be either in the context of a serious relationship or just between friends who want to be more but don''t know how to meet each other''s needs.
Then there''s pain. People who inflict pain on one another are often expressing a sexual tension.
There are many ways to create a sexual tension, and unfortunately only two ways to resolve it. You as the writer (though not necessarily your audience) have to know ahead of time whether they end up together or whether the problems are just too overwhelming.
Tom
A useful amount of sexual tension comes from a distinct mismatch in experience: e.g., the womanizer/ladies'' man and the lovestruck, hopelessly romantic virgin. Vice versa works also. Or people from wildly different backgrounds trying to gain an insight into each other''s point of view.
These ideas can be either in the context of a serious relationship or just between friends who want to be more but don''t know how to meet each other''s needs.
Then there''s pain. People who inflict pain on one another are often expressing a sexual tension.
There are many ways to create a sexual tension, and unfortunately only two ways to resolve it. You as the writer (though not necessarily your audience) have to know ahead of time whether they end up together or whether the problems are just too overwhelming.
Tom
Ah, sex. ^_~ Well, since I specialize in writing romances and erotica, I should probably comment on this. Hmm, I''ll fish through some of my stories and see if I can find some good examples that could work in a video game...
(half an hour later...)
Okay, here we go:
1) Watching. The simplest way to introduce a character as having an existing crush is to show the first character watching the second character in an admiring/longing way from an inconspicuous spot.
2) Irrational impulses to be helpful/heroic/a showoff. Have the attracted character go out of their way for another character, then wonder why they did it, or have someone else wonder why they did it and the attracted character describe what they are feeling.
3) Teasing. You see this among little kids on the playground all the time - one will steal the other''s hat, toy, whatever, and the other will have to chace them and threaten/plead to get the thing back. This gives the their the opportunity for a nice line like: Oh ok, you can have it back, but only ''cause your so cute.
4) Blinders. A nice visual effect to show love at first sight from a first person pov is to narrow the visual field so that only the object of affection is visible. Show their hair ruffling in the wind, surround them with a colorful aura if you like, show them blinking slowly, winking, or licking their lips. Blushing, puting a hand up to hide a smile, and striking an expressive pose are also good. Usually a flock of poetic metaphors will suddenly appear here.
5) Favors/presents. A simple way to invite a pc into a romance would be to have a valentine from a secret admirer appear, or have objects like accessories available to be given to objects of affection - lots of Japanese games have you running around giving girls presents, and if implemented carefully this can be very effective. This can be even more interesting if the gift-giver had to do something clever or illicit to acquire the gift.
6) Poetry/song. There''s a lot of evidence that poems and songs are percieve by humans as mating calls, just the way birds percieve bird songs.
7) Secret sorrow - if a character is sad/hurt but hides this, and the pc finds out, this shared secret creates a romantic bond between them. Especially if the pc can try to help.
8) Shared victory! People who work hard and accomplish a great feat together frequently celebrate by falling for each other. This could be particularly interesting in a two player game.
9) Torment and rescue, or conversely kidnapping and keeping. Any situation in which one character clearly has power over another''s very life and chooses not to ignore this is fraught with romantic tension. Look up Stockholm Syndrome if you don''t believe me.
10) And then there''s always the flat-out admission of attraction.
(half an hour later...)
Okay, here we go:
1) Watching. The simplest way to introduce a character as having an existing crush is to show the first character watching the second character in an admiring/longing way from an inconspicuous spot.
2) Irrational impulses to be helpful/heroic/a showoff. Have the attracted character go out of their way for another character, then wonder why they did it, or have someone else wonder why they did it and the attracted character describe what they are feeling.
3) Teasing. You see this among little kids on the playground all the time - one will steal the other''s hat, toy, whatever, and the other will have to chace them and threaten/plead to get the thing back. This gives the their the opportunity for a nice line like: Oh ok, you can have it back, but only ''cause your so cute.
4) Blinders. A nice visual effect to show love at first sight from a first person pov is to narrow the visual field so that only the object of affection is visible. Show their hair ruffling in the wind, surround them with a colorful aura if you like, show them blinking slowly, winking, or licking their lips. Blushing, puting a hand up to hide a smile, and striking an expressive pose are also good. Usually a flock of poetic metaphors will suddenly appear here.
5) Favors/presents. A simple way to invite a pc into a romance would be to have a valentine from a secret admirer appear, or have objects like accessories available to be given to objects of affection - lots of Japanese games have you running around giving girls presents, and if implemented carefully this can be very effective. This can be even more interesting if the gift-giver had to do something clever or illicit to acquire the gift.
6) Poetry/song. There''s a lot of evidence that poems and songs are percieve by humans as mating calls, just the way birds percieve bird songs.
7) Secret sorrow - if a character is sad/hurt but hides this, and the pc finds out, this shared secret creates a romantic bond between them. Especially if the pc can try to help.
8) Shared victory! People who work hard and accomplish a great feat together frequently celebrate by falling for each other. This could be particularly interesting in a two player game.
9) Torment and rescue, or conversely kidnapping and keeping. Any situation in which one character clearly has power over another''s very life and chooses not to ignore this is fraught with romantic tension. Look up Stockholm Syndrome if you don''t believe me.
10) And then there''s always the flat-out admission of attraction.
Author
stopy worrying about certificates, it doesn''t have to be graphic, just a deep story with undoubtable "adult" references 
********
A Problem Worthy of Attack
Proves It''s Worth by Fighting Back
********
A Problem Worthy of Attack
Proves It''s Worth by Fighting Back
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