GTL: Love, Relationships, & The Crossover From Games To Reality

This episode of Game Talk Live may fall on Valentine's Day, but the topics are well worth discussing anyday. Today on the show, Mandie Roman talks with panelists about relationships forged in various gaming communities and the relationships presented through the stories of games themselves. Joining her in today's discussion is author and pro-wrestling manager Sarah Rodriguez, actor, blacksmith, and voice-over artist Bryan Forrest, and long-time MMO player Stephanie Edwards, who formed a relationship with her husband through World of Warcraft. 

Massively multiplayer games have brought large groups of players together for better and worse, but communities, groups, and personal relationships have most certainly spawned out of them. The panelists each discuss their experiences with multiplayer social connections and relationships.

Moreover, the question arrises as to what the dangers and risks are in exploring a relationship spawned through a shared game. The team shares their concerns and advice about how best to safely approach an online relationship or when it's okay to make an experience with someone you've met through a game more personal.

"You’re doing more than just playing a game. When you play an #MMO, you can kind of get lost in the world." -@SarahTheRebel

Watch Live Now: https://t.co/4efXheoHNk #rolepl #Multiplayer #gamer #GamersUnite #Romance #geeks pic.twitter.com/7Itdddq26a

— GameTalkLive (@GameTalkLive) February 14, 2018

Next up in the show, the topic of social media, Twitter, Twitch, and contact through these social platforms is explored. Though social media brings people across vast distances closer, sometimes boundaries can be crossed, as was the case when an obsessed and armed fan barged into the home of YouTube couple Megan Turney and Gavin Free, threatening Gavin's life.

Panelists consider the transparency of identity online and in content creator positions, as well as the risk and purposes associated with it. Discussion considers how people use aspects of their personal lives to reach bigger like-minded audiences. Additionally, the team talks about the practice of keeping relationships secret to protect loved ones from backlash or interference from a content creator's work and audience. In particular, the conversation veers towards dating in the content creator industry and consideration of the line between personal and business life when it comes to fans and personal relationship.

"When someone is a fan of you, …and you’re kind of a celebrity to them, then the power difference is much higher. It’s important to be cognizant of that when you interact with your fans." -Stephanie Edwards, on @Twitch #streamers

Watch Live Now: https://t.co/4efXheoHNk pic.twitter.com/eS9ifdsQK8

— GameTalkLive (@GameTalkLive) February 14, 2018

Moving into romance and relationships depicted in video games themselves, Game Talk Live considers romance in games like Mass Effect and Fable. Games often depict relationships on a superficial level, featuring a "correct" dialogue path that almost always ends at sex. Can games do better? Insight on the subject includes limitations on coding, programming, writing, and more aspects of game development that may limit romance options. They also consider whether games should really be given a pass for this, as well as whether games today really explore relationships as well as they can. Are games going too far or not far enough?

Panelists look at the Bioware games in particular, considering how they work in comparison to other gaming franchises that explore romance and relationships. Discussion considers the context and depth of romance options, as well as how these options are presented and honored as the game goes on. The team also discusses other games outside of the Bioware library that explore interesting aspects of romance in games. 

"Humans are naturally going to assign emotions to [#videogame #characters]...Regardless of whether or not #game creators are actively putting [romance] in there, players are going to do it anyway." -@SirBryanForrest

Watch Live: https://t.co/4efXheoHNk#gamedevs #gamers #gaming pic.twitter.com/lIYDg11U85

— GameTalkLive (@GameTalkLive) February 14, 2018

Finally, the show turns its attention towards the often-considered debate of games as art. Does romance and the exploration of relationships in games work to elevate games in the matter of art or does the genre still some work to do in reaching that level?

The team considers the ability to change your mind in a game or going back on a situation and the boundaries that keep games from being able to properly portray real-life relationships properly. That includes tackling the idyllic romantic situation and questioning whether games can do better in going past the myth of "happily ever after".

“I think video games are art whether or not there is romance in it.” -Stephanie Edwards#videogame #videogames #GamersAreGood #gaming #pcgaming #LetsPlay #gamergirls #gamedevelopment #gamedevs

Watch Live Now: https://t.co/4efXheoHNk pic.twitter.com/Z2zCCVu2VC

— GameTalkLive (@GameTalkLive) February 14, 2018

Game Talk Live has wrapped up for today, but you can see the episode in its entirety in the video above. Be sure to check out the previous episode as well where panelists discuss cheating in video games and the effects of toxicity in Twitch streaming.