Otakuforreal
Prince Potter
Tlaloc
Festive
Joshua Tamashii
sharkbites
Ojiro Mashirao
iFain
RolePlayerGuilt
fledermausI found the secret, roleplayers hate me, I just don't start any RPs. Can't get rejected if you never try. Bazinga.
For realzies though, trying to start an RP and having no one join can be very frustrating. You have a great idea in your mind, you've put some portion of that in to a post and people just aren't seeing the brilliant possibilities of your idea. It can be hard to know why. Maybe it's because everyone is in my much better RP but probably not. They can't meet my high standards.
What problems have you had in joining in with the RPing? What worked for you to overcome those problems? What didn't? How thankful are you to me for being the one true sure solution to all your problems? You're welcome.
For realzies though, trying to start an RP and having no one join can be very frustrating. You have a great idea in your mind, you've put some portion of that in to a post and people just aren't seeing the brilliant possibilities of your idea. It can be hard to know why. Maybe it's because everyone is in my much better RP but probably not. They can't meet my high standards.
What problems have you had in joining in with the RPing? What worked for you to overcome those problems? What didn't? How thankful are you to me for being the one true sure solution to all your problems? You're welcome.
This is a hobby most of us love. That love isn't always as strong as it is at the best times. You put a lot of yourself into this hobby and so the failures can hurt. They're not always your fault and even when they are that is simply part of the process. You fall on your face again and again until you fall on your face a little bit less.
I started a goofy little thread here and a bunch of really high quality users contributed and contributed and eventually it took form as this. I have tried to credit everyone who participated by either naming the Hider after them or mentioning them at the start of the section they wrote using the @Username format, I imagine they would be happy to receive a "Thanks for what you said in that one thread, it helped me," if something they say helps you. Cheers.
I started a goofy little thread here and a bunch of really high quality users contributed and contributed and eventually it took form as this. I have tried to credit everyone who participated by either naming the Hider after them or mentioning them at the start of the section they wrote using the @Username format, I imagine they would be happy to receive a "Thanks for what you said in that one thread, it helped me," if something they say helps you. Cheers.
@Tuujaimaa
The key to a writing a good roleplay that will stand the metaphorical test of time is introspection, reflection, and iteration.
The key to a writing a good roleplay that will stand the metaphorical test of time is introspection, reflection, and iteration.
Use Hiders to excess, everyone loves excessive Hiders
There are lots of different sorts of RPs and many bring different requirements for a Character Sheet. Some are extremely basic requiring little more than a Name, Age, Sex and sometimes Race or Species in an incredibly simple format such as:
Name:
Age:
Sex:
Race/Species:
Many will require a bit more; featuring elements like Psychology, History, Background, Theme Songs, Face Claims, Inventory, Skills and so on and so forth.
Often as the Format becomes increasingly complex the Character Sheets become a more concrete image of what your character is or may become. It's always good, in my opinion, to try to stretch your writing out a little bit and write a little more than you are comfortable with.
There are many outstanding Character Sheets and Character Sheet Formats to be seen here. Here are three that caught my eye.
The Rosefell High Character Sheet
RP by @HaleyTheRandom Character Sheet specifically by [@DirtyPrettyLies]
roleplayerguild.com/posts/5186892
Format Available under the "Character Sheet Code" in that first post
The Sensation & Wonder Character Sheets
RP by @Lord Wraith, @Roman & @DocTachyon
roleplayerguild.com/posts/5284132
Both Format Available under the Character Sheet Application Header in that first post
The first Character Sheet from Sensation & Wonder is the one I've used for my best Character Sheets. The second Character Sheet in it is for my money the best Character Sheet Format available here. I haven't used it yet, but one day.
Name:
Age:
Sex:
Race/Species:
Many will require a bit more; featuring elements like Psychology, History, Background, Theme Songs, Face Claims, Inventory, Skills and so on and so forth.
Often as the Format becomes increasingly complex the Character Sheets become a more concrete image of what your character is or may become. It's always good, in my opinion, to try to stretch your writing out a little bit and write a little more than you are comfortable with.
There are many outstanding Character Sheets and Character Sheet Formats to be seen here. Here are three that caught my eye.
The Rosefell High Character Sheet
RP by @HaleyTheRandom Character Sheet specifically by [@DirtyPrettyLies]
roleplayerguild.com/posts/5186892
Format Available under the "Character Sheet Code" in that first post
The Sensation & Wonder Character Sheets
RP by @Lord Wraith, @Roman & @DocTachyon
roleplayerguild.com/posts/5284132
Both Format Available under the Character Sheet Application Header in that first post
The first Character Sheet from Sensation & Wonder is the one I've used for my best Character Sheets. The second Character Sheet in it is for my money the best Character Sheet Format available here. I haven't used it yet, but one day.
This is a very hard part of RPs sometimes. You see an interesting story you want to be a part of. You see writers you admire and want to write with for the first time, or maybe writers you have written with before and you don't know if you can keep up with what you've written before. Or you just plain don't have any ideas on what to write.
It helps to hold on to old or incomplete character sheets. Sometimes it's a character you had for an RP that died in it's infancy. Sometimes it's a Character Sheet you stopped developing halfway because that chick Ashleigh called you and you're not about to not answer her call. I mean come on. Sometimes it's a vague idea that was really interesting but there just wasn't an RP where that character would fit. Hold on to that stuff.
If you need a new one often the first step is the hardest. Luckily @LuckyBlackCat started a thread that just might help you out.
roleplayerguild.com/topics/188422-cha…
Answer one or two of these questions. Add your own to keep the ball rolling. Just might lead to something. If not just go for a Halfling. Those are always fun.
It helps to hold on to old or incomplete character sheets. Sometimes it's a character you had for an RP that died in it's infancy. Sometimes it's a Character Sheet you stopped developing halfway because that chick Ashleigh called you and you're not about to not answer her call. I mean come on. Sometimes it's a vague idea that was really interesting but there just wasn't an RP where that character would fit. Hold on to that stuff.
If you need a new one often the first step is the hardest. Luckily @LuckyBlackCat started a thread that just might help you out.
roleplayerguild.com/topics/188422-cha…
Answer one or two of these questions. Add your own to keep the ball rolling. Just might lead to something. If not just go for a Halfling. Those are always fun.
If your Interest Check is too rudimentary many will not want to join an underdeveloped setting. Some will. Some will love the idea of helping to build a world collaboratively to RP in, but many expect the OP to have a Setting ready and waiting to go.
Here are some examples of Good to Great Presentation, In No Particular Order (including my own because I'm full of myself)
As you can see mine is the simplest of them all. A single image at the beginning, a short explanation of the setting and a short listing of basically flavor material classes. It's not much, the other examples have a lot more, but it's still just a bit more than the minimum.
