Anyone else here make/play a lot of child characters?

[DrTrollinski]

Now, I'm sort of limited on what I mean by this - I'm not referring to the 'cutesy kids that are dumb as bricks and only exist as filler characters' or anything like that. Nor am I talking about the kids that are somehow world-class assassins who also have an IQ higher than Einstein.


I'm talking about well-developed child characters, aged 4 to let's say 14. 


I'm someone who makes a fair few in my RP's as I feel like they sort of bring two worlds together if you do it correctly, and give a lot of different room in the RP in the way of development and opportunities.


I've also found that people willing to play a character below the age of 15 is quite rare here.


Anyone else here someone who enjoys playing them? 

 

[call me rae]

I love Harry Potter adoption Roleplays and just random child Roleplays. I especially love kid sidekicks.


but yeah people will not play a person under like fourteen for love or money. Even if I'm offering to be the one to play the child against an adult character they're like....nah.


its cuz about a cool 90% of all Roleplays revolve around romance or the potential for romance

 

[JRPG]

I don't necessarily enjoy RPing a certain age, but I do RP child characters, when the plot/character sheet allows me to use such a character.

 

[Idea]

I RP, by default almost, child characters. I agree that it is quite underexplored. I´ve even made it a personal goal to one day roleplay a viable 1 year old character.

 

[ewolf20]

I would give it shot if the roleplay allows it. heck, I'm making such a roleplay. 

 

[amdreams]

I've tried playing child characters and rps revolving around children, like 3 times. All 3 unfortunately failing, mainly due to lack of interest or rather consistent interest. Personally, I think playing a child character, in a setting where it's possible, is interesting. You've got so many weaknesses and obstacles that come from your age alone. You're small and weak. You can't just go buy a gun or whatever thing you probably need to fight a big baddie. No one believes you when you try to tell them a evil clown demon is kidnapping and eating kids. You probably can't read words longer than 3 syllables, much less translate Latin inscriptions.


Unfortunately, it's pretty hard to play a child character in a way that's interesting and realistic at the same time. From what I've seen, and only what I've seen (I do acknowledge that it's possible to play a child well and that it exists somewhere), people playing children usually fall into 2 categories: the trying to hard cutsie angel and the tiny adult. You've either got the doe-eyed little girl wearing a frilly dress or a sweater too big for her that just loves everyone and everything, except conveniently anyone who seems like a bad guy, that everyone has to find adorable or the writer will not stop trying to shove how "cute" she is down your character's throat. Or you've got the 10 year old who somehow has the skills, knowledge and personality of someone much older than them and none of the obstacles of being 10, like how did she get into a dangerous mission for adults? Or why is she in a class that she wasn't allowed in? Oh, but she can't add large numbers and misses her dad so that makes everything . . . normal?


I really would love to try a child centered rp again though. I think it's something that's worth trying.

 

[ewolf20]

15 minutes ago, amdreams said:



I've tried playing child characters and rps revolving around children, like 3 times. All 3 unfortunately failing, mainly due to lack of interest or rather consistent interest. Personally, I think playing a child character, in a setting where it's possible, is interesting. You've got so many weaknesses and obstacles that come from your age alone. You're small and weak. You can't just go buy a gun or whatever thing you probably need to fight a big baddie. No one believes you when you try to tell them a evil clown demon is kidnapping and eating kids. You probably can't read words longer than 3 syllables, much less translate Latin inscriptions.


Unfortunately, it's pretty hard to play a child character in a way that's interesting and realistic at the same time. From what I've seen, and only what I've seen (I do acknowledge that it's possible to play a child well and that it exists somewhere), people playing children usually fall into 2 categories: the trying to hard cutsie angel and the tiny adult. You've either got the doe-eyed little girl wearing a frilly dress or a sweater too big for her that just loves everyone and everything, except conveniently anyone who seems like a bad guy, that everyone has to find adorable or the writer will not stop trying to shove how "cute" she is down your character's throat. Or you've got the 10 year old who somehow has the skills, knowledge and personality of someone much older than them and none of the obstacles of being 10, like how did she get into a dangerous mission for adults? Or why is she in a class that she wasn't allowed in? Oh, but she can't add large numbers and misses her dad so that makes everything . . . normal?


