Experiences RPs deviating from the plot

[Luxury Hotline]

Now, in my experience, this can either be very positive or incredibly negative. No in between.
For example, I was (still am) in an RP with another friend that was initially a plane crash/survive on an island type of thing. One thing lead to another and now it's a vaporwave hell of new gods and the creator of the dimension was singlehandedly killed by a man in a chicken mask who is now god as well. And neither of us have complaints, it's stupid fun.

But on the negative side, I've had some RPs where I put genuine thought into the plot, the characters, etc. But it always seems like the other RPer just wants it to get sexual. Like this wasn't even a one-time thing, this has happened to me across multiple sites, both in 1x1s and group RPs. But hell, at least I still got my chicken man.

 

[Idea]

RPs should never deviate from the plot. Because the plot is the overall narrative. To deviate from the overall narrative, you can only break it, and breaking the narrative is bad.
On the other hand, the development of the plot, that is what leads to what you are calling " a positive deviation from the plot". It works when the plot interacts with the characters and the setting in such a way that, as it progresses, the innitial arcs gets resolved but organically transition into a new arc.

 

[Rock And Roll Boy]

RPs should never deviate from the plot. Because the plot is the overall narrative. To deviate from the overall narrative, you can only break it, and breaking the narrative is bad.
On the other hand, the development of the plot, that is what leads to what you are calling " a positive deviation from the plot". It works when the plot interacts with the characters and the setting in such a way that, as it progresses, the innitial arcs gets resolved but organically transition into a new arc.

Idea is the King of RP advice.

 

[Idea]

I think I pretty much just stated the obvious. I could go on about what factors actually make something organic and give it some continuity, but given I was already breaking down semantics in the first place, I thought it best to hault unless requested otherwise

 

[Birdsie]

The way I see it (Ergo: it's my vision. Don't kill me etc,) there's several types of roleplay plots:

• Randomized Plot: Tends to die quicker on average. GMs are less strict. This isn't really as much a plot, as just taking a bunch of characters, shoving them into a setting and telling them: "I don't give a shit about you, do what you feel like you want to do and we'll see where this goes." And as you said, it went incredibly sideways with a chicken mask god. Rare.
  • Randomized Non-Chaotic RP: A very common type of RP. Slices of Life are basically this. There is no plot like above, but the characters can't just be "anything they want."
• Arranged Plot: Tends to live longer. GMs must be a little stricter and more organized to keep it alive. The GM has a set amount of plans for the RP, and therefore there must be some limits on the characters. The overall arcs of what will happen are at least in some percentage planned prior to the RP by the GM. Perhaps the GM also has a specific ending planned, but usually the players can affect the outcome.

 

[Hall Kervean]

Still, there can be some deviation in an arranged plot.

For instance, if there was one where there were two sides who were at war.
It could have been intended to be an action RP, but end up being a hunt and psychological thriller kind of RP, where the action is minimal. It'd be more detailing the hunting from one side or another than the fighting.

 

[Umbrie]

one of the worst things you can do besides the Randomized Plot is including a Special Race, Profession, Species, Culture, Power or Skill you don't want any PC to have within your setting because you planned to introduce a Special NPC whom utilizes that Gimmick. say in your Setting, the Blue Prowlers are a Species of Russian Weretiger that went extinct in the 1650's due to being hunted for their fur by Siberian Hunters. it is currently the 2040's, and a bunch of roleplayers learn about the Blue Prowlers, so they want to play 500 year old Blue Prowlers who somehow survived extinction.

as another Example, Look at D&D, Drow were an Evil Race of Elves with an Affinity for Darkness and Illusions, they were highly Psionic and had a Culture Built Around a Spider Queen, some Writer wrote a book about the only Not Evil Drow, and now, everybody wants to play a good aligned Drow, so Drow are introduced as a Player Race, which Ruins the Drow. you are better off not including Drow in the first place than you are trying to have them as the main Villains of your story.