Viewpoint What makes you nope out of a search thread?

[Becker]

Had a partner do this in a 1x1. Like deliberately make their character anti social to the point that each of their posts where basically one shots.

Like the character going to work, going on a date, etc.

All while my character is like trying to get in touch with them so the two can team up to solve a mystery. I literally made two different characters and asked them to make two characters. And make sure the second one actually interacted with mine. And no his two characters interacted together.

And their response? Oh I did it on purpose, I like to see how long it takes my partners to say something. Which in hindsight is a red flag all on its own. Like who pulls this shit deliberately just to get a rise out of their partner?

At least thirteen year olds don’t know any better. Needless to say that person was blocked and the roleplay was dropped.

Aye, it is sad when we come across people that struggle with the concept of "Working together". Fair to say, I don't think they did too well in boy-scouts...

I do remember a "Are you being seriously THAT kind of person?" moment when I ran a Private Military Contractors roleplay where the other characters were hired body-guards for my arms dealer. The plan was for all of them to be able to defend my character if we should be attacked but they also had different backgrounds and could preform specialist tasks such as blowing up a bridge to cut off any pursuers or remotely disable some security cameras so we could slip away unseen if caught in a difficult situation.

Alas, our resident hacker decided it would be a good starting point to make a internal monologue that quite frankly just made me want to kill off their character by some silly means to have a giggle. In a nutshell, this monologue stated that if my arms dealer gave a order to the hacker to take up a gun and do some dirty work, then he would hack into the companies' finances and steal every single penny (though this was a multi-billion pound company so i'm sure we have a cyber security team hanging around somewhere...).

What a lovely bit of blackmail, so i'm paying good money for this person to be a body-guard (ya'know.. a guard that protects my body) plus i'm paying for their equipment, accommodation, petty cash, weapons, gadgets, ammunition, transport and probably a heft sum for life insurance... and in return.. if I ask for protection.. I lose all my money?

*SIgh*

The roleplay unsurpisingly.. did not take off.

 

[FoolsErin]

“Oh there’s only like 5 spots for magic-users/vampires/elves/werewolves/whatever other special snowflake, but there are plenty of human spots once they’re full”

There are three big things about this that bug me:

1. There usually isn’t any magic or high tech or anything to even the power difference between the specials and the humans, so some characters just come off as objectively “better” than others.
2. This says a lot about the GM’s expectations if they’re expecting people to go for the usually lesser, weaker characters instead of the cool powerful vampires. Unless that’s intentional and they’re trying to ward people off with the unfavorable idea of being stuck as a weak human, but then you might as well just make limited slots to begin with and not even bother with the humans.
3. 70% of the time I see this, the major plot is advanced by the specials alone, so then what the hell are the humans even going to be doing? Beyond starting some kind of relationship with the specials, they’re pretty much left to do nothing but sit around and twiddle their thumbs.

 

[Jannah]

Had a partner do this in a 1x1. Like deliberately make their character anti social to the point that each of their posts where basically one shots.

Like the character going to work, going on a date, etc.

All while my character is like trying to get in touch with them so the two can team up to solve a mystery. I literally made two different characters and asked them to make two characters. And make sure the second one actually interacted with mine. And no his two characters interacted together.

And their response? Oh I did it on purpose, I like to see how long it takes my partners to say something. Which in hindsight is a red flag all on its own. Like who pulls this shit deliberately just to get a rise out of their partner?

At least thirteen year olds don’t know any better. Needless to say that person was blocked and the roleplay was dropped.

Anti-social characters can work if done carefully. Like, they have to be forced into social situations. They can be miserable in said social situations, but that's a point where interesting character development could be utilized. Like, maybe after being forced into certain social situations they decide that being social is not so bad after all?

 

[BackSet]

Just make the anti-social characters superheroes. Then their forced to do things.

That's how I deal with my own anti-social character. But also I torture him a lot so I'm not the best to take advice from.

 

[Nue]

Yeah, there's nothing inherently wrong with antisocial characters buuuuut.. in a roleplay setting it's kind of hard to pull them off unless you're finding ways to force them into the group, because they're not gonna do it naturally. And a lot of people with those characters just have them skulk in a corner and act surprised they are being ignored-

 

[BackSet]

I guess it's a good thing I've mastered the art. It helps if you force them into working with others vis near dath situations. And also if you turn them into a girl (or a guy, I guess, depending on the gender).

