Advice/Help Should I just stop?

[Brea The Brave]

I feel like I'm scaring people away by being too detailed with my RP's I mean some people stick around and enjoy them so I won't pretend like everyone just up and leaves but people who actually stick around are rare and few in between. I try to be really flexible as to not overwhelm them or feel like they are restricted just because my world has a particular type of setting or a hard magic system and sometimes people seem interested but they never get back to me even though I tell them I'd be willing to RP something they're comfortable with instead. I don't rush people for responses as I understand IRL comes first and I'm likely not the only person they are rping with. However, I feel like when half the year has gone by that I'm almost certain they aren't coming back and I'm the type of person who doesn't like to pester people even though I clearly see they are online and rping with other people.

So should I just stop presenting my detailed RP to people? Am I scaring them away?

(Note I am not talking about anyone I approached about RPs recently or that I am currently rping with, don't feel like I'm talking about you at all, I'm not.)

 

[Tove]

If you have always gone the way of presenting yourself as a detailed roleplayer you should not stop because interested people seem few and far in between. Why should you stop what you are used to for reasons some people do not want to invest in or help you contribute to plots or ideas you have? To answer your question, no. I don't think you should stop presenting your detailed roleplay. If that's what you enjoy doing don't stop. People are not all the same, you will find partners that will remain interested. Even if it takes a while don't give up. Me personally I rather continue searching for a partner for years that will appreciate my efforts instead of having to limit myself for the sake of just trying to get someone quickly.

 

[Brea The Brave]

If you have always gone the way of presenting yourself as a detailed roleplayer you should not stop because interested people seem few and far in between. Why should you stop what you are used to for reasons some people do not want to invest in or help you contribute to plots or ideas you have? To answer your question, no. I don't think you should stop presenting your detailed roleplay. If that's what you enjoy doing don't stop. People are not all the same, you will find partners that will remain interested. Even if it takes a while don't give up. Me personally I rather continue searching for a partner for years that will appreciate my efforts instead of having to limit myself for the sake of just trying to get someone quickly.

Well I only feel that way because the people I present it to are usually detailed role players too at least I make it clear that they need to be cool with detailed RPs so I would assume they are detailed roleplayers but a lot of them either never get back to me or they say they can't do something that invested so I kind of feel like if other detail roleplayers think it's too much, maybe it is?

 

[Tove]

Well I only feel that way because the people I present it to are usually detailed role players too at least I make it clear that they need to be cool with detailed RPs so I would assume they are detailed roleplayers but a lot of them either never get back to me or they say they can't do something that invested so I kind of feel like if other detail roleplayers think it's too much, maybe it is?

Can you give me an example of your detailed roleplay or link me to it so I can see?

 

[Brea The Brave]

Can you give me an example of your detailed roleplay or link me to it so I can see?

Well I usually go more into detail in PMs so I don't actual!y have a link to a thread, but if I were to explain the gist of it it's based on a story I'm writing. Mind you I don't want to RP the plot Injust thought people would really enjoy the setting and it would give them solids breathing room and plenty to work with while they come up wot their own ideas, I say they are allowed to make their won races, regions method of magic pretty much anything as long as it does into the setting of the world and I'm pretty flexible so I am usually able to make small alterations to make it fit it and still be possible but if not then I will inform them of or which rarely happens.

Um anyway. It's about a world where people live side by side with spirits it's common for people to see spirits just as much as you would see living people or animals. Reincarnation is also a 100% fact there but people don't usually remember things from their past lives or afterlives (times you spend as a spirit) it happens but it's rare and hard to prove.

I have 4 classes of people 18 races 7 methods of using magic arguably 8 which again is a hard magic system meaning magic works a certain way, an economic system or at the very least monetary system, pantheons, and lore. There are a lot pf details a lot that I feel can be explained along the way bit if you would like me to go into full detail I can PM it to you.

 

[Idea]

Well, there's a lot to respond to here, and a lot to say.

1.Ghosting Is Common Across the Board
The first thing to say is this is pretty common for everyone. Ghosting happens all the time and it happens to everyone most often for reasons nobody can really control- a mixture of life circumstances and most of RPN having some form of depression or anxiety that makes confrontation an obstacle they don't deal with well, thus causing them to just run rather than confront people about wanting to leave, or wanting changes or anything.

2.You don't actually seem all that detailed?...
Looking at the requests for detailed RP in 1x1 as of late, I did notice a trend of rising requests and post length provided. Now, while detail is different from length, they are pretty closely related, and from the one RP whose IC I could actually find you in, I would personally classify your writing more in the casual frame than the detailed (note: this is after a quick minute-long skim of posts and while having no info on the contents through PMs, so of course I'm taking it with a grain of salt).

