(09-11-2013, 04:19 PM)Swift Nightclaw Wrote: The issue I have with romance RP is that so often it becomes the focal point of all RP. I'm going to use WoW as an example for this one.
I've been in a long running IC channel on my WoW server where once upon a time the conversation would run the gamut from IC arguing over wandering eyes (with others joining in the RP to the point of having side conversations as they lean back and watch the sparks fly) to planning an assault on enemy bases, to preparations for upcoming events, to discussions of the current world events. But that was a time long gone by and over time, it became essentially a channel of purely IC relationship drama (though thankfully no OOC problems confused into the mix).
With the recent expansion focusing on the war between two factions, the discover/invasion of a new land, a new culture discovered, a new monstrous force, and the growing threat of the expansion's primary antagonist, the IC channel became focused on.........romance. Who was dating who, who missed who, who was sleeping with who, who was jealous of who, who was depressed because of broken relationships. No more friends lost in battle, no more mourning, no more revenge, no more plans and plots, no more action.
Romance RP has its place, it's part of life and RP is playing out this character's life. But when the entire world is crumbling and falling down atop your head, do you really dedicate every waking moment to your relationship? And when someone tries to bring up conversation of current events, and it doesn't go anywhere for more than a few comments before it's back to relationship drama, then I feel like the romance has become too all encompassing.
The majority of people's lives don't revolve around this drama, though it can spur motivations. A broken relationship can make an adventurer reckless, seeking more and more danger to keep their mind off the lost love. Some could focus on work to keep their mind off what's causing them stress. Some simply compartmentalize what they deal with and when. And some, of course, dedicate themselves so completely to their tasks they forsake relationships (which can also be fun to RP when they are simply driven and dedicated and don't realize they've put up walls...moreso if someone finds them interesting).
My only advice and point of this rant is to treat romance RP realistically. Romance is a part of life, but it is not generally the sole source of it. There are a great many things going on in the world that player characters are likely to be exposed to. Don't completely ignore them.
Unless you're in the puppy love phase of a romance RP. Then Bahamut might not distract you from your love interest.
To be honest with you-I would have hated to be in that chatroom on WoW. Even though I wouldn't be on there in the first place; it would be a horrifying experience to have all conversations revolving around romance. It sound's like they got a bit obsessive over it. >_> Extremely obsessive.
"Running is a good option." -
