Greatest pet peeves in sex based games?

[BorsDeGanis]

Can be anything that comes to mind, I'll start--

1) Devs that don't create a save file to load on new content updates. Especially when they are constantly messing code enough to make old saves not work. I don't want to play through the same things every time you update your game and no one else does either.

2) Engine updates mid development on a game. Kills hype and excitement behind a title. I can't think of a worse idea than that. You'd be better off just making a new game with a new engine entirely.

 

[Spiderling77]

One personal thing that grinds my gears is when the game is clearly focused on one thing (gay, netorare, futa, etc), and the Devs say that is optional, but in reality, if you skip that, you lose like 90% of the game. Luckily, some Devs are kind enough to say, "sup, this game is primarily focused on X kink" so you go there already prepared.

 

[MarshmallowCasserole]

1) Less of a game pet peeve and more of a game thread pet peeve, is when none of the screenshots contain actual screens from the game, and instead are just pure renders/art or even blatant promo posters. Especially egregious when the game claims to have some more complex systems, like combat.

2) Prompting MC's name and not offering a default option. Double annoyance when it's done in RPGM so I can't even use physical keyboard to type.

 

[GNVE]

Adding game mechanics that serve no purpose and do not add to the game overall. Most often it is a dev that adds a sandbox in a game where the dev is clearly telling a linear story with minimal deviation. Though mini games often don't add to the player experience either.
I'm not saying a sandbox (or minigames for that matter) is always bad. In a game that is more management focussed like HSS+ a sandbox can make more sense (even if it could be improved in that game).

Bad balancing. Sometimes the dev has added a sandbox and it (sort of) makes sense but somehow every event will have to happen in the afternoon. So you are skipping most of the day for a few dozen days since nothing is happening other than in the afternoon. It is almost impossible to entirely avoid it of course but make sure every part of the day has roughly the same number of events and a decent distribution (not one character with 4 afternoon events in a row.)

The useless timeslot. Often late night. Messages pop-up like "I'm too tired to do X I should go home." or "I can't work on the PC. It's to late." or "I should go to bed." If this timeslot only exists so I can go home or click on the bed to go to sleep the timeslot should not exist. If you add a timeslot you should make sure it damn well has a reason to be there.

 

[Spiderling77]

I'm not saying a sandbox (or minigames for that matter) is always bad. In a game that is more management focussed like HSS+ a sandbox can make more sense (even if it could be improved in that game).

If your game makes me download an auto clicker to complete your lifting weight minigames, you are doing something wrong.

 

[Satori6]

Filler content.

I'd much prefer a game that is over in an hour than something that offers "30 hours of gameplay", 29 of which are grinding the same dumb event/battle/whatever (very common in games that fail to develop a compelling story and instead replace it with a senseless grind) or travelling 15 screens to complete some nonsensical quest just to advance the story (half of the RPGM games out there).

 

[Bucketbot89]

When devs disable the quick menu (especially auto mode) and rollback function. Why do this?

These next two are pet peeves, but the closest things to a cardinal sin as you can get:

Drastic changes to an LI's appearance

Major genre shifts or additions mid-development (adding/removing NTR, going forced harem, for example)

 

[Rafster]

One personal thing that grinds my gears is when the game is clearly focused on one thing (gay, netorare, futa, etc), and the Devs say that is optional, but in reality, if you skip that, you lose like 90% of the game. Luckily, some Devs are kind enough to say, "sup, this game is primarily focused on X kink" so you go there already prepared.

And the reverse is also a pet peeve of mine. I enter on a thread of a game that includes the "Gay" tag, expecting a gay focused game, or at least with a gay full storyline, and what do I find? an optional scene with a trap/femboy and that's it.

 

[Pretentious Goblin]

Unavoidable sex-scenes that don't fit the game's main themes. Especially in a game that has escalating corruption of one character, like a trainer (I'm thinking specifically of Four Elements Trainer book 1).