You do seem to have a detailed world at least, but that doesn't necessarily call for detailed roleplayers, nor is the reverse true either.

3.Matters of Investment
When a player tells me "I will do anything", that's a big red flag for me, and I usually turn them down on the spot. This is because you can't have passion for what you're doing unless you have a preference on things. There's a difference between being willing to compromise and just not indicating what you would want. Only the desperate or those without self-awareness are legitimately telling you that they will play what you want them to play regardless, and even then it will come half-hearted.

Then, there's the truth about our creations: Other people don't really care. At least, not by default. Your world is the same thing, people don't care about it right away, you need to make them care about it, especially given that your world is the ONLY thing in your current pitch. However, you give almost zero information about the world. You don't need to go all the way explaining every nook and cranny of the lore and magic system, but you should at least try to show readers what's interesting about it, what's the appeal, who it is meant to appeal to.

Here's the point: You care about your world. You made it, what you really want is to explore it. That's fine, but you are inviting plots and ideas that don't necessarily fit with that desire. What happens when one player is interested in the romance, the other player is interested in the culture, and the two interests don't happen to align? The focus disperses and the experience is worse for one or both of them. Being flexible is good, but only up to a point, if you aren't motivated for your partner's angle like your own, it might just show.



My apologies if I was a bit harsh, but I did not find a better way to phrase what I had to say. As a fellow worldbuilder and person who likes to offer their world as a setting, I do understand there aren't a lot of takers, and the pain of the desire to share them without being able to.

I do hope this helps, so best of luck in your search and happy roleplaying!

Edit: I forgot to say, but my answer would be no you aren't scaring people off (not that hearing things like "I have maps", which pretty much reads "You're going to have to keep this in your head or else I might get mad" to someone who doesn't know you), nor should you give up, as this would probably happen regardless but you certainly aren't selling your idea very well and I'm not sure you are aiming for the right audience.

 

[Tove]

Well I usually go more into detail in PMs so I don't actual!y have a link to a thread, but if I were to explain the gist of it it's based on a story I'm writing. Mind you I don't want to RP the plot Injust thought people would really enjoy the setting and it would give them solids breathing room and plenty to work with while they come up wot their own ideas, I say they are allowed to make their won races, regions method of magic pretty much anything as long as it does into the setting of the world and I'm pretty flexible so I am usually able to make small alterations to make it fit it and still be possible but if not then I will inform them of or which rarely happens.

Um anyway. It's about a world where people live side by side with spirits it's common for people to see spirits just as much as you would see living people or animals. Reincarnation is also a 100% fact there but people don't usually remember things from their past lives or afterlives (times you spend as a spirit) it happens but it's rare and hard to prove.

I have 4 classes of people 18 races 7 methods of using magic arguably 8 which again is a hard magic system meaning magic works a certain way, an economic system or at the very least monetary system, pantheons, and lore. There are a lot pf details a lot that I feel can be explained along the way bit if you would like me to go into full detail I can PM it to you.

Sure, you can. Going from what you explained so far however, your plot seems like it could be made for a group setting which I can understand the need to keep it in the overall setting but for a 1x1 I know with roleplayers that enjoy writing out detailed plots as much as seeking them out some tend to want to build up the world together like they want room to develop their own ideas to help contribute to the plot. I'm not saying you're not giving potential partners room to help you expand but they might want to create their own lore too that may differ than what you have already.
I still don't think you should limit yourself but maybe have some adjustments to not only suit your needs but that of partners as well.

 

[Psychonaut]

"Detailed" does not mean "good." If you're pushing for a ludicrously specific role play, no shit you're not going to get many bites. People want a certain degree of freedom. If you're going to pencil them into some tiny little box in which to build a character and a story, I'd be more surprised if they actually assented than passed you up for the puppeteer you appear to be. If all you can do is design neurotic hyperprecise universes in which to conduct role plays, then yeah - just stop. According to your experience, it's apparent that nobody wants to play your game - so why bother?

 

[Tove]

"Detailed" does not explicitly imply "good." If you're pushing for a ludicrously specific role play, no shit you're not going to get many bites. People want a certain degree of freedom. If you're going to pencil them into some tiny little box in which to build a character and a story, I'd be more surprised if they actually assented than passed you up for the puppeteer you appear to be. If all you can do is design neurotic hyperprecise universes in which to conduct role plays, then yeah - just stop. According to your experience, it's apparent that nobody wants to play your game - so why bother?

I would be more inclined to roleplay with them than you. You sound so salty. There's a way to give advice to someone without sounding like a jerk and seems like you skipped the memo.

