Bone2pick
Minority of One
I don't agree that setting paragraph minimums encourages that type of writing.
Other Minimum post lengths
- Thread starter Duskstalker
- Start date
I don't agree that setting paragraph minimums encourages that type of writing.
Whisker
Damnation Dignified
We are. Just not in the same way. If I can summarize the difference, it's just that I feel there are times where a detailed approach is appropriate and times where a minimalistic approach is appropriate.
I find "show not tell" is another instance where people are prone to obey the letter of the law instead of the spirit. There are times where it is okay to tell. It all depends on context.
As for your post, I liked it honestly. I might have cut out this paragraph here:
His parents had supported the winning side of the war. He was now able to freely practice the Dark Arts. Axton supposed he ought to be grateful for that, even if the Fountain of Life program saddled him with a boring housewife. Not like his parents hadn't already made plans in that department. There were probably worse things in life than being engaged to a woman he hardly knew. Hopefully they cared enough about the Selwyn genes to not pick someone hideous. Or inbred. Selwyn shuddered.
In my opinion, it doesn't really add anything that the paragraph behind it doesn't. You can in fact jump from the paragraph above it to the one behind it seamlessly without interrupting flow at all, and still keep his characterization intact.
And I have seen examples where it has. Judging by some of the responses, I'm not the only one who has seen obvious attempts at "post stretching" either.
Bone2pick
Minority of One
You've seen confident/competent site members pad their posts with trivial details in order to hit paragraph requirements? And you're sure about that? It couldn't possibly have been that what you've read isn't just their preferred style of narration?
I can't say that I've seen that, so I'm less than pressed to consider it a worthwhile problem. Of course I've seen lots of overly descriptive writing, but paragraph requirements had nothing to do with those, as they typically greatly exceeded them. And any of us could head over to the prose section right now and dig up overly descriptive short stories, none of which have paragraph requirements. The fact is a healthy chuck of amateur writers prefer to write that way, without any outside pressure to do so.
QuirkyAngel
White Masquerade's Blue Oni
Agreed. Reading it again, following after 'His blood was too hot.' the paragraph afterward seemed like an awkward, unnecessary train of thought. Felt forced and ruined the flow a tad. Still, it was something I wanted the other players to know about my character. It foreshadowed his fiance. So I shrugged and hit the post button.
I am by no means the perfect writer. Therefore, I don't expect the players to be. In fact, I'd say I fall on the other end of the spectrum where I don't expect much of other rpers except to follow the rules of the rp. I rp for myself. Because I like writing and interacting with characters. Therefore, I can ignore things like bad writing as long as it's understandable and gives me something to respond to. I tend to look to the bright side of things...and it's not like I hadn't fallen prey to purple prose when I was in high school, given my past tendency to vibrantly describe my character's eyes. It was something I noticed a lot in the books I'd read so I figured that was a thing
I can tell you're a good writer because of your response.
The thing is, a post minimum is only asking for a certain amount of content per post. The details don't have to be flowery. It's not requiring grand vocabulary either. Nor is it asking for good writing. As
Killigrew
said, it's simply a quota that players involved in the rp are required to meet. How players chose to write the sentences, and narrate, is entirely up to them. My writing is fairly simplistic. Other people may describe things in a more verbose, long-winded manner. Yet other people CAPITALIZE things in certain areas to emphasize certain points. Word play has nothing to do with post minimum. Supposed some players felt they needed to write purple prose in order to meet posting requirements...because that's their understanding of detail...then as
Idea
said, it's really the misunderstanding of the players (or the lack of clarity from the gm) that is the issue. Not the posting minimum. Of course, since we're talking about rps, and not a writing class, a lot of players won't care too much about bad writing as long as it's readable. After all, no one ever said writing is easy. Good writing at least^^
Whisker
Damnation Dignified
Agreed. Reading it again, following after 'His blood was too hot.' the paragraph afterward seemed like an awkward, unnecessary train of thought. Felt forced and ruined the flow a tad. Still, it was something I wanted the other players to know about my character. It foreshadowed his fiance. So I shrugged and hit the post button.
