The Romance Class

[erosskye]

  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.

The Ignorance Class ->Here<- :thumbsup:

[Michikyou]

Sadly for me, I have decided to role a male Moon Keeper Miqo'te, despite my RL boyfriend wanting me to Rp a female.

 

Finding love on a Male Keeper? Well, this is going to be interesting. I am open to anyone interested however. Naih is very calm and understanding. He has a strong level of tolerance though does not thrive well around too many other males. He is a little too sentimental to be with a Seeker attitude I think.

 

 

However, I agree, ERP is nothing to be ashamed of  - unless you;re spending more time Erping than actually going out to roleplay with others.

[Nnejo]

I like this, no wait I -love- this. 

 

As someone who plans to have a *cough* House of Burlesque and roleplay a Lady of the Night, I find that people tend to shy away from ERP or romance RP for all the wrong reasons. If played out well, just like a real life romance, it can truly add to the story. I often times enjoy starting from scratch, boy meets girl. (or girl meets girl, whatever floats your airship)I have had some of the best roleplay that way, the build up is part of the fun. Without that the story is chapter-less and no worth the read.

 

~Just my two gil

[K'nahli]

He is a little too sentimental to be with a Seeker attitude I think.

 

....is he too good for us??!! What does this mean, Michi?! TwT

[shdwsng]

...I wrote a huge post about romantic RP and realized that it boiled down to one really simple concept.

 

Communication between the players is key. Make sure you understand what the other person's looking for ICly, OOCly, and even ERPly if it looks like you're going there. Set your limits, understand their limits, and make sure to respect ALL the limits. Because getting your limits pushed with this sort of thing usually isn't fun. But if you make sure to set those boundaries and respect them, then you have a safe way of rediscovering that thrill that comes with any new relationship. And not incidentally giving the chance for some good IC drama when that pull of Odin gets botched and everyone goes down...

 

That being said, the only other practical advice is if you don't want to be disturbed, keep it to party chat. If you're getting hot and heavy, DEFINITELY keep it to party chat. Nothing spoils the flow of that tender romantic moment like BigJoe Whatsisname coming by and being all, "HURR Y U ALL NEKKID"...

[Lament]

Honestly, I've had more problems with real life couples ignoring everyone else in favor of their partner's character(s) than players of IC couples doing that. It's possible that someone who is so into the romantic RP that they focus only on it and nothing else is blurring the IC/OOC lines a little, too.

 

Personally I am a sucker for romance. I like writing it and reading it and roleplaying it, provided it's developed in-character (whether or not it's planned in advance) and doesn't eventually devolve into just plain puppy love antics (not that they're bad - I just get reeeeally awkward when it's lovey-dovey 24/7). I don't particularly care for the... physical specifics, so I'm more of a fan of fade-to-black and brief, generic descriptions of displays of affection. I mostly just really like to explore what love does to characters on a psychological/emotional level. I keep even the most cynical of my characters open to love because it's really fascinating to me.

[Michikyou]

He is a little too sentimental to be with a Seeker attitude I think.

 

....is he too good for us??!! What does this mean, Michi?! TwT

;-; No bro I... I mean.

I mean he is.. very kind hearted and probably a little odd for even a Miqo'te with his emotional connection to things. Contemplates a lot of things.

[Lament]

He is a little too sentimental to be with a Seeker attitude I think.

 

....is he too good for us??!! What does this mean, Michi?! TwT

;-; No bro I... I mean.

I mean he is.. very kind hearted and probably a little odd for even a Miqo'te with his emotional connection to things. Contemplates a lot of things.

 

If it makes you feel any better, based on the lore it is my headcanon that male Keepers are expected to be introverted, contemplative, maybe even submissive. I imagine it'd vary a lot from group to group, since they live in small familial communities, but Keepers are matriarchal, and the males don't even get their own given names (It's always # Son of Mother Lastname). So they probably are quieter and possess more typically feminine qualities (e.g. being sentimental) to begin with. It seems to fit, especially when you consider how assertive the Keeper females you encounter around Gridania are.

[Lan Darklyn]

I like this, no wait I -love- this. 

 

As someone who plans to have a *cough* House of Burlesque and roleplay a Lady of the Night, I find that people tend to shy away from ERP or romance RP for all the wrong reasons. If played out well, just like a real life romance, it can truly add to the story. I often times enjoy starting from scratch, boy meets girl. (or girl meets girl, whatever floats your airship)I have had some of the best roleplay that way, the build up is part of the fun. Without that the story is chapter-less and no worth the read.

