LuRvE

[Vesperas]

So, ah, how do you/your character decide who he/she likes and doesn't like?  Do they experience love at first sight, or does it gotta grow on 'em?  Do you usually know the other player?


I usually  pick a certain physical trait that my char would find attractive before I submit the character.  If I wanted to be evil, I'd pick something like, 'tallness.'     Pity the poor fool who describes similar traits in his description.

[Hexxaex]

With a bit of skill fishing, I usually make sure they're of the merchant guild and/or well-to-do with uber l33t phat lewt, then take them to my apartment for a night of steamy mudsex, then kill them just as they reach climax.

[Vesperas]

That's not LuRvE!  That's unLuRvE.  

[Sandstorm Phoenix]

They have to have one of the following words in their sdesc:  voluptuous, svelte, lucious, curvaceous, or round-bootied.

Oh, and they have to pout a lot and emote about their hair.  






Well, really.. um. .. depends on my character, actually.

[jstorrie]

My characters don't fall in love.

[bloodfromstone]

I tend to create an idea of what my character finds attractive, physically and personality wise.
Additionally, while it may not be completely IC, it all depends on how fun they are to roleplay with. If someone isn't fun to RP with, I don't want to make them a major part of my character's life. Alternately, if they are particularly fun to RP with, then I'm eager to find some way to make them a bigger part of my character. It works out ICly, in my opinion, because if you enjoy RPing with someone, you will generally mesh on some level. Casual conversations will be more interesting, etc.
And, of course, first impressions mean a lot.

Edited to answer some of the questions the original poster asked:

Generally, it's a growth process. I think that attractive can be instant, but not deeper emotions. Some characters might find themselves thinking they're in love at first sight, though. I rarely know other players at all, so that's a no on that one.

What I really don't like is character's 'falling in love' because the player wants some hot mudsex with the other character. If your PC wants to snag some booty by saying he/she is in love with the other person, then that's fine, but don't make your character go head over heels over someone they haven't met (or have nothing to build those feelings on with) just because you want to see some sweaty, heaving emotes.

[Anonymous]

I usually screen my candidates on AIM first, to see how skilled they are in the wayz of mudsexin' it up, before I start hitting on them in-game.

Because, frankly, if I'm going to waste two IC days, risk starvation, thieves stepping in on us while we're doing it and a random backstab.. It better be worth it!

Oh, I also saw a PC with three lines for a description once, two of them describing the size of her breasts. . I think my PC would go for that.

On that note.. May I be added to your AIM list?  :twisted:

[Cale_Knight]

They have to have one of the following words in their sdesc:  voluptuous, svelte, lucious, curvaceous, or round-bootied.

I have the sudden urge to create "the svelte, round-bootied man."

[Vesperas]

They have to have one of the following words in their sdesc:  voluptuous, svelte, lucious, curvaceous, or round-bootied.

I have the sudden urge to create "the svelte, round-bootied man."

Not if I get there first. >=^D

[RunningMountain]

My characters don't fall in love.

Ditto, love? What is this word?

[moab]

I never had a character fall in love.  Then I met one of Shaleah's characters.  Rocked my world.  Love is as important as hate in this world.  Perhaps even more so.

[Tamarin]

Heh.  One of my characters fell for one of hers too.  And it was a twisted character too.  Ooh, I miss those days.

[EvilRoeSlade]

*raises hand*

I was a half-giant at the time, too.  Thankfully it was more of a platonic love, or else ShaLeah would have been in need of a new character.

[Agent_137]

wtf shaleah got my char too.


*sobs*

My char was just a notch on the bedpost to her!

[RunningMountain]

Weak pathetic fools.

[Halaster]

Having your character fall in love and then basing their actions around it can be entertaining, and provide for some interesting opportunities for roleplaying.  I rarely have my PC's get involved in any sort of romantic relationship because that's just not what I want to spend my time doing on the game.  However, I will occasionly decide to want to go that avenue with a character.

