Experiences Do you prefer to only role-play with users who use BBC code?

[Zyrelle]

The title is a pretty self explanatory question.

If you knew me, you’d know that I have the attention span of a five year old, I cannot sit still for longer than a minute literally, which means that I can‘t sit down and learn how to use the whole BBC code thing, I‘m also not particularly...patient In that sense. Anyways, that means despite how desperately I wish to be creative and use the beautiful codes, I can’t.

Nearly everyone I’ve stumbled upon on here - use codes, and it sometimes (through no fault of anyone else’s!) makes me feel insecure, so, I guess I’m wondering: Do you prefer to only role-play with users who use BBC code?

 

[rae2nerdy]

No. As long as I can read your post I don’t care what it looks like.

 

[Ayama]

I've definitely been conditioned to appreciate codes and formatting, as a result of my experiences with RPing and just the way my brain is wired. However, having awesome RPing partners who write interesting characters for mine to interact with and whose posts are fun/exciting to read is always going to be the highest priority, so if given the choice between interesting and well-written but un-formatted posts, or empty/uninteresting but pretty and formatted posts, I will always choose the former. And I'm fairly certain most people who enjoy using codes feel the same way as well, so if I were you I wouldn't worry about it~

That said, when I'm GMing, I have asked that all the players add basic information to their posts (even if it's not with any fancy coding), just to help everyone else keep track of things ^^

 

[RP-Missy]

I'm on the boat with you about codes. I don't mind them but feel a little intimidated. Hope to overcome that feeling. I'm just too lazy to code.

 

[Damafaud]

I'm not against RPing with those that can't code though I prefer coding. I notice that people that code their post usually put their character's location and current action somewhere easily accessible in their code. They also put up pictures of their characters or put a good and centred character name on the top of their post. It just makes reading posts easier, you know?

Like, when the RP is currently in a combat scene where a difference of 'being in the same room' and '2 meters apart from each other' can determine the flow of battle, summarized info of characters' current location, action, and tags of the users and characters people are interacting with can avoid many confusion.

The code doesn't need to be fancy; just smack a good ol' character name in the middle with a 54pt font size or something.

 

[Delinquent]

Nah, if anything I prefer to rp with people who don't use it all.

Yeah, it looks pretty and all but like two thirds of posts made with BB Code are unreadable on mobile.

 

[Crayons]

I prefer there to be no bbcode. I find it distracting. It wouldn't necessarily stop me RPing with someone who used it, as long as it wasn't over the top, but I wouldn't use it myself unless the rp demanded it.

Writing is about communication, if the bbcode is the focal point rather than the content of the post then I really can't be doing with it.

 

[CrowOuttaHell]

I find that I'm pretty indifferent about BBCode. I'm fine with people using them, and even do use them if only to make the character sheet and posting just a little bit more unique (or just to keep things organized, like sorting character information into tabs.) As long as it's not getting in the way (like overt, rainbow colors or rapidly differing font sizes.)

The same goes for players who don't use BBCode. I mean, I personally have a friend who doesn't. As long as you write clear enough, you're all good to me.

 

[Onmyoji]

I prefer to rp with those who don't use codes, because I'm often reading from mobile and reading posts with a lot of pretty codes is a pain on mobile more often than not. In many cases you either can't read the post at all or it appears very messed up on the screen.

Coding is a bonus, not a requirement for roleplaying. So you shouldn't feel bad about not using them.

 

[Malphaestus]

I appreciate code to a large degree, and used to do it way back when the site looked a lot differently. I've sense forgotten how to do it, and do not yet feel conditioned to pursue it any longer.

It is aesthetically pleasing, but its contents take the immeasurable majority of my attention.

 

[saccharine]

i personally use and make codes, and that’s just my personal preference — i love the visual appeal — but i don’t really care whether my partners or players use it. the only thing i draw the line at with bbcode is if people either a) require it or b) deny you from the roleplay because you aren’t using code or your code is not “good enough”. now, the second instance is admittedly rare, but things can get a bit cliquey here sometimes regarding codes and i try to stay out of that.

 

[Cassie Lang]

I don't care if someone uses BBCode or not. I do care, though, when people get excessive with BBCode and start shoving their posts in little "aesthetic boxes". At least make it readable if you're using BBCode.

 

[still watching fma]

I think they look cool,but never put the effort to learn how to use bbc.

 

[Shuusuke]

I use it only to make it more organized/legible, but I've also seen it used to the opposite effect as repeatedly mentioned in this thread already. Things like using italic for a character's thoughts, using different colors when multiple characters are having a conversation, and putting a header on the post which lists the characters/players involved in a scene, where/when it's taking place, etc. I don't mind if people don't do that, but it's easier to visualize if they do.

 

[ashwynne]

My preference is no coding. Writing is a descriptive activity so imo there should be no need to include any extra information outside of the IC writing itself and I find no formatting (beyond punctuation, paragraph breaks etc) flows best. That said, for the sake of aesthetics, I will mirror whatever the group/my partner does because I like things to match.

 

[Lorsh]

imagine not roleplaying with someone who doesn't use bbcode

 

[VALEN T.]

i like coding and prefer coding my replies bc it makes them look nicer and more compact.

