The most important elements to role playing? (Poll included!)

[Brovo]

There are several elements to a successful RP. Which one do you (the reader) feel is most important to you? I would ask you to leave a comment with your vote, but if you feel like just leaving your vote without any reasoning behind it I'll be fine with that as well. The reason I'm asking is because I want to know what everyone thinks the most important element(s) to role playing is/are.

Also, yes, everyone is welcome to leave their opinion, I don't care who they are, I won't shoot you for an opinion. However I will report intentionally inflammatory remarks. I don't mind a debate in here, just keep it clean and civil, and if someone doesn't wish to participate, don't force them to. Beyond that, everything else is as per the norm: Fonz-cool and what have you.

Questionnaire

• What, of the available options, do you think is important to role playing on the poll above? Why?
  
  • Is it covered sufficiently in one line? Not enough? Not at all?
  • Do you think it is mandatory to a role play's survival? If so, why?
  
  
• What, of the available options, do you think is not important to role playing on the poll above? Why?
  
  • Do you think it could be removed entirely without any impact to a role play's health or stability? If so, why?
  
  
• Is there anything important not listed on the poll? If so, what is it? (Note: If it's "good players", I'm talking specifically RP, not the people in the RP, though they are important.)
• In what section do you typically role play? Choose one or more of the following: Arena, 1x1, Advanced, Casual, Free.
  
  • Would you consider yourself to also be part of a niché group? Such as nation role players, high-casual, or otherwise?
  
  
• Do you want to post any links to illustrate your thought processes? Such as a role play on site, or an article off site? Note: Please don't link RP's on other sites here. That may constitute as advertisement, which is not Fonz-cool.
• Are you typically a player, or a GM/DM?
  
  • If you are a GM/DM, do you prefer to rule with an iron fist or let role players roam free?
  • If you are typically a player, do you prefer a GM to lead the story forward or do you prefer to lead yourself through the story?
  
  
• (Optional) Weigh the value of each of the poll options on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being "non-essential in any manner" and 10 being "absolutely essential in any manner."

And that's all. Thanks for weighing your opinion. If not, well, at least you read this far... Right?

[Kaonashi]

Questionnaire With Kanami's answers!

1.For me the most important to role playing has to be Plot. If the role play is in a favorite genre of mine, has good GM control, has good characters, and all of the other options but nothing for them to serve a purpose for then I just do not want to go forth with it. If there are not good characters then I will talk about it if I absolutely have a problem with it, maybe they will understand maybe they will not. But for the most part most of the time I swallow my feelings down into the valley of the shadow of death, or something like that.
I.It's alright. I think that all of the options were summarized(? Is that the right word for this?) nicely.

2.Of course I think it is mandatory to a role play's survival, since I think it is the most important element. A plot is what most players will base their characters on, what they will use for their character's development and developing other people's characters, where their relationships will be created, where their characters will die possibly, and judging on all that the players have contributed to the plot and if they started sub-plots people will post, I think. It all contributes to the main plot that attracted them in the first place.


3.It would have to be genre for me. As long as I am provided with the information that I am suppose to know to be accurate in my character and role playing and if other people are supplied with the information that they need to do the same, the plot is something that interests me greatly and overall the other elements are fine then I do not think that Genre should be something that gets in the way of that.
II.No, plot can not be removed entirely without any impact. That is mostly because if that happens then there's just nothing to react to, no real great problems for the characters to overcome(I am basing this off of role plays that are more plot centric than character centric but also works as a character developer to make the characters keep fighting for a purpose[and sometimes for sub-plots if they are employed]. Plot development depending on Characters and vice versa.) And plus if you're in the middle of a role play that would already be weird, to say that you can not ever follow any kind of plot anymore. That sort of defeats the purpose of role playing in my opinion.

4.I don't think anything was missed.....
III.Casual, definitely casual for group RPs. Though I have not tried Advanced though, it is something that I want to try but not now. Then it is 1x1, with what type is usually varying with my partner.

5.Nope. But I do know that I am definitely not a nation role player! So that narrows it down.

