Viewpoint How roleplaying is perceived in relation to presentation (bad title)

[Jannah]

some codes are getting way too crazy. like, i have to actively hunt down where i'm supposed to click to get past the...introduction page (???) and by then, i've already lost interest. there's a huge difference between using tabs/dividers and having a multi-page interactive catastrophe where nobody knows how to navigate it except you.

This is literally the problem I have. I won't look at your RP if I don't even know how to navigate the code.

 

[A Sparkling Zombie]

Taking someone into account is not the same as disregarding the costs to the benefits. I obviously care about the needs of my close friends, but that doesn’t mean I always have the availability to drop 6 hours for them, something that is often the kind of time a phone version can take me.

Someone beat me to the point, and did a far better job at illustrating it than I could have thought to, but just as how no one can force someone to make accessible recruitment threads, no one forces someone to use complex designs for their threads that sacrifices accessibility.

If you get a joy out of creating complex codes and that's where you decide to place your emphasis, go for it! A number of people here have already expressed the downside, but I think you've already mentioned that you like roleplaying with like-minded peers, so it probably works in your favor anyway.

 

[Jannah]

I refuse to code. I can’t be bothered to learn it, I think it’s over the top, and it’s often not mobile friendly. Just a personal preference.

I actually know HTML/CSS (at least on a basic level), but the code this site uses completely escapes me. I don't know it and have no point to learn as I would not be using it outside of this one site.

 

[Edric Blight]

Same it’s why I hit the back button if it’s not mobile friendly.

Ya.

And I’m an idiot when it comes to coding (or rather I’m just too lazy to learn). I’m no comp sci guy lol.

 

[Kaiju Cat]

Ya.

And I’m an idiot when it comes to coding (or rather I’m just too lazy to learn). I’m no comp sci guy lol.

Lol I’m not a tech person either

 

[Edric Blight]

Lol I’m not a tech person either

Same lmao

 

[StuartAnderson]

I care about content. The story, characters, would we be a good fit etc couldn't care less about coding and design. I wouldn't roleplay with somene who needed it. because I would rather spend time on the actual roleplay (although I admit, I am a sucker for a roleplay list...)

Of course, if others want to do that's fine and wouldn't put me off. Although if it's really difficult to navigate, I probably won't bother.
Why spend all that time, making something that's difficult to join, when you want people to join?

 

[ForgetTomorroow]

Coding for me certainly elevates the feeling, vibe, the atmosphere through visual contrast & colour. But I agree absolutely too much coding can be a bad thing; an over-wrapped gift comes to mind. Sure, the presentation is nice, but when you’re compounding too many tabs, sections or areas — there is a lot to get through and navigation becomes difficult.
More so when you focus entirely on the visual and not so much on the content. I have seen some wonderful ideas, but they get swallowed beneath the brighter colours & harsher gradients. Admittedly, I like a good aesthetic approach, but that shouldn’t be the dominating factor. It’s a tool to heighten an incredible idea, to prop up, but never to be the major attraction.

 

[Marzopup]

Anecdotally, I find that people who make a concerted effort to have nicely coded posts also tend to have better writing quality. That being said, I've also RPed with plenty of people who don't code at all that are equally good or better. I personally can't code at all, so I don't bother doing it for my posts.

So for me, seeing a nicely coded post is a positive sign for me that the writer is probably going to be good--but at the same time, it also isn't a red flag if someone doesn't.