Long Term Relationships

[Sindri]

In the process of putting together house rules for social stuff my eye now turns to long term relationships.

What are your impressions of Social Engineering's Continuing Relationships?

What house rule have you come up with for this sort of thing?

[RGTraynor]

None whatsoever. I don't feel the need to subject character or NPC long term relationships to rule mechanics. Either they're in one or they're not, either they're stable or they're not.

[Sindri]

Originally Posted by RGTraynor

None whatsoever. I don't feel the need to subject character or NPC long term relationships to rule mechanics. Either they're in one or they're not, either they're stable or they're not.

That's fine.

I'm not really interested in debating whether rules for long term loyalty, trust and whatnot are necessary, just in seeing what people who do think they would be useful have come up with.

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by RGTraynor

None whatsoever. I don't feel the need to subject character or NPC long term relationships to rule mechanics. Either they're in one or they're not, either they're stable or they're not.

How do you decide whether they're long-term/stable, or not? Ignore all the game-mechanical traits that influence the decision, and go by player skill alone?

[Not]

Terrible idea. Cuts into game time. Sorry, what was the question?

[Toptomcat]

Originally Posted by RGTraynor

None whatsoever. I don't feel the need to subject character or NPC long term relationships to rule mechanics. Either they're in one or they're not, either they're stable or they're not.

To the extent that you don't use the rules for Allies, Patrons, Contacts, and other social Advantages and Disadvantages?

[Gold & Appel Inc]

I don't see a need for special rules governing long-term relationships. A steady romantic partner can be anything from an Ally or Patron, to a Dependent, to an outright Enemy, and/or be the object of a Sense of Duty or Obsession, or nothing at all in game-mechanical terms, if they're an NPC, and are probably going to ignore stats and do what they want on this one no matter how good they are at playing otherwise if they're both PCs.

[Sindri]

Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc

I don't see a need for special rules governing long-term relationships. A steady romantic partner can be anything from an Ally or Patron, to a Dependent, to an outright Enemy, and/or be the object of a Sense of Duty or Obsession, or nothing at all in game-mechanical terms, if they're an NPC, and are probably going to ignore stats and do what they want on this one no matter how good they are at playing otherwise if they're both PCs.

Ally, Patron and Dependent are all special rules governing long term relationships.

I didn't specify romantic relationships. I wasn't using "long term relationships" as a euphemism for romantic relationships, I'm using it to refer to relationships which are long in duration. When I mentioned Social Engineering's Continuing Relationships I meant to refer to that, not to the Courtship subsection. I trusted that this wasn't necessary to point out but apparently it is.

What have people thought of those rules in Social Engineering and especially the Personal Loyalty, Building Trust and Loyalty in Play subsections? Have you made any expansions or tweaks? Do you have another system that you prefer?

[LemmingLord]

I haven't seen the social engineering rules, but do love that they expand relationship dynamics.

For those who say no such rules are necessary, I would say, "yes, no rules are necessary... All gurps rules are optional."

Honestly, my current regular group is modern characters trying to make their way in a post apocalyptic world... with hundreds of cliches of survivors with complex allegiances and power struggles.

For me, social engineering rules would be very helpful.

[Sindri]

Originally Posted by LemmingLord

I haven't seen the social engineering rules, but do love that they expand relationship dynamics.

For context the Continuing Relationships section is basically an expansion of the Loyalty rules although it does also have rules for lower percentage Allies and Dependents.