Here are some examples of Good to Great Presentation, In No Particular Order (including my own because I'm full of myself)
The Blackwood
- Lovely gradient title (I don't know how to do that)
- Image that sets a tone and also sets a...setting
- Guidelines for participation
- Worldbuilding including Races, Gods, Stats, and use of Rolls
roleplayerguild.com/topics/183420-the…
The Witcher: Under The Shadow
- Another image that sets a tone and this one is actually a gif, that's neat
- Flavor content in the form of a poem and a historical quote from the existing lore
- An introduction, a map, and a list of big factions and important people
roleplayerguild.com/topics/180815-the…
Warhammer 40K: Enemy Without, Enemy Within [Jb]
- Title Banner is centered right about an image that sets the tone quite well
- A Summary explaining what players should expect and what the GM will expect of the players
- An in character prompt to explain where things stand as the story begins
- Links to existing lore for those less familiar with the setting
- Rules and a Sample Character Sheet format
roleplayerguild.com/topics/157848-war…
Deadlands - A Supernatural Western
- An image to establish tone and setting, this one had the name of the thread built in
- Short introduction to establish setting and tone
- Explanation of factions, character types, and forms of magic
- Character Sheet template
roleplayerguild.com/topics/171547-dea…
Rosefell High
- Title in a cool font
- Image to establish setting a bit better and it's a gif, which is neat
- Brief introduction followed by a bit about expectations
- Rules and Guidelines for Character Creation
- Excellent Character Sheet template
- That excellent template led to some of the best Character Sheets I've seen. It's worth it to go to the Characters Tab just to get a look at how good this format looks and how much work the participants put in to making some good ass character sheets. Hot damn.
roleplayerguild.com/topics/183907-ros…
- Lovely gradient title (I don't know how to do that)
- Image that sets a tone and also sets a...setting
- Guidelines for participation
- Worldbuilding including Races, Gods, Stats, and use of Rolls
roleplayerguild.com/topics/183420-the…
The Witcher: Under The Shadow
- Another image that sets a tone and this one is actually a gif, that's neat
- Flavor content in the form of a poem and a historical quote from the existing lore
- An introduction, a map, and a list of big factions and important people
roleplayerguild.com/topics/180815-the…
Warhammer 40K: Enemy Without, Enemy Within [Jb]
- Title Banner is centered right about an image that sets the tone quite well
- A Summary explaining what players should expect and what the GM will expect of the players
- An in character prompt to explain where things stand as the story begins
- Links to existing lore for those less familiar with the setting
- Rules and a Sample Character Sheet format
roleplayerguild.com/topics/157848-war…
Deadlands - A Supernatural Western
- An image to establish tone and setting, this one had the name of the thread built in
- Short introduction to establish setting and tone
- Explanation of factions, character types, and forms of magic
- Character Sheet template
roleplayerguild.com/topics/171547-dea…
Rosefell High
- Title in a cool font
- Image to establish setting a bit better and it's a gif, which is neat
- Brief introduction followed by a bit about expectations
- Rules and Guidelines for Character Creation
- Excellent Character Sheet template
- That excellent template led to some of the best Character Sheets I've seen. It's worth it to go to the Characters Tab just to get a look at how good this format looks and how much work the participants put in to making some good ass character sheets. Hot damn.
roleplayerguild.com/topics/183907-ros…
As you can see mine is the simplest of them all. A single image at the beginning, a short explanation of the setting and a short listing of basically flavor material classes. It's not much, the other examples have a lot more, but it's still just a bit more than the minimum.
@Ammokkx
I've found that in order to have a good interest check, you need to have at least some elements (but not all) of the following (and I definitely have left some gaps but oh well):
Being able to clearly articulate your idea. You may have the best ideas in the world, but if you can't properly explain what it's about then you're not going to get anywhere.
Doing something that people are both asking for, and others aren't providing. This one's a bit more abstract, but what it comes down to is this: Interest for a generic fantasy adventure is always high, but if your adventure is too generic, and there's 3 other RPs already on the market dealing with the same thing, people are going to be playing in those instead.
Knowing what you want. This isn't the same as having a detailed idea, mind. I've gotten away with posting an interest check titled "let's brainstorm a yugioh roleplay together" and I sure did draw a crowd from it (even if, when it got time to actual writing, it all fell apart). Thing is, even in that brainstorm thread I still laid out a few fundamental things I was looking for. Close to the anime, none o' dat meta shit, a lot of freedom in how duels unfolded (so no simulators). The details of the actual plot was for everyone interested to figure out together. This, too, was made clear. Set your boundaries and stick to them.
Putting effort into presentation. I'm not saying "use colours, tables, images and gifs like your life depends on it" since, really, I don't do that either. But do try to format your text in a clearly readable, easily accessible manner. Organizing your thread to have a clear beginning-middle-end structure and making sure it has at least some logical chronology to it goes a loooong way.
I've found that in order to have a good interest check, you need to have at least some elements (but not all) of the following (and I definitely have left some gaps but oh well):
Being able to clearly articulate your idea. You may have the best ideas in the world, but if you can't properly explain what it's about then you're not going to get anywhere.
Doing something that people are both asking for, and others aren't providing. This one's a bit more abstract, but what it comes down to is this: Interest for a generic fantasy adventure is always high, but if your adventure is too generic, and there's 3 other RPs already on the market dealing with the same thing, people are going to be playing in those instead.
Knowing what you want. This isn't the same as having a detailed idea, mind. I've gotten away with posting an interest check titled "let's brainstorm a yugioh roleplay together" and I sure did draw a crowd from it (even if, when it got time to actual writing, it all fell apart). Thing is, even in that brainstorm thread I still laid out a few fundamental things I was looking for. Close to the anime, none o' dat meta shit, a lot of freedom in how duels unfolded (so no simulators). The details of the actual plot was for everyone interested to figure out together. This, too, was made clear. Set your boundaries and stick to them.
Putting effort into presentation. I'm not saying "use colours, tables, images and gifs like your life depends on it" since, really, I don't do that either. But do try to format your text in a clearly readable, easily accessible manner. Organizing your thread to have a clear beginning-middle-end structure and making sure it has at least some logical chronology to it goes a loooong way.
@ERode
from my point of view, there's two ways in which players are drawn/stuck with a RP: the promise of a fun plot, and the potential for characters to grow. If you can formulate an idea that offers both ways, that's even better! To clarify what I mean, I guess I'll ram in some examples...
If you can convey the sense that such things are possible, AND the sense that you're able to offer that to players (which may really just be something dependent on something as intangible as the vibes that your post gives off), I think that there's a pretty good chance you'll have at least some interested folk, whether you're new or not. Presentation, of course, also helps a ton (I've become so visually-dependent that my mind shrivels up without A E S T H E T I C S to keep me engaged), while I'd say that branding your RP as based off something else (rather than just being inspired by it), is a double-edged sword in terms of getting people's attention. Pretty sure others make better points about it than I did though.
from my point of view, there's two ways in which players are drawn/stuck with a RP: the promise of a fun plot, and the potential for characters to grow. If you can formulate an idea that offers both ways, that's even better! To clarify what I mean, I guess I'll ram in some examples...
School-based RPs are essentially all about character development. If this is a battle school, people can look forward to growth in terms of their supernatural or martial abilities. If this is a SoL school, people can look forward to hooking up and causing melodrama. If you add in a concrete overworld plot ("This is a post-apocalyptic world with a dystopian government who sends superpowered teens on ridiculously lethal missions"), you heighten the potential for even more positive/negative developments by letting your plot spark inter-PC drama. Sometimes, it backfires by making people get pissed OOCly at each other, but I've seen at least one time where it worked VERY well, and culminated into a RP that didn't lose any players at all. Initially, it's the promise that something special will happen to your character, and your character alone, that draws in interest, whether it be GM-sanctioned power upgrades or a trashy, dumpster-fire romance sparked by an encounter gone horribly wrong.
As extra examples, Ariamis's Magical Girl CYOA makes character creation hella involved by adding in an element of randomness that gives people ideas about their character that they wouldn't immediately have thought about or considered on their own. Rune's Epic of Beginnings encourages making cool, heavy backstories (cult leader, literally Oda Nobunaga) because you get a superpower based off that backstory, and then afterwards, that backstory can be used to inform your character's trajectory through what is otherwise a sandbox-y setting.
Adventure RPs depend on having a delicious plot to draw people in, and they paint a fantasy of involvement, of being part of something that'd change the world rather than yourself. Sparking a rebellion, escaping a prison island, killing a dragon, all those pull in attention through having any character you make involved in something lasting, something big. If you can get people excited about what they're going to do, and what they're going to plan against, then that excitement can be the momentum you use to drive the RP until they've become invested enough that it'd feel bad to leave. Conveying the idea that they'd have something to do immediately when IC begins, and then carrying through with that promise, gives potential players something to look forward to, and then something to enjoy. In this case, even people who're not interested in having long, philosophical chatter with other players can enjoy the RP, just by beating up baddies or braining themselves outta dicey situations.