6.I guess I give a link. I am only in one very active thing right now, three role plays in total(Because I am lazy) and it has changed my view on role playing really so it is where I get most of my role playing views. Right here The role play was originally by DragonKingUK, anyone remember him? Ya, even though he did favoritism and I had to swallow whatever constructive criticism I had on his and his siblings'(? I still do not know if these guys really exist or not, not that sure) role playing, the first one even though it was rushed and I was not pleased with my character development went good so he made a sequel of an idea that I liked so I joined that. Guess doing that was a good choice. IC ((Is this answer okay?, is this advertising? I really hope not...))

7.Are you typically a player, or a GM/DM?
Usually I am a player, but I have been meaning to start GMing again and try and do it right.
IV.If you are a GM/DM, do you prefer to rule with an iron fist or let role players roam free?
Haven't GMed much, but I think that it would be good to be somewhere in the middle with maybe three or four others(If I can get them) to help me make my decisions on things.
V.That actually depends on the GM. If the GM takes things forwards at a nice pace that I can take, then I leave it to them to lead the story forward because they are the ones who decide for the most part how the story will go. But in that RP that I gave a link to since I play such a big part of the roleplay(I play 4/5 of the so called "villains", there are quotes because I don't know if I'm good at playing villains and in my opinion they are not all that for the "evil" side but more or less just trying to go towards their own goals and live without as much heartache as they would with the other side) I have to do a lot of planning because the GM who is controlling the King is not posting stuff with the King but more with his "good" characters. And since the GM plays on his phone I have to do most of the typing for things since he can't type bucketloads on a phone really, I think. So I have to advance the story for myself and for others, not because I prefer to, but because if I don't then nothing would move forward, at all, not for me or for them. Well unless the GM picks up the plot for me and does the advances.

VI.
Plot, I need a good overarching story to keep me going.=9
Player choice, if it's linear I don't feel useful.=7…..?
Good characters, after all they do everything right?=8.7
GM Control, if the GM doesn't have control, (s)he can't fix anything.=5
Genre, poor genre choices kill role plays.=3
Relationships, a good role play should have great relationships between characters.=8
Action, a role play without some life and drama is boring, regardless of everything else.=9
Speed, a role play without at least a decent pace is a no go for me.=4
Character-centric, something focused on the characters, not the plot.=4
Plot-centric, something focused on the plot, not the characters.=5
None of the above.= Oh now I don’t know what to do for this…

Is this alright?

[Asperser]

I chose none of the above. I lean towards a plot centered focus, but I feel that successful rps continue because of friendly interactions between the roleplayers outside the roleplay. Now this is my humble opinion, but I believe people continue to write, especially on threads like these, for positive feedback they get from other players. That their writing is on some level being read and being appreciated. It's this self-gratifying feeling that draws people back to roleplays and the gm's that create a nice atmosphere for their players in the OCC are, I would say, more successful at keeping players emotionally invested in their roleplay. Things like plot, character interactions, or whether it's plot-driven or character-driven are more secondary things to attract interest. To keep people coming back. Player interactions are at the heart of how I see most roleplays being successful.

[Tasuke]

I selected none of the above because I see the most important thing to be overall consistency.

[Rilla]

I chose none of the above. I lean towards a plot centered focus, but I feel that successful rps continue because of friendly interactions between the roleplayers outside the roleplay.

This.

The best roleplays I find are ones where the OOC is active, the people can joke around with one another, and are more willingly to stay because they aren't bored.

[Shon Harris]

Questionnaire

[LIST][*]What, of the available options, do you think is important to role playing on the poll above? Why?

• Is it covered sufficiently in one line? Not enough? Not at all?
• Do you think it is mandatory to a role play's survival? If so, why?

