"Roleplay Corner is intimidating!!"

[moon]

For my it's less the forum itself and more forum roleplaying as a whole. I used to forum roleplay. A lot. It's how I first started roleplaying and for years it's what I did. If this was say.... ten-fifteen years ago ( a looong time ago ) the roleplay forum would be the board I would be in most often!

But the thing is I can't seem to find forum roleplaying appealing anymore. Not compared to the kind of roleplaying that I do now. Maybe one day I'll give it another try, but for the time being I'm actually trying to get back into roleplay on the site I normally roleplay at these days before I try to go back into roleplaying on forums again.

What's it like, the kind of roleplaying you're doing nowadays? :) nothing says the RPC can't evolve.

 

[alisaie]

It's a different format. The site itself is a blogging site and so each roleplay game is set in a community. There's threads where a character post and other characters respond, and then logs when certain characters thread something out. Posts/Threads are normally done in a different format than logs which would be your usual prose.

The best thing about this format is that you can backdate much easier than with forum roleplaying. Forum roleplaying is a lot more streamlined so if you have to take a hiatus from a roleplay you normally have to have your character do something and you can't do back and play things out because that time has already passed. But with the roleplay I do, if life got in the way and you couldn't thread something out with someone, you can still do it even if it's been say... two weeks. You can also thread things out at any pace you wish which is great for people with lives.

Of course there are activity checks in actual games to make sure people are actually doing something with their characters and they're not just sitting on them hahah. And another big different is that mostof the character played in games are fandom characters rather than original characters though many games accept original characters as well.

There's not just games, either. There's memes which you play out a prompt in a thread, and then there are psls which you do with any number of people. They're normally posted on meme communities or in your own personal musebox.

Honestly though, I suck at explaining this it's much easier to just show it lmao. However, because it's on a blog site it'll likely be really hard to implement on a forum.

 

[Nakuzami]

Thanks for the help, gimme and Rika. I know the RPC isn't really an intimidating section per say, I just thought that I'd get this primary concern out of chest. If CSS isn't like, wholly necessary or anything, then that makes me happier (especially seeing that there's templates that are provided, that makes things all the better!).

css is sooo unnecessary and it honestly depends on the rp. I'm not one to speak really since I use it almost all the time though, haha. I just like fiddling around with it and making interesting posts! but there are roleplays where css posts are almost non-existent. Pokémon Odyssey, for example, has almost no css except for the basic css I use (which is mainly just [insert icon] [insert slightly bigger post title text here] since it would seem out of place if I did a post with complex css)

so yeah nobody really cares if you use css. it's personal preference, really!

Would newcomers be more inclined to join a stickied roleplay with no word limit and a very simple setup and sign up phase, perhaps? The proper roleplays are the main attraction of course, but if it's really difficult to find one you like and you just want to get to know people and learn how things are done... Maybe it would be a good idea to have something like that? We mentioned in some chat somewhere an idea of a Pokémon Mystery Dungeon-esque setting where people simply picked a pokémon and a nickname and jumped into it. RPC regular or not. I just wouldn't want people to stay there forever xD

yee! this is more what I meant when Dreamland was being discussed as a concept, I think. I mean, I like how it is now, but y'know, availability to newbies and all

For me, the RP Corner doesn't really seem that intimidating. If I had to list it as something, it would probably be just time consuming. RPing looks fun, but for me to participate I would really love to put a lot of effort into it since I'd tend and like writing long stuff as well as I don't want to have to suddenly leave (my schedule rn is up and down) if I was interacting with someone.

omg ask any of the rp chumps above, I'm so slow it's not even funny. it certainly is time consuming and that's really my only complaint about it, which is why you want to find a story that intrigues you and write a character that inspires you, that way the writing becomes less of a chore in "oh I need to get a post done crap" and more fun with the occasional "crap I forgot I actually need to get a post done haha lemme do that in like two seconds it's simple"

^basically me. I have been known to just, um

suddenly leave (my schedule rn is up and down) if I was interacting with someone.

