Experiences What's your least favorite thing about post-apocalyptic roleplays?

[Blemmigan]

Zombies as a plot don't interest me at all... at least, in the way that they're often used. They're convenient faceless cannon fodder, either faceless mooks for the brave heroes to fight against, or some kind of metaphor for brainwashed sheep trying to drag the last bastions of sanity into mindlessness. Or. Something like that.

For me, I guess I'm more interested in survival along the lines of... okay, adapting to the world, figuring out where it all went wrong, coming across new challenges and horrors depending on the environment and reason (no matter how illogical the actual reason for some apocalypse is. In fact, the more outlandish the more interesting, and more opportunity to mess with the setting :v).

I'm a huge sucker for the aesthetic of some advanced civilisation now reduced to ancient ruins. Tiny farming communities built in the shadow of an enormous, overgrown radio telescope. Crumbling skyscrapers and rusting machinery nobody understands being as much of a backdrop as mountains.
If there is a monster element, I'd rather have aliens or some kind of unseen, creeping horror than zombies, but that's probably just because by now I associate zombies with... the usual zombie survival movie where they may as well be Placeholder For Generic Threat.

That said... you could have a plot from the perspective of the zombies. I feel like there can be potential there.
What happened to them? How are they surviving? Do they know what they are? Are they degrading? Do they remember their lives and loved ones? Are they chasing down living people, and is that because they want to hurt them or they want help? Do they have their faculties? Are they the only self-aware ones left? Can they go home?

 

[Deadwood Deer]

I've never actually sat down and watched a monster movie, but this is always what I think of when I hear about another coming out. Humanity is friggin tough, man. Never underestimate the power that desperation gives us.

Exactly. If some large scale event puts us back in the stone age, are we gonna sit there and die? Or are we going to sharpen some sticks and get to work? I mean it's a major plot point in half the alien invasion movies that the aliens have to be sneaky about the invasion, because we'll nuke ourselves to deprive them of our world. Mutually Assured Destruction is our favorite toy!

 

[Jannah]

I did have one post-apocalyptic/dystopian plot where an alien invasion is blamed for the demise of humanity, but in reality it was actually warfare with highly advanced weapons that caused it. The religious cult in charge just blames aliens as a sort of scapegoat because they're actually developing weapons of their own and don't want the public to know.

 

[Sibelle Grey]

Lately I've been gravitating towards what I'd consider more "realistic" apocalypses-- basically, instead of heavy sci-fi elements, I like to play in settings where the apocalypse was caused by real-world problems we're facing now. I mean stuff like... income inequality and resource hording leading to famines and health crises, climate change drastically altering the environment, some governments being overthrown and others becoming dictatorships, etc.

You might enjoy reading and drawing inspiration from some of Octavia Butler's books, starting with Parable of the Sower, if you haven't already. She does this quite well.

*slinks back into the shadows to read about this genre I never play*

 

[h3ll0please]

Zombies have become a bit overdone, I agree, but then I come across something like Netflix's Castlevania and then I'm more inclined to change my mind. Put a little twist here and there, and monsters can be a fun ride!

That said, my post-apocalyptic fantasies tend towards The Road-esque type worlds where survival is a struggle because other people are dicks, basically.

 

[yutohase]

Honestly, my big idea about post-apocalyptic things is: it doesn't matter how the apocalypse happened. What matters is how we're going to bounce back from it. How we're going to continue surviving after it.

I do agree, the Zombie trope is way overused, as well as the Nuclear Fallout trope and I'd even argue the Virus trope. Give me something new. Give me something exciting. I understand if it's a modern-day type of thing, but I want something other than the Unholy Trinity of Apocalypses for once.

And back to my first thought: I'm not saying we should ignore what caused the apocalypse entirely. What we should do is focus on the efforts to recover and survive after the fact. Give some hints, but don't let it be overarching. Don't focus on the apocalypse. Focus on the characters. Like my dude Blemmigan said. Am I getting my point across?

 

[Promachos]

I'd say my least favorite thing about apocalypse roleplay in particular is the way the characters in it are written. I find 90% of the time people have some sort of super convenient backstory; doctor, sniper, mechanical engineer, veritable wasteland superpowers. And the other 10% they are... literally useless. Just full blown damsel syndrome (regardless of gender). This just... isn't realistic?

I'll take myself, for an example. I'm just a college student. Never worked a day in my life, in so-so physical condition, I don't speak four languages or know how to use a welding kit...
...but I am a good enough hobbyist gardener to grow some plants, I grew up in the middle of no where so I can stitch my own arm up in a pinch, and I know enough about winemaking to probably make some alcohol if you gave me a few failed attempts.

And that's literally enough skill for a cool post-apoc character. You've got some sustainability, a heart-wrenching 'taking care of your allies' scene and some bartering goals all in like... one random lame dude who spends most of their time researching how to cross breed purple roses on the internet.

There are so. Many. Options. That aren't OP or needing to be handheld. Real, grounded, RELATABLE people with talents that can drive a story.

 

[Jannah]

I'd say my least favorite thing about apocalypse roleplay in particular is the way the characters in it are written. I find 90% of the time people have some sort of super convenient backstory; doctor, sniper, mechanical engineer, veritable wasteland superpowers. And the other 10% they are... literally useless. Just full blown damsel syndrome (regardless of gender). This just... isn't realistic?

