Public houses and sponsors are the standard. Cybersex, Prostitution and Inevitability of Sex
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A large part of the community is not even aware of the existence of gentlemen’s clubs in these games. Of course, they were created by players themselves. Entire guilds are formed to provide appropriate services to those seeking companionship. Some servers in Final Fantasy XIV are, in fact, entirely about that.
The way it works is rather straightforward, so I won't waste your time explaining. These establishments are prosperous, and prices are quite high. Owners of these houses in Final Fantasy XIV often invest in appropriate decor and clothing for the fille de joie so that customers have varied choices. The diverse offerings are meant to attract pickier players.
While researching this text, I came across a number of references that indicate relatively few people using public houses in Final Fantasy XIV were exactly after cybersex. Most simply want to have a casual conversation, simply interact with the other person, flirt on the chat and give and receive some affection. In fact, customers prefer to refer to the workers as geisha (who are entertainers, rather than prostitutes).
Some say women have it easier in MMORPGs. You know, with a bunch of dudes around, a girl will always be special. Over time, she would get better equipment and more gold, and the guild master would lose head for her. After all, everyone wanted to defend their shaman in Metin 2, am I right?
It's quite charming, actually, with all this gallantry. I myself still tend to just unwittingly treat girls differently in online games. But there are also people who take it much further. Another form of prostitution in online games are the sugar daddies, who have also been around for a long time.
. I mean, if we're talking human instincts, then taking advantage of someone is definitely in there – and these arrangements are never charity. Very generous players usually expect something in return, and cybersex is pretty much one step away at this point. So be careful, ladies, who you accept gifts from. And boys, if you're looking for a good investment, then just go ahead and create a pretty she-elf and go make a fortune. You'd be surprised how much money can be made that way (at least one guy told me).
SACKED OVER CYBERSEX
In 2008, an unusual situation occurred. Funcom just released Age of Conan, a pretty brutal MMORPG in which nudity wasn't unusual. One of the players had a problem, so he wrote to a Game Master for help. See, a role-play happened, and it went too far. The GM took the character and the player to a more intimate location, and proceeded to giving indecent propositions, and saying stuff that should definitely be said if you're at work. How did it end?
The player broke, admitted he had lied about being a woman, and reportedly exclaimed "THIS IS SPARTA!" Funcom did not find this amusing and fired the employee.
