Kaiju Cat
Demon spoon cat stand
This shit bugs me to no end when the DMs/GMs pull this just write fanfic.
Experiences What's one RP trope/topic that makes you leave without discussion?
- Thread starter Milkshake Crush
- Start date
Sugarnaut
a nightmare to you specifically
When people are fully focused on "realism". If we're going for realistic scenarios, I wouldn't have joined this Warped Tour Zombie Vampire Apocalypse rp. /j
But actually, I've found this being used a lot as an excuse to exclude ideas. It doesn't get better if they pull this card on you.
But actually, I've found this being used a lot as an excuse to exclude ideas. It doesn't get better if they pull this card on you.
Owl Knight
Don't let it ruffle your feathers, my liege.
This and the opposite problem where you start an RP with someone and they are suuuuper passive about moving the plot forward, so you become the main driver of the plot out of necessity.
Murdergurl
will turn your insides into your outsides
Or how about those group RPs where the GM pitches an idea, then everyone gets on board, makes a character, gets their intro posts in and are basically waiting for the GM to do their thing.... and then come to find out the GM had dipped out? That has happened to me more times than I can count.
On that note:
TO EVERYONE THAT IS THINKING OF RUNNING A GROUP RP: IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE AVAILABILITY TO GM, DON'T FUCKING DO IT! IT'S BAD ENOUGH TO WASTE ONE PERSON'S TIME IN A 1X1 WITH THIS CRAP. DON'T DO IT TO A WHOLE GROUP AT ONCE.
(Seriously, I have accumulated people on my "blocked/ignored" list for this very reason, so I don't waste my time on another one of their ideas)
nerdy tangents
One Thousand Club
I get the opposite when people are just like “idk it’s make believe do whatever.”
Like I am aware that magic isn’t real but I am gonna need you to explain how it works in the story so I can make my character please and thank you.
Murdergurl
will turn your insides into your outsides
Same. As a Sci-fi geek, I'm a firm believer in having to at least make the science fiction remotely feasible. I actually wind up doing a LOT of research into how irl sciences work so that I can properly incorporate them into my setting lore.
spottednewt
perpetual hot salamandrid summer
If we're talking about the things that sometimes crop up mid-scene and make me want to eat rocks:
Well, now that's it's all written out; maybe I'm just old and crabby these days.
- Writers that make using a real face claim creepy. Listen, this discourse is tired as hell and I'm not trying to start it up here. It's something I get away from more and more as time goes on, but head-casting will always exist. --But if the writer is constantly sending me tweets, pictures, gifs, and sweet nothings about some guy who usually looks like he doesn't know how to clean the lint out of the dryer; I'm out. If I realize that your character just so happens to be the same archetype that their face claim always plays, down to quirks and preferences, I'm blowin' this popsicle stand. I'm not playing pretend with some actual person's face.
- They ask me to write them a villain. I gave them one; but then the villain was so mean and they didn't like that very much. So, now they're trying their damnedest to get around it without talking to me about it or they're being passive aggressive in the chat. --My mom called, she says the street lights are on and I've gotta go.
- The other writer turns our replies into a pissing contest. Listen, I get it, I sent you 6 paragraph and turned the weather into a metaphor. I know it's flowery, but don't make it weird. Ya'know, I actually think I left my blender on; I'll see ya around.
- Honorable mention: If you slip up and call me by my character's name; you're on thin, thin ice, buddy.
- They don't capitalize anything. Ever. Especially while posting things IC that were obviously very high effort.
(I may get flack for this one, but I think this is a real problem.)They don't identify as M, absolutely require romance, and only write MxM pairings. I'm skeptical up until the infantilization/overboard fawning. Then? I'm actually late to my hamster's baptism. I better hit the road - there's traffic.- Ads that require that their partner's gender identity aligns with the gender identity of the character they're pining for someone to write. I get that there are a lot of moving parts here; but it's going to take a lot to convince me that they can separate IC from OCC.
- Honestly? Reading 1st person POV is not something I'm capable of. I put books down for it. It's absolutely a valid means of storytelling, I'd just rather eat soup with my hands.
Well, now that's it's all written out; maybe I'm just old and crabby these days.
Inno
Forever sleepy.
Anything involving no effort in writing, plotting, nothing.
