What Happened to GAiA RP

[hobokids]

I remember when Gaia use to be heavily rp oriented, but the lack of fast response killed most rps, at least for me. I disliked having to wait weeks just to get a response to a post, and literally being forgotten so long that the thread would lock. As soon as that started happening, it crushed it for me. Not to mention a lot of story-lines became dull, and at one point, a bunch of illiterates kept popping up in closed rps that it forced Gaia staff to make a lot more rules about rp revivals....I think really the rp generation has nearly vanished at this point, and what's left of it is all the real or old school people who use to rp when Gaia originally started, only to be disappointed by the lack of progress.

[Imrae Myett]

I used to RP on Gaia, but most if not all of my RP partners left in the wake of Flynn's Fiasco and we never got back in touch; even though we were playing a really, really interesting thread inspired by a Dungeons and Dragons campaign. I even remember doing post layouts, profiles, and other fancy things. Then, I just never bothered getting back into Gaia's RP scene for reasons other posters in this thread have mentioned.
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Currently, most RP I participate in is on MMOs (i.e. Lord of the Rings Online, Elder Scrolls Online, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Guild Wars 2, etc...). Forum RP just feels clunky to me and a little less organic in terms of people's interactions. MMO RP allows you to do things like meet random people or respond immediately to a situation- it feels more immersive (to me). Additionally, the MMO RP community tends to be far more mature than anything I've seen on Gaia in terms of character development and general behavior.

[nasa peepo]

I miss the activity most of all. With Gaia's declining numbers, and the userbase getting older, role plays move at a snail's pace... or just die quickly all together.

I don't want to give up role playing because it's how I like to unwind, and I've made a lot of great friends through role playing.
I just can't stand role playing on sites like tumblr, or over skype or something. It's just... I don't know. It's not the same.
I'm a forum role play gal through and through. I wish things would kinda go back to the way they were, but we all know that ain't happening.

[Druddigon]

Too many fandom roleplays and Mary sue's is what killed it.

Inactivity is the big one.

[James Phobos]

FierceHex

I agree. Isn't that a huge part of an rp? Character development, story development and then of course fun? You can't take any of that away because a true rp can't function without the other.. The fact that you say the majority of rps are the way you've described them makes me sad

I had this huge big reply typed out for you but then Gaia randomly logged me out for no reason (even though I had just opened up a new tab ON Gaia) so I'm a wee bit frustrated and you're going to have to deal with the much abridged version.

1. There is no such thing as "true" roleplay. Roleplay is at its very core just another version of two kids picking up dolls, going "This is Barbie and she's a knight on an adventure" and "This is Cara a beautiful angel princess", and either going on a big adventure around the room that might involve fighting the cat or both kids pressing the dolls' faces together and going "Now kiss". Sometimes both.

2. Y'all need to get off your high horses. Yes, there are teenagers, yes some of them are horny, but there's nothing wrong with being a teenager or cybering so long as it's consensual on both sides and there's no legal issues.

3. Arranged marriage, slave-master, anime cliches, walk-ins... They're all valid roleplays in their own right and no one is telling you to join them. If everyone involved is having fun, that's the only thing that matters.

4. Character and story development are only a small part of RP and my ongoing mythological-based RP is no more valid than the RP I'm doing where it's just a pair of jackasses texting at each other.

5. If none of the RPs currently on here are suiting you, you really only have two options. The first is make your own RP. The second is leave this site and find another one to RP on that goes to your tastes.

6. You just complaining on here about "True RP" sounds suspiciously a lot like "You're not a TRUE gamer if you don't play [generic shooting game] in THIS particular manner" or "You're not a REAL fan of this band if you can't name every single one of their songs", and trust me it's just as tiring in this hobby as it is in any others because it's boring elitist crap when it should be a hobby for everyone.

7. As someone who has been on Gaia for literally a decade (first account in 2005), I can promise you that literally nothing has changed except on a superficial level. ("Advanced lit" now tends to describe itself in how many words and not how many paragraphs, for example.)

[James Phobos]

Druddigon

Too many fandom roleplays and Mary sue's is what killed it.

Inactivity is the big one.

I'm going to need you imagine me taking you by the shoulders and getting uncomfortably close to your face, because that's how serious I'm trying to be right now but am alas the internet is only as physical as our keyboards and screens.

Imagining that? Good. Now repeat after me:

The concept of a Mary Sue is inherently flawed and was primarily created in the first place to take a huge stinking gross dump on female characters that even thought about being being the kind of wish fulfillment character that so many male characters are, I mean son do you even want to get me started on Batman.

I mean come on- stop me if you've heard this before, but take a look at the description of the guy put in a more female perspective.

