Viewpoint Is RP an adult-friendly hobby?

[grimmmy]

Don't spear me for this one. First of all, I barely count as an adult, but I remember getting up at 2AM before school to fill out a "character application" for a RP that didn't even get off the ground. I have easily spent hundreds of hours either writing, preparing, or discussing RP. And this isn't the type of hobby where more hours guarantees a better experience.

My question is: assuming you have a job, a career path, a schedule, and some level of social obligation--just general responsibilities associated with getting older--is it possible to get the most out of the RP? In what areas do you anticipate having to compromise?

This is an extremely subjective question because it depends on what "the most" for you is. For me, I like writing full paragraphs and exploring character dynamics, all that good stuff. A lot of the time, I've found I have to set aside a lot of time to spin the wheel on whether or not the RP I join can keep the momentum. Maybe we're all just getting too busy?

 

[Windsock]

I'm not one to talk since I'm basically a hermit, but I think it's very possible to maintain an 'actual life' and write characters and stuffs for your role playing gaems. Besides calling it its own unique thing, RP is just a "writing game", and people can write and game recreationally while maintaining an otherwise active lifestyle, why would what's effectively just a fusion of the two be uniquely challenging in any manner besides combining the factors of 'play activity' alongside 'abstract creative thought'? It's another division of time, but nothing unique besides that.

 

[Crow]

Short story - yes.

Long story - depends on how much. At this age I find myself having difficulties catching up with roleplays with the school of hard knocks known as life.

 

[Idea]

The trilemma of quality, pace and length becomes more prominent the less time you have. As you grow older, and gain more responsibilities, it's just as possible to maintain roleplaying as a hobby and enjoy it, but it does mean you have to manage yourself better (which is really true of any hobby. More time you have to spend on your responsibilities just means you need to learn to choose what you really want to keep and what you can let go of. If you really, really want to continue roleplaying, it's absolutely something that's manageable: But you may want to adapt what kind of RPs you do, especially in the logistical side, to your lifestyle).

 

[nerdy tangents]

Depends on what kinds of roleplay your talking about. I do 1x1 role plays exclusively and specifically tell my partners when I will be available to post. They usually do the same.

I think as long as you communicate your availability clearly and manage your own time well then it’s fine. Even if your schedule varies wildly it’s just about keeping your partner in the loop.

 

[peritwinkle]

You always have to make some sort of compromise for things you love. I’ve been roleplaying since I was 11 years old but now I’m in dental med school and it’s very difficult to find the time to write, and even when there IS time, I rarely have enough energy to sit down and write something good.

So in my opinion yes, it is possible, but as an adult with classes or a job you likely won’t have as much time to dedicate to writing and would rather sleep at 2AM than write character applications.

What I find helps me is planning out my replies beforehand (lots of talking OOC, planning in my head as I do work around the house or on my way to labs) so I know exactly what I have to do when I sit down to write and make the most out of my time. I also don’t recommend taking more than you can chew (if you’re a detailed writer, I wouldn’t recommend to take on more than 2 roleplays at once) because it will get tiring very easily and it will start feeling like an extra workload instead of a relaxing hobby.

 

[Emeraude]

Great question!

This is why the novella style works for me. The expectation for how long a response takes is longer with novella, so it fits well with my schedule. For instance, I find an expectation of once a week is common, which works well for one or two days off a week or working on posts during lunch breaks etc. I realize this won't work for everyone, though, especially if you don't like novella.

As noted above, 1x1 roleplays tend to work out better for me. Groups can get bored with slower post schedules (but depends on the players).

The hobby is definitely sustainable with the right partners. I do think it's important to continue doing hobbies you love while having a job and other obligations. Work-life balance is important.

Some tips for managing busier schedules with hobbies (specifically for writing/roleplay):

Spoiler: Tips

*Communicate that you are busy with your partners and in your interest check. Have these expectations clear and present from the start.

*Write when your energy/muse is highest. Writing before/after a job means you probably will be tired. See what works best for you - getting up early, gradually waking up, and writing then, versus writing after work and risking falling asleep. Lunch breaks are also good options for writing in pieces.

*Working on an outline during the week so you can write the actual post quicker on your day(s) off is helpful.

*Practice solo writing often and casually. Writing speed drastically increases with practice (dependent on muse).

*Spark muse with whatever is inspiring for you. Music, images, day dreams, whatever.

*If you are someone that is motivated by having "tasks", set writing as a recurring task on a calendar, list, etc.

*Consider changing your response style. I've gone from novella to casual during extremely busy periods. This is the option you pick when you're willing to compromise what you "get" out of the roleplay. Last option for me.