 

~Just my two gil

 

Yep, the ones that start from scratch are usually great because you get to see how two characters grow, and how a relationship can affect your character. IMO those are the best ones.

[Nimilanor]

AS the quoted posted above said indeed, alot of people have the wrong idea of romance rp or erp,

 

alot of people tend to think its cybering or whatever.. well maybe it partly is..

but any I dont want to say good rper as that will make it sound elitist..

can detach themselves from the real life aspect and focus more on the character itself.. or.. BE the character.so thats its not you whos romancing i guess with another player its your character their.. significant other..

 

that being said.. its I believe harder to find a person that actually suits your character.. than to actually walk up and start dating random people.. wich actually now that I think about it would be sortoff funny.

 

but back to the point I was trying to make.. wich I have forgotten..

I've done / do my share of erp i guess but only really when it makes sense or it leads to there rp wise..and even then I prefer to keep things on a private base.

 

So im not saying hey everyone lets all gather for massives orgy's and what not.. seen too many miqo'tes doing that already.

 

What i do mean ofc romance adds a whole new level of rp,

it gets rather boring fast if all you do is rp fighting this and that, and oh lets go out for a drink spend an entire night in the pub, and rinse repeating that same thing again for months etc.

 

 

anyway /rant off..

[DAISHI]

I don't ERP often, but when I do, I do it publicly on the docks of Limsa Lominsa.

:love::evil::love:

[ArmachiA]

^ As an aside the first time I ever encountered RP in any game was in FFXI, in Jueno... in the church... and they were ERPing all up in public. Graphically.

 

I wasn't sure what to do. So I just backed out of the church and ran off.

[Therese Villefort]

Openly? In the Church?!? On the Altar?!?!? ^^

 

I would have probably played along. "Great gods, guys! What are you doing! Put on some clothes, how dare you! This is a holy place!"

*ripps some curtains off and throws them over the couple*

[IncubusManatee]

Openly? In the Church?!? On the Altar?!?!? ^^

 

I would have probably played along. "Great gods, guys! What are you doing! Put on some clothes, how dare you! This is a holy place!"

*ripps some curtains off and throws them over the couple*

 

My reaction would have been to get a bucket of ice cold water. That would have been meaner. And make a cheesy one liner: "CHILL OUT!" *Throws ice-water on them*

[Naunet]

Not particularly wanting to get involved in the Great ERP Debate (certain people from Co7 probably already know my feelings on that!), I just wanted to bring things back to romance roleplay - or, perhaps to be more exact, romance in roleplay.

 

I say it that way because I truly feel that romance works best when done in conjunction, alongside and interwoven with a greater story, or multiple stories. Sure, have your little one-on-one scenes where you delve into the private nuances of your characters' interpersonal dynamics; things like that can be great for really cementing the backdrop of a relationship. But I think the most fulfilling time on a broader scale comes when those players apply their characters' romantic interactions to situations beyond them. For example, a rather lengthy plot I participated in (and am still participating in) in TERA involves an extremely elusive antagonist who had a batshit bad guy goal of remaking the Dream and blahblah . The point is, there was a massive story going on, involving a number of people, and I always had great fun watching the dynamic of my character and her romantic partner in the context of that plot. It pushed them and pulled them and created great rifts between them that occasionally were pulled back together and the whole thing was fascinating.

 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I, personally, find roleplay the most fulfilling when there are multiple layers to it. Don't just roleplay a "they get together" story. Put that into a setting far more complex and have fun testing and stretching and distorting it!

[Aysun]

I think my only problem with romantic RPers is the moment they learn OOCly that their character is going after someone that they don't have a chance of winning over in the end, they metagame their way away from her.

 

There is more to RP than romance. A lot more.

[Lament]

I think my only problem with romantic RPers is the moment they learn OOCly that their character is going after someone that they don't have a chance of winning over in the end, they metagame their way away from her.

 

There is more to RP than romance. A lot more.

 

Guilty as charged, but I feel like it is excusable when the heartbreak/drama would be more trouble than it's worth. To avoid it, I just generally check with the other player beforehand. If it's a no and I don't feel like it's worth it to have my character deal with a one-sided crush/the rejection that follows, I'll pass on having the romantic interest actually happen IC. And then they can be BFFs or rivals or enemies, and no harm done.