I am by no means the perfect writer. Therefore, I don't expect the players to be. In fact, I'd say I fall on the other end of the spectrum where I don't expect much of other rpers except to follow the rules of the rp. I rp for myself. Because I like writing and interacting with characters. Therefore, I can ignore things like bad writing as long as it's understandable and gives me something to respond to. I tend to look to the bright side of things...and it's not like I hadn't fallen prey to purple prose when I was in high school, given my past tendency to vibrantly describe my character's eyes. It was something I noticed a lot in the books I'd read so I figured that was a thing
I can tell you're a good writer because of your response.
The thing is, a post minimum is only asking for a certain amount of content per post. The details don't have to be flowery. It's not requiring grand vocabulary either. Nor is it asking for good writing. As
Supposed some players felt they needed to write purple prose in order to meet posting requirements...because that's their understanding of detail...then as
Of course, since we're talking about rps, and not a writing class, a lot of players won't care too much about bad writing as long as it's readable. After all, no one ever said writing is easy. Good writing at least^^
I am working right now so I can't really respond right now like I want to, but that's the essence of the argument. Yes, it may boil down in some cases to a fault with player inexperience, but not always. One only needs to look at some of the posts submitted to this section for review (I once saw a 20 paragraph post with above average grammar and word use eviscerated down to four paragraphs here). It's not a knock on people who like to post long so much as a critique on the tendency to view short responses as bad, lazy, not worth reading, and long posts as good regardless of the content presented.
Idea
The Pun Tyrant
Who are you arguing to, then? Assuming you are, at all, responding to people with your comments, of course. However fact remains nobody in this thread even defended what you are critiquing...
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Killigrew
Magnificent Humanicorn
I agree with this and all you've said, but I'd also like to add my other issue with minimal post length; players think that what's expected is to write paragraphs, rather than progress the plot or influence it. I can drop some examples in a bit -- I definitely like
QuirkyAngel
's strategy of having a tangible post to look at as an example. 
Once I get off work!
Uncultured
Dreamer/Cynic
These people will never listen, they're blinded by the dogma of post length. I had my last post critiqued by someone saying that clearly a shit poster is in the clear because they filled up a page with garbage while a good poster should get a warning because they didn't meet a word quota. This is a pointless exercise. Most of "detailed" writers are garbage, thinking that stuffing their writing with as many words as possible is a good way to write, lol, it's actually awful. It doesn't sound profound, it doesn't sound smart, it sounds like a high school kid trying to get extra points by using lots of SAT words in an essay.
Probably explains why all these RPs fail, so many words that the ship sinks.
Probably explains why all these RPs fail, so many words that the ship sinks.
Whisker
Damnation Dignified
Then clearly you haven't been paying attention to my conversations. It's because people respond to me assuming I mean one thing when I mean something else. Furthermore, people have been defending it. You only need to read through the thread to see what I am talking about.
Bone2pick
Minority of One
Go on friend, beat that straw man to death.
rae2nerdy
left site
Um no one is saying this? The response your referencing said only that if a GM requests a specific word amount you must meet it. If you don't than you will be asked to edit your post.
That is not playing favorites or saying one kind of writing is better than another. It is saying - Hey I made a rule and you have to follow it.
If you don't like the rule than don't join the roleplay.
If you don't like post requirements than don't join a roleplay with post requirements.
At this point your the only one saying on kind of writing is inherently better than the other. No one else is arguing that.
Idea
The Pun Tyrant
Thing is, I did read that. And no one you spoke to said that short responses are, inherently, bad, lazy or not worth reading, and especially nobody said about either short or long responses that they are good regardless of content. What people HAVE said, at most, is that they find it takes more effort to write more or that it they don't like reading short responses. The first one isn't a judgement of value, it's simple logic (to press five keys on my keyboard, I need more movement than to make 4, so it takes more effort to make five, but that doesn't imply nor did anyone suggest otherwise, that the five would be better than the four inherently), and the second one is a personal preference, which is only value relative to onself and what one appreciates, not an evaluation of merit.
Uncultured
Dreamer/Cynic
My post was pointing out the idiocy of those rules and was replied to by a person saying "but the rules said!"
