The following warnings occurred:
Warning [2] Undefined variable $search_thread - Line: 60 - File: showthread.php(1617) : eval()'d code PHP 8.1.27 (Linux)
File Line Function
/inc/class_error.php 153 errorHandler->error
/showthread.php(1617) : eval()'d code 60 errorHandler->error_callback
/showthread.php 1617 eval
Warning [2] Undefined variable $forumjump - Line: 89 - File: showthread.php(1617) : eval()'d code PHP 8.1.27 (Linux)
File Line Function
/inc/class_error.php 153 errorHandler->error
/showthread.php(1617) : eval()'d code 89 errorHandler->error_callback
/showthread.php 1617 eval




What draws you to role-play?
#1
I'm currently writing a thesis for creative writing for my local university and I need to do some research on creative writing combined with improvisation so If you have some spare time could you answer a few of these questions for me so I can gather other opinions on the matter. Thanks in advance!

Why is it that you role-play? (A hobby, honing your writing skills, etc.)

When creating a character is it mostly your own ideas and imagination or based loosely off another fictional character?

When you feel your character has fulfilled his or hers goals do you carry on with role-playing or do you feel the story has come to an end?

What kind of genres of role-play do you feel most comfortable in? (Fantasy, medieval, sci-fi, etc.)
Reply
#2
(03-21-2013, 01:21 PM)grembomb Wrote: I'm currently writing a thesis for creative writing for my local university and I need to do some research on creative writing combined with improvisation so If you have some spare time could you answer a few of these questions for me so I can gather other opinions on the matter. Thanks in advance!

Good luck with your thesis!

Quote:Why is it that you role-play? (A hobby, honing your writing skills, etc.)

A number of reasons, really, I can't pick just one definitive reason why role-playing is something I do. It's an extension of my gaming hobby, it's a way for me to practice and improve my writing, and it's a good bit of escapism.

Quote:When creating a character is it mostly your own ideas and imagination or based loosely of another fictional character?

Mostly my own. My characters may have traits loosely inspired by other characters at times, but most of my guys are characters I made up myself without ever comparing them to someone else.

Quote:When you feel your character has fulfilled his or hers goals do you carry on with role-playing or do you feel the story has come to an end?

Who am I to say that his story has truly ended? Does my real life story end just because I have resolved some major obstacle in my own life? Realistically, when someone attains his or her goals, he or she comes up with new ones.

Quote:What kind of genres of role-play do you feel most comfortable in? (Fantasy, medieval, sci-fi, etc.)

I generally prefer an element of fantasy in my roleplaying. Fantasy is my favorite, followed by sci-fi-fantasy and modern fantasy, but straight up sci-fi can be decent if done well.
Have you hugged an orc today?
- I am not tech support. Please do not contact me regarding technical issues. -
Reply
#3
(03-21-2013, 01:21 PM)grembomb Wrote: Why is it that you role-play? (A hobby, honing your writing skills, etc.)
My initiation to roleplay was through LARP which is still my main hobby. Some of my larper friends introduced me to WoW RP as a way to stifle the cravings between LARP events. Now RP in general has become my main outlet of creativity since it combines so many things; writing, drawing, sewing, storytelling, cooking and so on.

(03-21-2013, 01:21 PM)grembomb Wrote: When creating a character is it mostly your own ideas and imagination or based loosely of another fictional character?
This also varies a lot depending on the universe I am creating a character for, or rather my knowledge of the setting overall. The more I know about the world/universe/setting the more it colours my character as I try to portray things that have been missed. Something that becomes very evident in my characters on CotH. Rarely is a character of mine mainly based upon another character.

(03-21-2013, 01:21 PM)grembomb Wrote: When you feel your character has fulfilled his or hers goals do you carry on with role-playing or do you feel the story has come to an end?
So far I've never ever run out of goals for a character. The most active characters in any variation of RP has always gained new goals while reaching the old ones. But it has happened that a character doesn't fit with the current roleplay environment, he was created for a certain climate or setting which becomes outdated. I believe that if a character runs out of goals it is merely poorly constructed.

