|
Role-Play Etiquette
Sites post rules that are considered obvious (but needed), such as not controlling other people's characters, not posting in a thread you aren't accepted into, nothing over PG 13, ect. However, there are things that not stated on these lists. Unspoken rules that may or may not be enforced that often fall under the act of common courtesy as well. Things such as not following the intended plot and/or trying to force a change in the plot with a character's actions, interrupting a conversation and/or interaction between two or more characters without cause of plot* and not making sure to leave an opening for interaction within a post. My questions (or spoons, if you prefer) for you all are: 1. What are some such things that you have seen, done and/or irk you? 2. Should these things be posted as rules and/or enforced? 3. Do you consider them to be rules at all? 4. What do you consider to be proper role-play etiquette? *IE: An introduction to a character where the interrupting character barges in on them, forcing them to drop whatever they were doing to address the new person, just so that person can be "where the action is" |
I hate when people don't move the post forward X-x Like, how am I supposed to respond, if all you did was respond to me. For example:
Character A: Hey, Character B, do you like this that or the other thing? Character B: Yes. Character A: Oh...that's cool. I'm glad you like those things. But you didn't ask me any questions or do anything but answer me, so now I have nothing left to respond to. It happens in so many situations. Characters talking, meeting, fighting. Respond to my post, and give me something to respond to! Add a little something, so we can move forward. And in group roleplays, take turns. I hate hate hate when suddenly pages go by through just two people...leaving everyone else behind. I've had that happen to me several times >< I know it may take longer to have posts, if there's a specific order. But at least everyone is kept up to date and no one is being left behind. |
I hate godmodders. I had to put up with those all the time when I was GMing. You go and set up this storyline and some kind of monsters or bosses or whatever that are there for the whole group to address or deal with, and some wannabe superman/GIJoe idiot posts that he's killing your villains by the dozen. Uh....no. You're not. I'm the GM, I made them. They may be NPCs, but I decide when and if they go down.
I also really hate the powerplayers who try to tell everyone in advance what they feel when they see this character. You know: Quote:
Actually tho, I know livejournal is oldhat, but there is a hysterical community on it called Bad RPers Suck. Some of the awful players people post samples from in there... you'll laugh. you'll cry. you'll spew milk out your nostrils. (well, maybe you will. I'm not gonna tell you how to react.) :D |
Pweep- This is a perfect example of courtesy. When interacting with someone, give them something to do! You don't call a person on the phone just to give one word answers, do you? Role-plays are for making a situation unfold, and it's not much fun when you have a zombie helping you do it.
As for the taking turns, that may or may not be a preference thing. I'm not saying it's any less real a problem or any less annoying, but some people prefer to take turns, some don't mind reading up. it can get annoying when one can only get on every other day, or less, however. Explodey- Godmodding is a typical example of a solid rule in any role-play community, yet people do it. Personally, it's one I can't stand, yet I have been "called out" on it before. There is a difference between having a powerful character and an invincible one however. Many people can't find that line, it seems, but then again, where that line falls may or may not be subjective. Forgive me, I'm rambling... Powerplaying in that manor is very annoying! Though, it too can be a somewhat subjective thing. One saying they are making others feel a certain way might be acceptable under certain circumstances, but most of the time it is only accepted if they carry it out as their character trying to make them feel it, thus not making it automatic, subsequently not being powerplay, I suppose. Quote:
|
You don't have to? But I think some entries are shielded, so if you want to read everything you have to join the comm, yep. (Since some of them are still in active RPs with the peeps they are laughing at, and they are hoping those guys don't read BRPS and recognizie themselves!)
|
I think godmodding is acceptable in certain situations.
Now, bear with me on this xD. And once you realize what I'm saying, you'll realize it's not even godmodding, in a way. Say, my character is fighting another character. I will always ask the player "Hey, my character is going to punch yours. Is it okay if she hits? If not, let me know so I can do something different for my post." And we go back and forth. Now, if my character is a tiny thing with a big mouth, going up against a seven foot guy who weights 400 pounds...my character is going to get their teeth kicked in and bad. However, still /ask/ me if it's okay, whatever you plan on doing. It depends on who you are posting with, what the characters are, and what they're doing. |
Yeh, in those situations it works, but the type of players I meant don't tend to do that.
