Experiences I've been thinking about this again...

[AlexneushoornTheGreat]

I've been thinking about giving up roleplaying again. Or at least, giving up roleplaying on RPN because I've just encountered too many issues with trying to pitch roleplays on RPN only for them to end up not getting anywhere because people just don't have the commitment to roleplay for prolonged periods of time anymore. It's honestly just wearing me down and I cannot stand to put energy into trying to pitch roleplays on this site anymore, no matter how much people try to encourage me to keep pitching roleplays on this site. So I think I'm pretty close to giving up roleplaying on RPN and just stick to hosting my Random question of the day thread because roleplaying just isn't working out anymore.

 

[GojiBean]

I can understand your feelings.

I've been a role player for over 20 years, but only started roleplaying online in 2009. Even so, when I did start at that time roleplaying was a much, much simpler affair than it is today. I could open an RP on any roleplaying website I joined and I'd have a dozen people asking to join in 24 hours or less. The most who asked to join a single roleplay over the course of its life span reached upwards of 78 people. Not all of them stayed for the whole thing. I think it was only 2 who did for the full thing. But still. That's impressive by most RP standards. However, that was back in 2010 or 2011.

Today, half the sites I've been a member of since 2009 are now ghost sites which barely have more than 10 people logging in on any given day.

This trend holds true for a lot of sites I've joined more recently as well. For example, I recently decided to try joining Iwaku since I'm curious about their community and how it differs from RpNation. I tried putting out a few ideas for RP's, and despite having a large and active user base into the mid to late hundreds none of the ideas received much attention. Only two people showed any interest in one of the ideas. And both of them ghosted after I opened a Characters OOC page which felt like a slap in the face. But ah well. Not a big loss in the end, I don't think.

In my opinion, and given my experiences on all the sties I'm currently a member of and those I have been in the past, I think it's more about a general downward trend in forum based roleplaying popularity. Some of these sites boast "thousands of active users," and yet there's only 50-100 active at any given time of the day. Good luck finding RP partners with numbers like that. You're more likely to find RP partners if you join real time DnD sites and communities, given that its popularity has only grown over the years compared to forum based RP's.

Either way, the only thing I can suggest is that you don't give up. I know it's a bit cliché to say "don't give up," but it's the best I've got. Other sites are experiencing the same issue to the best of my experience.

I'd like to think this is something of a wax and wane phase, and we're in the wane portion of it. Given time, forum based roleplaying might pick up in popularity again which would hopefully make finding partners (and those who stick around for a good while) easier.

But for now, gutting it out is your best bet.

That, or try writing for the sake of writing. RpNation has a Writing section where you can write your own stories in the same style as writing for an RP with others. Why not give it a shot and see what happens? After all the only person you have to wait on there is yourself. And that's a lot easier than waiting for others, or hoping others will join. And you can tell the story and concept exactly how you want to rather than hoping others will add something meaningful.

Cheers!

 

[AlexneushoornTheGreat]

Ah, I see. Glad to know I'm not the only one struggling with stuff like this. I've been roleplaying since at least 2012, and I first started roleplaying on Roblox before moving over to forum based roleplaying around 2015/2016, and both Roblox based roleplaying and forum based roleplaying have experienced that downward trend you mentioned. I've definitely heard about the growing trend of real time DnD sites and communities and DnD sites and communities have been recommended to me in the past, but I doubt I could find what I'm looking for in a roleplay there.

I suppose that for now, it's for the best if I just stick to writing by myself while I wait for forum based roleplaying to pick up in popularity again and maybe turn some of the ideas I've had for roleplays on this site into stories and post them in the Writing section of the site. Thanks for the advice, Goji, and hopefully this will help scratch the creative itch I've had going on for a while.

 

[Jannah]

I'm echoing Gojibean here. My age is showing here a bit, but I started RPing in the early 2000's. I think around 2002 or so and back then forums in general were definitely far more popular than they are now. Like anything else internet trends come and go. Nowadays I seem to have more luck on specialized RP forums rather than more general ones like this. The caveat there I guess is that you really need to look around to find a universe you're interested in RPing within.