I really would love to try a child centered rp again though. I think it's something that's worth trying.




 

....is the idea of a middle school roleplay seem good? honestly, I haven't seen one that worked yet. 

 

[Spinach]

I've never had the chance to play an underaged character. Usually because the rules didn't support it (in TRPG), or because of the general consensus around the table. As much as I think it'd be an interesting and engaging challenge, I have to say it'll have to be a venture that *everyone* is in on. An unanimous decision, so to speak. 


With that said though I think it'll be a fun idea to have an 'all children protagonist' horror RP game where you are childhood friends who realise the sinister undercurrent of your hometown. Kind of like Crayon Shin-chan: the Storm called: The Adult Empire Strikes Back, Babadook (except with multiple households), or Stephen King's It. 

 

[DrTrollinski]

I've never had the chance to play an underaged character. Usually because the rules didn't support it (in TRPG), or because of the general consensus around the table. As much as I think it'd be an interesting and engaging challenge, I have to say it'll have to be a venture that *everyone* is in on. An unanimous decision, so to speak. 


With that said though I think it'll be a fun idea to have an 'all children protagonist' horror RP game where you are childhood friends who realise the sinister undercurrent of your hometown. Kind of like Crayon Shin-chan: the Storm called: The Adult Empire Strikes Back, Babadook (except with multiple households), or Stephen King's It. 

I really like that idea.

 

[Spinach]

I really like that idea.

Yeah horror is one scenario I see people wanting to play child characters and not worry too much about how 'comfortable' they are. Everyone loves the Goonies or Stranger Things. Although I don't know how well a horror series would work because everyone has different expectation of how a horror should feel. 


Some people want a horror that can be felt and named ("werewolves" or "Leatherface"), while still others enjoy a more 'we don't know what it is and truly, we never will' kind of a feel of the Babadook (where the horror is more metaphorical). 


A basic horror plot would go something like this: 

Spoiler

A new family moves into a quiet little town/suburb. Has a kid. Let's call him Bob.


The kid joins the local clique of similar aged kids (the protagonists). 


Soon, for one reason or another Bob suspects one of his parent has become a werewolf. Let's say it's his father


Although the other children laugh it off, soon they begin to see new details in *their* parents' lives that make them suspect something is afoot.


Perhaps their mother seems distant, their father more irritable than usual. 


Then Bob's mother disappears, and he is told (by his father) that his mother 'is sick, but will come back soon'. 


This sparks what kindling of a panic that besets the new kid, who convinces everyone in the clique to take matters into their own hands


 


Then, things can go anywhere from the scale of:


- Alice in Wonderland (the threat was all in their mind, and situation is resolved by the kids fighting off their imagined threats.);


(In this case, a good horror would probably imply that the kids then must have done something cruel and unspeakable thinking the threats were real)


 


- Stranger Things/It (something indeed *is* afoot... except it's not werewolves. They fend off the threat with the gears they prepared to fight werewolves. No one other than these kids would ever be privy to this experience.); to


 


- Children of the Corn (where children flip out, somehow hold all the adult population in hostage)


 


Wrapped up by Bob's mother returning home with his baby sister, restoring the semblance of normalcy to their lives once more. 


But they'll know... if darkness comes once more to Greyford Ashes, they'll be there to keep their family safe.

 

[Idea]

I once took the popular "fantasy high school" thing and tried giving it a spin by making it into a kindergarten instead. It didn't go so bad, actually, though it still died for schedule reasons.

 

[Spinach]

JL8 is a good fanmade comic about DC Comics' superheroes (and villains) as little kids. 

 

[wonderandawe]

I just finished a quest with a 13 year old protagonist.  

 

[Julian Spooner]

I'm role playing some 12-13 year old characters at the mo. But it's in a fantasy medieval roleplay where they are training to be Knights, so it feels quite different than if I were to play a modern child.


