Current
Hey remember when this site didn't have 3 tabs in the IC threads? Crazy.
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4 yrs ago
I feel like Myriad Reality is somehow the secret glue holding this entire site together
6
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5 yrs ago
People like to nudge aside the fact that there's a level of commitment to hosting, and joining an RP. The majority of players don't have it in either case, regardless of how interesting an idea is.
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5 yrs ago
I've been gone so long that I forgot what the status bar was like. It's like coming back to an old apartment, except it's not an apartment anymore, it's just two walls and a lot of heroine addicts.
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6 yrs ago
The status bar serves one of three purposes. You can be pretentious, you can tell people about your personal problems, or you can be a smartass.
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Bio
Nihilist, but like, the cool type of nihilist, you know?
I've gotten a fair amount of responses, enough to start the foundations of a group. I will leave this up for a while longer. To all those who have shown interest, I will contact you later today, or tomorrow with more details and some priorities in getting started.
Takes note of the sheer amount of people that have casually walked through the thread despite showing some desire for a successful RP. Disgruntled sigh.
You clicked this thread because you are, right? Well, do something about it then! Stop getting caught in the same cycle!
As many may know, the majority of people on this website are incapable of managing daily posts, or multiple posts daily. Some can barely even manage a post weekly, god forbid! Typically role-plays on this site see a 95% failure rate. On top of all of that, there are a wide variety of selfish, and/or incapable role-players that cannot manage themselves in an environment where they are given free will. At this point, I've all but lost hope for a quickly-paced RP with a long life span that also has a genre that peaks the interest of everyone involved and gets them very invested.
It's made even worse when some of those projects that see failure have an extraordinary amount of work put into them.
Pessimistic, I know.
But this here is an interest check that aims to go beyond that typical song and dance. My aim here is to not only create a role-play, but to fashion a community. A group of players that all pertain to a particular set of expectations, and seek to be part of something that will last and stay fresh. I aim to create a rarity among group rps with you:
A dedicated and fast paced group of role players.
But how does one solve the problems that plague the majority of all role plays? Well first, we make them clear. RPs die because players lose interest. Sad, simple, true. Why do they lose interest though? This is what I aim to clarify, and solve, with this thread and the role play that may follow.
-They get bored with their characters. At the fault of the role player entirely. People who lose interest in the characters they've created are not uncommon. However, the issue is how they cope with this. They jump ship and try again in another RP, sometimes anywhere from 10-20 times consecutively.
-They get bored of the world. This can be the fault of the GM, or the player. Let's face it, most people have the attention span of a brick nowadays. With the saturation of role plays, it's inevitable that players will jump ship when things fail to hold their attention for 5 seconds. On the other hand, GMs that simply offer little in terms of lore and world building can make an RP feel like a timid dredge through an empty world.
-They grow some form of distaste for their fellow role players. Incompatibility. This is a painful one. A lot of people simply won't click. Although sometimes it's best to just avoid those who you don't enjoy role playing with, this close-mindedness and unwillingness to cooperate can be a toxic type of behavior. Often times, players who think too highly of themselves will alienate most other players. Just like Mary-sues and meta-gamers, self-entitled losers contribute to RP death and negative discourse.
-They get tired of waiting for slower posters to... Post. Simple. A lot of people post unrealistically slow. This is the number one RP killer, because it creates a chain effect that quickly escalates until nobody is posting at all. I see it all the time. People post quickly when an RP starts, sometimes multiple times a day, and then suddenly slow down. This must be avoided at all costs. When an RP slows down, it's hard to keep people interested. The lack of information makes the RP dull
-They 'are too busy' This isn't really a thing. There's no such thing as somebody who's 'too busy' to post. This is an excuse for being uninspired, bored with the RP, poor time management, sheer laziness, depression, or some other issue. Honesty is good, just tell the truth. Don't be a 'too busy Tom' alright? Instead aim to become an 'honest and humble henry'. Roleplaying is supposed to be fun, not something you consider to be a chore.
