Happy/Sad Endings

[Durandal]

I hate happy endings.

I really do.

They usually feel forced, and unrealistic. Obviously in some settings, that's not entirely a bad thing, after all, I EXPECT a High Fantasy setting to have a happy ending. But I generally like doing the unexpected. Tragedy defines characters better than happy endings would. A happy ending leaves that character's future, essentially, open. It leaves them undefined at the end, and with no true defining point, the memory of them kind of fades.

But if it is a tragic ending, or an ending where they receive what they want, but generally at a horrible price such as their own life, that DEFINES who they are, it defines what they will do, and how they react to the future will make them change as a person. I find tragedy inspires change, and change inspires interest.

[Taerinn]

Sadly, every RP I've joined never got even remotely close to the point of getting an ending. Some were pretty close, never got to the end. However, what I prefer is all depending on the roleplay and what the theme that said roleplay has. I don't know, it all just depends on me too. I sometimes aim for happy, sad, or a mix of both.

This is my stance, haha. Although for some reason I tend to create characters with a sad/tragic end in mind, for me it just makes them more compelling. Also in my case, it has nothing to do with being sadistic or enjoying watching characters suffer, it just feels like there's a more of a point to a story if something bad happens. Characters have to struggle in order to grow, and maybe some characters never really get out of that struggle, or perhaps when it's too late...

Although I do seriously envy my friend, she's had roleplays go on for so long that her and others' characters have gotten married and had kids, and their kids grew up and had kids... ._.;;;

[Holeypaladin]

Being a cynic, I tend to go with the "Nothing you did even matters" ending. You might have beaten this bad guy, but someone else will take his place, the cycle will repeat itself, and by the end of next year, you'll need to pick up your sword/gun/plasma rifle again to thwart his plans as well.

No happy endings. Even a "tragic" death doesn't seem so tragic if you don't have anything worth living for to begin with. Victory or Defeat are the only two options I consider. I generally go with Victory... but at a cost.

[Hellis]

I like a mixed bag, ready to go please?

Pure tragedy will get very tedius to play, really quickly. Triumph endings can be fun, if you feel you really deserve it. By this i means there must have been sacrifices along the road, the end must be seen as natural conclusion, a true struggle. Also: HAPPY ENDING NEED A EPILOGUE. Just going we, won. Lets go home /end is lazy. Little footnotes about what happened to your characters is needed, both for closure and definition. Did the badass old warrior finnaly retire? Di d he go on to loose himself in battle. Did something else rear its ugly head? Was this just another day?

Super tragic ending can be the way to go, if characters involved and their players seem to be heading down that road. But they tend to feel equally forced as a happy ending. "OH HE DIED". How?,. Why? Becouse you needed draa. Sorry, but you are being a cop out. Tragic death? Did it come as natural thing, a suprise, what? It all depends on context, It should be handled with care.

Afterall. A story is all about the beginning, the middle, the end.

[BloodVendetta]

Whatever helps concrete the overall feel and vision of the RP, regardless of if it's a happy or sad ending, if it's true to the vision then you are good to go

[Jannah]

I tend to like more tragic endings myself. I find that a lot of happy endings are cliche and/or cheesy.

[Sadko]

I like the endings that make you think alot afterwards, what really happened? what if? The things that can easily create a massive discussion.

[Wolves]

Tragic,
It leaves a mark.

[Terraniux]

Depends.
I hate cheesey happy endings, like in a battle scenario. Say the good guys are out numbered 1-10, and they somehow pull it off without a single death? Or maybe at the most three? No! No way!

The only dark endings I like are when the bad guy has his shit in gear. Like he's got every move made and it's a checkmate. Or I also like some betrayals and sacrifices. Like the good guy gets the "totally sexy" girl with a shady past and she stabs him in the back. And like when the good guys are out numbered, but they make one badass last stand before getting slaughtered...Kinda like the Spartans sorta scenario. Kinda

Only way I like happy endings is if it's like a (realistic)romantic (fuck realistic here:)comedy, or if the good guys actually deserve the happy ending. As long as the good guys lost some friends, along with at least one main character. Like Transformers 3 when Ironhide died(WHYYYYYY?!)(Just when he died, and the "final showdown", forget the rest), or Halo Reach when...nevermind...Reach wasn't happy. Reach has a kind of tragic ending I like though.

[VioletWhirlwind]

Depends.

I used to like happy endings, but then I took a reality check to -- ok, I'll stop with the cheesy memes.

All joking aside, I DID used to write only happy endings. (not that I've been in many RP's that have actually reached their designated end...this is more about writing in general.) Then life happened. And now I'm a cynic. Happy endings are still nice, but...a little unrealistic. I prefer bittersweet, personally. It has more "oomph." Like, say...the main character survives, but loses many of those that are close to her, and gets her entire idealistic views of the world shattered by the grim, bitter truth. (Man...I AM cynical...) Although...I like to leave it open for subsequent stories to possibly redeem things every now and then...a kind of...light at the end of the tunnel. But then...what if that light is just an oncoming train? XP