How do you feel about the level of character diversity you’ve experienced?

[IceHeart]

How do you feel about the level of character diversity you've experienced?

...well frankly I don't really care. I've seen a lot of different characters that were unique and well written, but I've also seen plenty that were made diverse for diversity's sake and the character suffered for it. I appreciate people who take the time to craft a well put together character that fits within whatever setting they have been put in. Personally, I at least try to make sure whatever character I create doesn't have too much similarity with any other player character but aside from that I don't put too much thought into it.

For me personally, it is setting first and character second. Even if it is a character I want to try out, if I feel I cannot properly put that kind of character into that story, I'll scrap the character and come up with something different. Thankfully I have very rarely had to do that as I usually catch on before a character can be fully developed.

Make the character you want to create, make it fleshed out, and diversity will or won't happen; not a big deal either way as long as the characters are crafted well.

[BrokenPromise]

@GeekFactor Mmmmm, Good post, but by your example you'd think three woman I've met IRL were men based on how they choose to play their characters. Though you've mentioned something that seems to be absent from most female characters I've seen.

On the topic of relationship crazy lesbians, I do find it both interesting and disturbing that I've come across so many non-hetrosexual characters in my time on RPG guild. I mean I would expect a magical girl roleplay to contain a lot of gay woman, but they seem to crop up almost everywhere. Their sexuality seems to get brought up or hinted at during their first few posts and then they're off to hook up. I wonder if this is wish fulfillment or something else.

[Andreyich]

almost as if half the people on this site are here to bash their salami

[Idea]

almost as if half the people on this site are here to bash their salami

@Andreyich

“Their salami”?

[Penny]

I deliberately play characters of a variety of races/ethnicity but frankly most of my stories are about shooting things in space so it is rarely a big driver of plot.

[Majoraa]

On the topic of relationship crazy lesbians, I do find it both interesting and disturbing that I've come across so many non-hetrosexual characters in my time on RPG guild. I mean I would expect a magical girl roleplay to contain a lot of gay woman, but they seem to crop up almost everywhere. Their sexuality seems to get brought up or hinted at during their first few posts and then they're off to hook up. I wonder if this is wish fulfillment or something else.

@BrokenPromise

Probs. Haven't really seen much confirmed hetro-ships as of my rps right now. :/

[GeekFactor]

@GeekFactor Mmmmm, Good post, but by your example you'd think three woman I've met IRL were men based on how they choose to play their characters. Though you've mentioned something that seems to be absent from most female characters I've seen.

On the topic of relationship crazy lesbians, I do find it both interesting and disturbing that I've come across so many non-hetrosexual characters in my time on RPG guild. I mean I would expect a magical girl roleplay to contain a lot of gay woman, but they seem to crop up almost everywhere. Their sexuality seems to get brought up or hinted at during their first few posts and then they're off to hook up. I wonder if this is wish fulfillment or something else.

@BrokenPromise

It was just one example, and I did preface it by saying it might not be the best to give. It was off the cuff of a very tired me, and there are so many aspects and angles and layers and variations of human behavior, it's impossible to say "all women are this" or "all men are that". These are merely my thoughts and experiences, and I'll be the first to say I don't always express what I'm thinking in the most coherent manner.

I very much agree with your second point.

[BrokenPromise]

@GeekFactor You're fine. We're just exchanging views and having a discussion. There wouldn't be much point if we just came here to offload our opinions without discussing them a bit right?

Another part of the "men make for manly woman" thing that you noticed may be that men tend to like more aggressive scenarios. Since we have more testosterone and the like, aggression is more rewarding to watch.

Probs. Haven't really seen much confirmed hetro-ships as of my rps right now. :/

@Majoras End

There are just a lot of different types of relationships other than romantic pairings. You have siblings, parents, mentors, co-workers, friends, brothers-in-arms, and likely more. I've personally never seen an RP with a father and son team, and to me that would be more rewarding to watch play out over another romance.

[GeekFactor]

@GeekFactor You're fine. We're just exchanging views and having a discussion. There wouldn't be much point if we just came here to offload our opinions without discussing them a bit right?

Another part of the "men make for manly woman" thing that you noticed may be that men tend to like more aggressive scenarios. Since we have more testosterone and the like, aggression is more rewarding to watch.

@BrokenPromise

Thank you, that's very gracious of you to say :)

You're right, that's exactly part of my point! It just makes it a little easier to spot "guy RPing a girl" and can damage the feeling of immersion and authenticity sometimes.

[POOHEAD189]

I deliberately play characters of a variety of races/ethnicity but frankly most of my stories are about shooting things in space so it is rarely a big driver of plot.

@Penny

I disagree. Your characters drive a lot of plots in my experience ;)

On topic, I usually like playing the odd one out, though not in a game breaking sort of way. Unless of course I just feel like being something tropey, like a Prince.

But I agree with @GeekFactor that you don't need to have diverse characters to have fun. A lot of roleplaying isn't about you being someone you're not, but experiencing things you usually do not. If you feel like being something you're familiar with, more power to you. It depends on the players/user, honestly.

[Penny]

@POOHEAD189 I mean't that their racial diversity is rarely a driver of plot, my characters are frequently drivers (in some cases literally).

I suppose in some of my Old World rps characters being from different places has mattered somewhat and in my East India short stories.