Unavoidable rape in corruption games, especially when it could be avoidable and feels unnecessary (Curse of Kubel). Japanese devs just can't help themselves.

 

[disturb-o-matic]

1. "Remasters" or "reworks" for games that aren't finished or only a few updates in. Scam alert.
2. Quick menu is disabled, or no option to auto-skip things I've already seen.
3. Forced full screen mode that can't be minimized. Sorry, but some of us live with other people who don't need to know what we're playing.
4. Updates that are only 5 mins long where literally nothing happens.
5. In incest games, when the mom is already itching to jump on her son's dick with no rhyme or reason for it beyond being horny. Build up and context matters, and this is just cheap and silly.
6. A lot of games have "stories" that don't make any sense. This happens the most in harem games where it seems like the writer is struggling to decide whether they want to write a cohesive narrative or just rush everything to the harem end game. The MC goes from slyly trying to romance some girls, to the very next scene where every girl in the room is taking their tops off wanting the MC to fuck them.

 

[QuatBhutt]

" 6. A lot of games have "stories" that don't make any sense. This happens the most in harem games where it seems like the writer is struggling to decide whether they want to write a cohesive narrative or just rush everything to the harem end game. The MC goes from slyly trying to romance some girls, to the very next scene where every girl in the room is taking their tops off wanting the MC to fuck them."

Thank you for this comment. I'm writing your comment down in my notebook. I'm currently doing my best to write my first little eroge VN, and this is wonderful reminder to do the work. I'm currently reading books on screenplay/sitcom writing, and I'm taking pages of notes on setting up stories, complications, etc. Also brainstorming scene ideas, writing up character bios, and the like. Even though I'm still planning on writing up something closer to a nukige than a moe or something, I want to do the work and actually have coherent narrative material to tie it all together.

 

[masterwolf25]

Normalizing taboo fetishes. For example in some games like Dating my Daughter and Zombie's Retreat you will run into other characters who are related who either are implied or directly stated to be also in an incest relationship. The ENTIRE REASON incest is such a popular fetish is THE TABOO, or so I thought at least. It especially irked me in Zombie's Retreat because it happened near the end of the story so, I got invested and even preemptively installed the sequel because I had played HOURS of the game and enjoyed it. Then suddenly you meet another dude your age and he brings you home to his mother and he lets slip that he was banging his mom.

EDIT: I got so caught up ranting that I forgot I had another one.

Games that start with sex scenes immediately and unavoidable sex scenes in general. Idk why but it's an immediate turnoff to me (not enough to make me quit, and I can end up enjoying games that do it if they are good enough.) Even if I WOULD have said yes to the scene I'm still just put off and annoyed.

 

[woody554]

early dream sex makes me want to punch the dev every time.

 

[QuatBhutt]

early dream sex makes me want to punch the dev every time.

Noted. And I was going to put one of those as an intro in my eroge VN... because some VNs that inspire me (for their professional writing and layout) do that trope. As I'm doing my brainstorming, I'm deliberately trying to shy away from copycatting the content and characters of my inspirations.

But... one of the things any writer must do is to GRAB the audience in the first few minutes, otherwise... well, they'll go somewhere else. And that opening scene or teaser also lets the audience know what they're in for. So, hence, nukiges filled with horny intro dream scenes.

Normalizing taboo fetishes.

It's a kink. But as a writer, I see the underlying machinery of the incest taboo - it is a WONDERFUL premise to create sexual tension because it's so easy and straightforward. You have to have a sexual tension plot device in there to prevent the characters from openly banging each other in the first scene (unless that's the kind of VN it is). Coming up with a good complication beyond something obvious like incest or ye olde (but still workable, with the right character development) "she won't give it up to the MC until he does the right things" trope is hard.

One of the things I've got on my brainstorm sheet is an omnipresent (except when it conveniently isn't) "boss" that forbids "fraternization". Coming up with all the ways my horny characters can scheme around that (and sometimes fail!) will be a joy to plot and write out.

