Experiences Guilty Pleasures

[AdrianS]

I think for many of us, the sign we've progressed in our writing and character creation means we don't fall into tired old tropes, play Sues/Stues, and come up with interesting, original content to surprise our partners and push our own limits.

But sometimes there are things you just really, really like, even if they've been done before.

Maybe it's a coffee shop AU, or an angel x demon role-play, or princess is rescued by a prince, or the bad boy has a secret sweet side.
It's okay to indulge now and then. Junk food may not be good for you, but it satisfied cravings.

What's your guilty (or not-so-guilty but you might feel awkward asking for it) pleasures in RP?

 

[letachibana]

My guilty pleasure is erotic roleplay because I'm a male individual and somehow male individual feel the itch of lust every single hour in their life 24/7 and they can't help but to relieve it.

It's annoying but can't be helped. Like, erotic roleplay is never good. It sucks. It just came to mind when you're feeling the itch of lust but after you've done the D diddling it's a total regret. 100% out of every time. But also it's kinda good???

It's 9.5 pm forgive me for this reply.

Thank you very much.

I'm Rin Tachibana, Kotenbu Official, bid farewell.

 

[rae2nerdy]

I would say with erotic content as long as your clear it is fictional and is not a reflection of your partner it’s not so bad. Not allowed on this site but not really a bad type of roleplay. I think it gets its bad wrap from men who use it as an excuse to sexually harass their partners rather than write a proper story with adult themes.

————-

I don’t really have anything I’d be embarrassed to ask for. But that’s because I am unafraid to burn bridges or lose partners. You don’t like what I like, cool don’t roleplay with me.

The thing I have a massive soft spot for is sparkle glitter camp. The Mary Sue trope pocalypse of magical girl Roleplays. Complete with girly costume changes, over the top friendship magic, and just general silliness.

Not everyone’s cup of tea but my inner five year old will always love those type of rps.

 

[salty_ moustachio]

I don't crave exactly the same thing all the time. But generally sexual tension plots. Especially when my character is on a frustrated quest to get the girl but is blocked continuously.

Hmmm. Speaking of which, now I have a strange desire for a female teacher/male student plot where the guy continously looks foolish in front of his peers for crushing on his teacher.

Yes.

(Anyone can PM me if they'd be down for that FYI).

 

[Best Trekkie.]

Generally. It is a MLP GLASS THEIR PLANET!!! kind of thing.

 

[Idea]

Guilty pleasures, guilty pleasures... well, it's hard for me to say. Usually if I shy away from asking for something it's because I think it's so unlikely the other person would also want in that I simply don't request. To me it's important that all the involved are enjoying themselves and WANT to be a part of it as much as I do. I wouldn't sacrifice writing quality for that purpose, but those are nuances outside of the topic in question here.

My point is that, I don't really have guilty pleasures, but I do certainly have things I really like/would like to have in my roleplays which I shy away from taking the innitiative on or just have found to be a little awkward at times.

Children characters- I keep talking about these, but honestly it's because I can't understand the hate given to this type of characters. They are my absolute favorite characters to play, usually the younger the better, but it's really hard to find roleplays where I can even use one. And just to clarify, I don't mean teens, I don't even mean like 10 year olds, I mean younger than that.

Anime Tropes- I tend to immediately jump to any roleplay that shows any semblance of wanting to be around anime tropes because I LOOOVE those type of meta roleplays that try to capture the spirit of an anime, rather than those just barely connected loosely-following highschool ones. I really like the high-spirited atmosphere in those types of roleplays and I like to play around with the idea of the tropes.

Planning(entirely)- Now, one might ask, well, how's THAT a guilty pleasure? Well, the thing is planning is a really hated thing it seems. And while I would argue day and night if I had to about it's benefits and productivity in the end of the day, it's hard enough to even find someone one can worldbuild properly with beforehand, much less someone willing to actually plan out the plot and follow that plan.

