I find I tend to lean towards tough ladies with strong personalities. (Ava from Wayhaven, Carrie from Tin Star, Mabelin from The Magician’s Burden, ect.)
But I’m curious, what do you look for in an interactive fiction romantic partner?
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Like you, ladies, as for the personality traits, exactly opposite - I like them softer, gentler, more than tough and strong.
Carrie is really cool though.
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Would be fun to have a yandere RO for once.
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Not gonna lie, I’m drawn to sappy romances and slow burns. As for personality, I like ROs that are kind and caring (even if they hide it really well), and those that are driven by some motivation and have a purpose (no matter what they may be). I’m also a shameless sucker for tragic backstories so yeah, that too.
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I mostly look for interesting, well written characters. I have my preferences but being an interesting character is by far the biggest part to likablility for me.
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I love complicated and angsty romances for the most part - enemies to lovers, that sort of thing. Beyond that, I want interesting and dynamic characters whose actions and behaviours make sense within the story and world. I also really enjoy romances where your actions can impact the RO’s personality / choices and vice versa.
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Guys that aren’t forceful, but not unsure/timid either. I can like the dorky moment, but more than that is a turn off.
I like a lot both the grumpy-but really a softie type, and the fun and friendly one. Even better if the story start with my girl and him clashing personalities.
I like see the relationship develop from there to a tentative trust, than respect to each other and admiration, and than love.
I like see the evolution in the story.
The most interesting thing owever…is for the guy to be interesting as a character. Is surely the first step in the right direction.
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sweats
Hmm yeah.
I’ve been thinking of including one in my game 
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If we’re talking archetypes, I’m more drawn to the kuudere ones. Generally, though, my preference for male and female characters are different? For ladies I like the…awe-inspiring leader type. Failing that, any sort of ikemen lady would do. Knight types, general types, queen types, brigand chief types, I’d take any of those. Fill my eyes with stars and I’d be in love with the ladies.
For guys, I prefer people who are in more of an support/counterpart role. Guys who are my sidekick, who are the Q to my James Bond (or my M, as the case may be), the mission control to my astronaut, my reliable partner. Give me a shoulder to lean on when we’re shooting baddies back to back and I’m yours.
Both ends of the ROs should have goals and aspirations that either I or my character can admire. I like people with principles to uphold to goals to reach.
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…Totally didn’t have to look up a couple of those terms, nope.
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I like female only…
honestly , I don’t know how I could describe them . I mean , it isn’t like a food menue lol .
I don’t like romance that are…clingy…damselle like…
I like some back bone in the romance . Yet make you feel equal ? like you can romance someone and you are above them in rank but you don’t get the feel of ‘Ah I’m their superior , smirk ohh kinky!’’ . I get that some peoples frown on such relationship between rank , but I mean when its well done…it become of personal taste if the rank in question should bother you . if it doesn’t , you just feel equal . Like I dont have to babysit said character . I dont want them to look up to me with sad puppy eyes .
and when I pull rank during a normal discussion , it shouldn’t impact the relationship because the character should be a grown up and know that there is difference between job talk and romance talk .
I like cheery character , those who have an easy-going personality . But I also like them when they know when to be seriouse . Nothing irritate me more then an easy going personality that don’t know when to stop the jokes lol .
I like tragic character , but I also like it when they assume the sadness of their background .
A good character like that , doesn’t want your pity but has dignity about the whole situation . They don’t seek attention or whatever…and they certainly don’t go all butthurt about it . I mean , I understand when it’s Too sensitive…but a mature character wouldn’t throw tantrum if you inquire .
I like mature characters , those are rare .
I also don’t like fling character , or character that are supposed to fit a trope kind of thing .
I like a character that I don’t need to hold their hands (well I wanna lol) just don’t wanna babysit them…emotionally .
Right , what I mean by Babysitting a character is…I think there is a place and a time for a character to pester you with existancial questions . Add to that , it feel like babysitting cose the said character will go to you and you alone with those questions . It just annoying . Why my character when you have others character around you can pester ? others character with better tools to help even .