 

[Brea The Brave]

"Detailed" does not explicitly imply "good." If you're pushing for a ludicrously specific role play, no shit you're not going to get many bites. People want a certain degree of freedom. If you're going to pencil them into some tiny little box in which to build a character and a story, I'd be more surprised if they actually assented than passed you up for the puppeteer you appear to be. If all you can do is design neurotic hyper-precise universes in which to conduct role plays, then yeah - just stop. According to your experience, it's apparent that nobody wants to play your game - so why bother?

Okay, I'm not entirely sure why you felt the need to be so rude when commenting and it's clear you don't understand how I operate at all. I am not penciling them into a tiny little box, I actually let them make their own stuff and alter things a lot. I give them plenty of freedom and the preexisting details are only meant to be a foundation and give people material to work within the meantime while they think of their own ideas, they are allowed to make anything they want from lore to races, there isn't anything that's off-limits to them.

Again don't know why you felt the need to be rude and call me things that I'm not.

 

[Idea]

"Detailed" does not explicitly imply "good." If you're pushing for a ludicrously specific role play, no shit you're not going to get many bites. People want a certain degree of freedom. If you're going to pencil them into some tiny little box in which to build a character and a story, I'd be more surprised if they actually assented than passed you up for the puppeteer you appear to be. If all you can do is design neurotic hyperprecise universes in which to conduct role plays, then yeah - just stop. According to your experience, it's apparent that nobody wants to play your game - so why bother?

Dude (or gal, I wouldn't know), that's going a "bit" far. You're calling people a puppeteer for designing a setting to roleplay in, when they explicitly stated how flexible they are on every other aspect? Seriously? Not to mention some people actually do like to play in someone else's game, even in 1x1s, and they'll even thank you for taking care of all the NPCs and such. It's not for everyone, but that goes for every type of roleplay.

Furthermore, they did mention there are some who stay and stick around. Even if they hadn't, I can tell you y experience even a hyperdeveloped and detailed world can be of interest to your partners and attract people if you can pitch it in the right way and know how to work for your partner's interests as well.

while I'm at it "detailed does not imply good" is a mute point, because nobody declared it was- but it is a preference in style, a taste and a mindset shared by plenty, and if one prefers to work with people who are a better match for them that is a good thing not a bad one, because both playerd will have more fun that way.

 

[Psychonaut]

I would be more inclined to roleplay with them than you. You sound so salty. There's a way to give advice to someone without sounding like a jerk and seems like you skipped the memo.

Kid gloves don't fit me. Feel free to keep softballing this dude - just don't expect any real adjustment. If the OP's account is at all accurate, they've undoubtedly received uncountable gentle indications that their methods are ineffective: in this case, each passing day of unjoined role play is an example of such. The fact that they were driven to post here is evidence enough that these pointers are insufficient to evoke lasting change.

Okay, I'm not entirely sure why you felt the need to be so rude when commenting and it's clear you don't understand how I operate at all. I am not penciling them into a tiny little box, I actually let them make their own stuff and alter things a lot. I give them plenty of freedom and the preexisting details are only meant to be a foundation and give people material to work within the meantime while they think of their own ideas, they are allowed to make anything they want from lore to races, there isn't anything that's off-limits to them.

Again don't know why you felt the need to be rude and call me things that I'm not.

See above. If you insist on my playing ball by your rules - which seems to be the problem you encounter in finding role plays - then fine, I will. Perhaps you should consider discussing these preexisting details with potential partners instead of imposing them upon proposition. You may well discover some new ideas you otherwise would not have.

Dude (or gal, I wouldn't know), that's going a "bit" far. You're calling people a puppeteer for designing a setting to roleplay in, when they explicitly stated how flexible they are on every other aspect? Seriously? Not to mention some people actually do like to play in someone else's game, even in 1x1s, and they'll even thank you for taking care of all the NPCs and such. It's not for everyone, but that goes for every type of roleplay.

Furthermore, they did mention there are some who stay and stick around. Even if they hadn't, I can tell you y experience even a hyperdeveloped and detailed world can be of interest to your partners and attract people if you can pitch it in the right way and know how to work for your partner's interests as well.

while I'm at it "detailed does not imply good" is a mute point, because nobody declared it was- but it is a preference in style, a taste and a mindset shared by plenty, and if one prefers to work with people who are a better match for them that is a good thing not a bad one, because both playerd will have more fun that way.

If flexibility in every other aspect still fails to produce desired results, then it's clearly an inadequate qualifier for measuring interest check efficacy. There's a hard line between showrunning and setting up a 1x1 on your own restrictive terms, and in my experience, the former is far more popular than the latter. If the "some who stay and stick around" were enough to satisfy the OP, this thread would not exist. It's obvious that some further development must occur.

