Where is the originality?

[NikoSmith]

Because it seems to be missing. I came on the RPG guild just to find other players who had creative visions and want to express them, share them and have others interact in the worlds they create or even better, create worlds together. However I have found nothing but fandoms and spin-offs. Am I missing something? Because the only place that is left untouched is the Advance Section and sometimes I don't want to go to advanced in order to have an original roleplay. I would love to go to the casual section and see a plethora of original works.

So why is it that when someone proposes an original idea they don't make it to day one of IC, but when a fandom emerges they seem to kick it into high gear. Am I missing something. I'm truly venting and I'm on drugs...prescription.

[Kestrel]

This again?

*searches for previous originality-bitching thread*

Here you go:

As it's been stated in many threads like this, fandom RP's (since that's what I'm pretty sure what you're referring to when you say "lacking in originality") thrive because they're easy to understand. They utilize a pre-made universe and concept rather than having the GM make up their own, which can be quite useful considering that way the RPers joining won't have to spend time trying to learn some complex world or setup- if they're a fan of the series, then they know all they need to know, generally. It's the same reason why overused tropes such as wolf pack, high school and zombie apocalypse threads are so common- people have seen it enough times and, hey, they understand it. On the other end of the spectrum, the more original ideas are harder to understand due to the very definition of original- "never seen before". It's new, it's something potential RPers have to learn, and it can be confusing, which is why the most original ideas, most often fail, while more overused ideas and fandom RP's fill up the forum. It's not that no one's coming up with original ideas, just that the non-original ideas have a higher success rate, and for good reason. Not a bad thing, just how it is.

Also:

Why does "everyone" like or dislike X or Y (now)?

Because they do or do not, move on and shut up.

Most things are unused or disliked due to player unfamiliarity or the assumption that fellow RPs can not be trusted with what they are given.

As for likes, people like what they like. RPGuild has fads and phases like any other part of the world, some people like them and others don't, but there isn't a need to Raise-Cain about it.

How come "nobody" plays X or Y type of RPs or does (not) add W and/or Z (anymore)?

They either do and you're being too anal about your requirements for joining an RP or you didn't see that one gem that was posted a couple/few days/minutes ago and must go hunting for it, now.

You can also try making your own RP or talking with some friends to try and make your own, because complaining about it wont help.

Also: I'm running an original RP that has lasted for over a year now and is still attracting new people... In casual. There's a number of other original RP's out there that do similar things. Also it's December this month and guess what that means?

[Dervish]

Plain and simple, it's not so much that people roleplaying fandoms aren't being creative, perhaps not in the way you're thinking, perhaps, but the main reason people are drawn to fandoms is because it's an established universe that everyone already knows the rules and settings without having to constantly refer to the first OOC post to make sure they've got everything right. I myself like a mixture of creative, original ideas and fandoms, but generally the fandoms seem to have a bit more staying power, which is unfortunate. I've been in quite a few RPs that had fantastic premises but people didn't stick with it. And it is a shame. But for every fandom RP that's made with little thought (usually just after a game or movie comes out where people want to insert their own ideas into what they just saw), there's several wonderfully done ones that really took a life of it's own. For myself, it's why I find Mass Effect and The Elder Scrolls so fascinating, because both are rich in setting, lore, and what have you, but there's so much you can do with it to tell an original story with a fantastic cast of characters that can have nothing to do with the plots of any of the games. For instance, my Mass Effect RP takes place nearly a decade before the first game, and my Elder Scrolls one is 5 years after the events of Skyrim. It may not seem like a lot at first glance, but it leaves a lot of room for your own ideas to work.

I myself am working on a couple original ideas, but need to flesh them out more and wait until things aren't so busy on my end. The problem with one, which is a sci-fi Western/Colony concept where ideally the players would help flesh out the world, is I'm uncertain of if to include alien races or not because that would involve creating something that may look one way in my own head, but different in somebody else's. And that's what it kind of comes down to with original concepts, there's a bit of a barrier that needs to be overcome to make sure everyone's on the same page. What I'll probably end up doing is let people make their own ideas and incorporate it into a potluck of sorts and see what happens. Ideally, it would end up creating a colony, a world, that everyone's a part of and a lot of interesting character ideas and motivations can happen in a land where technology can be as advanced as laser rifles or as primative as a wood and rock spear that everyone has been exiled to.

The other one I'm working on is an alternate history, WWI era roleplay involving people with supernatural abilities that are common in the world they live in, but it's much more subdued and something the world's adapted to, so it's not like a Marvel comic where super powered humans are unstoppable forces of nature that have nearly limitless powers. It's more along the lines of something like Dishonored where the abilities someone may have can be useful in certain contexts as an aid, but you're still very vulnerable to everything else a human is. Anyways, I'm hoping it turns out being somewhat of an espionage/ political intrigue type setting where people flesh out the templates for the various nations and come up with some truly creative uses for what limited powers they may have. It's one of those things where sure, you may be able to move small things with your mind, but a guy with a handgun can probably do things better.

Both the ideas are in the early stages, and honestly, I want to make sure 100% they're something people can work with and take and run with before I throw those ideas into an OOC that I'm confident GMing. That's part of the reason I'm starting off GMing fandoms, it's practice for other ideas so I can make sure they work when I do finally take the plunge. As for the Advanced thing, don't be too afraid of it, most everyone there doesn't expect you to write six paragraphs every time to take part.

