It's a game, folks.

And the other players are essentially just people you've met on the internet. Yes, they're real people. But what do you know about them, really? People lie, and even if they're not malicious about it, it's so easy to make yourself sound different from what/who you really are. Also, even if/when you do find out more about them, 9 times out of 10 the ONLY thing you're going to have in common, is the game.

I have many wonderful friends in this game. And all but two are male (though several of them play female characters). Thankfully, most of them are mature/cool enough to just play with me instead of hit on me. After 4 months of playing, I can tell you there is nothing more frustrating than being hit on for no other reason than the fact that I'm a female character. Guess what? Hit on me, and you'll win a shiny new spot at the top of my blacklist. I'm afraid I've run out of patience. This is a game, not a dating or 900# service.

Granted, there are exceptions to that general rule. But not many.

Recently though, I think I've come to understand some of the reasons behind people falling for each other ingame. First, it becomes incredibly easy to get caught up in your character. After all, most FFXI players spend several hours a day ingame. Because of that, it becomes easy to fall for someone based on the way they interact with your character. If they're very helpful, or are fun to pt with, emotions can develop. Why not? This is someone you're interacting with every single day. But it's important to realize that you're falling for someone based on the way they play a video game. This doesn't have a lot of bearing on how they are in real day-to-day life.

I understand that FFXI is an online community, full of real people, and this kind of thing is going to happen. I guess I wish more people would just play, and enjoy playing with each other, instead of running around looking for an ingame romance.

/end rant