Anime Tropes appearing in Roleplay

[Xigo]

Before I get started, I'd like ya'll to view a bit of anime fightan.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmpZ2OFu2Dk[/youtube]

Inspect the fighting present within this brief video. No, I'm not knocking anime. Nor am I specifically knocking Naruto. But let's analyze it.

-Fighting is broken up with a lot of talking
-People on the sidelines never stop commenting
-Characters are pulling stunts that are physically impossible (ignore this is Naruto briefly)
-Almost every character has some 'unique super power'.

What I'm getting at here is that CotH RP is starting to seem an awful lot like anime. Characters ignore wounds unless they're being used for dramatic effect. Many are cocky smart-alecks who insult everything. The nobility are just jerks with power, and as a rule of thumb generally don't act as their position assumes they should, nor are they respected or feared by the general populace. Everyone is 'equal', money grows on trees.

I wouldn't even say this is done for dramatic effect. It's really just done to make characters look like total badasses. Were it not for the server's limitations, I'm sure someone would have declared himself the slayer of the Lich King by now, or have made a Death Knight who could rival him in power.

I understand we allow people to play heroic characters. People who are above the norm. But I think the 'norm' right now for PCs is the super-dude who fears nothing. Abomination? "Oh, what's that smell". Dragon. "I want to ride that". Fight just ended? "Easy as cake". The only time our wounds seem to really matter is when we hit the value of 'zero' for health. This is referred to as Critical Existence Failure, essentially meaning that nothing really matters up until the last shot, which ends someone completely. Why is this the case?

I have seen godmodders too, who shall not be named. I'm sure we all have. My experience that likely drove me away from CotH so much was an ambush I did in Duskwood using fifteen or so enemies against three individuals. One ran away, which made me happy because that seemed realistic. Why would you stand and fight that many foes? The other two stood there and fought, emoting that they took out at least two creatures with every swing. It's not as though I was being easy on them either, I was emoting with intent to kill or gravely wound on every strike. Yet they both changed each one to just 'a grazing wound' or being blocked entirely, while continuing with their 'these many worgen die' emotes. It's not as though they were new either. In fact, the one who ran away was a peon. This simply serves to show me that the grunts of this server have grown used to being treated as unkillable heroes who only die if it's dramatic.

I know you yourself probably don't fear whatever NPCs are thrown at you. After all, you're not in any mortal danger. But can you please try to make sure your characters are aware of the danger? That they can show fear? That, heavens forbid, they'll run away from such odds? I know it was my fault for not confronting these players about the blatant godmodding, and I shant make this mistake in the future.

"But Xigo, my character is this powerful, and he is fearless!"
... Why did you make this character?
Sure, you might enjoy playing a character so powerful, and one who shows no fear. But it's seriously not fun for those of us who play mere mortals. You're raising the power level, something we GMs deliberately tried to lower a while ago. You're encouraging other people to roleplay characters with the same things in mind. I don't find it fun. In fact, I find it to be flat-out poor roleplay. There is an ongoing power creep for characters on CotH, and it personally drives me away from roleplaying.

To those of you who make characters with failings that aren't anime tropes. Those with characters who are afraid. Those who don't bend the laws of physics to their every whim, I salute you. Please continue the good work, and don't let yourselves be influenced in this manner.

I know characters won't be afraid of some things. But please, give them fears.

Now this?

This is awesome.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4B-PysR_4s[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN30YMzja6Y[/youtube]

TL;DR, Roleplay is more fun when you play more down-to-earth characters. Ones which show fear. Ones which the players are not trying to be 'totally badass' with.

[Kage]

Tis a good point up there. I dunt know if I've done something like that (Except with Krest, yes I know I have) with my characters, and I hope I haven't. Wounds are important to remember, and overwhelming numbers shouldn't be ignored. Now if it's a bunch of worms (Not the kind that eat people either) that are just large, sure, kill em all. But with the worgen stated above? Run. Run as -fast0 as you can and trip the guy next to ya. Perhaps kill one that got to close, that would make sense. But yes, run.