 

[Salzorrah]

Tbh, I have popped in and out of the RPC section, and what I can tell you is that you guys are amazing. Like your bond is so close, it's inseparable. I have joined some RPs, but I personally can't commit to what you guys do. I love writing stuff, roleplaying, but it's just too intense for me. Rika, imagine RPC as FLARP. You and Magic are the Scourge Sisters, the regulars are like Aradia and Tavros, and I'm just little ol' Nepeta. I'm basically a really light roleplayer. Sure I can really put my heart out there, but the dedication you guys put through in the section is something I can't do. That's why I do Mafia instead, since I can roleplay but at the same time, it isn't that much as detailed and rigorous as the ones in RPC.

Don't get me wrong, don't change guys, I love how you guys really put the effort in all of your posts, and I wonder how you keep track of everything, really. What I am saying is that the other people find the RPC too intimidating, simply because your dedication is too much for the newbs to handle. I personally think a really lighthearted RP could potentially be an answer for newbies to join?

 

[Zehn]

I found it scary, talked to Klippy about it but... I'm not in the mood to write a text wall all day

 

[Pendraflare]

I think the main reason why I never post in the section is because I'm not very good with creative writing plus the fact I'd have to make very long, constructive posts is not really good for someone with a hectic life such as myself.

Something like this, and while I do like writing, it's hard for me to picture myself in an adventure and fitting in like the way most roleplayers do.

 

[moon]

I found it scary, talked to Klippy about it but... I'm not in the mood to write a text wall all day

Believe me, most roleplayers are lazy bums 8) a few posts a week and you're okay. You can join roleplays that suit your activity level, also. Some post every day, others work on a jp (joint post) for a month before the final post sees the forums.

Something like this, and while I do like writing, it's hard for me to picture myself in an adventure and fitting in like the way most roleplayers do.

It might be a matter of practice too. You won't learn unless you try :3 but I'm not going to force anybody to join the RPC haha. It's just valuable to hear any kind of reason for why it's not somebody's cup of tea, because we want to work on making it more appealing.

 

[Mana1]

but I'm not going to force anybody to join the RPC haha

So when you said "throw all those members in the van and drag them to RPC" you were kidding!? Dx

I jest.

Writing is tough and often time consuming, definitely. If you reckon you have the time for one/two posts a week consider having a read and finding something you like :). Often, when it's a character/story that you find intriguing or cool then the words will flow easily anyway.~

 

[Aether★]

I'm not creative, I'm lazy and I don't show interest in doing that honestly haha.

 

[Ice1]

I don't think the RPC is intimidating, really. I jumped in with extremely minor prior experience, around a month ago. People were very nice and accepting, and were very helpful to get me started. I do CSS by stealing the CSS of other people, and fiddling around with it, which is the best way to learn it. And with the template thread being there now, CSS isn't really something you should worry about.

 

[GreenFlame]

I don't fully understand roleplay or the expectations for characters and posts. I'm afraid I might write bad characters or character interactions, or mess up the story :(.

 

[moon]

I don't fully understand roleplay or the expectations for characters and posts. I'm afraid I might write bad characters or character interactions, or mess up the story :(.

You can get a lot of guidance by posting in the roleplay DCC thread :) we love seeing new faces and there are a lot of regulars who can help you find a rp that suits you. But to fully learn, you've gotta take the leap and try~

 

[Winter]

Just to really prove the CSS is nothing required to roleplay and to put that subject entirely at ease, I don't embellish my posts with CSS. At all. The most formatting I'll ever go is font design. Never expect me to waste time boxing my words up lol.

So really, nobody cares if your posts lack CSS (and you don't have to bother learning how to if you don't feel like it). :3 (in fact I personally prefer posts without CSS because not everyone makes CSS readable and aesthetically pleasing :d)

 

[Megan]

I've participated in a couple RPs on other forums in the past and they always went into the same direction: the other people build tons of ingame relationships, including tons of metastories, leading to massive constructs of thought through posts, while I mostly stayed for myself, writing my own stuff and stretching my posts to greater lengths by describing the environment.

