Viewpoint "This story/character is a lot like..."

[Crenando]

I mean, if it's good stuff that makes for good ideas, than I wouldn't stop doing it.

I got to a point where I felt like I was in a rut with how I handled it, though. I got real navel-gazey about it for a month or two.
I felt like I was being derivative of comic writers who like and use obscure characters pretty frequently.

 

[Grey]

Advice I try to live by:

It doesn't matter where you got the idea, but how far you can run with it.

 

[Mesalia_RP]

When it comes to comparing things, I'd just avoid accidentally sounding derogatory. People can have a specific vision for their character and you can accidentally come off as reductionist comparing things.

The only time it annoys me is when people compare a character to another, or one story to another, based entirely on basic common troupes.

The anime Made in Abyss and the manga Dungeon Meshi both feature a large mysterious hole that descends deep into the ground. In both stories communities have formed around the mysterious depths. In both stories adventurers descend deep into the depths to explore for a variety of reasons.

If you look at these stories on a surface level, it'd seem like plagiarism. But this kind of story is just a common trope. What makes them different is the tone, characters, and narrative of both stories. Dungeon Meshi is far lighter and comedic then Made in Abyss, even featuring extensive cooking segments to keep the light-hearted tone. This separates it from similar stories.

 

[M.J. Saulnier]

Here's a question: What do you do if you make a character or a story/setting and the reaction someone gets you is "This thing is a lot like (this other popular story)" or "This character's power would make a good (stand/quirk/scp)"
I'm sure it's a huge pet peeve for a lot of people like it is for me, but I'm curious what your reactions to it are.

It almost always kills my value of their opinion.

Everything. Virtually everything is like something if you try hard enough to find a similarity. Usually these people are shallow, judgmental individuals who aren't really looking at your idea, they are skimming it over and the little influences or themes you've used are popping out at them as "like this, like that." Instead of digging deeper for some actual feedback, they are just tossing up the first thing because they really don't care about your idea.

 

[Crow]

Depends on how it's worded. If it's a compliment I just take it. If it's meant to reflect how my idea is too unoriginal... well... I've seen RP OoCs get into fights because the GM's tryna forbid characters from just having certain tropes or even things that do not have said tropes but are intepreted by the GM to have said tropes, even if they fit the setting and character perfectly. I mean, that's like telling all trees to stop being made of wood.

But yeah, let me tell ya something funny. There was this one time this guy wanted some RPs to jump into. Then I proposed my idea and he immediately said 'wtf! this sounds like a fandom idea! i don't do fandom!'. He didn't even say what kind of series or franchise the idea reminds him of. He just up and said it sounds like a fandom idea. What was the big idea?

 

[Jack is Back]

I think it's very rude for a person to do so. I don't know as much about this community specifically, but everywhere else comparing characters to popular media is insulting. If the character they're comparing it to is something I haven't watched I will tell them "I don't know anything about what you just said. If it happens to be like that its a total coincidence."

If they keep doing it I drop them. It is extremely annoying for me and takes the fun out of rp. It also makes me feel like they're trying to get me to watch/read/play that thing.

 

[ChasmOfOrganicMatter]

Honestly if my setting, lore, or characters are compared to something I don't think sucks, I'm fine with it. Nothing wrong with being honest about your influences but you should try not to flaunt them for brownie points.

 

[M.J. Saulnier]

But yeah, let me tell ya something funny. There was this one time this guy wanted some RPs to jump into. Then I proposed my idea and he immediately said 'wtf! this sounds like a fandom idea! i don't do fandom!'. He didn't even say what kind of series or franchise the idea reminds him of. He just up and said it sounds like a fandom idea. What was the big idea?

Yeah, fandom is like the cancer of Roleplaying. An error in creativity that has spread throughout the medium like an unstoppable wildfire of cringe and good intentioms gone horribly, horribly wrong.


`>.> But that's just my opinion.

 

[just_patches]

Advice I try to live by:

It doesn't matter where you got the idea, but how far you can run with it.

That's actually a really good piece of advice.

But yeah, I think there is nothing wrong with inspiration... Also the fact that there are so few original ideas at this place.
At least I'm not Hollywood and using the same movies over and over and over again.

 

[Idea]

This thing is a lot like (this other popular story)"

I may take it as a complement (in the sense that they are saying they liked it) or I might take it as poor criticism. I am of the belief that similarity to another thing, regardless of the extent or frequency, is simply not really saying anything constructive, it doesn't imply the work is bad nor does it point out any actual flaw it could improve upon.

"This character's power would make a good (stand/quirk/scp)"

I might chat with them about it I suppose?

 

[Lorsh]

Pissed me off in this creative writing class when I made a dystopian story and someone compared it to The Hunger Games and someone else pointed out a character had the same name as some dumbass irl singer I'd never heard of