» Tue Jun 12, 2012 4:23 pm No. There was no marraige in Morrowind or Oblivion and not once did I lament that fact after pouring more hours in those two games combined than I have standing in lines in my lifetime. Whether it adds benefit is debateable. As for the question, "is it really needed", that is one of the most important questions when it comes to cost/benefit anolysis. If you are going to spend hundreds of man hours developing something that 5% of your users will take advantage of, it probably isn't worth it.
By the way, the whole "is it necessary" argument is completely flawed. You should never rip out bits of gameplay just because they aren't necessary. Most gameplay elements aren't "necessary" to begin with. Gameplay elements should only be cancelled if they detract from the experience or don't add enough value to the experience to justify their existence, and both of those issues are very subjective. As I said, most people appreciated the marriage mechanic in Skyrim.
