Roleplay Pet Peeves

[amdreams]

Oh, I forgot. Characters who are always bored until someone "strong" comes by. The type of character who just murders an entire army with a "bored expression" because "they were too weak". They act as if everything and everyone is such a bothersome burden. Anyone who tries to talk to them are called weak and abandoned. They then sulk and sigh and lurk off to who knows where until a fight happens. Then they either pop up, kill everyone, still with the bored expression.or if your character defeats the other in a bloody pulp, the guy smirks as if he actually thinks he looks cool, and says "You're strong. You interest me." Then you either gain a stalker or he leaves again for no reason.

 

[octopi]

On the topic of character types, I feel like characters who have no reason to be there at all are even more annoying than Mary Sues and whatever.


Like, I don't necessarily mean antisocial loners - they're harder to pull off, but if they have a reason to stick around and interact with the other characters, they're fine. But some characters have motivations that don't line up with the plot at all, and would logically be somewhere else entirely pursuing their dreams if it weren't for the fact that their player really wants them to be involved with the plot. So in the end they just kind of awkwardly follow the actual protagonists around, hovering in the background and participating halfheartedly in plot events.

 

[rennuelaw]

@Canvas @amdreams @Umbrie  related to your points is what I call a lack of self-awareness. 


This is basically when a player doesn't realize they are essentially making a self-insert and not a character.


Because the character exists only to be an extension of themselves and give them attention/accolades/etc. 


Basically they want to be the best , most well liked, most special person in the roleplay so they create a character they think will be the best, most well liked, most special person in the roleplay. 


Then they get angry when people don't treat this character the way they want them to because to them any negative energy pointed at the character is negative energy at them.


Because they don't realize that a roleplay is a story using made up people.


To them the "characters" are basically just the players using different names.





And then there is the kissing cousin to this people who basically want to write fanfiction where instead of putting in the effort to write it up themselves they have you do half or more of the work. 


These are people that will tell you Your character has to feel/do/express things XXX way about my character. Period. 


I'm like first off it's my character. Don't tell me what they think, feel, or behave. Secondly I'm not writing your epic novel for you. You want to do that than I wish you luck but your gonna have to put in the work yourself.

I tend to the first one but its more of who i want to be instead of who i am. My characters are usually strong , intelligent and beautiful but i do add faults such as vanity and miss understanding of emotions as well as sentivity.

 

[Blaire Wisteria]

Also, one small thing that irks me is why do a lot of people hate a character that happens to be a pascifist? Like if your RP doesn't revolve around fighting, why should it matter? I think it makes things way more interesting than having my character be angsty and or edgy murder hobo #7.

 

[call me rae]

I tend to the first one but its more of who i want to be instead of who i am. My characters are usually strong , intelligent and beautiful but i do add faults such as vanity and miss understanding of emotions as well as sentivity.

you misunderstand it's not that i was saying self-inserts are bad. if you want to make your character literally be yourself just with a different name that's fine. 


the problem was that the people making these characters don't understand that not everyone is making a character that is themselves just with a different name.


some people are totally different from their characters but because these people only understand roleplaying as putting themselves into the story they would get angry when their characters weren't treated as well as they liked. 


because they see it as the other players attacking them. not just a matter of certain character personalities not jelling with their own character/themselves.


this is different than escapism, making a character you wish you could be, or even pure self-insert, putting yourself literally into the story.


both of these styles are a concious choice but the people doing them still typically understand that not everyone else is following the same character model.


like for instance if you make a character that is who you want to be and another character bad mouths them do you feel like that player is badmouthing you specifically? or do you understand that that player is playing a character?


the problem i was talking about is when the person can't tell the difference basically between a player and a character. to them all characters are just players with different names. 

 

[call me rae]

Also, one small thing that irks me is why do a lot of people hate a character that happens to be a pascifist? Like if your RP doesn't revolve around fighting, why should it matter? I think it makes things way more interesting than having my character be murder hobo #7.

For the same reason they hate Joe Schmo? Because we obviously aren't putting enough effort into making our characters #tooedgy #tooawesome #tooEXTREME


We are obviously a disgrace to roleplaying. How dare we make middle of the road characters? 


xD  like idk man, I think some people make roleplaying waaay too much a competition and it's no fun winning against someone who isn't even going to care enough/bother to fight back.