As extra examples, Valor's FEARLESS had a hell of a start where PCs of a rebellion immediately crashed a prison to get someone else out, had a deadly encounter with an elite guard of a dystopian, superpowered government, and managed to escape after suffering a good amount of injuries, and all that really materialized the sensation of how shit is definitely real, how kid gloves don't exist at all. RC3's Goblin Quest offered a sense of achievement just through the mundane-est of things, such as beating up and eating raw rabbits or crafting random tools on your way to surviving, which worked out well, cause the players start as orphan goblins trying to figure out how to get strong fast, before the humans that slaughtered most of their tribe find them.
And if you can mix plot and development together (Yankee's Windfall comes to mind for creating an ensemble adventure RP where everyone's traveling together around the continent to fulfill different quests that have personal/continental impacts BUT THE SPECIFICS OF HOW THE PLOTS WILL GO IS PLOTTED BY EVERY PLAYER EXCEPT FOR THE ONE WHO PURSUES THAT PLOT), then it becomes fuckin' delicious.
As extra examples, Ariamis's Magical Girl CYOA makes character creation hella involved by adding in an element of randomness that gives people ideas about their character that they wouldn't immediately have thought about or considered on their own. Rune's Epic of Beginnings encourages making cool, heavy backstories (cult leader, literally Oda Nobunaga) because you get a superpower based off that backstory, and then afterwards, that backstory can be used to inform your character's trajectory through what is otherwise a sandbox-y setting.
Adventure RPs depend on having a delicious plot to draw people in, and they paint a fantasy of involvement, of being part of something that'd change the world rather than yourself. Sparking a rebellion, escaping a prison island, killing a dragon, all those pull in attention through having any character you make involved in something lasting, something big. If you can get people excited about what they're going to do, and what they're going to plan against, then that excitement can be the momentum you use to drive the RP until they've become invested enough that it'd feel bad to leave. Conveying the idea that they'd have something to do immediately when IC begins, and then carrying through with that promise, gives potential players something to look forward to, and then something to enjoy. In this case, even people who're not interested in having long, philosophical chatter with other players can enjoy the RP, just by beating up baddies or braining themselves outta dicey situations.
As extra examples, Valor's FEARLESS had a hell of a start where PCs of a rebellion immediately crashed a prison to get someone else out, had a deadly encounter with an elite guard of a dystopian, superpowered government, and managed to escape after suffering a good amount of injuries, and all that really materialized the sensation of how shit is definitely real, how kid gloves don't exist at all. RC3's Goblin Quest offered a sense of achievement just through the mundane-est of things, such as beating up and eating raw rabbits or crafting random tools on your way to surviving, which worked out well, cause the players start as orphan goblins trying to figure out how to get strong fast, before the humans that slaughtered most of their tribe find them.
And if you can mix plot and development together (Yankee's Windfall comes to mind for creating an ensemble adventure RP where everyone's traveling together around the continent to fulfill different quests that have personal/continental impacts BUT THE SPECIFICS OF HOW THE PLOTS WILL GO IS PLOTTED BY EVERY PLAYER EXCEPT FOR THE ONE WHO PURSUES THAT PLOT), then it becomes fuckin' delicious.
If you can convey the sense that such things are possible, AND the sense that you're able to offer that to players (which may really just be something dependent on something as intangible as the vibes that your post gives off), I think that there's a pretty good chance you'll have at least some interested folk, whether you're new or not. Presentation, of course, also helps a ton (I've become so visually-dependent that my mind shrivels up without A E S T H E T I C S to keep me engaged), while I'd say that branding your RP as based off something else (rather than just being inspired by it), is a double-edged sword in terms of getting people's attention. Pretty sure others make better points about it than I did though.
@Yankee
Presentation is very important. That doesn't mean a lot of fancy bbcode, but it does mean taking a moment to present your ideas in a clear, concise way. For example, a large wall of block of text can be a big turn off, but breaking that wall down into multiple paragraphs is already an improvement to help with information digestion. Also, less is more! Especially when it comes to 1x1 checks, not to come off rude but... no one needs your life story. Make your RP ideas front and center, at least!
Presentation is very important. That doesn't mean a lot of fancy bbcode, but it does mean taking a moment to present your ideas in a clear, concise way. For example, a large wall of block of text can be a big turn off, but breaking that wall down into multiple paragraphs is already an improvement to help with information digestion. Also, less is more! Especially when it comes to 1x1 checks, not to come off rude but... no one needs your life story. Make your RP ideas front and center, at least!
@fledermaus
> have a header with the title large above a centered image that represents the roleplay; image height shouldnt be smaller than 250px or taller than 700px
> break your information into sections and have a header smaller than the title above it (i typically have premise (where i give the story bit), setting, ooc information, and rules)
> use some varied color. nothing is more offputting to me than a block of white or a block of xyz. pick a color, make it the color of your headers and title, and either leave the rest white or color it gray (my preference)
> have a header with the title large above a centered image that represents the roleplay; image height shouldnt be smaller than 250px or taller than 700px
> break your information into sections and have a header smaller than the title above it (i typically have premise (where i give the story bit), setting, ooc information, and rules)
> use some varied color. nothing is more offputting to me than a block of white or a block of xyz. pick a color, make it the color of your headers and title, and either leave the rest white or color it gray (my preference)
@fledermaus
lizard brain likes pretty things, make it look nice
lizard brain likes pretty things, make it look nice
It is harder to find people to join your RPs when you are just starting. People will not know who you are, how you write, how you deal with conflict in RPs and that may make them more reluctant to join your RP. Being just too damn good of a writer may have that effect as well. I can't tell you how many times someone has told me "Hey BangoSkank, I'd love to join one of the many many brilliant RPs you have started but you are just too damn good. Too damn handsome. I can't keep up." It is my gift and my curse, my cross to bear.
@Yankee
As far as reputation goes, you'd be surprised how far a name and avatar change can go along with a dedicated plan to turn over a new leaf. If you're worried about your reputation putting people off, try on a new "brand" so to speak and work to change it, especially by reaching out to others. They say you get what you give, so joining other people's checks will give some good karma
[@TGM]
Do note reputation works in the inverse as well. If you have a reputation as someone who people don't want to be around, unreliable, temperamental, bad GMing, etc. people will pass on you. It's up to you to fix your reputation at that point and show you've grown past your past issues and consistencies.
@Obscene Symphony
Reputation is e x t r e m e l y important. If you're new and don't have much posting history for people to look at (or if you mainly RP in PMs), write up some writing samples (or some previous RP posts you're particularly proud of) in a Gallery thread for potential partners or GMs to peruse. If you have a history of making an ass of yourself in the OOC, you'll have a hard time. Et cetera.
@Yankee
As far as reputation goes, you'd be surprised how far a name and avatar change can go along with a dedicated plan to turn over a new leaf. If you're worried about your reputation putting people off, try on a new "brand" so to speak and work to change it, especially by reaching out to others. They say you get what you give, so joining other people's checks will give some good karma
[@TGM]
Do note reputation works in the inverse as well. If you have a reputation as someone who people don't want to be around, unreliable, temperamental, bad GMing, etc. people will pass on you. It's up to you to fix your reputation at that point and show you've grown past your past issues and consistencies.
@Obscene Symphony
Reputation is e x t r e m e l y important. If you're new and don't have much posting history for people to look at (or if you mainly RP in PMs), write up some writing samples (or some previous RP posts you're particularly proud of) in a Gallery thread for potential partners or GMs to peruse. If you have a history of making an ass of yourself in the OOC, you'll have a hard time. Et cetera.
@PPQ Purple
What keeps a game alive is not IC but OCC. If people are excited about the game and chatting constantly in OOC either about the game or just with each other they remain invested in it. And such a game can survive a lot, even people vanishing for a long while. But if the OOC is quiet and people are only ever posting IC odds are good that any significant delay or drop in the post rate will kill the game dead.
