How to make harem game convincing?

[PTGames]

I've noticed most developers either ignore the romance side of Harems or they make the romances a bit of a rivalry. So rather than throwing girls into relationships with the MC and then them finding out other girls are fucking him too, they all sort of know he's fucking others when they get involved and try to be the best.

Personally I think the best way is either the latter or just don't address it at all. There are plenty of people who have open relationships and such in the world, so it's not in the realm of impossible for it to happen.

 

[DD0]

Well, it does happen in real life and not just in Eastern civilization. Americans can look no further than Mormons. Though the main church has condemned the practice, that may have more about avoiding prosecution than actually embracing outsider values. And plenty of groups splintered off and continued to practice polygamy, though rarely openly (there was that TV show though).
I am acquainted with such a grouping. A husand and wife dom couple and their two slaves, who they share. There are other men in the picture, but not sexually, as the wife discovered the joys of findom.
I love them, the husband is one of my oldest friends but I can't stand being around when the piggies come over. Watching those men being casually humiliated makes me uncomfortable.
Anyway, yes this happens in real life, without cheating or deception. It's not usual, but probably more common than you think.

 

[RogueKnightUK]

Some are playing pretty fast and loose with the term 'harem' here, which certainly won't help with the discussion, since people may be arguing the case for completely different things.

Originally 'harem' was the part of a home where the females lived. It also tended to be applied as a catch-all term for all the females of a household that lived in the harem. (Not just the wives and courtesans, but all the females of all ages). The word was brought back and adopted into English from that origin.

Any polyamorous relationship where the women don't live with the harem owner is not a harem. At least, not in the literal and true sense, although there is a further, somewhat derogatory use of the term that is applied (usually to animals) where the dominant male may breed with multiple females who often compete for his attention. Obviously, animal herds and packs and prides still act as a cohesive unit that all live together. So even the least of the genuine uses of the word exclude anyone not living as part of the household or family of the harem owner.

There is an even more derogatory use of the term harem where it is used figuratively rather than literally, for a man who pursues a lot of women (with or without much success). This final meaning is a deliberate misuse of the word for insult, rather like when you call a moron 'Einstein' to further highlight what a genius he is not. The entire point of this last usage is that it is an ironic usage.

 

[lobotomist]

Some are playing pretty fast and loose with the term 'harem' here, which certainly won't help with the discussion, since people may be arguing the case for completely different things.

Originally 'harem' was the part of a home where the females lived. It also tended to be applied as a catch-all term for all the females of a household that lived in the harem. (Not just the wives and courtesans, but all the females of all ages). The word was brought back and adopted into English from that origin.

Any polyamorous relationship where the women don't live with the harem owner is not a harem. At least, not in the literal and true sense, although there is a further, somewhat derogatory use of the term that is applied (usually to animals) where the dominant male may breed with multiple females who often compete for his attention. Obviously, animal herds and packs and prides still act as a cohesive unit that all live together. So even the least of the genuine uses of the word exclude anyone not living as part of the household or family of the harem owner.

There is an even more derogatory use of the term harem where it is used figuratively rather than literally, for a man who pursues a lot of women (with or without much success). This final meaning is a deliberate misuse of the word for insult, rather like when you call a moron 'Einstein' to further highlight what a genius he is not. The entire point of this last usage is that it is an ironic usage.

pretty sure they are refering to the harem genre

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and not the historical term

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given the fact that this is a porn forum and not an historical forum, the use is obvious.

 

[RogueKnightUK]

pretty sure they are refering to the harem genre

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and not the historical term

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given the fact that this is a porn forum and not an historical forum, the use is obvious.

Ah good call, though rather than thinking of the historical reference, or the genre of anime, I'd kind of assumed the

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definitions, given that the forum uses the English language for all discussions, and only refers to anime in a fraction of them.

 

[Ataios]

Well, it does happen in real life and not just in Eastern civilization. Americans can look no further than Mormons. Though the main church has condemned the practice, that may have more about avoiding prosecution than actually embracing outsider values. And plenty of groups splintered off and continued to practice polygamy, though rarely openly (there was that TV show though).
I am acquainted with such a grouping. A husand and wife dom couple and their two slaves, who they share. There are other men in the picture, but not sexually, as the wife discovered the joys of findom.
I love them, the husband is one of my oldest friends but I can't stand being around when the piggies come over. Watching those men being casually humiliated makes me uncomfortable.
Anyway, yes this happens in real life, without cheating or deception. It's not usual, but probably more common than you think.

It may be more common in the US than in Europe then. Here in Austria almost everybody with the exception of the most radical Muslim groups would consider it absolutely abhorrent.

 

[DD0]

It may be more common in the US than in Europe then. Here in Austria almost everybody with the exception of the most radical Muslim groups would consider it absolutely abhorrent.

Going to a Gorean convention would be an unpleasant revelation for you.

 

[t727]

Girls like money period, full stop. If there's enough money to go around, they're willing to share.

