Experiences Reading Other Characters’ Plots?

[White Masquerade]

Quick question. I thought I knew the answer, but I don’t. In a group setting, there are multiple characters, PC and NPC, that are hopefully contributing to the story. If you have a PC, so you only read/are interested in the posts directly related to them? Or are you actually interested in what random NPC are doing and follow their posts with interest? Or are you also interested in what another player is doing with their character? I know some people do and don’t read extra posts not relating to their character, but I’m interested in experiences/why and what the majority of RPN users feel on that.

My personal guess is yes, but it’s more so passive. Like if someone is bored or has nothing else pressing to do, they might check in on another character that’s not their own?

 

[Daisie]

Honestly depends on how fast the RP is moving - sometimes I legit don't have the time to keep up with every single post. But I do make an effort to at least know the emotional beats of what's happening outside my circle, cause these things are really useful to have in the back of my mind when constructing my own storytelling devices. If I discover their character has issues with their father, maybe I could eventually spark a conversation about it sometime down the line with my own character, and lean into that. I want to help make the story investing for all of us!

 

[Jannah]

Tbh I rarely do. I barely have time to keep up with my own plots, let alone those of others.

 

[Lorsh]

Tbh, I thought reading the posts of the other players was just a given.

 

[White Masquerade]

Honestly depends on how fast the RP is moving - sometimes I legit don't have the time to keep up with every single post. But I do make an effort to at least know the emotional beats of what's happening outside my circle, cause these things are really useful to have in the back of my mind when constructing my own storytelling devices. If I discover their character has issues with their father, maybe I could eventually spark a conversation about it sometime down the line with my own character, and lean into that. I want to help make the story investing for all of us!

100%. I do this too and this is what I believed happened for a long time (but you kind of need to do this as a GM). But I assumed everyone did this. It doesn’t seem to be the case.

Tbh I rarely do. I barely have time to keep up with my own plots, let alone those of others.

Which is why I want to ask you if you magically had the time, would you still not pay attention to the plots of other characters? Is there something else besides time stopping you?

Tbh, I thought reading the posts of the other players was just a given.

That’s what I thought too! Which is why I’m floored that not everyone does it/cares to do so. I’m embarrassed I assumed such a given, was a given. I seriously want to have an idea how many people don’t and why.

 

[GrumpySwallow]

When I'm the GM, I read all the posts. When I'm the player, it depends on how invested I am in the other characters and their plots. The most common causes of me skipping posts are novels with tiny, obnoxious font; rapid-fire, typically one-liner posts with no direction in regards to plot, and RP plots that are just snog-fests.

 

[Idea]

Personally, I consider it a bit rude not to read the posts in the RP - even the ones not directly related to you. Even aside the practical consideration that not everyone tags people even if they mention those people directly in their post, let alone if something relevant is brought up you may want to be aware of, or that you may at some point want to interact with that person and knowing the bare minimum of context of what happened around them would be a good thing for that, the way I see it its just a manner of respect to not skip over someone's contribution to the RP. I do understand skimming it sometimes of course, especially if you're in a hurry for whatever reason, but this is more a rule of thumb.

Now this may be an easier practice for me because A) I like longer posts to begin with so length is typically little issue (even the shorter posts which I tend to find very bland are at least over with quicker) B) I actively avoid RPs that go too fast and if an RP I am in shows signs of being like that odds are I'm quitting soon, and a a result there's not a ton of posts to read at any given time under normal circumstances.

I will note a small exception where certain NPCs might end up continually having the kinds of posts that are simultaneously irrelevant and far too boring and require a significant time investment to read, which then I may sometimes not read. Also I would not consider it rude to not read a post that is explicitly not for you of course. This isn't just a post which doesn't happen to mention you, but more like for instance a mechanical post where the GM is just addressing each player individually in a personalized manner. I would personally probably still read even those though.

Note that just because I read them doesn't necessarily imply I am interested in them. When it comes to my interest relevance, and most important the actual writing and character in question are major factors.

As a side note, not just the IC content, but I find it very rude not to read the character sheets unless character sheets are explicitly meant to be secret in that roleplay. This goes double if you're joining in late. I always try to find my little niche in the roleplay, and it's always quite annoying to me when someone just shows up and makes a character sheet stepping on my toes or even adding whole contradictions or such. I think a good mix of characters (not necessarily a wide range, but a mix that fits well) is important, and not being bothered to even look at what other people have made is a bad foot forward.

 

[Lorsh]

Adding on, if the other players' posts aren't worth reading, odds are that I'm not gonna be in the RP for long.