Kveykva
your friendly neighborhood necromancer
i probably have more things that will turn me away from an rp or a partner, but these are the ones that come to mind.
- creating an rp with the specific intent of shipping the involved characters down the line. i always say i'm not interested in starting an rp with romance in mind, but if comes up naturally i'm not opposed. so many people try to get around this by starting the rp normally and then immediately start sending me things about "what if later they -" or "maybe after a while we could -" no. i already said i don't ship without knowing if there would be chemistry
- people who require a specific kind of reference image. like let's say they say realistic fcs only. my character doesn't have one of those, but i can respect your wishes and not use an anime fc. "can i write a physical description?" "no, only realistic fcs." bitch what do you mean no??? do you wanna know what they look like or not? i don't see this one very often but boy does it steer me clear
Inno
Forever sleepy.
Yeah, that's not going to fly. I turn away from people really quickly in this case. The whole demanding thing is such a turn off.
Jannah
Barely holding on.
Eh...depends on the type of RP. I don't do face claim requirements often, but if a realistic setting then I'd want realistic faces. If a non-realistic fandom (such as animated series) or more fantastical settings then I'm more flexible. In fact, if I'm playing in a setting from an animated fandom then I actually prefer animated faces in that case.
Steve Jobs
Died of ligma
The first one sounds like a lack of respect for your wishes, but I can give a bit of insight into the second point.
The GM may want a unified aesthetic in their RP or want to make graphics for the characters, which is obviously difficult if you don't have any images. Outside of multiverse RPs I can see how mixing drawn FCs with realistic ones or with none at all could be immersion breaking.
I do try to help people if they're having issues finding a suitable FC, but I get that there isn't always going to be a perfect fit. In that case, written description it is!
Jannah
Barely holding on.
Right. If I'm trying to write a gritty realistic story about WW II soldiers, for example, then having a bunch of anime faces representing the characters definitely breaks the immersion. Now, if it was a RP based around that campy anime about girls in tanks then, yes, anime faces would be appropriate there.
Kveykva
your friendly neighborhood necromancer
right, maybe i should clarify my grievances on this a bit.
it's less i have an issue with people having a preference on what kind of references they want used in their roleplays, and more that they aren't willing to budge for those of us that don't have those particular kinds of references for every character.
one of my long-time partners is very much a realistic fcs kind of guy, but he's not going to turn you away if you have a written description or something else. i personally tend to write for a lot of either inhuman characters or ones that have very specific features i don't normally find when hunting for fcs, so i lean more into writing a full physical description for every character i have, regardless of whether i have a reference or not. people turning you away for something like that just rubs me the wrong way, especially considering the focus of this community is on writing
Jannah
Barely holding on.
This is actually why I typically don't have a face claim requirement. I'm fine if players just give a written description. Face claims are always optional with me. I mostly just ask that they match the atmosphere/mood and aesthetic I'm going for in the RP.
Murdergurl
will turn your insides into your outsides
So I literally just clicked in to an RP request/advertisement and "nope'd" myself out of there. Figured I'd add it into the pile here:
When a sci-fi setting mixes in magical elements. Total buzzkill for me.
As a big sci-fi nerd, I feel that if the science is the fiction, it leaves no room for Magic to exist in a setting when it could easily be a turn of "new science" or advanced technology, etc. But no, we are sticking to abracadabra and fireballs from magical unexplained sources? We are still incorporating REAL gods and REAL magic into a world that has dissected the supernatural? Sorry, but that's a hard pass from me.
When a sci-fi setting mixes in magical elements. Total buzzkill for me.
As a big sci-fi nerd, I feel that if the science is the fiction, it leaves no room for Magic to exist in a setting when it could easily be a turn of "new science" or advanced technology, etc. But no, we are sticking to abracadabra and fireballs from magical unexplained sources? We are still incorporating REAL gods and REAL magic into a world that has dissected the supernatural? Sorry, but that's a hard pass from me.
Jannah
Barely holding on.
What about sci-fi tech that gives the appearance of magical abilities? An example of this would be a gauntlet that shoots out lightning. Of course it's not actually magic shooting out of the wearer's hand, but actual electricity.
Murdergurl
will turn your insides into your outsides
yeah, see that's fine because the tech is established.