I believe an overarching plot is very much the center of a great story, and for the sorts of Roleplays I prefer, a RP as well. I do not feel in this poll it is described to my particular mindset though. To me, a skillfully worked plot draws from the characters and the story. One can have a general idea of what they might want to see happen with their participants. Say, it's a science fiction and the GM begins the game in a ship crash-landing on a nearby planet. Chances are there is a general idea of what they'd like to ensue. From here, the best RPs are made when this general idea is fused geared toward the characters. The story should give the characters room to breathe, live, and interact. The overarching plot can be loose and skeletal. Ultimately, the crew must land on the planet and begin the roots of a city. This city will be challenged by a native people. The ending may be left a blur and the appearance of an assembled opposition through the natives the climax. What happens in between, how things happen, can be tied to the decisions and actions of the participants. Someone decides to go ape-shit crazy, builds great fires and all that, and this calls the attention of the native peoples. It directly responds to what the participant did, but it also feeds into that loose plot. The story is compelling because it is bare-bones and yearns to be filled, but also offers a general path. So there you go, I feel a proper roleplay should blend Plot and Characters with equal attention.

I believe that if players do not feel their actions have any effect, they won't stick around long. In reality I am simply one of billions. Here, in this roleplay, that is also true, but for some reason I am a person whose thoughts are worth writing down. That alone means it should matter. Because this character is worth our attention, their actions should have a relationship to the story.

[*]What, of the available options, do you think is not important to role playing on the poll above? Why?

• Do you think it could be removed entirely without any impact to a role play's health or stability? If so, why?

Speed. I feel a Roleplay can be extremely successful at a quick pace, or a snail's pace, but that success is completely subjective. What I mean is, there are great RPs in casual that move at a dozen posts a day, I'm sure. It works for some and that's fine. But there are also Advanced, even Casual, roleplays that are posted weekly or less that also do very well. I believe time should not be a factor. You should have a real discussion with your group as mature participants. If time is a problem, it's because no one spoke about it.

I believe you could remove time entirely so long as post-expectancy was actually a part of the conversation. This expectation should be just as important as the genre or title of your RP.

[*]Is there anything important not listed on the poll? If so, what is it? (Note: If it's "good players", I'm talking specifically RP, not the people in the RP, though they are important.)[*]In what section do you typically role play? Choose one or more of the following: Arena, 1x1, Advanced, Casual, Free.

• Would you consider yourself to also be part of a niché group? Such as nation role players, high-casual, or otherwise?

Well, off the top of my head I don't believe so. You covered what I would think of at least. I can tell you, however, that I prefer Advanced, though I've dabbled in Casual now. I see myself as someone who prefers a week or so to post. Quality over quantity with plot and character development (that also means interaction) in present mind. People should think ahead, sewing in metaphors to subject matter they are comfortable in. Why not include something about French history if you care about it and can make it important to your character? There's a difference between purple prose and creative paths to developing a character. Whoa, long story short, I do have a particular taste in RP. I expect a lot from people. I expect them to put in as much as me. Usually that means Advanced, not because of the requirements, but because I've found more people there who feel like I do than elsewhere.

[*]Do you want to post any links to illustrate your thought processes? Such as a role play on site, or an article off site? Note: Please don't link RP's on other sites here. That may constitute as advertisement, which is not Fonz-cool.[*]Are you typically a player, or a GM/DM?

• If you are a GM/DM, do you prefer to rule with an iron fist or let role players roam free?
• If you are typically a player, do you prefer a GM to lead the story forward or do you prefer to lead yourself through the story?

I provide links to images and articles, but not other roleplay sites or things like that. My example is pretty simple. Long ago I learned that people here rarely know much about firearms, but they do know how to look stuff up about firearms. It was useless for me and them, and often unrealistic for my character's knowledge base, to write how they 'slung their L85A1' over their shoulder. More often than not now I'm more apt to refer to it as a rifle, linking it to the image/page for people to see which one I mean. This is a common strategy for me. It also helps me get into a character's head. Would they know the name of this weapon, or are they using it because it was on the ground and there are dozen flesh-eaters outside? As far as articles go, I may link to an article to help people get the idea of what kind of atmosphere I'm going. Guess what though? Unless you have a dedicated or patient group -- doesn't do much good! Many will simply not follow or read an article.

As a GM I prefer to let them roam free, but I've fallen into that railroading, iron-fist area before. We've talked about this personally. I'd like to give my characters freedoms, but also a general path. Nowadays if I engaged a prospective roleplay it would have a bare-bones storyline so players could move around while still progressing. I consider this a bigger investment by the GM, as they must edit their original ideas based on the actions of others. Of course this is our job description.

