What gets you invested in a roleplay?

[fluticasone]

Since we've had a couple of threads about pet peeves or what turns you off, let's have something that leans more towards the positive side of things!


Personally, it's always been a dedicated GM that's attentive to the needs of the rp. This means that they'll keep in touch with their players, keep a schedule and actually adhere to it. When I see a GM devote this much to a roleplay, my admiration and respect is won and I feel the need to thank them for their work in the form of being active. What about you guys?

 

[SimpleGuy]

I have only truly been invested in a roleplay once and that was because all the RPers themselves continued the story rather than waiting for any arc to occur or anything big they just continued on whenever they could. I feel having people that are truly invested into the whole universe of said roleplay help me get motivated to stick around. I would love to be in many more RPs but I am truly invested into one and have another I get on when I can that is relatively small. One thing I saw the GMs of that really good RP do is they have like 20 characters to always keep things interesting that way nobody is truly storyblocked or bored because they can just say they are open to interaction and someone will respond.

 

[fluticasone]

I personally would never be able to handle that many characters, but I can see how the GM can be accommodating to stragglers or those finding it difficult to merge with the group.


Players actively playing part in running a story is definitely a plus, but it's difficult to do with a group of strangers imo. Without a good leader/GM/figurehead, plenty of times they wind up acting like no more than headless chickens, with no direction they want to pursue.

 

[Clear]

I personally have a hard time finding roleplays that I become invested in, but what usually triggers it are as follows:


A GM who moderates and keeps the roleplay neat always catches my interest. Whether or not they are a part of the roleplay itself, they communicate with the other players, keep to their words, and know when to say no to something. I have had too many experiences with someone flipping the story and setting around into a jumbled mess that goes way out of bounds of the roleplay's original setting and story.  I like roleplays where everyone can give to the conflict and setting, and drive the story farther as long as they stay consistent to what we started off with. (For example, someone suddenly finding an electric scooter or gaining laser vision in a medieval fantasy roleplay is a no-no for me.) 


Unique cast. I'm not a big fan of stereotyping characters, so when I see a cast of characters that go reasonably outside the norm it catches my interest.


The Plot/Story. Has to be something that can keep my interest in the roleplay. I wont hesitate to leave a roleplay if I get bored of it. 


I can be a very picky person when it comes to roleplay, but it mostly boils down to a neat, communicative roleplay with a tasty story and consistent theme.

 

[sorrow made you]

I tend to like a lot of rps, but rarely am I super invested in them. The rare occasions that I do, they generally have these:


1. An interesting plot/setting. Sometimes it's just the setting that I'm feeling. If it's got possibilities for various different things within the genre, then I'll definitely start thinking. If it's a plot that allows more character creativity, then it's even better. However, plots are hard to get me hooked completely unless it's something that seems solid and thought out.


2. Characters. The preexisting cast (people that have been accepted already) have to have some potential to them. I don't mind vague characters, so long as they have potential and room to grow. Some people are better fleshing out characters as they progress in a story. That's fine, just give a decent starting point. The more unique the characters, the more curious I will become.


3. Humor. Something that really catches me is if it appeals to my funny bone. If I read something that sounds incredibly comical, I'm more inclined to read up to figure out how it happened. But it has to be more than just a character falling on their face or doing something silly. It's usually something that had to have been lead up to. A scene or something.


4. Character to world dynamics. If a character is able to immerse themselves in the world, and shows a sense of understanding, then that is incredibly sexy to me. Immerse me in a world, make me want to read the interactions that have already happened. Integrate the world into what's happening with the character. This leads back to an interesting setting and interesting characters.


5. Players. If people are generally nice and accepting, as well as willing to help new people come in, I think that's something that makes a rp even more attractive. I like to create rp friends, and I would love to invest in a rp that I could talk to people over that period of time.


Crit is a bit tired, so the response may not be up to par. But this is what I can think of off the top of my head. xD;; 

 

[call me rae]

People will do it every time. Related to @TheBlackSwordsman said I find that if I gel well with the people involved in a roleplay I'm more likely to be invested. I do mostly 1x1s now and it's always about the people I make friends with out of character. The ones that can chat about random stuff and I can get to know.


the more I know and like you the more invested I'll be in roleplaying with you.