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I think more than anything else, I want ROs who can impress me, catch my interest and make me wonder what cool/dangerous/crazy thing they’re going to do next. I also want someone who’s tied to the story, whose presence feels necessary, not just a pretty optional extra. And while a certain level of crazy is fine, they have to actually be nice to the MC. Banter, friendly rivalry and the odd disagreement is fine, but if someone acts like a constant jerk then I’m not going to waste time digging to see if they’ve got a hidden heart of gold.
In Superlatives: Aetherfall, I loved Lord/Lady Dusk. Their sense of mystery and power, and the drama of their role in the finale, was fantastic.
In Heroes Rise, I’m all about Black Magic. Sure, they’re a controversial character and basically a hot mess, but my god, I was not bored for a single second around them.
In Fatehaven, my favourite was Silvanus/Silvana, by a wide margin. Again, cool dark powers, and a huge dramatic role in the game’s finale.
In Wayhaven, every RO is equal on the ‘cool dark powers’ front since they’re all vampires, but personality-wise it’s a tie between N and F. I haven’t even tried A or M’s routes, because they’re not warm enough towards the MC to catch my interest.
In The Last Wizard, I liked the royal siblings best, since they felt most connected to the main story - and I liked Destin/y better than Ada/m, since the former is sweeter.
Right now I’m playing Weyrwood, and my favourite romance so far is Wren. He’s the only RO I’ve managed to include in the plot to save the town, which means extra little moments of interaction, and feeling like his romance is a more significant one. Plus when you first meet him, he’s messing with weird magic that he shouldn’t be. I’m not sure why that’s such a point of endearment for me, but there it is.
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Mainly into guys, and so far only really interested in the guys/male versions of ROs on CoG, though when I do get into romance with the girls, I fall very, very hard.
Anyway, I like quiet guys. Be it because they’re simply shy, or the “I don’t trust the world and I couldn’t care less if the rest of the universe disappeared.” I like the moment when you earn their trust completely. If the romance is written well, it’s one of the truest highlights of an experience.
Type wise, more than anything else, I really like mismatched traits. Someone impulsive dragging someone cautious into crazy schemes; a gentle, kind person mixed with the angry-at-the-word kind. I like when a romance involves people balancing each other.
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Money.
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I don’t, actually. Look for ROs. At all. I look for friendship routes and don’t find them, so I settle for ROs.
What I’m willing to settle for is usually a grown woman who knows her mind. Nonbinary ROs are also nice, but as with the friendship routes, scarce.
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From my friend Gene: The weirdest, most dominant, or most inappropriate girl I can find.
For example
Inappropriate: In Empyrean you meet a Tarzan girl. She certainly doesn’t seem mat…stable enough to be in any sort of romantic relationship.
In Heroes Rise the second protagonist series: Did that game have ROs all the characters besides JK were bland and dull. So the only character who wasn’t bland and dull.
Community College Hero: Everyone’s favorite Junkie Dirty Girl
Original Heroes Rise the insane psychopathic Yandere Prodigal
Weird: The Sphynx, The Amnesiac NB Maid, An army of robot women, others I can’t remember.
Dominant: Violet in The Magicians burden.
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https://pics.me.me/ah-see-you-re-a-man-of-culture-as-well-17311219.png
I’m like @Dagger1819, I always seem to gravitate towards the ladies with really strong personalities. I have a really…complicated personality myself so I probably want someone who knows what that’s like.
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When I go for male ROs, I’m more drawn to the softer/kinder ones. The more aggressive types really don’t do it for me, since I deal with enough of those in real life.
I’m less picky with female ROs. Not sure if I have a set preference, but I do love the more pragmatic types with a softer side (like Morgana from Guenevere).
Genuinely fun characters of any gender are also a good choice! Lohse from Divinity: Original Sin 2 has one of my favorite romances in any kind of media, and F from Wayhaven is just as delightful.
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I almost exclusively romance males and I look for kindness and sweetness. I might be getting old, but the exciting bad boy type I enjoyed when I was young now will always come second to someone who is dedicated and gentle. Friends-to-lovers is highly appealing.
Also, I’m always looking for a forever-type love rather than a fling!
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Wreeeeeeeeeeeen! 
Delightful RO!