Other What is the number one reason you stop replying to, or stop participating in roleplays?

[scorpiodragon]

Lose interest a lot of time in it or it never even gets off the ground (aka I don't get a response back from the person who started the RP). Has happened a lot to me.

I no longer participate in RPing on here or anywhere but for one to two people and those are private 1x1 rps. I just don't see the point in wasting my time expressing interest in something or responding when, in my case, it doesn't work out...be it group RP, 1x1 or discord RPs.

 

[CecilDMMasters]

Ended up not RPing with someone after long discussion that seemed to be going great. In a 1 x 1 RP I show him/her my characters pictures after they seemed excited to hear about previous RPs I've done with them. Discuss compatibility in story with their characters. Come up with plot ideas. Then I send picture links and all they can do it go on and on I didn't have a actual human picture of them. Had toyhouse pages of commissions, and even DAZ studio commissions that look pretty dang real. But they literally typed as if having an attack of some kind I hadn't search through actor faces to pick an actor that would 'play them.'

 

[Kaihaku]

On RPNation, definitely the Game Master ghosting. I'm stubborn and will stick out other players ghosting, but it's different when the GM disappears. Especially since it's usually a quiet exit that kills the momentum while all the players sit waiting for the GM. This didn't happen as often at other sites I've RPed at, GM would usually tell folks that they were dropping out, but that had a smaller player base who knew each other well.

Most players here seem to be respectful of GMs' time, especially with all the IRL stuff that's been going on, so they don't want to harass them and there's just this slow dread that RPs that had started off well just to have their core disappear.

 

[Elowyn]

Reviving this thread because r e s e a r c h.

Rps for me die bc...

• Someone ghosts or forgets about it or life gets busy
• The plot isnt moving forward

I'll usually vet partners for writing quality and expectations about post length. I'd like to say that I'm okay at matching post length which can be hard because I tend to be more concise than rambly although that may chanhe in the future. OOC isn't necessary for me but I do really prefer to be told if my partner will be busy or can't write anymore.

 

[Murdergurl]

I've noticed there are a LOT of people on this site that tend to drop off roleplays without a word which ends up hurting the GM and the roleplayers trying to establish relationships with other players. So I wanted to just ask out-right, yes real life happens but is there anything in particular that will either make you slowly lose interest or make you immediately say "nope"?

Follow RPN rules, no flaming just discussion and answers.

Goddamn... this topic is four years old and still hella relevant!

But to add my bit to the ongoing discussion:

I tend to drop out of RPs when they start to stagnate. Especially if they start to stagnate early on. If the group has just started, everyone should be super hyped and excited to RP. But if everyone is floundering to get their second (or even FIRST) post in... or people start having "real life stuff" getting in the way right on the first week or two, it spells trouble for the future of the RP.

Stated frankly: I don't have time to waste on dying RPs. I'm not going to keep putting effort into a project that is doing a death spiral.

 

[GrumpySwallow]

I don't ghost a RP often, but when I do it's always been because I don't feel like I'm actually part of the RP, or that I can be a contributing player to the game. This usually happened in games where the GM is already friends with a bunch of the players, and the story and roles were set in stone before the RP thread was made. Everyone has a script, but I don't. As such, no matter my efforts my character never becomes part of the RP's plot. They're just there. They just exist. I felt like I could just slip out of these games and no one would notice I'm gone.

I remember leaving one RP years ago because the GM put all their focus on their own PCs. The GM was plotting with the RPers playing the main baddies of the game while not giving the other players something to do in the meantime, and the Super Bad Guy plotting took a month to finish. This was during the golden age of Gaia Online where RPs were much faster-paced. The rest of us got tired of waiting to be fed plot crumbs and left.

I've left RPs that have devolved into snog-fests.

 

[.quietus]

Lack of enthusiasm and communication.

 

[Shadow Rose]

Quality and quantity drops. I like a damn good reply as much as the next person. Like anyone I want something that excites me especially being a bit of a bookworm that I am. Now I don't expect everyone to be a professional author (and even they make mistakes. Thats why they have editors lol) but I do enjoy it when there's some obvious effort to detail put in. Of course I don't need an entire paragraph about how a characters hair looks or how they sneezed or whatever but you know.

Likewise if im waiting like...a freaking month and you haven't communicated why in all that time I'm just going to assume you're no longer interested and move on with my life.

In the end it's usually because the other person somehow, somewhere dipped first and honestly it's kind of infuriating, especially when it's something you were REALLY looking forward to. What am I going to do punch you through my phone because life got a little busy or because maybe you weren't as interested as you thought you were?