 

[Aoh]

I think it is, you just have to find the right people. I enjoy writing longer detailed posts when I am able to sit down to have time to write, those take time for me so I'm more of once a week or twice a week poster and therefore I'll look for others with similar schedules, understanding, and patience.

 

[Onmyoji]

I'm sure you can still enjoy the hobby and get a lot out of it, but it won't be the same no matter how you look at it.

Finding compatible rp partners is more important than ever. I stopped group rp entirely, don't take more than 1-2 simultaneous roleplays, and also switched from novella length to shorter paragraphs, and it works wonders for me.

 

[Crayons]

Yes. But chat-based roleplays or ones where you are expected to post quickly are a no go. It's best if you can find people who are also at a similar life stage to you so they understand your responsibilities, but not essential.

 

[The Dreamer of the Lore]

A friend once told me, what kind of games can you play on the job?

Turn based games which you can easily pause, something like how you can close a DS and is paused. RPing is like that for me. I need to tell my partners when I am at work for them to know how that works. No use making the compromise with someone when I know full well my own schedule.

 

[Humble1]

Adult here. Well, age wise at least. I'm forty-plus, married, fully employed.

For me, PbP roleplaying works well. It's something I can do for ten minutes here, ten minutes there. I put scraps of text in Google Keep or Docs at work, get email alerts from forums, check on my phone, etc. When the time comes, I can stitch together a full post fairly quickly.

Part of it may be attitude. As I've gotten older, I've gotten less fussed about getting everything exactly right. It's usually fairly obvious what the story needs to move it along, and I usually have a good idea of what role my character needs to play in it. The actual writing becomes easier the more you do it, and I've been doing it for a while. The important thing is to get the basic post in so that everyone else can play. If I have energy, I polish it. If I don't, I keep it simple and let other people shine.

For me, the problems usually come down to energy rather than time or ideas. Many a time I've looked at a blank page and thought exhaustedly, "I just can't even ..." But if I can talk myself into writing a paragraph, I find that things start to flow from there.

 

[ramennoodles]

I pretty much only have time to roleplay because I'm not in school or working right now. When I was in school and working, I had no time to roleplay at all. So honestly, I'm not sure. Hopefully once I get back into school, I'm able to find the time to do it.

 

[Jannah]

Speaking as an adult myself I'll say this: it can be. One just needs to know how to manage their time and limit the amount of RP's they take on. I'm currently in only two: a 1x1 and a group. To some younger members that may not seem like much, but for me it's plenty, especially since both require multi-paragraph responses.

 

[Crayons]

I also want to mention here that it is normal and healthy for adults to have hobbies. Rp does not take up more time than any other hobby. If you practise martial arts for example you might need to train for an hour+ every day. I feel like there's this narrative undercurrent I keep coming across that expects adults to suddenly give up anything they enjoy as soon as they hit 21 and become a soulless drudge. That just ... doesn't happen (in the majority of cases).

I'm kind of amazed by people who have children that find the time for roleplaying though. Epic skills.

 

[CecilDMMasters]

I'm certainly an adult with a job and home to care for. I only know for sure one of my partners is the same age as me. Most I know the age range of are younger.

I only do 1 on 1. Even the rare time I find groups that may tempt me to try it's the time that is the issue. I need to find people who are not expecting a consistent time. You reply and talk when you can. And I admit I have become rather less flexible on things. If I work all day when I get home I don't want to be slugging through an arc I don't find fun because I THINK the next arc will be fun again.

 

[Fenix]

I think RP is a great hobby as an adult, albeit, time-consuming depending on what your style is. It really comes down to the effort you put in as well as the partners whom you decide to write with.

I'm also of the camp of novel-style writing so writing lengthy responses takes me some time outside of other responsibilities. I'd say, like plenty of others mentioned, communication is key. I also think finding a partner who understands this and mature enough to wait is a plus, maturity not necessarily an age/number thing. I find that plenty of people who understand and love writing more than one-liners understand that such things take effort. I've never found anyone really pushing for a response, unless, it's a group thing, in which case, to move it forward, the GM does have to moderate these things. Otherwise, it's usually understood that real life responsibilities and the person's overall well-being comes before any kind of written response. Think: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

In terms of finding the time for it, that's a personal preference. Some like writing on their breaks from work/school, some like writing after winding down, some like to do it before they go to work/school. If you're really invested in something, it doesn't matter what it is, you'll find a way to make time for it. Otherwise, if the feeling or sense of excitement to write isn't present, it may be time to move on to a new plot, incorporate some new elements to switch things up, or take a break from the role-play (which is totally 100% cool and justified).

