I am a sucker for romance. It increases my investment in any story if there is a possibility of a romantic attachment between characters. I will confess that I am a compulsive shipper when it comes to any stories I really enjoy.
That being said, I don't necessarily enjoy stories that are only and PURELY about the romance since that gets boring for me. I am not a fan of romance novels, for example.
And my love of romance doesn't always translate to my RP. Roen was without any kind of romantic attachment for almost a year. I was having plenty of fun RPing without it as it was. But the injection of romance into any story can add a wonderful dimension for both storytelling and character development, so when it did happen, it was fraught with plenty of tension and conflict, and for Roen, it eventually ended in a tragedy.
I like romances that are complicated. Chemistry has to be there between the characters, and the growth of the relationship has to believable, but for a romance to hold any interest for me, it has to have layers of complexity, whether it be differences in philosophy, personality, or circumstances... and if there are obstacles to be overcome. As others have already stated, characters AND relationships grow when they face and overcome adversities together.
But if Roen's story is an example of anything, it's that my love for romance does not always translate to happy endings... >__>
That being said, I don't necessarily enjoy stories that are only and PURELY about the romance since that gets boring for me. I am not a fan of romance novels, for example.
And my love of romance doesn't always translate to my RP. Roen was without any kind of romantic attachment for almost a year. I was having plenty of fun RPing without it as it was. But the injection of romance into any story can add a wonderful dimension for both storytelling and character development, so when it did happen, it was fraught with plenty of tension and conflict, and for Roen, it eventually ended in a tragedy.
I like romances that are complicated. Chemistry has to be there between the characters, and the growth of the relationship has to believable, but for a romance to hold any interest for me, it has to have layers of complexity, whether it be differences in philosophy, personality, or circumstances... and if there are obstacles to be overcome. As others have already stated, characters AND relationships grow when they face and overcome adversities together.
But if Roen's story is an example of anything, it's that my love for romance does not always translate to happy endings... >__>