Now, I want to amend that: You don't like someone? I don't want to know.
Here's why: It completely interrupts my RP experience with both parties, and at some point, it starts to feel manipulative. Even if that's not the intention, that's how it feels. I can't relax and just enjoy the game if I think one person is going to get offended by my choice of RP partner. Knowing that two people I RP with don’t get along puts me in a really awkward spot. If my characters seem to gravitate towards one of their characters, it really can seem like I personally am choosing that player over the other. Furthermore, if I'm concerned about your reaction to my RPing seriously with the other person, I keep it to myself and then it looks like I'm keeping secrets.
And let's not kid ourselves, we can tout the party line 'it's just a game' all day long, but the moment we exchange an ooc message that has nothing to do with the game, we become real people to each other.
I should never have to spend an hour staring at my computer screen, wondering if something that my completely fictional character is about to say or do to another fictional character will make the real person behind that character mad at me. Especially if it results in my character not going through with that thing. You know what happens then? I get stressed out because it means I might have missed out on a fantastic RP with someone else.
This all goes triple if there's any threat, veiled or otherwise, that my RPing with someone you don't like might may upset you or cause you to leave. Listen, I will get along with every single one of you, but I can't hold anyone's hand the the game. Period. Senia might, if you're a newbie, but that's a different story.
Now, I'm sure that all sounded super-bitchy, and for that, I'm sorry. But the message remains the same. I can't let concern for someone else's feelings dictate the way my characters behave, particularly if I'm forcing them to do something they wouldn't, or preventing them from doing something they would.
Some of you might call me hypercritical. After all, I made it pretty clear in the past that I had issues with another player or two. Well, I named that player only with people who also had issues with them (we were commiserating) and people that would probably never end up RPing with them. Even so, I never complained in any way to make the other person think that I was trying to prevent them from ever RPing with those players.
Oh, and I still RP with those players.
Yep. I do. We don't talk ooc at all anymore, but our characters are still friends. There was no good reason to end those relationships.
All of this being said, I don't want anyone to think this is a personal attack. It's not. Yes, I did come to this conclusion after a couple of specific situations, but I'm not placing blame anywhere, and this really applies to everyone.
I just don't want to know. I don't want to know if you were once RL best friends and he punched you in the face. I don't want to know if you are sisters and she stole your boyfriend and you haven't spoken in ten years. I don't. Want. To know. If I get along with and RP well with Person A, and I get along and RP with Person B, it should have no impact on me if A and B have restraining orders against each other. Leave me out of it.
I’m using this as a ‘learning experience’ going forward, and an attempt to clarify my playing style. I really don’t want to hear what went down between you and someone else if you're telling me just to get me away from that person, and I will do my best not to talk shit about someone else (all bets are off, however, if they've been doing so about me).