 

[woody554]

Noted. And I was going to put one of those as an intro in my eroge VN...

it's one of the worst things you can do to your story, giving up your biggest asset on page one.

and while you can start with a hook, your hook should CREATE tension instead of releasing it. it should raise questions instead of answering them. not telling something is the best way to get people obsessed about it.

 

[MarshmallowCasserole]

Normalizing taboo fetishes. For example in some games like Dating my Daughter and Zombie's Retreat you will run into other characters who are related who either are implied or directly stated to be also in an incest relationship. The ENTIRE REASON incest is such a popular fetish is THE TABOO, or so I thought at least. It especially irked me in Zombie's Retreat because it happened near the end of the story so, I got invested and even preemptively installed the sequel because I had played HOURS of the game and enjoyed it. Then suddenly you meet another dude your age and he brings you home to his mother and he lets slip that he was banging his mom.

Hm... What do you think about Reverse Gender Roles Society genre?

 

[Deleted member 4771842]

Honestly, even if most people perhaps are okay with Early Access gaming, I find it annoying when I need to wait before the story continues. In my case I just forget about the game in the process or don't even touch it because of that.
Even worse if the game development is connected to subscriptions/donations. I have seen enough abandoned games, and those who are milking money from subscribers...

 

[Fuscen]

-excessive shaking and or sharp/frequent panning in pov scenes
-bad grammar in a text-heavy/based medium; unrefined/childish writing on a supposedly mature story
-incompetent and/or passive MC
-name-dropping a real-life person/location/event when the rest of the plot calls on the suspension of disbelief
-frequent 4th wall breaking
-awful NPCs with a tragic "justifying" backstory (just write an asshole/let the MC return the favor, it's fine)

 

[Zonie63]

I share many of the pet peeves being discussed here in this thread.

One that I might add has to do with the economies of some games where there appears to be a mismatch between the player's ability to earn money/gain resources, as opposed to the costs of things in the game. I've noticed this even in mainstream games, too. It might cost 10-15 days salary just to be able to afford to buy a shirt.

 

[M$hot]

Yeah it's cool that you can give a title to your save, but let me disable that, I HATE getting a double prompt when I'm just trying to overwrite my most recent save, the 'are you sure you want to overwrite?' prompt imo should already be optional, but then to add a 'do you want to title this save?' screen makes saving cumbersome. I'm all for giving players the choice to title their saves, just don't assume everyone will be happy with that option.

Dead ends. I don't mind when a location made sense to visit 3 times for the story and since hasn't really been used, it's when a location is added because eventually in 3 or 4 updates time the dev expects that location to intersect with the story. Do you know all Coffee places in your city or do you maybe only start looking for one when a LI says she'd like to be invited to one of those? It can be totally plausible to not have a location on the map until you need to visit it.

Questlog/hint system that doesn't auto (or let you toggle) to hide completed content. Good example would be The Stallion, quality hint system, all good, but when you're nearing the end game you have to dig for the 2 threads among 16 that aren't dead ending.

Perhaps a silly one, but Real Porn games that use the performers names. But most people can tell 'oh that's a porn name' because of how silly a lot of them are. And yeah some names are normal-ish, but it's hard to pretend you aren't just watching curated porn clips when it's Abella Danger, Rachel Roxxx and Azul Hermosa for example. I'm not expecting brilliant writing, but is calling Rachel Roxxx 'Ms. Stevens' instead of 'Ms. Roxxx' really that far of a stretch of the creative muscles?

Not so much with games as how it is here on F95, I wish devs could give a weight to certain tags. So when a game has 'female domination' tag the dev can be like 'Yeah, 40% of all the sex scenes are Femdom, it's a heavy focus, I love that shit!' or 'In the intro your girl asks to peg you, you say no and that's why you break up, no other femdom involved' or something? I just wish devs would go (or be made to go) 'There are 27 sex scenes, The tags are applicable to x/27 scenes' or something like that.
I think this would help some tag stuffing, I don't respect your lesbian tag just because 2 tipsy girls kissed in a bar once.