Good Game Mechanics

[cv0k]

What erotic games do you know, that have actually good / engaging game mechanics?

I find, that most visual novels simply bore me, since the stories are lacking, but even when the story is good, the replayability is kinda meh, especially if you have to run through the entire game several times to unlock certain scenes.
In the end, I think most people just fast-forward the whole thing most of the time.

On the other hand, more classical adventure games with puzzles are a rarity.
Among the most popular is probably the Summertime Saga, which also can get tedious on a replay. Also the main Pizza delivery minigame gets hectic on the higher levels, which I find is really a negative in an erotica game, because time-stress is a real turn off (at least for me).
Knights Passions has a serviceable combat system, that is engaging enough to serve as a minigame, but not too complex to detract from the sexy.
Dandy Boy Adventures has a ton of minigames, I just got really stuck on running around the track, because the controls on a phone are just too clunky.
Generally, if you need more than one finger / one mouse button, it is too much for porn.

Resource management games could be a good fit, but are often too complex to be enjoyed casually.

What game mechanic would you find interesting in a porn game?
For the repeated replays I would imagine a bit of a rogue-like feel wouldn't be bad. Maybe inspired by Cultist Simulator, but definitely turn based and simplified, to not overwhelm the player. But the joy of finding something new in the possible combinations of resources should feel rewarding.

 

[Hagatagar]

It's never about how good or bad any game mechanics are, it's about how they are executed and implemented.

 

[Pretentious Goblin]

https://f95zone.to/threads/looking-for-gameplay-games.105914/

 

[cv0k]

https://f95zone.to/threads/looking-for-gameplay-games.105914/

There are some good recommendations in that thread, I did try out the Selena:OHA, it's a nice Phoenix Wright style game.

 

[nulnil]

Well first of all the poll is a game genre. A game mechanic is something like walking, shooting, jumping or dodging.


Anyways, it terms of porn games it boils down to how releveant the sexual content is to the gameplay, otherwise called sexual game mechanics.

 

[Adabelitoo]

even when the story is good, the replayability is kinda meh, especially if you have to run through the entire game several times to unlock certain scenes.
In the end, I think most people just fast-forward the whole thing most of the time.

But you have to make a difference between "replaying" to get the missing scenes and "replaying" because the game was good enough. If I'm looking just for the missing scenes, then I find VNs the only viable option precisely because you can fast-forward instead of being forced to grind/do minigames again.

About the mechanic itself, I don't mind everything else but a classic VN is enough for me.

 

[anne O'nymous]

I find, that most visual novels simply bore me, since the stories are lacking, but even when the story is good, the replayability is kinda meh, especially if you have to run through the entire game several times to unlock certain scenes.

Who want to replay Visual Novels ? They are like books, you rarely read them more than once, and when you do it, it's generally many years later. And like CYOA, there's near to no interest in seeing the whole content ; at most you cheat to have an overview of the choice consequences before you decide which one you'll pick.

On the other hand, more classical adventure games with puzzles are a rarity.

Do they really have more replayability value ? Once you've solved the puzzles, you've solved it, the challenge become less interesting, and possibly more frustrating if this time you are stuck.

What game mechanic would you find interesting in a porn game?

In porn games, none. But in adult games, like Hagatagar hinted, it's not the game mechanism that matter, but if it's well done and fit the game/story or not. What mean that anyone of them can interest me, like they can also make me abandon the game because they make it ridiculous.

 

[cv0k]

"replaying" to get the missing scenes ... then I find VNs the only viable option

You are right, that a more "involved" game requires a different way of giving the player the various scenes.

It would definitely be a design issue. It is a problem in non-porn games as well, e.g.the Cultist Sim mentioned by me in the first post suffers gameplay wise extremely with this, being mind-bogglingly grindy and wasteful with the players time.

 

[cv0k]

the poll is a game genre. A game mechanic is something (else)

You are kind of right, but in this instance I would think that the genre implies a primary game mechanic.
Of course you can add in for example reaction time based minigames or puzzles into a VN or VN-like story segments into a point and click adventure or any other possible combination.
I actually like, when a game is a combination of genres, but it has to fit together and not distract from or hinder the players access to the sexual content.

 

[nishikocat]

I personally like VNs and good story telling. Give me a good story and interesting characters to follow along and Im happy. I can do with added mini games and point n click elements, if they’re integrated well, but they shouldn’t be a grind.