Where is the originality?

[Kestrel]

It is harder to start an original roleplay. Indeed. However it is far from impossible. I've had quite a couple roleplays on this site, of which two finished, another one lasted for over a year and am currently GM'ing one that's well past the one-year mark as well. So it is possible. However, you must understand a few basic concepts about sociology and marketing to get to that point. Coincidentally, one of those concepts was laid out very literally within this thread;

if it didn't have basic tropes, settings, characters, or ideas that I enjoy, I wouldn't join it.

Originality is nice and aside the entry barrier (a disadvantage which can be partly circumvented with proper presentation) it's nothing short of fan-RP, which brings absolutely nothing to the table an original RP can't. What 'original RP's' often lack are certain tropes and possibilities for the players. People were already attracted to the source material of those fandom-RP's because that source material does have the necessary elements. You need to make up for this.

To use your Blood Riders RP as an example again; it says absolutely nowhere "This is what the world looks like now." or "This is what you can do now." or "This is why you should join." Yet, these are the things that excite and inspire people. That is what they get to play with. A history or legend on the other hand, that's just background fluff. There's nothing concrete you can do with background fluff. Silly mistakes like these are why fandom games have such an advantage over 'original' RP's.

[Dervish]

How exactly have I "ignored" any argument? I'm simply stating an opinion, no need to mount your high horse and get on my ass about how I'm 100% wrong in every way.

Nobody's arguing with you for having an opinion. Indeed, I would find it hard to find anyone who would want everybody to be of the same mindset, however, when you say...

It's actually quite difficult to get an RP going that isn't a Naruto/Bleach fanfic or some sort of academy thing, since that's all that people seem to be looking for....how people can find that crap FUN is beyond me, but whatever.

You're just being inflamatory and ragging on people who don't share the same tastes as you, not making a respectful point. Nobody would be giving you shit if you weren't writing off all those players as brain dead idiots who hate creativity because they aren't capable of having any.

To that I say, it's not for you because you aren't the target audience. Obviously the fact they exist is enough that people enjoy it enough to justify the existence of several Saturday morning cartoon RPs, which is fine. If people enjoy it, then power to them. They literally do nothing to inconvenience you in any way, shape, or form. As for the academy/werewolf/super powered teen thing, think of it as people getting into role playing who are going to immediately familiar concepts. A lot of those players, in time, will branch out to other games and try new things.

But seriously, there's literally dozens of RPs that have been going on for several months or years that have original concepts or excellent takes on existing fandoms, all of which have original plots or at least are different enough that it's not parroting what media it's based off of. Don't be so quick to dismiss things because it's not something you like, maybe you should take a look at some of those things and find out why they took off and how they are sticking around. A good RP will succeed and have a good run because the GM knows what they're doing, the players are dedicated, and standards are enforced, and above all, everyone's still enjoying themselves. If the GM doesn't put any effort into their OOC and recruitment process, you can pretty much kiss that RP's ass goodbye within a couple months if the GM doesn't keep up with the players and keep them engaged. It doesn't matter if it's an original idea or a fandom, what works and what doesn't is the same anywhere. Maybe try joining an RP and sticking with one that has a GM that seems like they know what they're doing? Just a thought.

In the mean time, have fun in "original" generic fantasy land #784 that is clearly superior to Bleach Fandom land #542, because that makes sense.

[Kagamine]

How exactly have I "ignored" any argument? I'm simply stating an opinion, no need to mount your high horse and get on my ass about how I'm 100% wrong in every way.

And how exactly did I say you were "100% wrong in every way"? Are you sure I'm the one on the high horse? All I said was that you were ignoring what was already said; how can people find it fun? We already explained that. Why is it thriving? We already explained that. Yet, still, you're going farther than expressing an opinion by saying that fandom RP's are trash no matter what, implying that anyone who likes them has no taste. And that, my friend, is just a bit inflammatory.

[MorningWood]

Basic rule. If you don't like fanfic RPs and other people do, just let them have their fun even if it's the most obnoxious piece of crap fanfic you've ever seen in your life. If you think they're twats, good for you, but they won't stop RPing because of that. Just keep yourself to your own RPs then, you are not obliged to join some fanfic RP.

[Herostratus]

Spin-offs really should have their own subforum. The current model looks like two different boards trying to exist on top of each other.

I expect the mere suggestion of this will be seen as tantamount to saying black people should use a different water fountain.

[Closetmonster]

Back to what you said Niko -

I do believe there are creative world builders out there. It depends on how creative you want to go. Creativity into the realm of "completely new and different" takes a particular vision and a willingness to really stretch. It is difficult to play out a game, say, where rocks can talk, people are made of goo, and science has turned itself on its head in true sentient fashion. Difficult and also fun in the right hands.