What keeps a game alive is not IC but OCC. If people are excited about the game and chatting constantly in OOC either about the game or just with each other they remain invested in it. And such a game can survive a lot, even people vanishing for a long while. But if the OOC is quiet and people are only ever posting IC odds are good that any significant delay or drop in the post rate will kill the game dead.
@Hero
I think sometimes people want more interest than they need. For example, you get a group of maybe 4-5 when you anticipate double that. Sometimes smaller groups actually work out better than larger groups, but they get discouraged when they have only a few people expressing interest if that makes sense.
I think sometimes people want more interest than they need. For example, you get a group of maybe 4-5 when you anticipate double that. Sometimes smaller groups actually work out better than larger groups, but they get discouraged when they have only a few people expressing interest if that makes sense.
@Obscene Symphony
Honestly evaluate your skill level and write at that level. Not everyone is cut out for Advanced or even High Casual, and that's okay. Write with people of a similar skill level (no shame in dipping into Free if that's where you fit), be receptive to criticism and take an interest in improving your writing and you WILL get better, and in turn you'll have more options open to you. Because yes, the quality of your writing often DOES matter to potential partners/GMs. You might not like it, but it's true; and luckily, it's entirely within your control to change.
Most of all, be willing to put in the work. Focus on making every post better than your last and over time you will get results. Better yet, your partners and group members will recognize the effort you put in, and hopefully appreciate you for it. What WON'T get you results, though, is giving up because you think you're doomed or that nobody "understands." Life isn't fair, nothing worth doing is easy, you don't always get rewarded for your efforts, and the only good way to cope with it is to keep trying anyway.
Honestly evaluate your skill level and write at that level. Not everyone is cut out for Advanced or even High Casual, and that's okay. Write with people of a similar skill level (no shame in dipping into Free if that's where you fit), be receptive to criticism and take an interest in improving your writing and you WILL get better, and in turn you'll have more options open to you. Because yes, the quality of your writing often DOES matter to potential partners/GMs. You might not like it, but it's true; and luckily, it's entirely within your control to change.
Most of all, be willing to put in the work. Focus on making every post better than your last and over time you will get results. Better yet, your partners and group members will recognize the effort you put in, and hopefully appreciate you for it. What WON'T get you results, though, is giving up because you think you're doomed or that nobody "understands." Life isn't fair, nothing worth doing is easy, you don't always get rewarded for your efforts, and the only good way to cope with it is to keep trying anyway.
@yoshua171
something else to keep in mind when it comes to taking constructive criticism is that trying a piece of advice once and it failing does not constitute the advice being wrong or responsible for the failure. It just means you tried it once and that time didn't work. Try again.
Don't drop a piece of advice just because it fails once, twice, or three times. If you've tried to make RPs/threads X amount of times and have gotten failure (resulting in a perception of a pattern of failures/bad luck) then why not try a given piece of advice (or more than one) just as many times to see if that method has the same rate of failure.
something else to keep in mind when it comes to taking constructive criticism is that trying a piece of advice once and it failing does not constitute the advice being wrong or responsible for the failure. It just means you tried it once and that time didn't work. Try again.
Don't drop a piece of advice just because it fails once, twice, or three times. If you've tried to make RPs/threads X amount of times and have gotten failure (resulting in a perception of a pattern of failures/bad luck) then why not try a given piece of advice (or more than one) just as many times to see if that method has the same rate of failure.
@Obscene Symphony
don't keep a tally of your failed RPs, cause that's literally just a discouragement machine in the forefront of your mind. Anyone who's been RPing for a few years or more probably has dozens, if not hundreds, of failed RPs under their belt, but they also probably can't even remember most of them cause they moved on rather than dwelling on it.
Think of it this way. If we ranked hockey players by how many shots they missed and not by how many goals they scored, even the best of the best would look like hot garbage.
don't keep a tally of your failed RPs, cause that's literally just a discouragement machine in the forefront of your mind. Anyone who's been RPing for a few years or more probably has dozens, if not hundreds, of failed RPs under their belt, but they also probably can't even remember most of them cause they moved on rather than dwelling on it.
Think of it this way. If we ranked hockey players by how many shots they missed and not by how many goals they scored, even the best of the best would look like hot garbage.
@BrokenPromise said
Something else I'd like to say that didn't get hammered home enough in my other post is that sometimes finishing an RP just isn't fun. You feel accomplished when it happens but it can be a drag to get that far. You're not always smiling and hugging your RP buddies, sometimes you're slouching in your chair, vodka in one hand and an empty mug in the other, thinking "Glad that's over!"
[@TGM] replied
If it is a chore to finish a RP, shouldn't you call it quits before it gets to that point? If you aren't having fun and are just doing it to be a completionist it just seems weird to me. Sometimes the best thing you can to do is pull the plug and move on.
Something else I'd like to say that didn't get hammered home enough in my other post is that sometimes finishing an RP just isn't fun. You feel accomplished when it happens but it can be a drag to get that far. You're not always smiling and hugging your RP buddies, sometimes you're slouching in your chair, vodka in one hand and an empty mug in the other, thinking "Glad that's over!"
[@TGM] replied
If it is a chore to finish a RP, shouldn't you call it quits before it gets to that point? If you aren't having fun and are just doing it to be a completionist it just seems weird to me. Sometimes the best thing you can to do is pull the plug and move on.
@yoshua171
It's funny because it's so easy to think that other people are having a much easier time than you. The reason for that is generally--unless you're specifically looking for it--you only ever see people's successes (RPs that are active/alive long enough for you to notice), whereas their failures (so to speak) are quickly swallowed by newer, more active threads, as they are pushed further and further back through numerous pages.
So yeah, this idea that "everyone else is galloping," is just a result of you not paying individual attention to every attempt that other users on this site have made to get something going. Plus, other aspects of that just happen behind the scenes (On discord, in PMs, etc) so there's not even any chance for you to see it.
Essentially, if you're only looking for peoples' successes, that's the only thing you're going to see.
@stone
You might got good ideas, good characters, hell, even a good camaraderie goin' on with your partner (or group). And then BOOM BAM POW it's all gone (or is it more of a gradual whizzzzzzz as the air deflates out of the RP?)
I've been a GM for ages now. Lots of years. I honestly dunno when I started, at this point. As much as it saddens me to say it, I still haven't seen a forum RP to completion. It's not even an issue with the players I have, and I don't think it's a personal problem of mine, either. It's just the nature of RPing. Hell, my longtime 1x1 partner and I let our RPs die all the goddamn time. It just happens. But we keep going because it's about the journey. And also because of our insatiable need to use the godlike face claims we find online.
It's funny because it's so easy to think that other people are having a much easier time than you. The reason for that is generally--unless you're specifically looking for it--you only ever see people's successes (RPs that are active/alive long enough for you to notice), whereas their failures (so to speak) are quickly swallowed by newer, more active threads, as they are pushed further and further back through numerous pages.
So yeah, this idea that "everyone else is galloping," is just a result of you not paying individual attention to every attempt that other users on this site have made to get something going. Plus, other aspects of that just happen behind the scenes (On discord, in PMs, etc) so there's not even any chance for you to see it.
Essentially, if you're only looking for peoples' successes, that's the only thing you're going to see.
@stone
You might got good ideas, good characters, hell, even a good camaraderie goin' on with your partner (or group). And then BOOM BAM POW it's all gone (or is it more of a gradual whizzzzzzz as the air deflates out of the RP?)
I've been a GM for ages now. Lots of years. I honestly dunno when I started, at this point. As much as it saddens me to say it, I still haven't seen a forum RP to completion. It's not even an issue with the players I have, and I don't think it's a personal problem of mine, either. It's just the nature of RPing. Hell, my longtime 1x1 partner and I let our RPs die all the goddamn time. It just happens. But we keep going because it's about the journey. And also because of our insatiable need to use the godlike face claims we find online.