 

[.quietus]

Quality and quantity drops. I like a damn good reply as much as the next person. Like anyone I want something that excites me especially being a bit of a bookworm that I am. Now I don't expect everyone to be a professional author (and even they make mistakes. Thats why they have editors lol) but I do enjoy it when there's some obvious effort to detail put in. Of course I don't need an entire paragraph about how a characters hair looks or how they sneezed or whatever but you know.

Likewise if im waiting like...a freaking month and you haven't communicated why in all that time I'm just going to assume you're no longer interested and move on with my life.

In the end it's usually because the other person somehow, somewhere dipped first and honestly it's kind of infuriating, especially when it's something you were REALLY looking forward to. What am I going to do punch you through my phone because life got a little busy or because maybe you weren't as interested as you thought you were?

Someone else dipping first in some way is a good way to describe it, actually. I just can't keep my interest alive if I feel like I'm the only one tending to the spark, ya know? It just sucks.

 

[Steve Jobs]

With a few exceptions the only times I've dropped a roleplay it's because I felt discouraged by other players ghosting first or not giving me enough to reply to. I don't being the primary person driving the plot forward nor the person stealing the spotlight so it leads to me waiting for the inactive player(s) post and...it not happening.

 

[Pokeking]

I do not recall an instance where I have ghosted someone. My answer to the question of reason I stop replying or stop participating in the storyline is that other people stop posting.

I've had to learn to let go. A storyline where there hasn't been a post in a week, especially in a group storyline and also with no notice, is most likely not going to last.

 

[Natasha4E]

My main reason for dropping the role play is when they try to control my character. It is always a deal breaker for me. Usually I tell my partner, so they know what's going on.

 

[Spoiled Bread]

Most of the time? Because the RP is dying and the GM doesn't try to keep it up. Nowadays I appreciate a good GM more than a good story and would be willing to power through the slog if the GM still shows enthusiasm for the RP.

Though the main reason I actively ghosted an RP is because the vibe has been ruined. Like someone joined in with character that doesn't fit in the RP but the GM just allows it and let that one do whatever they wants, or when a GM told me to backpedal an important action that my character did one month ago (real life time) while having been silent these entire time, or when a GM tried to fix the players' posts every single time because they have a rigid ways of how the world works but never bother to explain it to the players.

 

[Murdergurl]

I feel I should add to my previous comment:

When I (am attempting to) run a setting as a GM and I see that the players are falling off like dead flies, or otherwise just ghosting or not responding to @s or PMs when they have clearly been online since the notification was made, I will pronounce the RP dead. I will give pokes and even contact people via PM if I need to. But if it becomes blaringly obvious that the persons that claimed they were interested in the RP are actively avoiding me or just really dragging their asses to make a post, then I'm not going to pour any more effort just to waste my time any more than I already have.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I've been on both sides of the screen. Participating in RPs where GMs that dip out, and making a setting where the majority of the players just poof one after the other. Honestly, getting a roleplay off the ground nowadays is such a goddamn hassle. And I feel like anything I make or join is always with me only having one foot in the game because I'm so used to seeing everything fail all the time.

 

[eyclore]

i get overwhelmed with schoolwork and replies to do and my motivation escapes under the bed

 

[Shadow Rose]

I feel I should add to my previous comment:

When I (am attempting to) run a setting as a GM and I see that the players are falling off like dead flies, or otherwise just ghosting or not responding to @s or PMs when they have clearly been online since the notification was made, I will pronounce the RP dead. I will give pokes and even contact people via PM if I need to. But if it becomes blaringly obvious that the persons that claimed they were interested in the RP are actively avoiding me or just really dragging their asses to make a post, then I'm not going to pour any more effort just to waste my time any more than I already have.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I've been on both sides of the screen. Participating in RPs where GMs that dip out, and making a setting where the majority of the players just poof one after the other. Honestly, getting a roleplay off the ground nowadays is such a goddamn hassle. And I feel like anything I make or join is always with me only having one foot in the game because I'm so used to seeing everything fail all the time.

My god I feel all of this. I mean granted I've never been a GM but considering how often I've had others dip on me...I know it's just something that happens don't get me wrong but that's why I don't really look for people much anymore. I might say something if there's something that interests me but even that hardly happens anymore because I figure what's the point if they're just going to dip anyway?

 

[phnx.]

usually, executive disfunction, which i really need to work on :/

 

[MisterBobbyPin]

The roleplayers around me. Role-playing is all about the character and a few bad faith actors will just usually ruin things.

 

[Superfly47]

Death. Whether I die in the roleplay or in real life I stop replying.

