Experiences whats with the people on here....

[catnaps]

okay so when I was on here a few years back I got no roleplay because I was like thirteen, and the age requirement was usually sixteen so I'm back, sixteen and now the age requirement often used is 18-20 + like oh my god I'm just gonna quit role-playing atp

and I'm not like hating on anyone we all have our preferences but are you seriously not gonna act like you weren't role-playing when you were ten??? most of the people on here have years of experience so ik they have been role-playing for a while, so all I'm asking is to please help the next generation out here? or roleplay is just gonna die bc tbh if I started role-playing any later then I did I would've said "ew cringe, no."

 

[Lorsh]

your age isn't necessarily anyone's business - especially if you're old enough to join the army in my country - so like, it could be hidden and not brought up, unless you somehow have a distinctively 16 y/o writing style.

 

[catnaps]

your age isn't necessarily anyone's business - especially if you're old enough to join the army in my country - so like, it could be hidden and not brought up, unless you somehow have a distinctively 16 y/o writing style.

yeah i see what you mean, but like those people specifically don't want to rp with sixteen year olds and i'd feel a bit guilty if i roleplayed w/ them knowing that lol

 

[Lorsh]

yeah, i get you. well, i mean, there's little that can be done at that point, i fear!

 

[catnaps]

yeah, i get you. well, i mean, there's little that can be done at that point, i fear!

yep guess i'll just have to search untill im 18 and pray that the avg age limit doesn't get any older ;-;

 

[birth of venus]

hi! i figured i'd give my two cents as an adult rper who only runs 18+ group rps - i definitely understand this perspective because when i was rping online (which, i started at like 11 yrs old lol) i felt the same when i'd see age restricted rps. it's not always about writing quality, there's plenty of young writers who are awesome and probably write and run rps better than i do! but for me, rps aren't just writing but always chatting and collaborating with my partners as well, and it's a lot more comfortable being able to casually chat with someone in your same age group, who can relate to your current experiences, or write about mature themes (which doesn't always mean sex of course) with someone more mature or who has a better grasp of these themes. just as plenty of minors state they don't wanna rp with anyone 18+, we're allowed to have our boundaries as well c:
hope this provides some perspective or anything helpful x

 

[Caroline1539]

I don't have an age requirement, but all of the fandoms I'm looking for within the 1x1 section are niche and old, so I tend to naturally filter out results that way haha

 

[fluticasone]

hi! i figured i'd give my two cents as an adult rper who only runs 18+ group rps - i definitely understand this perspective because when i was rping online (which, i started at like 11 yrs old lol) i felt the same when i'd see age restricted rps. it's not always about writing quality, there's plenty of young writers who are awesome and probably write and run rps better than i do! but for me, rps aren't just writing but always chatting and collaborating with my partners as well, and it's a lot more comfortable being able to casually chat with someone in your same age group, who can relate to your current experiences, or write about mature themes (which doesn't always mean sex of course) with someone more mature or who has a better grasp of these themes. just as plenty of minors state they don't wanna rp with anyone 18+, we're allowed to have our boundaries as well c:
hope this provides some perspective or anything helpful x

Seconding this! It's not really about writing style or anything like that - I just can't talk openly when speaking to anyone younger. I run a group roleplay where there's quite a few younger people, and frankly, it's very taxing because I have to filter out what I say. It's simply not appropriate for me to talk so openly to them. Like it or not, minors are impressionable and I'm fully aware that how I act can influence them.

 

[Cogwork]

your age isn't necessarily anyone's business - especially if you're old enough to join the army in my country - so like, it could be hidden and not brought up

Or, and bear with me on this crazy idea, you could actually respect the wishes of other people.

 

[Lorsh]

Or, and bear with me on this crazy idea, you could actually respect the wishes of other people.

but THEIR wish is to RP!

 

[Cogwork]

but THEIR wish is to RP!

And they're free to roleplay with people who want to roleplay with them as much as they want.

They are not however entitled to roleplay with people, who for whatever reason, don't want to roleplay with them.

 

[Perpetual Zen]

So, your sixteen and members are still rejecting you for not being eighteen?