In fact, some of them not only decided they were taking control of other characters or squishing NPCs they didn't design, they weren't even okayed into the action! I tabletop and I did a chat, so we're talking either post-ers who just throw themselves into an RP without first seeing where they can step in, or in the case of live someone who is stepping well and beyond what's acceptable in a starter's C-sheet. The latter always have some kind of excuse -"oh, I've been playing this C a long time now"...uhh, not in THIS RP you haven't! and often get defensive as if it's an offense to have to have a starter C in a group of other starter Cs- "you're trying to 'cockroach' me!" |
You're right, it's not truly god-modding if the person is asked and says yes to letting one character attack and win against another. The asking part is important, even if the one being attacked is an "npc" baddie. But, like Explodey said, most people who are actually god-modding don't ask, they love to just take control of the entire situation. In fact, I find it even more irksome if they ask, then not only do what they asked (regardless of the answer), they force your character to fight back, controlling what they do.
I think most of the rules can change depending on situation and who you are role-playing with, no? With a close group of friends, more often then not, rules are bent or broken quite a bit, in jest and not so. |
Quote:
I know they won't just go randomly smiting the n00bs, is why, whereas a lot of 'modders love to do just that. What part of 'this game is for everyone' don't those guys get?? :headdesk: |
This is a great conversation, I wish I got in on it at the beginning.
There is something that I've noticed that people haven't addressed yet and that is characters that don't fit the roleplay at all, that really bothers me. If the roleplay is set in medieval times, don't have a character have an ipod, that doesn't fit into the plot. I realize that sometimes with historical roleplays that people are not sure of what players may have said or what things were invented...but I've seen things so blatant people must know they are breaking into the way future. |
I don't roleplay that much...but I guess don't godmod, and then...reasonable characters, and some variety please!!!
I fucking hate it when an RP has like 30billion sexy super ancient vampires who are all cold and dark and mean and sadistic and everyone is all. "omg! /swoon" It's just..stupid. =___= Also, if your character is 10 years old, they are not a highly experienced ninja, and if they are, then you better have the most well written, reasonable/realistic and detailed back-story ever to support your claim. |
I really like original characters. I like creating my character, and searching for someone to fit that image I have in my head. I've spent hours searching for an image for my character (a real person or anime whatever). It's annoying to have a million scene girls/guys in a roleplay. And they're all dark and depressed and emo and blahblah. Get some originality please.
|
One thing that's always irked me is people not living up to how well they say they can write, or how well they can emulate a character from a fandom. Oh sure, they can look like they've written a good long post, but I when I start to read it I realize that all they've done is copied what I wrote and simply stuck their character's name in there, and that ticks me off. Every two lines I find that I'm reading what my character just said, or even what my character just thought, as if their character can mind read.
And for fandoms, sometimes it just sucks when another person completely ruins my favorite characters. Someone bubbly and cheery will suddenly become dark and brooding, plus vice versa. And that's one of the main reasons why I'm so hesitant around playing fandoms. Most of the time if someone suggests we play one, I try to throw in a few question about what the person is aiming for in playing a certain character. |
GreenDragon06- I'd have to admit that this is also one my by biggest peeves. If you are going to make a character for a role-play, always keep in mind the plot and/or era/country/world they will be in!
Monstahh- I actually am guilty of having a vampire character(his age depends on the RP), and when I first started role-playing about three years ago, He had a lot of the cliche, stereotypical traits. Now I work really hard at making him follow the lines of being vampiric, while being as different as I can. It can be hard to not fall into cliches though, they are tricky things, especially if you don't know they are there (which I didn't at the time, I hadn't read/watched many "modern" vampire stories). That aside, I think everyone gets tired of seeing the same character with a different face walking about in troves. Personally, it's the "scene" and "emo" characters that drive me up a wall. They are often paired with people who in OOC complain about their character being ignored after they had just made a big scene and ran off to hide and mope about for the tenth time. Pweep- I love nothing more than to make unique and "bizarre" characters. I get funny looks, but I love that they are quirky and unique, screw going with the flow. I love it even more when I come across others like them. Louis DuLac- It's a very, very sad thing that people stoop to copy-pasting in a role-play. I personally have never seen it, but I think if I did, I might just yell at them. Also, people adding things into their posts that their characters should not know, like thoughts of other characters or things said OOC about another character, makes me slam my head into the desk every time. I can't stand it. Fandoms have always been iffy for me... I will only attempt to join one if I am certain I can play the character to their, and my own standards(which tend to be higher, I'm hard on myself, haha.). I am also terrified of attepmting to make a Fandom role-play in fear of the results. Along with the topic of character creation, One thing that gets me is the GM/Head of role-play letting people who don't have suitable characters join anyways. If it is your role-play, shouldn't you be more concerned with the fact that they don't seem to care/ pay attention to the plot? |
I have vampire characters as well, but they are developed to the best of my ability, and have flaws. No perfect miss goody mary sue character.
|
Pweep- Ah, another one of my worst peeves: A supernatural that has no flaws or weaknesses. Though I think it's pretty safe to assume that's a peeve everyone has. That's one of the first things I worked on, though I might have over-done it a bit, he was always getting injured and such. Then again it might just seem that way because I am cruel to my characters a lot. Is there such a thing as the opposite to a Mary/Gary?
|
Probably. I'd say the opposite of those, are those absolutely depressed emo characters who hate everything in life and wear black all the time and etc.