 

[GammyWamzee]

>Lack of OOC chatter and planning. I like talking, and sharing ideas. I have even written out entire journals in character POV (about 6 pages with 12p font) and all I get is 'that's so cool!' (I am not expecting my partner to give a full analysis, life outside of RP I get it, but PLEASE some kind of comment)
>Lack of IC dialogue. A lot of my writing is dialogue, so a lot of my character's end up seeming really chatty. Then whenever your character lacks dialogue, I get frustrated because bulk of my responses are dialogue
>Not progressing plot. I've been stuck on scenes, I give prompts to continue the scene to a different one, it's fully set up. But it either takes an ooc go ahead, or me changing the scene. We are both very clearly not into the scene anymore, just move on, we've already talked about the plot afterwards, so just move on.
>Whenever a partner is super 'go with the flow'. Essentially, there is no sudden action, everything is left to me to progress and continue. I don't mind, but I've let you know before hand 'oh yeah, go ahead and do whatever you want'.

---

Edit:
Also adding on that a lot of the time real life gets in the way. Motivation issues, work, etc.

 

[GojiBean]

Most commonly, emotional disconnection from waiting too long between responses.

It's unfortunate, but it's almost universal that from the moment I create a character for an RP an internal timer starts counting down in the back of my mind. Every day the character(s) go unused is more sand draining from the hourglass, so to speak. And the only thing that can prevent that is the use of the character in a semi-consistent posting environment.

As the saying goes, "if you don't use it, you lose it."

For me, this phrase holds true. I can only maintain an emotional connection to a character for so long before that connection is severed by the lack of activity since it's mentally draining to have to keep that connection alive if nothing's actually being done with them. The more I get to do with the character, the easier it is to maintain that connection and the longer it's going to last.

Cheers!

 

[Sethos]

I have one friend who I really like to write with, but sometimes, they just don't give me enough to work with. It's really frustrating because I think they're a pretty good writer and I tend to lead plots, but I don't want to be the only one contributing and it often feels like I am. I've dropped several of our Roleplays because I just don't know where to go half the time.

 

[zizikitty]

I cant say as for here as I’m new but… In role play in general… I know what kills the vibe for me is when I am the only one pushing the plot forward. Meaning, I’m the only one coming up with ideas and my partner just agrees with everything or just shows lack luster.

Short replies or nothing to work with also kills my muse. It’s so hard to respond to. I’ve also dropped role plays due to maturity difference. I was a 15 year old once and had no understanding how people really interacted and how a story should flow.

I’ve also quickly lost interest when romance was all the partner was interested in, especially when it was discreetly directed towards me OOC. I’ve had that happen more than I care to say. :C I used to make a rule that I do not rp romance with the opposite gender but more times than I care to say, my partner was also female and was romantically interested in me. Which was made more shitty when you factor in they knew I was married.

Also too much plotting. Don’t get me wrong, I love to plot but I like to get the basics down and go a head and start. Too much plotting before the start leaves me disinterested. Plotting during is great.

Past couple of years however I think there hasn’t been much in the way of partners leaving than myself. Dealing with depression is rough and makes it hard to respond some times. Then i get caught up in a vicious cycle of “well I haven’t responded in x days. They probably moved on, why bother them.” Which I am trying so damn hard to break.

I find I get discouraged easily when I have trouble finding partners that are as interested or don’t take the idea into left field of what I had in mind.

 

[Sega]

honestly, real life in 90% cases. as well as mostly people dropping out, or taking too long to post. i end up losing interest if the momentum slows down. i know that real life is troublesome and people are busy, but i like to be able to post at least 2-3 times a week.

also, i dislike the need for discord servers. whenever i join one, i end up being casted to the side bc i simply don't have enough time to reply and make friends with everyone, and i'm not the type to do so. people end up pairing characters and i am kinda left on my own, so i don't even try to participate. it's all filled with messages and quick responses, and i don't have time to read up on all of that. i prefer the forums.

also, people who don't like character progress/development. many people start out with these 'perfect' characters who don't have much to learn, and don't like trying around the characters who need to. i personally like playing villainish/outcast people who just need some kindness to grow as a person, but people tend to avoid them, in my experience. lack of conflict/dynamic kinda kills it for me.

 

[Li Hai Cyber]

I'm new to this site, but I've been roleplaying on all kinds of websites + discord for 6 years and the main reason I end up ghosting a roleplay is what I can only really describe as the ick?
Like, when I feel like a roleplay has been losing its momentum. I will try and give suggestions on how it could pick up the pace / become more interesting again, but the person seems very uninterested. Or when someone has very little to offer in keeping a roleplay going. I feel like that is a difficult thing to talk out (esp when I don't know the person) , and I would rather not do it at all.
Now that I'm older, I try not to ghost