[POOHEAD189]

@Penny I'd argue Emmaline's nationality/ethnicity definitely kickstarted dogs 2, with her being a captive for being a northerner.

[Kassarock]

On the topic of faceclaims, I have a bit of a rule for myself to go by. "Never use the same FC/character twice."

@Majoras End

Damn, I just remembered that three of my characters all use the actor (Callum Keith Rennie) as face claims. But in my defense they're all pictures of him like 15 years apart. What can I say? Man has an interesting face, but maybe I'm not so good at this diversity lark.

[POOHEAD189]

@Kassarock I've never seen you use an actual faceclaim in a roleplay.

Personally I never liked the idea of using someone's real face as a character, but to each their own.

[Kassarock]

@POOHEAD189 Yeah you have, Lem from Band of Fools was just a photo of Ray Stevenson that I ran through a sketch filter.

Although I do generally use art more than face claims, if I am using an image at all, which I don't always do. When I use a face claim I normally use an actor performing in a role, feels a bit less weird that way since its not just them, but rather their portrayal of another fictional character that you're appropriating.

[POOHEAD189]

@Kassarock Ray Stevenson does have that classic medieval/antiquity look. I really envy people like him and Sean Bean for that kind of presence. Also I recognized him in Band of Fools but I didn't know you used a real pic through a filter lmao.

I understand what you mean too. Actor's portrayals can really get your ideas going. I just never felt right posting up their faces in an abject manner. I remember I only did it once, or I was going to because one of my friends wanted me to join an 'action movie style' RP and I wanted to try and portray Jackie Chan from Rumble in the Bronx.

[BrokenPromise]

You're right, that's exactly part of my point! It just makes it a little easier to spot "guy RPing a girl" and can damage the feeling of immersion and authenticity sometimes.

@GeekFactor

Gotta say though, most stories (non-roleplays) have a tendency to be written by a single author. While it's hard to put my finger on, it is clear that woman and men write their characters a particular way. Do you find yourself being pulled out of immersion when reading books?

But I agree with GeekFactor that you don't need to have diverse characters to have fun. A lot of roleplaying isn't about you being someone you're not, but experiencing things you usually do not. If you feel like being something you're familiar with, more power to you. It depends on the players/user, honestly.

@POOHEAD189

I think the problem with people treading old ground isn't that people dare to play themselves, but that they tend to go for the Mary Sue-esque rolls without much variation. Which is almost understandable. I mean, inexperienced writers usually don't have a lot of real world experiences, so they write from what they know. And they know themselves, so they usually just write a character that is more or less a self insert with powers. This can cause problems down the pipe when the character has to take a loss or is criticized for anything. Because it's no longer the character, but the person playing them that is being asked to lose/be criticized.

I also think if you're going to be a GM, you want a certain level of diversity. Wouldn't it be weird to play in a Tolkien-esque RP where you travel the entire world, but all of the key NPC/villainous characters are edgy swordsman with dark pasts? This probably goes outside the scope of your comment, but I thought it was interesting to bring up.

[GeekFactor]

<Snipped quote by GeekFactor>

Gotta say though, most stories (non-roleplays) have a tendency to be written by a single author. While it's hard to put my finger on, it is clear that woman and men write their characters a particular way. Do you find yourself being pulled out of immersion when reading books?

@BrokenPromise

Ah, but there's a difference, I think, between writing a novel or script, and roleplaying a character. And I honestly don't know many authors who I'd say portray the opposite sex in a perfectly believable way. But when you're reading a book, you *know* you're reading a book by so-and-so, so the expectation to be fully convinced isn't quite the same. Does that make any sense? Most books aren't going to delve so deeply and intimately into the psyche, thoughts, sensations, impressions, urges, desires, etc...of every single character in the story. That's usually saved for the protagonist. Whereas when someone is roleplaying a character, they're tasked with literally *becoming* that character, not just relaying "Bob sat down and picked up a beer and said "Evening, everyone." Sure, some people roleplay on that level and never bother going any deeper, but that's not what I'm talking about here. (Sorry, Bob, not trying to throw you under the bus, bro.)

Some books are more immersive and believable than others, for sure. All depends on the author's skill in getting outside of their own head and viewpoint, and being able to grasp the way another mind works.

[stone]

<Snipped quote by BrokenPromise>
Ah, but there's a difference, I think, between writing a novel or script, and roleplaying a character. And I honestly don't know many authors who I'd say portray the opposite sex in a perfectly believable way. But when you're reading a book, you *know* you're reading a book by so-and-so, so the expectation to be fully convinced isn't quite the same. Does that make any sense? Most books aren't going to delve so deeply and intimately into the psyche, thoughts, sensations, impressions, urges, desires, etc...of every single character in the story. That's usually saved for the protagonist. Whereas when someone is roleplaying a character, they're tasked with literally *becoming* that character, not just relaying "Bob sat down and picked up a beer and said "Evening, everyone." Sure, some people roleplay on that level and never bother going any deeper, but that's not what I'm talking about here. (Sorry, Bob, not trying to throw you under the bus, bro.)

@GeekFactor

I disagree on this point, or at least, I think I can offer a counterexample. Some people write their characters to be contributions to the narrative. I know not everyone is like this, but sometimes you have characters that are, you know, less complicated.

[Carlyle]

<Snipped quote by Andreyich>

“Their salami”?

@Idea

He means smut