Since we are in the subject of pet-peeves:

I get annoyed when people complain too much about not being able to find a game on Roleplayer Guild. I understand venting. Bottling up emotions is unhealthy, and some amount of complaint is good for growth (hence this thread). However, some people take it to the extreme and unjustly attack the Guild as the sole problem as opposed to even imagining they (themselves) could be the issue.

This has serious “Bitching Thread V3.0” energy, but if we all act like adults maybe it won’t get locked.

For the time I’ve been roleplaying, many of my pet peeves have come and gone. I’ll often move past some only for others to spring up in their place. But the one thing that consistently bugs me is people who publicly complain. We all talk about our grievances from time to time, but I feel that is best done as privately as possible. If a player or GM has an issue with a post, it should be a matter addressed between those people in PM/DMs. If you just want to vent, one on one with a friend or group is fine for that. Matters involving an entire RP (which rarely happens) could be hashed out in the OOC, or preferably over an IM service like Discord. But I see little reason to vent one’s grievances to everyone.

The status bar is probably the most egregious example of this. You have people taking to the status bar to overshare family drama report every time their writing partner does something annoying. Why are you trying to put this in front of a stranger’s eyeballs? Are you trying to validate your position by fishing for a few likes? Do you hope that your writing partner will see you complain and change because you can’t talk to them directly? I have a hard time finding flattering reasons for people to vent in this way even if they have a good reason to do so.

Another problem with complaining, and especially chronic complaining, is that everyone has learned to read between the lines. Complaining about ghosting creates the perception that you are impatient and/or not worth playing with. Rushing to the status bar to mention icky writing practices makes you come off as a Mark Twain wannabe that can’t write to your own standards. Complaining about the size of a long post can oust you as someone who finds it painful to read. Your complaining might resonate with a few, but every time you do so you alienate a group of potential writing pals. It’s the same reason most people won’t join RPs where there are 20+ rules. Even if half of the rules seem reasonable, it starts to feel strict and controlling when taken too far.

If a status bar complainer saw this post, do you think they’d change their ways or just write me off as a jerk?

As someone who's gone to the status bar more than once? This actually has me engaging in some needed reflection... -_-U

While it's not a pet peeve of mine, I would like to chime in on the use of the word "dark" as a descriptor for an RP.

Symphony on High is a dark RP that I'm running. The good guys are facing overwhelming odds where just surviving an engagement is worth celebrating. Often, they are only able to partially achieve their goals or end up settling for a Pyrrhic victory. Even setting aside the cruel and cunning foes they need to fight, they have to engage in all kinds of moral quandaries where they are forced to live with choices that they had to make and often under less than ideal situations. One of the characters slew a monster that was assaulting their dreams, but in doing so he orphaned a child who will want revenge. The entire premise of the RP is built upon a problem that has no clear cut solution and that the individual players are powerless to affect in a meaningful way. It's a despair simulator, effectively.

Tsundere Gekido is also a dark RP that I run. Most, if not all of the characters had pretty messed up pasts and have very selfish ambitions. But it doesn't go as far as the other RP does. As selfish as the cast is most of them don't want to screw anyone over. The players fight tough battles, but there's no moral dilemma most of the time. It's possible for everyone to complete their goals, and most problems can be solved by beating someone up or using the power of friendship to bridge a divide. Someone who thinks Tsundere Gekido is "peak dark RP" would run away screaming at the sight of Symphony on High.

And then of course there's people who think dark just means dealing with tabboo or adult topics. That works too I guess.

Dark is just too broad a word to use as a descriptor anymore. There's a reason my interest checks are so verbose, and it's always because I want potential players to know what they are getting into. It's a spectrum, with edgy/grimderp on one side and babycool on the other.

As someone who's gone to the status bar more than once? This actually has me engaging in some needed reflection... -_-U

It's easy to forget that the forum sees a lot of visitors, and your status updates are visible to a lot more than just a small circle of people. People should be allowed to grow and change over time, but I feel like rampant cancel culture has made everyone afraid of their own mistakes. Even I have posted about things I'm less than proud of. The upside is that most people aren't going to remember your status update in a day or two. Just keep it to a minimum (or completely stop) and you'll have nothing to worry about.

In the truest definition of "pet peeve" I'd have to say I maybe have one that comes to mind and that is:

Writing in first person. And by that I mean my partner expecting me to do it. I do not like it. It bothers me and I knowww it's irrational, but I cannot explain to you why I HATE it I just. I do. Reading posts if that's how my rp partner(s) prefer to write? Totally fine, I can deal. But I am begging you don't make me write in first person too I will cry or spontaneously combust /joking XD

If you cannot reply for abit, hiatus...or so...

It not hurt for people to tell whom your writing with than to only find out because of the side bar. It only takes you about a minute to even copy and paste a short message.