Quote:

So, there’s this girl. She’s tragically orphaned and richer than anyone on the planet. Every guy she meets falls in love with her, but in between torrid romances she rejects them all because she dedicated to what is Pure and Good. She has genius level intellect, Olympic-athelete level athletic ability and incredible good looks. She is consumed by terrible angst, but this only makes guys want her more. She has no superhuman abilities, yet she is more competent than her superhuman friends and defeats superhumans with ease. She has unshakably loyal friends and allies, despite the fact she treats them pretty badly. They fear and respect her, and defer to her orders. Everyone is obsessed with her, even her enemies are attracted to her. She can plan ahead for anything and she’s generally right with any conclusion she makes. People who defy her are inevitably wrong.

You can do that with so many male characters in popular media franchises it's MIND BOGGLING, but the second a female character tries it, it's like the goddamn Salem Witch Trials.

Also the term "Mary Sue" is just such a vague and unreliable thing? Like people will use the term for just about ANYTHING, including a character trait they don't like.

Also, ffs, try and remember the ages of the people who come on here. 13+ means that you're getting kids as young as 13 and no not everyone is going to be Stephen King or JK Rowling right out the bat. Of course they're going to make wish fulfillment characters or forget to give them flaws or whatever. Everyone starts somewhere. Instead of lounging around on your judgment horse, maybe hop on down from there and think about ways you can effectively and kindly give constructive criticism because RP, like all things, is an ongoing process re: the player getting better.

Also, I don't understand why you're complaining about fandom roleplays considering they have their own little subforum for exactly that and seem to more or less stay in there p.much so I'm going to go out on a limb and just say you're biased against them for whatever reason.

I will agree that the inactivity is often the death of many a RP on Gaia (and many other forum type sites), but that's always been a thing since I've been on here. The shitstorm that is the Gaia economy and how hard the site's new owners are pushing GC has chased a lot of people from the site, so if anything I'd blame that. /shrug

[Druddigon]

James Phobos

Druddigon

Too many fandom roleplays and Mary sue's is what killed it.

Inactivity is the big one.

I'm going to need you imagine me taking you by the shoulders and getting uncomfortably close to your face, because that's how serious I'm trying to be right now but am alas the internet is only as physical as our keyboards and screens.

Imagining that? Good. Now repeat after me:

The concept of a Mary Sue is inherently flawed and was primarily created in the first place to take a huge stinking gross dump on female characters that even thought about being being the kind of wish fulfillment character that so many male characters are, I mean son do you even want to get me started on Batman.

I mean come on- stop me if you've heard this before, but take a look at the description of the guy put in a more female perspective.

Quote:

So, there’s this girl. She’s tragically orphaned and richer than anyone on the planet. Every guy she meets falls in love with her, but in between torrid romances she rejects them all because she dedicated to what is Pure and Good. She has genius level intellect, Olympic-athelete level athletic ability and incredible good looks. She is consumed by terrible angst, but this only makes guys want her more. She has no superhuman abilities, yet she is more competent than her superhuman friends and defeats superhumans with ease. She has unshakably loyal friends and allies, despite the fact she treats them pretty badly. They fear and respect her, and defer to her orders. Everyone is obsessed with her, even her enemies are attracted to her. She can plan ahead for anything and she’s generally right with any conclusion she makes. People who defy her are inevitably wrong.

You can do that with so many male characters in popular media franchises it's MIND BOGGLING, but the second a female character tries it, it's like the goddamn Salem Witch Trials.

Also the term "Mary Sue" is just such a vague and unreliable thing? Like people will use the term for just about ANYTHING, including a character trait they don't like.

Also, ffs, try and remember the ages of the people who come on here. 13+ means that you're getting kids as young as 13 and no not everyone is going to be Stephen King or JK Rowling right out the bat. Of course they're going to make wish fulfillment characters or forget to give them flaws or whatever. Everyone starts somewhere. Instead of lounging around on your judgment horse, maybe hop on down from there and think about ways you can effectively and kindly give constructive criticism because RP, like all things, is an ongoing process re: the player getting better.

Also, I don't understand why you're complaining about fandom roleplays considering they have their own little subforum for exactly that and seem to more or less stay in there p.much so I'm going to go out on a limb and just say you're biased against them for whatever reason.

I will agree that the inactivity is often the death of many a RP on Gaia (and many other forum type sites), but that's always been a thing since I've been on here. The shitstorm that is the Gaia economy and how hard the site's new owners are pushing GC has chased a lot of people from the site, so if anything I'd blame that. /shrug

Wow, ok hold on their now.

Mary sue is the most know term for characters that are pretty much God like mode. There is a term for guys which would be "Gary sue" but "Mary sue" is the most use for both sides. You don't need to jump at me with a huge post explaining why I shouldn't say Mary sue as if I'm pointing fingers at female characters when I'm not.

