The appeal of Pairings/Romance

[Doctor Tetris]

I've noticed that pretty much every single 1x1 Interest check involves pairings or some kind of romance.
I'm not a romance guy, but perhaps you people can explain me the appeal of such things vs not including them at all.

[Vanquished]

At some point someone will stumble along here and point out the thread that has a response perfect for this. I'm not going to do that though.

Why pairings? Well I personally am not a fan of only listing pairings. However, even when I put out a fully formed plot, or even just a bit of musings of a plot, it can be broken down to role a x role b. Got a super awesome plot about something or another? Well you'll have your role, and the one you want your partner to fulfill. Most 1x1s don't have a wide array of PC's. I know personally, my partner and I will use NPC's other than our main characters, but they aren't fully fleshed out characters. It seems to me the nature of 1x1s. If you want a larger cast of PCs, group rps seem the way to go. Alternatively, you can create your own int check specifying your want of multiple roles created by you and your partner. To me, that gets out of hand easily and I wouldn't be able to keep track of them all

As for why romance?
It's an easy plot device. Or its just plain what people want. It's hard to say why people want that, countless reasons I suppose. But its a reliable and typically, easily understood connection. It's why love songs are always on the radio. It's why romance novels survived the economy and e-books trend. It's why...well regardless of all that. It is possible to find a 1x1 sans romance, it just takes more searching or creating your own int check, again specifying whether you're ok with romance in that plot or not.

[Jannah]

It is possible to do 1x1's without romance. However, I think many people just prefer the romance since it's an easy plot device to use. Plus love is a powerful emotion. I'm personally a huge sucker for romance in RPs, especially forbidden romance scenarios.

[Kestrel]

'Plot device...' Fuck you guys, seriously.

You know how Twilight is the James Bond for women? Yeah well kinda like that. It's because enthralled fangirls want to live out their perfect fantasy couple and because being a girl in her puberty semi-automatically means that deep down you're obsessed with relationships. I mean fuck, you went to high-school, right? Who goes with who? Who makes a good match for who? Etc. This is extended to the interweb medium and enjoyed for reasons that we could discuss on a psychological level, but in all simplicity's sake are similar to why we guys want ROAR VIOLENCE ROAR GUNS ROAR SEX YEAAAAAAH!

[Evershadow]

'Plot device...' Fuck you guys, seriously.

You know how Twilight is the James Bond for women? Yeah well kinda like that. It's because enthralled fangirls want to live out their perfect fantasy couple and because being a girl in her puberty semi-automatically means that deep down you're obsessed with relationships. I mean fuck, you went to high-school, right? Who goes with who? Who makes a good match for who? Etc. This is extended to the interweb medium and enjoyed for reasons that we could discuss on a psychological level, but in all simplicity's sake are similar to why we guys want ROAR VIOLENCE ROAR GUNS ROAR SEX YEAAAAAAH!

I really want to come up with an interesting rebuttal but... [+1] lol, I have to agree. In saying that though I think all the answers on this thread thus far have been reasonable and "correct". There is no definitive answer when it comes to what people like about romance in role-plays. I myself am a mixed bunch. I like romance role-plays and I like role-plays when there is no romance. I prefer hints of romance in a group RP to a one x one though. Also, another reason as to why romance could be so loved and adored in role-plays by so many is because when it is used in a one x one environment is because they are "personal" role-plays, as someone else has said about living out a fantasy between another person and the connection shared when they have the same fantasy (not saying that's me, because more oft than not it isn't), but you get the idea.

P.S. The reason for the [+1] is for the criticism of the term 'Plot device'.

[HeySeuss]

It is possible to do 1x1's without romance. However, I think many people just prefer the romance since it's an easy plot device to use. Plus love is a powerful emotion. I'm personally a huge sucker for romance in RPs, especially forbidden romance scenarios.

"Plus love is a powerful emotion." And part of the biological imperative that is hardwired into living beings; and mammals are particularly into their mating rituals. We could go into the psychobabble here, but I'm a layman, and I bet just about everyone here is too. (Unless one of the few people with an academic background that I know of around here deigns to comment.) RP is often a window into people's psyches (disclaimer: my opinion, before you jump on that with both boots) and I suppose it's to be expected that people act out in RP; this is one of the most powerful elements of the human psyche. The same drives and feelings are what makes various book titles that some people loathe into bestsellers.

Personally, I'm cool with it. There's no point in railing against it. And it does make a fun plot device for the above cited reasons.

[Ruby]

Look at most 1x1 Interest Checks and you see an 'Easy Bake Oven' style of RP construction; pick a pairing, discuss a little setting/plot, and you're off.

Not very difficult. Kinda the point, I imagine.

As for Romance? You'll find a lot of females wanting a RomCom or a romantic drama. If you have to ask why, go get to know a female in your life. But they probably push 'the market' in 1x1, whereas you have an entirely different block of roleplayer pushing 'the market' in Advanced group games, etc.

[SilverRain]

I'm not a romance guy, but perhaps you people can explain me the appeal of such things vs not including them at all.

If I may provide my overly naive understanding:

Because I have always wanted to hug a Sephiroth that hugs me back.

[Unlit]

I've noticed that pretty much every single 1x1 Interest check involves pairings or some kind of romance.
I'm not a romance guy, but perhaps you people can explain me the appeal of such things vs not including them at all.

It's not exactly "romance" a lot of those players are after. Some of those 1x1 Interest Checks are asking for dark, very non-romantic things, after all. It is sexual tension that most 1x1's try to steer toward. And most of those pairings are instant recipes for sexual tension. And... the craving for sexual tension is not limited to solely men or solely women, really. There are a lot of "Tough Guy" books and movies and TV shows fraught with sexual tension, just the same as there are "Girly Girl" books and movies and TV shows with sexual tension. Once someone reaches the age where girls or boys are no longer yucky, he or she will generally find situations of sexual tension appealing.

Why is it appealing? Because it's fun for most people to play. Honestly, if you don't already see the appeal of sexual tension in a story, then any explanation given here probably won't sway you. From what I have observed in my roleplaying career, either you crave it or you don't.

I suppose I will counter with a question while I am here, though.

What is the appeal of a 1x1 story sans any kind of sexual tension? (Other than an arena match, no matter how many sweaty, writhing bodies are grinding together in a struggle to finish the other off first.)

Like... give an example of the kind of 1x1 plot you would have fun playing that might sway the typical 1x1 player toward not including pairing ideas or sexual tension in their plots.

[Doctor Tetris]

If I may provide my overly naive understanding:

Because I have always wanted to hug a Sephiroth that hugs me back.

I don't think getting stabbed in the back is enjoyable.

I suppose I will counter with a question while I am here, though.

What is the appeal of a 1x1 story sans any kind of sexual tension? (Other than an arena match, no matter how many sweaty, writhing bodies are grinding together in a struggle to finish the other off first.)

Like... give an example of the kind of 1x1 plot you would have fun playing that might sway the typical 1x1 player toward not including pairing ideas or sexual tension in their plots.

You ask that question as if it's impossible to make a 1x1 RP with no sexual tension involved and have it be enjoyable.
You know what, just tell me where are you going with that question.