It’s not really a requirement for my rp partners to do the same for theirs but boy, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t appreciate it: it gets me excited to reply yknow ?

that being said I’ve had a handful of partners who started coding their replies bc I was doing so and man, I love them (‘:

 

[Idea]

I am very much a fan of coding, in RP but especially in character sheets and interest checks. That said, I do not require coding from my partners whatsoever, albeit I am more willing to pay more attention to interest checks that can catch my eye with their code than just any old regular check.

Ultimately though, as long as my partner is fine with me using code, that’s what I need. I code for myself, because I like it, ain’t a necessity in any way.

 

[Kazami42]

Don't care, even used it myself originally. When a thing I made looked like a non-spaced broken frankenstein's monster in an update, I never used it again besides spoilers unless it might be cool and fitting, or I made up a non-code equivalent like with brackets, when I ain't using it for rare instances in a summary of a post IC. Like in event some genius doesn't own an ooc or I'm showing off what year it is. If you do code or not, that's cool. But just make it readable without effort, not trying to decipher it like it's the enigma machine's code. I'd only do that if it literally is the enigma's code and a part of the actual storyline. Even then, should be optional.

My trench is dug in when some better than thou jackwagon is behind the wheel.
Example I: "I reject this because it doesn't involve coding" It's RP, shouldn't even be criteria.
Example II: "I write in font size .0001 in a tiny dark box that even on light theme you can't see, without performing Assassin's creed eagle vision." What the hell is this? Why?
Example III: "So yeah buddy, is that a placeholder? I'll authorize a rewrite/edit." You get what I bother giving you and you can learn to accept it.
Etcetera.

I shouldn't feel like I'm fighting Stalingrad with extra mental gymnastics just to roleplay in these rare times on any platform. Bbcode shouldn't be a criteria for roleplaying, and another player or I shouldn't feel demonized or being Dio for refusing to use code. Literally every necessary element for RPing can be done by typing/writing it in, rather than spending a few extra minutes writing the code or using button prompts. You can separate story arcs or scenes by writing --- than the code version for example. You can write the name of a character, place, country, and time as the header. You don't have to sometimes reinsert an entire day's worth of code because a site/code update breaks and gets rid of it. Posts just like this one is more durable and lasting than code.

Non-coders should be treated as anyone else regardless of what their choice or ability is. But don't tell that to these mannequins masquerading as a human being. They won't ever listen to you without having to fight it. I commit the roleplayer's deadly sin of assumption to say maybe they feel rebellious over it. Still absolutely idiotic. Don't even get me started if you find the .0000000000000.01 code elitist, flaunting code about like you're intellectually a wall if you aren't on par or even use code. They make everyone that takes the time out of their day to actually bother doing code look bad. If the few I know of even use or are on this site trying to join my future projects, I'll just permanently reject whatever they send in. And only two actually are here. I don't need everyone descending into chaos because of one of these types existing there.

 

[SilverArrow]

I like its use when it is to make things more organized. I don't have a personal preference, both are fine. As long as there are paragraph breaks, and the text is a reasonable size and colour, it works for me.

As long as the writing gets across, it shouldn't matter if BB code is being used or not.

 

[BlackoutThieving]

I guess I can’t complain about people enjoying aesthetics, or it would be hypocritical, rather, as I have an extension that gives all text the Arial font, purely because I dislike how other fonts look and that Arial is simply easy to read. However, BBCode is simply distracting and a lot of people abuse it by trying to give things an aesthetic, creating posts that are close to unreadable on mobile and require undeserved effort to read on PC. I don’t mind character name headers, location headers, interactions, or even colored dialogue, but if you put your post in a box you’re just being wack for no reason. Besides, BBCode abusers tend to be the same people that think coloring your text, using a weird font or not capitalizing properly is a personality trait, so I personally see no reason to deal with their semantics.

 

[Malphaestus]

BBCode makes my eyes hurt more often than it doesn't; some over-elaborate to degrees of redundancy and it is painful to see.

 

[peritwinkle]

I hate the look of bbcode in roleplays and threads, and will probably (if not always) opt out of roleplays if my partner uses it and/or requires me to do the same.

I usually try to match my font with my partner’s in RP threads, maybe we’ll add a fancy divider, but that’s about as far as I’m willing to go. I find bbcode to be really distracting (I need my stuff to look clean and minimal for me to be able to focus on reading) and completely unnecessary. Not to mention most styles aren’t mobile friendly, and I mostly access this site on my phone.

 

[totsiens.]

as someone who used to roleplay on amino, bbcode is incredible. i've looked through the bbcode center and found some mindblowing stuff. i can definitely say i would prefer roleplaying with those who use it, as i really enjoy aesthetics. however, looking through these responses has me concerned that it will be unreadable in some cases. so, i guess it depends for me. i wouldn't mind posts without bbcode (because i'm used to that), but i also wouldn't mind posts with it.

 

[Jet]

imagine not roleplaying with someone who doesn't use bbcode

RPN used to be that way, people here were annoying af. RPs required heavy coded character sheets and many required code frames in posts. I'd say half the projects here required coding in one way or another. As someone who thinks code is frivolous and doesn't use/understand it, it always pissed me off. GMs would deny your well done character submission because the code wasn't done right lmfao. Thank God people grew up.

Many times they were hyper complex codes too, not some very basic thing, so annoying.

Seems this website matured, fascination with the book bindings is juvenile. Content >