If, however, you're just looking for something outside of a pre-created world (if I read your post correctly) then may I just say this. Keep trying. Casual or otherwise, there ARE others out there with the desire to make a story which is of their own design. Personally, I've taken to finding writers I find fascinating and openly approaching them with a "Hey! you look like FUN! I can be fun too! Wanna play?" sort of begging attempt. heh. I've done this a few times and in the end, have managed to find writers with whom I really mesh well (because I was choosing them on what I knew I work well with - in hopes that we'd work well together in the realms of style, grammar, story construction, world construction, character depth, etc.)

I've also stuck to those RPs I started with others, even when 'fandom' reared its ugly head and found, that using fandom as a springboard has created some rather fun RPs I'd have missed out on if I'd quit too early. Sometimes, just by YOUR originality and willingness to push the envelope, you can make it safe for someone else to do the same.

It took a bit, and I'm fairly confident now that I've got myself a handful of good writers who I can depend on to construct with me, fun, novel stories. I'm sure you'll be able to do this as well. It takes patience and some stick-to-it'iveness to find any writing partnerships or stories that meet your needs. I believe they are out there.

good luck!
CM

[Brand]

December this month and guess what that means?

Christmas?

[Kagamine]

Spin-offs really should have their own subforum. The current model looks like two different boards trying to exist on top of each other.

I expect the mere suggestion of this will be seen as tantamount to saying black people should use a different water fountain.

The suggestion had been brought up multiple times, actually. But it's always been shot down. Mainly because it wouldn't just be one sub-forum, as people like the free/casual/advanced division so much (even if they take it for granted sometimes) that a single fandom sub-forum will immediately ask for a way to separate the people used to posting one-liners from the people used to posting multiple paragraphs. So then we'll have a fandom sub-forum, sub-divided even farther into free/casual/advanced, and it's just... too many subforums, and having an over-complicated forum set-up really makes it difficult for newcomers to find their way around the Guild. Not to mention, a lot of those subforums wouldn't have very heavy use (IE: there aren't nearly as many advanced fandom players as there are casual fandom players) but still enough that people would ask for them. It just doesn't work out well to put the fandoms by themselves.

So really, if you don't like fandom RP's, then just stay out of them. It's not that different from just staying out of sci-fi RP's if you don't like sci-fi.

[NikoSmith]

I'm gone for two days and a war emerges!? My children, please, I want my family together, especially around the holidays. And I'm on prescription drugs goddamn it, it's not like I'm a junky...I actually need them temporarily...RILLA. But anyway that's neither here nor there.

Let me get this out there first, I was displaying any dislike towards fandoms, which some posters seem to be addressing. I'm simply stating my curiosity as to why they are more successful compared to original, as in "A human being that has created their own world, lore, rules of universe blablah". I know fandoms can be original as well because someone can easily implement their own ideas, philosophy into something already pre-created. However I'm not interested in a pre-created world that I recognize from watching on TV, I want to know what a person can think up from their inner worlds and crap like that. And you're also creating your own characters and that's also original. Yes Fandoms can be very fun, but sex is fun too...however it's not always safe. The last comment was in my head and I had to write it out. But anyway, again...I'm not "Pissing on someones parade" do what you want, I'm not basing anything on you. I'm just asking a question, which was meant to be innocent in nature. And it's also possible because I see so many Anime fandoms and I revert back to my childhood and had a traumatic experience with otaku's back in Japan...but thats another story. D:

I actually do join onto certain roleplays because of the content and the in depth discussions that can appear afterwards. I did join to meet players and dive into new worlds for the concepts and settings. And I've actually had fun in the Advanced section with great original ideas from great writers, and they even have pushed me to become a better writer. Which is truly what I wanted in the first place anyway. I want to be stimulated mentally when I'm roleplaying. However if I'm going to the Casual section I just want something light and not that in depth but still able to make me feel like I'm entering another world as another character, a world I know hardly anything about and get to create with other players. And I would think as a writer, other writers would want the challenge of letting go of their own realities and taking on new persona's in someone's vision. Or maybe I'm just too devoted.

And I've presented my own RP ideas. And they never get off the ground. Now maybe because they aren't good, no ones interested or because people don't like me. . But I will have to say that my ideas are pretty interesting and far out there...or maybe they aren't just roleplaying worthy and should be kept as books.

Thank you Closetmonster for bringing everything back. And you greatly understood what I was trying to say. I totally understand and agree, I found one player in 1x1 who has created a vast world, and when I say vast...I mean...this might as well be a Skyrim-esque game. So there are those out there. You will be receiving a message from me very soon.

And I totally agree with having Fandom's as another category. That way I can just easily find the stories crafted from someone's ideas.

[Kagamine]

As for why fandom RP's have a higher success rate than original ideas? Well, that was pretty much answered within the first page.

As for a fandom subforum... already explained.