-They aren't getting enough attention. A lot of people are entitled. It's unfortunate but true. When GMs or other players don't give them attention, they feel excluded and alone in a group that should make them feel as if they're part of something bigger. Unfortunately, players will lose hope quickly instead of making an effort to inject themselves into groups properly. On the other side of the coin, groups can be too busy circle jerking to help everyone feel involved. It's a team effort. Nobody should expect people to make up for their own failures.
-They don't get their way. Sigh.
-They were never that interested to begin with.
Not all that comprehensive of a list, but you get the idea. Generally speaking, people lack conviction and role play without much concern for anyone but themselves. This is the opposite of what I'd like to achieve with a group. So how do we do that? How do we avoid another train wreck like expanding horizons? /shade
It's one part exclusivity, one part cooperation, and one part community.
With this thread, I'm looking for people who are interested in being part of something that will last. I'm looking for dedication and drive, not half-assed 'this sounds cool' comments or laziness.
For a good idea of what I'm aiming for, ahead are some of the goals I wish to achieve with the project that follows this Thread.
-Establish a community. Simple enough. Players need to speak with one another regularly when they're engaged in a project together. I aim to create an OOC that isn't just memes and stupidity 24/7. Instead, this community should be consistently engaged in coming up with ideas together and planning ahead to muster characters, a world, and a series of plot lines so that the RP is consistently fresh. Of course there's room for general conversation as well, otherwise it wouldn't be a community.
-Work together to create a narrative. No single GM, but a collective of GMs. The reason 1x1's success far more often than group RPs is simple. Two people work together as mutual GMs, craft many characters together, and create a world cooperatively. I am looking for equal participation and dedication, not only in the simple act of posting, but the creation of the RP in question as a whole. That way, there remains an equal investment of ideas and engagement, so that nobody is disappointed. We all have an equal hand in changing things to keep them interesting, so nobody is at fault for another player's lack of interest.
-Post frequently, post well, post with heart. Ok, maybe it's a little exaggerated, but you get the idea. As a group, we should have a fairly consistent schedule for posting. Of course there's leniency in timing, and it should be a mutually agreed upon pace, but it should be something that all players are willing to dedicate themselves to. Whether it's one post a day, or one post every 3 days. We're looking for equal pace with no random lulls.
-Put your heart into it, seriously! This is meant to be something big, something important and entertaining enough that you won't jump ship in a few weeks. Those who lack conviction should immediately jump out of this thread. If you cannot pour your heart into your writing, from your characters to your narratives, then you're that much more likely to lose interest.
The age of RPs with single or only a few GMs is archaic IMO. I think the only way for an RP to really thrive, is for everyone to have the same level of investment. Everyone must have the responsibility and drive of a GM. There's no room for slacking, it's a group effort that cannot sustain itself of the whims of random role players with random agendas that could fall apart at a moment's notice.
At this point, I would like to place a disclaimer:
I have created this thread to look for people who want to be part of something that will last. This isn't a place for people who jump from role-play to role-play, bailing after 2 posts. This isn't a place for people who cannot manage to post consistently. This isn't a place for people who want to be the center of attention. This isn't a place for selfishness. This is a joint front! If you don't have the drive to contribute to something that will last, I will be blunt. Don't waste my time, or the time of anyone else who may be involved.
With all that out of the way, I'm looking for people who are interested in creating a world. What kind of world? Well that's the question, isn't it? That's what we're meant to figure out as a group. That's where the effort comes in! If you can't even contribute to the foundations of an idea, how can you expect to keep that idea afloat?
I'm open to any genre myself, and look forward to finding like-minded individuals that share my wishes to fashion something, for lack of a better term, great.
I know you're out there. I see you complaining, along with myself, day in and day out. Whether it's on the status bar, or it's in OOCs. You complain that nothing lasts, that people are lazy, that threads die. So what? You just gonna accept that? I sure as hell won't! Do something about it!
If you're interested, post here or PM me directly. I'm looking to gather 3-6 players, including myself, to start work on something that can survive the harsh wastelands of RPG. Hopefully we can make something great together.
Marilyn sighed. "Knowledge is a powerful tool, and I can assure you that books have no chance of harming you... I prefer hands on work myself, but a narrow mind can only get you so far." Marilyn reached into her pocket and scratched at her thigh through her pants inner lining.