Go read what I wrote, I am pointing out the idiocy of these rules and how they ignore context, replying with "but they broke the rules" is irrelevant and kind of funny to me.
"Marijuana laws make no sense, there is no logic there? Why is it a class 1 substance but cocaine is a class 2 substance? It makes no sense, the laws need to be changed!" said the activist.
"Well it's a class 1 substance because the laws say they are, it's illegal because that's the law and if you break the law you should go to jail" said the contrarian.
So yeah, I think that it's funny that a person is so enamored with post length and their own point of view that they miss my point SO HEAVILY as to reply "but the rules" when my post is critiquing the logic of those rules.
Also, can anyone give me an actually good reason to have post length quotas? Anyone? We already know it filters out 0 bad writers, so what does it accomplish? Anyone? Won't good writers make long posts when it's needed?
Bone2pick
Have you seen how these people write?
Also that's the first time I said that, I don't see how I'm beating the strawman to death when that's the first time I said that.
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Bone2pick
Minority of One
By definition it filters out potential roleplayers who don't feel comfortable composing multiple paragraph posts.
Idea
The Pun Tyrant
For like, the hundreth time, no one is saying more length= more quality. Rather, what we see as quality is something which produces great length and great detail as a biproduct AKA, they don't correspond, but more often than not they come attached. Which isn't saying short posts don't have quality, it's saying they don't usually have the elements which constitute the quality we aim to have or the type of content we want to read.
Furthermore,
rae2nerdy
was pointing out (and do correct me if I'm wrong Geeking) that even if you somehow were correct and all detailed writers were shitposting elitists who ruin their own roleplays, that doesn't mean we don't have the right to request to roleplay specifically with one another. To request player in our own style come and enjoy that style with us. "it's just a rule" is a means to saying "it's not harming you, and it's not against their right, so stop bitching about it". If truly our roleplays and posting minimums are so horrible, then basic market functioning will just make these roleplays not get people. No one is being forced INTO these roleplays. So you may find it stupid all you like, no one has any obligation to change, especially when your arguments have all the decency of a troll comment.
rae2nerdy
left site
It promotes uniformity, ensures that some level of work goes into each reply and it gives everyone the same starting off point regardless of whether they're verbose or not?
I mean it's not meant to filter out bad writers so I don't understand why you think the fact that it doesn't is somehow a bad thing.
It is meant to give the GM some way of evening the playing field so they AREN'T allowing people into their roleplay based on whether or not they're "good/bad" writers.
It's just - hey please be sure you can write X length posts before you join.
If people wanted to police QUALITY of writing they would make a different rule.
Something like - hey please write X length and also ensure your posts stay on topic and contain only information relevant to the current action.
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Uncultured
Dreamer/Cynic
Yeah, absolutely it does, but explain how a writing sample required in the character sheet doesn't accomplish the same thing while also giving the GM a window into the skill level of the writer?
Just judge the CS accordingly, and if, when in RP, a person seems to post things with inappropriate length, then DM them.
I admit that you have a point, I just think that it becomes a restrictive, one size fits all rule that damages action and dialogue scenes. It also can be replaced by a writing sample in CS and a GM that actually watches their RP. I understand that a post length quota can stop the bottom of the barrel people from joining, but I think it's an inefficient way of doing this when a writing sample and a disclaimer like
"You WILL have to post detailed at times when the context calls for it, do not join unless prepared to write lengthy posts"
Can accomplish everything that a quota can without killing the pacing of a RP when character interaction and action comes into play.
Idea
Hop off me, I've done nothing but drop straight logic on your neck the entire time, go read the post history to re affirm what went down earlier.
It is a DEMONSTRATABLE FACT that lengthy, flowery, very "detailed" ACTION AND DIALOGUE posts in a RP HURT PACING and IMMERSION and BELIEVABILITY, this is a fact. Post quotas are damaging to these scenes which is at the CORE of my argument.
Observation, character dev, solo RP posts without interaction, should all be lengthy but in the cases of ACTION and DIALOGUE, when involving two or more RPers, writing a lot of content is harmful.
I have said this the entire time and only a couple people have actually acknowledged it, probably because most of you skim or don't read. The issue with a post quota is how it harms the RP when shorter responses are more prudent such as in interaction posts with fighting or dialogue.
