Viewpoint What are some common RP traits that you don't understand the appeal of?

Hello! I'll been RPing for quite some time (over a decade, though I can't figure out the exact number), and quite a lot of things have changed over the years! I've been noticing a couple new popular things in RP that weren't really around the last time I was on a forum, and things that have been around since time immemorial.

So, I was wondering: what are some RP tendencies that you don't really "get"? I don't mean pet peeves or straight-up complaints, really. Just things that you may not necessarily dislike, you just don't understand why people do them or why they're popular. Maybe they're even habits that you do, and you don't really understand why you do them! Who knows- maybe someone on the thread will explain it, and then you'll get why people prefer it!

I'll start with two of mine:

1. I've never understood the appeal of "celebrity" or household names as faceclaims, even when I started RPing. I suppose they could have a certain appeal if you're picking actors and envisioning your RP as a TV series or movie. For me, though, I feel like I would be taking away a certain degree of originality or creativity by giving my character the face of someone extremely popular. Something like that phenomenon when you watch a movie and the actor is so popular that it's hard to see them as their character and not just the actor. Like, nobody ever calls the Rock's characters by their names.

2. The former is my old guard "RPer yells at cloud", but this is a new one I've noticed that I don't think I've seen before: a lot of character post codes I've seen have a section to put down the character's mood. I don't really understand that. I feel like a character's mood usually comes across well enough in the post itself? Especially with long posts. It just seems a little redundant and I don't get it.

People who write abusive relationships intentionally.

I understand if it’s an accident or people maybe didn’t think about the implications of certain behaviors.

But when people are like “I want to write a dark story with this abusive dynamic.”

I just don’t understand the appeal. It’s like there are so many toxic people in real life and you want to make up fictional ones for fun?

nerdy tangents said:

People who write abusive relationships intentionally.

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I mean, we have an ostensibly abusive relationship in my RP (involved bridenapping), but it is one of the more interesting dynamics. It's been over a decade IC though, so they mostly get along. Have kids and everything.

Wife actually has to pay for her husband's ransom now since another player KOed him in battle ahaha

Lorsh said:

I mean, we have an ostensibly abusive relationship in my RP (involved bridenapping), but it is one of the more interesting dynamics. It's been over a decade IC though, so they mostly get along. Have kids and everything.

Wife actually has to pay for her husband's ransom now since another player KOed him in battle ahaha

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I would say abusive relationships don’t end with people “getting along”.

Because you don’t get along with objects. You wouldn’t say “I stole this couch but it’s okay we have learned to make it work. Because your couch doesn’t have feelings or autonomy.”

So if wife is nothing more than an object that produces children = that’s an abusive relationship.

If wife is allowed autonomy and to set boundaries (or their are at bare minimum consequences for ignoring her autonomy and boundaries). = that’s not abuse.


It doesn’t matter if she was kidnapped or not. What matters is “hey does her husband actually treat her as a human being with thoughts, feelings, and autonomy? If he doesn’t does the narrative show him that’s wrong? Then yeah your not writing abuse.

nerdy tangents said:

People who write abusive relationships intentionally.

I understand if it’s an accident or people maybe didn’t think about the implications of certain behaviors.

But when people are like “I want to write a dark story with this abusive dynamic.”

I just don’t understand the appeal. It’s like there are so many toxic people in real life and you want to make up fictional ones for fun?

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Largely for the same reason people write horror. It doesn't make sense on the surface why people would WANT to be scared, nor does it make much sense why people would want to depict abuse, but it's something of a morbid fascination we have.

I think comparing RP to real life is unfair, honestly. A lot of people adore LotR for it's high stakes, whimsical adventure, and bravery in the face of evil, but you'd never say you WANT to go through experience, yourself. The stress, the danger, the heartbreak. But because we find it exciting, we enjoy the story.

So I guess that's my answer. The relationship is tense and exciting in the same way and adventure is tense and exciting.

Daisie said:

Largely for the same reason people write horror. It doesn't make sense on the surface why people would WANT to be scared, nor does it make much sense why people would want to depict abuse, but it's something of a morbid fascination we have.

I think comparing RP to real life is unfair, honestly. A lot of people adore LotR for it's high stakes, whimsical adventure, and bravery in the face of evil, but you'd never say you WANT to go through experience, yourself. The stress, the danger, the heartbreak. But because we find it exciting, we enjoy the story.