An Interest is Niche when it is very specific and has a small group of fans. Niche Interests are going to be harder to find RPers to RP with. If you want to do a Sonic The Hedgehog x Naruto Film Noire RP set in the last days of WW2 Tokyo you may have a hard time finding people to RP with you. Particularly if you want to RP as that Bat Lady with the just really big Ta-Tas and expect it to have Adult Themes. Do you uh...do you want to make that RP?
This is less of a concern than it may seem at first. There are some very average writers, like me, in Advanced and there are some very good writers in Casual. If you want to start in Casual start in Casual, if you want to start in Advanced start in Advanced. Folks here are quite unlikely to be rude to you if you're not quite keeping up. Sometimes RPing with people better than you is the best way to develop your own writing ability.
Join someone else's RPs. Starting your own RP is often difficult even in the best of circumstances. There are many RPs here and many of the RPers here are already in one or more RP. We all have limited time and so can only join a limited number of RPs. Joining someone else's RP is a chance for you to meet other RPers, develop a reputation, develop some friendships, and maybe find a new setting you never would have thought of but absolutely adore.
You don't have to, but you should (for your own wellbeing) understand that being less compromising means it will be harder for you to find writing partners. Here, from @Demonic Raven, is advice on Compromise.
"Your idea might be great but in the end there's a few things that might bug your partner the wrong way. Coming up with solutions for these things and creating new twists and turns for your idea can be a handy skill as it can lead to more involvement from your partner. Collaboration on ideas is a key thing when creating a long lasting plot. For example, your potential partner loves the idea about a werewolf and a vampire but doesn't like the idea of blood and gore. You can come up with a neat idea like the vampires don't feed on blood but instead on life force or energy. Improve courses can help with this actually as it can help you think on your feet while planning the RP or actually RPing."
@Demonic Raven with advice on Over Planning
Over planning a plot can be a big turn off when people are looking for an RP. Now if you wish to attract others who over plot obviously over plot in your interest check and go into great detail. But if you want to seek a broader audience be vague in your idea and then plot with your partner about the nitty gritty details. Now there is also just jumping into a very under planned RP as well which is also what some people like. What you express in your interest check plots will determine the kind of people you RP with.
@ERode has more advice for balancing Compromise and Over Planning
To supplement old man Broken's ramblings, I would like to say that even if overplanning is perhaps not too great, having a clear end in mind IS very useful, because then, that means you (and the players) have a general idea of where to go in the end. The only RPs I've completed as a GM were relatively short RPs which had a pretty big focus on a quest-like plot, whether it be plunging into the eldritch depths of the Inverted Spire or destroying the goblin nest of Rugome Fort. Both of these had a clear end (everyone died before they reached the end of the Spire, and almost everyone died against the goblins because the goblin leader contracted with an alien god), and also lead to the teasing of future plot threads to pursue and keep in mind if you wish to continue it (what the hell was that last thing they saw in the Spire before their death? why the hell did an alien god grant their boons onto a single frickin' goblin?).
A pattern of having a problem, solving/failing the problem, and then the reflections afterwards forms the backbones of the RPs I've enjoyed along the years. There's always that adage about how the journey's more important than the destination, but having a destination informs the journey and gives meaning to it. Also it cuts down on the dread of an ending RP if you've always been prepared to end your year-old baby from the beginning.
Just don't be so excited that you start talking about how cool future arcs would be, while neglecting to make the starting arc fun and engaging. One, it's spoilers, two, it kills the surprise. That being said, I guess this is more RP-running advice rather than RP-interest-gathering advice. Or perhaps they're one and the same?
Some thoughts from @BangoSkank which is me
I, Bango, which is me, would add to this that Over Planning can also end up hurting your experience because you know where the story is going and the only thing that remains is to get there. It can make you want to rush to that one really cool set piece you know is coming up but is still so far away. Taken to it's extremes it can also turn a fun hobby into a chore as you have this Outline planned for all the cool stuff that can happen and frustration when your fellow RPers want to take things in a slightly different direction. If you have an entire storyline planned out for the drunk old man who bumps into them in The Moldy Dog but they just knock him on his ass and walk away it can be frustrating for the OP trying to make things work the way he imagined them and for the other RPers just trying to do their own thing.
"Your idea might be great but in the end there's a few things that might bug your partner the wrong way. Coming up with solutions for these things and creating new twists and turns for your idea can be a handy skill as it can lead to more involvement from your partner. Collaboration on ideas is a key thing when creating a long lasting plot. For example, your potential partner loves the idea about a werewolf and a vampire but doesn't like the idea of blood and gore. You can come up with a neat idea like the vampires don't feed on blood but instead on life force or energy. Improve courses can help with this actually as it can help you think on your feet while planning the RP or actually RPing."
@Demonic Raven with advice on Over Planning
Over planning a plot can be a big turn off when people are looking for an RP. Now if you wish to attract others who over plot obviously over plot in your interest check and go into great detail. But if you want to seek a broader audience be vague in your idea and then plot with your partner about the nitty gritty details. Now there is also just jumping into a very under planned RP as well which is also what some people like. What you express in your interest check plots will determine the kind of people you RP with.
@ERode has more advice for balancing Compromise and Over Planning
To supplement old man Broken's ramblings, I would like to say that even if overplanning is perhaps not too great, having a clear end in mind IS very useful, because then, that means you (and the players) have a general idea of where to go in the end. The only RPs I've completed as a GM were relatively short RPs which had a pretty big focus on a quest-like plot, whether it be plunging into the eldritch depths of the Inverted Spire or destroying the goblin nest of Rugome Fort. Both of these had a clear end (everyone died before they reached the end of the Spire, and almost everyone died against the goblins because the goblin leader contracted with an alien god), and also lead to the teasing of future plot threads to pursue and keep in mind if you wish to continue it (what the hell was that last thing they saw in the Spire before their death? why the hell did an alien god grant their boons onto a single frickin' goblin?).
A pattern of having a problem, solving/failing the problem, and then the reflections afterwards forms the backbones of the RPs I've enjoyed along the years. There's always that adage about how the journey's more important than the destination, but having a destination informs the journey and gives meaning to it. Also it cuts down on the dread of an ending RP if you've always been prepared to end your year-old baby from the beginning.
Just don't be so excited that you start talking about how cool future arcs would be, while neglecting to make the starting arc fun and engaging. One, it's spoilers, two, it kills the surprise. That being said, I guess this is more RP-running advice rather than RP-interest-gathering advice. Or perhaps they're one and the same?
Some thoughts from @BangoSkank which is me
I, Bango, which is me, would add to this that Over Planning can also end up hurting your experience because you know where the story is going and the only thing that remains is to get there. It can make you want to rush to that one really cool set piece you know is coming up but is still so far away. Taken to it's extremes it can also turn a fun hobby into a chore as you have this Outline planned for all the cool stuff that can happen and frustration when your fellow RPers want to take things in a slightly different direction. If you have an entire storyline planned out for the drunk old man who bumps into them in The Moldy Dog but they just knock him on his ass and walk away it can be frustrating for the OP trying to make things work the way he imagined them and for the other RPers just trying to do their own thing.
Based on an Example given by @Ambra and Advice given by @Demonic Raven
"How about people that want to start RPs on obscure fandoms? I was thinking of eventually starting a Wings of Fire RP or even one centered around dinosaurs."
Try to use all the tools here to find people to RP with. Word of mouth is golden when doing niche role plays!
- Status Bar : You can post to the Status Bar on the Right Hand Side of the Main Page by going into your profile (click your Name at the Top Right next to Log Out and scroll down a bit to where it says "What's On Your Mind" but don't flood it.
- Partners : Put your friends to work by asking them directly if they would be interested in exploring a niche you like with you or if they know anyone else who might be.
- RPG Discord : Download Discord and join RPG's Discord. There are one or two channels in the Discord designed for Advertising RPs and Discussing Potential RPs.
