Advice/Help Is it better to make group or 1x1 RPs?

[Rathian Diablos]

So I'm fairly new here I mean I've be here for a little while but I'm not all that great at jumping into RPs I mean I try but mostly I like jojun ones that are just starting or possibly make my own, but given what I've seen newly made group RP's never seem to last long no matter how good they are if the OP fails to post for even just a few days like people can't find a way to occupy their time or keep the story going until they get back or because mostly everypne else just ghosts for some reason.

So in your opinion do you think it is better to do 1x1 rather than group RP?

 

[rae2nerdy]

Apples and oranges my friend.

People pick their preference based on what they are personally interested in and what works for them. I don't think there is any difference in popularity among the two tbh.

Now if your asking which is easier to run for those who are starting out ?

Than 1x1 by a landslide.

People tend to not really understand the sheer commitment it takes to get a group up and running. They think oh I have this idea I'll post it and once I get enough people boom I open the roleplay.

Nah fam.

You have to first and foremost organize everything so that everyone is one the same page. You got to figure out what your rules for characters, posting, resolving disputes, adding things to the plot/lore, etc. are.

Then you have to set aside time to actually manage the roleplay. Time to actually vet folks, time to resolve any problems, and more over time to keep the story moving forward.

Groups don't move forward without a GM. At least not large groups and certainly not groups made up of strangers. Even if the GM is out you will usually have someone who steps in and contacts them and basically becomes a GM in their place. If that person hasn't been estabilished prior to the GM disappearing than your SOL.

You also have to know how to keep a storyline going onward and keep people engaged. You have to juggle multiple personalities, multiple characters.

In short. If you do not have time to monitor your roleplay AT LEAST once every other day for the duration of it's run I wouldn't open a group. Especially if you are not really familiar with long term groups and don't know what it takes to make them last.


For 1x1s on the other hand things are much more streamlined as you are juggling exactly two people. So it's much easier for those who have busy schedules, lack GM experience, or are simply shyer and don't want to play the displinarian.

It's much more about finding an individual that you get along with and creating a story you can both enjoy.

Now that being said easier doesn't mean you put no effort in. You still have to work hard to make a 1x1 successful. It's just the work is usually easier to split as you are working directly with someone else to succeed together.

But making successful 1x1s is it's own seperate thread. For now I'll leave it with

tl;dr Both 1x1s and groups are equally popular just with different kinds of roleplayers. 1x1s are easier to RUN if you are new/busy/unsure of yourself

 

[Rathian Diablos]

Apples and oranges my friend.

People pick their preference based on what they are personally interested in and what works for them. I don't think there is any difference in popularity among the two tbh.

Now if your asking which is easier to run for those who are starting out ?

Than 1x1 by a landslide.

People tend to not really understand the sheer commitment it takes to get a group up and running. They think oh I have this idea I'll post it and once I get enough people boom I open the roleplay.

Nah fam.

You have to first and foremost organize everything so that everyone is one the same page. You got to figure out what your rules for characters, posting, resolving disputes, adding things to the plot/lore, etc. are.

Then you have to set aside time to actually manage the roleplay. Time to actually vet folks, time to resolve any problems, and more over time to keep the story moving forward.

Groups don't move forward without a GM. At least not large groups and certainly not groups made up of strangers. Even if the GM is out you will usually have someone who steps in and contacts them and basically becomes a GM in their place. If that person hasn't been estabilished prior to the GM disappearing than your SOL.

You also have to know how to keep a storyline going onward and keep people engaged. You have to juggle multiple personalities, multiple characters.

In short. If you do not have time to monitor your roleplay AT LEAST once every other day for the duration of it's run I wouldn't open a group. Especially if you are not really familiar with long term groups and don't know what it takes to make them last.


For 1x1s on the other hand things are much more streamlined as you are juggling exactly two people. So it's much easier for those who have busy schedules, lack GM experience, or are simply shyer and don't want to play the displinarian.

It's much more about finding an individual that you get along with and creating a story you can both enjoy.

Now that being said easier doesn't mean you put no effort in. You still have to work hard to make a 1x1 successful. It's just the work is usually easier to split as you are working directly with someone else to succeed together.

But making successful 1x1s is it's own seperate thread. For now I'll leave it with

tl;dr Both 1x1s and groups are equally popular just with different kinds of roleplayers. 1x1s are easier to RUN if you are new/busy/unsure of yourself

I guess I'm just used to things being different. The site I used to RP on shutdown and there people didn't need the GM to be there to keep the RP going except in there case of main arcs, people were very much capable of doing things on their own to fill the time if anything came up in the GM's real life until they came back rather they were side arcs or just messing around. Here it seems like if the GM isn't on every single day even if they make people aware that they will be busy for a certain amount of time, people just leave.

I get you shouldn't make an RP if you know you won't always have time for it beforehand, much like making a guild in a videogame, but sometimes things come up that you didn't plan on that need to be taken care of, but as I said I've been in Rps where the GM was on everyday, doing what they were supposed to do but people just stopped posting before we really even got started like everyone made their intro posts and then that was like it. Now I can't speak for 1x1 because I've never peaked in on one but from what lots of people say on this website not a lot of people seem to like group RP and instead seem to favor 1x1 which is why I asked.