So I guess that's my answer. The relationship is tense and exciting in the same way and adventure is tense and exciting.

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lol the point was to write something you don’t get, not to argue for why people write abusive relationship.

I get that it’s something other people like. In the same way I get that some people like pickles. Doesn’t mean I can’t still be like “really? It tastes gross.”

It just an opinion. Not a indictment on other people having fun.

nerdy tangents said:

lol the point was to write something you don’t get, not to argue for why people write abusive relationship.

I get that it’s something other people like. In the same way I get that some people like pickles. Doesn’t mean I can’t still be like “really? It tastes gross.”

It just an opinion. Not a indictment on other people having fun.

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You said that you didn't understand why it appeals so I figured I'd provide insight.

Hoyo!

This is starting to feel like the beginnings of a thread hijacking in progress for an entirely different conversation. If you'd like to debate the merits and reasons why people choose to RP certain topics, take it to DM's amongst yourselves or create your own thread focused on that topic.

Let's refocus on the original question posed: What are some common RP traits that you don't understand the appeal of?

You aren't being asked for deeper reasoning or debate. You're simply being asked to answer that question. Once you've answered, let other peeps who want to throw their two cents in answer it for themselves as well. If you wish to discuss further, do it in DM's or a separate dedicated thread. If you feel that you must further explain something try your best to do so in a single follow-up post and then leave it alone so others can participate in the conversation.

Thanks!

I think it's the coding thing for me. Definitely not knocking anyone who likes to code. I've seen some pretty posts but I personally don't get the appeal. For one, I can't code. Even if I could, I don't think I would bother. I would be more concerned with the quality of my post more than anything. Again, everyone has their own tastes I suppose.

GojiBean said:

Hoyo!

This is starting to feel like the beginnings of a thread hijacking in progress for an entirely different conversation. If you'd like to debate the merits and reasons why people choose to RP certain topics, take it to DM's amongst yourselves or create your own thread focused on that topic.

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Thanks Goji.

Though to be fair, the first post of the thread does say this:

RascalRoadkill said:

Who knows- maybe someone on the thread will explain it, and then you'll get why people prefer it!

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So I respectfully disagree.

But I digress. Back to strange appeals.
I never understood the appeal of K-Pop roleplays, of all things. It's been kicking around here for ages in various degrees of popularity, but it's so... Specific? lol
It's sorta down a similar vein to using celebrity face claims, except taking it a bit further since it's not just face claim, but character. It feels so surreal to me to use real people in a fictional story, I never quite got the draw.

I’m certainly okay with a little bit of elaboration if you would like to explain something to someone, but I would prefer those conversations not to be too lengthy. I appreciate people helping each other out of course, but I did make this primarily to hear about many people’s opinions, not to focus on a single debate.

One roleplay trait I don't understand is high school roleplays. I might get it if the kids playing were younger than that and excited by the idea of high school, but I'm an adult. XD Why would I ever want to return to high school and all the clique related stuff there?

I think another one I don't get is real people roleplays. Not - oh I'm using Chris Evans as a faceclaim for my characters. But - I'm literally playing the actor Chris Evans in a roleplay. Granted it is usually Youtube Celebrities or what not I see in this type of thing but I'm like.... how do you make a narrative around that?

The obsession with school & academy RPs with people who graduated years ago. I understand why a 16 year old would seek a fantastical version of their own humdrum existence, but as an adult, when people look back on their school days, don't they see how stupid and pointless 90% of their worries were?

For example, the obsession with popularity when the truth is, you don't see those people after you graduate. The short lived relationships that were doomed from day zero, but seemed vastly important at the time. The different cliques such as athletes and nerds who often don't exist in the adult world, as people find identities independent of their occupation, and as the working world filters these groups into common vocations (you won't have a clique of football players at a coding job for example).

The list continues with stuff like "wow these classes are so hard," which is trivial when you're confronted with real life problems. I wish my biggest issue was learning some math problems, instead of career building and paying bills. I wish the worst consequence for absence was talking with a teacher or social worker, instead of unemployment and bankruptcy.

And on the bright side, the good aspects of adulthood are much better than youthful ones. I now have the means to travel across the world and experience amazement and wonder and foreign cultures, while school peaked at claustrophobic house parties.

