Other Roleplay Pet peeves

[Kaiju Cat]

Funnily enough I have run into the exact opposite problem. Where the GM was so obsessed with their own narrative that they refused to let anyone else have a say in the story.

You were basically their personal ghost writer for the fanfic they had already pre-written in their head and you better be happy about that.

By no means a good way to write but now I kinda wonder what kind of chaos would ensue if one of those hyper controlling types met one of the spotlight stealers.

It would be some kind of drama and I think at least amusing to watch from an outside perspective.

I left an RP for that because it felt like a fanfic to me, but yes there’s other reasons though what you wrote is the biggest factor.

 

[nerdy tangents]

I left an RP for that because it felt like a fanfic to me, but yes there’s other reasons though what you wrote is the biggest factor.

Oh I have left multiple roleplays for that reason or honestly had people leave themselves because they realized RP wasn’t the right medium for what they wanted to write.

But yeah it’s usually a few different things that pile up together but the “this is a fanfic” feeling is usually the biggest red flag of the lot.

 

[Kaiju Cat]

Oh I have left multiple roleplays for that reason or honestly had people leave themselves because they realized RP wasn’t the right medium for what they wanted to write.

But yeah it’s usually a few different things that pile up together but the “this is a fanfic” feeling is usually the biggest red flag of the lot.

Sorry to hear, buddy, and the randomness of the RP killed my soul just as adding too many ‘joke characters’ made it unbearable as well as the questionable writing.

 

[BuggaBoo]

Starting to get annoyed with the 'Honeymoons Over' phase again. This has 2 stages of annoy me.

Int CHK is poppin. Lots of rpers want to join. OOC ans Cs thread goes up.

Stage 1 annoy me: Rpers make charries and then just outta no where ghost. This is esp annoying when GMs have limited specific roles or max number of rpers < 5. Cuz they just turned away a bunch more that have now moved on. This is why I'm loathe to pre plan as a rper now. Seems like they get off on making a new charrie then just get out lol

Stage 2 annoy me: the initial rush and hype of 'new RP smell' ends and people start making excuses for not posting or just ghosting outright. Like a lot of times this one can't be helped cuz irl is more important. But you others, pls stop it.

I call this segment of rpers: Serial Quitters. Y'all know who you are lol. Pls don't join if you can't commit to rps when the int CHK explicitly states the RP desires commitment

 

[Nu Epiq]

Wow, that's insane lol, this is one I've never heard of before
I'm pretty sure you can report that to the mods if it happened onsite? I'm 99% sure that breaks RpN's guidelines

It was somewhere else. Luckily it's been taken care of. Kinda iffy on who I give samples to now.

 

[Yunalescaa]

Starting to get annoyed with the 'Honeymoons Over' phase again. This has 2 stages of annoy me.

Int CHK is poppin. Lots of rpers want to join. OOC ans Cs thread goes up.

Stage 1 annoy me: Rpers make charries and then just outta no where ghost. This is esp annoying when GMs have limited specific roles or max number of rpers < 5. Cuz they just turned away a bunch more that have now moved on. This is why I'm loathe to pre plan as a rper now. Seems like they get off on making a new charrie then just get out lol

Stage 2 annoy me: the initial rush and hype of 'new RP smell' ends and people start making excuses for not posting or just ghosting outright. Like a lot of times this one can't be helped cuz irl is more important. But you others, pls stop it.

I call this segment of rpers: Serial Quitters. Y'all know who you are lol. Pls don't join if you can't commit to rps when the int CHK explicitly states the RP desires commitment

Reminds me of this meme I sent one of my long term partners/friends because we are guilty of pitching a million new ideas and making new characters and talking about everything just to go "Ehhhhh we don't wanna write it" lol

 

[Snap]

people who apparently can't wait for a convo response and leave the convo before i've even gotten around to opening it. like... it says in my search thread it can take me a day or two or more AND i'll be slow to get back to people due to my new schedule. their loss i guess.

 

[Edythir]

This one happens less so in the play-by-post format here but more in real-time group based formats such as MMO RP or TableTop RP, say for example WoW or DnD.

