Advice/Help How Do I Get Players to Make Characters Without Being Too Pushy?

[Le Sigh]

About 2-3 weeks ago, I created an RP titled Imperion (Dark Post-Apoc Fantasy RP). I received a large influx of fifteen players, to which I was ecstatic that so many people had taken interest in my RP! So I closed it at the end of the week and put up the CS thread.

It's been over 2 weeks and only 5 people have made characters.

I'd just like to point out that I wasn't oblivious to the possibility that people might not be actually able to join in the RP. Not long after I made the CS thread someone had told me that they had become very busy and left, saying how they didn't want to quit mid-RP and ruin everything. I was fine with this, and even told everyone else (in the main thread) that if they even thought they might not be able to participate they should DM me, and that I'd be fine with it.

2 weeks, and 2/3 of the players who signed up are MIA. No DMs, no characters, no nothing. I really want to just DM them and remind them or ask if they still want in, but I'm worried I might be pushing it too much. I don't know how they might react to somebody always standing over their shoulder and saying "Hey remember to do this thing!" again and again. Not saying I'd do that, but I just am not sure if they wouldn't see it that way; I'm bad at social interactions so it's hard for me to read people and know what would irk them or not. And I don't want to leave the five people I've joined hanging any longer while waiting on a bunch of people I don't even know for an answer to a DM they might not even read!

What should I do? Should I message them, or continue on with the RP without them? Please, please answer ASAP.

~ Le Sigh

 

[ashwynne]

If it had been 2 days I’d say messaging was a bit preemptive, but after 2 weeks it’s totally reasonable to DM those who’ve been MIA and ask if they’re still interested.
Personally, if 5 people is good enough for you to start, I’d message the MIA’s to ask if they’re still interested AND start without them. You can always keep an option open for them to jump in with their character if they do end up getting back to you. Delaying while you wait for them could lessen the interest of your existing 5 players which is why I personally wouldn’t wait. That, or give them 24hrs after you DM to get their characters done before starting. Make the DM sort of a “24 hour notice before starting” thing in case they want to get last minute characters in (and you can always add that they can jump in later if that’s not doable).

just my two cents though!

 

[Lexiseeksrp]

Next time you should say something like.
(Close date) x (End Of Character Creation date) x (Start Date) x

Even 5 days seems like too much. I'd give them 3. If they can't make a character in 3 days. How will they have the time to read and write replies?

I agree with the current 5 possibly losing interest. If I was one of the five I would have gave up on the idea after a week.

I don't do group rps tho. Maybe waiting months is common?

 

[Crayons]

Next time you should say something like.
(Close date) x (End Of Character Creation date) x (Start Date) x

Even 5 days seems like too much. I'd give them 3. If they can't make a character in 3 days. How will they have the time to read and write replies?

I agree with the current 5 possibly losing interest. If I was one of the five I would have gave up on the idea after a week.

I don't do group rps tho. Maybe waiting months is common?

Depends on what activity level you expect in the RP. If you expect them to post several times a day, three days is fine. If they are people with jobs, lives, families etc. and the activity level of the RP is one post per week, then three days is ridiculously short.

TBH, OP, I would go ahead and start with five. Five is a good number for a group RP. If those people are having a great time once the RP starts ask them if they want to make second characters.

 

[Idea]

What should I do? Should I message them, or continue on with the RP without them? Please, please answer ASAP.

Yes, if the people are mia and your other players have been waiting for weeks, the sooner you start the better. Of course, depending on the plot this may not be all too viable, since some plots don't work well with introducing players later, but as long as it's not one of those, then you should be good to go and not risk losing the players that were loyal.

2 weeks, and 2/3 of the players who signed up are MIA. No DMs, no characters, no nothing. I really want to just DM them and remind them or ask if they still want in, but I'm worried I might be pushing it too much. I don't know how they might react to somebody always standing over their shoulder and saying "Hey remember to do this thing!" again and again. Not saying I'd do that, but I just am not sure if they wouldn't see it that way; I'm bad at social interactions so it's hard for me to read people and know what would irk them or not. And I don't want to leave the five people I've joined hanging any longer while waiting on a bunch of people I don't even know for an answer to a DM they might not even read!

Let me put it this way: You were ghosted. Don't worry, this is nothing unnusual, probably nothing that you wrong- ghosting actually pretty common and more about the luck you get with the melting pot of players than anything else. If they aren't even speaking, then you can hardly say they are even in the roleplay (provided you have attempted to contact them to make sure at least once lately).

The situation seems less a "they are taking their time", and more of a "they probably aren't going to be in your roleplay".