original characters:

i know how you feel... the only site i've found that i didn't mind the; canon only was a site that basically just had a list of names... she wanted an equal amount of member groups and genders so she had a list... if you wanted to change a name you coudl PM the admin and ask... she was very lenient... any other ones has annoyed me.

Word count:

thirty-seven words??!!?? how? i just.... how? i mean I don't think i can do less than 200 words, espically if there a lot of info to play with in the first place. i don't thinkt he admins had the right to do that.

Celebs:

I've never been that crazy :p all my fave bads are little known band and I get to meet them all the time.

Original Characters:
-I have no respect whatsoever for anyone who plays a canon with regards to their RPing ability. It's simply a lack of originality issue. I agree with you there. The more definition that is predetermined, the less I'm interested.

Word Count
-luls I had a friend and we used to RP on a bleach site and we'd bump into other peoples threads without permission and start fights, it was awesome. Nobody minds though on a bleach site, because bleach is all about the fights. Most of the posts were pretty short there too anyways.

SE7EN
-lolwut se7en is the name of a horror movie about the seven deadly sins and a murderer or something.

I have original characters coming out of my ass.

I would fall over myself in gratitude for someone to take on a canon character (note: NOT premade as these are completely different to canons, but that's a rant for later). Taking on a canon is not, and never has been a lack of creativity. For me, it is a greater challenge to take on, say, Storm, and make her your own. Getting under their skin, understanding what has been set out for them before, and running with it. Instead of being the law unto your own kingdom as you are with an original, you're taking on a proper challenge and having to adapt your responses to base them off how this character has been written for in the past. THEN there's the development that comes in after that, and I just...I love canons. I have so much respect for people who play them and it is a real test of a writer to see if you can take something that's already been part-done for you and make it your own interpretation without completely maiming their core traits.

I love originals, but oh my God. All originals all the time for a game that has a canon basis almost feels like lore theft to me.

Premades however...eh. Not really interested unless they have a plot hook or are being requested by a friend of mine who has a particular arc in mind (albeit I won't take on a character for looove). I certainly have them but I have them when they are either randomly NPCed and I decide, 'hey, he'd be kinda cool to have around' and when they have a good basis for creation--AKA they fit into the storyarc, etc.

When I was a young girl...lol

I don't understand all the cannon stuff, really. When I started RPing NO ONE played a pre-written PC, really. Now, it's like "We can't start until these cannon are filled".

o.O

It's like saying: You are not alive until we get the paternity test on who your daddy is...So no eating or drinking or potty functions until we figure that out.

Recently I went to a college site and there was like fifteen unfilled cannon college students. Not ideas for a character, but cannon...

Ummmkay.

This is why I hate playing on any site that is based off of something else. I prefer original lore, at all times. I would never play an Xmen or Harry Potter site, on the sole basis that it really isn't all that new, and it ends up just being fanfiction.

And yes, I do mean "fanfiction" as an insult.

And while what you're describing is difficult, it's also kind of silly. Why would you want to get that far under a character's skin?

Original Characters:
- I loathe when Admins try to control every aspect of the site. Do they want the members or not? Honestly, it's better to encourage canons than to DEMAND them and lose potential contributers to the site. :/

Word Count
- This is why I like private threads. Make it open, but as soon as someone replies, edit it so it's ONLY for that one person. Or PM someone, ask for a thread, make it private, whatever. I just loathe when people randomly jump in during the middle. DO NOT WANT.
- And if an Admin edited out my comment, I would prooooobably get a little angry. And ignore the rper who jumped in or ask for the thread to be archived and start a new one with the original poster. >___>;

SE7EN
- LOVE. LOTS OF LOVE.

Fin. :D

Wow, that's awful pompous of you. You getting up on your high horse about the fact you refuse to play anything like X-Men or HP, like it's below you or something. And the people who play there are below you too. Just because you don't like a particular thing doesn't mean it's bad or inferior. Loads of people have fun on boards like that and they're excellent, skilled writers.

You are not above others just because you play on original only sites or whatever the heck it is you do. You just have different interests. But that does not, by any means, give you a right to insult anyone.

It's people like you and attitudes like that that make things less fun for everyone.

I am in complete head-nodding agreement with you re: original characters. My inner Marvel fangirl wants to disagree with you re: your example of X-Men characters (or comic universes in general), though. You're not incorrect -- there are a lot of books, TV shows, movies, comic book companies, etc. where the characters ultimately seem like photocopies of the same few variations.

Universes like Marvel's, however, are not written by one guy. The advantage I enjoy about comic book RPGs based off of Marvel, DC and the like is that there are decades of history to play with and re-mold into something awesome. Decades of different characters created and penned by different writers. As a result you have a ton of variation. Because comic companies are generally insane for $, characters are created at the drop of the hat and as a result almost anyone can find a canon character they'd enjoy even if it involves the player revising them.

