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Arelian · **04-25-2015, 05:59 PM**

So! Just the other night I was talking to a friend of mine when an interesting point came up, and it's one I've been pondering ever since.

As far as I'm aware, there are two "main" types of RP that people participate in. The first being very much slice-of-life while the other is focused primarily on moving a plot of some sort forward.

To be pedantic about it for a moment, I define the two as follows.

Plot-based roleplay is when a group of people gather together for a common purpose. Be it a magic ritual, breaking into an imperial castrum, solving a murder-mystery... The breadth and depth of this runs to an absurd degree, but at the end of the day it's something that gives people a reason to gather and to have their characters interact.

Slice-of-life roleplay is when you're just playing out a day in the life of someone inhabiting the particular world on a consistent basis. Interactions come and go and tend to mirror real life in the sense that there's rarely some over-arching goal that the people involved are working towards.

While the two can mingle fairly often, there's usually a pretty strict divide between what people consider plot-based and what people consider slice-of-life-y. So I ask you, RPC. Do you have a preference?

To get the conversation started, I'll talk about my own preferences first!

I'm a plot-based roleplayer first and foremost. I'm at my best, and happiest, when I have some goals for my character to work towards, be it their own or helping further another's plot-line. I like having things planned that can throw wrenches into how the story is being told, and I like helping other people achieve a goal they've set out to finish. It's important to note that, in my opinion, plot-based RP doesn't have to be planned to an absurd degree--rather, it's quite literally just a light at the end of a tunnel that the character's can strive towards reaching.Â

That being said, there's also a time and a place for slice-of-life stuff. Having my character just hang out at the bar or chitchat with people can be fulfilling and interesting ways to get to know my character a little bit better, and it's often the thing that sparks plots in the first place. I do end up extremely burnt out if this is all I'm doing, though. Gotta have that goal to work towards! Without it I end up getting really bored of a character relatively quickly.

Nebbs · **04-25-2015, 06:13 PM**

I do both interchangeable and will slice of life in the middle of an adventure, which is why I like romance also as it add dimensions to the plottering. I tend to be an improv player and have several loose plots that can be run as and when, and major stuff is just a direction so the RP will actually shape and direct it.

Yes I have cake and eat it!

I do run one off presetup event but to be honest more often than not the whole organising overshadows the immersion.

***Maril*** · **04-25-2015, 06:33 PM**

The lines are heavily blurred for me these days. I used to be very plot-driven, not taking much interest in bar-rp save for the purpose of icly picking up rumors. Though, at the time (5ish years ago) I was very much also a bit of a bubble-rper, and most notably not responsible for a guild, I was just me. And new. So very new. I absolutely loved it and without that experience I wouldn't have stuck to RP.Â

And whilst I still love and adore plot-driven stuff, after four years as a GM in two games, I am ah.. A bit exhausted, perhaps. That, and I find it very hard to do the kind of free-flowing plotting that I love so much, more often than not what I bump into around and about is "railroaded" RP, meaning RP that partly has a script - several things are pre-determined and influence from characters is pre-written in the shape of clues given to stragetically picked people at stragetic times. Granted, sometimes they're done so well that it takes me a while to realize what is going on, but regardless there's something about railroaded RP that turns me off. I like it when your characters actions can lead to inpredictable consequences, and where goals are not always reached in the desired way, if reached at all.Â

I have ideas, one currently where I'm still searching for someone to play a villain, abeit it's not looking great right now - getting them out there is difficult, and again I do not like to predetermine everything. To that end as well, I do not feel I can plot a whole lot with my main character because everything she does directly influences the company - and going on vendetta against her is not just her alone but also the people she leads as an extension.Â

So what I end up doing is more along the lines of slice of life, combined with your average day as a guildleader and an event-driven motivation if you can call it that. I really enjoy making larger events both for my FC and ones that are open to all.Â
All of my characters are non-fighters, and Nailah is almost a borderline anti-sue (I took the test) which I think is a reaction of my roleplay in the game before XIV where I played a (Lore-wise a-okay) overpowered magician and I think I just got really tired of that.Â

TL;DR: What do I prefer? A mix. I like freestyled plots, I also like visiting bars. What do I end up doing? Slice of life.