And don't worry, I'm cruel to one of my characters too :lol: My character was attacked by a vampire (she's a human), barely left alive. Then kidnapped on the night of her wedding. And she's going to be attacked again soon, by a different vampire xP but she's naive and innocent. |
It seriously annoys me when people just post one-liners and use text talk and don't describe what's going on.
Ex: My guy walks into the room. I've actually seen the above sentence before. Really. "My Guy." That is the one thins that pisses me off the most in roleplaying xD And the characters that are Mary/Garys...if they're almost perfect, that's okay, but perfect-perfect is not. Unless you're planning to kill them off or something. |
Ah, well then I'm happy to say I didn't make the opposite! He is a relatively depressed character, but anyone would be after they had gone through what I do to him. He also does wear black alot, but that's because I like black and dark colors, personally.
I think most people have a character they like to torture, ne? Much safer than doing to an actual person. One-liners are the bane of all intelligent role-playing and conversation. Also, I agree with the making of a Mary/Gary for the purpose of killing them off. Not because I am simply sadistic and hate them(who am I kidding?), but because it can be an interesting part of a plot to have the "perfect savior" killed off. |
Personally I can't stand people who let a scene drag on with meaningless drivel. A simple back and forth of conversation during an adventure setting Roleplay. What I mean is, during an post-apocalyptic setting RP where simple survival and the drive to move should be up most, some players will be content to just standing around and discussing the daily happenings, not taking into the game the idea that someone could spot them and kill them for their clothes. It's a post-apocalyptic society.
But what I really hate is when the RP fails because the players post single line entries making it impossible to come up with an adequate response. RPs should work more like a story than a conversation. |
Most of my peeves have been addressed - but one that I haven't seen mentioned is really just etiquette in general - DO NOT get mad at me if I turn you down, or ask you to re-work your post a bit I don't need to be insulted by you!
|
Quote:
The next poster responds with something like "character looks up toward the sky, shining at the bright sun." So, I POLITELY said "Hey, it's cool you like the sun and all...but I described a rainy day in the first post, which is the opening post for the topic. Do you mind editing your post?" They left the roleplay immediately, saying "I'm outta here." I was left with all sorts of confusion. |
I know a lot of people hate it when two people just go back and forth... but sometimes I would much rather have that happen, as they wait for the rest of the rpers to join (making sure they always leave room for them to rejoin the situation), then have a decent rp die. Too many of my favorite rp's die because some people have lives and then the rp falls to the bottom of their subscribed list, and gets forgotten. At least with a back and forth it returns to the top eventually...
|
I have been roleplay for about nine years or so and I have seen all stages of roleplaying and havoc. I dislike when people Godmod but I also agree it may be alright when doing certain situations. (Especially when attempting to do something PG-13. ;) )
I work hard to come up with my skeletons for my characters and it makes me angry when someone I roleplay with does not do the same. The reason I make skeletons is not only for myself to get into the character but for whoever I roleplay with to know about mine. Now it also bugs when people add too much informartion to their character. Some things should be left open so my character can learn these facts while interacting with your character. I seriously belive these should be followed rules, but if they would be set rules then that means every guidline would have to be written down. I think that proper role-play etiquette could go as follows: 1. Be polite to the person you roleplay with. 2. If there is fighting, plan out how your fight will go so you do not step on each other's toes. (Or stab each other.) 3. No Godmodding. 3a. Godmodding is only understandable in certain situations. 3b. As long as you ask politely to help the roleplay move along. 4. Make interesting characters. 5. I do not care if your character is a Goddess or awesome Ninja, they still need to have a flaw! 6. Perfection is boring but indifference is also boring. 7. Try to give as much detail as possible without writing a novel. 8. Thou shalt not post one-liners. Thank you. |
Most of my normal pet peeves have been listed already but I don't like when people try to turn the story because they don't like the direction it's going, like adding new NPCs, new monsters, new conflicts etc, by themselves. It's better when everybody makes those decisions together.
|
| All times are GMT. The time now is 02:10 AM. |