Post Length - Detailed RP's

[Doomshroud]

(The following rant/roleplay theory will be rather concise, and ironically, 'not lengthy').


-Post Length in Detailed RP's-





Something that has always bugged me about detail in RP's, particularly around RpN, is when people base detail on post length, instead of... well... actual detail in post. Actual in-depth descriptions and depictions of a character's thoughts and developments. I feel like a lot of GM's can give people the wrong idea when they equate, say, 3 paragraphs to writing detailed.


The truth about it is, while length is good, people, you do not have to write a book just to make your post seem detailed. Honestly, I don't know where that idea came from, because it's simply not true. There is no definite post length that you HAVE to make, just to make a detailed post.


Now, don't take this the wrong way and run off with the idea that you should start posting a bunch of one-liners in a detailed roleplay. Simple put, writing a detailed post, heck, roleplaying detailed in general should not revolve around big and numerous paragraphs and length.

 

[Dagfinn]

I think there is a need to balance between length and detail. I have been told in my writing my details are often too much, and too intricate. They take away from the actual plot. While at the same time glancing over things and just continuously doing plot based things. Make things 'long' but sort of short at the same time. As the story will wrap up more quickly.


It's a bit of give and take you need to balance between, and some people lean too far in one direction or the other.

 

[Grey]

Brevity is beautiful. Quantity is not quality.


I'd argue 'Detailed' should apply to people who can do more in fifty words than someone spewing out five hundred.

 

[Kalessin]

What I always found strange when it came to post length/detail: I can write a paragraph about a character eating an apple. I can leave it like that or add another paragraph about eating a banana. It's twice as long then, but I didn't give more information/detail about either action, there were just twice as many actions in it. If anything, I took away another character's chance to steal my banana or something.

 

[JayTee]

Always remember that you are playing a game with others, not writing a book. Long posts are not bad, but they can only ever be about your character's thoughts and actions. As a rule, anything exceeding 3-5 paragraphs is toeing the line between "a post" and "a novella pretending to be a post."

 

[Bone2pick]

I prefer to read and write longer posts. Same for detailed characters sheets over minimal character sheets. I've heard about short but amazing RP posts and sparse characters but I've yet to run across them.


Reading a detailed post for me isn't work, it's what keeps me coming back to the site.

 

[AkuTheWolfOkami]

I don't think a post length should be attached to detailed. Also detailed isn't exactly quality, so I think that's also a bit of misleading moniker in regards to roleplays. I get bored if you describe an apple too much, especially if it takes away from the plot.


You don't spend hours in most literature classes discussing the words a writer chose because it was detailed. You discuss WHY he chose said words, because that ADDS to the story and the plot.


Again, detailed is misleading, because right to it. Detailed implies adequate hinging on excessive description. (nothing to do with length). Going to the fruit example, If I write five paragraphs about fruit, a single fruit that's nothing to do with the roleplay. You're writing for the fucking sake of writing. Leave RpN, and go write a book.


MIND YOU i've written like a 15 paragraph post here before, but that stems from the facts my character (in an intro) had about 15 or so actions, considering she was infiltrating a heavily secured facility.


Also, I'm a fan of one-liners (^-^)-b.

 

[Gilzar]

It's not the post length that really matters to me anyway, because I"m an avid detailed roleplay GM.


Everyone can describe things in their own way, and some can describe things much shorter than others. It just comes with experience really.


Post length to me though is important because it really reflects effort. I like to see long post because it shows that my roleplay is important to them and that they're willing to expand on their thoughts. I know I often come out as arrogant when I always state this, but I just feel it should be put in.


I mean, it's categorized as detailed for a reason afterall.

 

[AkuTheWolfOkami]

Gilzar's brings me to a point I forgot to mention. I do mention posts minimum and offer the reason for "effort showcased" but I don't think that post length necessarily reflects upon any of the aforementioned things. I think it can actually backfire, and make the roleplay stale when you get posts that feel like a chore.


I often times, in my OWN roleplay go "Holy shit, I really don't feel like this response requires three paragraphs....blargh argh..I don't wan' write tis ting." And vomit a third paragraph that was better left off.


It's why I implement a soft minimum.

 

[call me rae]

At the risk of coming across kind of elitist - I personally agree with @Gilzar


I don't necessary care how long your post is. If you can write a detailed thought provoking post in under one hundred words that gives me enough to reply to then I salute you. I tend towards the upwards 700 - 1000 range. Seriously if it's not at least half a page in a word document I feel like I'm not putting enough effort in.


Because for me a roleplay is a story it's not just a series of actions going back and forth. Now the sad fact is most of the time when your dealing with a post that is a paragraph or less the reason it's so short is because the person replying has condensed their reply into the bare minimum of information.


Sally listened to George talk. He seemed mad about something. Sally wondered why George was mad.


Not obviously it's rarely that bad - but that's the general idea.


I don't care if you give me dialogue that I can respond to if the whole roleplay just degenerates into a conversation then I'm going to get bored real fast.


Same thing for people who pad their posts and end up with three paragraphs that don't say a damn thing.


It's less about a specific length and more about the person's level of effort in roleplaying. It's why I try to always ask for samples in my roleplays. That way I get a general idea of how you roleplay and can better determine if we'll be a good match. Than relying on - oh I write XX number of words per post.

 

[Doomshroud]

Odd, I never knew this thread had gotten anymore messages.

 

[determinator]

If it's any consolation, this isn't limited to RpN.


That doesn't sound encouraging at all and I know it.

 

[Kenjinx]

If it's any consolation, this isn't limited to RpN.
That doesn't sound encouraging at all and I know it.

This guy said it before I could; it's not limited to RpN. I've done most of my roleplay elsewhere and this is something that commonly comes up. I've seen 12 paragraph posts in roleplay about someone dropping from their mount and doing a roll on the ground. I've seen some of the strangest and most asinine ways to describe things just to blow up the length of the post, and it really doesn't do too well. There are people who draw out the length of their posts and stuff it with a bunch of useless fluff just to seem detailed, and there are also people who post painfully short posts that don't do their own characters or action justice. I personally go with the flow to whatever pace the RP is set, usually, but the way I describe the best detail in RP is being able to put the most detail and relative explanation of their actions in a post as they can, and doing so in as few words as they can. Following that usually tends to balance things out, I've found.

 

[Doomshroud]

If it's any consolation, this isn't limited to RpN.
That doesn't sound encouraging at all and I know it.

Indeed. I myself have seen things like this elsewhere.

 

[Doomshroud]

This guy said it before I could; it's not limited to RpN. I've done most of my roleplay elsewhere and this is something that commonly comes up. I've seen 12 paragraph posts in roleplay about someone dropping from their mount and doing a roll on the ground. I've seen some of the strangest and most asinine ways to describe things just to blow up the length of the post, and it really doesn't do too well. There are people who draw out the length of their posts and stuff it with a bunch of useless fluff just to seem detailed, and there are also people who post painfully short posts that don't do their own characters or action justice. I personally go with the flow to whatever pace the RP is set, usually, but the way I describe the best detail in RP is being able to put the most detail and relative explanation of their actions in a post as they can, and doing so in as few words as they can. Following that usually tends to balance things out, I've found.

Perfect summation.