Its the wider context that makes these characters enjoyable: they're interacting in a certain context which means they form particular relationships, and it's really fun to play the Strapping Young Ladtm. 


Its also enjoyable because we plan to RP these characters through to adulthood (with sizeable time-skips, obviously), so you're always thinking about how they will grow and develop. Also we throw in adult characters for them to interact with. 


The hardest bit is getting them to sound age-appropriate, especially when you're dying to say something witty. But I just take a slightly relaxed approach because 1) it's fantasy 2) it's medieval 3) it's set in a particular world loosely adapted from YA-ish novels so witty teenagers are pretty standard. 


Anyone else playing a character who they who they plan to age as they go? 

 

[Julian Spooner]

Here's one of my bb bois 




Not sure what it'd be like throwing him into other fantasy RP. 

 

[Negative Zone]

Child characters are probably one of the biggest holes in my RP experience. I didn't even really play kids much when I was a kid myself and roleplaying. I do think I'd like to give it a go sometime but since I basically only do fandom stuff and most of my favorite fandoms usually have a cast of mostly adults, it becomes kind of difficult.


A magical girl-themed RP, perhaps? I could see myself getting into that...

 

[Lost Swordlance]

There is multiple reasons why I dislike playing with child PCs, even more in a fantasy setting :


- Either they are normal kids that need to be protected, feeded etc. (Which is boring when you want to be a paladin and not a nanny) 


- Or they are way too badass kids that are more powerful than you despite your years of training and equipement, often justificating themselves by an overused trope like a curse or he is just a genius. 


- More often then not, they are poor. POOR orphans, that absolutly need someone to help them not to do anything. 


- They reject your multiples tries to make them interesting. (Never accepting to learn any job, or to become your apprentice) 


Bottom word, you are fired. 

 

[StoneWolf18]

I have trouble wrapping my mind around the thought process of someone who is within that age range for some reason, which is why I normally stick to 21+ but have been gravitating towards eariy to mid thirties as of late. I feel like I could try to play a child character, but I have a sort of bias against younger protagonists/antagonists considering the way they are most often portrayed in more popular forms media. Pick up a book where the main character is a 12 year old girl, and she's saving the damn world while her parents don't give a shit.


I'm not saying it younger characters CANT be played well, it's just more difficult to make them believable (and or not cliche as all hell) considering I've seen 10 year olds act like a matured adult of twenty before.

 

[punkinblackk]

. Pick up a book where the main character is a 12 year old girl, and she's saving the damn world while her parents don't give a shit.

Or her parents are dead/not available/scientific experiment

 

[StoneWolf18]

Or her parents are dead/not available/scientific experiment

Or she knows everything in the world but isn't attending school in the middle of the year.

 

[punkinblackk]

Or she knows everything in the world but isn't attending school in the middle of the year.

Or he's a super genius millionaire brat that does whatever he wants because money

 

[StoneWolf18]

Or he's a super genius millionaire brat that does whatever he wants because money

Or they have friends that are years older than them and are taking a romantic interest but it isn't creepy.

 

[punkinblackk]

Or they have friends that are years older than them and are taking a romantic interest but it isn't creepy.

No of course not, because it's totally not creepy for the thirteen year old to be crushing on a 19+ year old, and totally not a pedophile when the 19+ year old at some point probably at least sort of returns the interest. 

 

[Lord Pug]

I play a lot of young characters since...well, I'm 13 years old so I like playing characters that are similarly aged to me.

No of course not, because it's totally not creepy for the thirteen year old to be crushing on a 19+ year old, and totally not a pedophile when the 19+ year old at some point probably at least sort of returns the interest. 

Why is it creepy for a 13 year old to crush on a 19 year old? When I was 4 years old I had a crush on a 10 year old but it was just a crush.

 

[Julian Spooner]

Wow, y'all really hate books for teen girls. Kids can do all sorts of cool crazy stuff in novels, with parents conveniently absent, it's called fantasy and/or wish fulfillment. Not that that's the only kind of story you can write for pre-teens, but I certainly don't begrudge them it.