[Aysun]

I think my only problem with romantic RPers is the moment they learn OOCly that their character is going after someone that they don't have a chance of winning over in the end, they metagame their way away from her.

 

There is more to RP than romance. A lot more.

 

Guilty as charged, but I feel like it is excusable when the heartbreak/drama would be more trouble than it's worth. To avoid it, I just generally check with the other player beforehand. If it's a no and I don't feel like it's worth it to have my character deal with a one-sided crush/the rejection that follows, I'll pass on having the romantic interest actually happen IC. And then they can be BFFs or rivals or enemies, and no harm done.

 

I despise that. Hell, I don't even understand it. Heartbreak and drama are great things IC to encounter and overcome. They can be really great tools for character development. In my opinion, it is never worth metagaming to avoid something that should be played out IC.

[Crimmera Vahn]

I have only RP'd romance once before.  It occurred between two troll characters in WoW.  We'd RP'd together for nearly a year before the relationship developed, and it happened quite organically.  There was never any drama, and since both of us were attached OOC and had diametrically opposing gender/sexual orientations an OOC relationship wasn't even possible.  We also never publically displayed affection, since she was a GM and I a guild officer, we thought IC (and OCC) it'd not be professional.  It was a great experience and we'd played those characters together for years.

 

As for ERP, we started out with "fade to black" but over time we became more comfortable and started RPing out more.  Of course, it was done very privately.  It'd be far to scandalous in our minds to ever have anyone know.  Mind you, we played on WRA, where everyone's main was also their f-alt.  Of all the WoW RP servers I played on, WRA seemed like a hotbed for ERP.  I know Moonguard has its ERP-shire reputation, but on WRA it wasn't Goldshire and level 1s, it was max level characters and only vaguely hidden.

 

I think romance, and ERP even, can be fun and great but it really has to be conducted well by the players.  I recall from my years as a teen, people commonly alienated friends for the harmone driven novelty of new boyfriends and girlfriends, I am probably guilty of that too, but now as an adult I just don't see that anymore.  Even with friends who get into new relationships, they don't suck face at the dinner table/bar/wherever while we all watch. I mean, could you imagine?  You and your colleagues are out for dinner to celebrate someone's promotion and two 30-somethings are sucking face while the sommelier uncorks the wine? 

 

Bob One: "Grats on the promo, Dave!"

 

Matt & Mindy: *slurp, slurp, slurp*

 

Bob Two: "Yeah, way to go!"

 

Matt & Mindy: *slurp, slurp, sluuuuuuuuuruuuuuuuuuuupppppppppp*

 

Dave: "Ah, thanks guys!  Um... I think Mindy just got pregnant."

[Therese Villefort]

I think my only problem with romantic RPers is the moment they learn OOCly that their character is going after someone that they don't have a chance of winning over in the end, they metagame their way away from her.

 

There is more to RP than romance. A lot more.

 

Guilty as charged, but I feel like it is excusable when the heartbreak/drama would be more trouble than it's worth. To avoid it, I just generally check with the other player beforehand. If it's a no and I don't feel like it's worth it to have my character deal with a one-sided crush/the rejection that follows, I'll pass on having the romantic interest actually happen IC. And then they can be BFFs or rivals or enemies, and no harm done.

 

I despise that. Hell, I don't even understand it. Heartbreak and drama are great things IC to encounter and overcome. They can be really great tools for character development. In my opinion, it is never worth metagaming to avoid something that should be played out IC.

 

Some people dont like drama and heartbreak. Simple as that. Some people like romantic movies with sweet happy end, while others despise that and watch horror movies.

Tastes vary and why should someone bother with something he doesnt like.

 

Thats a general point, and not including the topic of paying respect to your RP partners, which also plays a role ofc.

[K'nahli]

Some people dont like drama and heartbreak. Simple as that. Some people like romantic movies with sweet happy end, while others despise that and watch horror movies.

Tastes vary and why should someone bother with something he doesnt like.

 

Thats a general point, and not including the topic of paying respect to your RP partners, which also plays a role ofc.

