Love and romance in the world of Massive Multi Online Role Playing Games

Here's a special feature on the human side of MMORPGs from guest columnist Miss B, a dedicated MMORPGer with over a year of Lucas Arts' Star Wars Galaxies under her game playing belt:

At the core of playing any Massive Multi Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) is the inescapable element of human drama. Whether you're playing in a galaxy far far away, or in a city of heroes, you are bound to come up against the same pathos of your everyday real life (RL) existence. One area in particular, that of romance, emerges as a regular if not given element in online game play. There are several dynamics in the MMORPG romance, and they are all in some way or another dictated by the personal dynamics of those behind the keyboard.

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?The husband and wife who play together stay together?

There are many husband and wives who play MMORGPS together. Some play the same game but choose to create toons on different servers. Although they are married in the RL they lead very separate lives in game play. This separation can often lead each spouse to an in-game romance with other people. A curious offshoot of this is the husband and wife who play together, on the same server, many times in the same Player Association (PA ? a group of players who play together as a group) and still choose to romance others. Their motives can be for fun, the thrill of ?safe? relations outside of the primary relationship, or a genuine sense of role-playing not connecting what goes on from between being Out of Character (OOC) or In Character (IC). More expected, though, is the RL couple who also pairs off in the game.

The most common snag of a potential romance in an MMORPG is having a person who is paired off in the RL, but whose partner does not play. Where does the line between the RL and role-play get drawn, and how does the player keep his or her partner from feeling jealous or concerned about the in-game romance? Again it is the dynamics behind the keyboard that will determine how this situation would play out. A jealous partner would probably not be supportive or condone any type of in-game romance role-playing, whereas another type of partner may have no concerns whatsoever. To quote the spouse of a gamer friend of mine, ?Honey, if you left me for someone you met playing Star Wars Galaxies then it was probably my fault?.

?Looking for the hook-up?
On any given Friday night at the MMORPG you are likely to find eligible singles mixing and mingling. Unlike your local bookstore, Laundromat, or corner bar there is one issue that looms large over any possible hook-up. ?Just who is driving that toon (player character)?? The question of, ?is he who he says he is?? or, ?is she really a she?? inevitably comes up in any MMORPG romance. The effect those answers have on the outcome is again a matter of motive for the people playing the game.

For the truly earnest single looking for love, there will eventually be the moment of truth when the two people behind the toons meet and all is revealed. Those are the times that can be sheer delight, with many couples going on to date and get married, or sheer disaster with usually one person feeling taken for a ride. But for those who are merely looking to enhance their game play, or their *cough*sex life*cough* there is at play a willing suspension of disbelief in which the 21yr old blond-haired blue-eyed co-ed studying music theory at Boston College really is a Star Wars fan who would rather spend her Friday night killing enemy storm troopers with you than out with the girls.

?The Ugly Side of MMORPG Romance?
With all the joy that an MMORPG romance can bring there is also a dark side to all this: jealousy, betrayal, and the inevitable breakup. In Star Wars Galaxies players can get married in the game by exchanging rings (which are either player created or looted). One toon has both rings in his/her inventory ? targets the other player and selects ?propose union? from a radial menu. If the other person accepts the second ring is transferred into his/her inventory and also placed on a finger. Now here?s the fun part, to remove the ring you have to select ?divorce? from the radial menu. D-I-V-O-R-C-E rears its ugly head even in the fantasy that is Star Wars. To make the situation even more dramatic the ring, upon closer inspection, shows sign of wear and decay.

I once ran into a player who had just been dumped by his in-game sweetie. What was interesting is it took me a few minute to realize he was not talking about a RL girlfriend. He was so despondent over the break up that I assumed it was a RL situation. He shared with me the saga of their relationship which included already one breakup among their ups and downs. And as is often the case in RL breakups, she had taken him for everything he had.

?And now the end is near?
Possibly the saddest outcome to most MMORPG romances is that the romance with the game itself comes to an end. Players leave for other games or for RL pursuits, and leave behind their in-game partners to make their way in the kingdom or galaxy all alone. But in the case of Star Wars one can look earnestly at their departing mate and say, ?at least we will always have Mos Eisley?.

A Star Wars Galaxies Love Story: Fallen brought to you by Atomic Space Kitty Entertainment.

Miss B is a dedicated MMORPGer with over a year of Lucas Arts? Star Wars Galaxies under her game playing belt. Because of this, her in article examples and screen shots are all SWG based. Please submit your MMORPG stories and screenies to her at: bethgo@gmail.com

Next Topic: Me, Myself and I ? the lure of the Alt.