At the end of the day I will die on this hill, I have seen this enough times in practice to know that it is a thing. As anecdotal as my experience might be, I know for a fact through first hand experience that what I'm saying is not incorrect.
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Bone2pick
Minority of One
Personally speaking I'm a big fan of writing samples. I wish they were used more often here on RPN. But the topic would need to shift to why aren't required writing samples more popular on this site? Your guess is as good as mine.
rae2nerdy
left site
For like, the hundreth time, no one is saying more length= more quality. Rather, what we see as quality is something which produces great length and great detail as a biproduct AKA, they don't correspond, but more often than not they come attached. Which isn't saying short posts don't have quality, it's saying they don't usually have the elements which constitute the quality we aim to have or the type of content we want to read.
Furthermore,
Yeah more or less. I mean asking people to write a certain number paragraphs isn't saying
- You must write no less than three paragraphs about your characters outfit or you are unfit to type up a response in a roleplay.
It's more or less just asking for people to meet an agreed upon basic requirement to join the roleplay. And there isn't really anything wrong with it.
Heck even assuming
Write three paragraphs per reply
Somehow is super elitist snob for
Write three paragraphs about your characters inner monologue/flashbacks/their clothes every post and also an additional five paragraphs about whatever is going on or you will be publicly shamed by every person in the roleplay
That's still fine. Let the super elitists snobs have their super speshul snob headquarters and get on with your life. If you don't want to hang out with those kind of people than no one is forcing you too.
But even snobs have a right to roleplay however they want and shouldn't be made to feel like they should change to suit someone else's idea of what's good or bad. ( spoiler alert - if they're really snobs they don't care about mere mortal opinions anyway )
Idea
The Pun Tyrant
Funny you should say that, cause I literally was refutting your arguments by simply quoting myself. If anything the one refusing to listen is you.
Pacing, yes , the other two, no. Your argument falls on the simple fact that is writing, not cinema. Weight, immersion, believability are not created by removing details. And sure, pacing is hurt, but pacing is a lot less important than you might think, for starters because you can't actually control it within a single post. Second because you can't overlap the important details in a short post, the action and dialogue are not all that matters in writing either.
I have read and been quoting each part of your posts and answering those parts individually. But you keep throwing the same argument which was refutted several times in all the extent which it would matter.
rae2nerdy
left site
If I had to guess maybe the fact that we've had so many updates and people not really seeing them advertised.
So like it's sort of a cycle that feeds on itself. It could be the uncertainty of the platform made people feel that their samples would not always be saved and so they decided to use different methods of vetting. And since no one currently hosting a roleplay uses writing sample newbies either aren't aware that's a thing or think it's somehow not allowed on this site.
Personally I always hated them myself. If I have a lot of characters to go through I'm not going to want to take the additional time to read your post samples.
Especially since seeing a single post without context isn't going to really give me a good idea of how you'll fair in a roleplay anyway. And few people really give a wide selection of samples that covers the full extent of what they can do.
I would think it would be almost better to just stalk post history OR request a link to a previous roleplay to see how they interacted in that.
But again that's me as the GM having to do a lot of extra legwork for each individual person.
Killigrew
Magnificent Humanicorn
My experience with detailed posting, just to let you guys know. This was the first post of the RP where I was planning on going all out, no holds barred, just write the best story I could and have some friends alongside.
As you can see, it's very detail-heavy. I took a lot of stylistic choices, let the flowers bloom, and tried my best to instill a tone and mission in the RPers. It was a lot of effort, a lot of investment, and I was expecting the same investment in kind.
My initial idea was to start out with the conflict of "hey, this guy won't let you in to the city for a night's rest! What'll you do?" Rather than face him head-on, the RPers decided to stay outside, camp, and start a fire. Most of the time, the RPers were avoiding conflict rather than facing it, accepting problems rather than addressing them. I was distraught because the whole reason the guard didn't let them in was because the town had been overtaken by bandits.
After a month or two, this is near to the final post. The text in different colors was added in by the players, and you can definitely see how little action it contributes.
Now I see two main issues on my end, and it doesn't all come down to detailed roleplay or post length, but it certainly is related.