(03-21-2013, 01:21 PM)grembomb Wrote: What kind of genres of role-play do you feel most comfortable in? (Fantasy, medieval, sci-fi, etc.)
Comfortable? The more I know about the setting, the more comfortable I am roleplaying in it. Gaps in lore or inconsistencies annoys me to no end, sometimes to such lengths that I've given up on the roleplay that has led me to that annoyance. When it comes to LARPing I prefer fantasy setting because sci-fi is usually harder to re-create in a believable way. Then there are of course settings I like more than others, for example Fallout, Dragon Age, Hellgate: London or Elder Scrolls.
(02-24-2012, 10:15 AM)Piroska Wrote: Conspiracy. That's all it is; Kret's afraid that your pure, digital awesomeness would crash the server if it were allowed.
(06-14-2013, 05:42 PM)McKnighter Wrote: Bovel, Lord of Beards

Character About Involvement
Causticity Blackbreath Goblin Alchemist -
Telaah Draenei Anchorite Writings of an Anchorite

[Image: kiXJxhI.gif]
Reply
#4
Why is it that you role-play? (A hobby, honing your writing skills, etc.)

I role-play mostly because I enjoy the thought of collaborative writing. Writing is fun and all, but when you know every move thats going to happen in your head, you start to miss key elements that keep a story interesting, surprise and suspense being the main ones. On that note, it does help improve my writing skills when I see how others might describe something, extending my vocabulary and so forth.

When creating a character is it mostly your own ideas and imagination or based loosely of another fictional character?

Mostly? Most all my characters are concepts that come up in my head. I'd like to think they're my own ideas and imagination at work, but I'd be lying if I didn't say that often these ideas are influenced by many outside sources. Things I've seen done in books, movies or other games. I have, a couple of times, based an idea on an existing character elsewhere, but most of the time it's me meshing ideas together into something I think might be fun.

When you feel your character has fulfilled his or hers goals do you carry on with role-playing or do you feel the story has come to an end?

I keep on role-playing the character, yup! To me, the story of a character doesn't die until that character does. I find it enjoyable for a character to reap what they have sowed, be it good or bad. Besides, when it comes to role-playing, just because the character has stopped being the main of a storyline doesn't mean s/he can't be the supporting role in another story.

What kind of genres of role-play do you feel most comfortable in? (Fantasy, medieval, sci-fi, etc.)

Fantasy for sure. I find it easy to get into a setting that involves elves, magic, dragons and other standard fantasy tropes. Outside of the fantasy element I get really iffy over what I'm doing. I don't know other genres as well. As most RPG groups I'm in know, once I'm taking outside of the standard european fantasy setting, I tend to freeze up and not be as active because I get out of my element. I'm always willing to try other genres, but I need time to get comfortable with the setting before I go full out in RP. A close second is post-apocalyptic worlds for the reason that anything can go, as most 'rules' have broken down.
Reply
#5
Quote:Why is it that you role-play? (A hobby, honing your writing skills, etc.)

*shrug.* Been doin it since I was little, and I've just found it the most fun. Not into LARPing though, but I would totally LARP 40k. I honestly HATE the fantasy setting, but <3 warcraft.

Quote:When creating a character is it mostly your own ideas and imagination or based loosely off another fictional character?

Originally, Svenn was based off of an idea that I had from arms dealers and resident evil. He worked for any side that would pay him and he made weapons, armor, etc. He also aided in the forming of Abominations. That roleplay idea went south because I eventually got tired of it and thought it was stupid, so I spent a few days rethinking him, and combined him with my love for space marines and vikings: Space Wolves! So I made him a barbarian northman who was born into a warclan in Northrend, who knew nothing but war, and eventually went and joined the horde to trade: Furs, ore, tools, whatever. He was a hunter first, then through Kael'Thas's experiments, he became a warlock. That was fun for a lot of years, and then I came here and realized that he was not fit for this place.

While Svenn and Asgrend are basically extreme versions of myself, many of my other characters are "Hey I wonder what..." or "Hey that would be fun" ideas.

Actually, the cool thing with this server is I get to explore their characters even further with the in character forums. Originally I wrote stories and shared them with my friends, and that was the end of it, but here I've got somewhere to post it and others besides who I RP with get a chance to read it. Pretty neat!

Quote:When you feel your character has fulfilled his or hers goals do you carry on with role-playing or do you feel the story has come to an end?

I've never created someone who has an end goal. All of my characters exist to serve a purpose until they are killed.

Quote:What kind of genres of role-play do you feel most comfortable in? (Fantasy, medieval, sci-fi, etc.)

Warcraft, scifi, and 40k. Though if given the chance I would definitely do some STALKER LARP and viking larp. That would be saweeet.
Reply
#6
Why is it that you role-play? (A hobby, honing your writing skills, etc.)

Well I've been doing it for about a decade now, so it's just sort of a habit by now. At first it was just 'make-believe' games me and my mates used to do when I was about nine, but then it developed into me having an actual desire to roleplay strange and different characters. It was a hobby of mine, an escape from a cruel and oppressive world. When the world finally began to brighten up for me, I then began to see roleplaying be an avenue to improve my writing capabilities. It's always fun to stretch the imagination.

