The [Sorta-Maybe-Kinda-Ever-Updating] Guide for Super Cereal Online Roleplaying

[Protoman 1,974]

Stupid things people do with characters

 

 

1) Give them swords in a modern or futuristic setting while being unable to justify the use of the use of them

Whenever you are put in a setting, you have to make sure you can work around it. The reason why I highlight "modern or futuristic setting" is because there is literally no reason why your character is going to make any use out of some ancient sword passed along in the bloodline for 321 generations. You want to know why? It's primitive. When you have guns, something much more precise in a short range or a long range, just defeats the purpose. Let's say your character is some sort of LUL NINJAA XDDD character. Having a stylish weapon that just draws attention to yourself (seeing as it is hard to conceal) is going to make your character a prime target. Also note: ineffective. Where are you even supposed to get one in the first place? Some guys yard sell?

 

2) If your character uses a weapon expertly, not mentioning their training.

Self explanatory. Your character is either full of bullshit and or full on Gary Stu if you decide to have them LUL MASTERSSS and not give even a notion towards any professional training. Not to mention if they're incredibly young, and are somehow experts at what they do. The general rule is 10,000 hours to master a skill, and if your character is off and living in the streets, (which is a favorite of yours, players) where are they going to get the time and money to even to begin to master a skill?

 

3) Using the light/darkness as a literal power/element.

Listen, I know this is a Kingdom Hearts forum. It's just that it's really stupid. I'm mostly talking about the whole SUMMON BEINGS OUT OF SHADOWS / LIGHT HEALING kind of thing. Look, when you're out in the sun and you start being superpowered, you might as well just make your character a plant. I mean, how are shadows supposed to suddenly come to life? What, can you make The Blob out of a pitch dark room, too?

Also, when they have a priest use a light-based power to heal, it's generally holy power. Not solar power.

 

4) Describe your character as "handsome"

You may be asking me: "Protoman, what do you have against beautiful people!" Well, nothing. When you describe your character as handsome, it just means you're a lazy writer. Not to mention that when someone think's "handsome" they think of different things entirely. For me, it's a young Clint Eastwood. For someone else, it might be Benedict Cumberbatch. So unless your character is some sort of crazy psychic who keeps their face different for each person they encounter, you should probably stop taking shortcuts in describing facial features.

 

5) One line personalities.

"Cold, but with a heart," doesn't say much about the character. For example, it doesn't tell us what relation the character has with his family or anyone he interacts with. It doesn't tell us what the characters alignment is, or anything about what he believes in. It doesn't tell us if the guy has a heart for the supervillans, or orphans. The only thing you can assume from that personality is that he is a douche most of the time unless you bring him a puppy calendar.

 

6) Making a personality that is practically a carbon copy of your other character / someone else's character.

On the subject of personalities, I have a story for you. The other day, I waltzed onto a thread and read a personality that boiled down to "Sometimes sarcastic, loyal, and caring" around 3 different times in the same exact thread. I wouldn't mind nearly as much if there was a larger playerbase, but when everyone wants to play their character as a good guy Greg, then that just ruins the surprise. Not to mention that their personality was a pretty big chunk of their very small and vague character sheet. Someone might think you're stealing!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

7) An unknown back story.

You are the most unoriginal and the laziest writer on the board. Here's your prize.

Your character being a lad suffering with amnesia while their parents dead, making them live on the street (and somehow surviving) is bad enough. When you make that the back story for almost every single one of your characters, you have a problem. Of course, this happens to each and every chosen one, right? Points for if it's a modern setting and nobody bothers to put the character through any sort of therapy to help them remember something. Even more if 2+ people on the same board have the same back story as you. It's an infestation of lazy writing.

 

 

Bring up rebuttals plz, I didn't make this thread for no reason, gotta strengthen my reasoning.

[Yang 1,859]

You deserve a free internet.

[Weedanort 8,786]

And Protoman's back.

[Protoman 1,974]

More about the suckiness that is the roleplay section on this site may or may not be written here at a later time. Just depends on if I feel like it :wub:

[NightfallXIII 68]

I'll admit to giving my guys amnesia once or twice. I've run into the first one a couple times though, where the setting is world war 3 or something like that, and then there are people using bows, scythes, or katanas, and I'm the only one dual-wieldng smg's, and I'm thinking, "What the heck? Katanas? Really?"

Edited June 18, 2012 by NightfallXIII

[Protoman 1,974]

My favorite offender on this site pretty much always uses katanas as his weapon of choice, no matter the setting. Animelicious.

[AnsemTheWise 1,114]

Basically, it comes down to this: if you're going to post in the RP forums, at least take the time to put some real work into it. A little part of me dies every time I see a three sentence post.

 

Hell, it's what inspired me to make that Hitler rant video.

[Protoman 1,974]

Part of me wants them to post on here so I can tear them a new one.

: ))))))

[dusk 910]

I hate it when I have to fight against other RPers. Not everyone, but there is ton of people whose characters are so god like that they won't take damage and can dodge and block everything and then they can just beat my character without any problems. I don't get why some people are making their characters so god like?