Kyrio Lamansque · **04-25-2015, 06:58 PM**

I'm in the middle like a lot of people. Do I really like my plots, feeling like I'm involved in something important? Absolutely.Â

Do I like knowing how Kyrio spends his days, down to sometimes minute? Yeah, I kinda do. It gives him the feeling of being an 'actual person' and no just a plot device.

However I easily get 'plotted out', both on the giving and receiving side. If there's too much drama for too long, I just kinda.. check out. So I end up being more toward the slice of life sort of thing, but I'm not afraid to join a plot should the opportunity present itself.

Chris Ganale · **04-25-2015, 07:00 PM**

As someone who has all their characters locked by being in plot-driven stories and therefore is gated by "but my character is too busy with X or wouldn't be in Y because plothax" whenever I want to RP and therefore don't get to RP, use plot wisely.

Zhavi · **04-25-2015, 07:21 PM**

When I first started here, I was hugely plot driven, because Zhi was always running around doing this or that, and always had some scheme going on.

But I like both types of rp. I think I tend to plot more just because brainstorming gives me mindgasms, but pickup rp has plenty of its own charm, too.

ALL THE THINGS!

K'nahli · **04-25-2015, 08:07 PM**

I'd be more fond of plot-driven RP. It was what I had expected from FF but I have yet to really experience it(in general). So sadly, my RP has been mostly slice-of-life... outside of a very, slow-paced tribal story anyways.

Max · **04-25-2015, 09:07 PM**

I'm more inclined towards plot-based roleplays, but not when things get too scripted. I like a good solid premise to start off with and then we give our characters the reins.

Slice of life roleplays can be a little too stagnant for me. But like what OP said in his final paragraph, there is definitely a time and place for them.

ArmachiA · **04-25-2015, 09:29 PM**

PLOTTTSSS. I'm big on plots. As a GM of 17 years it's just what I expect.

However, writing plots or constant never ending danger gets... well exhausting. And it doesn't give anyone a lot of time to sit down and get to know each other. A balance is necessary. Do a plot for awhile but remember to give your players some time to breath. The current plot my FC is doing we're going to end about a month before Heavensward (Hopefully, since it isn't very scripted we just gotta hope it goes as fast as we want) and then nothing will be going on for a while. Like, probably not till August. I always space out plots in such a way, 2 month whirlwind then two months of a break or so. It's necessary - social RP is - and it's fun in it's own right. I like deep character depth too, learning about characters and long, slow romances, and that's really hard to do when you're in the middle of a Garlean horde all the time.

Marisa · **04-25-2015, 09:30 PM**

I like plots! But I, uh... I'm never a part of them Sad

Chris Ganale · **04-25-2015, 09:43 PM**

(04-25-2015, 09:29 PM)ArmachiA Wrote: PLOTTTSSS. I'm big on plots. As a GM of 17 years it's just what I expect.

However, writing plots or constant never ending danger gets... well exhausting. And it doesn't give anyone a lot of time to sit down and get to know each other. A balance is necessary. Do a plot for awhile but remember to give your players some time to breath. The current plot my FC is doing we're going to end about a month before Heavensward (Hopefully, since it isn't very scripted we just gotta hope it goes as fast as we want) and then nothing will be going on for a while. Like, probably not till August. I always space out plots in such a way, 2 month whirlwind then two months of a break or so. It's necessary - social RP is - and it's fun in it's own right. I like deep character depth too, learning about characters and long, slow romances, and that's really hard to do when you're in the middle of a Garlean horde all the time.

I need to break my stuff up this way. Unfortunately I'm really bad about cramming things together back-to-back. And being a dumbass and setting my characters up in ways that they don't get out much.

Harmonixer · **04-25-2015, 09:45 PM**

I prefer a healthy mix of both. Plot is excellent stuff to be part of, but I find too much of it can be a little mentally taxing for myself. I'm fortunate that my friends enjoy humor as much as myself. Even when my characters are doing absolutely vile things, I like to inject a tiny bit of silliness here and there.

I like useless dialogue inbetween my character building. It's a good exercise and sometimes allows something new ideas to bloom.

Most of the time, I let whoever I'm RPing with lead, unless requested. I don't mind.