You might mean a moot point, by the way - and I would contradict you by asserting that there's an implication in the OP that "too detailed" is too much of a good thing. Where I came from, "detailed" is a descriptor of quality that filters the less-devoted out of an interest check - a metric of narrative effort put into individual posts that surpasses the mere script-style role player. If they thought that "detailed" was a bad thing, why would they continue to insist on "detailed" role plays? The existence of this thread is proof of their valuation of detail.

 

[Tove]

Kid gloves don't fit me. Feel free to keep softballing this dude - just don't expect any real adjustment. If the OP's account is at all accurate, they've undoubtedly received uncountable gentle indications that their methods are ineffective: in this case, each passing day of unjoined role play is an example of such. The fact that they were driven to post here is evidence enough that these pointers are insufficient to evoke lasting change.


See above. If you insist on my playing ball by your rules - which seems to be the problem you encounter in finding role plays - then fine, I will. Perhaps you should consider discussing these preexisting details with potential partners instead of imposing them upon proposition. You may well discover some new ideas you otherwise would not have.


If flexibility in every other aspect still fails to produce desired results, then it's clearly an inadequate qualifier for measuring interest check efficacy. There's a hard line between showrunning and setting up a 1x1 on your own terms, and in my experience, the former is far more popular than the latter. If the "some who stay and stick around" were enough to satisfy the OP, this thread would not exist. It's obvious that some further development must occur.

You might mean a moot point, by the way - and I would contradict you by asserting that there's an implication in the OP that "too detailed" is "too much of a good thing." Where I came from, "detailed" is a descriptor of quality that filters the less-devoted out of an interest check - a metric of narrative effort put into individual posts that surpasses the mere script-style role player. If they thought that "detailed" was a bad thing, why would they continue to insist on "detailed" role plays? The existence of this thread is proof of their valuation of detail.

So you thought you would be that special type of person by using your own brand of tough advice? Okay, just because someone beat your little dreams into the concrete doesn't mean you need to carry that over to someone else asking for advice. Chill out, relax take a breather being so salty is not going to do you any good. If that's all you are going to add to the conversation do everyone a favor and excuse yourself.

 

[Idea]

If flexibility in every other aspect still fails to produce desired results, then it's clearly an inadequate qualifier for measuring interest check efficacy. There's a hard line between showrunning and setting up a 1x1 on your own terms, and in my experience, the former is far more popular than the latter. If the "some who stay and stick around" were enough to satisfy the OP, this thread would not exist. It's obvious that some further development must occur.

That may be the case, but something being lacking and that being lacking, the thing which explicitly is present being lacking, which is the other player's freedom and agency- as not taking these away would make your assertion of them as a "puppeteer" obsolete- is not a necessary condition for that to be the case. Flexibility isn't "a measure of interest check efficacy" because it's an aspect of the OP's character (not as in OC, but as in who they are as a person). The measure for success of the interest check is how many people come and ask for a roleplay.

In layman's terms, something needs correcting, but you seem to have completely missed the mark and adressed an issue that was already fixed. The bike has a broken wheel and you attempted to fix it by smacking on the wheel that was fine.

You might mean a moot point, by the way

Yes, my apologies there.

and I would contradict you by asserting that there's an implication in the OP that "too detailed" is "too much of a good thing." Where I came from, "detailed" is a descriptor of quality that filters the less-devoted out of an interest check - a metric of narrative effort put into individual posts that surpasses the mere script-style role player.

Where, pray tell, do you find such an assertion? The closest there is is the OP saying "scaring them away", and even then there is no implication of this "too much of a good thing". Even if there was though, something not ALWAYS being a good thing doesn't mean it can't be GENERALLY a good thing, thus making sense to think of it as such, especially in more subjective terms, because you can find a certain style of roleplay to be good or even better than others- while intelectually understanding that's not objectively the case.

If they thought that "detailed" was a bad thing, why would they continue to insist on "detailed" role plays?

Are you suggesting that something not necessarily being a good thing necessarily implies one thinks it's a bad thing? That the stance of "I like this thing but I aknowledge it can be executed poorly" isn't real?

The existence of this thread is proof of their valuation of detail.

The existence of this thread is proof that they get ghosted and don't get why. Maybe that they love their world more than their partners do, maybe that they love detail more than their partners do.

Still, that's neither here nor there, because once again, something generally carrying a good connotation does not imply that one element identifies with the other in their mind. "I like detailed roleplay" means that you tend to find it good- that doesn't mean you don't aknowledge it can be bad, or that you think just something being detailed automatically makes it good.

If someone offers me a burguer, I'm going to happy. Can a burger be shitty? Yeah, totally. But they are generally a good thing. If they are bad, it's because someone did a terrible job and ruined a good thing.