Hobbies, in general, should be something you enjoy. Not something that adds stress to your day. If it gets to be too much, limit the amount of RPs you actively have or communicate that it's going to take longer than normal. For me, that's usually the case when I feel like I'm burning out, I know I should be writing less RPs.

 

[ShirenTheWitch]

I am a full grown adult with all the responsibilities that entails. I work from home, but I do a full day's worth of work in one 8 hour sitting, just like I would if I weren't self employed.

I have social and familial obligations. I have appointments and scheduling conflicts. I have all that dull annoying stuff adulta have to do just by dint of being adults.

Given all of this, the time I have set aside to rp every day is a treasure and I absolutely feel that I get the most out of it. RP enjoyment is about quality of time, not quantity of time.

 

[Murdergurl]

I can tell you that as an adult and a parent, that the availability I have to do this roleplay thing is substantially stunted compared to what I used to contribute. Entering the workforce wasn't a super huge impact to my RP time. But once I became a mom... yeah, that really took a lot of time away from recreational activities. It's not just RP, it's just freetime in general. Online RP is just like any other hobby, in that regard.

However, I will say this: Online RP has gotten a lot harder for me to stay in touch with as I have gotten older. This is not because of availability, so much as it is that I can't relate to the younger crowd. I'm in my late thirties, and some of the RPers on here can't even buy cigarettes. Most of them seem like they are in their early to mid twenties. So the interests on subject matter and writing styles between them and myself are often too far a gap to even attempt to bridge. And as I get older, the influx of new blood is still the same demographic.

C'est la vie.

 

[Jannah]

I can tell you that as an adult and a parent, that the availability I have to do this roleplay thing is substantially stunted compared to what I used to contribute. Entering the workforce wasn't a super huge impact to my RP time. But once I became a mom... yeah, that really took a lot of time away from recreational activities. It's not just RP, it's just freetime in general. Online RP is just like any other hobby, in that regard.

However, I will say this: Online RP has gotten a lot harder for me to stay in touch with as I have gotten older. This is not because of availability, so much as it is that I can't relate to the younger crowd. I'm in my late thirties, and some of the RPers on here can't even buy cigarettes. Most of them seem like they are in their early to mid twenties. So the interests on subject matter and writing styles between them and myself are often too far a gap to even attempt to bridge. And as I get older, the influx of new blood is still the same demographic.

C'est la vie.

I'm 30 in just over a week and even I feel this way. So many youngins here seeking to RP fandoms and things I've never even heard of.

 

[Murdergurl]

I'm 30 in just over a week and even I feel this way. So many youngins here seeking to RP fandoms and things I've never even heard of.

Yup. Pretty much. And juxtaposed to that, the fandoms or references I mention are held as archaic to them (if they even know about them). Like, with the sudden trend in the cyberpunk genre for example. I see quite a few RP reqs with artwork of the typical "neon dystopia". Every time I see these, I immediately think of the Blade Runner movie. Not the recent one. I mean the 1982 original with Harrison Ford as the main protagonist. imo, you can't really appreciate the genre until you've seen what inspired so much of the aesthetic. I also wonder how many people are familiar with Shadowrun (it even came out as a video game on the Sega Genesis).

 

[Humble1]

imo, you can't really appreciate the genre until you've seen what inspired so much of the aesthetic.

It's weird dealing with a genre that is so dictated by technology when technology keeps changing. I remember the opening line from Neuromancer - burned in my neurons - "The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel." We haven't had dead channels since broadcast went digital. There's a scene where a bank of payphones starts ringing when the protagonist walks past. Great scene, makes no sense in the era of cellphones.

Cyberpunk is the future of the eighties. It makes me nostalgic for the future.

 

[Murdergurl]

It's weird dealing with a genre that is so dictated by technology when technology keeps changing. I remember the opening line from Neuromancer - burned in my neurons - "The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel." We haven't had dead channels since broadcast went digital. There's a scene where a bank of payphones starts ringing when the protagonist walks past. Great scene, makes no sense in the era of cellphones.

Cyberpunk is the future of the eighties. It makes me nostalgic for the future.

I like to call it retro-futuristic. And I totally get what you're talking about. If you take the most modern depictions of the future from shows coming out in recent years, they are addressing technology that was never even conceived to be in the cards in movies/series from the 80's and 90's. Go back a couple more decades, and you have the iconic Silver suits and bubble headed space men. It's actually really difficult to convey to a younger generation that you are interested in a futuristic scenario that doesn't include the futuristic concepts of the current meta.