Confidence Issues

[rebornfan320]

I'm going to try to start this light in search of answers. I'm curious to know if anyone has gone through this dilemma, reason I'm asking this in a sense is that I've been a member of RPG for a year at least now going onto my second year. And I'm seeing in 1x1's that there is a bit more of interest in certain ones than others, though I have done a check myself it doesn't seem to be interesting to people. Sure I've gone and bumped it and edited it here and there and nothing seems to work, to me it feels like nothing is working for me in contrast to others and I'm wanting to know if your confidence in yourself and your thread has ever gone down from how you've started the thread previously.

[MissCapnCrunch]

Oh definitely- as creative people we're all very hard on ourselves. I can't say much about the 1x1 on section because I try not to do it if I can- but a lot of those people are already friends/have roleplayed together or are simply just really connecting. Do you ever do group rp's? Sometimes that's the best way to find people that you can 1x1 with. :) Worst case scenario, just start going on other people's interest checks and look for stuff that matches with your interests.

[rebornfan320]

Oh definitely- as creative people we're all very hard on ourselves. I can't say much about the 1x1 on section because I try not to do it if I can- but a lot of those people are already friends/have roleplayed together or are simply just really connecting. Do you ever do group rp's? Sometimes that's the best way to find people that you can 1x1 with. :) Worst case scenario, just start going on other people's interest checks and look for stuff that matches with your interests.

@MissCapnCrunch

Well yeah as people who are creative and imaginative I guess in a way everyone is hard on ourselves. In terms of group rp's I have done one but it died and I normally don't do them as much. And other interest checks to me don't seem to have the interest checks that I am looking for so it's like I'm a needle in a haystack.

[MissCapnCrunch]

@rebornfan320

What are you interested in? Maybe I can help find you something or maybe you can convince me otherwise why not to do 1x1's
Yeah, totally understand that- group rps are very come and go; but you do end up finding people to come and go with :P

[rebornfan320]

@rebornfan320

What are you interested in? Maybe I can help find you something or maybe you can convince me otherwise why not to do 1x1's
Yeah, totally understand that- group rps are very come and go; but you do end up finding people to come and go with :P

@MissCapnCrunch

To answer your question i am generally interested in fandoms, modern roleplays, supernatural ones and even sci-fi as i try to be a varied, flexible as possible. I generally do 1x1's because it's something i am most comfortable and familiar with more than groups.

[Bee]

didn't you post this on iwaku?

it's just the nature of roleplaying. whether we like it or not - not every RP is going to last. in fact, it's far more likely to have one die right out of the gate than to have one last longer than a month.

don't take it personally.

[ArenaSnow]

Tastes follow broad swathes based on what is popular, which presumably is where you will get the most 'cheap activity' - that is, you found what's popular and actually get a game quickly, but then your chances of lasting based on the whims of someone who followed the flavor of the hour... dead.

That leaves the fickle task of appealing to a broad audience in some other way, and you can never really win in that war. I'll just leave it at that, as the solution is yours to find and not the scope of this thread anyways.

I've seen and had countless deaths in group and 1x1 roleplaying, most of them from my partner/collective group, but in some cases because I failed to hold interest or times took a particularly southward turn. Have they hurt at all? Sure. It's the reason why I started baking dead roleplays into my behind the scenes lore, because I hate my creations simply being left in limbo whatever they are. Through that mechanic, and my methods of always keeping busy, I never consider the confidence part. Too much to do in life to worry about being unappealing to the broad audience on a little ole' roleplay site. If it does not work, try another approach, look at what others have done and learn exactly what the scenario is that you're in, or simply move on, for life has many more offerings than the guild.

[rebornfan320]

The thing is that I do not know what situation I'm in with no interest and no matter the efforts I feel like I've done to get interest it hasn't worked at all while for others it seems easy for them to get it. I've tried taking a step back from posting knowing my previous one didn't get the interest I wanted, I even looked at others and most had at least more than a few posts of interest. In terms of myself I just don't know what the situation I'm in is and how to change it without feeling at least frustrated that my efforts were in fact for naught when others get the spotlight in interest.

[ArenaSnow]

I suppose the question, then, is if you want my honest opinion as to what the variables are. I would have my own reasons for passing over, both on a personal level and thinking of what others would look for, but again, probably prudent to ask in this case. Doesn't matter much to me either way.

[rebornfan320]

Well like two sides of a coin there's two sides to every story, just telling my side of it so i know there is going to be opinions about it either way. I'm open to it.

[ArenaSnow]

A primary variable I think is always just flavor. In that field you can't really win, and I've already been over that. But there are methods to make your content more appealing, even if what you use is not necessarily popular at the moment. One fundamental issue, I think, is the fully anime nature of the check. You may think it diverse, I think it eliminates a portion of the audience. That's far from the only factor as anime and the like is rather popular, but most of those suggestions in your check run similar tones with different skins.

But perhaps a more glaring issue, one that is less abstract and more correctable, is the general structure of your interest check. By no means does one need a perfect presentation to get somewhere, but I find it suffers from a distinct lack of basic proofreading. In a forum context and especially chat context, I couldn't be arsed to proofread beyond checking if I contradicted myself. An interest check has far more room to be done right, and really, it should be done right. It's your pitch to another player. It is the basis of quality upon which you're judged, even if it is not necessarily accurate (I have an intro post elsewhere that has over 40 edits of polish, fuck if I am going to do that to a roleplay post ever in my life). It does not need extensive proofreading, but it could probably use a basic read over. I am lost at the general tone of the post (extremely indecisive rule presentation, abuse of 'normally').

