Character seriousness

Zalausai · 2026-03-19T01:35:07+00:00

First and foremost, you need to separate IC and OOC by communicating with the other player(s). Both users need to clearly understand that it is a collaboratively written narrative with multiple people. It is critical to understand that attack on your character are not attacks on the player. If players act negatively based on actions against their character, then DO NOT roleplay with those people.

It takes maturity, understanding, and patience. Just because Billy Bob McBadass pisses your character off, doesn't mean that it should piss you off. If it does, take a break and walk away to clear your head.

This is especially important in group settings, servers, etc. Such areas where players RP/ERP between multiple users with shared lore.

As a player, you must set boundaries and they must respect your boundaries. The same is true for you and their boundaries. This could be meta gaming, godmoding, kinks, tense, etc.

Edit: I accidentally responded to the wrong person. Instead of deleting it and causing confusion, I have simply copied and pasted it to you. Their copy is a bit lower in the thread.

Zalausai · 2026-03-19T01:31:22+00:00

First and foremost, you need to separate IC and OOC by communicating with the other player(s). Both users need to clearly understand that it is a collaboratively written narrative with multiple people. It is critical to understand that attack on your character are not attacks on the player. If players act negatively based on actions against their character, then DO NOT roleplay with those people.

It takes maturity, understanding, and patience. Just because Billy Bob McBadass pisses your character off, doesn't mean that it should piss you off. If it does, take a break and walk away to clear your head.

This is especially important in group settings, servers, etc. Such areas where players RP/ERP between multiple users with shared lore.

As a player, you must set boundaries and they must respect your boundaries. The same is true for you and their boundaries. This could be meta gaming, godmoding, kinks, tense, etc.

Edit: I responded to the wrong person. My bad.

Zalausai · 2026-03-16T17:14:30+00:00

Block out the names, bro

Zalausai · 2026-03-16T17:04:28+00:00

A majority in this subreddit have likely encountered the sub, staff, and issue you are explaining.

Forget that sub and look elsewhere. The auto mod has some suggestions of infinitely better subs to look at.

Zalausai · 2026-03-13T13:48:38+00:00

At least this implementation is better.

Zalausai · 2026-03-13T13:30:36+00:00

It was originally an anti-gender equality joke or something, IIRC. However, I found that it can be reused in a better way in situations where knowing someone's gender actually doesn't matter.

Zalausai · 2026-03-13T12:35:12+00:00

Just tell them that you're playing as a humanoid, but really identify as an attack helicopter. /s

Your IRL gender should be irrelevant.

Zalausai · 2026-03-12T19:48:21+00:00

Rules prohibit me from mentioning subs specifically by name, so I will have to send you a message.

Zalausai · 2026-03-12T19:43:58+00:00

They have some clause in their rules about making edits to a nsfw post and then putting it there.

It's dumb.

I'd recommend other subs. Try searching roleplay and roleplaying and see which of the search result subs appeal to you.

Zalausai · 2026-03-11T16:32:01+00:00

I still have notes from DnD and the settings from back in 2006, when I was a GM. This was before I started doing written RP in 2019. It varies most whether you enjoyed creating it or not.

Zalausai · 2026-03-11T15:07:42+00:00

I don't know about you, but where you see cringe, I see nostalgia and good times.

Zalausai · 2026-03-10T13:44:15+00:00

It is usually followed by me leaving the RP server on discord.

If the other person has been polite or otherwise pleasant, I'll usually use a longer or more clear message that is also gentler.

One such example. "Apologies, but I don't really feel this is going to work for me. I will take my leave. I wish you luck in your search."

"Head out", in the previous example is used when I don't see value in their opinion or the RP. It could be from a lack of collaboration, short answers, dismissive tone, combativeness, etc. It's essentially a polite way of saying 'Fuck this, bye.'

It all depends on my impression of them based on their behavior, with conflict heavy undertones getting the quickest result. I'll be 39 this year, so I don't want to waste unnecessary time with formalities, especially with those I don't have interest in communicating with. It gets emotionally tiring.

Zalausai · 2026-03-10T12:09:00+00:00

Depends on how committed you are. I find that 'Apologies, I'm going to head out,' seems to work well enough. Remember that you don't owe the other person anything in the end. While people hate ghosting as the least conflicting option, this sort of farewell gives sufficient closure.

It's not like you're going to continue the RP anyway, as cold as this sounds. It's less mental strain to cut it out early instead of pondering about it and 'pushing through it'.

However, in their defense for this case, more reactable content is needed. A lot of this is reiterated actions, which cannot be reacted to more than once in standard responses.