 

[Jet]

You gotta persevere if you want success in the RP community.

It took me several years to build a group that can last. I would start an RP, recruit reliable writers from past RPs, and then add some new people to the mix. The noobs whittled themselves down to a few good members every time, and they got invited to my future projects.

Rinse and repeat.

Now I've got a very stable RP community, full of awesome people that should last a long time.

Hell, even my last one survived for 18 months, but it wasn't as stable. We had people leaving and joining every arc, but there were 10-11 people who stuck around no matter what.

You really gotta build up a crew. It takes time and patience, and honestly, it was a complete accident for me. I just stuck around long enough to meet like, 15-20 reliable writers & good friends, and got 10 of them for my recent project.

We managed to pick up a couple great newbies as well, but I did notice something.

I've never had a harder time picking up new people. My thread got a decent number of replies from people I didn't know, but only a couple followed through. Maybe the community has changed in some way, perhaps they seek a style I don't provide. But whatever the case, it's still possible to make an RP and build a circle over time. Just persevere and develop relationships.

Or you could... heh... join my RP. We have space for one more if you're interested.

 

[AlexneushoornTheGreat]

Or you could... heh... join my RP. We have space for one more if you're interested.

It depends on what kind of RP you guys are planning to do.

 

[Jet]

It depends on what kind of RP you guys are planning to do.

I'll DM you some information, cause I don't want to hijack your thread with an interest check

 

[kevintheradioguy]

Oh, finding text RP partners that stick for more than a starter is so hard these days; I've just been coming here ifly, knowing I won't find anyone to stick around.

However, when it comes to ttrpgs, I am having the luck of my life: the only one unfinished in my lifetime is on hold due to the war raging, not people dropping, per se. Ever tried finding a niche tabletop, and trying your luck there? Some are dice-heavy, others are almost 100% roleplay, and some are in-between. I'd be happy to help, if you're interested, in finding one for you: peeps there are usually so much more reliable.

Also, might I ask what are you looking for in a RP? I've been going back to this hobby myself, who knows, maybe we click somewhere? Most of my games are here, on public forums, if only to showcase that I don't ghost people.

 

[AlexneushoornTheGreat]

kevintheradioguy People have recommended tabletop RPGs to me before, but I never bothered to try them out because I doubt that I could find what I'm looking for in a roleplay on such sites.

What I'm looking for in a roleplay would be the following things for fandoms:

- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Super Mario
- Grand Theft Auto
- Animal Crossing
- Pokémon (Up to X and Y)
- Total Drama

For original roleplays, I'm looking for something in the following genres:

- Action (Think of action movies starring Schwarzenegger, Stallone or Willis)
- Adventure (Think of Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider, Uncharted etc.)
- Crime (Think of The Godfather, Ocean's Eleven, Breaking Bad etc.)
- Drama
- Fantasy (Think of mermaids, angels and other fantastical creatures)
- Zombie Apocalypse (Think of The Walking Dead, Shaun of the Dead, World War Z etc.)

I don't know if you're interested in any of these things, but hopefully it should give you an idea of what I'm looking for in an RP.

 

[kevintheradioguy]

kevintheradioguy People have recommended tabletop RPGs to me before, but I never bothered to try them out because I doubt that I could find what I'm looking for in a roleplay on such sites.

What I'm looking for in a roleplay would be the following things for fandoms:

- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Super Mario
- Grand Theft Auto
- Animal Crossing
- Pokémon (Up to X and Y)
- Total Drama

For original roleplays, I'm looking for something in the following genres:

- Action (Think of action movies starring Schwarzenegger, Stallone or Willis)
- Adventure (Think of Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider, Uncharted etc.)
- Crime (Think of The Godfather, Ocean's Eleven, Breaking Bad etc.)
- Drama
- Fantasy (Think of mermaids, angels and other fantastical creatures)
- Zombie Apocalypse (Think of The Walking Dead, Shaun of the Dead, World War Z etc.)

