Hidden 9 yrs ago Post by Jig
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Jig plagiarist / extraordinaire

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And, obviously, the level of experimentation players should feel free to indulge in should be for the GM to decide.
[@Myself]


There are rules to the presentation, and they are useful, but part of being creative is knowing how to break the rules effectively.


I think the above are the keys to successfully getting on with regard to colour and 'multimedia-pbp' in general.
Hidden 9 yrs ago Post by Rilla
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Rilla SuperNova Generation / The Lazy Storyteller

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I'm a fan of using colors for dialogues, especially in multi-character posts.

So long as it's an easily readable color - it's fine. Picking something nearly impossible to see isn't good form.

Then again, this is coming from someone who'd skip over an interest check if it's mostly plain, block paragraphs.
Hidden 9 yrs ago Post by Obscene Symphony
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Obscene Symphony sea wench

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I don't mind the use of colour, so long as people aren't using it as a crutch. For example, I tend to get a lot annoyed when I see people using colours to differentiate between character dialogue and think that's an excuse not to format properly (beginning a new paragraph when a new person is speaking, using paragraphs to separate topics, etc.)

As well, and this is more of a personal problem, I'd rather people use colours that are easy to see, but not too bright. I have very photosensitive eyes, so I highlight all the text here in order to read it. Therefore, when someone uses say, bright red, it's hard to read both highlighted and not.

Basically, it's not a bad thing. I don't tend to use it myself unless I feel like readers are going to skim over my post if they don't see colour. I do HATE it, though, when people use colour as an excuse to ignore proper grammar and formatting. /end rant
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Hidden 9 yrs ago Post by AlteredTundra
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AlteredTundra

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I often associate colors with my characters, so it's only natural that I use them for their dialogue. I see no problem in doing so.
Hidden 9 yrs ago Post by tsukune
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tsukune In Parodyse

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I don't mind the use of colour, so long as people aren't using it as a crutch. For example, I tend to get a lot annoyed when I see people using colours to differentiate between character dialogue and think that's an excuse not to format properly (beginning a new paragraph when a new person is speaking, using paragraphs to separate topics, etc.)

As well, and this is more of a personal problem, I'd rather people use colours that are easy to see, but not too bright. I have very photosensitive eyes, so I highlight all the text here in order to read it. Therefore, when someone uses say, bright red, it's hard to read both highlighted and not.

Basically, it's not a bad thing. I don't tend to use it myself unless I feel like readers are going to skim over my post if they don't see colour. I do HATE it, though, when people use colour as an excuse to ignore proper grammar and formatting. /end rant

I second to this.

For me, I'm perfectly fine with or without using colors in IC posts. Using colors just helps to brighten up the monochrome post. Of course, it doesn't mean basic writing rules can be forsaken. Lazy, horrible writing turns me off no matter how awesome the RP idea or your characters are.
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Hidden 9 yrs ago 9 yrs ago Post by The Harbinger of Ferocity
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The Harbinger of Ferocity

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My experiences with color in-character is that the individual in question is skewing the perception of that character in the mind of the reader by use of their color choice. In this I mean that it has been largely stereotyped that your "red text" characters are your fiery spirits, evil doers, villains, crazies and the sort, whereas your greens are much more neutral, passive or calm - often akin to blue and so on for each. This has two effects on myself as a reader, both of which I am not fond of...

First, the issue I take the most problem with is that it just looks horrible to my perception. It is not pleasing to encounter and is often very jarring in contrast to what could be better done with more classical, proven tools of writing such as word choice, phrasing and utilizing of emphasis. Even changes such as bold or Italics (in particular underline or strike) can be too jarring if executed poorly, which they often are. A colored response tends toward the extremes in these regards, especially when mixed with default text - it just has the sensation of, at least for myself, being struck in the face by the text because it is very much the center of attention. I do not have the option as the reader to "not" view it until I get there; it is distracting.

The second issue I take with it is that it appears lazy, as many have said. This stems from more of a formatting issue and improper use of alternating speaking roles between characters, which if done in the same post can be made quite clear, even in its simplest of forms (the "said" archetype). If one is posting for many characters in different locations, why not employ a divider with a slightly larger font size denoting the character and location, then proceed from there effectively in-character after said transition? It appears smooth and allows the reader's train of though to reset, to become accustomed to the "new" information that is not (normally) directly linked to the previous? It runs along the lines of chapters in a book, in terms of concept - of which I am certain there is likely a word to describe it.

Building off the second issue of laziness, it gives a sensation that a character, even if absolutely not, is but a single note. "My character X is Y because his/her color is Z." Perhaps this is just my opinion alone, but it feels very stereotyped - that the character is bound to, rather than their words and deeds, their color. Again, readily rectified by superior word choice, phrasing and emphasis (like that of Italics and the sort).

Color does have its uses in roleplaying, some of which I am fond of - especially as a Game Master. I utilize it almost strictly for "set pieces" such as my account's profile information, but more so for something where it is most effective... statistics. In a very "crunchy" and mechanics heavy roleplay effective use of color by a Game Master can indicate the severity of statistics; the difference between 1/100 and 1/100. It does however, require discipline and elegance to employ correctly, or it comes off as breaking any semblance of immersion, which is essentially the lifeblood of roleplaying, which is even more vulnerable in any system that uses a lot of hard rules and numbers.

Admittedly, colored text and its users are not about to really go anywhere. They're not wrong, as it is by and large preference, but I further admit I do not take much interest in it and often utilize a policy of declining its use in any roleplay I run or participate in; no more different than how I avoid and tend to disapprove of character pictures of which are not original works - unique to that character - and or are not genre appropriate, such as anime pieces in a decidedly non-anime realism setting.
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Hidden 9 yrs ago Post by Raxacoricofallapatorius
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Raxacoricofallapatorius god of shenanigans

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I used to never use colored text and I thought it was tacky, but lately I've been using colors for the purpose of drawing attention to dialogue and I've begun to appreciate when other people do too, especially in big roleplays with a lot a different or complicated things happening, it helps me remember who's who and who said what, especially when I'm going back and referencing past posts (I'm talking pages ago) and searching for something that some character said at some point. So yeah, not especially for or against it. I like it so far as dialogue goes, if it was a whole post though, or a post filled with tons of different colors, I think that would be too distracting (sort of like when people put a bunch of pictures in their IC posts, like if you want to have one little one at the top that's fine, but posting a picture or gif every other paragraph is really distracting and I think takes away from the beauty of written word.)

All things in moderation, I guess. If someone asked me not to post in colored text, I would comply. I rather like it now though.
Hidden 9 yrs ago Post by Shienvien
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Shienvien Creator and Destroyer

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I vote no for colors in IC, and I'd also rather people stuck with the standard font and used bold/italics consistently and sparingly. Pressing enter and tab before switching speaker makes the dialog visually distinct enough.
- Colors tend to be distracting, and since I have rather hue- and contrast-sensitive eyes, most colored text tends to be physically unpleasant to read. It's slightly less relevant on dark background, but coupled with light background I most likely have to skip reading or only skim-read it unless I actually have the incentive to open up a separate plain text editor and copy the entire post over there to read it, each and every time...
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