Try explaining the setting and it's themes and what about them fascinates you. Other's may have no idea what in the hell "Wings of Fire" is, but they may LOVE one of the themes or something about the setting. They may also read the title and make assumptions that prove to be untrue. Tone can be important here, it is the difference between Warhammer With Dinosaurs or Monster Hunter with Dinosaurs or DuckTales with Dinosaurs. If you don't know what DuckTales is open YouTube now. You are welcome.
"How about people that want to start RPs on obscure fandoms? I was thinking of eventually starting a Wings of Fire RP or even one centered around dinosaurs."
Try to use all the tools here to find people to RP with. Word of mouth is golden when doing niche role plays!
- Status Bar : You can post to the Status Bar on the Right Hand Side of the Main Page by going into your profile (click your Name at the Top Right next to Log Out and scroll down a bit to where it says "What's On Your Mind" but don't flood it.
- Partners : Put your friends to work by asking them directly if they would be interested in exploring a niche you like with you or if they know anyone else who might be.
- RPG Discord : Download Discord and join RPG's Discord. There are one or two channels in the Discord designed for Advertising RPs and Discussing Potential RPs.
Try explaining the setting and it's themes and what about them fascinates you. Other's may have no idea what in the hell "Wings of Fire" is, but they may LOVE one of the themes or something about the setting. They may also read the title and make assumptions that prove to be untrue. Tone can be important here, it is the difference between Warhammer With Dinosaurs or Monster Hunter with Dinosaurs or DuckTales with Dinosaurs. If you don't know what DuckTales is open YouTube now. You are welcome.
They were interested in your RP. They submitted an excellent character sheet. You changed what you had planned for the plot because I mean, my god, what a character sheet. That character sheet was almost as good as one of BangoSkank's character sheets. And then they disappeared forever. You got ghosted son/lady son.
You can hate being ghosted with all your being, that is not going to eliminate it. It's something we all experience, it's something we all do much as we try to avoid it. It is a reality of the hobby and something you need to come to terms with if you are going to continue in the hobby. Don't hate the ghoster, accept it is part of the hobby.
@stone
It's a fact of life. It sucks when an RP dies. It sucks when you get SUPER ready for an RP and then something happens.
But you can't hold it against people. You really can't.
Shit happens. It happens a LOT. People get ill, they have to move, they go to school, they drown under homework, depression. There are so MANY things that happen to everybody. So much of it is uncontrollable. So much of it is inevitable. And, sometimes, people just don't have the time or energy to say something. Obviously it would be GREAT if everyone could, but everyone has their own circumstances. Maybe someone's house fuckin burns down and they're left without internet access for a whole three months. I'm sure the first thought in their mind isn't "man I really gotta tell my RP partner that I can't respond." It's probably more like "holy shit my house burned down with all my valuables and I have to get my life back together and find another place to live and survive." And you definitely can't fault them for ghosting in that situation, right?
And of course, that's an extreme. Of course most of your partners or groups won't be dealing with something as heavy as that. Most of the time it's just motivation, or schoolwork, or any of the things I said above and more.
The key thing is to remember the human. There's another person there on the other side of the screen. There's someone else typing out their own worlds, characters, stories. There's another person dealing with their own set of life circumstances. You have to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.
You can hate being ghosted with all your being, that is not going to eliminate it. It's something we all experience, it's something we all do much as we try to avoid it. It is a reality of the hobby and something you need to come to terms with if you are going to continue in the hobby. Don't hate the ghoster, accept it is part of the hobby.
@stone
It's a fact of life. It sucks when an RP dies. It sucks when you get SUPER ready for an RP and then something happens.
But you can't hold it against people. You really can't.
Shit happens. It happens a LOT. People get ill, they have to move, they go to school, they drown under homework, depression. There are so MANY things that happen to everybody. So much of it is uncontrollable. So much of it is inevitable. And, sometimes, people just don't have the time or energy to say something. Obviously it would be GREAT if everyone could, but everyone has their own circumstances. Maybe someone's house fuckin burns down and they're left without internet access for a whole three months. I'm sure the first thought in their mind isn't "man I really gotta tell my RP partner that I can't respond." It's probably more like "holy shit my house burned down with all my valuables and I have to get my life back together and find another place to live and survive." And you definitely can't fault them for ghosting in that situation, right?
And of course, that's an extreme. Of course most of your partners or groups won't be dealing with something as heavy as that. Most of the time it's just motivation, or schoolwork, or any of the things I said above and more.
The key thing is to remember the human. There's another person there on the other side of the screen. There's someone else typing out their own worlds, characters, stories. There's another person dealing with their own set of life circumstances. You have to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.
@Demonic Raven
I get that frustration, it's not great, but all you can do is keep trying until it sticks. That is the one thing that can be infuriating at times about role playing, things don't stick, nothing is guaranteed, and a great role play you love can be done in an instant. All you can do is to pick yourself up, dust off and try again with someone new. That's how the cycle of role playing works. There is very rarely a role play that lasts longer than a year from what I've experienced. So accepting that will help you feel less down when it inevitably happens.
I get that frustration, it's not great, but all you can do is keep trying until it sticks. That is the one thing that can be infuriating at times about role playing, things don't stick, nothing is guaranteed, and a great role play you love can be done in an instant. All you can do is to pick yourself up, dust off and try again with someone new. That's how the cycle of role playing works. There is very rarely a role play that lasts longer than a year from what I've experienced. So accepting that will help you feel less down when it inevitably happens.
You're going to be rejected more often than not, most likely, if you are constantly trying to join RPs. Lots of people have preferred groups they enjoy RPing with and RP with them over and over and it can be hard to get into one of those groups sometimes. Even if you are friends with a group here RPs often only really have so many slots for characters before they become unwieldy. It may come down to "We like you and we like your character but BangoSkank is just so much better and his character is a work of art and also my god have you seen him? So handsome, so we're going with him."
That is a common problem here. Try not to take it personally. Happens to everyone, except me.
That is a common problem here. Try not to take it personally. Happens to everyone, except me.
RPs almost never live long enough to properly finish. It happens sometimes but that is the exception rather than the rule. If you have participated in an RP from it's birth through it's awkward teenage years and then to a satisfying conclusion Congratulations!!!. If you haven't try to understand that that is the norm. People lose interest, life intervenes, inspiration waxes and wanes, and sometimes people just have the attention spans of goldfish and attach to a new RP. It doesn't mean you're a bad writer, it doesn't mean they're bad writers, it doesn't mean anyone is a dick, it's just how this hobby goes.
As @Obscene Symphony says,
"The thing people don't brag about when they celebrate their RPs' 1, 2, 3+ year anniversaries are the 95%+ of their other RPs that died in the first month. It's a death-heavy hobby, if you can't cope with that then you might be better off writing solo. I've been at this for over 7 years and do you know how many of the RPs I've been in lasted a year or more? Three. And of those, only one ever got an actual ending. We're in this because it's fun while it lasts, not because we think every RP will last forever."
@BrokenPromise has some excellent advice on keeping it alive and keeping a healthy perspective
A lot of RPs that I start end up coming to completion. Part of it is because I've been failing doing this for a long time, another part is because I have a lot of autism determination, and I'm not one to give up on an RP just because a few people leave, or if even my favorite people leave. My Danganronpa RP is the first RP I started on this forum about three months into my membership, and it's going to have a satisfying ending right at the 4 year mark. That's going to happen because I decided to keep running the RP when most of the players left, and was willing to wait out some long hiatuses to make things work. And of course because I have players that I am willing to put that kind of effort in for. They have been just as patient and tolerant as I have, and are a large part of why I'm willing to hold out for them. Hell, they had to kick my ass into gear a few times and they probably didn't even know it. But it does take effort.
But that's sort of the exception. Usually I run an RP for a year or two with an end in mind. And hey, sometimes even those fail. Doesn't matter too much to me though. I've got great memories of RPs that didn't finish, and friends I made along the way. Yea, completing an RP does give you that rush of accomplishment. Like hiking up a tall mountain and conquering it. But even if you don't conquer the mountain, the hike can be its own reward.
