(09-10-2013, 03:18 PM)J Wrote: My concern is that all too often 'romance' in role-play is simply sought after and used as an excuse for the player behind the character wanting to get their rocks off. It's usually easy to tell  when this is the case, but that doesn't make it any less frustrating. Another issue is guilds that exist purely for the sake of ERP. It's pretty creepy, no matter how many attempts are made to dress them up as something completely different.
Another common issue I've encountered is that many role-players have a habit of ignoring everyone else when their character's partner is around. Sometimes this is on an IC basis, other times it's on an OOC basis instead. I've lost count of the amount of times I've stumbled across a 'generic mercenary' who simply walks off the moment a potential ERP partner arrives on the scene.
I'm not going to get into the whole debate regarding ERP, but to touch upon it lightly I firmly believe that it should be kept in private between consenting partners and shouldn't be layered with strange and unusual fetishes. Players passing by a tavern whilst questing don't need to see descriptive emotes detailing what a tavern wench is doing to a mercenary under a table.
Which is a common problem - many role-players seem to take the stance that because they aren't bothered by explicit stuff everyone else should just grow a thicker skin. That isn't exactly fair and I say this as someone who isn't afraid to touch on mature themes in my own role-play.
I was typing a wall of text and then I realised I probably went off into a bit of a rant on the subject.
I understand where you're coming from with this. What you've said isn't much different from what my opinion would be, really. I might just be unlucky, but in my experience it's been one of two things - As you already said, the people who ignore others when their partner is around. I've had many a short RP session brought to an abrupt end when X character logs on. I'm not one to get jealous or anything along those lines, but it isn't hard to piece together what is going on - Which I'd have no issues with! It just leads the way to a lot of things, for me - The fact that he or she is prancing off to RP with someone more important to their character is the last thing on my mind.
 I worry more about whether I'm a bad RPer - whether or not anybody really enjoys RPing with my characters. Is that why they rush off? It happens often enough. It's the same feeling as being a part of a guild with it's own inner cliques. They're already established and frankly, although they might not be all that unwelcoming, there's definitely a priority on who they'd rather be RPing with - Even if it's unintentional, it doesn't make a new member feel like a part of the group. This is just how I feel, as someone who is extremely reluctant to initiate RP due to a fear of being ignored or just being event fodder. Just saying here, even indirectly it's still a blow to someone's confidence.
It seems a little off topic, but essentially what I'm getting at here is that my eventual disinterest in RP popped up from the endless sea of couples, conveniently placed in the guilds I wanted to join, isolating my character. It's probably my own fault, I know - I'm extremely shy and reluctant to approach people in RP. Trying to approach a couple that turn up to an event is twice as hard. Do you interrupt them, or leave them to it? Isn't part of the fun in some events to meet new people, anyway? It's a bit of a dilemma for me. XD
...I wall of texted again, I think. Folks can ignore that rant if they're bored of it already C:
Aside from that, romantic RP doesn't bother me - People can go ahead. Just don't isolate people, and don't cross the boundary between IC and OOC. It's partially the reason I rolled a male character - I won't go into that rant here because it's water under the bridge now and I'm past caring (at least, I think so!) but it's horribly uncomfortable when someone takes an IC relationship in the wrong direction, I.E through the fourth wall. Just don't. That's in a generic situation, though. I know OOCly people can know each other on all kinds of different levels, but really - I hope saying this doesn't get people pouncing on me for whatever reason, but I imagine my point is there.
...Somewhere.
Also, apologies to you J'hared, I know I quoted you but this post isn't like a personal attack or anything! I just agree with what you said, mostly, and felt the need to throw my own opinions out there!
/rant off
Also, to the OP - It was a good read! It's given me a little more of a positive view on this type of RP that I've rarely explored. My own experiences with it were somewhat offputting but it's nice to see what other people think without treading into a flamefest of romance VS ERP or whatnot - I tend to avoid the subject so I appreciate it.
...Eugh, I definitely went off topic there. I can't even be bothered to re-read it myself, so I don't blame anyone for skipping this rant. x___x