-------

I also want to address a huge mistake you seem to be making regarding interest checks - nobody forces anything on anyone, or imposes anything on anyone, through an interest check's main pitch (or, arguably, at all). Every player has the choice of going to interest checks, seeing if they like it, and taking it if they do or leaving it if they don't. Like shopping for groceries. If you don't like what's there, you don't have to buy it, you don't have to join the roleplay. Filtering out something because you have preferences is likewise not an indorsement of one being superior and the other being inferior, but a simple aknowledgement of preferences.

 

[Brea The Brave]

Kid gloves don't fit me. Feel free to keep softballing this dude - just don't expect any real adjustment. If the OP's account is at all accurate, they've undoubtedly received uncountable gentle indications that their methods are ineffective: in this case, each passing day of unjoined role play is an example of such. The fact that they were driven to post here is evidence enough that these pointers are insufficient to evoke lasting change.


See above. If you insist on my playing ball by your rules - which seems to be the problem you encounter in finding role plays - then fine, I will. Perhaps you should consider discussing these preexisting details with potential partners instead of imposing them upon proposition. You may well discover some new ideas you otherwise would not have.


If flexibility in every other aspect still fails to produce desired results, then it's clearly an inadequate qualifier for measuring interest check efficacy. There's a hard line between showrunning and setting up a 1x1 on your own restrictive terms, and in my experience, the former is far more popular than the latter. If the "some who stay and stick around" were enough to satisfy the OP, this thread would not exist. It's obvious that some further development must occur.

You might mean a moot point, by the way - and I would contradict you by asserting that there's an implication in the OP that "too detailed" is too much of a good thing. Where I came from, "detailed" is a descriptor of quality that filters the less-devoted out of an interest check - a metric of narrative effort put into individual posts that surpasses the mere script-style role player. If they thought that "detailed" was a bad thing, why would they continue to insist on "detailed" role plays? The existence of this thread is proof of their valuation of detail.

I do discuss them with my partners what makes you think that I don't? Also, where did you get this I insist they play by my rules. When I literally let them make basically whatever they want when I say unless it's impossible it's for things I couldn't possibly explain away, for example, there are in no sun or moon in this world so I can't write around it to make it make sense, unfortunately, some things do have to stay the same if I change absolutely everything it's not really my RP is it? There is nothing saying that people participating can't create their own lore where the sun and the moon return or new ones are made.

Even if I weren't flexible on literally pretty much every detail, you're making it seem like it would be an issue to have rules, literally almost any RP I've seen has rules but somehow you're making it seem as though it would be bad for me to have my own rules?

Again you are being rude and completely misreading what I said or blatantly choosing not to understand and for the record, I have not tried everything they have already told me here me because I feared overwhelming people with the details. I made this post not because the people who stick around are not good enough but because I wanted to know if it would be a good idea to continue presenting it in the future, not once did I say they were not good enough, but people have lives, people become busy and sometimes we are not always free at the same time so it would be nice to have more people to RP with in the meantime. I have 3 people I RP with at this very moment possibly 2 more if they answer back.

 

[Brea The Brave]

Okay, answering in order

1. I understand that I'd rather people be up-front and just tell me they don't want to but I understand that. Fair enough. I just feel like maybe they feel like I'm weird or I upset them somehow.

2. The Rp's I've taken part in wasn't particularly detailed so I can see why it would seem like I wasn't but I work with what you give me. It doesn't seem like it from what I've posted this far but I am actually very detailed in the right setting with the right people, but since these RP weren't particularly detailed I didn't want to make detailed posts in that setting. I don't know it seemed like it would be kind of dick move like I'd be flexing in a casual setting and then I'd look like the douche that's trying to hard to make everyone else look bad, silently judging them with my unnecessary wall of text and possibly accompanying pictures.

3. I feel people are misunderstanding me when I as I am flexible. I mean I'm always the best at explaining what I mean so it's definitely possible or maybe I'm misunderstanding you. Just because I am flexible doesn't mean that I am literally willing to do anything. Or is it about offiing to RP something they are more comfortable with? I only offer to RP something people are more comfortable with because I don't want to force them into something they don't want to do and even if we can't do exactly what I orignally had planned it doesn't mean we can't still be friends and find something to enjoy together. One of the people I RP with, we are rping a world he created instead that actually is way more detailed and complex than mine and we still have fun.

I don't display the entire world on interest checks because I'm not sure if it would seem like too much to read and I don't want to overwhelm them with the details so if they are interested I try to give it to them in bits and pieces. If they are still interested I offer to explain things along the way.