As @Obscene Symphony says,
"The thing people don't brag about when they celebrate their RPs' 1, 2, 3+ year anniversaries are the 95%+ of their other RPs that died in the first month. It's a death-heavy hobby, if you can't cope with that then you might be better off writing solo. I've been at this for over 7 years and do you know how many of the RPs I've been in lasted a year or more? Three. And of those, only one ever got an actual ending. We're in this because it's fun while it lasts, not because we think every RP will last forever."
@BrokenPromise has some excellent advice on keeping it alive and keeping a healthy perspective
A lot of RPs that I start end up coming to completion. Part of it is because I've been failing doing this for a long time, another part is because I have a lot of autism determination, and I'm not one to give up on an RP just because a few people leave, or if even my favorite people leave. My Danganronpa RP is the first RP I started on this forum about three months into my membership, and it's going to have a satisfying ending right at the 4 year mark. That's going to happen because I decided to keep running the RP when most of the players left, and was willing to wait out some long hiatuses to make things work. And of course because I have players that I am willing to put that kind of effort in for. They have been just as patient and tolerant as I have, and are a large part of why I'm willing to hold out for them. Hell, they had to kick my ass into gear a few times and they probably didn't even know it. But it does take effort.
But that's sort of the exception. Usually I run an RP for a year or two with an end in mind. And hey, sometimes even those fail. Doesn't matter too much to me though. I've got great memories of RPs that didn't finish, and friends I made along the way. Yea, completing an RP does give you that rush of accomplishment. Like hiking up a tall mountain and conquering it. But even if you don't conquer the mountain, the hike can be its own reward.
One thing that can lead to the down fall of an RP is if you constantly ask your RP partner if your post is okay or if an idea is okay! Lord knows that it's hard in the beginning to fully gain the confidence to say "Hey, I did a great job with my post and if my partner doesn't like it that's okay as we can resolve it or go our separate ways. Ending a role play because of artistic differences in writing is natural and okay!" Remember, not everyone will have the same writing style as you and sometimes you'll clash. But have confidence in yourself and what you write as it's hard to keep an RP going if you constantly get messages asking if the post was okay and if you need to rewrite it. Learn your writing strengths as well and play into them when writing, this will significantly boost your confidence. Try not to compare yourself too much to others. There are some excellent writers here but everyone has their off days and their on days. Except me, all on days here.
@CorrosiveCherri
Personally, I try to take a very relaxed approach to the hobby as a whole. Unless I'm really trying to get into some coolsy-cool stuff and write collaborative fiction at a high level, I use it more as a way to blow off steam and work out the kinks in my writing style, as well as help buff up my word choice and try different themes and voice for characters and worlds alike. It's a hobby, and in my opinion, it's a hobby ancillary to compelling narrative writing as a whole. Dealing with differences both in terms of creativity and skill level can be difficult, but sometimes you just have to breathe and remind yourself "hey, you know, they've got their vibe and I've got mine." Sometimes you can make your patterns and styles tessellate, but it's rare to click perfectly with someone.
If you're having trouble with roleplays dying over and over and over again, it might be time to look at what your standards of writing are, or if the side hobby is even something for you at the moment. It's not like sports where you could get injured and be out of it for the rest of your life. You can take breaks from it and focus on things that make you happy, rather than letting it absorb all of your attention and time.
But, in a similarly personal vein, I find the best way to get yourself out there is to put yourself out there. Show off the best of what you've got. Write pretty words, try original settings that other people just aren't doing--take advantage of the fact that you can just pull a concept from the ether and put it on a page. Hell, coming up with a new plotline and world wireframe every day or every few days or so is a great creative writing exercise. Work on what you're doing and ensure your demeanor is pleasant and casual, and I'm sure the posters will come.
Rome wasn't built in a day, but hey, Minecraft lets you do some pretty cool shit in a pretty short amount of time. Don't look for your Rome. Look for your sweet gamer Minecraft house for gamers. ...That metaphor got away from me.
Personally, I try to take a very relaxed approach to the hobby as a whole. Unless I'm really trying to get into some coolsy-cool stuff and write collaborative fiction at a high level, I use it more as a way to blow off steam and work out the kinks in my writing style, as well as help buff up my word choice and try different themes and voice for characters and worlds alike. It's a hobby, and in my opinion, it's a hobby ancillary to compelling narrative writing as a whole. Dealing with differences both in terms of creativity and skill level can be difficult, but sometimes you just have to breathe and remind yourself "hey, you know, they've got their vibe and I've got mine." Sometimes you can make your patterns and styles tessellate, but it's rare to click perfectly with someone.
If you're having trouble with roleplays dying over and over and over again, it might be time to look at what your standards of writing are, or if the side hobby is even something for you at the moment. It's not like sports where you could get injured and be out of it for the rest of your life. You can take breaks from it and focus on things that make you happy, rather than letting it absorb all of your attention and time.
But, in a similarly personal vein, I find the best way to get yourself out there is to put yourself out there. Show off the best of what you've got. Write pretty words, try original settings that other people just aren't doing--take advantage of the fact that you can just pull a concept from the ether and put it on a page. Hell, coming up with a new plotline and world wireframe every day or every few days or so is a great creative writing exercise. Work on what you're doing and ensure your demeanor is pleasant and casual, and I'm sure the posters will come.
Rome wasn't built in a day, but hey, Minecraft lets you do some pretty cool shit in a pretty short amount of time. Don't look for your Rome. Look for your sweet gamer Minecraft house for gamers. ...That metaphor got away from me.
@Celaira
After a certain point you want to sit back and look at several things:
1. What are people currently interested in? What are some popular RPs that are alive right now, and what do they focus on? Do they line up with anything I'm interested in?
2. If the RPs themselves don't interest you, but some of their themes do, utilize those themes in your next thread!
3. If you don't have partners or friends who can/want to join your thread, post an interest check and let people engage with the idea there.
Realistically, you should also try and join threads if you want to make them. Joining other RPs allows you to meet people, and make friends who then might be interested when you start up a thread of your own.
After a certain point you want to sit back and look at several things:
1. What are people currently interested in? What are some popular RPs that are alive right now, and what do they focus on? Do they line up with anything I'm interested in?
2. If the RPs themselves don't interest you, but some of their themes do, utilize those themes in your next thread!
3. If you don't have partners or friends who can/want to join your thread, post an interest check and let people engage with the idea there.
Realistically, you should also try and join threads if you want to make them. Joining other RPs allows you to meet people, and make friends who then might be interested when you start up a thread of your own.
@Bork Lazer
You must first recognise that play by post roleplaying on a forum such as this and many others such as RPNation and Iwaku are inherently mercurial and chaotic in nature. Posters are not electronic robots that you encounter on the wild wastes of the internet. They are people. We have made this grave for ourselves whereby we value some abstract concept of literary quality as the marker of a good RP. There are multiple factors that make a good RP and focusing inherently on one single factor does nothing good for you.
Blaming them for the failure of your RP is about as useful as blaming water for being wet. It’s redundant at best.
Ultimately, I would encourage everyone that the best way to get more out of this hobby is to learn and adapt. Staying stagnant with one single routine and one single fandom and trying to get people to fit within a mold that you have crafted isn’t the best approach. Join other RPs. Learn from other successful posters. Try to have fun. Learn from your failures. Failure is a teacher whose lessons are not always obvious at first but it’s up to you whether or not to take those lessons to heart.
You must first recognise that play by post roleplaying on a forum such as this and many others such as RPNation and Iwaku are inherently mercurial and chaotic in nature. Posters are not electronic robots that you encounter on the wild wastes of the internet. They are people. We have made this grave for ourselves whereby we value some abstract concept of literary quality as the marker of a good RP. There are multiple factors that make a good RP and focusing inherently on one single factor does nothing good for you.
Blaming them for the failure of your RP is about as useful as blaming water for being wet. It’s redundant at best.