When it comes to fandoms where multiple people are writing, there are certainly periods where the editor-in-chief/producer/whatever coerces all writers into following a general premise. But there is also enough creativity to make your eyes bleed. So while this is an IMO-only, I tend to think that damn near anyone can find a canon character they'd love to recreate into their own creation. It just requires some poking around.

I wanted to comment on what boils down to semantics, but otherwise I do tend to agree with you. I <3 me some canons, but original characters help to keep things fresh.

That's subject to debate. I ran in a Marvel RPG for eight years where we played a mix of canon and original characters. What made our game ridiculous fun was that we could play the characters we all loved while challenging ourselves with continually developing their personalities. We ran storylines that had nothing to do with the comics -- we basically cut things off at a certain canon period and then went on our merry way -- and they were complex, layered things that were fun for the sake of RP, but also some pretty rockin' storytelling.

My question to you, Arakis, is why would you not want to get under your character's skin? Any character, canon or original. I assume the reason we all role-play is not just for escapism (big part, admittedly), but because we all enjoy writing and stories. If you want to develop your character -- in this case, in a way you agree with rather than something which may have occurred in canon that you did not feel was "right" -- why wouldn't you dig deep to unearth all the nuances? If you fully grasp the character, it only leaves you as that much better a role-player.

Ultimately this is all a matter of preference, of course. I love my original characters. But give me a canon character I care about in a fandom that is important to me and I'll be just as (if not more) happy. This aspect of RP is all about being able to do the things you thought should have happened instead of the canon X, Y and Z. While it's a little silly on one hand, that doesn't actually mean anything. There's nothing wrong with adapting pre-made characters, as it's just another facet of RPGs.

Development and character exploration is Roleplaying 101, basic character development, plots and -gasp!- creativity. Believe it or not, canon roleplay is not taking a character, playing out the books, sticking with wooden character creations and going from there. A lack or abundance of creativity is player based, and a player who creates a poor canon is just as likely--if not more likely--to create a poor original character.

What I am talking about is moving on from the application--or in this case--the books/movies/comics/tv series/cartoons and developing from that. Why is it more interesting (and more difficult) to me than original development? Because when you develop a canon you're offering up your interpretation and proving it through roleplay. An interpretation that can be argued. You can't argue interpretation over your own character. You are also taking on a challenge which you cannot possibly achieve in an original game because there, you are the only person making the rules. The only risks you take are small ones. Canons demand more balls than that. No, not everyone can deliver but I will applaud anyone who tries it because not everyone is deserving of insult just because they have a go.

I notice that not once did you ever go out of your way to suggest that I was wrong, only that I was arrogant. Which I already know. I always have been, and unless something significant and lifechanging happens, I probably always will be.

Furthermore, I do have the right to insult. Everyone does. I challenge you to take away this right in a legitimate fashion.

I meant it in that I would not want to get under the skin of someone else's character. I like developing my own characters.

In a sense, if I were to continue writing for a few years, I might become proficient enough to write a published book, presuming I never gave up and strived to be come better. If I got to this point, and tried to publish "Harry Potter 8", would there even be a slight chance that I wouldn't be heavily, if not rightfully ridiculed, regardless of the content of the book? Even if it was absolutely perfect, I would still be doing only half of the job of creating a story.

Just because something is difficult does not make it good. As an example, it is very difficult to suffocate yourself to death without the use of tools like a rope. Does this mean that we should applaud anyone who succeeds at killing themselves in this manner? Sure, a few people might, and they have the right to, but does this really mark a significant display of value?

You are arrogant. A pompous ass and a few other things I shouldn't really delve into. I thought it went without saying in my response that you were and are wrong. Sorry that I have to spell it out for you.

If what you say is true, then I have every right to sit here and type that I think you're a jerk, an airhead, an illegitimate being, a sorry mama's boy or whatever else I feel like. Does that make it pleasant or fun to read? Does that make it okay or right for me to do that "just because I can"? NO.

It might be fun for me to do that. In fact, it is, considering the weekend I had. It's nice to unload a little steam on someone else... BECAUSE I HAVE THE RIGHT according to you. Does that mean that I SHOULD choose to publicly insult and ridicule a group of people because I don't like them, for whatever reason I choose? NO.

That's like saying because we have weapons, we should go out using them on random people, JUST BECAUSE WE CAN. Just because we have the RIGHT. As you so put it.


If you have an opinion, great. I admire that you have some individual thought. But with individual thought comes responsibility in how to express your ideas. Putting others down for whatever reason you feel like is just not appropriate.

