Character Theory What's with people using images to describe their character's appearance?

[JRPG]

Yeah an attempt is beneficial, but unless the GM doesn't state anything, or clarify appearance limitations, it's difficult to gauge whether a person is lazy, or they prefer images. @Umbrii

 

[MattieLee]

Yeah an attempt is beneficial, but unless the GM doesn't state anything, or clarify appearance limitations, it's difficult to gauge whether a person is lazy, or they prefer images. @Umbrii

In all honesty a lot of the time it can take more effort to find the right picture (at least if you tend to be a perfectionist like me) for your character, than it would be to write a description, now if you just sort of slap some mainstream anime character on there or something and call it good then I'd say more than likely it's laziness but from my own personal experience it usually isn't laziness (although it could be a factor) 

 

[JRPG]

@MattieLee I understand what you mean. I spent an hour, or more in order to find a character that best matches my description. And even then, I had to add extra details, despite the extensive search. Although, a majority of my images are anime, I usually choose them from JRPGs, but even then, it's difficult to locate a particular image that fits the setting and character.

 

[Macrofurry_Writings]

Personally, being a text based roleplayer I don't mind images of characters and planets IF they were commissioned for or drawn by the postee, however just using google images really irritates me. If someone doesn't have images drawn by or for them then I want and crave text. Simple as that.

 

[MattieLee]

Personally, being a text based roleplayer I don't mind images of characters and planets IF they were commissioned for or drawn by the postee, however just using google images really irritates me. If someone doesn't have images drawn by or for them then I want and crave text. Simple as that.

Yeah I can understand that too, especially being a text based roleplayer. My roleplay experience is more mixed so I'm more used to having visuals, really I think a lot of it also boils down to mere preferences, vanilla or chocolate?, yin or yang?, neither is really bad, just different. 

 

[Bresn]

I never used pictures but just made a app. I don't know why there's so much defensive opinions about images, they help people who needs visualization help like me.


This is my text:


"Aurora is stunningly beautiful as a vampire in her prime youth, with a deep, focused look that gives her a maturity that people mistaken for in place of her studying a object... which best not be you if you're a rival of the vampires. She is distinct from the rest of her kind by signature red hairs and sharp features, but passion and laidback in a way that you may mistake Aurora for a friendly nature spirit, if not mysterious and hiding her emotions beyond a mask. Aurora is not one for attention and dresses in simple clothing almost like typical peasants and a cloak when she ventures into the woods, a graceful shadows among the crowd who has no need for armor as a scout."


With a image, that solidifies and gives me a reference point with the character and everybody else. 

 

[Umbrie]

@MattieLee I understand what you mean. I spent an hour, or more in order to find a character that best matches my description. And even then, I had to add extra details, despite the extensive search. Although, a majority of my images are anime, I usually choose them from JRPGs, but even then, it's difficult to locate a particular image that fits the setting and character.

all the best JRPGs from the PS2 can be played on the PSVita, except Stuff like Shadowhearts and other games owned by Pachinkonami.

 

[Ranix Aurus]

Another factor I just realized. In novels I read, authors rarely point out their character's appearance unless it's important to the story. Usually they put emphasis on names rather than appearance. Part of it I think is to allow reader's interpretation. For example if you read harry potter, the image of harry is not really clear except that he's bespectacled, on the thin side, and had a thunder-shaped scar. Everyone can have their own detail about harry, which might differ from person to person.


But then the movie came out and now harry potter's appearance is "daniel radcliffe, with glasses".

 

[Sibelle Grey]

In all honesty a lot of the time it can take more effort to find the right picture (at least if you tend to be a perfectionist like me) for your character, than it would be to write a description, now if you just sort of slap some mainstream anime character on there or something and call it good then I'd say more than likely it's laziness but from my own personal experience it usually isn't laziness (although it could be a factor) 

As someone who does use FCs (face claims/photos of actual, existing, real-life people) and a short description for my realistic/modern RPs, I second this. I don't think it's "lazy" to spend an hour or two, sometimes, looking for the right face claim. In the time it takes me to decide on a face claim, I could have written an extremely detailed description, twenty times over. It's actually kind of exhausting, but I find it rewarding.


In my opinion, it has everything to do with personal preference. Pictures provide a clear, immediate, precise idea of your character's appearance. It's one way to ensure you and the people you're roleplaying with have the same idea of your character in mind. Descriptions, if done right and clearly understood, can be just as useful. Some people have a hard time visualizing what others describe, though. That said, I don't use photos of existing characters from Fandom #17974, and I never use anime pics, so I guess it's a bit different from what @The Unknown is asking about. 


In response to that, I guess people just . . . feel like their character looks exactly like that character? Like I said, it all comes down to preference. I tend to have a hard time imagining "He looks just like Ciel from Black Butler, but with green eyes and no eyepatch" and stay away from that, but that's easier for some, and people are free to do what they want. Not everyone can draw, alter images, or describe things they way they'd like to. 


I would say the key is to be clear about what you want, if you're doing a 1x1 or GMing. In other scenarios, if the GM's fine with it, you pretty much just have to suck it up. 

 

[ApfelSeine]

Another factor I just realized. In novels I read, authors rarely point out their character's appearance unless it's important to the story. Usually they put emphasis on names rather than appearance. Part of it I think is to allow reader's interpretation. For example if you read harry potter, the image of harry is not really clear except that he's bespectacled, on the thin side, and had a thunder-shaped scar. Everyone can have their own detail about harry, which might differ from person to person.


But then the movie came out and now harry potter's appearance is "daniel radcliffe, with glasses".

Actually, I think most authors take care to describe their character's appearance at some point in the novel. Using Harry Potter as an example still, Rowling also informs the reader of Harry's untidy black hair and green eyes (like those of this mother) with round spectacles on several occasions. At least once per book if I remember correctly, and this description is fairly thorough. Likewise, she takes care to describe the other characters so that the readers have a sense of that they look like. In fact, her descriptions were so specific that it was fairly easy to match the appearance of the actors to what people envisioned the charger to look like. I rarely heard remarks of "I thought that character would look different". Similarly, other authors take time to describe the appearance of their character, either upon their introduction or more gradually depending on the author's style. It doesn't always get very specific, but usually there's enough to get a sense of what the charger looks like. I currently can't think of any novels that don't describe the character at any point, though there likely are some that exist.


That said, except in romance novels, usually you aren't beaten over the head with the characters' appearances. It's most often described once, most likely at the point of introduction, then it's presumed that the rear formed an opinion of the characters opinion based on that and the author doesn't bring it up unless relevant to the events of the story. There usually is a specific description at some point in the story though.


So circling back around to the point at hand, I'd say that people in general like to have a sense of what the character looks like, but it only really needs to come up occasionally. Given how long rps tend to run (you're playing them for months, whereas you read a book within a day or so), it is easy to forget what a character looks like. I think that people like to have a sense of character appearances, and so the reference is useful. It's why fiction authors describe the look of their character, and why many rpers do the same in their character sheet. Verbal descriptions and images function similarly, but using images ensures that the other players envision more or less exactly the same thing, whereas describing them leaves a little more of the specifics to the imagination.

 

[The Mechanist]

Glad to see this got back on track

 

[Communist]

Glad to see this got back on track

I would prefer this to stay dead since most people already answered my question.

 

[The Mechanist]

@Kaerri

I would prefer this to stay dead since most people already answered my question.

Can you lock this?

 

[Communist]

@Kaerri


Can you lock this?

Don't think so.

 

[Kaerri]

I would prefer this to stay dead since most people already answered my question.

Locking this then, per OP request.