Zay slowly pushed himself away from the railing and turned to Pyra, a little surprised at how rough he'd been with the poor little bugs. He looked across the roof at the spattered remains of the dragonflies, and then stared at the Eldi. The remaining Dragonflies did not seem too enthralled by the idea of being smashed to pieces, and quickly left the Caravan in droves. Even those indoors made a hasty retreat. Captain Copp nodded solemnly. "Well," He whispered, "I guess that's one way to do it."
Caravan Centaurus quickly closed the distance towards the large overhanging rock. Marilyn turned to Daelin as they approached, looking somewhat worried.
"Daelin, fetch the Captain, would you?" She asked, "I want to confirm what time we'll be stopping for the night. My eyes are starting to fail me."
Marilyn looked back at Daelin with a profoundly doubtful expression, with one eyebrow cocked so far back that it stretched her tired eyelid wide open. "You think the Dragonflies have... An agenda?" Her doubt melted away and she burst into a giggle. "That's outrageous, Daelin. Does everything with a pulse or a wing beat put you on edge? They're harmless little bugs!" One of the dragonflies landed on Marilyn's hand and looked up at her with several babies nestled on its back. "Some of these smaller creatures are attracted to the smell of humans. They're very common on farmland at night. Considering we're riding something that's surrounded by humans night and day, I'm not surprised!" Marilyn stopped herself and looked forward with a sharp turn of her neck. "You should drop by a library some time. It might make you a little less anxious." The Venbu stirred slightly, but Marilyn put them right back on track with a tug of her wrists. The dragonfly on her hand flew away and buzzed off into the forest.
The spider man game play they showed had terrible-looking animation despite how 'fluid' combat looked. Don't let it trick you with cinematic flair, it looked janky as fuck. Cool, but janky as fuck.
9:42 PM Baeshri Pass, On route to the southern Trading route
Zay looked like he was about to pass out. Several dragonflies had turned him into a perch against his will, lining both of his arms and the full breadth of his hair. There were even a few of the little creatures crawling up and down his back, and nestled on the edges of his shoes. If he made one wrong move, a few crunches were sure to follow. Captain Copp turned his head carefully towards Pyra, careful not to disturb his visitors that he'd so vigilantly tried to shake off throughout the evening.
"Nothing important," He mumbled, "We've reached Baeshri pass and should be back on course within a few hours." The rugged fields thoughout Baeshri hills were much more uneven along the pass. There was a massive trench that ducked at least 20 feet down into a pit of jagged rocks on the edge of the road. Opposite to that however, a forest of trees hugged the edge of the pass. They were getting thicker as they proceeded, to the point that it was becoming impossible to see past the first few rows. But there were very few bushes or foliage, and the tops of the trees were not nearly as thick with leaves as those found around Arcadia. If they weren't so tightly packed together, one might've been able to see the sky clearly from underneath their branches. "I could use a nap. Do me a favor and spook this little bastards. I've been leaning against the railing like this for nearly an hour now." He turned his head slowly towards Lyullia. "You may want to get some rest soon too. Marilyn's going to need to stop by 3 AM, we'll need several people fully away until morning."
Back inside the cart's common area, Noru had already put himself to sleep in his bunk. Neale also looked like he was fast asleep, but it was hard to tell with his body turned towards the Caravan wall. Marilyn was starting to get a little dazed as well, but she maintained her focus perfectly.
* * *
Around that same time, 9:50 PM Baeshri Pass, A couple of kilometers ahead of Centaurus
Several Myti were gathered together on top of a massive rock that jutted out of the hills, overlooking the pass like a leaning tower of sorts. It was large enough to conceal their bodies from anything passing below unless they peered off the edge, and wide enough to block the moonlight from above almost completely. At least 20 yards of almost sheer darkness rested underneath it, hiding two more Myti near the base of the stone where the trench was shallowest. The forest opposite to the makeshift cliff held a couple more lingering assassins, both of whom had taken cover in the treetops. They wore cloaks that changed color and didn't move an inch. In total, their combined forces numbered seven. What each might've been capable of was another story entirely.
Sasha opened her mouth slightly and sniffed the air. They were downwind from their target, and had plenty of time to prepare for Centaurus' arrival. From where she stood atop the massive stone spike, the makings of their target were starting to become visible on the edge of the horizon. Clutching a Psy-Stone in her hand, the Myti alerted her squad to their arrival.
