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Faye · **04-25-2015, 10:37 PM**

I like both pretty equally, maybe with a slight preference to slice of life. My characters get involved in the plots of other regularly, as far as making plot stuff happen myself goes, I usually do something every few months to spice things up if going with the flow of things is getting a little stale. While I mostly yearn for more "slice of life" role-play, I like to have my plot bloom from that role-play, so they're kinda like two halves of the same whole for me.

Arrelaine · **04-25-2015, 10:44 PM**

I would be the third option: I have no preference! I like both, I do both and generally put my hands in both as much as I can.

Cato · **04-26-2015, 12:05 AM**

I'm a fan of both. I do, however, have a strong preference for role-play that has a long term and consistent plot in mind. Unfortunately this can be difficult for me to find due to timezone differences.

Qhora Bajihri · **04-26-2015, 01:16 AM**

I like "plots" based on this definition, I guess, but I actually clicked slice-of-life above, because like Nailah, I am not at all a fan of the railroad. As soon as I get a sense there's a script in the background, I get the cringe and want out. I don't much care for tavern/social RP generally. Once in a while, sure, but I can't do it often. Maybe what I like is better described as "event" RP? An initial situation with some kind of point to it beyond chatting with pals that may or may not lead to another event, depending what happens.

Shoshopu · **04-26-2015, 01:40 AM**

I like both, but almost always my RP is sort of long-term goal oriented. I have a sort of direction of character development in mind even when my characters are sitting around in a bar or spending time with friends, and not actively engaged in some sort of mission. For that reason I voted 'plot', but I would get worn out pretty quickly if all of my RP was always important plot scenes or something. My RP has fun filler episodes that fit into and relate to a continuity and at the very least have some character development. That's how I like to think of it.

***Nero*** · **04-26-2015, 02:00 AM**

I'm very much a narrative-based roleplayer. Slice-of-life has its place in deepening character relationships and lending itself to character depth and development, but unless there's a plot to challenge those relationships and provide contextual meaning to that depth, I typically lose interest very quickly.

That said, conflict and plot isn't completely necessary to make a session dramatic or intriguing. Plot is a tool, like any other literary device. It's important to remember that at its heart, roleplaying is improvisational writing.

EDIT: To expand on my point (seeing as how I apparently hit the nail on the head for a few people), I do not find slice-of-life inherently boring. Rather, slice-of-life is very useful to develop parts of your character. How do they react around racism, how do they deal with being startled, how strongly do they feel about their beliefs, etc. However, simply establishing these traits is not enough, and your typical slice-of-life scenarios usually do not force a utilization of them in the same way a plot does.

To put it into a simplistic analogy, slice-of-life roleplay is gathering all of the ingredients to a cake. Writing the premise to a plot is putting the ingredients together and baking the cake, and plot roleplay is eating that cake. In regards to how I make my characters interact with other player characters, I feel that it is wasteful for me to gather the ingredients and not use any of them in a cake.

And like any sweet treat, eating too much cake is unhealthy, and using the same ingredients makes the act of eating cake boring. Contrast is an important element in both writing and food.

ArmachiA · **04-26-2015, 02:14 AM**

(04-26-2015, 02:00 AM)Nero Wrote: I'm very much a narrative-based roleplayer. Slice-of-life has its place in deepening character relationships and lending itself to character depth and development, but unless there's a plot to challenge those relationships and provide contextual meaning to that depth, I typically lose interest very quickly.

This is such a good way of describing it I'm stealing it forever.

X'havir Vahl · **04-26-2015, 12:32 PM**

I like both. Slice of Life is nice for when scheduling is a pain and you only have an hour here or there in game to actually RP so just hanging out in the fc house waiting on a queue and chatting with members icly.

I also like the long arching plots that when mixed with the daily interactions, make for a nicely rounded character. I just wish I had more time to do them.

So both, both are good.

Kellach Woods · **04-26-2015, 09:52 PM**

I don't like planning far in advance, but I do have general outlines and "quests" that my character has that can essentially fit anyone who really wants to get involved.