 

[Melpomene]

Also, one small thing that irks me is why do a lot of people hate a character that happens to be a pascifist? Like if your RP doesn't revolve around fighting, why should it matter? I think it makes things way more interesting than having my character be angsty and or edgy murder hobo #7.

This ^^^


Some people just don't seem to understand that there are people put there that are pacifist, and they can make for a character that is just as interesting as ones that are not.


The only time I can think that I would find that annoying is if it was supposed to be a gritty action based rp and someone's character was described as :


"Completely loving and doesn't like to fight"


Why the hell are you with a gunslinger, a thief and Chuck Norris?


But other than that, #Pacifistlivesmatter

 

[call me rae]

Also GM's who are passive-aggressive / pretentious to their players. Like it should be this great honor that they have deigned to allow you into the sacred halls of their roleplay. I used to see a lot of people like that in another site I was on and it was always infuriating.


Like you are not freaking JK Rowling - calm down. I joined your roleplay because I liked the idea, but I ain't staying around to be talked down to for two weeks.

 

[Bone2pick]

"Who needs plot/conflict when I have a setting?" You need both. If the GM doesn't have anything to do planned for the RP, and none of the players step up and make something, the RP will probably die shortly after characters introduce themselves to each other. Bonus points if when a GM is asked about their RP's plot/conflict, they describe the setting instead, or otherwise give a non-answer.

Sandbox (player driven) roleplays are a thing.  In fact, they're my preferred narrative structure.  The GM should make it clear they intend to run a sandbox RP in their interest check, and the player should inquire about the plot before they create a character.

 

[Quincunx]

Sandbox (player driven) roleplays are a thing.  In fact, they're my preferred narrative structure.  The GM should make it clear they intend to run a sandbox RP in their interest check, and the player should inquire about the plot before they create a character.

Yeah, I should've phrased that better - I wasn't trying to throw sandboxes under the bus. Still, if the players don't know the RP is intended to be a sandbox, it probably won't last very long. Your second sentence summed up my issue perfectly: it's the GM's responsibility to make sure the players know what they're getting into and that both parties' expectations can work together.

 

[Muffinboi]

People who don't bother to put their 1x1 RPs in the correct section.

 

[Bone2pick]

@Mollisol Just to be clear, I'm not defending poorly developed roleplays whose GMs haven't done the difficult work of setting up a legit sandbox RP.  I find those just as distasteful as I presume you do.

 

[call me rae]

People who don't bother to put their 1x1 RPs in the correct section.

Or people who don't understand that a 1x1 is a private roleplay and start posting in your roleplay either to join or to actually contribute to the story.

 

[Raven Linwood]

Any tips for remedying this? 


@Raven Linwood (Please tag me if you answer this. Don't have notifications on.)

@Captain Gensokyo Well, I think this can be solved by talking OOC with your partner and come up with ideas for the RP. Personally, OOC communication is something I really need when it comes to roleplays. It usually makes the roleplay last more, and who doesn't like to have a partner AND a friend at the same time?   And sorry for not answering, I've been quite inactive here ^^U 

 

[Storytale]

First off- I love this thread!


Okay since I got that off my chest, here are my pet peeves from personal experience:


God modding:


Like most of everyone else on this thread who stated that they hate this. I too, can not stand this.


My Character is (insert something random here) so therefore somehow you have to make your character one up mine:


 I really don't understand this logic nor I want to. Examples: RP Partner: "Hey, how tall is your tallest character?" Me: "Hm, DoXy are about 6'3. Why what's up?" "Well my character is 12 feet tall. SO THERE."  Or.."My character has a sadder story than yours!"


(Never mind the fact in their character biography has no mention of their height.)


Throwing a damn tantrum when you break off a ship or don't agree to one.


My characters are by no means obligated to put up with your character's advances and nor are they supposed to be ship with your character just because you want them to. Also I don't care if your character will become "corrupted" or "have their heart broken" or they will never forget my characters. Seriously, just annoying.


Attacking/Insulting/ Hating my characters because of some "issues" you may have had that week/day or because they're not doing what YOU want.


Poor excuse. Plus its a sure way for me to stop role-playing with you in general! My characters are very personal to me, so I won't stand for anyone to call them stupid or anything hurtful. Personal rant: Also, hating one of my other characters just because they're in a relationship with another with my characters (or others) is not a good reason in my opinion.


That's only a select few of many but thanks for letting me rant!