But I like this, good reminder to everyone.

[vizkus]

Thank you Xigo. I was just thinking about this last night. Its weird how on CotH being common is so rare. Which doesn't even make sense. Just look at that sentence. LOOK AT IT.

[Psycho]

While I mostly agree, don't you think this is a bit ill presented? Some parts just left a bad taste in my mouth. Seemed they were made to be rather insulting, plus they created this feel of superiority to one against the other. While your argument is a valid one in its core, it seems a bit harsh. On one hand, we shouldn't all play 1337pawnzorxxx the mighty slayer of the Lich King, but many won't enjoy playing Bob, the mighty dirty farmer. Who died of lung infection. And to some, (I know to me atleast) finding a middle ground is hard.

I think people enjoy different kinds of characters. I can say from experience that I've had as much fun playing Anat, who is a poor peasant with money issues, than as I did with characters like Sangreala, who is a more than competent warlock. Saying one kind of role-play is more fun, isn't correct, if simply because the reason that people have different opinions and flavors.

While I haven't been around as long as you have, I can see your frustration. But I also think, this is a poor example of it. To the core of the idea, I agree. But to its form of presentation, I must go against.

[Xigo]

If I intended on guiding people towards making characters I prefer (which few would pay attention to), then this would be in the guides section.

My only intention with this post was expressing my dissent publicly.

[Roxas65]

This brings me back to Alywien and Abigail's last battle. If I recall correctly, we were going all out with 20HP and it took close to two hours. In the end, Abigail won with one single HP left. Despite winning, Abigail had been stabbed in multiple places, had several icicles stuck in her chest, a lot of open wounds and she could, understandably, barely stand. So I decided that "yeah, she's dead." So even though Abigail had won that battle, I had her die in the aftermath because you simply can't walk away from that.

Other people should consider such things too. Despite maybe winning a battle, some things you simply don't walk away from and sometimes when you win, you lose.

All in all, this is a good post. Anime style battles are fun to watch, but boring to roleplay.

[Kage]

Well that sounds kinda rude right there. Whereas I understand the annoying-ness of OP characters that just wont die, you've somewhat attacked grunts as a whole. Everyone has a character they've made to be powerful and un-fearful, whether it's because their too crazy, or just to kind of heart and push the fear back, people like the strong characters. I'll stick with the fact that I agree, if everyone's strong, who's gonna be weak, wheres the fun? But at the same time, who wants to be a weak, regular character. It'd be like playing yourself in a virtual world. When someone goes too far, sure, that's wrong. But to say that pretty much all the grunts have become op is rather rude.

[Xigo]

Everyone has a character they've made to be powerful and un-fearful, whether it's because their too crazy, or just to kind of heart and push the fear back, people like the strong characters.

... I don't. I'm sure others don't.

But at the same time, who wants to be a weak, regular character.

I do. I'm sure others enjoy it.

Running out the door, be back later.

[Zhaei]

I think you're reading a little bit too much in to this. Personally I agree 100% and have been seeking to do this to my own characters more than before lately. I would never say I were perfect but I have noticed a disparity...

I've been telling (read: moaning) people about how much I hate characters that are never embarrased or feel guilty or intimidateded. I've seen people RP with Guards and they just ignore warnings because of the super rule of 'No PC more powerful than another'. This is an unfortunate thing but just irritates me to no end. People don't seem to realise the social implications of being warned by a Guard and they just sit there and make quippy comments.

All of my love, Xigo.

[vizkus]

Everyone has a character they've made to be powerful and un-fearful, whether it's because their too crazy, or just to kind of heart and push the fear back, people like the strong characters.

... I don't. I'm sure others don't.

But at the same time, who wants to be a weak, regular character.

I do. I'm sure others enjoy it.