I don't know if you're interested in any of these things, but hopefully it should give you an idea of what I'm looking for in an RP.

Ah! I'm not very good in fandoms per se, but I have always been willing to do original games. My go to is a mix of mystery and something supernatural (not high-fantasy, think more horror films like REC). I might come up with something for original RPs, though, given enough prompts, desires or even just tag words.

 

[kevintheradioguy]

kevintheradioguy People have recommended tabletop RPGs to me before, but I never bothered to try them out because I doubt that I could find what I'm looking for in a roleplay on such sites.

What I'm looking for in a roleplay would be the following things for fandoms:

- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Super Mario
- Grand Theft Auto
- Animal Crossing
- Pokémon (Up to X and Y)
- Total Drama

For original roleplays, I'm looking for something in the following genres:

- Action (Think of action movies starring Schwarzenegger, Stallone or Willis)
- Adventure (Think of Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider, Uncharted etc.)
- Crime (Think of The Godfather, Ocean's Eleven, Breaking Bad etc.)
- Drama
- Fantasy (Think of mermaids, angels and other fantastical creatures)
- Zombie Apocalypse (Think of The Walking Dead, Shaun of the Dead, World War Z etc.)

I don't know if you're interested in any of these things, but hopefully it should give you an idea of what I'm looking for in an RP.

Ah, also, forgot to add: it's the matter of finding the right tabletop. Many people for for D&D as "the default tabletop", however, there are more tabletops than just that. For instance, I have been pushing away D&D in favour of things I like more, like Kult: Divinity Lost (gnostic horror), Call of Cthulhu (...self-explanatory), or Vampire: the Masquerade/Hunter: the Reckoning (gothic punk monster drama).

If you want to try out something as well, I think I can narrate something small 1x1 for you, see how it goes, whether or not you like it. I believe that any game that's made on the base of PbtA (Powered by the Apocalypse) might suit you well, as they re made for more narrative-driven people, and I usually joke that PbtA goes by the logic of "Hey, we heard you didn't like rules in your game, so we got rid of all of them!"

In fact, I have a fresh PbtA game at hand about Victorian adventurers hunting cryptids.

 

[AlexneushoornTheGreat]

kevintheradioguy Ah, so fandoms are not really your cup of tea. That's fair. As for original roleplays, I haven't done a whole lot of them, but I'd be willing to try more if it means I can scratch any creative itch I might have. I'll see if I can think of an original roleplay plot in any of the genres I'm interested and I'll try and DM you once I have something and see if it speaks your language, if you catch my drift

As for tabletop RPGs, I suppose it's indeed a matter of finding the right one. One of these guys who recommended tabletop RPGs to me said that there might be a few Sonic the Hedgehog themed tabletop RPGs, but I turned down that recommendation because I'm generally not a big fan of Sonic characters bashing the fuck out of people with weapons.

If there's any crime based tabletop RPGs you can recommend to me, I might be willing to give tabletop RPGs a try. As for that PbtA one you mentioned, I might give that one a try as well if I get the chance.

 

[kevintheradioguy]

If there any crime based tabletop RPGs you can recommend to me, I might be willing to give tabletop RPGs a try. As for that PbtA one you mentioned, I might give that one a try as well if I get the chance.

Alright, here we go. The first thing to note is that barely any tabletop doesn't have a splash of mysticism or fantasy to it. In fact, i cannot think of any single one that would not have it, so take everything with consideration that something paranormal might come up in the story - however, a good DM can write anything like that out, and leave you with just your usual crime drama or a detective story.

