[Rant]Roleplays Based On Books/Movies/TV Shows

[CrazyPineapple5]

My own views are stated below. I don't wish for you to agree with them. Let's not get into a huge argument over this.


Am I the only one who hates roleplays based off of movies, TV shows, and books? I want to hear your thoughts on this topic. My thoughts are posted below.
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Unoriginal. All you have done is stolen an already done story to say the least. What's the joy in that? Isn't it much more fun to come up with your own idea and have to roleplay on a brand new idea?
Common Storylines. If you already know the original story, don't you get your ideas from there? Are you inclined to do what a popular character in the book or movie did? Don't you already know what's going to happen?
Hard To Follow Along. What happens if I haven't already seen the movie or read the book? If the storyline is the exact same, how do I know where to start? How do I know what is going on? If I want to join do I have to watch the movie or TV series?
Just Too Many Of Them I would be fine with just one or two. Some movies have really cool ideas and are interesting to play along yourself. BUT when I can't find a good roleplay to join because the first page is dictated by unoriginal content, I get kind of mad. Why don't we just make a new section for these roleplays?
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So there are my thoughts. What are yours?

[Clirkus]

The short answer is that there's no such thing as original thought anymore.
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The long answer is that basing an RP on a book/movie/other fandom simplifies a lot of things, such as the world in which it is set and the unspoken "laws" that control what can and cannot happen in said world. It's like taking a sheet from a coloring book, and all you need to do is color inside the lines, whereas an "original" RP (one not based off of a pre-existing fandom) is more like starting with a blank piece of paper. A lot of people prefer the "coloring book" style because the basic guidelines are already in place, where starting from scratch with a blank slate can be a lot more challenging, especially if it's a fantasy/sci-fi or other story that exists outside the "real world" where there might have to be specific "laws" governing the uses of things like magic, futuristic technology, superhuman abilities and the like.
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Personally, I prefer to create RPs that start from a "blank slate" because I enjoy mapping out my own "world" and making it however I want, although I am not against playing in a fandom-based RP either, although I will only participate in a fandom RP when all the characters are original, and basically we are only using the "world" setting that it is based in.
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To sum up, I do wish that there were more "original" role-plays out there because when I go browsing the Interest Checks it seems like 90% of them are based off a fandom (and usually more than half of them I am not familiar with), so it can be frustrating sometimes. But there are original RPs out there, you just have to keep looking.
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Also, you are always free to create your own.

[Kagamine]

Oh hey, another rant thread like this.

Well, let me just tell you there are a lot more "original" aspects to fandom-based RP's than you might think. Most of them copy little more than the universe that canon is set in. They have their own characters, own story, and a lot more. Also, they're directed towards people who are familiar with the canon. So as for your "what if I don't know this series" point, just... don't join any? They weren't exactly made with you in mind, if you don't know the series. Actually, that argument works pretty well towards any sort of RP you don't like. Don't join them if you don't like them, no need to bash on them.

As for a longer explanation on why they exist and why they're so popular in the first place;

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.

And lastly, don't undermine all the fandom RP's. A lot of GM's for these types of roleplays put a lot more work into the story than you think. For example, I have an anime-crossover roleplay that features 10 original characters not based around any anime, as well as an original antagonist, original plot completely unlike anything the source animes, and numerous concepts also unlike anything the source animes have seen. Even the characters, the majority of whom are technically canon characters adopted from the other series, in due time become characters of our own creation- after having to face challenges quite unlike anything they're used to, in situations they're not used to, character development transforms them into something new over time, until their personalities are suddenly very different, not really resembling what they were when we 'stole' them from their respective anime. Oh, and, this is a thread that's been running for over two years, and still going.

Another example would be a recently-started Homestuck RP that I began with some friends. Yes, it follows the Homestuck plot, but with an absolutely massive number of original characters right from the get-go, considering just how many characters a Homestuck plot calls for, and, without exaggeration, weeks of stay-up-late Skype sessions between the players, planning the setup for the entire RP. We made our own session, our own planets, our own trolls, our own First Guardians, and even a completely new race... I don't know if you're familiar with Homestuck, but if you are, do you realize just how detailed the story is? ...We basically had to take that huge, massive continuum, and use it to create our own story. That took an immense amount of planning and discussion. Just because a roleplay is based on a fandom, does not mean that no effort was put forth. In many cases, quite the contrary.

[Clirkus]

Oh hey, another rant thread like this.

I remember that thread.

[Kagamine]

I remember that thread.

There've been like three or four of them in Roleplayer Discussion that I took part in. Which I know since I just did a forum search to obtain the quote in that last post.

