Advice/Help Would it really stop you?

[Dutch]

I generally know the primary answer to this will be something along the lines of "I don't want to be controlled / told what to do / lose my creative freedom" or some variant of it.

I'm going to ask anyway!

How do you feel about joining a roleplay with a preset in post layout, where the GM creates a template everyone uses, but allows players to add their own images and colors? Would it stop you from joining a roleplay? Would it matter in the long run?

This is not pre-made characters. But a post template so every IC post is uniform. Where you don't get to code your own post to make them pretty, but use one pre-made.

ADDITIONAL QUESTION (based on response).

How comfortable would you be editing / drafting up your own image edits. Something simple like crop to size, add character name, and a line of lyrics?

 

[Dutch]

Umm what?

edit: apologies I see why you thought I was saying the GM makes pre-made character profiles. I edited out the error. What I am talking about is pre-made post templates for IC posts. So there is a uniform layout in the thread, everyones post layout looks the same and the only difference may be color or what image is used. Otherwise it's all uniform.

 

[Onmyoji]

Not only would it not stop me, I would welcome it as long as the suggested template is mobile-friendly. Not to offend creative people, but you can't imagine how annoying it is when you can't read half of the post on mobile because of the way it is coded. Honestly, if I was in a rp where I would not be able to read some posts without waiting the whole day until I have a chance to get to PC, I would just politely excuse myself from participating in it.
So having a uniform layout can actually be a good thing. IF it is readable for mobile users

 

[Emotional Enigma]

I don't code my posts so probably not. But I also don't do group RPs either.... but disregarding that lol it still wouldn't be a strong deterrent I don't think since it's just the style of the post and not actually hindering the writing

 

[Wert]

I agree with Onmyoji. I'd actually love that as long as it's mobile friendly.

I've done something similar with characters sheets, providing a set template for them to use, and placing the character sheets in the template for those who were afraid of messing up the code. It made things a lot easier for me to follow and a lot less cluttered overall. I imagine it would be the same for character posts.

 

[Dutch]

Pretty sure it would be. I try to check my shit on my phone for that reason since most of my day it's all I have access too. I feel you about legibility and cross platform a.

characters sheets

YEah character sheets / templates are very common, it's something I've always done and isn't question for me. It's implementing a standard post template that I've never done, always wanna ask before I try something bullheaded. Specially in a forum community I don't necessarily known the reception it would have.

 

[ApfelSeine]

If I can read it on my phone then absolutely. Though I might find it a pain to copy & paste the code every time. I usually find plain text to be straightforward and easy to read, and never really bother with coding for posts if I'm not GMing. Still, I wouldn't dismiss something like that offhand, and having it premade would make it all the easier.

So basically, not really my go to style, but why not

 

[NighttimeForest]

It wouldn't stop me at all. In fact I think it'd be a pretty cool thing to do personally.

 

[zippy]

I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again

 

[Lorsh]

If it was nice/simplistic, sure.

 

[Dutch]

ADDITIONAL QUESTION (based on response).

How comfortable would you be editing / drafting up your own image edits. Something simple like crop to size, add character name, and a line of lyrics?

 

[Idea]

I generally know the primary answer to this will be something along the lines of "I don't want to be controlled / told what to do / lose my creative freedom" or some variant of it.

I'm going to ask anyway!

How do you feel about joining a roleplay with a preset in post layout, where the GM creates a template everyone uses, but allows players to add their own images and colors? Would it stop you from joining a roleplay? Would it matter in the long run?

This is not pre-made characters. But a post template so every IC post is uniform. Where you don't get to code your own post to make them pretty, but use one pre-made.

ADDITIONAL QUESTION (based on response).

How comfortable would you be editing / drafting up your own image edits. Something simple like crop to size, add character name, and a line of lyrics?

While depending on the RP I might bear with it, I would find this to always be a huge negative for me. The reason for that is that either you want to allow coding or you don't want to allow coding. If you want things to be entirely standardized, then you're better off just banning coding from the roleplay. But if you want to allow coding, then I can't help but see this as being in bad taste. At that point it just becomes imposing the coding on everyone, even if I do thing there can be some very practical applications for coing, I struggle to see any which would be made into a template for every post. The people who like coding typically like making their own stuff, the people who don't like coding, well, don't like coding. You're taking something from both groups without any substancial benefits.

As such, for an RP to keep me going if such a rule was intruced or to catch my attention despite the existence of such a rule, while not impossible like any turn-off it would have to be pretty extraordinary otherwise.

ADDITIONAL QUESTION (based on response).

How comfortable would you be editing / drafting up your own image edits. Something simple like crop to size, add character name, and a line of lyrics?

I do this kind of thing a lot, so I would say pretty comfortable.

 

[ashwynne]

I like coding but I find it too tedious and difficult to do myself so I generally just stick to plain text. That said, if I was given a coding template to use for my character/posts I would 100% be on board with that. I like the thought of everything being uniform, way more visually pleasing that way, and it would take the headache out of coding for me lol.

As to the secondary question I would be comfortable making edits to an image, yes. I do it all the time so that wouldn't be a problem or deterrent for me.