I'll take myself, for an example. I'm just a college student. Never worked a day in my life, in so-so physical condition, I don't speak four languages or know how to use a welding kit...
...but I am a good enough hobbyist gardener to grow some plants, I grew up in the middle of no where so I can stitch my own arm up in a pinch, and I know enough about winemaking to probably make some alcohol if you gave me a few failed attempts.

And that's literally enough skill for a cool post-apoc character. You've got some sustainability, a heart-wrenching 'taking care of your allies' scene and some bartering goals all in like... one random lame dude who spends most of their time researching how to cross breed purple roses on the internet.

There are so. Many. Options. That aren't OP or needing to be handheld. Real, grounded, RELATABLE people with talents that can drive a story.

I would be absolutely useless in an apocalyptic scenario. I'm unhealthy, both physically and mentally. I also don't really have any practical skillsets. Pretty much all my skills are useless outside of very specific context.

 

[Bullyboy Squad]

I'd say my least favorite thing about apocalypse roleplay in particular is the way the characters in it are written. I find 90% of the time people have some sort of super convenient backstory; doctor, sniper, mechanical engineer, veritable wasteland superpowers. And the other 10% they are... literally useless. Just full blown damsel syndrome (regardless of gender). This just... isn't realistic?

I'll take myself, for an example. I'm just a college student. Never worked a day in my life, in so-so physical condition, I don't speak four languages or know how to use a welding kit...
...but I am a good enough hobbyist gardener to grow some plants, I grew up in the middle of no where so I can stitch my own arm up in a pinch, and I know enough about winemaking to probably make some alcohol if you gave me a few failed attempts.

And that's literally enough skill for a cool post-apoc character. You've got some sustainability, a heart-wrenching 'taking care of your allies' scene and some bartering goals all in like... one random lame dude who spends most of their time researching how to cross breed purple roses on the internet.

There are so. Many. Options. That aren't OP or needing to be handheld. Real, grounded, RELATABLE people with talents that can drive a story.

I agree. I dig realism so having a cast of "uniquely average", down-to-earth characters, especially in group rps is my favorite. I used to be guilty of making supremely trained characters as well, but even with those, I tried to balance with personality flaws and backstory-induced disadvantages. To make them appear more like normal folks despite their skill and experience.

 

[Promachos]

I would be absolutely useless in an apocalyptic scenario. I'm unhealthy, both physically and mentally. I also don't really have any practical skillsets. Pretty much all my skills are useless outside of very specific context.

You'd just need to get a very specific kind of plot! Also I don't want to think about how my mental health would impact post-apoc-character-me.

I agree. I dig realism so having a cast of "uniquely average", down-to-earth characters, especially in group rps is my favorite. I used to be guilty of making supremely trained characters as well, but even with those, I tried to balance with personality flaws and backstory-induced disadvantages. To make them appear more like normal folks despite their skill and experience.

I'm still of the stance that anything can be well-written if you write it well. Any trope, any concept, any...whatever. To a certain extent, enough effort and love and dedication can save anything. Sometimes I think having one or two much stronger (skill wise) but still balanced characters in a cast can add a lot to it, especially if they're not necessarily the most useful or valuable despite that skill. It can turn into an examination of, in the end, what is actually most valuable? Especially if you explore the much 'stronger' character eventually having to come to terms with the fact that they're not necessarily as valuable because they play horribly with others, or whatever? Great content.
Basically a long-winded overly enthusiastic; yes I agree, there's still ways to make them work but I think they function best within an otherwise average cast.

 

[Bullyboy Squad]

Honestly, my big idea about post-apocalyptic things is: it doesn't matter how the apocalypse happened. What matters is how we're going to bounce back from it. How we're going to continue surviving after it.

Oftentimes I rather the origin of the apocalypse is vague or unknown, than straight-up unrealistic (assuming it's real-world esque, not fantasy).

If the plot is engaging and the characters make me care for what happens to them, I don't need to know what brought them to the point where their story begins. Even though it's fun to uncover the past with time, as long as the quality of the idea behind it doesn't affect my experience as a whole.

 

[Bullyboy Squad]

Sometimes I think having one or two much stronger (skill wise) but still balanced characters in a cast can add a lot to it,

Exactly this. It only makes sense that at least one or a few "superior skill" people make it, and are part of the remaining community. But it is just less fun when all characters are like that. Unless it's a military esque rp (even then it's better when the soldiers are more diverse than OP spec ops).

 

[Jannah]

Exactly this. It only makes sense that at least one or a few "superior skill" people make it, and are part of the remaining community. But it is just less fun when all characters are like that. Unless it's a military esque rp (even then it's better when the soldiers are more diverse than OP spec ops).

Yea, I GM'd a post-apocalyptic RP before (not on this site) and iirc I had a limit on military, law enforcement, medical professional, etc. characters.

 

[Bullyboy Squad]

Yea, I GM'd a post-apocalyptic RP before (not on this site) and iirc I had a limit on military, law enforcement, medical professional, etc. characters.

Good idea. I'm working on an IC for mine rn. I plan to do something similar there. Even though in the past I was guilty of often making military characters myself :3