I'm not really a fan of constructing/reading long posts and writing stories, let alone ingame interactions, so I don't feel the need to got to the RP section.

 

[alisaie]

man, switching to dreamwidth roleplay I have to say really changed me. I looked into the Roleplay Theater the other day and I was just... overwhelmed? Like it's amazing the posts that you guys do but at the same time I almost felt like things were disconnected. I dunno. Maybe I'm just used to more interaction between characters and it didn't seem like most of that outside of joint posts happened but hey I could be wrong.

I just feel like if I ever did try roleplaying here I wouldn't really be able to do it like how you guys do.

 

[Melody]

In short; Yes.

There is no outlet in the roleplay corner for informal, or casual RP.

Rules 6, 10, and 11 are my primary reasons for choosing not to fly with PC's RC. I also find the community there somewhat picky...though this is a very old impression from my newbie days and may be changeable. There are a few other reasons I avoid serious roleplaying too; but I won't go into details, and it has a lot to do with how people judge quality posts or character development. This can make the community environment feel critical and this absolutely extinguishes my urge to create.

 

[moon]

In short; Yes.

There is no outlet in the roleplay corner for informal, or casual RP.

Rules 6, 10, and 11 are my primary reasons for choosing not to fly with PC's RC. I also find the community there somewhat picky...though this is a very old impression from my newbie days and may be changeable. There are a few other reasons I avoid serious roleplaying too; but I won't go into details, and it has a lot to do with how people judge quality posts or character development. This can make the community environment feel critical and this absolutely extinguishes my urge to create.

That's a pity. But yeah, we do want to create qualitative work here. You wouldn't want to play a sloppy hack, we don't want to play a sloppy RP :)

 

[Melody]

That's a pity. But yeah, we do want to create qualitative work here. You wouldn't want to play a sloppy hack, we don't want to play a sloppy RP :)

I am sure you roleplayers could make a quality form of roleplay that requires less interaction and investment. But unfortunately your reaction is exactly the thing I find offputting about the general serious roleplaying community here.

 

[Ice1]

In short; Yes.

There is no outlet in the roleplay corner for informal, or casual RP.

Rules 6, 10, and 11 are my primary reasons for choosing not to fly with PC's RC. I also find the community there somewhat picky...though this is a very old impression from my newbie days and may be changeable. There are a few other reasons I avoid serious roleplaying too; but I won't go into details, and it has a lot to do with how people judge quality posts or character development. This can make the community environment feel critical and this absolutely extinguishes my urge to create.

As someone who only got into creative writing 2 months ago, and really didn't do it since his 12th, the attitude people had to me strolling in has been great. I have been getting nothing but either positive or constructive feedback. Especially things like the bigger journey RP's are very welcoming, and overall are a bit more casual. You're free to make up your own story and roll with it. I have not experienced the community being overly critical to any character development, and while comments on post are given, for instance if someone makes a lot of grammatical errors, it's never been mean or demeaning, but always just constructive criticism, from my experience. If you are ever interested, there is room in Stars of Sinnoh, it's very casual, the pace really isn't that high, and most of us are quite new to the whole roleplaying thing.

 

[moon]

a quality form of roleplay that requires less interaction and investment.

I... don't really understand. Interaction and investment kind of are the heart and soul of forum roleplaying, at least here. We easily become passionate about roleplays we create or join and want to invest a lot of time and thought in it. Without interaction, the writing becomes (fan)fiction, so interaction is crucially a huge part of it all. Of course one cannot be passionate about everything in life, but roleplaying is very fun if you dive deep into it :)

But we don't disallow more casual RPs with simpler sign up procedures and loose plots or short timespans, not at all :) And you certainly don't have to write out a novel each time you post. 100 words isn't that much, this post has already reached longer.

And like Ice says, we're not a closed off community that frowns at newcomers at least. I hope :3