The Story's Plot

Before you consider joining an RP, what do you look for, in a story line plot? What exactly engages you personally, and what would keep you interested?

When you're making an RP, do you get inspiration to create your own plot in your RP's given story? Or do you just like making one from scratch? What types of stories and plots do you tend to create the most? Feel free to share any thoughts. ^^

I generally like RPs with optional plot, or plot-light. I love creating my own stories in these worlds, rather than placing my characters in already planned out plotting. I do like it when it's clear that there are background events happening in the world, or plot elements that don't dictate but do affect my own plotting.

I do sometimes like a more set plot for an RP, but it does really have to be the focus. If there's a certain set of actions that the player characters have to take, I want that to be interesting and well-defined in its limits.

Who's Kiyo? said:

After all, the format cannot be a video game and have overly intricate mechanics; we're basically making serial fiction.

Click to expand...

Depends. You certainly can try to make roleplays that have more game/achievement like styles to them than being like writing boundary-less novels together. From my experience the more freeform RPs - simple, as you call them - seem to live on for longer though. Maybe it's generally easier for the players to feel like they are in control of their characters and the plot, there, than if it's a too rigid system.

Generally what draws me to am RP is either an interesting world or fun character options. The story is more like guidelines for me, telling me what direction I can go in, but letting me decide how to get there. I've been in some games where story is light and players make the decision how the plot goes, and those tend to be more chaotic: very creative, but not very organized, and sometimes two characters feel like their stories are happening in two different worlds.

I feel the only time story can hinder an RP is when the story takes a sharp turn partway through. For many, this can be a fun twist, but I think I've been jolted out of my comfort zone too often by this. If, for example, the RP presents itself as a fun adventure story with freedom to do whatever you want, the second act shouldn't turn into a dark tale of hunting down the criminal gang that burned down your hometown, then get darker from there. That's not what I signed up for!

Grittier settings tend to draw me in more. Somewhere that I can go and basically vent a post out with the least amount of backlash. Original worlds, original plots and welcoming GMs. I like trying to be creative, and it's really nice when a GM will be creative with you and create something beyond what you or they had originally imagined for the whole shebang.