[Red Nations]

I can see both the positive and negative aspects of these in game BF/GF relationships and Pirate marriages. Took me a while to understand the complexities of it all. At the time I started playing I was at the very end of a long term real life relationship, not looking to get involved with anyone and definately not looking for that sort of thing in the game. The first I heard of a Pirate Wedding or a BF/GF relationship in the game was from a really whacked out lady who stalked my Avatar for about three weeks. I had met her while crewing aboard a friends ship I'd only been aboard for maybe an hour joked around with the crew a bit, during that time I accepted a friend request from her, then went off on my own. The next time I saw her I was out doing some solo plundering and she TP'd aboard my ship uninvited and began some really heavy flirting with my avatar. About 20 minutes later another female pirate friend decided to TP to my ship and this first lady suddenly became insanely jealous threw a tantrum accused me of cheating on her and left the ship. I was left completely puzzled by all of this. Couldn't understand how I could possibly be cheating on someone who I'd known for a little over an hour and was not involved with in or out of the game. About a week later she teleported to me again and I had a talk with her trying to find out what was going on. I still had a difficult time understanding this "in game BF/GF relationship thing, and here she was telling me that she really liked me and that one of the goals in the game was to get married. Well this was the first I'd heard of this. Let me add that she was in her 30's an adult I'm older so both adults. Also in my conversation with her I discovered that she was married in real life and having marital problems. I asked her how she though that having a fantasy relationship with me would help her solve her marital issues? also told her that I was not looking for a relationship in game or otherwise at the time and thought that this would be the end of it. A couple weeks later same scenario she Tp'd to my ship uninvited later another female pirate TP't to my ship unannounced and as soon as I ported the one who was stalking me went after the second gal with a pistol. At which point I made the decision to kick her off my friend list as I didn't want to deal with that sort of insanity.

I've heard of several cases where individuals used the BF/GF thing in game as a way to cheat on spouses. And I agree with some of the statements in this thread that the young kids cannot grasp the concept of commitment involved in a relationship or marriage. I've seen several of these in game relationships fall apart where they seem to break up as easily as they get together. The game isn't a dating service. As to the adult players I can see where people can meet online and become very good friends, most of these ingame relationships don't work out. Playing with another persons emotions is just plain wrong. And some people use this to gain some sort of emotional gratification at the expence of others.

I also know of two couples in the game who are married in real life and also have their pirates married in the game. I'm involved with someone in recent months in real life. We are also both POTC players and all three of my pirates are married to her three pirates in the game, and no not looking for a fantasy relationship our pirate marriages are just an extension of our real life involvment as a couple. So yeah I've seen both the positive and negative aspects of these sort of interactions. A plus to being married in the game is it helps put a stop to all those kids asking to be your BF/GF once you tell em you're allready married LOL.