Experiences Roleplay Response Time

[RunawayGirl]

So, I'm a college student and I work. I often reply 3+ times a day. I understand most adulting people cannot do that and I barely can. I understand not responding everyday, heck, even every week (though I personally deem that challenging) but some often just reply once a month.

It's not that I don't appreciate the lovely response because most of the time these are very literate, well thought out responses that often took that amount of time and are truly beautiful! My question is to all of you, how long is too long regardless of quality or bond?

 

[Shuusuke]

I assume it's a more delicate issue when talking about 1x1 RPs, but since the RPs I've joined had around 4 people in it, I'll use those as reference. I like the "1 post per week" minimum for posting pacing. With the aforementioned amount of people that sounds like an adequate time to not rush anyone while still keeping the rhythm going. Posting more often wasn't discouraged if the quality didn't drop too, so if it was possible to move things more quickly, that's what we'd do.

So I guess after a week it would become too much time without posting. If there was a warning beforehand, then of course that time can be extended, but personally I don't think more than 2 weeks could make a healthy pacing for an RP in a similar form to the ones I was used to.

 

[Onmyoji]

in 1x1 I don't mind waiting for a year if I know I'll get a reply and it will be good.

In a couple of my 1x1 RPs it just happened so that my rp partners and me had severe health issues at the same time. The rp that used to have a reply every other day (maximum week) turned into rp that has reply once a month or even two. And I don't mind waiting because I know the replies will be there, and we are still interested, just that real life got into the way more than we anticipated and it should take priority.
Yes, those rps are still ongoing (one of them since February) and we agreed on slow pace because that's the most we can manage right now. Once a month seems fair enough.

So, really, I think as long as there is some agreement about the speed of replies that all players are willing to follow, there is no limits on wait time.

That probably won't apply to group rp because there are more people involved and to keep interest you have to reply more often. but for 1x1 that works.

 

[Idea]

I've waited for several months for replies before and it wasn't that big a deal. So long as the partner keep in touch and you know they are genuinely struggling it's acceptable to have to wait a lot of time. A lot of times I myself can take weeks to respond, mostly as a result of freezes or trips, and while I understand if my partners get discouraged during that time, I think that is acceptable so long as people are properly informed about it.


On a side note my average reply time is around 4 days in between replies , which is more or less 1 reply per week and 3 replies in 2 weeks, which is enough time to let me have other roleplays and other aspects of my life, while also accounting for possible days in which I can't reply, without keeping my partners waiting for too long..I hope.

 

[Neshaiku]

Since I'm not the most literate roleplayer, rarely more than 4 paragraphs at any given point, I'd say 7-10 days without notice, and maybe two or three months is how long I'd wait if my partner tells me they're having troubles in their life, unless there are extreme circumstances (ie. death of a family member). Then, I'd give them all the time they need.

 

[rae2nerdy]

I usually set up with my partner when post replies will occur. I can wait for a month easily.

I do roleplays mostly with adults in college or older , in a variety of time zones , and I have real life issues come up myself.

 

[Sibelle Grey]

As long as I know we’re both still invested, I can wait for a post until it comes, whenever that may be. A couple of my partners feel the same, which is great because I’ve been having consistency issues, and are vocal about it which is important to me. If I know my partner is dealing with offline stuff but I can expect them to return at some point, I’ll just reply to my active roleplays. Maybe check in with them if I’m getting worried, ask how they’re doing, but to be honest, I’ll put a roleplay with a trustworthy and consistent partner on hold for six months (with a head’s up from the person who’s busy or sick), think nothing of it, and pick up like neither of us ever left.

 

[yanastyboi]

I think it depends. If I am totally into the RP I'm willing to wait over a month, given it picks up and goes quicker from there. If I am not so invested a week or a few days can kill it for me.

 

[RunawayGirl]

Since I'm not the most literate roleplayer, rarely more than 4 paragraphs at any given point, I'd say 7-10 days without notice, and maybe two or three months is how long I'd wait if my partner tells me they're having troubles in their life, unless there are extreme circumstances (ie. death of a family member). Then, I'd give them all the time they need.

That's pretty much how I am, besides the non-literate part.

 

[RunawayGirl]

I love all the responses!!

 

[Dreawin]

After switching from a chat room based rp site I find waiting in a forum type can be agonizing. But, like a lot of things in life, you just have to get use to it.

 

[Beckoncall]

I think it depends on the investment of the parties involved. My Nation building RP is YEARS old now, and some of the breaks between posts have been weeks, even months long... it's like a good TV show -- sometimes you have to end the season and take a break before the next season can begin. My RP is still alive and kicking (I might say it's doing better than ever!) and it's just coming off of a pretty long break.

It just depends. Where there is love for the story almost nothing is "too long" -- and we should lose the pressure to keep up an endless tennis match. I think a lot more RPs would survive longer if we didn't have this pressure to keep them going back and forth in perpetuity and instead took some time every now and then to appreciate what we've created together.