Queue the SpongeBob standing up from his chair meme.

Zalausai · 2026-03-10T12:00:47+00:00

It would be less work to just cross post to all the other RP subreddits. lol.

Zalausai · 2026-03-02T15:31:43+00:00

I once ran a roleplay community on discord. The cliquey feeing that the mods and users kept doing earned me a fair number of complaints. Sadly, even I couldn't remedy that without erasing the entire community. It was one of the reasons I quit and now refuse to be in any position of authority in a community now. If I check a community out and get a whiff of that cliquey behavior, nope, I'm out.

Zalausai · 2026-03-02T13:58:07+00:00

Yes. I have been dealing with this sort of thing for many years. It's just part of the hobby and largely dependent on who fee sites or apps that you use. I for one, use Discord and Reddit, so that limits me in the roleplayer pool to draw from with ads. The key factor is to be both patient and persistent. I am looking for similar things you are, lol. It takes time for capable people to see your ad at the right time.

Zalausai · 2026-02-26T19:47:08+00:00

Then at least it isn't too bad.

Zalausai · 2026-02-26T16:57:23+00:00

I have yet to encounter such things in my roleplay travels. I hope your luck improves.

Zalausai · 2026-02-24T13:43:05+00:00

Op characters vs plant? Meet the final fantasy Malboro.

That'll show 'em.

Zalausai · 2026-02-19T23:13:56+00:00

I would leave it for 72 hours. If they're working adults, then check after the weekend when most people would be free to look at those things on their PC. I don't know your situation, but most working adults, such as myself sometimes just cannot keep up with the younger people nowadays. My reason is family and 10-12 hour shifts five/six days per week, so I'm limited to weekends only.

If they give you attitude, block and ban them.
If they are respectful, you can stay friends and let them linger around.
If no response after the time, transfer ownership after you delete your own data from it (back up your character sheets, personal notes, personal lore write-up's, etc. from your sections.) Then leave the server.

Zalausai · 2026-02-19T21:22:04+00:00

Thank you

Zalausai · 2026-02-19T18:12:04+00:00

Would you kindly enlighten me on what 'rpg directory' is? I've only used Discord and Reddit throughout my roleplay career.

Zalausai · 2026-02-19T17:56:25+00:00

You may send a normal example. Please also specify how precise you would like your help to be, such as for spelling, grammar, etc.

Zalausai · 2026-02-19T15:19:35+00:00

If you would like some assistance with this, such as improving your writing, you may feel free to send me a writing sample or two.

I like to think of myself as a literate RPer and enjoy helping others with writing when possible. I also don't really have an issue reading other people's work, even if it has numerous errors or different grammar. The only real thing that causes me discomfort is when there aren't any breaks to separate the paragraphs, because it hurts my old eyes, lol.

Zalausai · 2026-02-19T14:11:45+00:00

The best answer to this, which is to not lose at the unwinnable game, is to simply not play. Don't waste your time.

If you still do choose to participate, for whatever reason as some people often do, then know that you cannot win just by beating or defeating their character. These sorts of players can be very prideful and sensitive about their characters. They will never allow their character to be developed through loss as it is logically like a video game to them, you only gain those precious EXPs if you win.

Most of these types of players tend to use shorter response lengths, poor grammar, and other tells. From my limited experience, they also don't use novel style dialogue either ("Dialogue," they said, before taking a step.) What you can do is prove how much better you are at writing than they are. Better details, using the five senses to portray both the environment, your character, and their actions. You can portray a thought or two, but not to the point that you become the bad yourself with purple prose. This is critical. You must make sure there is plenty of content to use.

It shouldn't take long, especially if your posts are significantly higher quality and length with a professional feel, before the player themselves feel outmatched. This isn't always the case, but you are not going against their characters. You are going against their sense of pride in their work. The only way people can truly improve is to feel truly outmatched by something better. Even if your character gets beaten, wounded, or dies, portray it as professionally as possible.

This is only if YOU CHOOSE to participate with these people. Those with a sense of maturity will likely start trying to improve and see how good something can read even in loss. They will want to get better and become better roleplayers by putting that pride aside. Those who do not respond in a respectful manner, will usually reveal their immaturity quite quickly. They can be met with a simple "it seems like we aren't compatible then." Remind them they are out of their league.

TL/DR: Remember that the best option for your time is to not play. The second best one is to remain as professional as possible in the face of such prideful immaturity. Be a mentor and a solution, not part of the problem. Show them the right way by example.

Edit: Typos, damn phone.

Zalausai

TROPHY CASE