Deal Breakers. What makes you "walk" away?

@ kitphiroth


More than just changing worlds, each gm has a different style and different requirements, and each game has a different set of players with a different style of play.


Further is the hook, a character needs to have a motivation to go for the hook, and fitting well with all those other elements and having a motivation to go for the hook is just not common.


Also, I can't edit characters. The inconsistancy messes me up. Leave the character the same and I don't need to worry about remembering which truth is the truth as there is only one truth for the character.



Ah, that's okay.  I have the original written down.  I do not roleplay with a ton of people in the first place, for the most part every roleplay I have done on these types of websites are with all different characters.  I rarely like doing more than 1+ of the same character.  
 
Ah neat thread!


One of my "Nopes" is when people give a vague description about their RP character appearance, personality, abilities and what not. Ill admit I sometimes do that too.
 
Generally I start with vague descriptions because my characters are only vague in my mind until I play them, then as I play them they become more and more solid, consistent, and real in a way.


Eventually, I don't even need to think about what my character might say or do, I just tell that part of mind the situation and watch what my character does.
 
Generally I start with vague descriptions because my characters are only vague in my mind until I play them, then as I play them they become more and more solid, consistent, and real in a way.


Eventually, I don't even need to think about what my character might say or do, I just tell that part of mind the situation and watch what my character does.

That sounds very similar to how I write, myself. My characters all have lives and personalities of their own inside my head, and usually I don't have to put a whole lot of thought into their actions - They react, and I write it down.
 
If a GM has a style so distinct from mine that I wouldn't be comfortable with one of my characters with them, then I wouldn't be comfortable with any of my characters with them.  Same with the players.

Maybe I'm just comfortable with with a broad spectrum, but it isn't a matter always a matter of comfort, it is a matter of how well the character meshes.


For example, in one game all the characters might be required to be friends, but in another intraparty friction might be acceptable or even expected. That weighs heavily on how a character develops and what a character needs to handle.


Other differences might include the entire feel of play. For example, some groups make mechanical choices first then create story reasons for making that choice, while other groups choose based on what would read well if it were a book, while still others might stick purely to the character's point of view.


Each of these has different pitfalls and opportunies.
 
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Maybe I'm just comfortable with a broad spectrum, but it isn't always a matter of comfort, it is a matter of how well the character meshes.



Those are two separate concerns.  The latter would mean I'm comfortable/confident with the GM, but I still need to figure out (through their interest check and possibly some follow up questions) what type of character they're looking for.  That might call for an OC, or it might be the perfect opportunity to unbox one of my premades.


The former concern: me not being comfortable with the GM's style, is a deal breaker for me as a player—premade or OC would never factor in.
 
Aye, but the concern about being comfortable with the gm was not part of the discussion until you brought it up, though I figured you might have mistakenly got the impression of that, hence my response.
 
I brought it up as a response to your comment about premades conflicting with GM "styles".  It seems I'm still unclear by what you meant by that.  My line of thinking is the following: if I'm uncomfortable with a GM's style, it's not a character build issue.
 
When people are overly sensitive about godmodding.


Example:


Sue: "Lets go to the store!" Sue starts walking down the street.


Johnny: "OK!" Johnny and Sue walk along the sidewalk and turn the corner and arrive at the store.


Sue: wtf stop taking control of my character, man. 


Johnny:..... wut?......


Like seriously, people? Chill.


Characters that ARE ALWAYS GETTING HURT ANYTIME THERE IS ANY SORT OF CONFLICT THE CHARACTERS HAVE TO FACE. Like I'm talking every time there is some sort of combat these people have their characters take out a large number of enemies and then are shot/stabbed/burned/injured in some valiant way that deserves all the sympathies of every character in the rp. But of course that's not the end of it, despite having a broken leg they can continue to fight and save everyone's life. Then as soon as the battle done they milk whatever happened to them as much as they can and then for the next battle/mishap/whatever they are miraculously healed just in time for the cycle to repeat. 


Finally, GM's who want to make your backstory part of the rp but insist on changing it/adding to it despite the fact that your character would never do anything they are suggesting, or if they did then they would be a completely different person if they had....
 
When people are overly sensitive about godmodding.


Example:


Sue: "Lets go to the store!" Sue starts walking down the street.


Johnny: "OK!" Johnny and Sue walk along the sidewalk and turn the corner and arrive at the store.