"Men needs to take us women seriously and not treat us like sex objects"

The games I've played with the harem tag usually isn't harem at all as some mentioned.
Are there a total number of women needed to have a harem, if so, how many?

 

[Ataios]

As far as "girls like money" some people here must have had some really bad experiences. Certainly the worst kind of sluts and bimbos are willing to share if there is enough money available. (Feel free to call me judgemental). But no woman with even the slightest sense of dignity would agree to such a thing.

 

[Ragnar]

"You're a prince from a distant country where Harems are a sign of wealth, your mission is to build a good Harem full of beauty and successful women"

 

[Ataios]

"You're a prince from a distant country where Harems are a sign of wealth, your mission is to build a good Harem full of beauty and successful women"

Plausible in a variety of settings but in my opionion rather suited for regular games than porn games as far as difficulty and pacing go, at least if the prince is sent to a country where harems are not common.

 

[RogueKnightUK]

Plausible in a variety of settings but in my opionion rather suited for regular games than porn games as far as difficulty and pacing go, at least if the prince is sent to a country where harems are not common.

I love your innocence.

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Sugar Daddy is the modern name for the harem owner - he can have as many in his harem as he can afford to spoil enough to be satisfied. And there are hundreds of thousands of young women desperate to be kept in such a pampered lifestyle for which far less is demanded of them than in any conventional marriage or affair. You don't have to agree with it, and you don't even have to like it ... but at F95 we don't kink-shame others.

 

[HarveyD]

To start with, as a few people have already said, a harem should be at least 4 girls, they should all be aware of each other and they should all be completely willing.

How do you do that in a realistic modern setting? With difficulty. Especially with an incest harem as games have tried. Hot idea. But totally unbelievable unless the family has spefically been raised away from society to think that way.

Easiest way? Sci-fi or Fantasy setting in which harems are commonplace. Another user pointed out the abundance of Harem Manga/Anime/Hentai. In these the protagonist is usually the Hero, litterally. So his strength, power or influence puts him in a position to attain multiple potential partners. Whilst not impossible it's rather unbelievable that your avarage joe would be able to create a harem.

The women also need believable reasons to be a part of the harem. "He's hot" isn't really going to cut it.

 

[khumak]

To start with, as a few people have already said, a harem should be at least 4 girls, they should all be aware of each other and they should all be completely willing.

How do you do that in a realistic modern setting? With difficulty. Especially with an incest harem as games have tried. Hot idea. But totally unbelievable unless the family has spefically been raised away from society to think that way.

Easiest way? Sci-fi or Fantasy setting in which harems are commonplace. Another user pointed out the abundance of Harem Manga/Anime/Hentai. In these the protagonist is usually the Hero, litterally. So his strength, power or influence puts him in a position to attain multiple potential partners. Whilst not impossible it's rather unbelievable that your avarage joe would be able to create a harem.

The women also need believable reasons to be a part of the harem. "He's hot" isn't really going to cut it.

There's a few scenarios I can think of that would work but not if they're on an equal footing. For instance some rock star or other famous person could have a sizable collection of groupies that know about the other girls and don't mind. Or the classic rich guy with the trophy wife + girlfriends. Or maybe the hot model who fools around on her average looking husband who doesn't really think he deservers her.

But 2 people of the same social stature? Both equivalently hot, both similarly wealthy, both similarly famous? I don't see it unless they're BOTH getting action on the side. But then you're talking swingers, not harem.

 

[Ataios]

I love your innocence.

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Sugar Daddy is the modern name for the harem owner - he can have as many in his harem as he can afford to spoil enough to be satisfied. And there are hundreds of thousands of young women desperate to be kept in such a pampered lifestyle for which far less is demanded of them than in any conventional marriage or affair. You don't have to agree with it, and you don't even have to like it ... but at F95 we don't kink-shame others.

Preaching about not shaming others is a bold statement in post starting with "I love your innocence". For the record I didn't say such scenarios are impossible but they limit the personality and intellect of the female characters involved.

 

[RogueKnightUK]

Preaching about not shaming others is a bold statement in post starting with "I love your innocence". For the record I didn't say such scenarios are impossible but they limit the personality and intellect of the female characters involved.

My apologies. I hadn't realized that innocence was shameful in your country/society. I hadn't meant to bring up painful memories of people whispering behind your back about your lack of debauchery "That guy! They say he has never even eaten apfelstrudel from the anus of a mezzo-soprano singing Carmen while dressed as a pantomime horse!"

 

[Ataios]

The world of casting shows and beauty contests would maybe make a plausible though certainly not very exciting scenario for a harem game set in the modern world. While it's not officially a harem, it's certainly a kind of sub-culture that is rather alien to concept of monogamy, as long as long as girls think, they can win by sucking the right dick. Of course, in that girl, you only have anorexic teenage girls, which is certainly not what I'd want in a porn game but at least, it's a fairly realistic setting.