I'm...not biased at fandom roleplays? it's just most can be hit or miss.

[James Phobos]

Druddigon

Wow, ok hold on their now.

Mary sue is the most know term for characters that are pretty much God like mode. There is a term for guys which would be "Gary sue" but "Mary sue" is the most use for both sides. You don't need to jump at me with a huge post explaining why I shouldn't say Mary sue as if I'm pointing fingers at female characters when I'm not.

I'm...not biased at fandom roleplays? it's just most can be hit or miss.

You're missing the point.

1. I didn't say you were pointing a finger at female characters. I said the concept and term are inherently flawed, so you can't use it seriously. Preferably not at all.

2. You are very out of pop culture if you think the term "Mary Sue" is used SOLELY to describe characters which are "pretty much God-like". A (female) character can be called a Sue for having too many flaws, or not having enough, or fixing things, or messing them up, or a Love Interest, etc etc etc.

3. Ask yourself why we have a gendered term for a not well done character. Go on. Think about it.

Finally-

Druddigon

Too many fandom roleplays and Mary sue's is what killed it.

If they're hit or miss, then why are you blaming them as one of the primary reasons why Gaia RP is apparently dying? Yeah, you're biased.

[Druddigon]

James Phobos

Druddigon

Wow, ok hold on their now.

Mary sue is the most know term for characters that are pretty much God like mode. There is a term for guys which would be "Gary sue" but "Mary sue" is the most use for both sides. You don't need to jump at me with a huge post explaining why I shouldn't say Mary sue as if I'm pointing fingers at female characters when I'm not.

I'm...not biased at fandom roleplays? it's just most can be hit or miss.

You're missing the point.

1. I didn't say you were pointing a finger at female characters. I said the concept and term are inherently flawed, so you can't use it seriously. Preferably not at all.

2. You are very out of pop culture if you think the term "Mary Sue" is used SOLELY to describe characters which are "pretty much God-like". A (female) character can be called a Sue for having too many flaws, or not having enough, or fixing things, or messing them up, or a Love Interest, etc etc etc.

3. Ask yourself why we have a gendered term for a not well done character. Go on. Think about it.

Finally-

Druddigon

Too many fandom roleplays and Mary sue's is what killed it.

If they're hit or miss, then why are you blaming them as one of the primary reasons why Gaia RP is apparently dying? Yeah, you're biased.

I'm just going to answer your number 3 question.

We have two gender terms, Mary sue and Gary sue.

If I'm biased pointing out that fandom is one of the reasons, then so is everybody else in this thread that have said so.

[Leothalis the Arcane]

James Phobos

3. Ask yourself why we have a gendered term for a not well done character. Go on. Think about it.

Because people are too lazy to use Gary Stu for male characters where it counts?

[Aidan Morningstar]

i try to roleplay, but most people give up on me. because my spelling is not perfect. or something else. i cant help it that my first language is dutch and not English. and i do not always give short replay's. Or they just find me boring to rp with. i really have no clue anymore what roleplay's want this days.

[James Phobos]

Leothalis the Arcane

Because people are too lazy to use Gary Stu for male characters where it counts?

Not quite. "Laziness" has little to do with it. Think more "ignorance" and the social/cultural standards to which we hold male and female characters differently.

[James Phobos]

Alduin Fury

i try to roleplay, but most people give up on me. because my spelling is not perfect. or something else. i cant help it that my first language is dutch and not English. and i do not always give short replay's. Or they just find me boring to rp with. i really have no clue anymore what roleplay's want this days.

It differs from roleplay to roleplay! You might do better with a walk-in roleplay. I've generally found them to be a lot more relaxed when it comes to spelling and stuff. c:

You could also always try advertising for a one on one roleplay! Sometimes that helps.

[Aidan Morningstar]

James Phobos

Alduin Fury

i try to roleplay, but most people give up on me. because my spelling is not perfect. or something else. i cant help it that my first language is dutch and not English. and i do not always give short replay's. Or they just find me boring to rp with. i really have no clue anymore what roleplay's want this days.

It differs from roleplay to roleplay! You might do better with a walk-in roleplay. I've generally found them to be a lot more relaxed when it comes to spelling and stuff. c:

You could also always try advertising for a one on one roleplay! Sometimes that helps.

well then im doomed. I only roleplay one on one. crying i used to put in my advertising that i also do group. but i still prefer one on one.

[James Phobos]

Alduin Fury

well then im doomed. I only roleplay one on one. crying i used to put in my advertising that i also do group. but i still prefer one on one.

Then focus on that! In the advertising subforum, mention that your English still needs a bit of work so you'd prefer a partner that doesn't mind being patient or the occasional misspelling. I'm sure you can find a RP for you. It might just take a bit of time to find the right partner. c: