My RP died before it even began :(

[Reve the Third]

Okay, before you tell me how to fix my problem by showing me some kind of tutorial link like y'all always do, I need to tell you what I've done.


So okay, I went through interest check, and quite a few people were interested. I had a poll and we agreed for it to be casual (though I'd much preffer Detailed) I showed everyone the link to the RP, Got a few characters in the sign-up, and I tagged everyone telling them that the RP has begun...


3 posts into the RP... and it's now inactive.


I tried tagging everyone again, reminding them that the RP existed, but... It's been more than 2 weeks since anyone but me has even said anything in it.


Is there anything I did wrong? Or are people really not interested in it anymore? It's a shame for it to end like that... It had a LOT of potential...

 

[Captain Hesperus]

While I can empathise with your situation, sadly this is not the proper place for this thread. I'll move it to a more appropriate place that would likely garner more support for you.


Captain Hesperus

 

[Hippopotamus]

I believe this belongs more in roleplay advice / discussion. Moreso discussion.

 

[Reve the Third]

oh, okay then... but still.

 

[Captain Hesperus]

Now that we're in a better place, let me say this. A game stalling before it takes off is surprisingly commonplace. As the RP creator, you should analyse what possibly happened to cause that stall. Was it players dropping out who'd pledged to play? Was it that the game you began was something different to what you put into the interest check? Was it something else?


If you lost players, or if players who'd said they were interested have not posted IC or even a character sheet, you can always tag them using the @yourusernamehere (i.e. @Captain Hesperus for me) and they will get an alert telling them that you tagged them in your game thread. If that doesn't get people responding, then by all means recruit more! Your interest check is not a one-off shot, you can bump it back up by putting out a second call for players. Try PMing people who you know to see if they are interested or even if they know someone who might be.


If you diverged from your original game plot described in the Interest Check, you might want to revise either the Interest Check and/or the main game thread. If people signed up for a jolly game of high seas piracy on their own pirate ship and end up as lowly swabbies on a Royal Navy garbage scow, that might deter some folks.


So have a look at those few faltering posts, analyse who said they were interested and who posted a CS/IC post, has your game diverged in any way beyond your original Interest Check? Whatever you find to be the case, work to change it and start over. Just because a game is stumbling, doesn't mean it's dead. Only when the RP creator gives up is a game truly dead.


Captain Hesperus

 

[Mordecai]

@White Masquerade and a few other players have recently been collaborating on a thread called Tips & Tricks to Keep Players in a Roleplay. The advice in that thread is really solid and I suggest giving it a read before trying to start a roleplay again.

 

[Reve the Third]

Okay... I'll try again then I guess.

 

[Inquisitor]

Aye, Captain raises some good points here. Thanks, @Captain Hesperus! It's also worth keeping in mind that this is in fact the most common outcome for games, by far. I couldn't tell you how many times I've seen games--my own especially--fizzle out rather quickly. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that it's the norm. And it's not your fault! Don't blame yourself for it. Instead, treat it as a learning experience. As Captain said, learn from what's gone on, and try again. Compare your original ideas with what you put out on the table for people to view to what was actually in the game post, and see what changed. If the difference comes into play between your initial idea and what's presented to the users, ask yourself why that's the case. And if it comes down to it, revert back to your original idea and stay true to what you really wanted to do. I, for one, know I tend to have an issue staying committed even to my own ideas if I have to change them far too heavily for my taste to satisfy a group of players. Something I've got to work on, that.


Just consider all your options and the development of your idea. And if you think you can fix it, bring it back! Try bringing back in the users who said they'd like to play, and if they don't come back... Well, they're probably not reliable folks when it comes to posting anyway, and I doubt you'd enjoy playing with them. Start up a new interest check and go from there! As Captain said, it's only the end if you let it be.

 

[Reve the Third]

My Idea will always remain the same... I guess I just need to do some maintenance.

 

[Lady Luna Ravenswood]

What I have learned from my many Cirques (all 5 of them) that it is a mixture of plot and dedicated players. My first Cirque died because, the plot was not the best and players dropped. So I re vamped it and produced the second Cirque which now has over 3000 posts (we have lost and gained people) that one works because people are dedicated and the plot is solid and moves well. Now I did have two others where the plot was good but, I lost a lot of players. Currently I have a new one that just stared and I kept the plot of the one that worked, so far so good.


So long story short, you need to find that perfect mixture of a good plot and dedicated players. Make sure when recruiting to tell them you want active people! Also, ask for ideas, I have noticed some of my most dedicated members also help out and contribute ideas!

 

[welian]

In my experience, the threads that die the fastest are the ones where there's little to no OOC discussion. Talk to your RPers about things other than how dead the thread is - crack puns and link stupid gifs, as long as there's a conversation going, people will stick around and consequently post.

 

[Reve the Third]

In my experience, the threads that die the fastest are the ones where there's little to no OOC discussion. Talk to your RPers about things other than how dead the thread is - crack puns and link stupid gifs, as long as there's a conversation going, people will stick around and consequently post.

Huh, that's an interesting Idea... I might just do that.

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

I'm sorry to bring this to you but the simple truth is that most people out there, or out here, are just going to be incompatible with you. Yes, even if they claim to like your game and pledge allegiance. People are very quick to hop on for a ride, but also just as ready to hop off. Problem is, their whims are hurting you as a Storyteller. Sure, the issue might sometimes be the Storyteller making some mistakes that the others have pointed out here... But what if you didn't do anything wrong? It is very possible that the fault is not yours at all, and that you just happened to find the wrong players for the game.


Simple as that, unfortunately *woof*


And fortunately, it is also easy to find new people. If your game happens to catch fire before even properly starting, the sooner you get some help in the sense of new player recruitment, the better. Of course, do try and see if you did something wrong that you can fix, but it is very, very likely that the people who signed up are the wrong kind. Just look for new ones and hope for the best, assuming that's the problem.