Also, I'm not entirely sure what you mean? I'm not sure how I wouldn't be able to explore romance and the culture and even more so I usually do 1x1 so I'm not sure how there would be 2 different people in the same RP with conflicting interests? Even if there was I'm more than capable of playing more than one character? I'm sorry I don't mean to sound defensive or hostile I just don't quite understand that part and I'm not sure how else to say it. We sit down and talk about these things before we start.

However, I see what you mean, maybe I should take a chance and just post the entire thing, maybe they'll like it more if it isn't shrouded in mystery and could just read it before we start. The worst they can do is say no right?

 

[ashwynne]

So ignoring the little drama going on above...

These are just my impressions and thoughts based on what I've read here, so feel free to take it or leave it

1. When you say you want/have a "detailed RP" people tend to equate that with post length/style. As in... multiple paragraphs worth of writing, all of it highly detail oriented. If you're putting "detailed RP" into your search thread, that is what people are going to think of. This can alienate writers who might only offer a few sentences/paragraph, and then also alienate detailed roleplayers who do multi-paragraphs of chunky content if that isn't actually what you mean when you say it.

From what I can gather, when you say "detailed RP" you're referring specifically to having a very detailed setting that you want to explore with other people. I would personally trying editing your search threads to use the word 'setting' instead of 'RP' and possibly also add a general idea of the type of the post length you're looking for so people aren't confused.

2. In general... any time someone has an elaborate setting that they've put a lot of thought into, I find that people tend to not be as interested in it in a 1x1 format. It can feel a little weird to be in a 1x1 with someone who has set up a very specific universe and knows every element of it while you (the writer coming into it) know basically nothing but are still expected to tell a functional story with the actual creator of this detailed setting. It can be very intimidating, even if you're willing to be flexible. You might be better off trying this in a group setting where that feeling of "oh wow, I don't want to mess anything up" isn't so strong because the newcomers to the setting are all in the same boat together.

Summary:
I think a really detailed, pre-made world can be an amazing concept, but I think it will be most successful if presented as a setting for a group roleplay. OR you need to have a specific plot concept to present in 1x1 rather than a sandbox deal (ie. our two characters go on a mission to retrieve a sacred artifact integral to how the world functions because everything is falling apart). You also need to clarify whether you're after a detailed roleplay or simply are advertising a detailed setting.

 

[rae2nerdy]

So I have this exact problem, I love planning and have a few detailed documents that go over my favorite worlds. I find the best thing to do is start out giving the information directly related to the plot and introduce more detailed information as people ask questions.

Even if you have it all plotted out on your end it lets your partner feel like your having an actual discussion rather than them getting info dumped. And it also sometimes leads to you coming up with better ways of doing certain things.

I would say what you need isn’t so much detailed players as people willing to brainstorm. And they are few and far between. But I wouldn’t give up the detail in your world just because you want them to be more accessible.

From experience it just will end up with you being bored or frustrated.

Also gotta say I only do 1x1 so it is a hundred percent possible to make a detailed setting work in 1x1. You just need to introduce your concepts slowly not all at once.

 

[Brea The Brave]

So ignoring the little drama going on above...

These are just my impressions and thoughts based on what I've read here, so feel free to take it or leave it

1. When you say you want/have a "detailed RP" people tend to equate that with post length/style. As in... multiple paragraphs worth of writing, all of it highly detail oriented. If you're putting "detailed RP" into your search thread, that is what people are going to think of. This can alienate writers who might only offer a few sentences/paragraph, and then also alienate detailed roleplayers who do multi-paragraphs of chunky content if that isn't actually what you mean when you say it.

From what I can gather, when you say "detailed RP" you're referring specifically to having a very detailed setting that you want to explore with other people. I would personally trying editing your search threads to use the word 'setting' instead of 'RP' and possibly also add a general idea of the type of the post length you're looking for so people aren't confused.

2. In general... any time someone has an elaborate setting that they've put a lot of thought into, I find that people tend to not be as interested in it in a 1x1 format. It can feel a little weird to be in a 1x1 with someone who has set up a very specific universe and knows every element of it while you (the writer coming into it) know basically nothing but are still expected to tell a functional story with the actual creator of this detailed setting. It can be very intimidating, even if you're willing to be flexible. You might be better off trying this in a group setting where that feeling of "oh wow, I don't want to mess anything up" isn't so strong because the newcomers to the setting are all in the same boat together.

Summary:
I think a really detailed, pre-made world can be an amazing concept, but I think it will be most successful if presented as a setting for a group roleplay. OR you need to have a specific plot concept to present in 1x1 rather than a sandbox deal (ie. our two characters go on a mission to retrieve a sacred artifact integral to how the world functions because everything is falling apart). You also need to clarify whether you're after a detailed roleplay or simply are advertising a detailed setting.