Running out the door, be back later.

I agree with Xigo. Strong characters get boring after a point because where is the challenge? Where is the conflict? No fear and no flaws means a boring character in my eyes.

Regular does not mean weak, necessarily. Although, in a world where everyone is a badass I could see where that could be construed as such. Playing a regular character, to me, makes things MUCH more immersive and realistic. Its a personal choice but I often feel ostracized because I play regular characters and I'm surrounded by people that play their own special snowflake.

[Kage]

Everyone has a character they've made to be powerful and un-fearful, whether it's because their too crazy, or just to kind of heart and push the fear back, people like the strong characters.

... I don't. I'm sure others don't.

But at the same time, who wants to be a weak, regular character.

I do. I'm sure others enjoy it.

Then do so. Complain about godmodding, but don't attack grunts as a whole. I myself has carefully crafted Krest to be more like a russian Spetsnaz when it comes to pain. Sure, cut off his arm he passes out. Stab him he hisses in pain, but he pushes it back and continue's to fight. That's how he was suppose to be played, and the last I checked I've never had him blow off a gunshot wound to the chest or something like that, he's just willfull. Really that's the only problem I have with this, it's seems to me more of a "stop playing strong characters, be weak" post then a complaint about OPness.

[Caravan]

Everyone has a character they've made to be powerful and un-fearful, whether it's because they're too crazy, or just too kind of heart and push the fear back. People like the strong characters.

No one should really be that crazy; even "crazies" have fears. It may not be mortal fears, it may not be combat related specifically, but everyone should have fears.

And, for a twist, some of the most powerful characters are the characters that are not powerful. They are the ones who don't put on a brave face in the face of annihilation or run away. The ones that don't "break character" in these dangerous situations. I know I've seen snivveling weak characters suddenly throwing out verbal harassments and trying to throw down those fisticuffs when it just... doesn't even fit.

[McKnighter]

Typically when I roll weak(er) characters, others try to train them and make them stronger...

[Roxas65]

Then again, I can understand the other side too. I know that I have, on several occasions, had my character participate in a fight she'd normally be against partaking in forwhatever reason, simply because -I- was bored and wanted something to happen. Sometime, you just need a jolt in your RP to make it interesting, and tucking the tail between your legs and running off from battle isn't really what I'd call an interesting jolt in the RP. On the contrary, you're running away from active RP.

[Esthrunil]

I'm pretty sure the complaint isn't in OPness, nor is it in strong characters.

I think the complaint is in the point that there's a lot of characters who have no fear, whatsoever. Characters who, time after time after time, spit in the face of -death itself,- make a little joke and waltz off with a hole in their chest. I get it - everyone enjoys the snarky badass. They're always fun to watch in the shows they make an appearance. But that's because they have people to compare them to, who are comparatively less snarky. I've been in situations on CotH where -everyone- is the snarky badass in completely implausible scenarios. When there's no comparison - when there is not a single person who isn't being defiant, the character loses -so much weight.-

If everyone were to be like Aragorn, Aragorn wouldn't be such a fun character to watch.

I also don't totally understand why the level divide with so many people is, "You're either a snarky badass who spits in the face of dying, or you're a farmer who can't fight at all." I've seen that argument so many times. It just makes so little sense, to me. Our characters live in a world where yes, there are heroes, but there are also -hundreds upon thousands- of foot-soldiers, backing them up. Foot-soldiers are men and women with fears and hopes. They're fighting in wars against -terrifying- creatures, and they are -terrified- of them. They keep going, because in the end it's what they have to do. They have a reason to do it.

True strength isn't ignoring pain, fear, guilt, what-have-you, and it's not in not even experiencing it. In the end, true strength of character comes from acknowledging everything that's wrong and still finding a reason to keep going. What I'm saying is, we need more Frodos and Sams.

I've gone off on a tangent and probably missed the point entirely. That's my point, there, though.