Players of Gaia -- DO YOU SELF-INSERT?

FESS UP!

Not at all. I don't even feel like I live in the Gaian world.	30.3%	[ 67 ]
No, I am okay with being just another face around town.	40.7%	[ 90 ]
I am just as important as an NPC. My impact on the plot is there in spirit, though not in manga.	15.4%	[ 34 ]
I am personal friends with most NPCs, and I am romantically involved with one of them. It's cool, though, no one else likes that NPC.	5.4%	[ 12 ]
I am Gaia's savior, loved by all. I will wed both Louie and Ian, and rule Gaia as a double vampire queen.	8.1%	[ 18 ]
Total Votes:			[ 221 ]

[Chibi Halo]

Immersion? Immersion? Honey, I'm so deeply immersed in the Gaian world I created my own Gaian town (complete with wacky townspeople and full on working newspaper), my own global organization, and yes the standard Gaian OC. The OC, Aylin Rhys, begat the town of Porta Denia, which in turn begat the Gaia Casimir Alliance. I love playing with my little pixie and one of the places she calls home on Gaia. She may be a big proponent of Barton Town because that's where her human husband was from and she'll tell anyone who listens to her for five minutes about how it's the best damn place to "fake" a wedding but she still enjoys her time in Porta Denia.

For me, being a supporting player in the world of Gaia is but another way I can experience the plot. I remember the days when people in the GCD would have long drawn out in character discussions about the plot leading into the next major event on Gaia. It was a way to get yourself excited for the upcoming event and meet new people. I loved that part of the community. You really don't get that a lot anymore. Even when you encourage it in actual event threads people don't feel right doing it anymore because of how much the community has changed and how disconnected from the plot we have become. I mean if Aylin's not out encouraging Airship captains and casimir preservationists to band together and protect their way of life, she's overseeing a small newsstand and coffee shop in Durem she somehow inherited from a little old couple who employed her after her husband died, or spending time in Barton helping the greater community put on some great events and being the unofficial idol for the new recruits of the Barton Regulars. She's the kind of character where she can be used for just about anything and yet she's something special all on her own. That's what I love about her and with the way I set her up events where we battle each other and I fail to make a successful attack are just all the more fun because her magic backfires on her hilariously.

And honestly if I were to make an event, an actual two week event, it would be one of two things. I have always said we'd need full explanation for why robots can't be outside of Aekea with another robot uprising. That event would focus mostly around Liam and would introduce an old war vet from the first robot wars with a bum leg, a pronounced limp, a cane, and a lot of scruff on the face. We'd be fighting the robots of Gaia in an epic all out battle for survival and poor Liam would have to go against his friends from the Faktori. Poor poor Liam but we'd get Liam in glasses being all mechanically inclined and not just a woman chaser.

The second event I'd make would actually make Porta Denia a canon town. It would either be one where you take part in the reenactment of the town uprising or you have to band together and stop the remnants of the Mafioso that once had a stronghold over the town from taking it back. In both instances you'd be introduced to some very interesting characters like the owner of Fong's Noodle Palace and Diner. Oh how much fun we'd all have around my floating port town.

[Luna Proudfoot]

Luna is bff w/Dandy & Kink, works part-time at Buttercup Cafe, and is an avid letter writer to Loyal~

so my answer is yes 3nodding blaugh

[Madam Ace]

Salathielly

Madam Ace

Salathielly

Madam Ace

On a side note, my bunny boy actually does have his own backstory, but it's not in the Gaia-verse. He has a name too, but nobody bothered to ask.

What is his name? emotion_kirakira I have always wondered about your character but didn't want to sound like a creeper, so thanks for giving me the excuse.

It's Kanin. 3nodding
(From Kaninchen, which is literally just "rabbit" in German lol)

Aww, that's adorable. :3 Thank you for telling me! How long have you had him as a character? What kind of world does he live in?

I've had him for about a year now. Been writing little blurps of his story every now and then.
His world is fantasy-esque, inhabited by people like him (human's with animal features), and separated into different kingdoms. It's actually sort of a cheesy love story really...

[Salathielly]

Madam Ace

Salathielly

Madam Ace

Salathielly

Madam Ace

On a side note, my bunny boy actually does have his own backstory, but it's not in the Gaia-verse. He has a name too, but nobody bothered to ask.

What is his name? emotion_kirakira I have always wondered about your character but didn't want to sound like a creeper, so thanks for giving me the excuse.