When I play, I like to have some freedom. Give me an idea of where we're going and I'll get there, eventually. That's not to say I'll immensely distracted like a pre-teen who just found their unit, but maybe distracted like Odysseus on his journey. Huh. Maybe the latter is more distracted... Alright, well, I like a GM who has a story building with some surprises and some expected portions. If they say we must learn to live with the land, I'll say awesome and explore the dangerous wildlife. As I do that, they decide to spring these unhappy natives on me, and I'm pleased that they have some ideas in store for us.

I'm always up for talking more about my points here, but if y'all expect a response, please be patient! Hope this is useful to others. Thank you Brovo for starting this collection of people's thoughts, feelings, and responses to Roleplay. It's always good to create a pool of knowledge.

[Kestrel]

A strong social core. Cliché as may be that is the most important aspect.

Will reply more elaborately later.

[Brovo]

A strong social core. Cliché as may be that is the most important aspect.

Will reply more elaborately later.

• "Is there anything important not listed on the poll? If so, what is it? (Note: If it's "good players", I'm talking specifically RP, not the people in the RP, though they are important.)"

I hope it's not an emphasis on good players because that's something everyone (and I mean literally everyone) agrees on. I'm seeking input more specifically on the elements of a role play itself, not the players who comprise it albeit they are an important part of it.

The technical aspect.

Not the social one.

Also, I don't really mean to put you on a BBQ and fry you here Kestrel, it's just I've noticed this from more than one response here and I feel I should clarify this just in case it's being missed.

[Asperser]

• "Is there anything important not listed on the poll? If so, what is it? (Note: If it's "good players", I'm talking specifically RP, not the people in the RP, though they are important.)"

I hope it's not an emphasis on good players because that's something everyone (and I mean literally everyone) agrees on. I'm seeking input more specifically on the elements of a role play itself, not the players who comprise it albeit they are an important part of it.

The technical aspect.

Not the social one.

Also, I don't really mean to put you on a BBQ and fry you here Kestrel, it's just I've noticed this from more than one response here and I feel I should clarify this just in case it's being missed.

In case, I'm being referred to in the above quote I was talking about the atmosphere a GM can create in their OCC thread either through moderation of player interactions(making sure people aren't fighting) or setting a definite rule (Be sure to compliment each other's posts and help each other out if anyone is having trouble describing something). I think most often roleplays neglect the social aspect of between the players and go straight into the mechanics of their story, which isn't bad in itself, but roleplaying all boils down to whether someone is having fun writing in and WITH the people in the roleplay you've set up for them. It takes these two things combined to make a successful roleplay. It's kind've like going to an amusement park. Not only do the rides have to be fun. The people there have to be friendly as well and the GM can easily help craft that atmosphere within their thread.

[Kestrel]

• "Is there anything important not listed on the poll? If so, what is it? (Note: If it's "good players", I'm talking specifically RP, not the people in the RP, though they are important.)"

I hope it's not an emphasis on good players because that's something everyone (and I mean literally everyone) agrees on. I'm seeking input more specifically on the elements of a role play itself, not the players who comprise it albeit they are an important part of it.

The technical aspect.

Not the social one.

Also, I don't really mean to put you on a BBQ and fry you here Kestrel, it's just I've noticed this from more than one response here and I feel I should clarify this just in case it's being missed.

Though it does rely on chance a bit, I do feel you can take action to stimulate it. I mean, simple things like having the GM say "Hey, welcome back. How was your holiday?" when someone went away for a week will make the player feel like "Hey, awesome. I'm missed." and in turn will motivate other players to become part of the social core because once there's positive interaction going on people tend to want to be part of it. Then other players will start wishing each other happy birthday, mention it if they like someone else's post (though for fuck's sake don't make that a rule, asperser, it loses all it's value if it's not spontaneous) and all those things. Maybe write a small epic We're all a bit shy and prepared to get detached when we join a game; if we feel more involved chances are this will lessen and we will become more invested. Which of course greatly attributes to the roleplay's success. The person you'll have to interact with is the GM, no exceptions, so as the GM you're a good place to start.