Nothing like a warrior who's out fighting because he's trying to impress a woman.  Or a mage who's got a crush on some noblewoman and so spends his time trying to get noticed, yet hide what he is.  Those romantic hero/villain roles can get old, but they're kinda fun on occasion. too.

[sarahjc]

I've had a few PC's fall in Love, none with Shal however (though apparently she must be great at it, suckers   ). I have had one who was seriously involved in a stressful time and it was fun playing out that aspect of a PC's life. I've also had a few PC's use sexual attraction to get what they wanted  :shock: . That's right, look out you horny devils, my PC's got your # and is picking your pockets as we speak.

But lately I haven't really made any characters of the mindset to fall in love and that is not to say that they are asexual PC's. I think that sexuality as well as Love are very real parts of playing a character and are things that are on people's minds just as much as Money and Power. Just that the interaction brought on by your PC falling in love is not something I feel like playing out at the moment and thusly, not a goal my PC's looks for.

Interestingly, for all the Lovers out there, it seems very few plots revolve around Love or work around revenge of a loved ones death/murder or jealousy of a lost lover. At least that is what I have noticed.

Seems people can be lovers for -years- even and then all that is left is some sad feelings and a head-shaken, maybe a grumble or two. WTF?

I mean for those of you with a significant other, what would you like to do if said person was murdered? Now think about what you -could- do in Zalanthas should that happen.

And what about your wife? (this is for the high class obviously) You've been expecting a kid for a while and then you find out that not only has she been banging someone else, but in today's terms she's been banging what could be described as a dirty, pee smelling bum off the street and it's his kid she's prego with.

IMPO Love could be a much larger catalyst for plots than is seems to be now. The fun/plotting shouldn't end when the mudsex does, in fact I think that is when things should just start getting thick.

[Larrath]

Most of my characters usually don't search for true love, but rather a truly good lay.
Some of them do want love, however, and when they do then it's part of their personality - and I try to keep the f-mes' influences on this minimal.  I've had some hideous characters in the past who've had success with the ladies when they shouldn't have, and when that happens I tend to put less weight behind it than I would if it was some more realistic character.  Same way as I tend to treat newbies IC, really.

I definitely agree that people should treat love more seriously, though.  On one hand, there should be less true love with true and pure emotions and utter loyalty.  On the other hand, I think people should treat death as something a bit more serious when it comes to people close to them.  Everyone dies and people are used to it, but it's just lame when, say, Noble X kills House X Guard's girlfriend and the House Guard completely ignores it. I'm not saying people should throw themselves and suicide, but at least be pissed about it.
And don't keep all of your play in.  Let things bleed through - doubts, secrets, lies, nervousness.  This makes the game so much more real.  What's the fun in being the perfect liar who never stumbles even with the smallest facial expression, anyway?

Anyway, love is a good thing, as long as it's kept in proportion.  It's not the center of the world, but it's not some minor and unimportant detail, either.

[Tamarin]

And don't keep all of your play in.  Let things bleed through - doubts, secrets, lies, nervousness.  This makes the game so much more real.  What's the fun in being the perfect liar who never stumbles even with the smallest facial expression, anyway?

I wholeheartedly agree.  I hate seeing characters who have no flaws.  They are played as geniuses and virtuosos.  They are played like they are a big deal.  They never screw up.

A character who stumbles occasionally...who can't hide his emotions...who (oocly) intentionally makes mistakes...who develops over the course of his life rather than starting off perfect...is so much more fun to work with.

[Vesperas]

I think flawed characters have got to be the most fun to play.  I havn't really been around Armageddon long enough to try out too many different concepts, but that's been my general RP experience (over many different games and environments).

I'm not very much into 'sexual roleplay.'  I'm gonna be that lame-ass player sitting in the corner who refuses to give consent and screws up everyone's fun.  But I'm okay with using the "assumed" method.

