[Pyroman]

OK, I just wanted to suggest something to all our RPers out there. It doesn't really have to be put in the rules of the forums, but I just think it would help everyone. Besides, if one of them makes a good rule, I wouldn't mind seeing it enforced.

I've noticed a lot of characters who are, for the most part, either overpowered or overly emotional/dramatic. I've also noticed some name similarities between the character and creator, wanting to protect the character at all costs, wanting to give the character a lot of great powers/items, etc. I have noticed this before in fanfiction and am guilty of doing it in my younger years as a writer. I'm not saying we're all doing it or that those doing it should completely erase their characters, I'm just pointing out that it's there. We are unintentionally making author-idealizations (aka, Mary Sues/Gary Stus). I have a quick list of ways to avoid doing this. It's not your typical list either (stuff like, "Give them weaknesses" or "Don't make them look all gothy" won't be the main focus)!

Just give it a try.

1) Don't make a character based on yourself.
This is my first rule because it is the leading cause of making a character overpowered. We all want to have super powers, true, but role playing yourself isn't role playing. Role playing is like acting; you're supposed to be somebody else. That, and some people have a rather high opinion of themselves and their author-insert character reflects that via being terribly overpowered.

2) Pick one theme for the character's abilities

This is not that hard. Pick one source most of the character's skills and use it. This is not to say that a character with a sword can only use skills based around that sword, but I'm sick of characters that can use Chaos powers, have super speed, use a sword, use magic AND have some sickeningly powerful martial-arts move. If a character spends a lot of time and energy, they may be able to become a great spell-caster. However, they wouldn't be suited to also have some face-shattering martial arts based sword attack. OK?

3) Describe Special techniques

Don't just list off name of your characters special attacks, abilities, or techniques. Describe them; what they do, how they are done, ect. However, keep in mind Rule #4.

4) Keep It Simple, Stupid (KISS)

Special abilities should not need a play-by-play. They should have quick, easy to understand descriptions (at least in the character profiles. While RPing, describe how it looks). I'll give you an example:

Magical Sniper: Jon places his left hand in front of him like he's supporting the barrel of a large gun while he also keeps his right hand close to his face like he's holding a the handle of a gun. After moving like he's pulling the trigger, a green bolt of magical energy fires at whatever he is aiming at. If it hits, it can punch a hole up to six inches in diameter in any surface. It has a range of seven and a half miles and moves at the same speed as a regular bullet.

VS

Magical Sniper: Jon fires a bullet of magical energy strong enough to punch a six inch hole in most targets. It has a range of seven and a half miles.

That's all I really have to say. Sorry for making it so long. That's all the advice I have to give for now.

Good night!

[HTM]

... Man, I'd like to know how to enforce that. I especially like rule #2. Crap, I've never thought of it before.

[Pyroman]

Well, I'd imagine if this topic got pinned, that would pretty much make it part of the forums rules (kinda).

[Sway]

Pinned for future reference.

[brad873]

to be fair, we want these to be fun, not to make them into a massive chore that we have to tip toe around. sometimes, to spice things up, you want a scene to be extended more that it needs to. the RPGs hear seem more like storys made up by loads of differant people, like a fan fic with less work

[Pyroman]

They look like fanfics with multiple sue/stus. Trust me, this will improve the RPs here.

[brad873]

maybe. i havent seen you post in any of the games for a while. i am trying to kill you in hunt for the master emerald after all. come show us how its done

[Pyroman]

I would, but you're the biggest hit-caller I've ever seen in an RP.

[brad873]

yes, well. i only looked over the rules quickly :S, but ive stoped that

[Pyroman]

Besides that, you and Ultimate kind of went on with the RP without the rest of us. I'm thinking of starting a different one (again). Just to put people who aren't on as often or who don't post as often on more even footing.

[brad873]

well, cold day, nothing to do and a laptop mean i have enough spare time to go on this site. strole on summer and the beach (pluse i live in a differant timezone to most people who play these games)

[Gowienczyk]

I'm a bit late and a bit new, but here's my thirteen cents. It's good to post out guidelines, but enforcing them as law is another thing completely. But yeah, the first rule seems a bit far off. A lot of people have characters based on themselves (a good writer will completely change that character, for instance Mike Sentarous for my Sonicverse is not me. The only things I really share with him is maybe my sarcasm and cynicism.)

The other guidelines are alright for me.

But yeah.

This post has been edited by Gowienczyk: 06 April 2009 - 08:55 AM

[HTM]

You just revived a very old topic, but nevermind, no one really gives a shit. So, you're an RPer? We need those guys here.

[Gowienczyk]

Hypothermial-Moron, on Apr 6 2009, 03:57 AM, said:

You just revived a very old topic, but nevermind, no one really gives a shit. So, you're an RPer? We need those guys here.

I apparently misread 2008 as 2009. Eh, it's five in the morning. Simple mistake, right? and yeah, I'm a roleplayer. Vetran, I guess. But yeah, how's the roleplaying communtiy here anyway? The threads I've skimmed seem very.... basic? I guess?

[HTM]

Yes, it's somewhat very easy to understand and whatnot.

[Gowienczyk]

What I'm really peeved and annoyed at is the "you have to use this unnecessary experience/attributes system" - what self-respecting RPer would abide to that? D:

I mean sure, you like what you like. But forcing it by making it a rule? What?

[Kvitne]

It's mostly there to keep the more noobish RPers from just creating random topics where they God mode (is that the right term? I don't even know) everything and just create a huge mess. This place used to be chaos way back when, but the system brought order to that, so the people who RP her are expected to abide by it.

Don't worry about reviving the topic. You added something worthwhile to the conversation, and when you do that it doesn't matter how old the topic is, to a certain point.

[Gowienczyk]

Kvitne, on Apr 6 2009, 06:30 AM, said:

It's mostly there to keep the more noobish RPers from just creating random topics where they God mode (is that the right term? I don't even know) everything and just create a huge mess. This place used to be chaos way back when, but the system brought order to that, so the people who RP her are expected to abide by it.

Don't worry about reviving the topic. You added something worthwhile to the conversation, and when you do that it doesn't matter how old the topic is, to a certain point.

Using a attribute/experience system, in my honest opinion ruins the point of writing a story. When you add stats it becomes a game and ruins enjoyment for me completely. Darn, I thought I had found a nice place to roleplay in my spare time.



EDIT: Unless that's what the archive is for; real, pure roleplaying?

This post has been edited by Gowienczyk: 06 April 2009 - 01:05 PM

[Kvitne]

Well idiots posting (not saying you're one by any means) also ruins the point of writing a story.

The archive is just for the old topics so that there's a record of them. You have to follow the guidelines if you want to RP. It's just the rules, which are there for a good reason, trust me.

[Muzzy Roberto]

I have to side with the new guy. In my one attempt to RP on this site, I found the stat system to really hinder me, and not really make a great deal of sense. I could see how it's supposed to kinda determine what type of character you're supposed to be playing as, but really, who's gonna pay attention to that? You're still gonna swing big Cloudesque swords, regardless of strength. You're gonna flip and jump around as ever fast as you want to, even though you only have 3 points in Agility.

But then again, RP via forum posts don't make much sense to me, either. Why bother having numerical stats when there's no guy on the other end of the computer with dice and a character sheet? Does anyone actually keep tabs of their HP? To me, it just seems like a fan-fiction thrown together, written by x amount of players, 1 of which had any real idea where it was going.

Ah well.