What keeps you Roleplayng?

[LOL PLUMS IN RP ARENA. WHAT A TWIST.]

Anyway, I've tried to do a bit of Roleplaying in the past, but I could never really seem to...get into it, really. I don't know if it's me feeling awkward in creating a story with a group or just me not liking RPing, but I just wondered what keeps all of you RPing.

Why did you get into it?

Why do you still do it?

Is it easy cooperating with a group pretty much writing a gigantic story? Do you get disappointed when it doesn't work out the way you want? (mostly to the creators of RPs, but I'm intersted in seeing what everyone has to say about their own characters relation to the plotline in an RP).

 

I like RPing the same way body-builders like to do push-ups every morning; it's an easy way to get the rust off without exerting too much effort. I haven't been in a role-play for years because I thought I had lost whatever creaive writing talent I convinced myself I had, but I'm slowly starting to get back into it and I remember how much I enjoyed it. It's a very liberating feeling sometimes.

Sometimes it's very difficult to work with others because some people get involved in a role-playwhile ignoring the fact that they're participating a story with a fixed theme and setting and that a little effort should be put into not de-railing from the original scheme, but what can you do? If you want to be a lightsaber weilding tranformer in a role-play about anarchy in a medieval setting then so be it.

 

I'm a creative person. I got into it because I was an avid writer, and extremely emotional. A way to cope with some stuff that was happening way back when was to escape to another reality. A fantasy, another personality, all under my control. Nobody could take that from me. It was consistent. So I used to role play. With friends, on instant messengers. I became so enthralled and engulfed in it that honestly, I STILL don't know if my role playing friends from back then were ever really my friends, or if we ever really knew each other, or if that was pure character bonding.

Actually, I know a girl I used to role play with back when I was eleven, on a chat site. She played my character's big brother, and it wasn't until this year did I find out she was a girl, and younger than me. Lol.

I continued to do it because even though I wasn't and I'm not the best at it, it still serves all of the purposes that it always has. It still makes me happy. I still enjoy it. It's still one of the few consistencies in my life, and it's still an escape. Just like writing is, and playing music and all of the other creative stuff I do. It helps me relax, and gets my mind off of crap. I don't know. It's a way for me to indirectly vent.



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Hmm... this is an interesting question... and it's a hard one to answer due to how long an answer can be.
However I'll try to be short and simple.
I love RPing...
I love how you can put your character into a situation and have no control over what will happen other than your own character's actions (unless you are controlling the plot as an RP maker)
It's like real-life... but in a situation you'd never encounter in real life.
Also, Like Jayn, I'm an avid writer... I love being creative and RPing allows for exactly that.
There are a lot of other reasons... but... as I said, this post would become many pages long... so I'll just leave things as is for now and may comment again later.
Long story short though, I don't think I'll ever lose my love for RPing.

 

I like rp as well. Just being able to be so creative and never really knowing what will happen next in certain situations get my blood pumping with excitement. When there isn't a real plot and dialogue to follow, its alot more fun!

 

I do it to run my imagination. It muses my mind to create stories and fanfictions. And of course its fun, escaping to far off places, fighting beasts. Its just real fun, a way to relax and just be in a writer's shoes.

 

Why did I get into it? Well, once upon a time I was 11 years old. My life was boring, and I had waaaay too my free time. Anyway, it was around that time that I started using the internet and I came across this Sonic the Hedgheog website and started scrolling around. Somehow I ended up looking at random roleplays and I was all "Whoa, what is this? People typing as a character and then replying back as a character? Cool!" And it looked interesting, so I decided to join.

And, well, um. You know sometimes when you watch a certain TV program or read a book, don't you find yourself slipping into the characters' world? When you play video games, isn't it the same? Maybe you want to even be a part of that world, if only for a while. You can do that in the RP world! Sometimes I find it more immersive then books or movies. You can be whoever you want to be instead of having to put on your 'real world' face. Not that it would be wrong to be yourself in an RP, but it's fun to pretend and act like someone your nothing like IRL. I mean, you can pretend to be Spiderman in a roleplay. But can you be like him in real life? Shoot webs from your hands? Swing over buildings?

I continue doing it because it helps me with my creativity and it's a perfect pass time. Plus I like interacting my character with other people. c: That's mostly it, I guess.

 

Let's see. There's a long (and probably boring to most people) story behind why I RP. My first RP was here on this site in 2007 (and I love it to this day; my username is the name of my character from that RP) and I made a bunch of lovely friends that way. I think I was first entranced by RPing because I had no means to cosplay at the time (I do it a whole lot now though!) and found RPing to be a suitable substitution. From that first RP, I fell head-over-heels in love. It just seems to be the perfect outlet (besides cosplay) for me. I get to write, be with friends, explore worlds and characters (be they original or not) in a whole new light.