 

[White Masquerade]

When I'm the GM, I read all the posts. When I'm the player, it depends on how invested I am in the other characters and their plots. The most common causes of me skipping posts are novels with tiny, obnoxious font; rapid-fire, typically one-liner posts with no direction in regards to plot, and RP plots that are just snog-fests.

I see. So if you’re not reading other character posts, you’re probably not staying in the RP anyway. So if you like the RP you’re in, you’re reading all the posts.

Lorsh ^— Does that sound about right?

Personally, I consider it a bit rude not to read the posts in the RP - even the ones not directly related to you. Even aside the practical consideration that not everyone tags people even if they mention those people directly in their post, let alone if something relevant is brought up you may want to be aware of, or that you may at some point want to interact with that person and knowing the bare minimum of context of what happened around them would be a good thing for that, the way I see it its just a manner of respect to not skip over someone's contribution to the RP. I do understand skimming it sometimes of course, especially if you're in a hurry for whatever reason, but this is more a rule of thumb.

Now this may be an easier practice for me because A) I like longer posts to begin with so length is typically little issue (even the shorter posts which I tend to find very bland are at least over with quicker) B) I actively avoid RPs that go too fast and if an RP I am in shows signs of being like that odds are I'm quitting soon, and a a result there's not a ton of posts to read at any given time under normal circumstances.

I will note a small exception where certain NPCs might end up continually having the kinds of posts that are simultaneously irrelevant and far too boring and require a significant time investment to read, which then I may sometimes not read. Also I would not consider it rude to not read a post that is explicitly not for you of course. This isn't just a post which doesn't happen to mention you, but more like for instance a mechanical post where the GM is just addressing each player individually in a personalized manner. I would personally probably still read even those though.

Note that just because I read them doesn't necessarily imply I am interested in them. When it comes to my interest relevance, and most important the actual writing and character in question are major factors.

As a side note, not just the IC content, but I find it very rude not to read the character sheets unless character sheets are explicitly meant to be secret in that roleplay. This goes double if you're joining in late. I always try to find my little niche in the roleplay, and it's always quite annoying to me when someone just shows up and makes a character sheet stepping on my toes or even adding whole contradictions or such. I think a good mix of characters (not necessarily a wide range, but a mix that fits well) is important, and not being bothered to even look at what other people have made is a bad foot forward.

Ha, that’s really interesting. You’d go so far to say it’s rude not to read the other posts? It’s also interesting you’d still read a post even though you’re not interested in it. That is some dedication, Idea. As a player, I only read posts in situations and from characters I’m interested in. I never considered that was bad etiquette. That’s something to think about.

I rarely read others’ CSs as a player too…O.O

If you read everything, do you further interact with the post and rate it, or it’s kinda just for your own personal knowledge/enjoyment?

 

[Daisie]

I rarely read others’ CSs as a player too…O.O

Oh I so wholly depend on other players' character sheets Especially when I first join, I'm running back to the CS page to refresh myself with every new post. I want to know what to envision. Is my character looking up at them or towering over them? Do they have any notable markings or clothing items? In the one group RP I'm, my character suffers from prosopagnosia - a fancy way of saying that they can't recognize faces - so I had to leaf through the character sheets a couple of times to see if she'd be mixing anyone up with anyone else.

On top of that, again, it's great practice to be informed about others' backstories. I love planning in the OOC about how our characters might relate to each other or butt heads. Thinking up scenes where we can both shine the best.

 

[Onmyoji]

Oh when I did Group roleplays I always read other posts to be aware of what's going on in the rp world and if other characters were doing anything connected to whatever my characters were doing (i.e. they may have different plot lines but then arrive at a location where my character is supposed to be at that moment, so there could be some interaction potentially).
And I felt like not reading them was just wrong, because we're all in the same rp and the characters are all affecting the rp world in some ways that have consequences so it's good to be informed about what other characters were up to.

But it also became my own downfall because it had been increasingly difficult to keep up, specially with bigger-sized groups and essentially became one of the reasons that I stopped doing Group rp altogether. Just. Too. Much. I can barely keep up with 1x1 plots, so keeping track of multiple characters became too overwhelming.

 

[Solivagante]

Tbh, I thought reading the posts of the other players was just a given.

Same. This thread is blowing my mind a bit - isn't reading everyone else's posts kind of... the whole point of RP?

This is like people who read books with multiple POVs and skip the ones they don't like. You're missing the story! it's right there! I can't wrap my head around it.

If I'm in a group RP, I read everything - CS, lore, OOC chat, IC posts, the whole shebang. WITH THAT SAID, I do also avoid some contexts where this wouldn't be feasible - I don't RP on Discord, because I find it harder to keep up with, and I wouldn't join an RP with a huge number of players for the same reason.

 

[GrumpySwallow]

I see. So if you’re not reading other character posts, you’re probably not staying in the RP anyway. So if you like the RP you’re in, you’re reading all the posts.

In the Group RPs I've always played in, there are separate groups of players with their own stories going on. It's really pretty rare that I skip posts, but I wanted to give examples of reasons why I have done so in the past. I start reading posts, then stop for the reasons I've listed in my previous post. That doesn't mean I plan on quitting the RP as I may be enjoying the interactions I'm a part of, and the other groups are content to keep to themselves. That's usually my experience.

I do read CS before joining a RP. I want to know exactly what I'm getting involved with.

 

[Idea]

You’d go so far to say it’s rude not to read the other posts?

Yeah personally I would. If you're in a group together writing should be for the group not just one person, and likewise reading the content people put their effort into making should also be read. You can't control whether you're interested, that's just a matter of feelings and impressions, but you can control whether you take an interest, whether you at least pay attention to what is going on. Of course, often the results of a group and what I end up reading don't exactly match the kind of thing I think a group ought to be like. That being said, to me it feels less like a consideration of what is truly relevant and more like a dismissal of the writer, since you can't dismiss a post you haven't read as irrelevant on the grounds of the content that, as mentioned, you haven't read. I think caring so little for what others bring to the table is something that should be the product of extraordinary circumstances, and not anything resembling a default state.

It’s also interesting you’d still read a post even though you’re not interested in it.

Aside from the matter of politeness or lack thereof, I do think as I mentioned that there are practical reasons to do it. One such reason is that, again like I mentioned before, sometimes you are mentioned or interacted with but in a way that you wouldn't be able to see at a glance, such as not being tagged or even the interaction being more indirect. Sometimes something is established in a post about for instance an item or a place, which you will interact with at some point even if not right away, or at least reading about what is set up gives you that option of interacting with that place or thing at a later date when you might be unsure of what to do. Those posts might also interact with something - without also interacting with you - that is relevant even for your current circumstances, or for your character's backstory. And as a final note (though definitely not comprehensive) reading other people's posts can give you an idea of how they write, potentially even how they approach scenes and their character - in both how that character is roleplayed and who they are. This can give you insight to construct better set up/scenes with that player/character later one, or know who you should avoid if it comes down to that.

And of course the converse of all the above is true. Knowing other people's posts can also be helpful in knowing what you might be unintentionally interacting with, implying or setting up, and avoid certain contradictions.

If you read everything, do you further interact with the post and rate it, or it’s kinda just for your own personal knowledge/enjoyment?

I do try to leave a cookie if I read it and thought it didn't have anything that bothered me and wasn't balanced by something else I liked. If I really liked a post - or something about it at least - I often leave a heart. Anything else is more if I find it quite extraordinary in some regard. That being said there is a big impact on the circumstances under which I read it. If I read it when in a hurry, when on my phone or under a lot of stress / work I'm more likely to read it and close the tab. Sometimes when that happens I later go back and give posts the ratings I forgot to before, usually when I'm reminded by someone else giving me a rating or right after making my own post.

 

[A Sparkling Zombie]

When it comes to the typical group of 1-10 characters coexisting in a single thread, sure, I'll read every post. But I've been in multi-thread, fuzzy-time sandbox games with 10+ players, some of whom have anywhere from 2-6+ characters. When virtually every player has multiple scenes going on at once, it becomes harder to keep up with it all, and I'm too lazy for it. Those sandboxes tend to be a conglomeration of 1x1s anyway, where group events are more a backdrop for people to interact with whom they want to, rather than something with plot.

 

[Caffeinated Joy]

I try to read everything, simply because, even if my character isn't directly referenced, I like to know what's going on. I'll drop a cookie once I've read it, or, if I've found it especially well-written, or they painted an excellent scene with their words, some other suitable reaction.

 

[White Masquerade]

Oh I so wholly depend on other players' character sheets Especially when I first join, I'm running back to the CS page to refresh myself with every new post. I want to know what to envision. Is my character looking up at them or towering over them? Do they have any notable markings or clothing items? In the one group RP I'm, my character suffers from prosopagnosia - a fancy way of saying that they can't recognize faces - so I had to leaf through the character sheets a couple of times to see if she'd be mixing anyone up with anyone else.

On top of that, again, it's great practice to be informed about others' backstories. I love planning in the OOC about how our characters might relate to each other or butt heads. Thinking up scenes where we can both shine the best.

I honestly don't know what to say. I never thought about character CSs that way and I'll tell you why. I actually prefer not to have things in an RP planned out, per se. I like it when things are spontaneous and the situations that arise. So I'd rather not know anything about a character's CS because my character wouldn't know about the other person's history unless they were told if you see what I'm saying. Not knowing everything (as a player) feels more realistic to me than knowing details about every character and adjusting mine to suit it.

Oh when I did Group roleplays I always read other posts to be aware of what's going on in the rp world and if other characters were doing anything connected to whatever my characters were doing (i.e. they may have different plot lines but then arrive at a location where my character is supposed to be at that moment, so there could be some interaction potentially).
And I felt like not reading them was just wrong, because we're all in the same rp and the characters are all affecting the rp world in some ways that have consequences so it's good to be informed about what other characters were up to.

But it also became my own downfall because it had been increasingly difficult to keep up, specially with bigger-sized groups and essentially became one of the reasons that I stopped doing Group rp altogether. Just. Too. Much. I can barely keep up with 1x1 plots, so keeping track of multiple characters became too overwhelming.

For those bigger-sized RPs, would a story summary have helped you keep up? Or that wouldn't feel the same as actually reading every post?

In the Group RPs I've always played in, there are separate groups of players with their own stories going on. It's really pretty rare that I skip posts, but I wanted to give examples of reasons why I have done so in the past. I start reading posts, then stop for the reasons I've listed in my previous post. That doesn't mean I plan on quitting the RP as I may be enjoying the interactions I'm a part of, and the other groups are content to keep to themselves. That's usually my experience.

I do read CS before joining a RP. I want to know exactly what I'm getting involved with.

Okay, I understand what you're saying. If you want to also answer the response I gave to Daisie, please feel free. I have a different take on reading CSs when it comes to being a player.

That being said, to me it feels less like a consideration of what is truly relevant and more like a dismissal of the writer, since you can't dismiss a post you haven't read as irrelevant on the grounds of the content that, as mentioned, you haven't read.

Wise words. That's an amazing way to put it. That comment should be up on an RPN quote wall somewhere. As a player, I am guilty of this. Thank you for the enlightenment.

When it comes to the typical group of 1-10 characters coexisting in a single thread, sure, I'll read every post. But I've been in multi-thread, fuzzy-time sandbox games with 10+ players, some of whom have anywhere from 2-6+ characters. When virtually every player has multiple scenes going on at once, it becomes harder to keep up with it all, and I'm too lazy for it. Those sandboxes tend to be a conglomeration of 1x1s anyway, where group events are more a backdrop for people to interact with whom they want to, rather than something with plot.

I see what you're saying. At that point, it's no different from browsing the forum and reading someone else's RP, lol. Fair enough to say the more connected the characters/setting, the more useful it'd be to read through everything. I get that.

I try to read everything, simply because, even if my character isn't directly referenced, I like to know what's going on. I'll drop a cookie once I've read it, or, if I've found it especially well-written, or they painted an excellent scene with their words, some other suitable reaction.

And let's say you did like something you read. Would it be enough to warrant commenting about it in the OOC or are you one of those more inclined to "move your character" into that interesting situation/person?

 

[Caffeinated Joy]

And let's say you did like something you read. Would it be enough to warrant commenting about it in the OOC or are you one of those more inclined to "move your character" into that interesting situation/person?

I'll definitely comment on it in the OOC, and have done so before. I'm not one to horn in on another character's scene unless it's warranted or needed.

 

[Daisie]

Not knowing everything (as a player) feels more realistic to me than knowing details about every character and adjusting mine to suit it.

Well see, I'm not exactly adjusting my own character to suit theirs! I'm moreso just taking an interest in their character and brainstorming some potential interactions. Keeping an eye out for storytelling opportunities!
I guess I look at RP less as an adventure to be discovered and more as a story to be told Though I wouldn't say there are no unexpected events, either. Characters have never ceased to surprise me, whether or not I'm coming up with ideas for interactions or not.
Maybe I should make a thread to see the difference in people's mindsets. How many people enjoy exploring a scene for maximum surprise vs carefully preparing a scene for maximum impact.

 

[Onmyoji]

For those bigger-sized RPs, would a story summary have helped you keep up? Or that wouldn't feel the same as actually reading every post?

I'd say yes, it would. But usually no one does that because it's extra work for the GM. Especially if it's a faster-paced Group with many players.
I've only been in one Group rp that had summaries and it was actually my only positive experience with Groups. I still had to quit eventually, but I still remember this particular group because it did many things that helped people stay in, despite differences in time zones and posting schedules.

 

[Steve Jobs]

When it comes to single thread roleplays, it seems rude and impractical not to read other players' posts and character sheets.

Aside from being an acknowledgement of your fellow player's work, it keeps you from accidentally ignoring new mentions or doing anything contradictory to the posts already submitted. If you are applying to an RP it helps to know what niches are already fulfilled so that you don't end up making someone too similar to an existing character/app. It also helps with plotting a backstory or future arc between your characters.

The exception I will make is for multi-thread/full forum roleplays because these typically have a large cast and threads are often either 1x1s or small groups (since they tend to be more sandbox anyway). Even then, I think it's even more necessary to read the character sheets.

I think if you are a fairly late entry (i.e. Joined halfway through a roleplay), it would be reasonable to ask for a small summary of what's happened so far but that can be left up to GM discretion.

 

[Jannah]

Okay, I just realized that I misinterpreted this post as asking about other RP's entirely rather than other characters within group RP's you're participating in. *is dumb* Probably read it when I was half-asleep after work or something.

 

[White Masquerade]

I guess I look at RP less as an adventure to be discovered and more as a story to be told Though I wouldn't say there are no unexpected events, either. Characters have never ceased to surprise me, whether or not I'm coming up with ideas for interactions or not.
Maybe I should make a thread to see the difference in people's mindsets. How many people enjoy exploring a scene for maximum surprise vs carefully preparing a scene for maximum impact.

Excellent, Daisie. I've never considered that question either. If you do end up making that topic, I am for sure on the side of RP being an adventure to be discovered. When someone asks me to plan something with them, I always refuse to do it. Simply because I believe if someone wants something to happen, do it IC. Don't go outside the story to put it in the story.

When it comes to single thread roleplays, it seems rude and impractical not to read other players' posts and character sheets.

Aside from being an acknowledgement of your fellow player's work, it keeps you from accidentally ignoring new mentions or doing anything contradictory to the posts already submitted. If you are applying to an RP it helps to know what niches are already fulfilled so that you don't end up making someone too similar to an existing character/app. It also helps with plotting a backstory or future arc between your characters.

The exception I will make is for multi-thread/full forum roleplays because these typically have a large cast and threads are often either 1x1s or small groups (since they tend to be more sandbox anyway). Even then, I think it's even more necessary to read the character sheets.

I think if you are a fairly late entry (i.e. Joined halfway through a roleplay), it would be reasonable to ask for a small summary of what's happened so far but that can be left up to GM discretion.

And why do you say it's important to read character sheets? I'm starting to understand, but I still don't quite see it. Unless there are roles to be claimed, what do other characters have to do with creating yours?

Okay, I just realized that I misinterpreted this post as asking about other RP's entirely rather than other characters within group RP's you're participating in. *is dumb* Probably read it when I was half-asleep after work or something.

Lol. That's quite alright. I admit I was excited and going to pick your brain on why you didn't.

 

[Steve Jobs]

And why do you say it's important to read character sheets? I'm starting to understand, but I still don't quite see it. Unless there are roles to be claimed, what do other characters have to do with creating yours?

I'd say my most practical reason is so that you don't directly contradict or copy anything that's already in play (e.g. appearance, power, relationship to an NPC).

I also dislike overlap. Even if there aren't roles to be filled, I want to make sure that I'm adding something unique to the cast. If the majority of the cast are broody, stoic types then I would be more inclined to make someone lighthearted (and vice versa) so that it introduces a new dynamic.

 

[Daisie]

When someone asks me to plan something with them, I always refuse to do it. Simply because I believe if someone wants something to happen, do it IC. Don't go outside the story to put it in the story.

I used to do that a lot more, but it just wasn't reliable enough for me. Half the time, we'd wind up writing ourselves into a corner, or taking things in a direction that we weren't happy with, or trying something that wound up being way boring, cause there was no communication whatsoever. No end goal or meeting of the minds lol.

I found that planning ahead, as long as it wasn't too outrageously detailed or restrictive, really helped pull all of the themes together and cut out the unnecessary fat. Making sure we're both getting what we want out of the RP, that no boundaries are crossed, and that we can reach a conclusion we're both happy with.

Edit: Also, a downside to only ever implementing events in-character is that if you have a really great idea for a good story beat down the line, there's every chance of it getting trampled between now and then. I found myself frustrated with the amount of good ideas or plans that went unrecognized because I was insistent on all of them being surprises. Ideas are so much more likely to conflict if no one has talked about them before they happen. I've suffered too much disappointment from that