Okay, point taken, it might work better as a group RP and I'm not trying to discriminate against people who write less I'm perfectly fine with a paragraph or two I didn't mean they needed to be able to write a wall of text. Also, I'll admit I didn't know detailed setting was actually a separate option here I thought it was all under the same thing.

 

[Idea]

1. I understand that I'd rather people be up-front and just tell me they don't want to but I understand that. Fair enough. I just feel like maybe they feel like I'm weird or I upset them somehow.

That's a common feeling. However, it will be more productive to find a way to cope with ghosting, than to try to evade it, as it is to some extent inevitable.

2. The Rp's I've taken part in wasn't particularly detailed so I can see why it would seem like I wasn't but I work with what you give me. It doesn't seem like it from what I've posted this far but I am actually very detailed in the right setting with the right people, but since these RP weren't particularly detailed I didn't want to make detailed posts in that setting. I don't know it seemed like it would be kind of dick move like I'd be flexing in a casual setting and then I'd look like the douche that's trying to hard to make everyone else look bad, silently judging them with my unnecessary wall of text and possibly accompanying pictures.

*hides in a corner pretending to not attempt to consistently deliver posts of the kind of size I hope to get from other people*

feel people are misunderstanding me when I as I am flexible. I mean I'm always the best at explaining what I mean so it's definitely possible or maybe I'm misunderstanding you. Just because I am flexible doesn't mean that I am literally willing to do anything. Or is it about offiing to RP something they are more comfortable with? I only offer to RP something people are more comfortable with because I don't want to force them into something they don't want to do and even if we can't do exactly what I orignally had planned it doesn't mean we can't still be friends and find something to enjoy together. One of the people I RP with, we are rping a world he created instead that actually is way more detailed and complex than mine and we still have fun.

Yes, but you aren't offering them sugestions yourself, no prompts, they can only figure out what might interest you through trial and error, instead of being able to pick something you will definitely be invested in.

Also, I'm not entirely sure what you mean? I'm not sure how I wouldn't be able to explore romance and the culture and even more so I usually do 1x1 so I'm not sure how there would be 2 different people in the same RP with conflicting interests? Even if there was I'm more than capable of playing more than one character? I'm sorry I don't mean to sound defensive or hostile I just don't quite understand that part and I'm not sure how else to say it. We sit down and talk about these things before we start.

I'll use an easier to understand example then.

Some people like to double, this is each player roleplays' the other end of the other's pairing. Maybe two people want to play the female in a MxF RP, so they decide to double.

The problem with this is that they see playing the male for the other person as the tradeoff for getting to do what they really want. When this happens, their investment can become quite one-sided, as they are giving their all in playing the female, but just pushing through it with the male. The experience is unsatisfatory because they were just trying to get the other to do their thing in exchange for some other thing, rather than the partners being legitimately intoit for the other's thing.

Back to the romance and culture example, let's say, a wedding. If one partner is busy describing all the proceedures and decoration and meaning of the wedding for a given race- and neglets the emotional impact for the character they are playing simply because they aren't thinking about it- the difference in focus has just taken what was a big moment for the romantic roleplayer and utterly half-assed it.

I'm not sure if the example was the best because before I realized I still had this response to do I was getting to bed, but I'll see to finding something better tomorrow if needed.

I don't display the entire world on interest checks because I'm not sure if it would seem like too much to read and I don't want to overwhelm them with the details so if they are interested I try to give it to them in bits and pieces. If they are still interested I offer to explain things along the way.

However, I see what you mean, maybe I should take a chance and just post the entire thing, maybe they'll like it more if it isn't shrouded in mystery and could just read it before we start. The worst they can do is say no right?

No, you don't have to explain the entire thing. It doesn't have to be 8 or 80, you don't have to keep it pretty much all hidden or pretty much all shown. What I was suggesting is that you show the points of interest, the appeal of your world. For instance, when I pitch the world of Euphorium, I focus on two things:

1. The magic system based on free will being a natural property of matter which breaks the rules of the universe, and thus creates life, sentience and magic (because not just your life, but your free will and intelligence are connected to magic, I'm banking on the coolness of this concept for this part of the pitch)
2. Euphorium was originally a collection of loose ideas which has turned into a cohesive world with a vast and rich history that could fit multiple types of fantasy settings, from tribal and medieval fantasy to urban fantasy, western and even space fantasy, all with a directed connected history.

There is a lot more to now about Euphorium, but this is what would make people want to know more about Euphorium as a pitch- and if they don't, then the world concept probably wouldn' t be that interesting to them.