Sue: wtf stop taking control of my character, man. 


Johnny:..... wut?......


Like seriously, people? Chill.

I don't even qualify that as godmodding anyway xD  It's called a destination timeskip, stop complaining as if it were a problem :P  
 
Some random things set me off about people that make me, for some reason, not want to RP with them. I don't know why, just sometimes I'll get that feeling...


And when I go to RP someone, and their writing is so much better than what mine would be. Numerous times I have come across someone so higher skilled than me that I refuse to RP with them for the fact that I would just disappoint..


Also a pet peeve for myself is when I make a character for a show I sometimes think they are too cliche and or too much like characters from the show. Which makes me scared people will call out that I'm just copying and highly unoriginal. Which I am, but still.
 
Ah! Lovely thread you have here!


For me it would be post restrictions (you know: must be a minimum of 1000 words and things like that). I'm sorry, but to me that is stupid. It makes things much harder than they need to be. During a dialogue scene, it is very hard to pump out a lot of words, because these two characters are talking to each other, and you have to wait for your partner's response to be able to say anymore. I hate them because then people end up having to get repetitive just to fill up space. I once saw a guy having to describe a person's hair and face in every post because they didn't have anything else to add to the story! I mean jeez, just let the guy add what he can add at the moment.


When someone's character always needs to be in the spotlight also makes me "nope" out of there. I don't know what I hate more, the one that is constantly in need of help or is constantly getting hurt, or the one that has to constantly one up everyone in everything.


God moding as never really happened to me, but I would hate it if it did. Don't touch my character. My character is my baby, and if you be disrespecting my baby, I will be very mad.


Whay really makes me nope away from an rp is in 1x1s, I will tell people I am detailed and write alot, and would prefer it if they were detailed. Then they send me something like 


"He smiled at him" and that's it. I hate you so much.


One of the biggest things that makes me "nope" out of there is when the provide nothing for the story. The worst of them are the ones that write a lot so that they can act like they are adding something, but in all honesty you're the only one telling a story here. 


And the final one is when someone will only play the submissive in an rp. It isn't because I want to play the submissive , it's because every single time I have rped with one of these people, their characters were just plain boring. They never did, said, or thought anything. They were just... submissive. And once again added nothing to the story. That is a little bit why I stopped liking playing male in MxF romances. It isn't because I don't like playing male (I can play a damn good male by the way!), but it's because everytime, without fail, I got that submissive character. Does nothing, says nothing, thinks nothing, or is mary-sue like and wants the male I am playing to fall helplessly in love with her after knowing her for a few minutes. But, perhaps I just had a really bad experience with it... six times.
 
One of my few deal breakers are when in a 1x1, I'm left to do all the plotting and world-building with little say from the other person. Another would be my partner(s) rushing me to post. Lastly, I think very boring characterization and writing. It sounds all good when you're planning things out but once it begins, it's a whole 'nother story.
 
I get bored and wander off when the other(s) in the roleplay simply 'react'.  I suppose that's similar or equal to being left to plotting all by yourself. 
 
To everyone debating about Divines choice...trust me I have already said and tried it all before.  Things happen which make him want more details then some are willing to provide.


However, my pet peeve is things that auto hit or out right ignoreing the next reply that someone makes...or heck even just ignoreing the oppiseing charecters information sheet (in which if you pay attention you will often find there weakness). 
 
When people give their characters a "Second Wind", and a "Third Wind", "And fourth.... and the GM ignores it.


Example....


You beat a character then they suddenly gain the willpower to continue fighting, three times in a row, and the GM just let's it slide, even though nothing like that is in the CS.
 
It sounds rather uppity of me, but I can't role-play with people who don't put detail into their posts. I can't handle just a few lines of dialogue and actions. I myself, have never posted much more then a couple paragraphs, but I do my best to always write something to put meat on the post. Sometimes I just go on about the sky for no reason just so there's a better scenery. I don't like picturing text on a blank background for the RP.

Agreed. i LIKE TO IMAGINE THINGS. I can't imagine things well without a little bit of detail!
 
And the final one is when someone will only play the submissive in an rp. It isn't because I want to play the submissive , it's because every single time I have rped with one of these people, their characters were just plain boring. They never did, said, or thought anything. They were just... submissive. And once again added nothing to the story. That is a little bit why I stopped liking playing male in MxF romances. It isn't because I don't like playing male (I can play a damn good male by the way!), but it's because everytime, without fail, I got that submissive character. Does nothing, says nothing, thinks nothing, or is mary-sue like and wants the male I am playing to fall helplessly in love with her after knowing her for a few minutes. But, perhaps I just had a really bad experience with it... six times.



