I can see you joined the thread in the same year as me, so you may remember when AWAM wasn't "just a porn game," even if that's basically what it is now, (albeit one that's due to end some time in the 2050s, if ever), because of the directions it's taken, owing to the Dev's decisions. I don't agree that the characters aren't interesting. If they were just dull cyphers for porn-game style sex, that's what would certainly make them uninteresting but you can judge for yourself by the comments, arguments & debates that this is not so for many followers.
As for the sex, which most fans know is long years away & may never happen, I would contend that sex is only one of the reasons that people still play this in such numbers. AWAM does contain plentiful sexual situations, of varying degrees of realism. There are 100s of games catering for anyone wanting the wham bam approach to sex. [Whilst it's not a case of 'play one & you've played them all,' they can get boring quite quickly. It often looks like a case of over-supply].
I've never paid anything towards this story & nor will I, based on the pace of development, which to put it very diplomatically is less than optimal. What keeps me coming back is twofold curiousity, 1. to see how long AWAM lasts & 2. to see what happens next.