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ArmachiA · **07-13-2010, 05:33 PM**

My name is Iego Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die.

Arzy · **07-13-2010, 05:34 PM**

ArmachiA Wrote:My name is Iego Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die.

Has your pet monkey not told you? I am your father.

Shamadconde · **07-13-2010, 05:36 PM**

NOOOOOOO!!! THAT"S NOT POSSIBLE!!!!

DAISHI · **07-13-2010, 05:48 PM**

I think the lesson for any one -especially aspiring writers -is that you can't be entirely original. It's your presentation that matters.

I'm going to go back to my 15-person demon example. If that 15th demon possessed person comes along, I'll just sight and be like "whatevs" at first. But if they do it well, I'm going to want to listen up and participate.

Shamadconde · **07-13-2010, 06:00 PM**

Maybe if it was a mass possession and the possessed actually rp as a group, I could see it. I'm thinking like zombies.

Nanapariri · **07-13-2010, 06:38 PM**

Yeah I think we'll see a lot of brooding Highlanders with similiar stories of how the Garleans killed their parents. If an army of Garlean unddead came and took revenge on the living and the once orphan was reunited with his parents in a mass of corpses now that would be original. lol.

On a more serious note though I think one of the fun parts of being in a new game is that there won't be any cliches for awhile. You'll be able to boast you were the original pirates before it was in vogue. lol.

I'm aiming for characters this go around I hope aren't popular ideas and become cliches. We'll see if I"m also just deluding myself though lol.

Averis · **07-19-2010, 09:42 PM**

I think one thing that makes most seasoned RPers cringe at cliche characters is in how it is presented.

If a role-player feels the need to announce to everyone they meet "hey... I'm a lone wolf" then right away a seasoned role-player will probably roll their eyes and back away.

Now if the same "lone wolf" just played the part most people would respect it more (and probably not know they were there). Basically, to me, it's really a matter of what you would tell someone in real life about who you are and about your past. Most people wouldn't start a conversation with "I'm an orphan".

I think that's why a lot of these demon/vampire/half-breeds are a problem and make a lot of role-players unhappy is because they have to tell everyone that they have horns, wings or fangs etc. If you can't make said character in the game then, as far as I'm concerned, you shouldn't be playing one. I'm not going to remember your character sheet to know that you have these aesthetic elements and telling every new person you meet that you do is just silly.

On top of that is the crazy stuff like: I'm from space, another planet, a demon half-breed super evil god, I'm a ninja! (Naruto) and Legoladrizzhiroth son of the king... etc

A lot of it is really an excuse to either get attention or they simply can't come up with something more meaningful. So it's easier to just come up with one single (or in worse cases many at once) thing that is "unique" and "cool" and it's usually from their favorite book/comic/anime. But, frankly, after 10 others are doing it, it's not so unique anymore, it's just annoying. If everyone is trying to be unique "one-offs" then no one is. What you end up with is a bunch of people going around basically saying "No, I'm the unique and interesting character you want to know" "No, I am!" etc.

Like many others, I won't go around telling anyone they are doing it wrong. I'm not paying their subscription fee, I can't control the world and I also don't think I'm the ruler of RP, but I'll be sure to avoid them later.

On the flip side of that, I probably tend to make kinda boring characters by some people's standards. I may have an element of "the dead parents" etc, but I don't play off that as the sole motivation for my character or go and advertise it to everyone I meet. I concentrate on personality traits and motivations like watching out for a mischievous sister. Tongue

Anywho, that's my take on it. So, cliche's aren't all bad, it's really in how you use it. Some things, however, are just silly when they really have no place in the world you're playing in.

Kashemia · **07-20-2010, 04:22 AM**

I think that's very true, Averis. A lot lies in the presentation, and it's much more effective to SHOW that you're a lone wolf, than to tell it.

And while Baltazar's Favor do involve a ship... I don't think we're pirates. No, I'm pretty sure we're not pirates, even if Seraj might have pirating tendencies Wink

Renaise · **07-20-2010, 04:25 AM**

Yeah always a good rule in writing in general is to show and not tell...

But don't tell my university lecturers I'm agreeing with them, it'll ruin my rep Tongue

Dreamer · **07-20-2010, 06:54 AM**

On the flip side of all this though, I think the opposite can be true where someone creates a character so blatantly unique that it goes well past the point of being ridiculous.

Eva · **07-20-2010, 08:45 AM**

Maybe so, and if it's unique and over-the-top and done with a certain degree of tact, it might be just fine. It's when others see it and want to do something similar - bandwagoning happens and as unique and original as it may have been, it pretty much becomes bastardized. The first 'demon' possession type story that was run in Crystalline was actually very well done, but when a few others saw this and decided to incorporate it into their own stories (often in very silly and blatant ways as opposed to the original RPer's more subtle method), the entire thing just got derailed, which really sucks because it was going so well before that.

I guess there's something to be said for 'imitation is the highest form of flattery', but then again when its done with a complete lack of discretion, it invites all kinds of chaos. The moral here is kind of to just appreciate a good story arc from your character's own established role, even if it's original and a little out there. Those who may feel the need to adopt or inherit this aspect of a story for their own character may wind up ruining it for everyone.

And I guess the underlying message here is that, while everyone pays the same subscription fee and is entitled to play the game how they see fit, some careful consideration must be given to how the greater RP community will perceive your character, including the traits and characteristics given to him/her and where they come from.

ArmachiA · **07-20-2010, 08:54 AM**

Yeah, we had this one guy in our guild who made it so he was "Influenced" by the Shadow Lord, making him do things he didn't want to do, like the SL was whispering in his ear from a far. At first we all thought it was odd, but he really made it work and made it believable.

So... then... Everyone did the same thing XD. Had to put my foot down and tell everyone no more minions of the Shadow Lord!

Faust · **07-20-2010, 12:56 PM**

I think a good rule of thumb here, made succinct for those who wouldn't want to read the entire thread, would be, "Don't be a copycat."

Eva · **07-20-2010, 01:18 PM**

Faust Wrote:I think a good rule of thumb here, made succinct for those who wouldn't want to read the entire thread, would be, "Don't be a copycat."

Since I don't get to be the OP very often on these boards, I've decided to take the liberty to edit my original post to reflect these four words of sagelike wisdom for anyone who doesn't want to bother with the 9 pages of textwalls that ensue.

:cheer:

Monadi · **07-20-2010, 01:54 PM**

I try to be pretty tolerant of other people's stories, even if they've been done to death. Prison escapes, dead parents, that sort of thing. Truth of the matter is that it's all been done before.

There are only a couple of things that really drive me crazy: characters that are only there to flirt/ERP with others, Mary Sues, and blatant cross-references to other universes. I played STO for a little bit and someone made a Starfleet officer with Starbuck from BSG as part of his crew. I couldn't take that seriously.

Repeating themes, though, is always okay with me if you do it well. I won't be upset about that stuff Big Grin

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Cliche RP Elements

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