 

[Coco Adel]

I'll say it's a mixture of things I never really found it hard to make a group RP, but I'll say there are different factors now that may make it harder to make a group RP. For one the people in your group RP may already be involved in other RP and may find it hard to juggle yours around with the RP they are already doing and if yours is just a starting more than likely they will drop yours in favor of the one they already invested in and likely deeply engaged in.

There is also the simple matter that RPNation likes to withhold notifications, I've even had issues where some of my own RP's died in the past, not because people were not posting, but because I was not aware that people were posting despite having the watch option turned on for my own threads. Now I tend to check them myself to make sure that no one has actually posted.

 

[Idea]

Well, why not try both? See which ones you get the hang of better.

Personally, I like both 1x1s and group roleplays, and I find that keeping a mixture of both allows me to better manage how I fit them into my already super erratic schedule, and it allows me to keep either approach fresh and in perspective.

Ultimately, however, as rae2nerdy expressed (or I think they did, do correct me if I'm wrong though), it's ultimately a matter that is not with one concrete answer but which is tailored for individuals and for the their preferences, goals and needs at any given point. Their advise that , in general, 1x1 RPs are better for those who are newcoming or rusty does rub true , though if you come from a website that primarily focuses on group roleplays, perhaps you will have an easier time keeping up with something you're more used to.


If I had to express the differences between a 1x1 approach and a group roleplay approach, I'd say the 1x1 is more personal and focused. If you want more focus on a specific plot idea or character dynamic, if you want more control over your own story, if you prefer to have another help you explore your character's depth rather than doing it more on your own or if you want a more personal relation to your partner (and just to make it absolutely clear, I don't mean personal as in intimate, as in romantic relationships or whatever, I just mean the sort of relation where the partners have more focus on one another's needs and a better understanding of them personally), 1x1 may be for you.

On the other hand, if you are more the exploration type , or mroe the type that wants to really spread their ideas or feel part of a group, or work with a plot that has less of a focus on your character but allows a more diverse set of scenarios and interactions, then group roleplay may be for you.

Of course, these things exist in either you choose, though a particular format may on average lean more towards certain types of benefits.


Hope this helps! Welcome to our site and happy RPing!

 

[rae2nerdy]

I guess I'm just used to things being different. The site I used to RP on shutdown and there people didn't need the GM to be there to keep the RP going except in there case of main arcs, people were very much capable of doing things on their own to fill the time if anything came up in the GM's real life until they came back rather they were side arcs or just messing around. Here it seems like if the GM isn't on every single day even if they make people aware that they will be busy for a certain amount of time, people just leave.

I get you shouldn't make an RP if you know you won't always have time for it beforehand, much like making a guild in a videogame, but sometimes things come up that you didn't plan on that need to be taken care of, but as I said I've been in Rps where the GM was on everyday, doing what they were supposed to do but people just stopped posting before we really even got started like everyone made their intro posts and then that was like it. Now I can't speak for 1x1 because I've never peaked in on one but from what lots of people say on this website not a lot of people seem to like group RP and instead seem to favor 1x1 which is why I asked.

Well that links back to my point. Groups take work. Which I think a lot of people discount when joining / creating them. Also the more people involved the more juggling occurs to keep everyone on the same page just even in the boring mundane side.

you got to figure out where everyone is in terms of time zones, how often each person can post per day / week / whatever.

you also have to keep the story moving ( with or without you ) which is why having a group that can be self-sufficient helps or at the very least plotting out mini missions and appointing a co-gm for when your gone.

i mean it's certainly possible to make a successful gm. i believe welian on here has one that's gone on for at least two years at this point.

but you got to put WORK in to make that successful. which was my point. it's not an easy matter of just posting the roleplay and hoping for the best. you got to plan all that out beforehand and be very careful of the players you accept. you got to find the people who will keep going once they get started. they exist. whether they are also looking for roleplays, and would be interested in yours, now that's a different question.


As to 1x1s being more popular. I really don't think so. I think it's just a matter that people who do 1x1s tend to ONLY do 1x1 for whatever reason. People who do groups tend to ONLY do groups for whatever reason. So you rarely get an overlap. So again it's an apple and oranges comparison as you are not comparing the two types against one another. As honestly most of the time they exist separately from one another.

I would say the only thing that might be skewing the numbers in 1x1s favor and making it appear "more popular" is number of participants. A group by it's nature takes longer to get started because their are obviously more people involved. And because of that a lot of the character application processes and such are more involved. And well you just have to wait until X number of people show interest which can take time.

1x1s on the otherhand are literally two maybe three people. So the process of "joining" one is obviously a lot easier and quicker. That doesn't make them "more popular" but it does mean they get started faster and people can join more than one provided they have a lot of time. So it can give them the appearance of being more active which might be confused with "more popular".

I would say honestly pick the style that is best for YOU and then search through the back threads. There are several on how to get a good group started and a few on how to make a 1x1 search.