Harems (again, anime style)- Harem is one of my favorite anime genres. I really like the story format they have, and I wish it didn't have such bad stigma, because it's pretty much impossible to start and run one the way things are. Even proposing it sometimes leaves kind of an awkward atmosphere at times.

Magical Girls- Again, a genre of anime I love, something I want and have tried to work with in the past, unfortunately not very popular or even well-known.



I guess I'm just kind of ranting about things I think should have a better rating in the community, so I'll stick to these for now.

 

[Whisker]

Children characters- I keep talking about these, but honestly it's because I can't understand the hate given to this type of characters. They are my absolute favorite characters to play, usually the younger the better, but it's really hard to find roleplays where I can even use one. And just to clarify, I don't mean teens, I don't even mean like 10 year olds, I mean younger than that.

I'll give you two good reasons: one, they are presented as taboo in a lot of mediums because nobody wants anything bad to happen to the precious young'uns and two, they are usually played for attention and not done very well when they do show up in RP. Think of them as the equivalent as the angst-sue in the Apocalypse roleplays where they show up the most. I've had some real horrors there. *shivers*

As for myself, I gotta say battles, man. I enjoy writing fight scenes a hell of a lot. The background details. The adrenaline pumping in my character's veins. The fear for the comrade/(s). That's the kind of stuff that keeps me coming back for more.

Dark themes, too. The stuff that sends the shivers down your spine. Worlds like Soulsborne/Berserk ect.

I also tend to Idea-Vomit a lot. My brain is in constant overdrive of ideas when an RP starts. I don't even care if my partner thinks they suck. As long as they're willing to converse/listen to stuff is like my RP cocaine.

Spoiler: Shh

I also RP romance occasionally because I'm very, very, deep down a big softy.

 

[Idea]

I'll give you two good reasons: one, they are presented as taboo in a lot of mediums because nobody wants anything bad to happen to the precious young'uns and two, they are usually played for attention and not done very well when they do show up in RP. Think of them as the equivalent as the angst-sue in the Apocalypse roleplays where they show up the most. I've had some real horrors there. *shivers*

I must respectfully disagree:

1.The first reason is not a good justification period because "not wanting to see something bad happen to them" is, you know, the appeal in a lot of stories? Adventure stories for instance, you're rooting for the character so you don't want anything bad happening to them. If the emmotional attachment is imediate that's a good thing not a bad one.

2. The second reason is a bit more reasonable, but for one thing has little to no basis in reality. Now granted, I can see why one would think that way of children characters, since children characters are weaker and often need to rely on others, plus my own sample (having encountered, I think, a grand total of two or three other people actually playing these types of characters in my life) is not stellar either. However, even if we ignore the fact that, by my experience, not only are child characters not attention seekers, they are often the ones giving attention and helping the development of just about everyone else, especially those swarms of brooding anti-heroes, let's put as a hypothesis that a particular GMs has by their experience, only had bad encounters with child characters. So, what's the reason for banning? Cause for fairness, any principle here applied has to apply to every type of character with it. If you're banning on the basis of being weak or needing to rely on others, then all characters that are weak or need to rely on others should be banned. Or maybe you're banning all characters that might turn out to be attention seekers? Well, that's every type of character.
So I can see the reason for worrying in the second reason, but it's still a far cry from "a good reason", because in the end of the day it's hypocritical. You're banning a type of character for reasons that don't apply to other types. Pure, simple unfairness.


In the end of the day that's really all I'm saying. That this type of character, child characters, is underappreciated and treated unfairly. If you're a GM and want to ban child characters, you have that right. It's not fair, but you do have the right. Heck, when I ban demons in my roleplays because I personally can't stand people playing demons, that isn't fair of me either. I do it because in pratice I can't hold my temper with those sorts of things going around, and I need to control myself if I want to be a good GM.

