Viewpoint roleplayer polls #2: romance in roleplays.

[Astrologer]

hi!

i'm the astrologer and i find it fascinating to discuss my interests. for that reason, i'll be throwing up a poll every few days or so about roleplaying and discussing it! romance. for many, it's a necessary element. for others, their lack of interest in it may make feel like an outsider. either way, we see it often in interest checks and roleplays alike. so, reader, where do you stand?

looking forward to seeing what feedback folks have!

 

[Solivagante]

For me, it's more important in a 1x1 RP than in groups - in fact, I think it can often detract from group plots.

Romance can add an interesting layer of tension and an inherent plot structure or complicating factor, which I find especially useful in 1x1 RPs where two people are trying to drive a story forward entirely on their own. Need to fill time or throw a wrench into the works? Use the romance plotline! It also gives characters an intrinsic motivation to interact, whether they recognize it or not.

In group RPs, a romance subplot - which generally involves only two players - will often take those players away from the group dynamic and not push the group plot forward. It's possible for this to be avoided if the players are conscious of the potential problem, but that's rare, in my experience.

 

[Maverick Six]

Both 2 and 3. I've done it and I enjoy it. But ultimately it's for story reasons. And not every close relationship should end in romance. And not everything a couple would normally do makes for a good story. There is a lot of potential for love stories and I've often enjoyed them as a side plot both in shows and RPs that can add extra stakes and connections. But it shouldnt be expected or required.

I can have characters be friends, close siblings, family and family like, rivals, outright enemies or yes, romantic partners.

I can understand the negative connotations associated with romance with people becoming self indulgent, derailing the story with romance or seeking too much to live vicariously through a character RATHER than tell the best story. But ultimately romance has a place, is at times pretty natural and should work similar to other relationships in what it does for the story in showing closeness n' exposing a certain side of a character. Ultimately am for it done correctly.

 

[Maime]

Romance isn't necessary for me but I do need the story to be propelled by some sort of dynamic/relationship between the characters. That can be manifested in any way, whether as a mentor role, frenemies, rivals, or my personal favorite "buddy cop". The trope; they don't necessarily have to be police officers although it helps if they are mutually solving a mystery together or on a goal of some kind together.

 

[Minteafresh]

Kinda piggy backing off of other people here but I'm not too big on romance needing to be apart of a roleplay. Like, if it happens then it happens y'know? I've done way too many roleplays in the past where it felt super forced and never fun. Or where it didn't really fit the setting (memories of two characters trying to start a relationship in a murder mystery roleplay while we're actively discussing who was the killer. Twas probably not the time for that huh.)

So I always leave it on the table as a possibility, but never something I'm expecting. I'm much more into intriguing characters dynamics anyway, and I feel like it's easier to write my characters without trying to make them act oddly to suit the whole couple thing.

 

[nerdy tangents]

I tend to take the approach that romance is like icing on a cake. Personally I’m not a big fan of it myself, I would just as soon focus on other character dynamics or a overarching plot.

That said I’m aware that I’m in the minority with that opinion and am fine with adding it as an extra element the plot (again icing on a cake). It doesn’t detract from my enjoyment of a roleplay provided there are is some underlying plot or goal in place. But it also doesn’t really increase my enjoyment of the roleplay either.

 

[Daisie]

Mm, I do love romance. I keep an eye out for romantic opportunities in the vast majority of my RPs, with many of them built with it in mind.
That being said, I adore other types of relationships too. I can have them as the main focus, but in most cases I keep them on the side.
I'm a hopeFUL romantic and I can never resist a highly glamorized and showy depiction of a romantic relationship

 

[Bacon is fluffy]

I can try to write romance but I prefer not to. If it makes sense and the other people want it, ill indulge. again, i prefer not to

 

[Idea]

In groups and especially in 1x1 some RPs are simply centered on romance by how the plot works and I’ve seen/been in some which I enjoyed. In fact I think the first group RP I ever Gmed had a certain romance angle, as it was a yandere-focused RP I took over or rebooted with the original GM’s permission (Forever and a half ago that was).

That being, setting those kinds of RPs aside I can and do enjoy romance in the same way I enjoy any other narrative element, be it plot, worldbuilding or character. I like to explore it when it’s an interesting possibility, especially where it enhances or highlights other aspects I’m already interested in. I see romance as a character dynamic or type of relationship, sure with its own unique characteristics but at the same time like any other. My interest in it comes from the circumstances and I neither hound for it nor feel any need to avoid it should it come up, though I do hesitate to bring it up because I know some people take issue with it in general (talking in groups in particular) or even have had pretty bad experiences with people being a bit more entitled (or worse) when it came to romances between characters.

Also, I play a lot of characters on the very young side, which for obvious reasons does tend to reduce romance opportunities to puppy crushes at most, though I just tend to stick to platonic.

That said, I do honestly wish to play more characters involved not simply in romance in group roleplays but who actively have an established romantic, even marital relationship. My experience in trying to have established character relationships in group roleplays so far has been one where it’s troublesome for much involvement between the characters (of any kind) is hard to get though. Then again, I have had very little time to do it lately, so who knows, either way I think it’d really be a fun thing to explore and use.