But one idea you can pursue is to make a group and invite people you think share a similar vision and purpose as you and try to create your own worlds that way, where there's a lot of behind the scenes planning and development, and several RPs are all linked together. Either way, don't lose hope! There's some diamonds in the rough, you just have to keep panning through the silt until you find one that's worth keeping.

[Zephyr116]

It takes less work to use a pre-created world than to imagine one of your own. Humans are inherently lazy.

2+2=4. Sorry if that sounds dickish. And I have the same problem as well. You're not alone.

[Aadoraa]

Personally, I end up putting a lot more into my original RPs than my fandoms. However, as said it's hard to get new people in on. I can make that first giant post to explain everything that you initially need to know, and then work it up from there... but why would someone want to have to go through an entire thread reading every single post that added something important to the world... and considering they don't know which those are, they have to read every post. It can be a ton of work to join into a standing original RP. For this reason, most people likely choose to do 1x1 and that can often be done through PMs so you would not always see it.

I love original RPs as I can put a ton more into it building the world as I go. But I love Angel Beats, and I love Halo and with that I love to RP a part of those worlds.

[Kagamine]

I was going to reply, but Kestrel already got mine.

In addition, though, casual generally has more fandom RP's than any other section (yes, even free). Advanced on the other hand tends to have a minimal amount, probably because advanced is where you'll find a lot more people putting a greater deal of effort into their roleplays, including trying to understand original ideas. As it's been said before, advanced isn't as scary as it sounds and you usually won't have to write 6+ paragraphs. The minimum is 2, actually, which the majority of casual posts reach.

If fandom RP's really bother you that much, then I think advanced is a much better fit for you. Perhaps you should try it?

[Frizan]

Originality is dieing because people are too stupid and lazy to actual put any sort of imagination or work into their rp. People would rather have a convenient story and setting, which allows them to CONTINUE being stupid and lazy, and then the cycle restarts.

[Dervish]

Originality is dieing because people are too stupid and lazy to actual put any sort of imagination or work into their rp. People would rather have a convenient story and setting, which allows them to CONTINUE being stupid and lazy, and then the cycle restarts.

Aren't you just a ball of pretentious sunshine?

[Rilla]

Because it seems to be missing. I came on the RPG guild just to find other players who had creative visions and want to express them, share them and have others interact in the worlds they create or even better, create worlds together. However I have found nothing but fandoms and spin-offs. Am I missing something? Because the only place that is left untouched is the Advance Section and sometimes I don't want to go to advanced in order to have an original roleplay. I would love to go to the casual section and see a plethora of original works.

So why is it that when someone proposes an original idea they don't make it to day one of IC, but when a fandom emerges they seem to kick it into high gear. Am I missing something. I'm truly venting and I'm on drugs...prescription.

createyourown also, stop doing drugs.

People like fandoms, therefore fandoms will be prominent. Bleach, Naruto, Zombies, blahblahblah

[Kestrel]

Originality is dieing because people are too stupid and lazy to actual put any sort of imagination or work into their rp. People would rather have a convenient story and setting, which allows them to CONTINUE being stupid and lazy, and then the cycle restarts.

I took the liberty of searching for a few of your RP's. Just to see where this sense of "I'm better than you" comes from. I found this; http://roleplayerguild.com/showthrea...ood-Riders-OOC

And then I read it.

Roughly four hundred years ago, a great war erupted between the citizens of Invictus, and dark beasts of unknown origins.

Invictus. A pretty famous poem, or the roman god of the sun. Probably the latter. What we have here is dark vs. light. Good vs. Evil. Okay.

The beasts had powers and technology that the mortal warriors had never seen nor heard of, but that did not stop them from fighting back. The warriors fought and fought and fought, but to no avail. The dark beasts beat them back.

Ten years passed, and the warriors had begun to lose hope. Some defected, most were killed in battle. They could barely keep their own cities defended, let alone launch attacks on the monsters. Then, four swordsmen rose up against the foul beings, and killed thousands in battle with the other warriors. They weaved through the battlefield on their steel-plated stallions and cut their foes down mercilessly.

Good guys are losing, then suddenly, a random rising of legendary heroes out of nowhere. Okay. At least they had armies, which takes away from the cliché. Leaves me the question where they got those armies and why they were known as swordsmen rather than generals, but hey let's not drag on that. This is about originality. I'm sure you have that explained somewhere during the IC.

Then, finally, after decades of conflict, the beasts retreated. The swordsmen and their armies arrived to battle one day, only to be met with empty plains and unmanned battlements. They had finally won. The swordsmen were given the title of "The Blood Riders", for their tendency to get soaked in the blood of their enemies as they rode on their mounts. After days of feasting and celebrating, everything was normal again. People went back to their normal routines, and the heroes put down their blades to help rebuild. As for who the heroes were, those details have been lost in history.

And standard end to the myth. I can't say I'm rocked off my socks by how incredibly original this is. However, your complaints were also about the setting, soooo let's go there. Maybe it's better.

Invictus is a large continent, consisting of forests, mountains, and plains. Hundreds of cities and small towns are scattered about the land. It is also multicultural. One could find many kinds of people roaming about, such as orcs, humans, elves, and dwarves. Animals roam freely, as the citizens of Invinctus no longer rely on them as their only source of food. Old ruins and forts of the battles of old are constantly being uncovered and explored, many having stashes of treasure hidden away.

No. Not really.

And that's the end of the OOC. The only thing, literally the only thing, that separates your fantasy RP from every cliché in the book, is that your legendary heroes had armies. That's it.

So how are you better than random naruto RP #459? Please, enlighten me.