The Lone Wolf is the prime example of this. The "I don't want to talk to anyone or be around anyone" THEN WHY DID YOU JOIN A GROUP RP SETTING IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO TALK TO PEOPLE. I've seen a guy who consistently posts 200-300 words in a MMO RP, which is considered a lot when the character limit is just about 100 words for a single message. But in those 200 words he would talk just about how sad, apathethic, lonely looking and bore he was and then never give any engagement, never further any conversation, show no interest in any plot lines you try to latch on to or any interest you try to raise. Then you sit back and watch someone else try to RP with them and they just get the cold shoulder until they leave. Like... if your goal is only to drive people away from you and make people avoid you, why are you standing in the RP hub with and RP Tag on for 6 hours per day three times a week?

Bonus points goes to "It is what my character would have done" AND WHO MADE THE CHARACTER THAT WAY?

 

[nerdy tangents]

Also as someone who is both extremely introverted and has social anxiety it’s just inaccurate. I don’t care how much of a lone wolf you are, every human being knows basic social skills. They might not be good at using them or prefer to spend time by themselves but if put in a situation where someone is actively seeking them out they can at minimum carry on a shallow conversation and get sucked into whatever shenanigans are going on.

I think a lot of these characters are people incorrectly interpreting what makes the archetype “cool” or “interesting” because they’re used to them from a passive media perspective where it’s like “oh this person is kind of an asshole but they’re really cool badass and one of the main protagonists.”

Sure but the only reason you as the reader/audience member know that is because they participate in the plot. If they sat on their ass doing nothing for the whole book/movie/TV show/whatever then they would be some rando extra that the main protagonist talked to for ten second before moving on.


Of course this assumes that the issue isn’t that the player is an asshole. I had a few people over the years like this. They don’t want to roleplay they want to manipulate people into a toxic relationship where you are constantly seeking out their attention which they deny because it makes them feel powerful. Don’t talk to people like that.

 

[Edythir]

Of course this assumes that the issue isn’t that the player is an asshole. I had a few people over the years like this. They don’t want to roleplay they want to manipulate people into a toxic relationship where you are constantly seeking out their attention which they deny because it makes them feel powerful. Don’t talk to people like that.

Funny you should mention that because I wrote a post about that some 8 years ago about a partner I had that was just a whole parade of red flags.

Worst RP partner you ever had.

I have had a bunch of guys godmoding, one liners, that sort of thing, those things don't really piss me off, just move on to the next one, so for the sheer disappointment i will have to go with.... well since this is not a witch hunt, let's call him Bob, i like the name Bob. So, Bob often made...

www.rpnation.com

 

[chaotic cat cutie]

So I am quickly learning that just roleplaying on forum sites are way too distracting.
Maybe this is age. Maybe it's ADHD. It sort of is a peeve I can't keep focused on
a multifaceted rp site. I just wish I had the attention span for both but it's seldom there.

 

[Solivagante]

This one happens less so in the play-by-post format here but more in real-time group based formats such as MMO RP or TableTop RP, say for example WoW or DnD.

The Lone Wolf is the prime example of this. The "I don't want to talk to anyone or be around anyone" THEN WHY DID YOU JOIN A GROUP RP SETTING IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO TALK TO PEOPLE. I've seen a guy who consistently posts 200-300 words in a MMO RP, which is considered a lot when the character limit is just about 100 words for a single message. But in those 200 words he would talk just about how sad, apathethic, lonely looking and bore he was and then never give any engagement, never further any conversation, show no interest in any plot lines you try to latch on to or any interest you try to raise. Then you sit back and watch someone else try to RP with them and they just get the cold shoulder until they leave. Like... if your goal is only to drive people away from you and make people avoid you, why are you standing in the RP hub with and RP Tag on for 6 hours per day three times a week?

Bonus points goes to "It is what my character would have done" AND WHO MADE THE CHARACTER THAT WAY?

Lorddddd THIS. RP is inherently a collaborative format. Design your characters to interact with others - it doesn't always have to be positive interaction! They can be at loggerheads! But there is no story if you simply refuse to push things forwards.

(As a tangent, I did once DO a variation on this - I'm more of a forum RPer than a TTRPG person, and a friend was starting an interesting campaign so I wanted to join... but the character concept I had in mind was designed for a forum style, not tabletop with combat. A clueless rich heiress can make for interesting interpersonal interactions, but the whole point of her was that she didn't know how to do anything... including fight... not a great design for a FATE game. Mea culpa there.)

And, to contribute more substantively to the thread- my very petty recent peeve is folks who don't give their 1x1 check an interesting or descriptive title/tags. Yes, you're looking for a partner - that's why you're posting, presumably. But what kind of partner, and who are you? It's not the greatest of beginnings when your first impression is 'underdescribed'.

*important caveat that I get the sense many people who do this are younger, and are finding their feet, so I'm not like... mad about it or anything, but it does turn me off from the thread.

 

[Idea]

But what kind of partner, and who are you?

In fairness I don't think that's normally the kind of thing you'd be able to fit in a title.

 

[Solivagante]

In fairness I don't think that's normally the kind of thing you'd be able to fit in a title.

I mean, I'm not expecting an essay, obvs, but something with a little flair, a little panache, a little character. A title that tells me something I didn't already know from the forum they're posting in, basically. The current newest 1x1 interest check quotes song lyrics and includes (Fandoms + originals) and that clicks better than just 'Looking for writing partner' or similar titles.

 

[Edythir]

And, to contribute more substantively to the thread- my very petty recent peeve is folks who don't give their 1x1 check an interesting or descriptive title/tags. Yes, you're looking for a partner - that's why you're posting, presumably. But what kind of partner, and who are you? It's not the greatest of beginnings when your first impression is 'underdescribed'.

In fairness I don't think that's normally the kind of thing you'd be able to fit in a title.

Just saying "1x1 naruto" is already way more captivating than "1x1 check" or "My interest check". Just the slightest hook of what you are looking for. Can even just say "1x1 many fandoms" or "Collection of OC plots" if you have more than one idea.

 

[Idea]

I mean, I'm not expecting an essay, obvs, but something with a little flair, a little panache, a little character. A title that tells me something I didn't already know from the forum they're posting in, basically. The current newest 1x1 interest check quotes song lyrics and includes (Fandoms + originals) and that clicks better than just 'Looking for writing partner' or similar titles.

Just saying "1x1 naruto" is already way more captivating than "1x1 check" or "My interest check". Just the slightest hook of what you are looking for. Can even just say "1x1 many fandoms" or "Collection of OC plots" if you have more than one idea.

Yes of course. Not arguing for blandness just specifically pointing out that the key information is unlikely to be found in the title.

 

[Nu Epiq]

Lorddddd THIS. RP is inherently a collaborative format. Design your characters to interact with others - it doesn't always have to be positive interaction! They can be at loggerheads! But there is no story if you simply refuse to push things forwards.

(As a tangent, I did once DO a variation on this - I'm more of a forum RPer than a TTRPG person, and a friend was starting an interesting campaign so I wanted to join... but the character concept I had in mind was designed for a forum style, not tabletop with combat. A clueless rich heiress can make for interesting interpersonal interactions, but the whole point of her was that she didn't know how to do anything... including fight... not a great design for a FATE game. Mea culpa there.)

And, to contribute more substantively to the thread- my very petty recent peeve is folks who don't give their 1x1 check an interesting or descriptive title/tags. Yes, you're looking for a partner - that's why you're posting, presumably. But what kind of partner, and who are you? It's not the greatest of beginnings when your first impression is 'underdescribed'.

*important caveat that I get the sense many people who do this are younger, and are finding their feet, so I'm not like... mad about it or anything, but it does turn me off from the thread.

I understand this, I get what you mean. At the same time, I've seen elaborate titles for RTs but the meat of the thread left a lot to be desired, at least what I may have been looking for. While titles should draw attention, I guess for me I'm more focused on what's in the actual thread.

 

[Snap]

another one.. when people use the word 'niche/rare' in their search threads only for them to be meaning topics that i see several times a week in different threads. different strokes for different folks i guess.

 

[Nu Epiq]

When people get upset at me because my opening posts and sometimes my posts after, depending on what's happening in the roleplay, are long. If I've warned you before hand I write long posts, not of the simply irrelevant information kind, in my RT and you still reached out I assume you are fine with it. I'm not asking for that whole overrated matching in length thing but don't get mad when I've been crystal clear about how much I write. You. Reached. Out. To. Me.

 

[sknstories]

I hate when I’m doing an rp and they want to do a ship that erases the characters sexuality. Like Charlie and Alastor. Alastor is ace. Charlie is lesbian. It would never happen. Or when I’m really getting into it and the other person I’m doing it with decides to just stop messaging me. At least let me know you don’t wanna rp with me anymore. Or when I’m really into it and I know they are too, but they cut me off because they don’t like what I post anymore on my main page. That’s not what we’re rping for! I don’t want to have to filter my social media just to keep an rp going.

 

[SenoritaPerfecta]

The biggest one for me is not keeping the line length equal between OC's and love interests. When Quotev was still a thing, I would do my best to keep both sides balanced as best as I could, and give my OC and my partner's love interest an equal amount of lines. Sometimes there might be a one or two line difference, and that was okay with me. But it is infuriating when my partner will then go on to write a whole paragraph or two for their OC and then do the bare minimum for my love interest. If I can keep both sides equal, then there's no reason you can't either.

This one is a bit nitpicky though, but I tend to info dump with my OC's, especially if they're part of a fandom that is a hyper fixation of mine. For example, a lot of my OC's for Disney's Descendants franchise are children of characters from newer Disney films (so like Wish, Strange World, RATLD, etc.) and I go overboard with references to their films of origin in their forms. But since a lot of people are not caught up with the Disney Animated Canon, whether by choice or by circumstance, I almost never get to use my best OC's for Descendants unless my partners have either seen the movie, or don't care too much about spoilers. So if I want to still roleplay with said person, I have to use my OC's that aren't as developed or ones that I'm not as fond of using.

I'm also a very out and proud lesbian, so that is reflected in my OC's. I absolutely despise when people ask me to roleplay, and then I send my OC's form over and they go "Oh, I can't/won't do WLW". Like, maybe don't ask to roleplay with a person who only has WLW OC's if you don't do that?

 

[Nu Epiq]

If, during the planning process, we have not expressly established our characters know one another or have some type of history, don't basically godmod the character sheet for my character to make history for yours. Or take side characters I've created for my character in their background to say your character knows them too and what they have done especially if you have not gone over this with me, let alone do a little thing like ask first.

 

[mellohirust]

Have had multiple instances where people have sent more replies if I haven't responded in an hour or two. I am a person! I have work! And a personal life! It doesn't encourage me to reply at all; it just stresses me out and makes me enjoy RPing less :/

(Also, one-line replies or any reply that makes decisions on behalf of my character. It's hard to work with and generally frustrating to adapt to.)

 

[Edythir]

A bit of a minor one which I know is a bit more specific to me but. I think clothes are a very underutilized means of characterization. Also it helps a ton with visualization. Sure, I know what sort of build they have and what their hair looks like, but like 70-90% of the body is covered with clothes. "A shirt" or "And pants" isn't enough! I know not many people have terminology to describe such but best effort would be appreciated. What colors are they wearing, are there patterns, brands, movie or brand representations or logos? It's such a good avenue to describe a character on a subtle level I think a lot of people miss out on.

 

[Daisie]

A bit of a minor one which I know is a bit more specific to me but. I think clothes are a very underutilized means of characterization. Also it helps a ton with visualization. Sure, I know what sort of build they have and what their hair looks like, but like 70-90% of the body is covered with clothes. "A shirt" or "And pants" isn't enough! I know not many people have terminology to describe such but best effort would be appreciated. What colors are they wearing, are there patterns, brands, movie or brand representations or logos? It's such a good avenue to describe a character on a subtle level I think a lot of people miss out on.

Oh totally - and you never know when describing something like that can eventually come up later in the story. Like I happened to specify that my character had a thick sweater, and my partner had her character go and steal it because it was soft. XD These things come up in strange ways, and it's always useful to have more objects at your disposal to tell a story with, and to foster interaction with!