FreelanceWizard · **04-26-2015, 10:51 PM**

Personally, I like to do my adventuring IC, so slice of life RP is a nice tie back to what my character is doing in downtime. With that said, though, I do like a nice plot now and then. Having both, IMO, helps bring out different aspects of characters. I like to think of it like a comic book -- you want some issues of the X-Men playing basketball, training, and dealing with their interpersonal stuff, and then you want other issues where they're taking down the Bad Guys. For me, where it gets really fun is when you have the interpersonal parts mixed with the plot. I certainly aim for such "Bendis-esque" RP, particularly in IC dungeons. Smile

Khadan · **04-26-2015, 11:17 PM**

(04-26-2015, 02:00 AM)Nero Wrote: I'm very much a narrative-based roleplayer. Slice-of-life has its place in deepening character relationships and lending itself to character depth and development, but unless there's a plot to challenge those relationships and provide contextual meaning to that depth, I typically lose interest very quickly.

That said, conflict and plot isn't completely necessary to make a session dramatic or intriguing. Plot is a tool, like any other literary device. It's important to remember that at its heart, roleplaying is improvisational writing.

I think I'd like to echo this as well. Very well put.

Personally I always lean towards plot-driven RP. I also prefer combat and action with some intrigue and political manipulations. Even the occasional espionage plot and setting if I have a character that is good for such things.Â

I guess if I had to give a reason I'd say it was because slice of life to me is the interlude between action, it's the kind of things that your character does on a mundane level even when you're not online to play them. They're eating, sleeping, training, crafting, or whatever it is they do when they aren't being whatever it is they are primarily (unless of course you are a crafter ICly and that's it, etc then cheers). I think a bit of 'slice of life' is necessary to the adventuring/fighting/soldiering type, too, it 'humanizes' them in a necessary fashion as most characters aren't joyless, emotionless, kill bots. They're people with thoughts, feelings, experiences, and emotions that if written well exhibit all of the aforementioned things because of how their lives have gone. Slice of life is the perfect time to examine those facets of your character and really shine them up.

I mentioned this in another thread recently but ultimately what I feel we are trying to accomplish is the telling of a really deep and meaningful story that people will be able to relate to with characters that are deep and interesting as well. Slice of life is a great tool to expose that facet of the characters while plot drives them forward, it's a great chance for those characters exhibit what their experiences have made of them thus far and become even more, later.

That said, the more plot the better, for me. =P

Roen · **04-26-2015, 11:18 PM**

(04-26-2015, 02:00 AM)Nero Wrote: I'm very much a narrative-based roleplayer. Slice-of-life has its place in deepening character relationships and lending itself to character depth and development, but unless there's a plot to challenge those relationships and provide contextual meaning to that depth, I typically lose interest very quickly.

^

This.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Caspar · **04-27-2015, 12:42 AM**

I'm fine to do SoL regularly, since I am well acquainted with how exhausting it is to write detailed plot threads, but I find prolonged SoL without consequence or a good serious event/plot to break it up unambitious and unengaging. It feels like a waste to not adventure or have complex long term relationships that have tangible effects on your future RP. SoL is great for fleshing out characters, and I find I write such depressing schlock that it becomes an ordeal without lighter events to break it up, but it can't satisfy me indefinitely. It's more like break time for me. Even then I am trying to fulfill the story I want to tell

Flickering Ember · **04-27-2015, 12:52 AM**

I love both but it's really the plot based stuff that keeps me going. However, plot based rp without any slice of life makes me sad. I find slice of life to be character building. You get to learn yours and other people's characters. It is want brings your characters together and it just makes plot RP far more impactful.

KitKat · **04-27-2015, 01:41 AM**

The two are not mutually exclusive. I feel our characters are at their best when everything is naturally moving along. If we're involved in plots 100% of the time, there's really no character development. It's all story development. I understand that -those- two things aren't mutually exclusive, either. They just tend to act that way.

I'll use my character as an example of what I prefer. She has an overarching goal that is pretty broad in spectrum and relatively unattainable (which I think is perfect for a goal. It keeps characters moving.). She wants to see the war in Ishgard end. Most of her roleplay is mingling around in Coerthas. She has your normal day-to-day conversations: work (she's an astrologian and can tie that into her big goal), friendships, hobbies, etc.

Doing all of that presented an opportunity when an Ishgardian heretic chose to steal something from my character, setting into motion a series of events where she is being investigated for heresy.

If I had avoided the 'slice of life' aspect of character building, I never would have had an opportunity to let the world shape my character.

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