1. I didn't let the players reap the consequences of their actions and tried to woo them back to the plot
2. In the end, it felt like I was writing my own story by myself and they were just all along for the ride. This was because I was trying so hard to write a story I'd enjoy, rather than trying to enjoy the interaction and collaborative plots with the other RPers.
My priorities were out-of-whack; I wanted collaborative storytelling but I wasn't putting my efforts there; my efforts were in storytelling, which I'm perfectly able to do by my lonesome. It took a few months of thought for me to realize that I was trying to accomplish something that I didn't realize I was trying to accomplish, and that this was the root of my dissatisfaction.
The issues with the RPers? There were some.
1. They ran from conflict rather than faced it.
2. They didn't talk much about the RP OOC, didn't ask me many questions, just posted their best work and carried on.
As a result, everything felt disconnected. The characters didn't have a full understanding of the world and the RPers didn't seem to care to; I had put so much work into the lore that they needed only reference that; there were no more conversations about it. Although they were wowed by the writing and the lore's presentation, it did me little good in the end, since it cut off conversation, and communication in an RP is so important.
So I'll finish with this; minimum post length policies are a symptom of a larger issue. It puts the priorties of RPers in the wrong place. What do you really want from an RP? Do you really want flowery sentences and beautiful detail? You can get that from a romantic poem, what's the big deal about RPing, why are you coming back to this instead of finding something more worth reading?
It's really simple, isn't it? Aren't we here to RP because we want to write with someone else? We don't want to write the story alone, and we find it's a lot more fun to let it develop naturally, with other RPers goofing around with us. We're here for a good time, and a fun experience. Writing is a great way to learn new things, and other people are the best way to learn new things from.
So not having a minimum post length will surely assist you in reaching that goal. Make sure you're saying things you mean, not just trying to root out a crowd. Reach out to writers, describe what you really want, and sure, be particular once they come, but the best way to stick to your guns is to have a good idea of what you really want from RPing. That way you can politely and kindly express this to those persons that, perhaps, don't want the same thing you do.
TL
R I used to think writing my best is the best way to have fun RPing, but then I realized all I really wanted was to have fun and let loose with a collaborative story. Post length definitely adds pressure where there needs be none.
Long after the pilgrims had gone out from Gallace Academy’s great city, the fire-dust still clung to them. It would not let them forget and stirred up memories of the massacre; for among the pilgrims were witnesses and survivors alike. These men were at the Academy during the attack, on a hill above the now-charred village. From the castle wall, they would have spied the dragon that parted clouds and fell like lightning down to earth, the flame spitting from its mouth, coating the land in angry, hungry red.
The flame was gluttonous. After it had consumed the homes of farmers, laborers and poor men, it burned in the hearts of those that survived, nestling down like a thorn that digs in deep and set the teeth on edge. The cry was for Vengeance -- blood for blood. Those serpents took the lives of good men. To the sword with them! Kill them! Kill them all! The priests preached vengeance in their temples, and the commoners howled for it in their streets.
And as for those that remained by the dragons’ side in this time, they were counted among the beasts -- for they were the sympathizers, the enablers, the deceived. By association, these fools were held accountable; the guilt of the serpents became a yolk their shoulders also bore.
The solution offered was considered ludicrous by most -- a stalling tactic. That the dragons would be sent on pilgrimage with the sympathizers, with Narathzul, their guardian, and Lureana, the student, was a most heinous affront. Good pilgrims seek holiness in these journeys. They traverse the land with the clothes on their back, putting their lives in the grace of the gods and the generosity of townsfolk. And these demons would take on such a high calling? What heresy is this?
With so criminal a company, who could blame the good nobles, priests, and peasants that withdrew for the year? At the announcement, the company cut from a hefty hundred to a mere handful. To be seen beside a dragon is to be seen the advocate of a murderer. Indeed, those that remain are either very foolish or very brave.