 

[B E E S]

I find that I get super invested when there is some planning of how characters know one another before hand. I'm only really in one roleplay right now, and I'm sure invested in it because of that. As well because everyone is putting in a lot of effort into their characters and posts. Everyone is super nice there too which helps. 

 

[fluticasone]

@Caru


I totally get what you mean. I love it when people take the initiative to plot relationships and interactions before the IC begins, since it helps me flesh out my character more. In return, I wind up appreciating the fictional person just a bit more thanks to their ideas.


i just really love noisy ooc's where people are comfortable coming in just to whine about their day. Makes everyone feel like friends.

 

[eclipsa]

Honestly, I become invested in everything I roleplay. Although, I do occasionally lose that investment after some things.


To peak my interest and get me invested I need a good plot, well developed characters, and a good GM (though, honestly I don't join a lot of roleplays that I don't make because I make too many).


I prefer pre-organized relationships. At least, for the basics. It gives an easy way to start a roleplay, instead of the pain of trying to figure out interactions. Like yes, organic relationships are great, but I prefer a starting point.


As stated above, the roleplayers are a big thing too. I've been put in the middle of a lot of drama on the site, but I've made a lot of friends too. I won't join roleplays that have members that I dislike. I like making friends. I like when the OOC is active (which isn't happening lately) and fun.

 

[Irick]

Me.


I have a bunch of likes and dislikes, but when it comes down to it investing in a roleplay is a choice. Once i've joined a roleplay, that choice has been made and I feel as though I am failing my responsibility as a player if I do not come back to it every session with unqualified zeel (Not that I don't have those regretful days when I'm the stick in the mud). That being said:


I love deep, meaningful character interactions. Being able to map out a complex inner motivation to the wider setting gives me a sense of connectivity with the shared world. Resonates of pulpy action can add spice, but my mind will always crave for some wider message or cutting thesis within plot and a complete theory of mind within characters. As long as the game world and characters maintain internal consistency though, I can read most of what I need into the emergent story by interpreting generously.

 

[Grey]

Usually a skilled, dedicated GM and players I can comfortably play with get me invested as a player.


As a GM, I invest a lot at the start, but if the players don't match my enthusiasm for more than a couple of posts I regard it as a personal failure and lose interest. 

 

[Asperix0]

Someone who can write English, and also include a lot of detail. 

 

[Irick]

As a GM, I invest a lot at the start, but if the players don't match my enthusiasm for more than a couple of posts I regard it as a personal failure and lose interest. 

Oh man, yeah. That trap killed more of my games than I care to admit. I'd get self-conscious and paranoid about my core concept because my players would distract themselves with phones or tablets in the middle of our character generation/setting dump session 0. It would sour my outlook on the game going forward. That's actually a large part of why I ended up changing my GM style to frameworking out some bullet points and letting things unfold at the table. It's less stressful to shelve an outline than it is to have to put away my old campaign binders to gather dust on the shelf.

 

[RatFlail]

I tend to get invested in my own creations and ideas. If I've put a lot into it, I'm more likely to stick around.


Of course, the nature of RP is cooperative, so it's important to let other people play with your own ideas and to play with theirs. More improv and less monologue. The whole "Yes and" principle serves RP pretty well.

 

[Kimi]

I tend to be invested when it's more like a group of RP-ers rather than one person running it. I love it when everyone seems really excited and invested in the story and suggests plotline's and you can tell everyone is really invested in the story. Although I feel like they are quite rare so that sucks, but that is what gets me majorly invested in a RP/Story.


I don't really like my own ideas because I can come up with ideas but struggle with explaining them and just generally running a RP and keeping it alive.

 

[Irick]

More improv and less monologue. The whole "Yes and" principle serves RP pretty well.

I've been trying to incorporate improv elements into my table culture for a while. I rather like "Yes and" as well as "Make your partner look good". I feel it's been very helpful in keeping everyone engaged and feeling like they are contributing 

 

[JujuBee]

The relationship between the creators. Having a good plot and characters is one thing but I can't stress it enough when I'm the GM that I love having the role players actually communicating with each other and not just about the roleplay. When you're able to keep a connection between everyone, it becomes a lot more easier to work together and come up with ideas.