While I appreciate the honesty, being antsy about replies really does not increase your appeal, and if anything is a very bad sign to those reading the post. As something that approaches the borderline standing by itself, being antsy implies you are one of the people who will go 'are you there are you there hey post godammit post' (right or wrong mind you, perhaps you're much more mellow about it) which feeds into an impression of low effort (proofreading) a few quality warning signs (the dominance of OC x canon char in preference is something commonly seen in very fast roleplays that burn out super quick and badly in my experience, and the overall tone raises a small maturity flag) and a conclusion that, based on your last rule, you want a fast roleplay that continues for a long time. I find that a contradiction in terms. Perhaps someone else has achieved it, but I find fast rates and long term to be opposing magnets.

Maybe the above is wrong, and not what you mean to convey at all. I'd believe that. However, flash judgements is the heart of the problem and that will not be 'fixed' (improved, assholes like me will judge anyways after all) without a presentation that is cleaner, more proofread, more structured (you could mention that you like regular posts in the rules and compensate for antsy with expecting regular OOC activity) and, if not more broad in its scope, then perhaps offering something more concrete in terms of plot ideas to really show you've got what it takes. Based on that post, I really don't know. But I'm not the best person to decide at all, as I've gotten quite picky over the years. My interests are diverse, but my interest is very difficult.

I think you need to consider other people's interest checks at an analytical level - how they write it, tone, the cohesion of the structure - to see how to at least spruce things up and see what might appeal. Again, this all might do nothing at all, as people have fickle tastes. All you can really do is analyze yourself if you can (some people can't, oh well) and work on the structure that you can definitely spruce up. If none of that works, consider giving group games a try (I thought 1x1 lasted longer, but honestly, half the time it's the same bloody thing if you have a semi competent group gm with an equivalent okish 1x1 player), writing stories a try (NaNoWriMo is coming up) or enter that fickle domain they call worldbuilding.

[rebornfan320]

I know with flavor for everyone I think it is too fickle but that is just me, I do not think my check is limiting others but I do feel it is diverse.
I do feel at times I have to have at least a good interest check to me or borderline perfect to at least even get a chance to have someone glimpse at it at all though I feel others still have a easier time than I do when it comes to it, while I do also have plot ideas I feel it may not help me with my current issue at hand.
The idea of regular posts in the rules is something I'll probably add to it and to get rid of some of the things to make the right changes, I'm aware it may not appeal again (Tried it with editing another and fixed it and it didn't work) and those fickle tastes didn't even come my way.
I'm not sure on what you mean by 'analyze yourself' and I've given group rp's a chance before and it died then so I am hesitant to try it, 1x1's are not working out for me for the first thread I had mentioned and worldbuilding I'm not sure so I'm more of in a bind than anything I feel.

[ArenaSnow]

I've given group rp's a chance before and it died then so I am hesitant to try it,

@rebornfan320

I'm about done making walls, but I will target this bit. Wrong attitude.

I've given 1x1 RPs hundreds of chances. Most that I've ever done, died miles upon miles before completion.

If I based my gameplay by success rate, I would never roleplay again, because most of them that I ever join flop regardless of platform, intent, location. I don't remember my first roleplay, but I'm pretty sure it died at some point. What the hell would I have gained if I just stopped there?

Stopping after one fail is a core problem. Stop it.

[rebornfan320]

<Snipped quote by rebornfan320>

I'm about done making walls, but I will target this bit. Wrong attitude.

I've given 1x1 RPs hundreds of chances. Most that I've ever done, died miles upon miles before completion.

If I based my gameplay by success rate, I would never roleplay again, because most of them that I ever join flop regardless of platform, intent, location. I don't remember my first roleplay, but I'm pretty sure it died at some point. What the hell would I have gained if I just stopped there?

Stopping after one fail is a core problem. Stop it.

@ArenaSnow

Well basing it off a gameplay success rate I think it would be low too. Even I would not remember my first roleplay on here but I know it likely suffered the same fate of dying as well, I know I can't stop wanting to roleplay due to my brain and ideas eventually popping in. But here's to another chance and hoping it goes the way I want it to go.

[Dion]

<Snipped quote by ArenaSnow>

Well basing it off a gameplay success rate I think it would be low too. Even I would not remember my first roleplay on here but I know it likely suffered the same fate of dying as well, I know I can't stop wanting to roleplay due to my brain and ideas eventually popping in. But here's to another chance and hoping it goes the way I want it to go.

@rebornfan320

If RP's dying is a reason to not play a specific genre I'm going to cautiously put it out there that you won't be playing for long because RP's dying is a chronic thing.

[rebornfan320]

@Odin And I do want to RP, really I do. But I find it hard since whatever idea or ideas I may have in a new check or thread it is not interesting or appealing to people.

[Dion]

@rebornfan320 I took a look at your thread and it's poorly organized and looks like literally every other thread written by anyone else. Try giving it some more character and making it more interesting (i.e. use some images or something) to read. Do note that this doesn't mean 'make every text rainbow colored' or something.

[Hey Im Jordan]

@rebornfan320 I took a look at your thread and it's poorly organized and looks like literally every other thread written by anyone else. Try giving it some more character and making it more interesting (i.e. use some images or something) to read. Do note that this doesn't mean 'make every text rainbow colored' or something.

@Odin

I can agree with this. Aesthetics are a weird part of the guild, something I sort of have a love hate relationship with. While I'm not particularly well versed in them, I think they're very important for grabbing attention with a lot of the users here. Having something well organized and pretty is very helpful.

[rebornfan320]

In my defense I do not think it is poorly organized at all. I had someone look it over and actually help me with it. Aesthetics I feel is over the top and really unnecessary since it is flash at best taking up the interest of everyone else from other threads.

[Dion]

@rebornfan320 For someone talking about roleplay success rates you do realize that you've had (in your own words) no hits on that thread, right?