 

[Umbrie]

in my Case


Constant One Upping is Something i agree needs to be controlled. i play as my flagship character, a pint sized and childlike fey humanoid who is 155 centimeters tall and weighs about 43 kilograms. by imperial measurements, that would be 5'1" and 95 lbs. she actually isn't trying to be the smallest and lightest character in the group, but instead trying to be reasonably small and light, in fact, she really isn't very physically developed, being flat as an ironing board and built almost like a stick. i also made her pale with black hair and blue eyes, because despite it being a relatively realistic combination of colorings, it is underloved compared to black hair and red eyes, red hair and red eyes, or blonde hair and blue eyes. she might be firm and defined, but that is because smaller people have an easier time building muscle definition and a harder time building muscle mass, but she is also sickly and not that much more physically strong or fast compared to an adult human, but she does have regeneration and flight.


i really dislike the idea of all these characters who are half demon, made a pact with a demon, or gained power by drinking the blood of a demon, yet don't realize that such things come at the cost of eternal damnation in the afterlife, and usually forget about all the weaknesses possessed by a demon or angel, Can't bypass a circle of salt strewn upon the ground, can be permawounded by cold iron weaponry, can't enter private dwellings without invitation, can be summoned and subjugated as familiars, can be physically damaged by salt, still limited by their body's physiology, which is usually portrayed as humanoid, still have to obey the laws of physics and common sense, and are really taxed when they make miracles of some kind. i play a nymph who is the embodiment of the Goddess of the night, the character is neither angelic nor demonic, she is a fey who willingly chose to continue the legacy of the shroud after her patron goddess finally began her rest, meaning,a goddess died, a lolita faerie gained her position, but doesn't have the full power. the only reason she could take the mantle, was because she was a fae of the night.


another thing; all these beacons of royalty that are everywhere, there are so many princes and princesses out there. i can understand if your character was from japan and every lord's daughter was called a princess, but please, Royalty overload needs to be trimmed. how about a Pariah? how about a Peasant? how about somebody in the middle class?


Nekos, Demons, Furries and Vampires? how about we see some faeries? what about an angel?  how about a Rhakshasa? i play lots of faeries, but i also have a character who was a male human soul reincarnated into a small and cute female rhakshasa body by a small and cute nymph who brought him to life as an experiment and liked small and cute things.

 

[Inner Power]

I'm sure it has been mentioned already but I'll say it again. For me I don't mind leading the story, not at all. It becomes a bit of a problem when I have to lead all the time with no contribution from the other player yet they'll be the first to say "Oh, I don't like that." when I'm trying my best storywise. Well how about lending a hand to help with the story? I mean isn't this a partnership? Did we not talk about ideas in the planning process?

 

[The Swedish Chef]

I really dislike the idea of all these characters who are half demon, made a pact with a demon, or gained power by drinking the blood of a demon, yet don't realize that such things come at the cost of eternal damnation in the afterlife, and usually forget about all the weaknesses possessed by a demon or angel, Can't bypass a circle of salt strewn upon the ground, can be permawounded by cold iron weaponry, can't enter private dwellings without invitation, can be summoned and subjugated as familiars, can be physically damaged by salt, still limited by their body's physiology, which is usually portrayed as humanoid, still have to obey the laws of physics and common sense, and are really taxed when they make miracles of some kind.

But to be fair, doesn't a lot of those weaknesses depend on the setting?

 

[Trust]

People who write using really difficult to read colours or use a really annoying font that is hard to read like comic sans

 

[Bacon is fluffy]

My only real pet peeve is wanting to post in IC, but there being so much random stuff happening that nothing seems to be happening. It's akin to people walking into a specific setting,but then they're just messing about on their own and not trying to meet eachother. So you have people at a blacksmith shop, another at a magic shop, one buying a ship and the other chasing a bad guy. To me that's just pure chaos and has no rhythm or rhyme. I don't appreciate trying to jump into these scenarios and having to rp solo for god knows how long because no one wants to plan in the OoC,but they just simply post whatever comes to mind in the IC.

 

[rennuelaw]

First off- I love this thread!


Okay since I got that off my chest, here are my pet peeves from personal experience:


God modding:


Like most of everyone else on this thread who stated that they hate this. I too, can not stand this.


My Character is (insert something random here) so therefore somehow you have to make your character one up mine:


 I really don't understand this logic nor I want to. Examples: RP Partner: "Hey, how tall is your tallest character?" Me: "Hm, DoXy are about 6'3. Why what's up?" "Well my character is 12 feet tall. SO THERE."  Or.."My character has a sadder story than yours!"