One of the members climbed up from the trench and placed something in the dirt. A small black stone with green veins of Mana flowing across it like webbing. She methodically buried it in the dirt, so that only the keenest eye would notice her handiwork. It was positioned just outside of the stone spike's shadow, and further concealed by the natural darkness of the late evening.
The Myti in the trees pulled something out of their cloaks and readied themselves, aiming directly into the darkness with one hand nestled next to each of their cheekbones. They closed an eye, each focusing predominantly on a specific spot, a few yards ahead of where the rock was buried.
Those above drew their weapons one by one. Daggers, a short sword, and two clawed gauntlets, all while abandoning their cloaks and crouching low to the ground. The very last woman in their squad remained concealed by the based of the giant spike, while her partner ran back to her side and placed one hand on Myti's shoulder.
"All set," Sasha's voice blared through the squad's minds like a confident siren, "Be ready for anything, sisters. Do not let Ria's death be in vain."
Zay glared at the small creatures with a hint of doubt, but their surroundings seemed to be fairly calm. "I think we'll be fine," He responded, swatting a few of the creatures away from him as they tried to land on his head. "Can't say I'm a fan of these things though."
Caravan Centaurus continued down their path without any delay, powering through the harmless swarm of dragonflies that continued to gather around them. Zay glared at one of the bugs on the railing, and it seemed to glare back. The captain couldn't help a smile. Most of the creatures in Thoris were intent on harming humanoids, regardless of how small they were. But there was something alluring about the little guys. They didn't look like they could hurt anything.
* * *
Smor'Gen'Blok - The Low Kul Hearth Site
Ju'Kul turned from the forge and clapped his hands free of soot. Even beside his brothers and sisters, the man was a specimen among Lok'Sha. He was a massive collection of muscle. Nearly ten feet tall and wound tightly in a ridiculously thick layer of skin that shared its ashen hue with charred rocks. From the base of his neck, to the corner of his left shoulder, a row of rivets in his flesh marked where he had allegedly been assailed by the terrifying beasts of the wilds. Above, his skin looked almost seared, scarred in such a way that simply wouldn't heal. It was uncommon for Lok'Sha to be scarred, but not unheard of. Even the might mountain people with skin of stone were not capable of hiding scars that marked near lethal injuries on such a large scale. Ju'Kul wore it as a badge of honor, as did many other men and women in Smor'Gen'Blok. To survive an injury the brings one close to the precipice of death was nothing to look down upon. Not all Lok'Sha thought like that though. For one, a scar brought honor. To another, it meant only shame.
"Bruddah!" He roared, clapping Za'Kul's right shoulder with a heavy smack of his free hand, "Good to see! Morning brings too much stress, too much weight." Ju'Kul motioned past the chief's son towards the other side of the Low Kul Cavern. He turned back to his workstation for a moment and hefted a backpack over his shoulder. It was jagged and lumpy, likely full of some type of ore or stone, but Ju'Kul didn't say a word. "Come, we walk. Business today with the Wor."
Ju'Kul's workstations, one of the larger forges that many used with his permission, sat right between two tunnels that lead away from the hearth stone. Many Lok'Sha from other tribes would use those tunnels frequently once the afternoon rolled by. But for a man to pass by this early in the morning was unheard of.
Which is why Ju'Kul almost tripped over his own feet when he was met with a woman skirting between him and Za'Kul, moving from one tunnel to another. Ju'Kull staggered back and glared at the girl. She didn't apologize. Apologies were rarer than diamonds in Smor'Gen'Blok. Instead, she glared back at Ju'Kul angrily and hid something within the bundle of clothes that she carried.
"Early for travel," Ju'Kul murmured, shrugging off the woman's temperament.
The stone struck Zelraka's back, but split once again into rubble. He turned around slowly with a small orb of energy gathering in his hand. The ordinance around them continued to shrink, completely destroying the tower's sections beneath them and pulverizing the outer platforms. Then he rose one hand, and the orb popped, sending a shock-wave outwards to disperse the sandstorm around him, even if only for a few moments.
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