How to get a Roleplay off the ground?

[SodaPop]

I recently joined up here because I got an interest back in writing, but I love interactivity and playing through RPs as if they are a gaming narrative, like D&D but online and without many mechanics. I love some of the thought here and such but I've been having trouble.


I created a series on YouTube that I was going to animate before I got here. I put a lot of heart and soul into it, worked many hours and finally crammed out one video. I decided that I loved this world I made, but it wasn't for animation, it was for storytelling. So I came here. Well, after a lot more work and world building, I came to find out that no one even took a second glance at it really, which is understandable considering people's interests and maybe if the writing was intimidating at first.


I got some tips from people, some say that the RP needs more pictures, that it is too overwhelming. So what I did was add quite a few pictures and then shrink my writing down significantly, only to fall down in the board again and lose to things with poor english and three sentence summaries. So I'm asking, do you have any tips on getting a Roleplay off the ground? I worked a lot on it and I couldn't bear to see it die. If it can't be lifted off, where should I take it next?


tl;dr - Any significantly good tips to get a Roleplay with some recruits and have it work out?





I'm primed and ready to take criticism and get suggestions.

 

[Sen Pai]

1. Advertise. Throw it at people. Advertise. With the amount of roleplays that are being popped out the oven everyday, it's very difficult to get your roleplay noticed unless you become one of those annoying salespeople who constantly knock on your door, asking if you would like to try or buy their product. There are a few times where people can just create a roleplay and everyone starts flocking in like moths to a flame but it's pretty difficult to do that. So throw the link around in the Shoutbox, put up a recruitment thread, talk about it, etc. IF YOU'RE PROUD OF YOUR CHILD, YOU MUST BRAG ABOUT IT.


2. Presentation. This is a big deal for roleplays, unless you're known to be an absolute genius when it comes to roleplays and everyone wants to join. Even so, if it's just a giant block of text, it's difficult to read and unattractive to the eye. As the others before me said, adding pictures and shortening the descriptions to make it easier to read and understand. Your roleplay overview is what attracts others to join. It has to be quick and to the point, giving out the information needed. But you also have to be aware of the layout and the overall look of it to the eye. Give them KISSes. Keep It Simply Stupid.


3. Believe. This one's just here because only putting two suggestions looks wimpy. But, yeah. Believe in your roleplay and yourself. Anyway, while we're here, let's go over what we learned today! One, advertise the crap out of it and you're sure to grab a few people's attention and interest. Two, make it look very pretty and easy to understand and read. Presentation is key!


I hope that will prove to be at least a little bit of help to you but I'm sure that you already know about them. Good luck with your roleplay!

 

[Circus]

If you're specifically talking about "The Colliders! VG Adventure RP", I have a few suggestions:


From my experience, RPs lend themselves to a story or plot rather than an open-world setting. The GM needs to guide the RPers since this is the world you created. If it is open-world, your players are entering the world with no knowledge. It is your job to give them a goal for the character to achieve. What is the end game? Also, since RPing is reliant on other people, open-world settings are more difficult since people tend to group together leaving other areas empty. It is easier to create a starting point and let them explore naturally with your guidance.


It seems like you're trying to create a game with dedicated attacks and health. While this is certainly adventurous in your mechanics, it is too controlled. RPers need freedom to act and perform. By controlling their health, damage dealt, etc. it limits movement for the RPer. You're also trying to control how people post and their actions, another restriction.


Again, I think your RP would improve with a goal. As it is, it seems like you're dropping RPers in a world telling them to go and explore, but explore what? What are they doing? Why? Exploring is great but what is the overall purpose?


A goal and relaxing on RP mechanics would help attract people to your RP.

 

[SodaPop]

@Darth Pai Thank you for the tips! I have left out a few things you have mentioned. Some of them I have recycled through quite a few times (which led to this thread), like talking about it in the Shoutbox, put up a recruitment thread, and shortening descriptions, but you have quite a bit here that I haven't done already, and should be super helpful.


And believing; that is actually a lot more helpful than you would... know. xD I almost said believe again... But however cliche it may be, recently I've been disheartened at the lack of attention that my roleplay has received after a lot of work. But thank you for putting the faith back into me! Hahahah

 

[Circus]

It depends on the level of the RPer, I suppose. There are a lot of combat RPs and many know how to do combat RPs without god-modding. By controlling the battle, not only do you make the RPers reliant on you for what happens in the battle and slowing down the flow of the story, you limit the players actions. Try imagining what it would be like to battle with that mechanic. One fight could take several posts.


I think this site has a battle RP section. Take a look through there to get a good feel for how battles can work. Again, RPing is about story, not battle mechanics. People want a rich story and to play their characters.

 

[SodaPop]

Thank you, that is really helpful ^-^ I will check it out right now!


Edit: I can't seem to locate it... But I will look online for some battle RPs! xD