(Never mind the fact in their character biography has no mention of their height.)


Throwing a damn tantrum when you break off a ship or don't agree to one.


My characters are by no means obligated to put up with your character's advances and nor are they supposed to be ship with your character just because you want them to. Also I don't care if your character will become "corrupted" or "have their heart broken" or they will never forget my characters. Seriously, just annoying.


Attacking/Insulting/ Hating my characters because of some "issues" you may have had that week/day or because they're not doing what YOU want.


Poor excuse. Plus its a sure way for me to stop role-playing with you in general! My characters are very personal to me, so I won't stand for anyone to call them stupid or anything hurtful. Personal rant: Also, hating one of my other characters just because they're in a relationship with another with my characters (or others) is not a good reason in my opinion.


That's only a select few of many but thanks for letting me rant!

In the case of ship. The only difference is the characters are in a relationship already and i put alot of working planning shit now suddenly the ship gets brken off and i'm a bit annoying cause if i knew the ship would end without a justified ending i'm going to upset. Because that is weeks of planning , waiting for replies and working out how to make the rp flow.

 

[call me rae]

I'm sure it has been mentioned already but I'll say it again. For me I don't mind leading the story, not at all. It becomes a bit of a problem when I have to lead all the time with no contribution from the other player yet they'll be the first to say "Oh, I don't like that." when I'm trying my best storywise. Well how about lending a hand to help with the story? I mean isn't this a partnership? Did we not talk about ideas in the planning process?

That drives me nuts. Like I will continuously ask people throughout the planning process - so is this okay? do you have a different idea?


And their response is usually pretty much just - whatevs -.


Only to have them come back at me with oh I don't like this. I don't like that. Your being too controlling.


It's like *incoherent scream* then why the hell didn't you actually contribute if you want something different? I can't freaking read you mind. Ugh that is an automatic - fuck this I'm done bye.

 

[call me rae]

@Storytale I pretty much attribute all yours to what I call "fanfic writers". Because essentially that is what these people want. They want to write some kind of story where their characters are the only important people and everyone exists solely to push their character through whatever growth that character is going to achieve.


It's like special snowflake mentality taken to it's most extreme level. Because these people pretty much don't want a partner to write a story with them. They want someone to write the story they have in their head [ that they conveniently think you can somehow infer through mind reading because they never actually say it outright ] without any deviations.


I'm like. no.


You want to write an novel/fanfiction there are plenty of sites online that will let you do that. There are even people that will beta read and help you come up with a good storyline/help with grammar/etc.



This is roleplay. It is a collaborative exercise. Which means I don't gotta do sheet I don't wanna do. I'm not obligated to bow to your childish grabs for attention and honestly I'm unlikely to do so.

 

[ApfelSeine]

I might have said this already at some point, but it's really frustrating when characters focus on doing their own thing instead of interacting with other characters. It defeats the whole purpose of rping. If all the other character's are at the café and one person's character is in the library, there's not really a logical way to try to work them into the plot. More frustrating is people who don't get why no one is taking to them when they're the one who put their character in a completely different location than anyone else's.


Also, as many people have been saying, this constant trying to one up others to "win" a roleplay is very frustrating. Especially when it's poorly executed. For instance, if a character is intended to be a genius and smarter than everyone else (which is not fair to say before meeting the other characters), then the player should be able to play a character that way. They should be able to think through the implications of their actions and not make foolhardy or ineffective plans to outdo the other characters. The other characters shouldn't be expected to be dumbed down to accommodate for the fact that a roleplayer wants to have the smartest character, but can't actually pull that off due to their own limited understanding of a topic.


It's like how in some Sherlock Holmes TV shows they dumb down Watson to make Sherlock look smarter. Watson isn't a dumb character, he's intelligent and arguably smarter than Holmes in some areas. If someone wanted to play Sherlock Holmes, they should be able to portray a smart character without the need for the other characters to be idiots. It's also an unfair demand to insist that illogical plans or flawed reasoning be able to defeat a tactically savvy character, only for the purpose of making one's own character come across as smart and unbeatable.

 

[simj26]

when characters focus on doing their own thing instead of interacting with other characters.

There's this, and then after a set amount of posts, they complain that no one is interacting with their characters, which is only just another nail in a nail-ridden coffin.