How I avoided getting hit on in a MMORPG
Some of you know that I have been playing the online MMORPG called World of Warcraft lately. I really enjoy this game and even more recently I decided to create a character on one of the Roleplaying servers. The difference between these and the PvP or PvE servers is that while similar to the PvE (Player vs. Environment) the Roleplaying servers expect you to roleplay out your character and naming your toon Darthvader or Killzalot is frowned on and can even be reported for violating TOS.
So I created this toon and like most girls I wanted my toon to be pretty. I chose dark hair and striking blue eyes for her and gave her a cool name to boot. This has resulted in several guys hitting on my toon and trying to roleplay me into situations I'd rather not be in.
Here's my delimma, I've always been a "nice girl". I'm not a bitch and I don't treat people like poo even when they are being jerks. Perhaps this is due to unhealthy boundries but it's definately a common symptom of an affliction we women often have..."The disease to please".
This past week I was out killing things trying to level my toon (or character). I happened upon a level 10 rogue who invited me to group with him. One of his first questions to me was "Do you like to rp?" Of course I answered "yes" without a second thought. He then asked me if I wanted to go through Deadmines (an instance good for getting loot and XP) with his buddy who was Level 58. I said "Sure".
We went through Deadmines and in between killing members of the Defias Brotherhood he asks me "if I wanna level our characters to 70 together". Uh.....I informed him that I had a guild I was planning on joining but thanks. He persisted saying that there were lots more rp opportunities. Then I asked him if he even had a character background. He gave me his two sentence background about how he was avenging his cruddy childhood yatta yatta...He then threw in "oh btw his toon was also a good lover".
FAIL.
Not knowing what to do I posted into my ooc (out of character) guild chat what was going on with this doofus. Most of my guild was made up of people who understood and accepted that I planned on respecting my marital vows even in the virtual world. They suggested that I tell him "Thanks anyway but my husband might not like that." Then one guy in my guild came up with this comedy gold..."Better yet..tell him that your *wife* wouldn't like that!"
Ha!
We ended the dungeon instance and I proceeded to thank, ungroup and get the hell out of dodge. It was only a few moments later that I ran into his 58 level buddy in Stormwind the capitol city. His buddy proceeded to auto invite me to their guild and I politely declined and explained I had a guild that I was joining. Then I asked his buddy "How well do yo know So-and-so?" To which his buddy replied "He's my best friend!" I said to him...."Ah cool, I hope that So-and-so realizes that when I told him I like to roleplay that I in NO WAY meant that I want to cyber."
His friend in true wingman style says "Naa, he's not like that.." and I responded "Good cause my wife wouldn't like that lol"
His response made it all the more funny. "lol :p"
I anti-wingmanned him.
We shall see if this helps to disuade So-and-so from asking me if he wants to Level to 70 now.
You could always just say,
You could always just say, "Sorry, not interested." It's honest and not mean at all.
If he takes it badly, well, then he's just demonstrated that he really is a clownshoe.
*giggles*
What's cool is my BF plays WOW... he'd prolly get a huge kick out of what I'd say to keep it light and flirty instead of down and dirty.
I'm a big flirt when it comes to playing games like that, but yeah, cybering... yeah no.
*laughs* I will say one thing tho hun, the wife comment... awesome
Whoa, EPIC FAIL. That's
Whoa, EPIC FAIL.
That's just...yikes. That's an argument for staying away from WoW right there. It's awkward enough getting hit on in-character at someone's table or a LARP, I'd totally lose my temper with someone who wanted their goofy-looking cartoon to mate with my goofy-looking cartoon. What a tool.
Yes it is, but..
For different reasons.. I'd find it a heckuva lot more awkward to have to tell someone 'erm.. no." face-to-face than over a game interface. And Shoshi's example, well, he kinda smacks of desperation, pushing a commitment within a couple hours of play. Even given the speedy nature of online interactions it's creepy. Kinda like someone you just met saying 'hey i like you, let's get engaged.'
In my time in online gaming, (and gosh, it's going on three years (plus a few months in 96 - 97 on a MUD,) any character relationships have stemmed from friendships. Personally, I've found relationship RP far more interesting and fun than epic storylines.
Where I've run into trouble is others projecting IC relationships into RL. Usually, when that particular envelope is pushed, claxons go off and I detach myself. I'm not looking for Mr or Ms Right. For me, it's part of a pretendy fun time game and in character.
But, WoW isn't any worse in that regard than any other MMO. I remember the first few days of City of heroes being bombarded with 'a/s/l?'. CoH also has no refuge for RP. WoW at least has RP servers and that serves to limit -some- of the online asshattery that can go on.
But, when you've made friends (and I'm speaking of someone either individually or as a group that you've come to know and like over time), creating toons to level together isn't out of the question. In this case it's a matter of 'whoa, slow down there, Sparky.'
To be fair he was nice if
To be fair he was nice if not a little insistant about leveling together. There were just too many clues that led me to believe if I didn't do something quickly I'd have to deal with it for sure later.
You know, I think the whole
You know, I think the whole "Want to level to 70 together?" is a MMORPG-version of "Want to go steady?" or worse "Want to get married?"
Grain of Salt
It can be... It really depends who you get. As with everything, you just need to take it with a grain of salt. There are people genuinely interested in finding someone to play with so the questing goes faster and easier. People who simply want a buddy. However, if you're a slow leveler (like I am), unless you get lucky, the likelihood of you and Mr. NightelfMohawk still playing a year from now is slim. In my experience, IC marriages don't last, but friendships will. It's the nature of time online. Things simply move faster. Guilds form and fall, IC relations peter out, if not blow up... It just happens. That RL thing also has a habit of creeping in and changing things whether you like it or not.
As for being propositioned, it's something you simply have to expect. If you make a pretty female toon, and especially if you wear Blizz's skimpy armor, you will get hit on. Sad fact. Just continue to be not interested, or continue to throw out the explanation that the player isn't a girl. As dense as some can be, they WILL give up. There is always the /ignore option, reports for harassment, and as necessary, guildmates can be sent with pitchforks and torches.
Oh, and glad to have you with us on WoW-crack Sho!