Life is relative often. Personally I’ll pass on being romanticized. By definition romanticized is nice way of saying that what is being said is unrealistic or exaggerated. Romanticized is by definition not accurately true. I am many things I will not list so as to not brag (or defame) myself, I am not a king or a god though and that’s ok. My accomplishments speak for themselves and I can hold my head high because of what I do every day. But to each their own. I’d rather just be respected or honored for my actual accomplishments as to me, praise feels empty when it is just fluff. And why on earth would I want to be a king? Kings are usually hereditary and aren’t appointed on merit. A good number were inbred and insane
Reframe the game and suddenly- You my friend are no NPC. You are the protagonist of a sand box game. No plot, no expectations to be forced in to. Explore, craft, or just enjoy the scenery. There’s plenty to do but nothing that you must do. Follow your whims and passions, don’t play someone else’s game or just be a prop in the background. Play your own game the way you want to play it. It may not be a private server- but just because these players chose X class and are farming for Y drop- that doesn’t mean we should feel like we have to do that too right? Do you. The game doesn’t have to be anything but what you make it.
I dunnoh. I’m with you by and large. Almost everyone needs some form of affirmation- but if you’re gonna praise me- do it on something specific- something real. If I slap together a half assed job and you tell me how great it is- I know it isn’t great- and you’re full of crap. If you tell me I’m a “king” then I know you just can’t think of anything to actually compliment me on. “This is a good job for a rush job. Should hold over.” “You did that quick!” Real. Honest. But if you’re gonna call me a “super star” or something and I actually deserve it... I already know, and if it surprises me you called me a super star I probably didn’t earn it.
I suppose it could help ward off low self-esteem, or something.