When creating a character is it mostly your own ideas and imagination or based loosely off another fictional character?

My ideas. Well. My stolen ideas mushed together until you can't recognize the bits. I don't even recognize where they come from anymore.

When you feel your character has fulfilled his or hers goals do you carry on with role-playing or do you feel the story has come to an end?

Ah, I tend to dump characters after their stories are told. But people demand that they stick around. Honestly, I think characters should be dumped before they grow tiresome. So many characters are just thrown into scenario after scenario for the sake of being able to roleplay them, and that's just sort of a practice I frown on. Pass on the torch, try something new. Sure, you don't have to dump a character and never see him/her again, but sometimes it just gets tiring for me when I have to keep logging onto X because everyone wants more X.

What kind of genres of role-play do you feel most comfortable in? (Fantasy, medieval, sci-fi, etc.)

Anything. Yeah, so long as there's something interesting going on, I can dig it. If it dodges the normal tropes of the genre though, I'm a hundred times more interested. Do new things! Stop... doing what everyone else does!
Quote:[8:53AM] Cassius: Xigo is the best guy ever. he doesn't afraid of anything.
Reply
#7
Why is it that you role-play? (A hobby, honing your writing skills, etc.)
It's fun for me, I suppose..

When creating a character is it mostly your own ideas and imagination or based loosely off another fictional character?
My characters are made out of my own ideas while hoping they won't end up as a clique character.

When you feel your character has fulfilled his or hers goals do you carry on with role-playing or do you feel the story has come to an end?
I put an end to a character's story only when the character is dead or incapacitated. But that's only for main characters. The stories of my alts end when they get deleted or when I lose the will to roleplay them.

What kind of genres of role-play do you feel most comfortable in? (Fantasy, medieval, sci-fi, etc.)
Anything.
Reply
#8
Why is it that you role-play? (A hobby, honing your writing skills, etc.)

A variety of reasons, but I got into it at the beginning because I wanted to develop my own writing. I was big on that back in the day and then it just sort of developed from there into an interest in the story and investment in the characters I was playing. I came to love developing them and watching them grow, studying their and other people's characters' behaviours and thoughts, which is how I came to be so interested in psychology as well. It's a great way to explore mentalities and personalities that you haven't put yourself into before. You put yourself in another person's shoes in a very intimate way and it's an amazing feeling.

When creating a character is it mostly your own ideas and imagination or based loosely off another fictional character?

They are usually my own ideas. It has happened that I borrowed a concept from elsewhere and spiced it up to make it mine, but usually I make up my own ideas (that are influenced by others, of course).

When you feel your character has fulfilled his or hers goals do you carry on with role-playing or do you feel the story has come to an end?

I usually try to carry on with the character since there's always more you can do with it and continue development. If it comes to a point where the character feels "accomplished" and won't really move out of their comfortable seats anytime soon, I retire them and call their story "told". Examples being when a character forms a family and settles down, essentially isolating them from the rest of the adventuring parties. Then, I just kind of let the character be and let them live their happy, peaceful lives. They deserve that, y'know?

What kind of genres of role-play do you feel most comfortable in? (Fantasy, medieval, sci-fi, etc.)

Medieval fantasy because of the creative freedom, I'd say. It's much easier to let loose in since the rules aren't so set in stone, and there's more mysticism to it. Sci-fi can be fun, but I prefer the more rustic environments. Spaceships and foreign planets can only keep my interest up for so long, usually. (Warhammer's the exception.)
Reply
#9
Why is it that you role-play?

I find living lives of others exciting and intriguing. The activity of knowing a mind, designing its history, its interests, its shortfalls - everything about it - is one that I still find exciting, even after spending the best part of my entire life doing it.

When creating a character is it mostly your own ideas and imagination or based loosely off another fictional character?

I very rarely set out to create a character for a specific purpose; often, I'm presented with a setting, world, or specifics within them, and end up finding something that interests me - sometimes something as small as a name or spell. I then expand the idea and create a character around it, always branching off and often abandoning the initial concept in favour of something else I come across.

When you feel your character has fulfilled his or hers goals do you carry on with role-playing or do you feel the story has come to an end?

I do my best not to give my characters goals so specific that they can actually be accomplished without a few years of role-play. I have a habit of creating characters quintessential to their class and/or race, so their goals tend to be generic. I have noticed, however, that RP often brings about changes in a character's goals and dreams.

What kind of genres of role-play do you feel most comfortable in? (Fantasy, medieval, sci-fi, etc.)

