(10-23-2014, 09:23 AM)Gaspard Wrote: Sure, it isn't their character.
But what you write isn't YOUR story. It is the story of those that you involve yourself with and your own. You can freely choose to have your character act the way you want to, play him the way you want to, but from the moment onwards you involve him with others and thus write a story 'WITH' them, it ceases to be only your property.
The details of your character and actions become part of other people stories aswell. The moment you retcon at that point you're not just changing your story, you're changing the story of others aswell, perhaps even against their wishes. If I for example choose to villify your character for his actions, have talks and plays based on those actions, and you decide to retcon it, you not only retcon your own actions, but also all the play I've based on 'your' actions.
So in essence;
You have all the right to play your character as you want to. It is your Character, You've 'created' him.
However;
You do NOT have the right to alter the SHARED Story you've written with others (In other words Roleplayed), just because it suits you better. This has nothing to do with Character ownership. You're dismantling a SHARED story to your own benefit.
How are you changing the story shared with others when the following character is gone from the game due to "quitting" the game or story they were working on? It is not other players' business of what Player A and B does. If Player A had story focus with Player B for John and Jane, and then Player B and Jane goes completely missing, the other players shouldn't judge Player A for deciding to say Player B and Jane relationship has been severed and retconned. - It's unfair for Player A to unable to dismantle a story that's not going anywhere or has been half-assed written due to opposite player's actions.
Also there are MANY times when a person will be really not happy with who they are roleplaying and has played the character up to lvl 50 on all classes. Are you literally going to make them forcefully Fantasia and change their name because there is a "Story" shared between them? NO. You literally can't. It's unfair for that player to REMAKE a character or start something anew. You know how obnoxious it is for anyone to remake a character to high level in order to dress them up and have some kind of story with other players? Retconning is AT LEAST better. If other players cannot respect the Player A's decision on retconning because Player A is not happy with their character story or what-so-ever, then Player A should stop being friends or Roleplay with those players who cannot encourage Player A's actions.
It's like saying Player A should NOT change or retcon to give other player's benefit if you are to say the last statement to solely blame on Player A for being "selfish".