I can understand why people ban child characters. But I have yet to find a single good reason. An element that both singles out child characters and makes them an inherent problem that can't be solved by minimally competent writing.

 

[Lappi]

Erotic RP done right, with time to respond and plenty of time to think is my little indulgence.
Of course it comes with the immediate regret afterwords but like most of the male sex I feel the need to be at least a little but horny 24/7.

 

[Whisker]

I must respectfully disagree:

1.The first reason is not a good justification period because "not wanting to see something bad happen to them" is, you know, the appeal in a lot of stories? Adventure stories for instance, you're rooting for the character so you don't want anything bad happening to them. If the emmotional attachment is imediate that's a good thing not a bad one.

2. The second reason is a bit more reasonable, but for one thing has little to no basis in reality. Now granted, I can see why one would think that way of children characters, since children characters are weaker and often need to rely on others, plus my own sample (having encountered, I think, a grand total of two or three other people actually playing these types of characters in my life) is not stellar either. However, even if we ignore the fact that, by my experience, not only are child characters not attention seekers, they are often the ones giving attention and helping the development of just about everyone else, especially those swarms of brooding anti-heroes, let's put as a hypothesis that a particular GMs has by their experience, only had bad encounters with child characters. So, what's the reason for banning? Cause for fairness, any principle here applied has to apply to every type of character with it. If you're banning on the basis of being weak or needing to rely on others, then all characters that are weak or need to rely on others should be banned. Or maybe you're banning all characters that might turn out to be attention seekers? Well, that's every type of character.
So I can see the reason for worrying in the second reason, but it's still a far cry from "a good reason", because in the end of the day it's hypocritical. You're banning a type of character for reasons that don't apply to other types. Pure, simple unfairness.


In the end of the day that's really all I'm saying. That this type of character, child characters, is underappreciated and treated unfairly. If you're a GM and want to ban child characters, you have that right. It's not fair, but you do have the right. Heck, when I ban demons in my roleplays because I personally can't stand people playing demons, that isn't fair of me either. I do it because in pratice I can't hold my temper with those sorts of things going around, and I need to control myself if I want to be a good GM.

I can understand why people ban child characters. But I have yet to find a single good reason. An element that both singles out child characters and makes them an inherent problem that can't be solved by minimally competent writing.

1) I think you're misunderstanding. In most media, depicting harm to a child in any kind of adult theme is censored in a lot of countries and becomes a boatload of controversy. Harm to a child does not follow standard conventional "I don't want to see bad things happen to them" so much as it becomes "drops this like it is hot" material due to discomfort levels. I have a few roleplay sites I RP on in addition to RPN that even have rules dictating when and where non-npc children can be written for this purpose.

2) I am speaking from my experience here. I have had several roleplays, especially in a particular genre, where non-npc child characters have been written as overly cutesy angst-machines that do very little to add meaningfully to the roleplay besides angst or turn the roleplay about them. I have also seen the bipolar psycho child-soldier types that do things beyond their age capabilities to the point of being OP. Why is this relevant? It ties in with my first point that most people are not going to feel entirely comfortable writing back to harm a child. They just aren't.

I am not saying you're wrong. I can even agree to a certain extent that child characters do have a place in certain settings because they are there in real life whether we like that fact or not. However, it all boils down to personal comfort-zone levels, and I doubt I am alone in saying as an adult male over the age of 20, that I would much rather not deal with them in this context.

 

[Idea]

1) I think you're misunderstanding. In most media, depicting harm to a child in any kind of adult theme is censored in a lot of countries and becomes a boatload of controversy. Harm to a child does not follow standard conventional "I don't want to see bad things happen to them" so much as it becomes "drops this like it is hot" material due to discomfort levels. I have a few roleplay sites I RP on in addition to RPN that even have rules dictating when and where non-npc children can be written for this purpose.