 

About that weapon thingy:

I'm okay if someone wants to use swords as weapon, if RP already have super powers involded in it.

Still I would like to see RPs where someone wouldn't take sword for him/herself when others have guns.

 

I'm planning to start Mafia RP in Italy, year 1932: no super powers, no swords or anything else, characters are actually dying, no one liner posts and no anime appereances. Just asking: would you join on it?

[Protoman 1,974]

About that weapon thingy:

I'm okay if someone wants to use swords as weapon, if RP already have super powers involded in it.

 

What's the point in having a sword when you can just incinerate someone? Considering nobody on this forum likes to put a cool down on their powers either, it's safe to say that there is no point in having a secondary weapon. It's also along the lines of where did you get it/how do you know how to use it that people usually firetruck up on anyway, so for the roleplayers on this site, I'd like it if they kept far away from swords.

 

Not everyone, but there is ton of people whose characters are so god like that they won't take damage and can dodge and block everything and then they can just beat my character without any problems.

This is probably a problem because the GM sucks. They either let all the players get away with godmodding bullshit and accept every character into the roleplay or they do it themselves. Probably avoid the problematic people, and if they can't take a hint, shove it into their face.

 

I'm planning to start Mafia RP in Italy, year 1932: no super powers, no swords or anything else, characters are actually dying, no one liner posts and no anime appereances. Just asking: would you join on it?

Though I appreciate the no-bullshit rule, I'm not really too familiar with mafia stuff. Sorry to burst your bubble.

[XIIISwords 1,059]

7) An unknown back story.

You are the most unoriginal and the laziest writer on the board. Here's your prize.

Your character being a lad suffering with amnesia while their parents dead, making them live on the street (and somehow surviving) is bad enough. When you make that the back story for almost every single one of your characters, you have a problem. Of course, this happens to each and every chosen one, right? Points for if it's a modern setting and nobody bothers to put the character through any sort of therapy to help them remember something. Even more if 2+ people on the same board have the same back story as you. It's an infestation of lazy writing.

 

This one is so true. I've only used this in Dissidia RPs, but that makes sense.

 

Even once where I had a character as an amnesiac, I made sure I told as part of the bio what the backstory was and made it more interesting than dead parents (basically the kid was a robot who didn't know he was).

[Protoman 1,974]

Things you should think twice before posting:

 

1) One Liners.

So you just got done writing a good five paragraphs for that last post because of the huge amount of shit that just happened. All is fine and dandy. A good 30 minutes later, your partner posts and...

oh, one liner.

You're probably thinking that they are just worn out and tired from their long day of sitting on the couch and sleeping, so you give them a break and try and struggle with a good response. Three paragraphs, they can handle that.

They post and it's just another one liner. It's been like this for the past 5 pages. You drop out of the roleplay.

 

2) A post controlling yours and someone else's character.

Whenever I see these types of things, I wonder how someone can deal with it. Yes, I do want my character to be completely not themselves and go with you into that random portal. Yes, my character will converse with you instead of attempting to shoo you off with the shotgun resting on their mantle. Yes, my character's speech does have horrible grammar mistakes after they punch someone. Instead of letting me deal with all of my character's actions, you can just go on and write your own personal fanfiction with my characters.

Now do that again so I can kick you out.

 

3) A character sheet that requires a theme song.

It's stupid, unnecessary, and takes up loading time. Can't you just have an "other" section for that shit?

 

4) A post that pretty much gets your character nowhere when they need to do something.

If you feel the need to have your character inner monologue with themselves while someone is tag-teaming with them, maybe you should have added onto your bio more. I mean, your character is supposed to be the leader of the team. This means you have to put some effort towards progressing the plot. Leaving other characters to somehow make a response to that will most likely lead to even more inner monologues, and then the sound of your thread dying.

In other words, you do not need an extra post just so your character can marvel their own hair in the middle of the action.

 

5)Auto-hitting someone's character in a fight post and then auto-winning the fight that was not discussed previously.

Nobody likes you. This goes for all previous situations, or just auto-hitting in general when nobody gave an a-ok on it. You want to write your own character always winning, go write a fanfiction.

[TheApprenticeofKingMickey 3,689]

Damn. I can't like.

[dusk 910]

Though I appreciate the no-bullshit rule, I'm not really too familiar with mafia stuff. Sorry to burst your bubble.

 

Well, I asked that generally from everyone who is reading this thread and I'm pretty sure that there isn't much of people on this site who are familiar with mafia stuff.

I have watched Godfather 1 and 2 and played little bit of Mafia 2.. And there is not too much of stuff you need to even know about mafia.. ANd there is always wikipedia..

 

 

Also one thing that bugs me:

When I really try to be creative and make RP with orginal idea:

Almost no one sign ups and then some people make sign up sheet, but don't even try to start posting...