It's Kanin. 3nodding
(From Kaninchen, which is literally just "rabbit" in German lol)

Aww, that's adorable. :3 Thank you for telling me! How long have you had him as a character? What kind of world does he live in?

I've had him for about a year now. Been writing little blurps of his story every now and then.
His world is fantasy-esque, inhabited by people like him (human's with animal features), and separated into different kingdoms. It's actually sort of a cheesy love story really...

Aww, I like romantic fantasy (and humans with animal features). Does he have a love interest?

[sometimesalways]

Sal is part of Gaia though I don't see him being part of the main story. He's one of the many many townspeople who are just trying to live their lives while all this crazy s**t goes on around them. He's just trying to enjoy his retirement and stay out of trouble. I don't see him getting involved with the NPCs other than buying things from their shops.

I do like reading about other people's characters even if I do get a little jealous. Everyone seems to have this interesting backstories and stuff and I'm still trying to figure out who Sal is. I've always been that way with my characters. I can't force a trait on them, it has to happen naturally in my head.

[Penn Almasy]

Erailea

I followed the plot up until it turned dumb - when Gambino was re-incarnated / survived death by invading his son's body and spontaneously reappeared one day by bursting out of Gino's body.

It was so random at the time, and the whole Titan thing wouldn't come about for several more years, that I just lost interest after that.

Only plots I tend to follow these days are Jack's, just because he's my favorite NPC... and sadly only tends to show up once a year crying

Such is the problem of following holiday deities. Though he is a very fun NPC to follow. Not too chaotic, but certainly stirs enough trouble for my kin to feel more... welcome, even for just one day in the year.

I myself am a fan of the Easter Rabbit, as far as holiday deities. Did you know demons like him, too? He sends the Rings tons of souls every year due to his bomb-crazy antics; he's what still keeps our furnaces running! 4laugh

[Pie]

SuccuViv

It's a bit awkward because while I have main avi (calling it a character feels a bit presumptuous since I have next to nothing thought out about her lol) that I use in Gaia I've never felt really attached to the Gaia world, it's a bit too random for my liking DX; so if I insert her somewhere it's in specific events and the like, never into the world itself, it's just a bit awkward when it's sorta slice of life with mecha and now we have this whole endless arc of magic and gods and... see where I'm going with this? XD it just doesn't work for me.

I like to think in my Vivi interacting with the different cool characters I like in the GCD, I just don't like to think of her as a "Gaian", the Gaia world just feels like a WIP and I don't like that uo u;

I can understand that! Honestly, that hodge-podge mix is part of what I like about it -- it's more flexible and open-ended, which makes it more likely to appeal to all types and breed a very diverse community, as opposed to having one hard, specialized theme. But I get how it might come across as downright silly and hard to take seriously.

[Elinoi]

I don't really insert myself into the plot or anything like that..
o; I see my nameless gaian like a hobo or something. Shes just sorta there. Hanging out. Scribbling on peoples faces n stuff. :<

[Madam Ace]

Salathielly

Aww, I like romantic fantasy (and humans with animal features). Does he have a love interest?

He does...but it goes pretty tragically because I'm a cruel god to my own characters. emotion_awesome
Which leads to him leaving the kingdoms and to a more urban city that's neutral ground to start over. I'd imagine that if he was part of the Gaia-verse, he'd come here.

[Paikeia]

sometimesalways

Sal is part of Gaia though I don't see him being part of the main story. He's one of the many many townspeople who are just trying to live their lives while all this crazy s**t goes on around them. He's just trying to enjoy his retirement and stay out of trouble. I don't see him getting involved with the NPCs other than buying things from their shops.

I do like reading about other people's characters even if I do get a little jealous. Everyone seems to have this interesting backstories and stuff and I'm still trying to figure out who Sal is. I've always been that way with my characters. I can't force a trait on them, it has to happen naturally in my head.

Heh, I'd try to figure out a backstory for Pai, but I don't even know what race she is. I change my avatar so much, it'd be hard to nail down an actual story for her. So I guess she's just kind of "there."

[sometimesalways]

Paikeia

sometimesalways

Sal is part of Gaia though I don't see him being part of the main story. He's one of the many many townspeople who are just trying to live their lives while all this crazy s**t goes on around them. He's just trying to enjoy his retirement and stay out of trouble. I don't see him getting involved with the NPCs other than buying things from their shops.

I do like reading about other people's characters even if I do get a little jealous. Everyone seems to have this interesting backstories and stuff and I'm still trying to figure out who Sal is. I've always been that way with my characters. I can't force a trait on them, it has to happen naturally in my head.