For me, adulthood has trivialized both the struggles and successes of students. The lows aren't really low and the highs aren't really high. What seems important is a meme and your entire life is (usually) funded by someone else, while you can bullshit in class and get free lodging and three square meals.

So I really don't understand the obsession with this time period. Maybe it's people wanting to redo their younger days, but it's not like my school experience was amazing by roleplayer standards. I just realized my issues and successes were small scale, largely unimportant and didn't have real stakes, so when I read about some 15 year old character pining over the love of their life, or complaining because "school is oppressive, yo," I want to laugh because it sounds naive and sheltered.

I don't understand folks that make one-line IC posts. I can understand way back in the early 2000's when Forum RP was pretty new, sites like GaiaOnline were just launched, and RPs moved at break-neck speed, but now? I can't help but wonder why someone would even bother with RP at all if they're just going to type two sentences then disappear until it is their turn to post again.

I don't mind romance in RPs, but I do not understand romance RP that is nothing but PCs making-out. Most of the time it's just boring, and other times I find it awkward and uncomfortable.

A simple one worded answer for me: CODING!

RascalRoadkill said:

Hello! I'll been RPing for quite some time (over a decade, though I can't figure out the exact number), and quite a lot of things have changed over the years! I've been noticing a couple new popular things in RP that weren't really around the last time I was on a forum, and things that have been around since time immemorial.
i hated
So, I was wondering: what are some RP tendencies that you don't really "get"? I don't mean pet peeves or straight-up complaints, really. Just things that you may not necessarily dislike, you just don't understand why people do them or why they're popular. Maybe they're even habits that you do, and you don't really understand why you do them! Who knows- maybe someone on the thread will explain it, and then you'll get why people prefer it!

I'll start with two of mine:

1. I've never understood the appeal of "celebrity" or household names as faceclaims, even when I started RPing. I suppose they could have a certain appeal if you're picking actors and envisioning your RP as a TV series or movie. For me, though, I feel like I would be taking away a certain degree of originality or creativity by giving my character the face of someone extremely popular. Something like that phenomenon when you watch a movie and the actor is so popular that it's hard to see them as their character and not just the actor. Like, nobody ever calls the Rock's characters by their names.

2. The former is my old guard "RPer yells at cloud", but this is a new one I've noticed that I don't think I've seen before: a lot of character post codes I've seen have a section to put down the character's mood. I don't really understand that. I feel like a character's mood usually comes across well enough in the post itself? Especially with long posts. It just seems a little redundant and I don't get it.

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i hated and still hate double roleplay. I also hate triple roleplay.
take Catdog for example. it takes two people to play one character. people loved to roleplay catdog back in the day but it takes to people to play one character.......
triple roleplaying as one character was hard to follow.....
take monster zero in Godzilla roleplaying. it takes three people to play as one character.......
or clash of the titans; some of the animals requires two people to play on character.
in halo it takes two people to play the monitor 343, because someone has to be guilty sparks and someone else plays his flying drones. its crazy and often confusing.....

yes celebrity roleplay was popular on aol forums. alot of people would roleplay Nic. Cage and reprent to be his friends. I thought it was silly. I guess it was because of his movies. people would pretend to be him, mostly girls; because i guess they thought he was hot. Nic. Cage just did a movie about this very thing; a movie of him making fun of himself and they face everyone roleplays as him, 'massive tallent' or whatever it is?? the phenomenon comes and goes.

as for your number two; people still do that. its called pokemon roleplay. if pokemon players would just play like normal players; it would be better. but the pokemon roleplaying community tends to do this and go overboard with it. they do this, and then god mode right after. its annoying and the very reason i do not play in pokemon roleplay community. Now not all pokemon forums are like this; but most of them sadly are. they also fight alot internaly about the skills and fighting of each pokemon. Psy-duck talks to bushes and cars and clouds; its so silly.

GrumpySwallow said:

I don't understand folks that make one-line IC posts. I can understand way back in the early 2000's when Forum RP was pretty new, sites like GaiaOnline were just launched, and RPs moved at break-neck speed, but now? I can't help but wonder why someone would even bother with RP at all if they're just going to type two sentences then disappear until it is their turn to post again.

I don't mind romance in RPs, but I do not understand romance RP that is nothing but PCs making-out. Most of the time it's just boring, and other times I find it awkward and uncomfortable.