The first thing that comes to my mind, would be Call of Cthulhu. As the name suggests, it's lovecraftian, so your investigations usually end up with whether finding out some eldritch god sanctuary, or a blood-thirsty cult, but there is decent amount of investigation going on in the process. Lots of handouts to the players, need to consult newspaper archives, remember details to piece together the story. Downside is - asides for yet another Star Spawn or Dagon Cult - is that the mechanics can be hard to learn - there is a ton of stats (although rolls are extremely easy to grasp), and a new player might be very much overwhelmed by that. However, to every new player in each and every tabletop, I say this: use pregens (pre-generated characters). Now, many people go "Ew, pregens, no, I want to play my own character", which isn't the point of pregens. Pregens are just stats. Like, you can make your very own crossdresing occult librarian obsessed with cats, while the pregen will say "Okay, stats that best reflect an occult librarian are these", which will make it easier to learn how to play and what you like more.

Knives in the Dark lets you play the bad guys here. It's dark-fantasy industrial setting in which you take a role of some sort of a scoundrel seeking fortune: robbing a bank, or a museum, blackmailing some nobleman, or braking into a well-guarded mansion to steal the virginity of king's oldest son. I haven't played it myself yet, neither narrated, but this looks like one amazing experience for people who enjoyed Dishonored, for example, or want an experience akin to darker Oliver Twist, or any other street gang.

There is a less-known Fiasco universe, for which I never found a player or a DM. A very simple system, barely any rolls, and it is usually made for a DM to improvise the story on spot. There are many, many crime- and detective-related plots set in any time period. I personally narrated a few from the 80s-90s things, where players had to catch murderers or dismantle a religious cult that held people hostage, however, it can be twisted in any way you want.

Then again, PbtA, which is a system taht comes in many shapes and forms: a set of basic rules, basically, that one can turn into any setting and theme they want. I personally like KULT: Divinity Lost, but it's far from crime drama, it's gnostic horror that deals in extremes, being violated, mutilated, made brutally murder your own baby is the norm there; not for the faint of heart, and probably not what you're looking for, but as any human being I like talking about things I love. Another PbtA that is kind of detective-ish I like, is City of Judas, which follows alternative history during the first crusades, in which Judas got his own martyr cult like Jesus did, and involves some biblical creatures corrupting players. I only played detective games in this universe, sort of Witcher-like style, but with much less combat. And then there's this Victorian adventurers hunting cryptids setting with a lot of investigation: The Between.

Another one would probably be Hunter: the Reckoning (v5 is the best for this). It follows a group of supernatural hunters: usually vampire hunters, but it can be anything. Again, supernatural thing, however, it can be written out, and a monster you hunted was just another human being. In fact, I have been narrating one game with this premise, and it was oddly satisfying and disappointing at the same time: seeing how a real commando group, all stakes and torches, and holy water, realised that the bloody murders attributed to a vampire were commited by the sweetest-looking ordinary grandmother with deep-set need for revenge.

 

[AlexneushoornTheGreat]

kevintheradioguy I see, I see...You mind if we discuss this tabletop thing further in DMs so we don't clog up this thread?

 

[Emotional Enigma]

I feel this. It’s so hard getting a bite for something by you’re craving RP wise. I’ve been on this site for a few years and I still haven’t had much luck in many long term RPs. You’re not struggling alone, there’s a lot of us still aching for RPs. But if you need a break then take a break. Explore other options! Don’t force yourself to keep trying if your hearts not in it.

 

[kevintheradioguy]

kevintheradioguy I see, I see...You mind if we discuss this tabletop thing further in DMs so we don't clog up this thread?

Ofc, mate, feel free to knock into the DMs or discord.

 

[AlexneushoornTheGreat]

Yeah, I really think I'm done trying to set up roleplays on this site. I'm failing to garner enough interest in my latest group RP, and the people who did show interest are dropping out because they lost interest due to how long it's taking for the RP to start up. So I really don't think I'm going to bother trying to set up roleplays on this site anymore and just stick to writing by myself, because trying to find roleplaying partners on this site is like trying to find a needle in a haystack, and tabletop RPG is too geeky for my tastes, so I'm not going to bother looking for RP partners in there.