I think that the actual emotion of love SHOULD contribute more to a character's personality.  Zalathas is a harsh, terrible environment where stuff just SUCKS.  But its life.  That's all those people have ever known.  Not trying to bash all of those "I REFUSE TO HAVE EMOTIONS!" characters, but they shouldn't be the norm.  

[ale six]

I had a fairly promiscuous ( :oops: ) character who kept getting herself into the amusing situation of falling in love with her partners. I didn't really plan it that way, but it kept happening, and made it a really interesting flaw. Her corresponding jealousy was fun to deal with, too.

I think people in Zalanthas would fall in love just as much as people in the real world, and for mostly the same reasons. Yes, most people don't trust strangers, but when you're in love with someone, things always seem different. "They'd never hurt or betray me, they're in love with me! I'm the most special thing in the world to them!"

... and then you get betrayed.  :evil:

[Angela Christine]

I've never had a character fall in love, though one of mine did have a sort of sick obsession with her boss that she thought was love.  You know, the "I'll shoot the president to impress Jodie Foster" type obsession.  Unfortunately, before she could go all Lethal Attraction on him he got assassinated, and worst of all the assassin was promptly caught and executed by the proper authorities!  What a buzz kill.


In general I avoid romantic relationships, because I've seen them go bad too many times in other games.  Not go bad ICly, that is all good, but go bad OOCly.  Some people get confused when their fictional characters claim to care about eachother, and assume that it means that there is some bond between the players as well.  There is no good way for that to end.  


Angela Christine

[bloodfromstone]

I had a fairly promiscuous ( :oops: )character...

C'mon, let's be honest here.  :lol:

In all seriousness, though, I've had tons of fun RPing out my current character's love interests and relationships. I can understand why someone would want to avoid this sort of thing, due to OOC entanglements, but I find that love and all the stuff that comes with it are such an important part of a (my, at least) PC's deep-down emotions that it really helps cut to the core of who they are. Plus, nothing beats catching your lover kanking your best friend behind your back for some serious drama to play out.

[Anonymous]

So uhh.. Why not just keep the OOC out of it?

[InsertCleverNameHere]

Eew, yucky love stuff, get it off me, get it off!  :shock:

I've had more than one character fall in love, or just obtain some really weird crushes as well. None of them were looking to fall in love, typically it just crept up on them in regards to the real loyal, til death sort of feelings. The lesser end of the spectrum was more shallow. Admiration of some sort of skill (not the coded sort), or possibly the other characters uncanny ability to make and hoard oodles of money or influence, etc.

I agree, it can make for great drama, and I get a giggle compairing some of them to cheezy soap operas. On an OOC level when my characters love interest dies (usually a gruesome way!), I do mourn the loss, not because the burning love of my life was killed, but it's close to what I feel when a character of my own dies that I'm fond of. Loss that I won't get to play, or play with said character, often a bit of let-down over the abruptness of it. On -other- games, I've had some people who seem to get the IC and OOC distorted, yes, and have typically made it a point to begin avoiding those games. So far, I've yet to encounter that in Arm.

To un-derail my rickety steam-driven train of thought.. Romance on varying levels can be great fun, but don't be surprised if you (and your char) might find themselves in a bit of a depressive funk for a while after the character dies. Myself, I find it sometimes oocly depressing to play an  icly depressed character, and that may be why other people tend to do the 'sad shake of a head and move on' bit. And sometimes after playing a char who seems to have too much bad romantic luck, the next character I make will be geared in a -completely- different direction, either far too flighty to ever get those 'deep mushy feelings', or else such a character that'd it'd be unlikely they'd get the -opportunity- to find someone else who they could share teh yucky love stuff with!

Oh, and I agree.. honestly..

I had a fairly promiscuous ( :oops: )character...

C'mon, let's be honest here.  :lol:

In closing.. Yay mushy yucky love stuff! Sea Monkeys are evil.