2) I am speaking from my experience here. I have had several roleplays, especially in a particular genre, where non-npc child characters have been written as overly cutesy angst-machines that do very little to add meaningfully to the roleplay besides angst or turn the roleplay about them. I have also seen the bipolar psycho child-soldier types that do things beyond their age capabilities to the point of being OP. Why is this relevant? It ties in with my first point that most people are not going to feel entirely comfortable writing back to harm a child. They just aren't.

I am not saying you're wrong. I can even agree to a certain extent that child characters do have a place in certain settings because they are there in real life whether we like that fact or not. However, it all boils down to personal comfort-zone levels, and I doubt I am alone in saying as an adult male over the age of 20, that I would much rather not deal with them in this context.

Sure. Nobody has to roleplay with things they are uncomfortable with if they don't want to, it's fine that way. But it isn't fair nor a good reason.

Frankly all the reasons you've given me for what I labeled "hate" of child character usage, are things I've heard before. When I said I don't understand it's not that I am not aware of the reasons,I just can't see them as anything with an actual ground. They just don't hold up you isolate them.

For instance, you say some people are uncomfortable with harming a child in media. Why is that though? It's a fictional character like any other. If it's because harming children in real life makes you uncomfortable, does that mean harming people who are teens or adults is ok with you? I imagine not, so again, what makes this case so different?

In another example, sure children may perhaps often be played poorly... just like 90% of other character types. Which is no reason to ban those entirely, I don't see every brooding or playboy character being banned because they are portrayed terribly most of the time, so I ask once more: What makes this case so different?


If you're not trying to say I'm wrong, then I must question what the pertinence of your innitial comment to me was. I complained about the unfair presence of a bias that prevents me from participating in a ton of roleplays with my favorite character type. Because other people don't like my type of character, even if I play it quite competently, not only am I not given a chance to do it, there have even been cases where I've been put down for trying. I am not stating nobody has reasons to have this bias or that they don't have the right to exercise it, I am merely saying the reasons they have, among those I've been shown to this day, are not enough reason to justify the type of action they take about it, or at least not enough to make that action fair. The only reason to ban a type of character is if there is something inherent to that type of character that is problematic, disliking it is not enough.

 

[Whisker]

Sure. Nobody has to roleplay with things they are uncomfortable with if they don't want to, it's fine that way. But it isn't fair nor a good reason.

Uhm, yes. Actually it is. Especially when there are laws outside of the US regulating what can and cannot be done with children.

Frankly all the reasons you've given me for what I labeled "hate" of child character usage, are things I've heard before. When I said I don't understand it's not that I am not aware of the reasons,I just can't see them as anything with an actual ground. They just don't hold up you isolate them.

For instance, you say some people are uncomfortable with harming a child in media. Why is that though? It's a fictional character like any other. If it's because harming children in real life makes you uncomfortable, does that mean harming people who are teens or adults is ok with you? I imagine not, so again, what makes this case so different?

In another example, sure children may perhaps often be played poorly... just like 90% of other character types. Which is no reason to ban those entirely, I don't see every brooding or playboy character being banned because they are portrayed terribly most of the time, so I ask once more: What makes this case so different?

If you're not trying to say I'm wrong, then I must question what the pertinence of your innitial comment to me was. I complained about the unfair presence of a bias that prevents me from participating in a ton of roleplays with my favorite character type. Because other people don't like my type of character, even if I play it quite competently, not only am I not given a chance to do it, there have even been cases where I've been put down for trying. I am not stating nobody has reasons to have this bias or that they don't have the right to exercise it, I am merely saying the reasons they have, among those I've been shown to this day, are not enough reason to justify the type of action they take about it, or at least not enough to make that action fair. The only reason to ban a type of character is if there is something inherent to that type of character that is problematic, disliking it is not enough.

If you have heard them before, then you've been told the same by other people. Just because you don't value their reasons or dismiss their experiences because it is something you want to do or think you can do better, does not make it any less of a valid reason.