Why did I stick with it? Oh gosh, that's a hard one. There was a time when I was totally open with people at my schools about my RPing, and I was criticized very much for it. I was called a nerd, a geek, a loser, ******ed, and all kinds of other things. And it really hurt. But when I got home from those horrible days at school, I would come on here and I'd write my heart out in every RP I was currently in. I'd gush about how upset I was to one of my greatest friends on this site (he's sadly gone now...). RPing made me happy again after being ridiculed. As a graduate now, and still a strong RPer, I wonder how those people who made of me are doing. I know that I've grown in my writing talents from RPing for so many years. Can those bullies say the same?

I enjoy RPing. I enjoy it very much. I love the people I did it with, do it with, and the future people that I will do it with. Writing entrancing stories, getting into character, figuring out the moves of the others that you're RPing with are all great ways to exercise your brain. You get to be creative and analytic, heroic or villainous; and all with friends. So really, I stick with it because I think there'd be a big hole in my heart if I ever stopped.

As for how the plots of things go: I try to work out what my general ideas are with the people who join my RPs (unless I want things to be a surprise for them). When I join other people's RPs, I like to ask questions, give input, and the jazz that will help me out. Of course, there are always those times when things don't go according to plan, when you get a curve ball and you realize it too late to swing the bat in time to hit it. I love those moments. I get frustrated of course, but I still love them. They make me think on my toes and force me to create something new. I even like to be the one throwing the curve balls. It's not often that I plan villains (because they're just so not-me) but when I do, I play them viciously (just look at Jack in my Harry Potter RP). I like to see how others will respond to my twists and tricks.

RPing is a part of my life. It'll be a sad, sad day if I ever stop.

 

I agree with Garx completely. I used to think it was the geekiest thing ever. I still consider it geeky as hell. In fact, I dated my girlfriend for 8 or 9 months before I finally told her about this site and my RPing xD

 

Rather than bore people with some long story... simply put, I started RPing in the first place because I was curious about it, and pretty interested in living out fantasies, if you will.

I keep doing it because I feel that, on a good day, it's healthy for my creative mind, and because I've been in the mindset of hopefully being able to some day surpass those who would now call themselves my superiors as RPers. And I've seen enough of those to last me a life time.

 

My reason matches up with Jayn's a lot, as RP was the perfect escape from reality and it became addictive. Now it's used the same way but more for fun than an escape. It's nice to just be someone else and practice writing at the same time. Plus it is thanks to RP that I even have friends now since it's helped me meet people both online and irl, so I really owe it a lot.

As for working with the groups it's super fun. Sure it can be a bit frustrating if they totally derail a plot but if you're the creator should have control of it. But I don't really have that issue and it's nice to see what plot twists and situations that can happen. it's like, when making them it is your story but even you can still be surprised by the stuff that happens in it and I think that not only is it fun but it challenges you to adapt which helps writing as well.

 

Well I first got into RPing because my parents LARP, but when I got onto forums RPing seemed pretty cool because it's like one giant collaborating story and it's always fun to see how another person would have their character turn out in a scenario that you might follow differently... that probably didn't make any sense

I still RP because it is an escape like it always has been for me. Unfortunately a lot of my RPing has been... depressing lately... but it's still an escape.

And, it's not always easy cooperating with people but it's not too difficult. I don't really get upset when something doesn't work out the way I want unless it was something very simple and my fault that it didn't work out.

 

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN. LOL. I'VE BEEN RPing FOR SO LONG NOW, SOMETIMES I HONESTLY FORGET THAT I WAS DOING IT BEFORE I CAME HERE. I JOINED KH-VIDS FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF ROLEPLAYING BECAUSE SOME OF MY FRIENDS DID IT. MY FRIENDS DID AN EMAIL ROLEPLAY BACK AND FORTH WHICH INTRIGUED ME. THEN THEY STARTED WORKING ON AN RP THAT THEY WERE GOING TO POST HERE, BUT IT WAS NEVER FINISHED. I SPENT A LONG TIME BROWSING THE SITE FOR FANFICS AND STUFF BEFORE ACTUALLY JOINING AND ROLEPLAYING.