 

Then when someone is lazy and just makes RP with unorginal idea like this: KH RP: New War of new heroes of X-blade and darkness. Then they get tons of sign ups and people posting without even trying to be creative... Yes idea like that is little bit overused even if we are in KH fansite

 

 

About theme songs:

I think those are bit dump and those should be extra information and optional stuff.

[Protoman 1,974]

Also one thing that bugs me:

When I really try to be creative and make RP with orginal idea:

Almost no one sign ups and then some people make sign up sheet, but don't even try to start posting...

 

Then when someone is lazy and just makes RP with unorginal idea like this: KH RP: New War of new heroes of X-blade and darkness. Then they get tons of sign ups and people posting without even trying to be creative... Yes idea like that is little bit overused even if we are in KH fansite

 

The thing about original ideas is that some of them are really stupid and don't make any sense. Not to say that any of the Kingdom Hearts roleplays make any sense, but if I were to go and try and destroy the plot line of those, I'd probably be in the wiki for an hour.

 

Then there are also overused ideas that people just slap original on. Or they're ideas "inspired" by something else, but pretty much just a carbon copy. There are a lot of "original roleplays" that I hate more than Kingdom Hearts ones because, simply put: they really suck. I've probably seen the same original idea more than once, and every time it is poorly executed. Sure, it's nice to give out a general concept (ex. Medieval Fantasy or High School) so that the players can help build a good bulk of the story, but when your plot looks like shit, it looks like shit. Most of them are a really vague concept, and when you get down to everyone's character sheets, the whole idea of the roleplay just repels you. Maybe I've read enough of the roleplays to be able to mark down that I hate how most everyone there writes.

 

Then there are fandom roleplays. I've probably read with Deadshot all of the comic inspired rps and I'm pretty sure we got cancer from all of them.

Basically, most rps are pretty much this and like to put in a lot of anime pretty boys or shadow-powered ninjas into the mix where they simply don't fit.

I'm talking to you, iamkingdomhearts.

 

The roleplay section is bad because people can't write. Take a look at any thread, you will see the terrors that lie within.

[Paranoia 494]

Venny's scary. ; n;

[TheApprenticeofKingMickey 3,689]

Venny's scary. ; n;

 

Venny speaks wise words.

[Protoman 1,974]

IF ANYONE ELSE WANTS TO RANT THEY CAN

THIS IS KIND OF LIKE A GENERAL NOW

[Miku Hatsune 636]

Can I have your babies?

 

I'm just here to agree 100% with what you're saying

Not many people on KH13 (or anywhere else for that matter) can RP very well, can they?

It's pretty much the only reason why I only RP with friends who I KNOW are good RPers, or not at all

[TheApprenticeofKingMickey 3,689]

I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING

 

I can only think of saying that I'm not an experienced RPer, as I've only been in four(?) so far and I don't do it on a regular basis but if I have made the more common mistakes without knowing. OTL

 

I try to avoid them best I can. unu

[Protoman 1,974]

Well, best thing to learn how to do before you roleplay is write. That is the step that most people seem to skip these days. As long as you listen and English class, assuming your teacher is a good one, you're getting closer and closer to being set for knowing how to write.

 

For everything else, though, here are a few guides:

http://www.rpgfix.com/resource/bad-roleplay-guide - Definitions and examples of things that you shouldn't do in a roleplay.

 

http://how-to-roleplay.blogspot.com/ - An old blog with some tips on roleplaying and writing in more detail.

http://rpedia.tumblr.com/ - A newer blog with some tips on roleplaying and writing in more detail.

http://bad-rpers-suck.livejournal.com/ - A blog where people complain about their bad roleplay experiences.

Other rant blogs:

http://fyeahbadrperpolarbear.tumblr.com/

http://godwhyrp.tumblr.com/

This will probably be edited later. Reason being is that I forget where all my firetrucking guides went, and I really can't be bothered to go on a google search keywords hunt.

 

Things you should probably do to help you roleplay: Watch other people. Maybe not me in particular (since I've never really had a great experience here and most of my roleplaying is from my more shittier days) but people who actually seem pretty good at it. These may come from sources far and wide. Maybe they play DnD, or WoW. Don't be shy to just lurk.

[Shana09 5,769]

Might be late but those people who are like this:

 

"Ha ha ha ha, Your so clever, while I have random bomb taped on your back that you never noticed and was never mentioned in the total RP at all"

 

....I wonder if people are making up shit just to let their characters live while giving excuses.

[Protoman 1,974]

revive this for great justice

RANT GUYS YOU HAVE TO

[Godot 513]

i was apart of an rp for a certain show once, and at first everyone was picking canon characters (granted, it was all of the high-school age canon characters) and everything was fine and dandy, but suddenly everyone started using OCs. and literally every single one was a quirky high school gurl™. it was a pretty sketchy rp to begin with (no plot, lots of one-liners) but after this it pretty much fell apart.

[Protoman 1,974]

I've always wanted to find a good place to roleplay, but i'm scared as balls to go and try.

tips plz