The last thing I wanna mention is that while any character dynamic benefits from well-paced (which tends to mean just about the opposite of “fast” in this context), that is a pace that is well-regulated with both time to explore and let things breathe but not stall, romance tends to uniquely need time to feel fitting. There’s art and close to an unknown science to making romantic development between characters that you really don’t need - two characters can be friends from hitting off in a bar, two characters can be surrogate parent and child just one feeling cared for and the other caring for and protecting the first (which is not of course to say these dynamics aren’t perhaps shallow in such a form and to be developed, but even such a shallow thing is enough to be able to establish those characters in the respective character dynamics, whereas even where love at first sight is tolerated, it’s seldom sufficient to make those characters a couple). Combine this with the “if at some point there’s chemistry” mentality which partially arises from this, and the low rate of longevity of roleplays, and well the question of whether to pursue such a dynamic shows up far less often from that too.

 

[Matty]

I speak from a long career of almost exclusively slice of life games:

Like most plot elements, if it happens naturally in the game it is great and will generally add to the story. On the other hand, when two people decide before joining to have characters in a relationship it tends to lead to hard feelings and situations that come off as “forced” because the two players will insist on the relationship rather than flow with the rest of the game and it turns into something akin to a 1v1 in a group setting.

 

[Uxie]

i'm the type to really love writing romance (especially in 1x1's) and i usually do try to include it in most of my roleplays, mostly because i think it makes a great plot point and adds a lot of pizzazz into character dynamics in ways that other things don't do quite as quickly (apologies to all platonic soulmates). humans tend to lose their minds over love! i love that! so, honestly! i always throw it in if i can!!!

but maybe it's better to say i enjoy stories about love (?) rather than love stories because i've never approached romance in roleplaying as something that equates to a happy, in-love ending for my characters. it kind of dawned on me after i discussed this with an old partner, who told me they usually thought roleplayers asking for romance (in a 1x1) meant the characters would end up happy together. i'm a big fan of tragic endings, even in romance-focused things. maybe i'm using the word romance wrong? i don't think i'm unique in this front, though (・∀・)

 

[Clair Obscur]

I do love seeing romance between characters happen somewhere along the line in a roleplay. I also enjoy seeing the build up of the relationship, nothing too quick or for the sake of it happening. "Oh my gosh this person i don't know saved me from a dragon. I'm in love with them!"

I like to know why are these two characters in love. What obstacles have they been through together to reach that point? I also am in favor of them not actually saying the words but letting their actions speak louder. All in all, yeah. It's fine with me. The slow burn of it.

 

[Jon-the-Archivist]

Now here’s an intriguing question to ask.

I voted, but I’d definitely like to throw in my own two cents. Romance has a place in storytelling, absolutely. Exploring the human condition is a fundamental driving element of storytelling, even in RP.

Romance is a fundamental part of human existence, and thus a common theme to explore. I certainly enjoy it in a story, though it depends on the story. That said, I like my stories to be very multifaceted, with a strong exploration of multiple themes in tandem. I commonly find romance to be a component theme of the narrative as a result.

 

[Jon-the-Archivist]

Now here’s an intriguing question to ask.

I voted, but I’d definitely like to throw in my own two cents. Romance has a place in storytelling, absolutely. Exploring the human condition is a fundamental driving element of storytelling, even in RP.

Romance is a fundamental part of human existence, and thus a common theme to explore. I certainly enjoy it in a story, though it depends on the story. That said, I like my stories to be very multifaceted, with a strong exploration of multiple themes in tandem. I commonly find romance to be a component theme of the narrative as a result.

I just realized how repetitive I sound in this xD

 

[BuggaBoo]

Hi!

Soooo like from 1x1 perspective I vote yes. It's usually why 1x1ers request certain pairings cuz craaaaavings lol And back in the day for 1x1 we even had 'Fade to Black' levels too. Meaning: where do we draw the line before we willing to write sexy-sexy time with our MCs? But of course we hashed out EXPECTATIONS when first meeting 1x1 partners.

As for Group RP. My charrie might flirt or make comments to other charries BUT I don't actually want romance. Tbh I'll only RP the romance between my charrie and my NPC sig other exclusively. Not as a focus in the RP but to make sure romance is NOT a focus in the RP. It's easier to just toss in small filler talking about the Sig other AND healthier for the Rp

Cuz like i seen waaaaaay to many group RPs get their hate on when Rpers ship their charries together and create aj abrupt focus on their relations. It's soooooo fr aggravating to see a collab post 1k+ words and it's just romantic/couple interaction. IDGAF about your romance and, intentionally or not, it feels almost like exhibitionism lol. I want the RP to actually progress before it ultimately fails and dies k?

And in irl I neeeeeeever eeeeeever watch ANYTHING remotely roman--

Wait! wut. She's dying?! And he never knew? How long do they have together?! No I'm not crying! You are!

 

[Jannah]

It's not a must for me, but I do like to include it if it fits for the story I'm trying to tell. Platonic relationships like family, best friends, etc. can be just as fun and are often overlooked.