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gaia online is still up and still roleplayers keep on keeping on. they still do that. 24 years later; lol!

Oh, a lot of things.

People have already mentioned school settings, K-pop and elaborate coding, so I'll add fandom roleplays. Yeah, yeah, I get it, some folk just really want to self-insert into someone who dates their favorite character and more power to them, but it's not my cup of tea. (And before anyone starts claiming it's not about the shipping -- come on, look at the interest checks and say it's not the case for like 95% of those who ask for such roleplays.)

I also don't get slice of life. I guess it could be good in theory, but I've never once witnessed it actually being engaging when it's the 'main' genre.

.quietus said:

Oh, a lot of things.

People have already mentioned school settings, K-pop and elaborate coding, so I'll add fandom roleplays. Yeah, yeah, I get it, some folk just really want to self-insert into someone who dates their favorite character and more power to them, but it's not my cup of tea. (And before anyone starts claiming it's not about the shipping -- come on, look at the interest checks and say it's not the case for like 95% of those who ask for such roleplays.)

I also don't get slice of life. I guess it could be good in theory, but I've never once witnessed it actually being engaging when it's the 'main' genre.

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My work friend roleplays on another site much like rpnation. Inner sanctum?? she loves slice of life......

Nobility RP that focuses on a single ball/dance almost exclusively until the thread dies. Needs hunts, feasts, battles, sieges!

I similarly don't understand the appeal of using celebrities now that I've been role-playing for many years now. As a frequent gm, I've noticed that it often creates a bit of character bias. Cillian Murphy, Oscar Isaac, and Pedro Pascal are notable examples of face claims that have garnered more favor in roleplays I've been in since their popularity has grown. People have a tendency to fixate on roles they've played, or even the roleplayer themselves will lowkey create a character that is just a remixed version of their well known role.

Personally, I find it a bit distracting. I think smaller actors and models help reduce the initial bias and favor might receive from recognition alone.

I actually also feel the same about popular anime and video game characters. Gojo from JJK is a common one I see in roleplays, and I find it difficult to not compare the roleplayer's character to Gojo himself lmao

I suppose I just have to echo the sentiments of the many here since most of mine are covered! lol.

I don't understand wanting to roleplay real people, at all. I can understand the face claims thing, although I agree with another user that using a very popular person can kind of take you out of the roleplay and become an overall distraction. But I mean, I can jive with it to a certain extent. But roleplaying real people to me has always been just...odd. If I was a famous person I would feel really uncomfortable about people doing that if I knew about it, but then again, I guess you open yourself up to all kinds of weirdness when you're in the proverbial spotlight.

I also agree about coding. I don't mind other people doing it, but when I run into roleplays or people who require it from their singular roleplay partner that weirds me out. I want to write, I do not enjoy coding. I think it looks beautiful, especially for character profiles, for sure. But I have limited time to do the part I actually enjoy which is the writing, I don't want to take up additional time also coding. I don't mind for others to do it, but I don't want to be held to that same standard. Someone's writing is the same whether they code or not.

Lastly, one liners. I mean, even way back as a small child who shouldn't have had access to the internet I didn't even write one liners. Maybe just a paragraph, but even back then I understood you had to have something to actually respond to. I just don't get it. I still see people specifically requesting one liner to single paragraph roleplay styles, and I always wonder how they turn out or how long they actually go for...

Writing real people or canon characters. Half the fun of writing for me is creating my own original characters.

Cosigning .quietus's thing about fandom RPs - with the specification that for me, the stumbling block is specific to canon characters. If I wanted to write fanfic, I'd write fanfic. Got no issue with writing within an interesting world where there's room for more stories to be told, but my personal preference is for that to happen away from most of the canon so it can be less restricted.

I also don't get oc x canon RPs - I mean, I understand why they exist, and more power to those who enjoy them, but I've never really enjoyed the idea of inserting characters (ie, yourself) into an existing story. Even my custom video game protagonists are very different from me, on purpose, because that makes them more interesting! I'm already living in my head 24/7; I don't want to write about it too.

To add a new one - I don't really understand people who want their primary character in an RP to be a child. There are just... so many limitations to what a child can reasonably do, say, and understand, that it seems to deliberately make the character less able to move the story forward. I'm sure someday I'll come across someone who makes it make sense, but I haven't yet.