Heh, I'd try to figure out a backstory for Pai, but I don't even know what race she is. I change my avatar so much, it'd be hard to nail down an actual story for her. So I guess she's just kind of "there."

I know how that goes. Sal is forever a work in progress but every so often I'll get an item or combo that clicks and part of the story appears.

[Salathielly]

Madam Ace

Salathielly

Aww, I like romantic fantasy (and humans with animal features). Does he have a love interest?

He does...but it goes pretty tragically because I'm a cruel god to my own characters. emotion_awesome
Which leads to him leaving the kingdoms and to a more urban city that's neutral ground to start over. I'd imagine that if he was part of the Gaia-verse, he'd come here.

Aww, poor guy. I hope starting over goes better for him and that he finds someone. :3

[Salathielly]

sometimesalways

Paikeia

sometimesalways

Sal is part of Gaia though I don't see him being part of the main story. He's one of the many many townspeople who are just trying to live their lives while all this crazy s**t goes on around them. He's just trying to enjoy his retirement and stay out of trouble. I don't see him getting involved with the NPCs other than buying things from their shops.

I do like reading about other people's characters even if I do get a little jealous. Everyone seems to have this interesting backstories and stuff and I'm still trying to figure out who Sal is. I've always been that way with my characters. I can't force a trait on them, it has to happen naturally in my head.

Heh, I'd try to figure out a backstory for Pai, but I don't even know what race she is. I change my avatar so much, it'd be hard to nail down an actual story for her. So I guess she's just kind of "there."

I know how that goes. Sal is forever a work in progress but every so often I'll get an item or combo that clicks and part of the story appears.

I'm the same way...new items definitely add to the story for me. >.>;;

I really enjoy Sal's avatars.

[Pie]

Shrimp_Man

I am the embodiment of fear and evil

*waves* Hi, I'm Shrimpie, the one and only Russell Ace obsessed fan left on the site. I am so much of an obsessed fan that 80% of my commissioned art is of my avatar with Russell Ace. I have a mule dedicated to that character, I never remove his doll. I LIVE AND BREATHE RUSSELL ACE OKAY! redface

And yes, that includes casting my account as a character in the Gaian world and as Russell Ace's love interest. So much so that my pet ship is actually listed under the ship list in the shipping thread. emotion_awesome

As I would be a major hippocrate if I didn't support other's user/NPC ships, I do wholeheartedly support some. In fact, there are ones where I actually automatically think of the user when thinking of the NPC. For example, when I think of Ian, I think of Jayce. When I think of Ciro, I think of Magnificent Moonbeam. When I think of X, I think of you Pie. So it's kind of ingrained in me to think of those kinds of ships.

Psst, I'd totally join a OC fanthread if you promise to join my eventual Russell Ace fanthread. ninja

of the House of Demonic Dreams

Full disclosure: Shrimpie, I like the cut of your jib. wink What's your ship name called, anyway?

(Also, I'm flattered, though I'm sure it's just because I never shut up about him. redface )

I also must confess, I feel more on board with Ian/Jayce than with any other Ian ships. (Like, I mean, does *anyone* care about the Sasha love triangle anymore?) It takes some serious dedication to build a reputation like Jayce's, though. surprised

Also, you could count on my support. I'm not a huge Russell fan specifically, but I do like the whole Gold Mountain crew as a whole. I have a bit of a gambling streak! Plus, I like their uniforms.

[Pie]

Myrielle

Pie

Myrielle

I think the closest I've gotten into inserting myself in a plot was going through zOMG's storyline. Aside from that, I'm pretty much a standard participant or even cannon fodder. Lately however, my presence is barely negligible.

Isn't that the best kind of self-inserting, though? A good 75% of Pie's characterization spawned from zOMG!. The rings she picked up when, the people she joined the company of, her role in the crew and how her actions changed accordingly... right down to the final boss aggroing her more than everyone else combined. It's a fun way to build stories!

I agree with you. I don't think I have ever been that involved with Gaia's workings than during my time with zOMG. I actually rubbed elbows with devs and artists. I dearly miss those years.

I know, right? Qixter was so great, talking to us and fixing problems as quick as he could. I also remember reapersun specifically editing a new pose on the Sinister Scarf so that we could wear it without spoiling the endboss, back when no one else knew it. There were other ones... those are just the two that jump to mind most readily. It was good times, though, and I miss it too! gonk