This is the absolute wooooooorst. People's flavorless female OCs that your male character is supposed to pursue because . . . they're pretty, or something? If we're roleplaying a romance, let's work together to give it some substance! Pet peeve: partners in MxF romances who think your male is going to carry the entire RP and create all of the romance with basically no incentive. Why. When in real life does that ever happen? 
 
This is the absolute wooooooorst. People's flavorless female OCs that your male character is supposed to pursue because . . . they're pretty, or something? If we're roleplaying a romance, let's work together to give it some substance! Pet peeve: partners in MxF romances who think your male is going to carry the entire RP and create all of the romance with basically no incentive. Why. When in real life does that ever happen? 

^^^


You get me! This is literally the only reason why I stopped playing males so much. I know only really play then if there is no romance. If you actually had your character do something, I would be more inclined to it! I mean jeez, this isn't just your personal fantasy.
 
^^^


You get me! This is literally the only reason why I stopped playing males so much. I know only really play then if there is no romance. If you actually had your character do something, I would be more inclined to it! I mean jeez, this isn't just your personal fantasy.



But isn't it? I mean isn't the whole point of making bland stupid POV female pod abominations to live out a personal fantasy. Isn't that why Fifty Shades and Twilight are so popular?  Not that I'm advocating those as great literary masterpieces but that's sort of the whole point of that type of character.


I personally want to burn them all alive in fiery indignation and curse their lack of substance to the depths of hell. But I do see the appeal.


I just tell them my guy is asexual. All of them. Yeah even the one I said was gay. Nope I changed my mind he's asexual.


So ha! Make romance with that!


( except they probably could and I would end up being the one punished )
 
But isn't it? I mean isn't the whole point of making bland stupid POV female pod abominations to live out a personal fantasy. Isn't that why Fifty Shades and Twilight are so popular?  Not that I'm advocating those as great literary masterpieces but that's sort of the whole point of that type of character.


I personally want to burn them all alive in fiery indignation and curse their lack of substance to the depths of hell. But I do see the appeal.


I just tell them my guy is asexual. All of them. Yeah even the one I said was gay. Nope I changed my mind he's asexual.


So ha! Make romance with that!


( except they probably could and I would end up being the one punished )

Haha, yeah you're right. It is their own little fantasy. And they will throw a hissy fit if your male doesn't immediately fall hopelessly in love with them. 


I think what I hate about it the most is pretty much what I said above, they are usually so submissive that they add nothing to the story. Literally nothing, you are carrying that entire plot on your brittle back.


And then they have the gal to tell you that they don't like where the plot is going and it should change. WELL WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT, JESSICA!


And if they do have any event happen, it involves their character being hurt. All of them have been beaten, abused, raped or something like that. And they think no one can love them and that they aren't pretty or something like that. Even though they want every male character that shows up in the story to flirt with them and fall head over heels for them.


And don't get me started on the asexual love story. The girl, who was so amazing by doing nothing special, and  taught the loveless man to love would probably be what they aimed for there. *shivers*


... Well that turned into a rant.... 
 
@SoundOfSilence I don't even stick around long enough for the hissy fit to occur anymore, like, when I see that "Oh, it's that kind of RP" I nope right out. Maybe that time would be different, but most likely not, and fool me once . . .
 
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I brought it up as a response to your comment about premades conflicting with GM "styles".  It seems I'm still unclear by what you meant by that.  My line of thinking is the following: if I'm uncomfortable with a GM's style, it's not a character build issue.

Except character needs can be affected by the gamestyle. Perhaps the gm tends to be the driving force of the story, more than willing to bring in story to push characters. With that kind of gm you can have some great roleplay with a character that is resistant, reactive, and basically needs to be pushed (the character mind you, not the player). But if you have a gm who is more reactive, then such a character is much more difficult to play as the player has to bring in all the elements to push their character and without benefit of controlling the world. For the latter gm a proactive character is much better.


Other examples might be a gm who is more detailed oriented (for which an oblivious character is not well suited), or a gm that is more down to earth, gritty, and more plausible rather than high cinematic flair (for which your chandelier swinging character is less suited), etc.
 

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