When I was in my early days of writing in role plays. I was already well into my twenties.
I learned so much from writer's who were still in school. Who had the opportunity to be in writers craft courses or still taking English.
Growing up, because of traversing country to country, I actually was several years older than my peers. So, it never bothered me having younger friends or writing with them. There used to be a huge huge group of us in the suburbs varying ages. Things never felt "unsafe" for others. I sort of see this in writing with others too.

If there is a clear sense of safety and understanding. You can write with any age. It depends on the community. Sometimes it's hard to find one but they exist.
I honestly think it's a shame older role players don't take the opportunity to guide young writers into confidence.

Is everyone so misguided that an average sixteen year old can't find an R rated movie on the internet or stream it off prime? Are we living in a dark age where saucy books are being burned so the children don't read them. (maybe and that's scary)

If your writing something which requires you to feel uncomfortable writing it with others (such as an age restriction). That's just a blaring red flag to me. Writing is meant to make you feel things. Explore things. Teach others. Life is full of opportunity when you allow others in and don't let fear guide you

If every you wish to join my role plays. Please reach out

 

[Cogwork]

Is everyone so misguided that an average sixteen year old can't find an R rated movie on the internet or stream it off prime? Are we living in a dark age where saucy books are being burned so the children don't read them.

I'm not sure I understand why this relevant to the discussion at hand. Would you mind eleberating on what you mean by this?

 

[nerdy tangents]

Perpetual Zen it’s about power imbalances.

You and I were lucky in that it seems like we had pretty similar experience in mixed age company but alas that is not necessarily always the case.

I have talked to plenty of people over the years that were taken advantage of by older partners. This can be anything from being sent pornographic photos in DMs to being full on stalked.

So like I get when people are like “I am not comfortable being in an imbalanced situation with a younger individual.”

It’s not a slight against the younger individual nor is it a commentary on their writing style or maturity.

It’s just people wanting to be keep away from the appearance of a power imbalance in the roleplay.

 

[Perpetual Zen]

Perpetual Zen it’s about power imbalances.

You and I were lucky in that it seems like we had pretty similar experience in mixed age company but alas that is not necessarily always the case.

I have talked to plenty of people over the years that were taken advantage of by older partners. This can be anything from being sent pornographic photos in DMs to being full on stalked.

So like I get when people are like “I am not comfortable being in an imbalanced situation with a younger individual.”

It’s not a slight against the younger individual nor is it a commentary on their writing style or maturity.

It’s just people wanting to be keep away from the appearance of a power imbalance in the roleplay.

Ah, that's just horrible. I don't understand that sort of behavior. Especially if your on a platform with like really sound terms of service. RPN is pretty solid
I suppose you and I are a part of that sweet generation. I really had no situations that made me feel vulnerable with older people and writing

 

[nerdy tangents]

Ah, that's just horrible. I don't understand that sort of behavior. Especially if your on a platform with like really sound terms of service. RPN is pretty solid
I suppose you and I are a part of that sweet generation. I really had no situations that made me feel vulnerable with older people and writing

It was on other sites, RPN may not be perfect but they are very strict about explicit content and harassing other users.

I honestly think it was more of a platform problem as the one I am thinking of had virtually no staff to speak of. I mean they existed but you couldn’t really interact with them and they didn’t really interfere if people got rowdy.

It’s part of the reason I joined this site. It was fairly active and I didn’t have to worry about creeps.

 

[gator]

Yeah, I roleplayed when I was younger. On sites whose age rules permitted it.

 

[Perpetual Zen]

It was on other sites, RPN may not be perfect but they are very strict about explicit content and harassing other users.

I honestly think it was more of a platform problem as the one I am thinking of had virtually no staff to speak of. I mean they existed but you couldn’t really interact with them and they didn’t really interfere if people got rowdy.

It’s part of the reason I joined this site. It was fairly active and I didn’t have to worry about creeps.

Right? This site is rather solid in their terms of service and as long as you have a provider who is mindful of keeping that up and up.
I just can really empathize with the confusion and frustration of the youth. You sign up to a site with a start up age of 13. Why are people then
making it impossible for this demographic to role play? This is a HUGE networking system for this platform. I mean, I totally understand the power imbalance. That is actually
a really really good point and not a lame one like "they can't write" or "their not mature" or "blah blah generation alpha".

But then I'm like. Oh my gosh RPN, if you really utilized a safe space for you pre teens you could create a wave of change!

I guess, my idea is more towards guidance, not control. Part of my comfort with older individuals also may be my parents were already pretty ancient when they had me. I was just constantly surrounded by the wisdom of my elders. So like it really really baffles my mind about the power imbalance, when it comes to writing.

Life circumstances of others does create a sense of fear and mistrust. It's so true. But what if we transformed that into a tool for teaching.

I'm rambling, but the last point I'll make is. Out pre teens, young teenagers, they are going through a serious crisis right now. Especially when it comes to language. When you think about it, if the world shut down for three years when you were ten, you missed three critical years of literature learning. Then add the stress to the school system and a still frantic world and another three years pass by and you are sixteen but maybe still really behind. Maybe you still really crave that experience, as the original post said, I totally empathize with that. Maybe you really crave validation that you can be a creative person in a really wacked out world. Maybe they have no where else to turn to for hope and creativity but a site which permits 13 year old's to write there. Let's also add the fact that if your like thirteen to sixteen you've probably never lived "without" tech to socialize. Think of it. People of my generation at least had the opportunity to really understand how to socialize without the internet and as screen so rejection doesn't hit us as hard. Where internet for the kids these days is like EVERYTHING. I'm certain the rejection just stings a little more

Because this is also a digital age of loneliness. I try to keep that in mind

You always make conversations interesting Nerdy. Thank you for giving me a perspective that makes sense and isn't just derived from a framework of nothing lol


I truly feel sorry for anyone who feels that unsafe when being creative. It's just not right

I'm not sure I understand why this relevant to the discussion at hand. Would you mind eleberating on what you mean by this?

I also will add right here, my response to Cogwork, It is obviously relevant because the original poster is frustrated people are labeling their role plays as 18+. Insinuating they are both R rated but also NOT R rated? It's a counter productive argument. To utilize the age restriction guideline like in movies. I'm obviously making a play at anyone who has slunk into a movie theater in a PG 13 movie when their twelve. Or the fact that you turn on the news and you see several different wars going on with lots of R rated content. Or the fact that the books such as the bluest eye are R rated in Florida but not in New York. A guide line, can not always prevent someone of a certain age bracket to be exposed to that sort of content

It's how humans learn to navigate the world

Though, if you kept to context of my original post. "If there is a clear sense of safety and understanding." A guideline can be just that. Like a older cousin taking you to see Signs for the first time. It's a creative experience. Also let us return to the argument the original poster made. Why is there a guideline that 13 year old's can use this site and people are adding their own restrictions to their work. It seems counter productive and adds an extra layer of sting with our younger generations

 

[Cogwork]

I'm obviously making a play at anyone who has slunk into a movie theater in a PG 13 movie when their twelve. Or the fact that you turn on the news and you see several different wars going on with lots of R rated content. Or the fact that the books such as the bluest eye are R rated in Florida but not in New York. A guide line, can not always prevent someone of a certain age bracket to be exposed to that sort of content

But the ability for kids to consume media with darker themes does not obligate us to provide it for them.

You might as well argue that this site should allow erotic roleplay since porn is just a Google search away.

Also let us return to the argument the original poster made. Why is there a guideline that 13 year old's can use this site and people are adding their own restrictions to their work.

They're free to use this site as much as they want. There are plenty of roleplays that don't have an age requirement and they're more than welcome to create their own.

 

[Perpetual Zen]

But the ability for kids to consume media with darker themes does not obligate us to provide it for them.

You might as well argue that this site should allow erotic roleplay since porn is just a Google search away.


They're free to use this site as much as they want. There are plenty of roleplays that don't have an age requirement and they're more than welcome to create their own.

What is the point you are trying to make here lol?

This sounds like a merry-go-round.

Please, go back to me stating about a sense of "safety" and "trust" in a creative environment. About a need for guidance.

You can not expect the world to cater to your guidelines is another way of putting it. Though, I'll always return to having a sense of safety in creativity is needed. A sense that these themes exist is part of growth.

I'll use an example. You ever hear of the "Where The Red Fern Grows" don't look it up. It's a really heart breaking book. BUT this book was read out loud to me IN a classroom. I was like eight. The content left me really shocked but the content was not like restricted to me. It was read out loud by a teacher. It opened a lot of questions and really made me value life. Recently I read The Bluest Eye. And I will tell you I had to literally stop, pause, and not vomit. But it was really transformative. I did not get exposed to that book because it was never part of the curriculum. Though those two books are part of two vastly different curriculums with two very different age expectations, they still had the same impact and with - guidance - and done in a -safe and trusting environment-

Though, I'm not going to merry go round it. You have your views and I have mine. Please, don't make assumptions I'm making a ploy for erotic role plays , you clearly missed the entire point of this thread.

 

[Cogwork]

What is the point you are trying to make here lol?

I just pointed out that the ease with which children can access more mature media (like say if they were to "turn on the news and [...] see several different wars going on with lots of R rated content.") doesn't mean that somebody else have to provide it to them and then used an, admittedly rather extreme, example to drive home my point.

I didn't mean to imply that you actually want erotica on this site and I apologize if that was how it came across. I was just pointing out what, in my opinion, the failings of the above argument was.

 

[hel sucks]

it's more about being in a position where you interact with minors. it's just a little strange for someone 25+ to be casually hanging out with 16 year olds online. it could be innocuous, but it's just... weird. people don't want to get seen doing that because it inherently raises some eyebrows.

 

[Daisie]

I suspect the uptick in age requirements has something to do with the observation of... I'm pretty sure that, for some reason, RP got this huge uptick in 2016.
I don't have solid data for this claim. I could absolutely be biased, because I, too, was young and on the site constantly back then, but it does seem that around 2016-ish, there was a lot of people (young people especially) joining the site, or maybe even the hobby as a whole. Now that we're getting to the point where those people are growing up, there are more age requirements.
Just kind of shooting in the dark there though. The site really did seem booming back then, but that genuinely could have just been my own fond memories getting in the way.

 

[nerdy tangents]

No I think you're right Daisie , I think it's just a side effect of the demographic as a whole getting older. I remember when I was practically ancient in my roleplaying circles because I was 21 and now I'm like... "ah nostalgia, welcome youngling to the wonderful world of roleplay."

I do also think it's a two-way street too. I personally do not stop minors from contacting me about roleplays. I even put it in my interest checks "minor friendly". But based on my interests and also my general vibe I rarely have minors actually want to roleplay with me. Because I am almost exactly the same age as their parents at this point which is actually pretty uncomfortable for them too. Like do you wanna write with someone who is the age of your parents?

So yeah it's why I personally don't bother with an age restriction, at this point it's just unnecessary. The youth are not particularly interested in writing with me anyway so there is no reason for me to make them feel excluded or less than.

 

[Perpetual Zen]

No I think you're right Daisie , I think it's just a side effect of the demographic as a whole getting older. I remember when I was practically ancient in my roleplaying circles because I was 21 and now I'm like... "ah nostalgia, welcome youngling to the wonderful world of roleplay."

I do also think it's a two-way street too. I personally do not stop minors from contacting me about roleplays. I even put it in my interest checks "minor friendly". But based on my interests and also my general vibe I rarely have minors actually want to roleplay with me. Because I am almost exactly the same age as their parents at this point which is actually pretty uncomfortable for them too. Like do you wanna write with someone who is the age of your parents?

So yeah it's why I personally don't bother with an age restriction, at this point it's just unnecessary. The youth are not particularly interested in writing with me anyway so there is no reason for me to make them feel excluded or less than.

Ahhhhh sweet sweet nostalgia

I just pointed out that the ease with which children can access more mature media (like say if they were to "turn on the news and [...] see several different wars going on with lots of R rated content.") doesn't mean that somebody else have to provide it to them and then used an, admittedly rather extreme, example to drive home my point.

I didn't mean to imply that you actually want erotica on this site and I apologize if that was how it came across. I was just pointing out what, in my opinion, the failings of the above argument was.

It is adults' responsibility to guide the younger generation and society as a whole; this exact mentality is eroding the social dynamics of a healthy society. It's blaringly apparent. This is why a age restriction is merely a guideline. It enrages me that people like you are under the assumption that simply because you do not have a problem writing with younger people makes you automatically interested in a "f*tish." I find that grotesquely manipulative, Cogwork. However, I'm certain you have your reason and past histories for your choice.