Therefore, it can be said that this group of travelers is more a party of exiles than pilgrims. Their visit to these holy sites displays a shabby pretense of repentance and piety. The untold truth is obvious; these are no pilgrims. They are criminals that the worldly powers in cowardice seen fit to prolong the judgement of. What is feared is what influence this malignant group will obtain in their journey. Should they find proof of their worth or gain the mercy of rulers, perhaps by the end of it, the necessary judgement will be overturned. As is uncommonly known, to endeavor to change the mind of a people requires that one starts at the very bottom; one must first convince the commoners, the hungry, and the weary. Gods help us if they succeed.
The flame was gluttonous. After it had consumed the homes of farmers, laborers and poor men, it burned in the hearts of those that survived, nestling down like a thorn that digs in deep and set the teeth on edge. The cry was for Vengeance -- blood for blood. Those serpents took the lives of good men. To the sword with them! Kill them! Kill them all! The priests preached vengeance in their temples, and the commoners howled for it in their streets.
And as for those that remained by the dragons’ side in this time, they were counted among the beasts -- for they were the sympathizers, the enablers, the deceived. By association, these fools were held accountable; the guilt of the serpents became a yolk their shoulders also bore.
The solution offered was considered ludicrous by most -- a stalling tactic. That the dragons would be sent on pilgrimage with the sympathizers, with Narathzul, their guardian, and Lureana, the student, was a most heinous affront. Good pilgrims seek holiness in these journeys. They traverse the land with the clothes on their back, putting their lives in the grace of the gods and the generosity of townsfolk. And these demons would take on such a high calling? What heresy is this?
With so criminal a company, who could blame the good nobles, priests, and peasants that withdrew for the year? At the announcement, the company cut from a hefty hundred to a mere handful. To be seen beside a dragon is to be seen the advocate of a murderer. Indeed, those that remain are either very foolish or very brave.
Therefore, it can be said that this group of travelers is more a party of exiles than pilgrims. Their visit to these holy sites displays a shabby pretense of repentance and piety. The untold truth is obvious; these are no pilgrims. They are criminals that the worldly powers in cowardice seen fit to prolong the judgement of. What is feared is what influence this malignant group will obtain in their journey. Should they find proof of their worth or gain the mercy of rulers, perhaps by the end of it, the necessary judgement will be overturned. As is uncommonly known, to endeavor to change the mind of a people requires that one starts at the very bottom; one must first convince the commoners, the hungry, and the weary. Gods help us if they succeed.
As you can see, it's very detail-heavy. I took a lot of stylistic choices, let the flowers bloom, and tried my best to instill a tone and mission in the RPers. It was a lot of effort, a lot of investment, and I was expecting the same investment in kind.
My initial idea was to start out with the conflict of "hey, this guy won't let you in to the city for a night's rest! What'll you do?" Rather than face him head-on, the RPers decided to stay outside, camp, and start a fire. Most of the time, the RPers were avoiding conflict rather than facing it, accepting problems rather than addressing them. I was distraught because the whole reason the guard didn't let them in was because the town had been overtaken by bandits.
After a month or two, this is near to the final post. The text in different colors was added in by the players, and you can definitely see how little action it contributes.
Now I see two main issues on my end, and it doesn't all come down to detailed roleplay or post length, but it certainly is related.
1. I didn't let the players reap the consequences of their actions and tried to woo them back to the plot
2. In the end, it felt like I was writing my own story by myself and they were just all along for the ride. This was because I was trying so hard to write a story I'd enjoy, rather than trying to enjoy the interaction and collaborative plots with the other RPers.
My priorities were out-of-whack; I wanted collaborative storytelling but I wasn't putting my efforts there; my efforts were in storytelling, which I'm perfectly able to do by my lonesome. It took a few months of thought for me to realize that I was trying to accomplish something that I didn't realize I was trying to accomplish, and that this was the root of my dissatisfaction.
The issues with the RPers? There were some.
1. They ran from conflict rather than faced it.
2. They didn't talk much about the RP OOC, didn't ask me many questions, just posted their best work and carried on.
As a result, everything felt disconnected. The characters didn't have a full understanding of the world and the RPers didn't seem to care to; I had put so much work into the lore that they needed only reference that; there were no more conversations about it. Although they were wowed by the writing and the lore's presentation, it did me little good in the end, since it cut off conversation, and communication in an RP is so important.
