RPG is Dying a Slow Death

The passworded section is dead RPGs only. That's why it's called Archive. (There is another inactive, passworded area as well.)

Passworded does not mean it's a private club. Passworded means Keep Out.

 

Just thought I'd chime in my 2 cents.

I agree with most of what has been said, and I see both sides of the 'RPGing does or does not belong/is or is not real writing' argument.

Having been in a couple and followed a few other games on this site. I've noticed a tendency for 'the game' *(i.e. the fun and the explosions) to take precedence over 'the writing'. I'd like to see a game where the GM and players challenge each other to WRITE better. Whether it be pointing out excessive grammar flaws or encouraging the use of more showing and less telling. I think it would be cool to get feed back on my RP posts as to writing skill beyond playing skill.

The last time I put out feelers for such I got the impression no one was interested.

But, I do have an RP in mind where I can walk this talk I'm just waiting for the opportune moment We'll see if I'm a hypocrite or not then

 

Now for my two cents!

Somewhere between 500-1000 I joined the RPG section.

And I can say, my writing ability and technique has increased many fold.

For beginning writers, it really is a great place to practice and learn. The appeal of a fun and free environment encourages creativity and writing.

For writers who have written for sometime, the RPG's are great practice. They give writers the chance to experiment with new writing techniques and character ideas.

Of course, the RPG's have a dark side. RPG's can often become too "game" based and lose the aspect of writing. That's what make these RPG's special. I've looked for other RPG's. Trust me, very few have any focus on writing.

A larger number of users would be great fun, but it isn't a priority by any means. What we really need is to remember the purpose of the RPG's, and we either need to enforce that purpose through our own will, all by ourselves, our pick/elect/choose someone to help to monitor posts. Keeping out those who don't care about writing, those who refuse to try, those who are just here for the RPG.

 

Thank you for clearing that up for me Cogito. I'm new and was just stating what was actually more of a question. But the last site I came from had a entirely different kind of R.P.G. It was more so ONE person would make the planet, world, story pretty much. Then everyone else made their characters and almost wrote a interactive story with only the beginning rules as guidelines. It was rather successful in creating a fun experience if anyone would like to give it a go.

 

Hey, that sounds like a lot of fun!

I had never been in the RPG part of the forum, so I checked it out this morning and I must say.... hope I don't offend anyone... I wasn't impressed. To me in seems like some people expect too much of posters. For example, one thread I glanced at set up an entire world and layed EVERYTHING in that world down to a T. Basically it seemed like the main poster was just sharing an idea for a story and letting other people write it for them. Personally, I thought that the level of commitment was too high to participate. Fun and light should be the goal.

If the RPG were more like what Boom Bach said, I think you would get more people that wanted to play. It may be cool to pick a book/movie/whatever, post it as the subject, and let others pick a character from the story to write about. Does that make sense?

 

Typical RPGs are dying because most people now these days prefer to play RPG video games like WOW and Final Fantasy. They are easy to play and the players don't have to use their imagination to see the world. If RPGs like Dungeon and Dragons can be visual, then they might have a chance in this new era of games.

 

To clear something up, what Boombach said essentially is how our RPG's work. Sure it varies from RPG to RPG and GM (Game master; the host) to GM. But really, one person (occasionally a group) will set up the world and etc, and set up a main plot. Some RPGs and GMs are very controlling, others are sometimes not controlling enough. Some will spend the whole time forcing players into certain situations, towards specific locations, against certain foes. Others give their players control to the point where no one knows what they're supposed to be doing.

And trust me, fun and light is the goal here, and it is being accomplished. That said, commitment is generally required. Generally, we'd like to have a post per person, per day, but if an RPG begins to wind down, we usually see far less. We don't need anyone to post like a maniac, but we can't have people drop like flies. We don't want a character to become established and loved only to have the character disappear a week or a month later (excusing special circumstances of course, such as my family problems back in march. We had a sabbatical of sorts. Or for exams, or work.)

Also, these RPGs are a bit different from D&D. RPGs can focus on more than fantasy. The three current are fantasy. Mines a modern fantasy (magic and etc set in the modern day, real world) another is a sci fi, and the other is some sort of fiction.

And while picking a movie/story/etc has been done before, it doesn't happen as often because it feels a lot like fan-fiction (and often is), and because some find it to dissuade creativity (not much room for change in the world or characters). Also, if there are 10 people doing RPGs, and only 3 of them really liked that movie/story you end up a little short on people.

 

Well if there is some interest in playing, I found a D&D adventure I could convert to Pathfinder or 3.5 that is a parody of Twilight.

 

Lots of people are giving it a go. I advise you to join them.
As Honorius already pointed out, there are many different types of RPGs, some with high levels of GM control and some with very little. It seems as if you're interested in the type with low control and high freedom. I've been away from this site for a while, so I'm not very well-acquainted with what's currently available in the RPG section. If I knew, I'd try to point you toward a game that suits your taste (if such a game is available at this time).