 

[rae2nerdy]

Just make the anti-social characters superheroes. Then their forced to do things.

That's how I deal with my own anti-social character. But also I torture him a lot so I'm not the best to take advice from.

lol the example I gave was a superhero roleplay. The characters where both supposed to team up to solve crimes around the city. As I mentioned that didn't exactly pan out.

So I think when talking about antisocial individuals it's important to distinguish the player from the character.

I think a lot of times the problem people have is actually an antisocial player. Someone who refuses to take part in the story and instead has their character off to the side doing their own things.

An antisocial character however is traditionally speaking a personality flaw that is set up to give the character a story arc. You know they gotta learn how to tolerate other people or work with a group or whatever. The thing is antisocial people do have to actually interact with other people. I'm antisocial and I don't spend my days sulking in a corner and refusing to interact with people. I don't LIKE socialization but that doesn't mean I am incapable of doing it. Or that I'm going to ignore people if they come up to me. Or that I'm going to deliberately set myself apart from whatever action is currently going on.

I mean all that isn't being antisocial it's being an ass. And I think a lot of people misunderstand the two.

 

[rae2nerdy]

Yeah, there's nothing inherently wrong with antisocial characters buuuuut.. in a roleplay setting it's kind of hard to pull them off unless you're finding ways to force them into the group, because they're not gonna do it naturally. And a lot of people with those characters just have them skulk in a corner and act surprised they are being ignored-

I find it helps to be antisocial in real life. As I spent pretty much my entire childhood being forced into social situations against my will. So I understand how to get the character into the action organically without sulking in the corner like a toddler having a tantrum. (And I am someone who 100% did exactly that IRL)

 

[rae2nerdy]

Anti-social characters can work if done carefully. Like, they have to be forced into social situations. They can be miserable in said social situations, but that's a point where interesting character development could be utilized. Like, maybe after being forced into certain social situations they decide that being social is not so bad after all?

I'm not saying all anti-social characters are bad. The quoted post was in response to the OP stating that they didn't like it when people joined team roleplays with characters that don't participate in the team activities. And I was giving an example of one such person who had their character actively avoid interacting with my characters. It was basically trolling, and they flat out admitted as much.

To be honest their character wasn't even particularly anti-social in personality. They socialized just fine with NPCs and the players other characters. It was just the person refused to have them interact with me. Which is an asshole move but not really related to a particular character personality trait. More like a problem with the players personality.

 

[The_Enchantress-x]

The "I only play female" crap. Double or nothing.

 

[rae2nerdy]

The "I only play female" crap. Double or nothing.

See I would rather people be honest than force doubling on their partner. Because it’s still all about that person getting their own way. It just means that they get to hide behind the “oh well I’m letting you play a female too so now you can’t complain” business.

What if I don’t want to play a second character? Or what if I want my second character to be a non-binary person in a platonic relationship?

Like to me it’s more respectful to just ask your partner what character they want to play. I do agree that just assigning them the character you don’t want is rude. But I just disagree that doubling fixes that problem. Unless the other person offers it as a compromise it just seems like more of the same problem.

Which is assigning people roles based on what you (the searcher) want not based on what they (the reader) want.

 

[Damafaud]

See sometimes a search thread has a title that really catch my eyes. Then I jump in to find out the coding is not mobile friendly and I'm on mobile.

Normally I'll just bail but the title implies a theme I've been craving on so I asked the GM if he can provide a mobile friendly version.

Me: Hey so I'm really interested in your RP but I'm on mobile and can't see it.
GM: Use desktop version.
Me: Yeah still can't. So can you just give me the version without coding on?
GM: Does your phone has a problem? I can see the whole thing here.

No Karen I can't see it because you use fixed width instead of percentage and now I'm stuck here looking at a gif of an edgy boy vaping in the dark and a bikini girl laughing at a glass of martini instead of reading the content of your mobile non-friendly BBCode.

What's so hard about adding a non-coded version of an interest check?!

 

[BackSet]

See sometimes a search thread has a title that really catch my eyes. Then I jump in to find out the coding is not mobile friendly and I'm on mobile.

Normally I'll just bail but the title implies a theme I've been craving on so I asked the GM if he can provide a mobile friendly version.