Probably fantasy simply due to the fact that I've spent far more time in it than in any other. I have recently grown a bit of a penchant for sci-fi genres, however, though I find the setting trite and contrived outside of a few specific names. Laser guns, spaceships and teleportation aren't a valid concept on their own any more: they need originality behind them to make them shine.
[Image: RtK7PiZ.png]
Reply
#10
Quote:Why is it that you role-play? (A hobby, honing your writing skills, etc.)

To be honest, lately I've been RPing so that I can keep up my writing skills because the amount of strain I was going through with my own writing was taking its toll on me mentally and I need to take a good break from it. And that's what RP has been doing for me lately. Originally, I became interested in RPing because I had never thought that it existed as something serious until people in Planeshift introduced me to it and after that it took off because I found collaborative writing interesting.

Quote:When creating a character is it mostly your own ideas and imagination or based loosely off another fictional character?

It's mostly my own ideas and imagination. But after creating the foundation for my characters through their history, personality, and relationships, I've allowed myself to be open to inspiration. For example, some of Xelti's behavior was borrowed from a very interesting (albeit wild) person I know in real life.

Quote:When you feel your character has fulfilled his or hers goals do you carry on with role-playing or do you feel the story has come to an end?

It's very important to create a character who has goals because they become the characters the kick off lots of RP, but I have to make these goals something that isn't easily attained because I realize that is what will keep my characters fresh and unending for years to come.

Quote:What kind of genres of role-play do you feel most comfortable in? (Fantasy, medieval, sci-fi, etc.)

I'm pretty flexible when it comes to RP; just give me a good setting/world with a lot of culture to draw from and I'll RP it. For me, comfort has to do with a community of roleplayers that are good at what they do, and that's why I'm here.

Something I've never RP'd but would love to: historical fiction. I'm fascinated with the amount of things that were going on from the 1300's-1600's in the Middle East. I wish there were more games, movies, and novels written around that setting, because it's profoundly rich.
[Image: anim_500.gif]
Reply
#11
Quote:Why is it that you role-play? (A hobby, honing your writing skills, etc.)

Lots of thought out, in-depth answers here but really I just do it because it's super fun.

Quote:When creating a character is it mostly your own ideas and imagination or based loosely off another fictional character?

Most of my inspiration comes from musical lyrics. Other fictional characters? Not so much.

Quote:When you feel your character has fulfilled his or hers goals do you carry on with role-playing or do you feel the story has come to an end?

I would say yes... if any of my characters had ever achieved their goals. As it is none of them have but I assume once they did their story would be 'over' until something sparks a new story.

Quote:What kind of genres of role-play do you feel most comfortable in? (Fantasy, medieval, sci-fi, etc.)

Everything.
"Do not be fooled if you hear laughter, or happen upon a smile. There is no happiness or merriment here."
Reply
#12
Why is it that you role-play? (A hobby, honing your writing skills, etc.)

I roleplay as a hobby, as it has been a major factor in my life since I was around seven.

When creating a character is it mostly your own ideas and imagination or based loosely off another fictional character?

Usually my own ideas, I sometimes take values and ideas from other characters, but I tend to stick to my own ideas.

When you feel your character has fulfilled his or hers goals do you carry on with role-playing or do you feel the story has come to an end?


I try to continue to roleplay them, for something new could pop up.

What kind of genres of role-play do you feel most comfortable in? (Fantasy, medieval, sci-fi, etc.)

Sci-fi. I can just fit into that setting almost completely. The ideas are almost limitless to me in science fiction. Then fantasy.


Also good luck, I hate writing papers. Unless it is fictional.
[Image: dean2s.png]
Reply
#13
Why is it that you role-play? (A hobby, honing your writing skills, etc.)

I enjoy writing, and I love to develop and articulate the feelings of my characters, but I have difficulty creating a compelling narrative. Roleplay allows me to explore characterization without feeling stuck on the details of a specific plot.
I also greatly enjoy the fact that every character has their own interests and agendas- anyone else your brainchild interacts with is going to be as much a person as they are, rather than a plot element in more conventional writing.

Edit: As I respond to the other questions, I realize that my experience in roleplay seems to be more involved in the group aspect than I initially suggested. I also enjoy the discussion between other participants outside of character interactions for the same reason I enjoy talking to anyone about their work. I have a background in the fine arts, and sharing details about one's methods and ideas is a significant part of socializing in art culture. That aspect of me seems to carry over into other aspects of my life, including roleplay.

When creating a character is it mostly your own ideas and imagination or based loosely off another fictional character?

I do not understand the idea of playing out another person's fictional characters; if they are well enough developed, I would need the author's own perspective and insight to do a character justice.