When you don't have that comfortable feeling (for lack of a better word) it gets really boring and you start to lose interest. 

 

[budgieboo]

1. interesting plot and characters that are fun to talk about. when i'm excited and interested about what happens to the characters and with the plot, enough that i want to talk about it. when other people are excited and interested about what happens to the characters and with the plot enough to talk about it and stay committed. 


2. a cool and unique style and atmosphere that i can get into. where i don't feel pressured to be a bestseller author or where i'm not labled instantly as top ten cringiest emo poets.


3. when i legitimately feel like a part of the roleplay. when i don't feel completely hated or unwanted. a healthy ooc group conversation where it's not so tense, people are actually posting, and that we're all friends. i'm happy, they're happy with me. they're glad i'm there. i understand this. i'm not depressed. 


these are just the ideal though. as you can see my standards are too high for someone like myself. 

 

[budgieboo]

The relationship between the creators. Having a good plot and characters is one thing but I can't stress it enough when I'm the GM that I love having the role players actually communicating with each other and not just about the roleplay. When you're able to keep a connection between everyone, it becomes a lot more easier to work together and come up with ideas.


When you don't have that comfortable feeling (for lack of a better word) it gets really boring and you start to lose interest. 

man i get this. i get this so much. i literally feel it. 


the worst is when i try to start up a convo about something, literally anythin with the other players. i try posting something in the ooc thread. the gm is the only one that responds to me. shame. i am shamed. ashamed. abashed. sheepish. guilty. contrite. remorseful. repentant. penitent. regretful. rueful. apologetic. 

 

[Cashdash25]

Is it fun?

 

[Grey]

Actually, that's a good one, JuJuBee. If I can get the players talking excitedly about the material I've given them, I'm way more enthused about the whole affair.


One of my RPs has managed to survive nearly three, four years now and I think a big part of that was an OOC thread that was filled with plot and setting speculation pretty much every day.

 

[JujuBee]

Actually, that's a good one, JuJuBee. If I can get the players talking excitedly about the material I've given them, I'm way more enthused about the whole affair.


One of my RPs has managed to survive nearly three, four years now and I think a big part of that was an OOC thread that was filled with plot and setting speculation pretty much every day.

Same here. The time had in OOC with everyone usually makes a longer rp. I had a 1x1 with a girl for about 2 years because we got really close and were always talking about not only the roleplay and characters but real life and things going on with us. Those are the best to me. When I do an rp, not only do I want to make a story but I want to build a relationship with that person too.

 

[M.J. Saulnier]

Starts with a great concept. I could care less how developed or structured it may be. I have to see potential in not only the story, but my place to fit a character or characters into that story seamlessly. I don't like being that oddball element that stands out and compromises consitency from my own little creative bubble way out in left field.


Also I like to see the other writers. Have an idea of what characters they are running. That's equally as important to me. If I don't like the potential or feel of the cast, it turns me off immediately. You can tell a lot about writers by the characters they create.

 

[TripTripleTimes]

For me I get invested when the plot and story moves foward. As much as I like well writen characters, settings, details, interaction, and players collaberation, I like to see the plot move in a cohesive manner by the GM. I want to see the begining, the middle, the climax, and the conclusion of the story and watch the characters fight, struggle, gain new insight of themselves and others, and whatever emotions they may encounter during the plot. I like it when I get excited for the next post and how that may affect the character/plot in the long run. I want to see the fruits of the seed which the gm planted. 


Second to the GM moving the plot, is the community of that rp. I like it when we are relaxed and goof around out of IC, especially when fire is spitting down on our characters. Respect is also key and so is understanding with each other. I tend to ask questions a lot and may bring random topic on the OOC table, so when people replies and just chat among themself, I feel like there is a click of a community. 


I think overall flexibility is good. For everything, from plot, to gm, to the players. If there is a roadblock or conflict form (mistakes and misunderstanding happens), i like it when there is a group effort to work through it or around it, whatever the case may be.


I find it fun when someone bring up the shipping chart and everyone just laughs with it and/or goes with the flow, hahaha.


I think all that has to com natrually and can't be really forced into. I guess it is all about luck and finding that click within the group. 

 

[plotsaresexy]

i tend to get invested into a role-play when the other person's character is meshing well with mine, and if we plan out the story at least a little as we go.