As Arthur C. Clark once said: "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
BUT the creators of said technology still know that it's tech. If a lesser species doesn't understand that the aliens aren't gods with superpowers, that's fine, and even realistic. But to have the lore state that there is ACTUAL gods and magic. Nah.
Jannah
Barely holding on.
Yea, I'm inclined to agree with you here. Meshing sci-fi with fantasy doesn't often work well.
Murdergurl
will turn your insides into your outsides
Imagine how dissapointed I was to discover that this was pretty much what Starfinder was. big lame
and yet i see people ruin what would seem to be a pretty good premise by mixing the two pretty often. lol
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Mitheral
"Growf!"
I can think of some examples where it has worked though. Best example I can think of was a book series by Christopher Stasheff, Warlock in Spite of Himself. And there is another, Blue Adept by Piers Anthony.
But the best Science Fantasy author I can think of is Anne McCaffrey.
When I mix Sci Fi and Fantasy I tend to apply rules. For that matter, I tend to make magic follow rules. It is the one reason I tend to avoid fantasy in RP's, werewolves and vampires, etc. Too many different ideas on how fantasy should work.
Jannah
Barely holding on.
It can definitely work, but that seems to be the exception rather than the norm. I have seen rare cases where it works out.
Merciless Medic
Walking Pokemon Dictionary
Ahhhh, Sci-Fi and Fantasy.
Before I go on a shameless spree of sharing the story idea I had of a science fantasy I have going, I'll contribute to the thread.
I don't know if I said this before, but love triangles :'D Unless I mesh well with the RPer, I tend to leave love triangles out of my drama because I will either have my character be poly or not choose one lmfao.
Anyway XD
Mitheral
Murdergurl
I don't usually have gods in my science fantasy, and if I do, they are more eldritch and something similar to that of the "gods" in Warhammer 40K. However, I do like the inclusion of "magic" or something similar to it.
Basically, I made a planet that was living. It created life to protect itself. The core of the planet is actually a space-rock kind of alien and it's got fat veins of its life force that can decimate anything that touches it. But the aliens that it creates, once they have grown up and "shed/molt" their rocky/scaly bodies to have a newer and more powerful form, they will be able to utilize this life force in small bursts. The life force is... well, life force that also acts as plasma and gives the user plasma-like abilities and make esper (or psyker) creatures even better at their craft.
Though, that's about as far as I'll actually get with that lol. I don't like giving "magic" that is Harry Potter magic. I like giving it a source lol.
Before I go on a shameless spree of sharing the story idea I had of a science fantasy I have going, I'll contribute to the thread.
I don't know if I said this before, but love triangles :'D Unless I mesh well with the RPer, I tend to leave love triangles out of my drama because I will either have my character be poly or not choose one lmfao.
Anyway XD
Mitheral
Murdergurl
I don't usually have gods in my science fantasy, and if I do, they are more eldritch and something similar to that of the "gods" in Warhammer 40K. However, I do like the inclusion of "magic" or something similar to it.
Basically, I made a planet that was living. It created life to protect itself. The core of the planet is actually a space-rock kind of alien and it's got fat veins of its life force that can decimate anything that touches it. But the aliens that it creates, once they have grown up and "shed/molt" their rocky/scaly bodies to have a newer and more powerful form, they will be able to utilize this life force in small bursts. The life force is... well, life force that also acts as plasma and gives the user plasma-like abilities and make esper (or psyker) creatures even better at their craft.
Though, that's about as far as I'll actually get with that lol. I don't like giving "magic" that is Harry Potter magic. I like giving it a source lol.
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Mitheral
"Growf!"
Agreed. Authors have the advantage of not having to work with another writer ... such as in RP's. It's when you have two or more writers and they don't work out all the rules that fantasy / magic becomes a problem.
LOL, I have tried mixing a "god" with a non magical world where the god is suddenly forced to do everything manually because magic ain't working. They have to get a job, etc ... Honestly, that's a tough idea to run with and a hard sell for most. Which admittedly means it is an idea to back away from and look elsewhere. Better as a story by an author than a collaborative fiction.
Jannah
Barely holding on.
Magic, superpowers, etc. are always tough in RP's because everyone will have different visions and what these entail. Plus there's all the balancing issues, especially with superpowers.