 

I kind of agree with Aysun. Instead of RP'ing what would and should happen to your character, it is pretty much RP'ing only what you are happy with. That is not IC at all, it is complete meta-gaming and OOC influence. Feelings cannot be controlled. If my character began to grow feelings for someone, no matter how much I knew it wouldn't(and maybe even OOCly didn't want it to) work, altering their route is not RP'ing surely. Its just picking and mixing.

 

Life isn't about everything going your way, and that should reflect on RP as well, otherwise(in my mind) its starting to feel a lot less like RP and more of a candy cane, happily ever after story in progress.

 

 

Anyways, I am not judging or telling anyone how to RP, I was just a little surprised. I understand that people like to RP in different ways but I was sure that not having an OOC influence on your characters was a foundation rule that everyone abided by. I can't understand the concept otherwise. If you are going to control the results then its almost as if you are rp'ing with yourself.

[Therese Villefort]

I'm kinda playing devils advocate now. I'm not playing like that myself, but i understand the reasoning behind it.

 

As far as i've seen by now, when taken to the extremes there are two types of RPers: Those who view their characters almost as own entities with own minds and all, and others who view their Characters more as lifeless tools they use. Like a videogame character (what they technically are, in the end).

 

You certainly belong to the first category. If your character begins developing feelings, you go along with it, its like your character has its own live. People of the second category say that they decide if their character would start growing feelings or not.

If such a character ends up being a "good char concept" depends if the controlling player stays consistent. A controlling player can still decide in such a way so his character stays in his fleshed out personality frame.

 

Life isnt about everything going your way, sure, but this is not life, its a game. It gets played to flee the RL and have fun, Roleplay itself is just another "game". Maybe a game within a game, heh.

Someone having a sad time in RL comes to have some fun playing the game, just to play something sad in there? Some people dont like that.

 

 

If you are going to control the results then its almost as if you are rp'ing with yourself.

 

No. Even if you "control" your char, you dont control others. They still react to your char as they do, thats the fun of multiplayer you cant get alone.

There will still happen things that are unforeseen. People just handle it different how they react to that.

 

One part plays along to things they dont like the same like they do with things they like. The other part doesnt, and rather says "no thanks" to the things they dont like.

If thats good or bad is up to everyone him/herself.

 

As said, when deciding what to do, things like respecting your RP partner play into that, along with other things. All in all its a complex matter.

 

PS: Im maybe in betwen the middle somewhere. I seperate IC and OOC. I dont let my Char do things that he wouldnt do with his personality. But controling you char already starts with setting him up. You already decide how he will react when you set up his personality.

If you do that, at all. Other people again dont set them up at all and let them just develop themselfes.

 

It's a wide range with lots of middleground in betwen. Like always.

[K'nahli]

Someone having a sad time in RL comes to have some fun playing the game, just to play something sad in there? Some people dont like that.

 

 

Eeep, I guess that is quite a convincing point.

 

 

If you are going to control the results then its almost as if you are rp'ing with yourself.

 

No. Even if you "control" your char, you dont control others. They still react to your char as they do, thats the fun of multiplayer you cant get alone.

There will still happen things that are unforeseen. People just handle it different how they react to that.

 

Well I know that was a tad overexaggerated but my point was that if you are OOCly finding out about how X's character behaves and will react to your advances then you are essentially learning the important parts about that character(in relation to what you want from X's character) so you, in essence, know what is going to happen.

 

Yes, its not as extreme as I chose to describe it, but the difference is so vast from going in blind, as would naturally happen, hence why I made such a comparison ^^

[Rinh Hallani]

I can respect both sides to be honest. I prefer to let things happen IC and suffer the consequences, both good and bad, but I've had friends who were having a really hard time in RL before and the last thing they wanted was RP to also blow up in their face. One in particular was going through a divorce when they were dumped IC too, ouch.

 

Long story short, so long as it's not hurting anyone, I won't give someone a hard time about how they RP their romances.

[Alothia]

I think that the biggest part of romantic RP is the communication. While your character is your character, you also have to take into consideration the player behind that character. That doesn't mean you go metagaming the situation, but that you communicate with your partner about things that are happening. 

 

I don't want to RP a relationship with someone who doesn't communicate with me. I did that once, and it was awful. While I enjoyed the drama ICly, the drama that stemmed from it OOCly made me miserable. RP should be something you enjoy, and if you don't enjoy/get stressed out by the drama that could occur, you should communicate that ahead of time. It doesn't make anyone a bad RPer. Everyone has their own limits.