I've always felt as though a lot of role-players are far too liberal, loose and open when it comes to ERP. Much like in the real world I don't particularly care to know about the intricate details - even in passing - about people's bedroom activities.
It's a very private affair and that doesn't change simply because 'it's role-play'. That's a great way to sweep something under the rug and pretend as if it's irrelevant when it really isn't.
It's no secret that ERP is a massive source of drama throughout the role-playing community across numerous MMO's. I'm sure most of us have heard horror stories involving clingy individuals not backing off when they're told someone isn't interested in sleeping with their character. Or the grim tales about guild leaders/officers being seduced and led astray by manipulative individuals which then leads to massive drama as the guild ends up crumbling into dust.
I pride myself on honesty and so I'll state as a disclaimer that I've engaged in ERP myself. I've only ever done it with people I've known and trusted for months or years at a time though and when I do do it it's usually with one of my partner's characters.
ERP becomes something very dangerous when people try to approach it from the angle of it being completely justified. There's a time and a place for it, not everybody wants to get involved with it and many of those who do get involved are volatile and unpredictable.
...and as a final controversial point let me state that whilst I believe that ERP is a valid form of storytelling in many cases it's just a case of two people doing it because they want to get their rocks off. There's not necessarily anything wrong with that, mind you - it can be a case of someone wanting to tell a good story and take pleasure in writing a naughty scene. Just don't dance around the issue and pretend as if that is never the case because it's more likely than unlikely.
It's a very private affair and that doesn't change simply because 'it's role-play'. That's a great way to sweep something under the rug and pretend as if it's irrelevant when it really isn't.
It's no secret that ERP is a massive source of drama throughout the role-playing community across numerous MMO's. I'm sure most of us have heard horror stories involving clingy individuals not backing off when they're told someone isn't interested in sleeping with their character. Or the grim tales about guild leaders/officers being seduced and led astray by manipulative individuals which then leads to massive drama as the guild ends up crumbling into dust.
I pride myself on honesty and so I'll state as a disclaimer that I've engaged in ERP myself. I've only ever done it with people I've known and trusted for months or years at a time though and when I do do it it's usually with one of my partner's characters.
ERP becomes something very dangerous when people try to approach it from the angle of it being completely justified. There's a time and a place for it, not everybody wants to get involved with it and many of those who do get involved are volatile and unpredictable.
...and as a final controversial point let me state that whilst I believe that ERP is a valid form of storytelling in many cases it's just a case of two people doing it because they want to get their rocks off. There's not necessarily anything wrong with that, mind you - it can be a case of someone wanting to tell a good story and take pleasure in writing a naughty scene. Just don't dance around the issue and pretend as if that is never the case because it's more likely than unlikely.