Ultimately, I would encourage everyone that the best way to get more out of this hobby is to learn and adapt. Staying stagnant with one single routine and one single fandom and trying to get people to fit within a mold that you have crafted isn’t the best approach. Join other RPs. Learn from other successful posters. Try to have fun. Learn from your failures. Failure is a teacher whose lessons are not always obvious at first but it’s up to you whether or not to take those lessons to heart.
@Rapid Reader
I always feel there's a bit of a case of exaggerated expectations for RPing (and creative pursuits in general).
You have to ask yourself, "what does success mean for me as a GM/RPer"?
And realistically, if success for you is a several year long RP that runs perfectly, you will always be disappointed. Even expecting more than two people to post their interest or even commit to an RP is a pretty lofty goal.
RPing is like any form of writing (although I don't really think it's exactly the same as novel writing) in that it takes a lot of work, practice, and failure to learn. And like life, it's doomed to die. You can never beat death. Your RP no matter how great, no matter how fun, no matter how much effort you put into it will die (but you should embrace that and it be a motivating factor).
Reasonable goals when you start (or as you learn) are things like "I want to get 1-3 posts in before this RP dies" (as a player or GM). Looking at all the RPs posted on this forum, if you manage to make one post as a player or get one player post in your RP, then congrats, you've now reached the elite of the elite in terms of RPs, players, and GMs.
Eventually you might find groups or individual players you jam with. This however rare, this is special, and it isn't something you should expect to find regularly (e.g., if you are going into RPing expecting to find your creative soul mate or best friends for life, then you are setting yourself up for failure). If you do find people that you mesh with, then at that point just enjoy it for however long it lasts (there are no assurances of time in RPing or life).
RPing is a fun, ethereal hobby you should engage in purely for your own amusement, chasing success (outside of your own fun and the fun of other people) or "popularity" is massive waste of time in a medium that amounts to "I put on my wizard hat".
I always feel there's a bit of a case of exaggerated expectations for RPing (and creative pursuits in general).
You have to ask yourself, "what does success mean for me as a GM/RPer"?
And realistically, if success for you is a several year long RP that runs perfectly, you will always be disappointed. Even expecting more than two people to post their interest or even commit to an RP is a pretty lofty goal.
RPing is like any form of writing (although I don't really think it's exactly the same as novel writing) in that it takes a lot of work, practice, and failure to learn. And like life, it's doomed to die. You can never beat death. Your RP no matter how great, no matter how fun, no matter how much effort you put into it will die (but you should embrace that and it be a motivating factor).
Reasonable goals when you start (or as you learn) are things like "I want to get 1-3 posts in before this RP dies" (as a player or GM). Looking at all the RPs posted on this forum, if you manage to make one post as a player or get one player post in your RP, then congrats, you've now reached the elite of the elite in terms of RPs, players, and GMs.
Eventually you might find groups or individual players you jam with. This however rare, this is special, and it isn't something you should expect to find regularly (e.g., if you are going into RPing expecting to find your creative soul mate or best friends for life, then you are setting yourself up for failure). If you do find people that you mesh with, then at that point just enjoy it for however long it lasts (there are no assurances of time in RPing or life).
RPing is a fun, ethereal hobby you should engage in purely for your own amusement, chasing success (outside of your own fun and the fun of other people) or "popularity" is massive waste of time in a medium that amounts to "I put on my wizard hat".
when i'm not in it
Success as a GM means that my players are engaged and having fun interacting with each other in IC and OOC. It doesn't matter how long it lasts as long as they had fun while it did.
Success as a GM is getting players to post, like, at all. That's a serious answer, if you need it. The GM's job, in my mind, is to make a fun adventure for the players. I struggle with this concept, like, a lot. As long as people are posting, or at the very least want to post, I am doing my job right. If they do not want to engage with the story, I have done something wrong and need to change my approach.
Successes for me is completing my goals. Yes, that is finishing the RP, but that is a very long term goal. I also have lots of short terms goals that I strive to hit. Sometimes it's wrapping a player up in the RP's story, getting a reaction out of someone, acquiring a waifu ,or just hitting any kind of milestone. I don't really set out with these goals in mind, they just kind of pop up while I'm RPing. I guess Success for me is just ensuring these little goals actually appear to me. so long as I have an objective, I seem to be enjoying myself.
Success for me as a GM means that everyone has fun no matter how long it lasts.
As player success is completing a character sheet that I am happy with.
I consider it a bonus and view an RP as extremely successful as a player if I manage to make one post in character before said RP dies.
Although I don't GM, if I did GM I would consider a group RP as successful if I got three players to submit character sheets. If each of my three players posted once before my RP died, I would consider my RP to be extremely successful.
Finally, although I will never 1 x 1, if I did 1 x 1, I would consider it a massive success if one person expressed interest in my ideas. Getting a 1 x 1 to the planning stage would be even more of a success and getting one post each into a 1 x 1 would in my book lead me to consider it successful.
I consider it a bonus and view an RP as extremely successful as a player if I manage to make one post in character before said RP dies.
Although I don't GM, if I did GM I would consider a group RP as successful if I got three players to submit character sheets. If each of my three players posted once before my RP died, I would consider my RP to be extremely successful.
Finally, although I will never 1 x 1, if I did 1 x 1, I would consider it a massive success if one person expressed interest in my ideas. Getting a 1 x 1 to the planning stage would be even more of a success and getting one post each into a 1 x 1 would in my book lead me to consider it successful.
Honestly, even if the rp dies, so long as I had fun and had good memories, I consider it a success? Idk in my head a rp dying =/= failure per se, though I guess you can argue it depends on when it died. Failure to launch rps are easy enough to discern I think
I tried to list everyone next to their contributions, but in case I missed crediting anyone and for the people who participated in the thread but didn't provide suggestions for writing here are contributors. Let me know if I missed someone. It is incredibly unlikely as I am quite good at things, but let me know.
Ambra
Ammokkx
Asuras
BangoSkank
Blackmist16
Bork Lazer
BrokenPromise
Celaira
Chuuya
CorrosiveCherri
Demonic Raven
DirtyPrettyLies
DocTachyon
elgappa
ERode
fledermaus
HaleyTheRandom
Hero
Kuro
Lord Wraith
LuckyBlackCat
Majoras End
metanoia
Obscene Symphony
Odin
Rapid Reader
rebornfan320
Roman
stone
TGM
Tuujaimaa
Yankee
yoshua171
Ambra
Ammokkx
Asuras
BangoSkank
Blackmist16
Bork Lazer
BrokenPromise
Celaira
Chuuya
CorrosiveCherri
Demonic Raven
DirtyPrettyLies
DocTachyon
elgappa
ERode
fledermaus
HaleyTheRandom
Hero
Kuro
Lord Wraith
LuckyBlackCat
Majoras End
metanoia
Obscene Symphony
Odin
Rapid Reader
rebornfan320
Roman
stone
TGM
Tuujaimaa
Yankee
yoshua171
This is Dervish's Guide to GMing as recommended in the original thread.
He GM'd The Elder Scrolls: Vengeance of the Deep which lasted two years. 17 pages totaling 336 posts of In Character posting, 28 pages totaling 542 posts in the OOC, 16 characters lived through it and 13 characters either died or disappeared throughout the adventure and they wrote up a grip of fleshed out NPCs too just because.
So yeah, it was a success I guess. Technically. No Halflings getting blasted on booze and going on adventures and shit though, just saying. Priorities yo.
roleplayerguild.com/topics/177495-der…
He GM'd The Elder Scrolls: Vengeance of the Deep which lasted two years. 17 pages totaling 336 posts of In Character posting, 28 pages totaling 542 posts in the OOC, 16 characters lived through it and 13 characters either died or disappeared throughout the adventure and they wrote up a grip of fleshed out NPCs too just because.
So yeah, it was a success I guess. Technically. No Halflings getting blasted on booze and going on adventures and shit though, just saying. Priorities yo.
roleplayerguild.com/topics/177495-der…