When creating a character, I propose many concepts to myself, and let them mull in my brain for a while. If I can get into their head a bit and understand what they would think and feel at a moment's notice, I then try them out among other peoples' characters to see if it provides an interesting roleplay experience for myself and the other participants.

When you feel your character has fulfilled his or hers goals do you carry on with role-playing or do you feel the story has come to an end?

I would not be afraid to "retire" a character, though I have not ever gotten to that point with anyone of my own design.

What kind of genres of role-play do you feel most comfortable in? (Fantasy, medieval, sci-fi, etc.)


Genre does not matter very much to me, with a few caveats: I'm not too fond of scenarios in which I have to fear spoiling the experience for others by not knowing enough about the setting, and I generally dislike dealing with sexism as a major theme.
Historical settings can potentially give me issues with each of these matters, but with the right conditions and others able to act as a good resource for knowledge on the period and location, I can still enjoy myself.
I am also not particularly fond of combat, but I rarely find combat compelling in any medium or experience. Even in competitive sports, I find myself unenthused if the other participants are more concerned with winning than mutual enjoyment.
Reply
#14
I'm currently writing a thesis for creative writing for my local university and I need to do some research on creative writing combined with improvisation so If you have some spare time could you answer a few of these questions for me so I can gather other opinions on the matter. Thanks in advance!

Yay! G'luck!

Why is it that you role-play? (A hobby, honing your writing skills, etc.)

For the story. Always for the story.

I role-play to write, and write to express myself. It's enjoyment, catharsis, escapism and constant practice as well. It's writing and orchestrating your own plays, and the stage is all around us. And the best part? You get to co-write with some of the best people possible. Those that share in your interests and want to get the same things out of stories that you do.

I role-play to think up characters, to create settings, to modify and add to existing ones. To make worlds feel like living, breathing environments and each dramatis persona a -person-.

It mostly depends on who I'm writing for or with, and the nature of the storyline, but there is enjoyment in figuring out the puzzles set before me by my peers, as well as devising my own situations, just to see how they'd react.

When creating a character is it mostly your own ideas and imagination or based loosely off another fictional character?

The former, more often than not. The characters I've based on existing characters or people can be counted on the fingers of one hand.

When you feel your character has fulfilled his or hers goals do you carry on with role-playing or do you feel the story has come to an end?

The story never ends. Ever. There is always more to tell, more to develop, trailing ends to follow that lead to more trailing ends. Not even death can put a stopper in the storyline. Characters may change, entire worlds may change, but the story must go on.

What kind of genres of role-play do you feel most comfortable in? (Fantasy, medieval, sci-fi, etc.)

Fantasy and Science-Fiction the most. Medieval is too low-fantasy for me, and Modern Fantasy is nice to have, but not my cup of tea all the time.
[Image: 2hhkp3k.gif]
Recommended reads: Divine and Arcane. Also, elves.
Wanna refer me in Tribes: Ascend? Clickies!
Reply
#15
Why is it that you role-play? (A hobby, honing your writing skills, etc.)

To orchestrate stories. And to discover fates. Of characters, that is. I find it fairly intriguing to discover a character's mind, their personal history and so forth.

When creating a character is it mostly your own ideas and imagination or based loosely off another fictional character?

The first point. However, sometimes I find pictures and am like "GOD DAMN, THAT LOOKS AWESOME, I NEED TO CREATE A CHARACTER SURROUNDING THAT". That was the case for Kathria, for example. This was the picture I saw. And thus, I began to formulate a character about it.

When you feel your character has fulfilled his or hers goals do you carry on with role-playing or do you feel the story has come to an end?

Gotta agree with Flammos there. The story never ends. That is what bugs me about some movies I really like. What occured after the epilogue? How did the characters further develop?

What kind of genres of role-play do you feel most comfortable in? (Fantasy, medieval, sci-fi, etc.)


Post-apocalyptic settings (Metro 2033, S.T.A.L.K.E.R) or fantasy.
Sanity? Of course!
Reply


Possibly Related Threads…
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Character ideas that don't play by CotH character creation rules Dae 26 10,334 01-05-2015, 04:09 PM
Last Post: Dae
  Community Inquiry: Forsaken Role Play and its future on CotH CappnRob 22 5,056 07-28-2014, 11:14 AM
Last Post: Reigen
  I can't play good characters. Aphetoros 16 7,035 09-15-2012, 06:02 AM
Last Post: Ormica
  I can't play evil characters Dae 15 3,514 09-06-2012, 11:53 PM
Last Post: Bovel
  Rating Bad Guys Role Playing Wise: Brutalskars 8 1,522 08-12-2012, 08:50 AM
Last Post: McKnighter



Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)