So I'll finish with this; minimum post length policies are a symptom of a larger issue. It puts the priorties of RPers in the wrong place. What do you really want from an RP? Do you really want flowery sentences and beautiful detail? You can get that from a romantic poem, what's the big deal about RPing, why are you coming back to this instead of finding something more worth reading?
It's really simple, isn't it? Aren't we here to RP because we want to write with someone else? We don't want to write the story alone, and we find it's a lot more fun to let it develop naturally, with other RPers goofing around with us. We're here for a good time, and a fun experience. Writing is a great way to learn new things, and other people are the best way to learn new things from.
So not having a minimum post length will surely assist you in reaching that goal. Make sure you're saying things you mean, not just trying to root out a crowd. Reach out to writers, describe what you really want, and sure, be particular once they come, but the best way to stick to your guns is to have a good idea of what you really want from RPing. That way you can politely and kindly express this to those persons that, perhaps, don't want the same thing you do.
TL
R I used to think writing my best is the best way to have fun RPing, but then I realized all I really wanted was to have fun and let loose with a collaborative story. Post length definitely adds pressure where there needs be none.
Uncultured
Dreamer/Cynic
Idea
But you haven't actually refuted anything.
So you're telling me that two characters saying 10 lines of dialogue back and forth to each other in monologue form, replying to things in a bullet format, doesn't subtract from realism or immersion? You're telling me that going through intense mental processing to answer "Hey whatsup man" is realistic? You're telling me that having super lengthy action posts is more believable than quick posts when fights happen very quickly? You're telling me that it's believable to go through an entire mental gym between a dodge and an attack when the time separating dodge and attack is maybe 3 seconds? Thinking takes time you know.
Most detailed posts in action go like this.
1. Take in what just happened, what did everyone else do? - Useless, people just read this in other posts.
2. React to what happened in some lengthy diatribe - so in the middle of a life or death fight you're gonna focus on how Jimmy just uppercutted a random enemy goon? If it doesn't have serious emotional weight (like a love interest getting killed on the battlefield) it is out of place to lose focus on your fight.
3. Go through planned motion - Ok, this is fine, but do I really need to know why you want to shoot someone? Is it not obvious that you want to harm or maim them? Do I need to hear about how "hopefully this strike will land and end this fight once and for all!" no I don't, that's self explanatory UNLESS there is some kind of differing circumstance (like you fighting a good friend and deep down you don't want to harm them or something, but this should be established pre fight).
4. Go through excruciating detail about how your body is working on a muscular level, lol, like I can't just imagine what a punch looks like, I need someone to tell me how their pectoral muscle pulled on the tendons in their shoulder to throw a haymaker.
5. The actual attack
6. The intended effects if the attack lands or the aftermath of the attack if against NPC.
Half of that is completely useless nothing that I can gather from other posts or through common sense. You will say that not all posts are like this and I agree, sometimes long action posts find a way to be decent but this is a format you will see from a large portion of people on this website who are literally space filling in action posts because beyond #5 and #6 on my list, all that other stuff is unneeded.
And that percentage who can write these well, doesn't always do it, because it requires certain circumstance where shitloads of observation and thought are needed. In most cases it's just straight up detrimental.
Whisker
Damnation Dignified
Like I said before, I am at work and can't respond how I want to, so I apologize if this sounds short and snippy. The very existence or OP post inquired how others felt about minimum post requirements and their effect on RP. Hunter, Killibrew, and myself have since responded that we have seen a stigma on shorter posts just as the OP has. Our argument has been consistent as far as I can tell. We are in no way, shape, or form criticizing detailed rps. We are addressing a discrepancy we have noticed where length is being associated as the highest standard of quality even to the point where it is negatively impacting rps. Yes, people say quality > quantity but it isn't often practiced. I get apologies daily "Oh, I am sorry my post isn't long enough" and next to nothing on any other aspect of RP. If you're happy with what you wrote and it makes sense, why apologize? On the other side of the coin, I frequently see long detailed posts accompanied by Tl
rs. If you need a tlr why post at all? Isn't it a sure sign you could trim fluff out before you post? I know this is kind of nonsensical because I am texting this between breaks, but I hope it helps.