 

[cloudyskies]

I feel like I'm scaring people away by being too detailed with my RP's I mean some people stick around and enjoy them so I won't pretend like everyone just up and leaves but people who actually stick around are rare and few in between. I try to be really flexible as to not overwhelm them or feel like they are restricted just because my world has a particular type of setting or a hard magic system and sometimes people seem interested but they never get back to me even though I tell them I'd be willing to RP something they're comfortable with instead. I don't rush people for responses as I understand IRL comes first and I'm likely not the only person they are rping with. However, I feel like when half the year has gone by that I'm almost certain they aren't coming back and I'm the type of person who doesn't like to pester people even though I clearly see they are online and rping with other people.

So should I just stop presenting my detailed RP to people? Am I scaring them away?

(Note I am not talking about anyone I approached about RPs recently or that I am currently rping with, don't feel like I'm talking about you at all, I'm not.)

I feel like it’s the opposite for me. I envy detailed roleplayers, and I often wonder if the reason I get ghosted/ditched in some way so often is because of my lack of writing skills.
When I find a “detailed” roleplayer that decides to stick with me, makes me feel a little better about myself. No, you shouldn’t stop being a detailed roleplayer, there’s nothing bad about it. In my opinion people like me may feel like they’re “not good enough” for someone more detailed. (Detailed might be a subjective term).
On one hand, I once felt like I was of no help in world building, despite being perfectly capable in doing this. I love to see more complicated and detailed universes and I love to work with someone to create something we love together.

 

[Brea The Brave]

That's a common feeling. However, it will be more productive to find a way to cope with ghosting, than to try to evade it, as it is to some extent inevitable.


*hides in a corner pretending to not attempt to consistently deliver posts of the kind of size I hope to get from other people*




Yes, but you aren't offering them sugestions yourself, no prompts, they can only figure out what might interest you through trial and error, instead of being able to pick something you will definitely be invested in.


I'll use an easier to understand example then.

Some people like to double, this is each player roleplays' the other end of the other's pairing. Maybe two people want to play the female in a MxF RP, so they decide to double.

The problem with this is that they see playing the male for the other person as the tradeoff for getting to do what they really want. When this happens, their investment can become quite one-sided, as they are giving their all in playing the female, but just pushing through it with the male. The experience is unsatisfatory because they were just trying to get the other to do their thing in exchange for some other thing, rather than the partners being legitimately intoit for the other's thing.

Back to the romance and culture example, let's say, a wedding. If one partner is busy describing all the proceedures and decoration and meaning of the wedding for a given race- and neglets the emotional impact for the character they are playing simply because they aren't thinking about it- the difference in focus has just taken what was a big moment for the romantic roleplayer and utterly half-assed it.

I'm not sure if the example was the best because before I realized I still had this response to do I was getting to bed, but I'll see to finding something better tomorrow if needed.



No, you don't have to explain the entire thing. It doesn't have to be 8 or 80, you don't have to keep it pretty much all hidden or pretty much all shown. What I was suggesting is that you show the points of interest, the appeal of your world. For instance, when I pitch the world of Euphorium, I focus on two things:

1. The magic system based on free will being a natural property of matter which breaks the rules of the universe, and thus creates life, sentience and magic (because not just your life, but your free will and intelligence are connected to magic, I'm banking on the coolness of this concept for this part of the pitch)
2. Euphorium was originally a collection of loose ideas which has turned into a cohesive world with a vast and rich history that could fit multiple types of fantasy settings, from tribal and medieval fantasy to urban fantasy, western and even space fantasy, all with a directed connected history.

There is a lot more to now about Euphorium, but this is what would make people want to know more about Euphorium as a pitch- and if they don't, then the world concept probably wouldn' t be that interesting to them.

Well I usually present plots and stuff in the PMs but I suppose I could present them in the post I just have more than one so Inkike to have them pick the one they'd like to do or if they choose to make one themselves.


Also I don't think I'd neglect any of that and I feel like I should mention I play both male and female even thought I completely understand this is an example but I understand what you mean.

 

[Idea]

Well I usually present plots and stuff in the PMs but I suppose I could present them in the post I just have more than one so Inkike to have them pick the one they'd like to do or if they choose to make one themselves.

Yeah you should probably present the plots in the interest check, but just leave a note saying you're open for tweaking or for their own ideas. It shows you have your own innitiative when it comes to those, but are still open for changes to accomodate the partner better.

Also I don't think I'd neglect any of that and I feel like I should mention I play both male and female even thought I completely understand this is an example but I understand what you mean.

"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."
-Jesus

In any case, my point was simply "state your preferences out clearly" and "make sure you aren't just going along with your partner's wishes, but that they are something you yourself genuinely want to try". If you already do that, then excellent! If not, then whether you know it or not, you're probably providing a less than optimal experience from your partner's side of the picture.