 

[Shuusuke]

For me, the only point of having coding is to make things more organized and easier to see, the aesthetics beyond that are unimportant to me. The few occasions I'll use coding is to add my character's image on the post (I don't see that as necessary, but I recall that being a thing that was done in the previous RPs I joined so I did it too, and it doesn't bother me either), highlight dialogue from different characters in different colors, and centralizing/bolding the header of the post (listing the location(s), time, characters, etc. involved in the post for ease of checking)...and that's about it. I've considered adding a background song but haven't found an opportunity I thought it was necessary yet.

So basically, I'm with the others that said that as long as it doesn't get in the way of the actual content of the post, I'd put up with it, despite not caring for the aesthetics part personally.

EDIT: Forgot the second question. I did recolor an image once, to fit a character. A messy job, but I guess I did it. I've also done some simple sprite edits, which if I'm inspired enough, I might just do as well. Still, I prefer to not do anything artistic if I can avoid it, and making it so I have to...eh, points lost. I'm here for the writing

 

[rae2nerdy]

I'm fine with it as long as it's not too complicated codes. As I'm on the phone a lot so not only would it need to be visible on the phone but also something that could be easily edited from the phone. So not a lot of lines of code or something that would be really complicated to find the parts I'm supposed to customize.

I'm fine doing simple image edits although I'd probably have to do that on the computer as trying to hassle with getting the right alignment on my phone is more trouble than I'm going to want to put into a roleplay post layout. I'm fine adding a name as long as it is clearly indicated in the codes where it goes. (ex. **CHARACTER NAME HERE**)

I don't do lyrics because I don't listen to enough music to have theme songs for individual characters. If it was required I might substitute in a quote or more likely just take out that particular line entirely.

 

[Crayons]

I'd prefer it to everyone making their own coded posts, I definitely would find it more of a bonus than off-putting. However, the plain text is already giving an easy-to-read and uniform post format.... soo.... in a way, why not just use that?

Making/editing images would not be a hassle for me, but I would find songs difficult. Hope this helps with your survey!

 

[Dutch]

why not just use that?

because the threads box is to wide and it makes the text uncomfortable for me to read. I prefer it more narrow, center screen, justified because that is easier for my eyes to track.

 

[Crayons]

because the threads box is to wide and it makes the text uncomfortable for me to read. I prefer it more narrow, center screen, justified because that is easier for my eyes to track.

Legit good reason!

It actually does seem very wide now you mention it....

 

[Dutch]

Legit good reason!

hehehehehehe I am glad it's a legit reason!

 

[Dutch]

It actually does seem very wide now you mention it....

OH NO!!!! Now you'll never not see it!!!!!

 

[Crayons]

OH NO!!!! Now you'll never not see it!!!!!

Now I'm like "why is it so wide???" and checking the width of other forums I RP on XDDD

 

[Dutch]

and checking the width of other forums I RP on

It's pretty much universal that sites tend to be scaled to a standard screen (if you will). So they're all kinda wide. It's very rare you find one that isn't unless it's one of those jcink super aesthetic RP forums.

It actually does seem very wide now you mention it....

I think it's worse when you start throwing paragraphs into the mix. I like to read without having to track my eyes so much, it get tiring and causes eye sore for me.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Phasellus vulputate ipsum blandit nisi varius, vitae dictum mauris maximus. Pellentesque eu molestie mi, quis bibendum magna. Nam nec nisi dolor. Mauris tincidunt auctor convallis. Donec cursus, elit in sollicitudin viverra, mauris tortor pretium libero, auctor consectetur ante sapien eget mi. Morbi eu nisi a risus tincidunt posuere. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. Quisque a augue consectetur, cursus leo non, gravida nisl. Suspendisse imperdiet sagittis auctor. Nam et sem ornare, vehicula mi vel, commodo lectus. Etiam sit amet tellus eleifend, vestibulum leo sed, ultrices mi. Nunc sapien diam, convallis in ornare vel, vulputate egestas risus. Nullam massa dui, pulvinar ac ultricies ac, malesuada in sapien.

Morbi fermentum felis ac est malesuada, ut semper mi pellentesque. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Curabitur at semper elit. Nulla nisl orci, accumsan at nulla eget, auctor posuere sapien. Duis eget accumsan massa. Cras nec est convallis orci pretium interdum. Ut at accumsan sem. Nam bibendum aliquet orci, a tristique enim.

Compared to default.

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Morbi fermentum felis ac est malesuada, ut semper mi pellentesque. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Curabitur at semper elit. Nulla nisl orci, accumsan at nulla eget, auctor posuere sapien. Duis eget accumsan massa. Cras nec est convallis orci pretium interdum. Ut at accumsan sem. Nam bibendum aliquet orci, a tristique enim.

 

[Crayons]

It's pretty much universal that sites tend to be scaled to a standard screen (if you will). So they're all kinda wide. It's very rare you find one that isn't unless it's one of those jcink super aesthetic RP forums.

Actually... all of them have a fixed width text area with borders either side that are wider or narrower depending on your screen/window size. This is the only one that doesn't.

 

[Dutch]

wider or narrower depending on your screen/window size

Naw this one sizes according to screen and actually has a mobile friendly version . . . but gaia is a shit hole ugly ass POS layout that hasn't changed since 2005, love the site, but damn do they need to overhaul EVERYTHING. I know quite a few sites that are pretty wide.

Just none with as many BBC options as RPN, that is what sets the site apart.

edit: santaverdarpg is one off the top of my head, one of those aesthetic jcink sites, that has a nice narrow layout I really like even if it's a pretty dark theme and sometimes a tad busy.