SORRY, KIND OF OFF TOPIC. I GOT INTO IT THROUGH MYSPACE. MY STEPSISTER SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON SOME RANDOM ROLEPLAY CHAT SITE THAT SHE FREQUENTED. I OFTEN TIMES WOULD CHECK OUT THE ANIME CHAT ON MYSPACE AND TALK TO RANDOM PEOPLE. THEY ALL WOULD SET THEIR PROFILE PICS TO WHATEVER CHARACTER THEY WERE PRETENDING TO BE AND WOULD JUST START ROLEPLAYING AWAY. EVENTUALLY I STARTED TO DO IT AS WELL AND REALLY ENJOYED IT. SOMETIMES I MISS ROLEPLAY CHATS BECAUSE IT'S MORE BACK AND FORTH INTERACTIVE RATHER THAN STEADY WITH TONS OF WRITING.

BECAUSE I LOVE IT SO MUCH. I GOT WAY INTO IT AFTER JOINING KHV. THERE WERE SO MANY OPTIONS AND IT REALLY BRINGS OUT MY CREATIVE SIDE. I HAVE POOR SELF-ASTEEM WHEN IT COMES TO MY WRITING AND ART. ROLEPLAYING HAS JUST BECOME SOMETHING I AM VERY GOOD AT AND HAVE STUCK TO WELL. I ALWAYS END UP TAKING BREAKS WHEN I WORK ON STORIES OR PAINTINGS AND THEN NEVER GO BACK TO IT. I'VE MANAGED TO STICK IT OUT WITH ROLEPLAYS BECAUSE I HAVE SOMEONE ELSE THERE TO HELP PUSH AND MOTIVATE ME IN ORDER TO GET THROUGH THE BORING PARTS SO THAT THEY AREN'T THAT BORING. IF IT WEREN'T FOR OTHER PEOPLE INVOLVED, I WOULD NEVER BE IN ANY FAILING ROLEPLAYS BECAUSE I ALWAYS REALLY STRIVE FOR THEM TO FINISH.

THAT IS A TOUGH QUESTION. IT REALLY TRULY DEPENDS ON THE GROUP OF PEOPLE. TOO MANY PEOPLE CAN MAKE IT CHAOTIC AND CAUSE IT TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL, WHERE AS TOO FEW PEOPLE ENDS UP MAKING IT SO THAT IT DOESN'T MOVE FAST ENOUGH. LESS PEOPLE MEANS LESS POSTING AND ODDS ARE IT WILL DIE OUT QUICKER. THE ROLEPLAY REALLY NEEDS A HEALTHY BALANCE AND HOPEFULLY SKILLED WELL-ROUNDED ROLEPLAYERS MIXED IN WITH THE NEW PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN SEE HOW IT'S DONE AND DONE RIGHT.

DEFINITELY. I ALWAYS GET DISCOURAGED WHEN ONE OF MY ROLEPLAYS DIES OUT, BUT THAT ALSO HAPPENS WITH OTHER PEOPLE'S TOO. I'VE INVESTED SO MUCH OF MY TIME AND ENERGY INTO THE ROLEPLAY THAT I DON'T WANT TO SEE IT DIE. I WISH EVERY SINGLE RP COULD FINISH, SADLY THAT IS NEVER THE CASE.

IF A ROLEPLAY OF MINE STARTS GOING OFF IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS OR EVERYONE SEEMS TO HAVE THEIR OWN IDEA AS TO HOW IT SHOULD GO, IT BREAKS MY HEART. I'VE SPENT SO MUCH TIME AND EFFORT INTO MAKING SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE TO ENJOY AND WHEN THEY START THROWING THEIR TWO CENTS IN ON EVERYTHING, IT MAKES ME THINK IT WASN'T EVEN WORTH DOING. I'M ALL ABOUT COLLABERATION AND WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE A GREAT EXPERIENCE, BUT NOT WHEN THE COLLABERATION IS GONE AND EVERYONE ELSE SEEMS TO THINK THEY CAN DO MY ROLEPLAY BETTER THAN ME.

 

There's a lot of reasons I roleplay...

One of the biggest is because I enjoy it. It allows me to meet new people and make ideas, that and work with others to make ideas with them, I never just sit there and go: "No, this is my rp, you can't do this." I allow a lot of ideas and expand on it with other people and enjoy the end results. It gives me something to look forward to.

Especially when it comes to my own roleplays, I feel a vast sense of pride in my work and others. I feel a sense of accomplishment that I helped create this, that I made this come to life. Others contribute, but I always love looking at some of my roleplays (two are ones I'll never forget) and knowing that I helped or created them on my own and it did so fantastically.

It helps me keep my imagination and creativity going. It lets me make ideas for things and not just picture them, but to play them out and have fun with it. Something I would never get to do otherwise.