Me: Hey so I'm really interested in your RP but I'm on mobile and can't see it.
GM: Use desktop version.
Me: Yeah still can't. So can you just give me the version without coding on?
GM: Does your phone has a problem? I can see the whole thing here.

No Karen I can't see it because you use fixed width instead of percentage and now I'm stuck here looking at a gif of an edgy boy vaping in the dark and a bikini girl laughing at a glass of martini instead of reading the content of your mobile non-friendly BBCode.

What's so hard about adding a non-coded version of an interest check?!

I feel you. I feel you so much.

Hell, I use the desktop version and bbcode can still be super obstructive.

 

[Damafaud]

I feel you. I feel you so much.

Hell, I use the desktop version and bbcode can still be super obstructive.

I know! The GM deleted my responds on the interest check afterward for some reason but I feel so slighted

 

[Nue]

See sometimes a search thread has a title that really catch my eyes. Then I jump in to find out the coding is not mobile friendly and I'm on mobile.

Normally I'll just bail but the title implies a theme I've been craving on so I asked the GM if he can provide a mobile friendly version.

Me: Hey so I'm really interested in your RP but I'm on mobile and can't see it.
GM: Use desktop version.
Me: Yeah still can't. So can you just give me the version without coding on?
GM: Does your phone has a problem? I can see the whole thing here.

No Karen I can't see it because you use fixed width instead of percentage and now I'm stuck here looking at a gif of an edgy boy vaping in the dark and a bikini girl laughing at a glass of martini instead of reading the content of your mobile non-friendly BBCode.

What's so hard about adding a non-coded version of an interest check?!

even when it loads on mobile or works on desktop it's often a pain, yeah. I've seen IC's where all the text is in a tiny box in an equally tiny size, and most of the attention is focused on the gifs or the pretty background they used. It makes the whole thing really inconvenient to read, and then it's even worse when it doesn't actually load properly-

 

[FoolsErin]

See sometimes a search thread has a title that really catch my eyes. Then I jump in to find out the coding is not mobile friendly and I'm on mobile.

Normally I'll just bail but the title implies a theme I've been craving on so I asked the GM if he can provide a mobile friendly version.

Me: Hey so I'm really interested in your RP but I'm on mobile and can't see it.
GM: Use desktop version.
Me: Yeah still can't. So can you just give me the version without coding on?
GM: Does your phone has a problem? I can see the whole thing here.

No Karen I can't see it because you use fixed width instead of percentage and now I'm stuck here looking at a gif of an edgy boy vaping in the dark and a bikini girl laughing at a glass of martini instead of reading the content of your mobile non-friendly BBCode.

What's so hard about adding a non-coded version of an interest check?!

I’m not really familiar with this problem since I use an iPad for my on the go role playing, and that’s usually cooperative with bbcode and everything else on the site, but damn, that sounds like a bad time.

 

[Damafaud]

even when it loads on mobile or works on desktop it's often a pain, yeah. I've seen IC's where all the text is in a tiny box in an equally tiny size, and most of the attention is focused on the gifs or the pretty background they used. It makes the whole thing really inconvenient to read, and then it's even worse when it doesn't actually load properly-

I don't mind the gif, but sometimes when I'm on data and the connection is slow, the whole page can't load because of how long it takes to load the gif

 

[The_Enchantress-x]

See I would rather people be honest than force doubling on their partner. Because it’s still all about that person getting their own way. It just means that they get to hide behind the “oh well I’m letting you play a female too so now you can’t complain” business.

What if I don’t want to play a second character? Or what if I want my second character to be a non-binary person in a platonic relationship?

Like to me it’s more respectful to just ask your partner what character they want to play. I do agree that just assigning them the character you don’t want is rude. But I just disagree that doubling fixes that problem. Unless the other person offers it as a compromise it just seems like more of the same problem.

Which is assigning people roles based on what you (the searcher) want not based on what they (the reader) want.

Agree to disagree. We all have things that make us interested. I have little spare time so I'm not going to spend it on something I'm not interested in. I also only do fandoms so there is that. And I hold zero interest in platonic. Again, everyone has whatever they are interested in.

 

[rae2nerdy]

Agree to disagree. We all have things that make us interested. I have little spare time so I'm not going to spend it on something I'm not interested in. I also only do fandoms so there is that. And I hold zero interest in platonic. Again, everyone has whatever they are interested in.

But that's my point. The problem with doubling is it assumes everyone has the same interest as you (the poster).

But if say I want to do a brother - sister rivalry story and I only want to play the sister. But because I want to be "fair" I'll make my partner also create two characters that are a brother and a sister. (different families.)

So it would be I play Sister A and Brother B, they play Sister B and Brother A.

That is me assuming that they want the exact same pairing that I do. When if I really wanted it to be fair I would just tell them.

"Hey I want to play the sister in this pairing. I'm willing to play a second character for you if you like."

So that way if the reader really wanted say "Boyfriend x Girlfriend" than the reader could be like

"Yes I'll play brother for you if you play Boyfriend for me."

Than it's fair because everyone gets what they want. Because I (the poster) actually talked to my partner and asked them what they are looking for in the roleplay. I didn't assume that because I want something than everyone else wants it too.

(That's all my point is, Not that you have to change your request but that you have to make it an actual request. Don't just assign people character roles because you don't want to play something. Maybe that person doesn't mind playing the romantic male lead? Than what point is there in forcing them to make a female they don't want to play?)

 

[The_Enchantress-x]

But that's my point. The problem with doubling is it assumes everyone has the same interest as you (the poster).

But if say I want to do a brother - sister rivalry story and I only want to play the sister. But because I want to be "fair" I'll make my partner also create two characters that are a brother and a sister. (different families.)

So it would be I play Sister A and Brother B, they play Sister B and Brother A.

That is me assuming that they want the exact same pairing that I do. When if I really wanted it to be fair I would just tell them.

"Hey I want to play the sister in this pairing. I'm willing to play a second character for you if you like."

So that way if the reader really wanted say "Boyfriend x Girlfriend" than the reader could be like

"Yes I'll play brother for you if you play Boyfriend for me."

Than it's fair because everyone gets what they want. Because I (the poster) actually talked to my partner and asked them what they are looking for in the roleplay. I didn't assume that because I want something than everyone else wants it too.

(That's all my point is, Not that you have to change your request but that you have to make it an actual request. Don't just assign people character roles because you don't want to play something. Maybe that person doesn't mind playing the romantic male lead? Than what point is there in forcing them to make a female they don't want to play?)

You are spending WAY too much time arguing about something I again, really don't care about and is my preference.
I like playing two characters. That's that. End of story. Not up for debate. Goodbye.

 

[rae2nerdy]

You are spending WAY too much time arguing about something I again, really don't care about and is my preference.
I like playing two characters. That's that. End of story. Not up for debate. Goodbye.

And I am not debating that. You're the one who is acting like I'm saying that playing two characters is bad. I am merely telling you that your misunderstanding my point. I don't care if people play two characters. I only care that they ASK THEIR PARTNER if that is what the partner wants.

 

[The_Enchantress-x]

And I am not debating that. You're the one who is acting like I'm saying that playing two characters is bad. I am merely telling you that your misunderstanding my point. I don't care if people play two characters. I only care that they ASK THEIR PARTNER if that is what the partner wants.

Clearly I look for others that double. Okay? You done grilling me? Cool. Bye.

 

[rae2nerdy]

Clearly I look for others that double. Okay? You done grilling me? Cool. Bye.

I'm not grilling you. Like you're the one who is flouncing around like I'm coming for your first born. I'm just having a civil conversation.

 

[forsythia]

not sure if anyone's brought this up, and this isn't something i see too often, but any thread with excessive bumping scares me away. this is actually the first thing i look out for when i go to threads that have many replies. i get that people want their thread replied to, and having it on the front page helps their chances, but if their thread has 20+ replies of them bumping multiple times a day, i'm immediately jumping ship.

(daily bumps are fine in my book though - just not a bunch in one day.)

 

[BackSet]

not sure if anyone's brought this up, and this isn't something i see too often, but any thread with excessive bumping scares me away. this is actually the first thing i look out for when i go to threads that have many replies. i get that people want their thread replied to, and having it on the front page helps their chances, but if their thread has 20+ replies of them bumping multiple times a day, i'm immediately jumping ship.

(daily bumps are fine in my book though - just not a bunch in one day.)

If so,ebody's bumped 20 times their a lost cause.

I onky bump 2 or 3 times before giving up.