But plot is always good, and very welcome. Just not all the time. Is there such thing as RP chaffing? It's that, for me.

industrythirteen · **04-25-2015, 09:45 PM**

I'm not really sure what I prefer anymore. I have some thinking to do.Â

I used to really like plot-based RP. I felt it gave me more reason to be involved in something. I have done a lot of I guess, what I call tavern RP, which is just daily life, run-of-the-mill kinda RP. But, I find most tavern and random RP to be un-engaging because I struggle to find a reason to get involved all too often in the conversations going on around me. I don't like butting in, mostly. But, that's all on me. I'm not criticizing the type of RP or the player that loves it. I'm noting my own limitations and my own hang ups in getting involved or not involved.Â

The reason I don't know what I even prefer, or enjoy, anymore is because I find it harder and harder to get into plot RP. I don't really want to have more than a cameo, and I don't want to take up too much time of my GM/DMs, and I want to give other people more an opportunity to shine, despite what I think I would have my character do in any given situation. I see an awful lot of posturing and chest-beating, too. While that's entirely plausible for a character, I just wish folks would get on with it sometimes! A lot of people get involved, and something is gonna give. Someone is not going to get the time they deserve. I'd rather just bow out, and let someone far more invested get the time because they clearly want it.Â

So, some observations. Please keep in mind this is only what I have seen (and done, and learned from) in my experience across several MMOs, and it may definitely will differ from anyone else's experience. Â

1. I don't see too many folks treating plotline RP, or heavily managed RP, as one might treat a tabletop, pen and paper game. GMs can reasonably handle five to six players and give each of those individuals the attention they deserve due to the small scale of it in a PnP game. Few of these tabletop games are about any one player character. What I mostly see in MMOs (again, my observations) is trying to stuff as many characters or players as possible into a story that I don't think can support it. Especially not without a lot of help. I know that no one wants to be left out, and no one wants to leave anyone out, but I don't know of a better solution than to split things up into multiple parts with multiple GM/DMs doing different aspects at different times. Or just asking a friend to wait patiently.Â

2. Trying too hard to manage everything, or control every detail. Some behavior is predictable, but some isn't. Players always find a way to deviate from a path, and surprise GM/DMs.Â

3. I find a lot of plot RP to be character-centric. It revolves around either a single player character, or a few closely related characters. Often, my character is only marginally aware in the on-goings of the other characters' lives, and I have little reason to participate. My solution to this is to create a story to doesn't involve furthering a personal or private plotline or story of a character.Â

3a. With my Au Ra, I'm debating on just having a basic framework and never having a personal storyline or on-going plot for her like I have in the past. Not shockingly, I've never completed those plots or stories for other MMO characters. Mostly I don't want to be what I perceive to be a me-monster, and get too hung up about my personal RP and story, or have any expectation that anyone has any reason to care or become personally invested.Â

I have done all three things in my RP history. I've tried to DM an on-going plot or plots where it was entirely centric to my character. It was hard to both play my character, and manage the 40+ people I invited. The plot eventually got whittled down to about 10 people, tops. I also got kind of annoyed with the player deviation because how dare anyone deviate from my carefully plotted ...plot. I like to think I've grown up a little, and learned a lot from my mistakes.Â

So, I'm not really sure plotting, or not plotting is the way to go anymore. I guess ultimately it depends on what folks want to do. And wow is that a really non-answer from me. XD

Kasumi Gakunin · **04-25-2015, 10:15 PM**

I like to have a huge plot driven arc for my character every three or so months. Aside from that I spend time helping others with their plots or just doing slice of life rp. I find if a character is constantly involved in a new plot every week it gets a bit...well..ott.

Meena · **04-25-2015, 10:22 PM**

(04-25-2015, 10:15 PM)Lacey Orwell Wrote: I like to have a huge plot driven arc for my character every three or so months. Aside from that I spend time helping others with their plots or just doing slice of life rp. I find if a character is constantly involved in a new plot every week it gets a bit...well..ott.

This so much this.

I try and also do a few small plots for the few people i have close to my character and her family - just small plots like: Researching void things, oooOoooo.

However I find getting into other peoples plots can be difficult - and sometimes people are a little uninviting. ._.

Poll: Plot or Slice-of-Life? You do not have permission to vote in this poll.
I like it plot.	88.24%	30	88.24%
Let's just, like, hang out man. Keep it slice-of-life.	11.76%	4	11.76%
Total		34 vote(s)	100%

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To Plot or to Not: The Question, the Debate

RPC has moved! These pages have been kept for historical purposes