Just to clarify one point here, an RPG isn't about 'writing for the GM.' It's a collective endeavor and, yes, it does take some commitment like any form of writing. Would your personal projects ever get finished if you weren't committed to writing each day? Now imagine if that project involved half a dozen other players, each of whom is writing for a character in the tale. One of the most enjoyable aspects of it is having your character interact with the other characters; they can develop friendships, rivalries, romances, and more, and you'll gain a deeper understanding of your character (and theirs) in the process. But imagine if the other writers weren't 'committed.' Imagine if that girl your character fell in love with or that guy he grew to hate suddenly disappeared because the person writing for those chars just lost interest and stopped posting. Now you can see how easy it is for an RPG to 'die' and how disappointing that can be.

The purpose of an RPG is to teach you to truly get into your character's head and react to situations that you might not have thought to put him/her into. The GM (game master) does the pre-game worldbuilding, including locations, time period, history (if its a fictional world), physics (such as the limitations on magic usage if its a fantasy world), and technology if its a sci-fi setting. This isn't because the GM wants to be a tyrannical dictator and shackle you to the floor. (If he did, his game would probably lose members pretty fast. ) This is only to provide a medium; a level plane upon which the game will take place. Could you imagine how convoluted the game would get if these things weren't established beforehand? As you suggested, the GM could also save his/herself a lot of worldbuilding hassles by simply using an existing world (such as the world of Twilight, or Mordor, or wherever). I've seen it done both ways, but the vast majority simply craft their own setting, rather than borrow an existing one. The GM also acts as a supervisor who keeps the main plotline rolling along. For example, if you're on a quest to slay a dragon (cliche, I know) the GM will post things that move you along the journey, or will post obstacles/enemies/complications to set you back. It's the GM's job to provide creative obstacles/situations and the players' job to come up with creative solutions (but still in-character, of course).

The players provide the characters, who populate that world. They bring chemistry, subplots, interesting dialogue, romances, rivalries, and intrigue to the story, all within the confines of what the GM has set up. The entire game requires a symbiotic relationship between the two. Calling it a commitment would be a bit like saying "hanging out with my friends everyday and having fun is too much of a commitment." When you find a game you enjoy, with fun players, a fun plot an setting, and an enjoyable GM, it won't feel like a commitment at all. I've found that the RPers are some of the nicest bunch on this forum. (No offense to the rest of you lot. You're all good guys too. )


Long post. Probably rambled at parts. Sorry if I did. I just saw a lot of misunderstandings in this thread and wanted to clarify them. I think one of the reasons the RPG thread seems otherwordlish is because a lot of people don't understand what goes on in there. I'd like to thank Honorius for stepping up and addressing some of the concerns and misconceptions. And I offer to do the same. I would also advise anyone who is curious about it to read through some of the old games and see how they have developed.

 

Writers and not game players... Although it is true that most people see rp as a game, for most really avid rp writers it is a vastly different kind of story telling process...

It takes a lot of time and effort to pull of a good rp.

I got my start writing not as a kid sitting in a class room but as a person watching RPers in the old yahoo chat system. I was impressed by their complex story lines and characters. I slowly worked my way into rp and although I was not as good at it as I had hoped it still appealed to me.

It is because of my interest in rp that turned me onto writing and from there short stories and novels.

I would not presume to call anyone who does rp a less than serious writer. I realize that it an opinion but perhaps the stories that were on going in the forum were just not appropriate or did not spark readers interests as they might else where.

My point is ... Sometimes as a writer you need something else. I haven't had a chance to read through most of the site yet. I am slowly (very slowly it seems) getting around to it. But I do like what I see so far and hope that all aspects of the site remain.

 

Thanks for the thanks Mouse.

Getting more people to the forums period would definitely be a good thing, but clarifying misconceptions of the RPG seems to be important in getting people to join it. There are many people who see it as less than serious writing, others that see it as being more D&D than anything else. While there's nothing wrong with D&D (some disagree of course), the RPGs focus on actually writing. Rather than rolling some dice to see if you managed to stab that monster in the eye or if you could pick the lock to that chest, in the RPGs you can actually decide for yourself if it worked. You can use your own writing skills and creativity to work through challenges.

I'm hopping this thread (since its gathered a little attention) will clear up some misconceptions. On a related note, anyone can join any RPG at any time. There are some exceptions of course, such as RPGs at their end or over populated ones, but in general, we're happy to see new comers.

 

I'm often attracted to RPG games but never know how to get started and feel like I would be butting in if I just jumped into one. How about an ongoing RPG game thread for beginners. Could set it somewhere nice and easy to jump in without feeling rude and get a bit of practise...

 

First, you aren't jumping in, heck, we'd be delighted to have you. Just introduce yourself in the discussion first. And as long as you follow the rules (found on the RPG main page) we'd enjoy your company.

Second, is an interesting idea. I'm not sure how well it will work, but it is an interesting idea all the same.

 

I may well lurk for a while and see how it all works then :redface:

 

Or just ask any of us in there, we'd be glad to explain. Don't feel afraid to jump in at any time during a game. I've seen people come in near the end of a RPG's story and work it in very well. If you want to join one, just ask the GM and they'll be glad to slip you into the ranks. Lurk as long as you want, but we'll always have room for ya to come in.

 

Seems like most of this discussion should be moved to the RPG Discussion Forum. Just saying.

 

Agreed. I think the discussion here has run its course.