[Clirkus]

There've been like three or four of them in Roleplayer Discussion that I took part in. Which I know since I just did a forum search to obtain the quote in that last post.

Figures.
Still, I kinda like these threads. Reminds me there are still people who fervently believe in original thought.

[CrazyPineapple5]

Oh hey, another rant thread like this.

Well, let me just tell you there are a lot more "original" aspects to fandom-based RP's than you might think. Most of them copy little more than the universe that canon is set in. They have their own characters, own story, and a lot more. Also, they're directed towards people who are familiar with the canon. So as for your "what if I don't know this series" point, just... don't join any? They weren't exactly made with you in mind, if you don't know the series. Actually, that argument works pretty well towards any sort of RP you don't like. Don't join them if you don't like them, no need to bash on them.

As for a longer explanation on why they exist and why they're so popular in the first place;



And lastly, don't undermine all the fandom RP's. A lot of GM's for these types of roleplays put a lot more work into the story than you think. For example, I have an anime-crossover roleplay that features 10 original characters not based around any anime, as well as an original antagonist, original plot completely unlike anything the source animes, and numerous concepts also unlike anything the source animes have seen. Even the characters, the majority of whom are technically canon characters adopted from the other series, in due time become characters of our own creation- after having to face challenges quite unlike anything they're used to, in situations they're not used to, character development transforms them into something new over time, until their personalities are suddenly very different, not really resembling what they were when we 'stole' them from their respective anime. Oh, and, this is a thread that's been running for over two years, and still going.

Another example would be a recently-started Homestuck RP that I began with some friends. Yes, it follows the Homestuck plot, but with an absolutely massive number of original characters right from the get-go, considering just how many characters a Homestuck plot calls for, and, without exaggeration, weeks of stay-up-late Skype sessions between the players, planning the setup for the entire RP. We made our own session, our own planets, our own trolls, our own First Guardians, and even a completely new race... I don't know if you're familiar with Homestuck, but if you are, do you realize just how detailed the story is? ...We basically had to take that huge, massive continuum, and use it to create our own story. That took an immense amount of planning and discussion. Just because a roleplay is based on a fandom, does not mean that no effort was put forth. In many cases, quite the contrary.

Thanks so much for the input you guys! Nice to see a different view. I don't want it to sound like I want them all off the forums, I'm just not a fan of them. And sorry for being another person to do one of these threads. Just my taste and views.

[Foxes]

yo i'm jussayin i like this acronym that you came up with like damn UCHJ that really speaks to me so let me address each point individually

U - Part of this is the fact that any world that I develop is going to absolutely pale in comparison to the works of, say, George R. R. Martin. That guy developed a world that feels real and inspires writers. Not that that's a problem. I do my own world building where I can, but I will drop in on an ASoIaF RP because I love the setting and there's plenty of room to work with it.

C - If you can't make up your own story within an established setting as rich and deep as the majority of those used by RP's on this website, then you, not the forum or your fellow forum goers, is the source of the problem. If that's the case you're probably a horribly untalented person when it comes to being creative in general.

H - I hear you, literacy is really hard for you, so that "reading" thing won't cut it all the time. Advice? Don't join in if you don't know what you're doing, or use the associated Wiki. Everything has a Wiki these days.

J - How is that impacting your life? Their presence somehow makes it impossible for you to make your own RP? On top of that, go to the Advanced RP section and count the number of interest checks there are pertaining to established settings. There are 7, as far as I can tell, out of 30. That's a lot of original material.

[CrazyPineapple5]

yo i'm jussayin i like this acronym that you came up with like damn UCHJ that really speaks to me so let me address each point individually

U - Part of this is the fact that any world that I develop is going to absolutely pale in comparison to the works of, say, George R. R. Martin. That guy developed a world that feels real and inspires writers. Not that that's a problem. I do my own world building where I can, but I will drop in on an ASoIaF RP because I love the setting and there's plenty of room to work with it.

C - If you can't make up your own story within an established setting as rich and deep as the majority of those used by RP's on this website, then you, not the forum or your fellow forum goers, is the source of the problem. If that's the case you're probably a horribly untalented person when it comes to being creative in general.

H - I hear you, literacy is really hard for you, so that "reading" thing won't cut it all the time. Advice? Don't join in if you don't know what you're doing, or use the associated Wiki. Everything has a Wiki these days.

J - How is that impacting your life? Their presence somehow makes it impossible for you to make your own RP? On top of that, go to the Advanced RP section and count the number of interest checks there are pertaining to established settings. There are 7, as far as I can tell, out of 30. That's a lot of original material.

Thank you for your input.

[Fulsom]

You don't like FanFiction? You clearly haven't read My Immortal...