My initial reason for commenting was because I assumed you were being genuine in that you really did not understand why including really young child characters may be found inappropriate or disliked by some roleplayers in the community. I thought I would mention some of the horror stories I have come across in dealing with child characters. I can see now that this is not the case, and I refuse to sit here all afternoon arguing about what should and should not make people uncomfortable, whether its fair or not, and what constitutes a "good" reason in a thread aimed at expressing guilty pleasures.

 

[rae2nerdy]

I also think people put children in roleplays where they either disrupt the narrative or don’t fit. What use is a child in zombie apocalypse?

Why not make an adoption story or play to the strengths of over the top cutesy kids?

Magical girl roleplay has tons of these types and no one bitches about that. I mean I’d love to see kids in adoption stories or magical kid stories.

I have even set them up before.

And yeah children are not a favorite of most people.

My personal theory is that children are too far outside of people’s personal experience to write.

Unless you have children or younger siblings your not going to be familiar with how kids behave or act.

So you get people playing tiny adults.

And at that point might as well play an actual adult

 

[Whisker]

I also think people put children in roleplays where they either disrupt the narrative or don’t fit. What use is a child in zombie apocalypse?

Why not make an adoption story or play to the strengths of over the top cutesy kids?

Magical girl roleplay has tons of these types and no one bitches about that. I mean I’d love to see kids in adoption stories or magical kid stories.

I have even set them up before.

And yeah children are not a favorite of most people.

My personal theory is that children are too far outside of people’s personal experience to write.

Unless you have children or younger siblings your not going to be familiar with how kids behave or act.

So you get people playing tiny adults.

And at that point might as well play an actual adult

I wouldn't say too far outside the experience. Everyone has been a child at some point or been around children. It's more like when you're writing a story with other people and you're expected to carry your own weight, children characters are severely limited in how they can do that. They can be good thieves, maybe. They can do minor jobs. Like count bullets, hand out stuff. Other than that, they're dead weight and could be better serviced by an adult character.

Yeah, I understand in real life there will be children. And they're there in movies doing all sorts of jazz. In an rp situation, they just make things more difficult on other people to write and respond outside of protecting the little emotional bundles. And if you don't choose to protect the little emotional bundles, you're a "meany" and out comes the floodgates of emotional angst.

 

[rae2nerdy]

Well yeah but the problem with we were all children is - like that was over two decades ago for me. Not exactly a time I remember well. And those closer to children age ( I.e. teens ) tend not to be particularly interested in those type of stories. They tend to age their characters up not down.


That said I will agree limited mobility in a lot of stories can turn people off as well

 

[Idea]

Uhm, yes. Actually it is. Especially when there are laws outside of the US regulating what can and cannot be done with children.

Sure, but I don't think anyone is gonna be depicting rape to this children.

If you have heard them before, then you've been told the same by other people. Just because you don't value their reasons or dismiss their experiences because it is something you want to do or think you can do better, does not make it any less of a valid reason.

No it does not make them any less valid, but they weren't valid in the first place. Your experiences aren't wrong, nor are your feelings, they just aren't something that I believe or can believe justifies weighing me down. I never once said this cannot make people uncomfortable or they shouldn't be, I am saying THEM being uncomfortable and I not being allowed to participate is not a fair justification.

I agree that we shouldn't be arguing about this, but you commented on my words. If you wish to stop it's a simple matter of not replying and I won't have to reply anymore, and then we can go separate ways with no hard feelings, hopefully.

I also think people put children in roleplays where they either disrupt the narrative or don’t fit. What use is a child in zombie apocalypse?

Why not make an adoption story or play to the strengths of over the top cutesy kids?

Magical girl roleplay has tons of these types and no one bitches about that. I mean I’d love to see kids in adoption stories or magical kid stories.

I have even set them up before.

And yeah children are not a favorite of most people.

My personal theory is that children are too far outside of people’s personal experience to write.

Unless you have children or younger siblings your not going to be familiar with how kids behave or act.

So you get people playing tiny adults.

And at that point might as well play an actual adult

I guess that makes sense, but again that's a reason for people not to play the character not one to ban them from your roleplay.

 

[rae2nerdy]

I didn’t say anyone was banning them?

 

[Idea]

I didn’t say anyone was banning them?

I know you didn't, I did, that was the topic

 

[rae2nerdy]

I was just explaining where children might fit AND another reason people might not play them.

Even then I think children can fit in plenty of roleplays if you wish to tell their story. I don’t know how easy it will be. But there are plenty of ideas that are hard to get off the ground. Sometimes the idea just might not speak to people atm.

 

[Idea]

I was just explaining where children might fit AND another reason people might not play them.

Even then I think children can fit in plenty of roleplays if you wish to tell their story. I don’t know how easy it will be. But there are plenty of ideas that are hard to get off the ground. Sometimes the idea just might not speak to people atm.

Oh I see. Pardon my misunderstanding then.

 

[AdrianS]

I don't care for roleplaying young children, personally, since I have very little experience with them (nor do I really like them;; ) IRL. They do make for cute additions during family stuff, though, or, on the darker side, decent motivators for other characters. But since they literally don't have very advanced capacity for reasoning or highly advanced personalities due to limited life experience, they seem like they'd be hard to make compelling for long.

But I mean if that's your thing, more power to you and good luck in your searching. it's a guilty pleasures thread, after all.

 

[lychee]

1. vampires. definitely vampires. ever since i was a teenager, i've loved those creatures of the night. it seems like i can't post a single search or create a character without wanting to include a bloodsucker somewhere. they're passionate, they're misunderstood, they live off of the very sustenance we need to survive. i love them. i suppose my fascination mostly comes from their viewpoints of themselves; the whole 'i'm a monster that doesn't deserve love, i'm going to hell, where do i belong in this world?' sort of thing. i've always had a soft spot for characters like that.

2. dark themes. i've come across lots of posts where disgust is expressed for these sorts of things, especially when it comes to power imbalance. i love them, really. then again, i love playing characters that come off as a little odd and unhinged so i suppose it isn't that surprising.

3. taboo subjects. this can fall into the dark themes, i suppose. nothing incestual. things like teacher x student, younger x older, etc. as long as things stay in the realm of consent, i think these ideas can be interesting and fun. it allows us to play something that's outside of the norm, outside of what's generally accepted in society.

4. though i'm terrible at it, i love erotic roleplay. it's not something i go searching for (especially not here, where it isn't allowed). i'm asexual in real life and have no desire to engage in activities like that. i suppose writing it gives me a way to experience that without... actually having to experience it. sex can reveal sides of people that they generally don't show the public. sex is a vulnerable and tender thing. it's messy and gross but it's beautiful, too. i really like making it sound as poetic as i can.

5. i also really love monster girls? don't know why. probably because they aren't human. fits back in with that whole 'against the norm' and 'doesn't really fit into society' kind of thing.

 

[Malkav]

I like pretending to be an anime waifu and catch Pokemans. Don't hate.

 

[MechanicalSnake]

4. though i'm terrible at it, i love erotic roleplay. it's not something i go searching for (especially not here, where it isn't allowed). i'm asexual in real life and have no desire to engage in activities like that. i suppose writing it gives me a way to experience that without... actually having to experience it. sex can reveal sides of people that they generally don't show the public. sex is a vulnerable and tender thing. it's messy and gross but it's beautiful, too. i really like making it sound as poetic as i can.

Can relate. I'm asexual (or demisexual at best) female IRL. Totally not interested in sex. But I thoroughly enjoy m/m erotic roleplay, when it occurs. I am not even ashamed for it tho. I mean why not!

 

[MechanicalSnake]

And, I think, my guilty pleasure was actually roleplaying Laurell K. Hamilton's books at one time. Because I love them, even though I know they are shameless trash.