Catalyst, personal remarks have no place on this board. You are welcome to think them and perhaps rant to a good friend (provided they are discreet), but do not publically attack another player - or do it by PM, either. It's fine to point out where you disagree with Arakis, but use person-neutral language and address what he says, not what you assume he is like because of that.

Arakis, stop acting so arrogant. You are allowed to be arrogant, but it's anti-social behaviour and ruins a thread for the rest of us. As I said to Catalyst, it's fine to point out where you disagree with people, but either make sure that the person you're talking to is comfortable with derogatory remarks or keep them to yourself.

I don't think most people see canons as you do, Panda, so I wouldn't be so quick to admire them xD A lot probably see them as a way to -squee- play out the romances/drama they've seen/read or a way to get a quick, ready-made character. Some do really put work into them, but some people really don't see them as difficult like you do and don't put much effort in.

I don't mind canons and I don't mind originals. Prefer originals. Hate pre-mades unless they are necessary. Most of my characters are originals, but I have played a few canons. You wouldn't like me, though, Panda, because I always take canons that I think people are playing wrong and change them around so that you can only see a faint link to their original canon form...or maybe not. At the beginning they're outwardly the same, but I add real reasons for their behaviour and don't give them sex/drink/drugs!

Psh to you, sir. I can understand being annoyed at a person who pushes into a thread without reason, without asking and without any prior knowledge of the thread, but complaining about word count? How terribly juvenile of you :p What if it was the best-written 39 words you'd ever read in your life? Would you still be complaining about how short it was?

As an admin, I probably would've brought your comment to light in an IM conversation and asked you to keep it neutral in future (just so when you're attacked I can side with you easier xDD) and maybe edit it to be a little less provoking - but that is so not worth admin editing.

GARRH MODS. Get me on a PM or one of my IM addresses, Catalyst.

I have a problem with this topic.

That is CLEARLY an affront to anyone with a battleaxe, because any nimrod who gets one of those sexy beasts knows exactly what to do with it. The Vikings were on to something, guys.

QUOTED FOR TRUTH.

This was necessary.

original characters -

I personally can't stand them on Harry Potter or Comic sites. I currently have a marvel/dc production, and there is NO way in hell I'm ever going to allow original characters. There are seriously thousands of comic characters who are equally diverse. Seriously, find one that fits you. :/

On the subject of one, I've been playing original characters forever. I've been roleplaying since I was 10, I like D&D, and I've only played one canon, ever. So now that that's out of the way, I love it when people play canons well. Canons make up a good, strong backbone for other people to form to, and possible use them as a link to form their own part of the spine. One of the best roleplayers I've ever met played Hermoine, and she did it with such accuracy it was mind-boggling. She should have written all of Mione's parts in JK Rowling's work, they would have been better books for it. I loved her Hermoine to say the least. On the other hand, I hated the site's Draco, as...well, it was that Draco. The one who's popular, has tons of sex, throws parties, and while he's had sex with every slytherin girl, he's secretly gay.

...Don't get me wrong, I'm extremely tolerant of sexualities.

Its just...not right. I mean, people take canons, and then they demonize them, making an all-canon site a silly idea. It means that there is a chance that a wild party will be thrown in Ravenclaw. Or that Emma Frost is reduced to a complete harlot that'd be better fitting in Stan's adventure onto Spike TV. So I love original characters. While they too have their...moments, most original characters are in a competition to not be mary sues, while the canons do not have that same concern. So you see wonderfully, well written original characters that break the pacing of a bunch of canon characters that seemingly forgot what they were canonically. Draco Malfoy was not gay. Or else we'd have heard that from Rowling too.

Okay, now onto issue 2. I dislike threadjackers so much. It just isn't right, and isn't cool. So I just ignore them. Or try my best to make them leave mangled. (But people now-a-days don't like their characters getting mangled. One of my characters was put up for a beating from another, including broken ribs, but when I asked if I could return the favor, I got something similar to this "leik not srsly, 'k? how about bruised.") But you had every right to make a snippy remark, and if the admin didn't like it, they should have been pointed to their snippy remarks, as I bet they'd made some before.

And they didn't edit their own topic, now did they?

Then again, I'm not really a good source. Back when I ran boards, I promoted anarchy. Unless they really needed an admin for something.

As for three...

Uh. Yeah. So my friends don't listen to the same stuff I do. Or when they do, that band would never come here. Like Zeromancer. >.> So I'm...not good to go after that. And I don't even know who SE7EN is, maybe its because I don't like asian hi--...>.> That's a lie. Maybe its just because I don't know korean bands?

That's a lie too. Maybe because I like metal?