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"Witty" characters, can they be roleplayed by the dumb? - Printable Version

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+--- Thread: "Witty" characters, can they be roleplayed by the dumb? (/showthread.php?tid=13060)

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RE: "Witty" characters, can they be roleplayed by the dumb? - Verad - 08-21-2015

(08-21-2015, 04:37 PM)Warren Castille Wrote: I stopped reading when the thread became a series of SAT questions and skipped to the end. Have we decided that the answer is "Yes, but with some obvious challenges" yet?

No, populist scum, now go back and keep reading.

RE: "Witty" characters, can they be roleplayed by the dumb? - McBeefâ„¢ - 08-21-2015

(08-21-2015, 04:37 PM)Warren Castille Wrote: I stopped reading when the thread became a series of SAT questions and skipped to the end. Have we decided that the answer is "Yes, but with some obvious challenges" yet?
I think we've mostly agreed to:

'Yes, because wit is a social construct like beauty or politeness. So while you can never make a character that is witty to all people, even those of us (such as myself) with lower intelligence, can at least make a character that conforms to their own sense of wit. Which others may accept or reject at their leisure."

But I could be wrong, not very witty myself, you see.

Now we're just arguing semantics, which is entertaining and of itself to those who have too much time and like to argue.

RE: "Witty" characters, can they be roleplayed by the dumb? - Ignacius - 08-21-2015

(08-21-2015, 04:37 PM)Warren Castille Wrote: I stopped reading when the thread became a series of SAT questions and skipped to the end. Have we decided that the answer is "Yes, but with some obvious challenges" yet?

We're talking about dick jokes in antiquity.  We really don't need you complaining about length.

RE: "Witty" characters, can they be roleplayed by the dumb? - Warren Castille - 08-21-2015

(08-21-2015, 04:40 PM)Ignacius Wrote:
(08-21-2015, 04:37 PM)Warren Castille Wrote: I stopped reading when the thread became a series of SAT questions and skipped to the end. Have we decided that the answer is "Yes, but with some obvious challenges" yet?

We're talking about dick jokes in antiquity.  We really don't need you complaining about length.

Sorry, didn't realize you get length complaints outside of the game too heyooooooooooo

RE: "Witty" characters, can they be roleplayed by the dumb? - Ignacius - 08-21-2015

(08-21-2015, 04:42 PM)Warren Castille Wrote:
(08-21-2015, 04:40 PM)Ignacius Wrote:
(08-21-2015, 04:37 PM)Warren Castille Wrote: I stopped reading when the thread became a series of SAT questions and skipped to the end. Have we decided that the answer is "Yes, but with some obvious challenges" yet?

We're talking about dick jokes in antiquity.  We really don't need you complaining about length.

Sorry, didn't realize you get length complaints outside of the game too heyooooooooooo

No, but you're honestly not the first person that have asked me to hurry up and finish.

RE: "Witty" characters, can they be roleplayed by the dumb? - LadyRochester - 08-21-2015

(08-21-2015, 03:56 PM)Verad Wrote: This is quite true, and I thank you for pointing it out. To clarify, when I'm speaking of wit, I'm speaking primarily in the British and American contexts.

That said, I think your point can lead to another - there is no real "wit," in this case, because wit is a culturally defined concept. The idea that speaking with a quick retort is a marker of intelligence may hold no weight in a culture where that's considered to be a marker of thoughtlessness. In this view, being witty in RP is simple: You already are, to somebody. It even dovetails nicely with the idea that wittiness is based on reception.

This is a sensible perspective, wit is technically influenced and defined by culture. I must ask, however, would this not imply that no matter how incompetent or idiotic you are, someone out there thinks of you as intelligent? If you think of it, nearly every personality/mental trait can be malleable enough to be bent by the audience's perspective.

But how seriously can one take a player who claims their character is a genius and then goes around saying, like the example I have given before, "cats are reptiles"? Would they not be shunned by the community based on the fact people see an IC/OOC dissonance? How is that something better or fair for the roleplayer?

RE: "Witty" characters, can they be roleplayed by the dumb? - LiadansWhisper - 08-21-2015

(08-21-2015, 06:10 PM)LadyRochester Wrote: But how seriously can one take a player who claims their character is a genius and then goes around saying, like the example I have given before, "cats are reptiles"? Would they not be shunned by the community based on the fact people see an IC/OOC dissonance? How is that something better or fair for the roleplayer?

Do you know why, OOC, the character is saying "cats are reptiles"?

Because if you don't, then you don't know what the character's motivation is.  Which is okay, because we're really not supposed to know that OOC.

Which means your character can react however they want.  But, quite frankly, I couldn't give a fig whether you, the player, take another player seriously.  I'm not even sure why that would even be a question.  They're there to RP.  If your character finds what their character is saying to be complete hogwash, then your character should react accordingly.  That should literally be the end of it.

RE: "Witty" characters, can they be roleplayed by the dumb? - Dis - 08-22-2015

I think Liadan summed this up pretty well.  If you don't know the OOC motivations behind the character telling you this, then your character should react accordingly. 

If someone tries to provide your character with information they don't know isn't true, react accordingly in that fashion. 

If they say something that your character knows to be false, react accordingly in that fashion. 

If you decide you don't like that character portrayal, explain politely to the player that you're not interested in engaging with them again, and call it a day. 

Your only 'duty' when dealing with someone is to react the way your character would.  And if you don't like interacting with that person, rather than just 'shutting them out', something that seems to be an immediate reaction in the RPC, tell them (politely and privately) why you don't find the encounter engaging, and let them know you don't want to RP again. 

It could strike up a conversation that reveals a deeper insight into that character.  Maybe their character is a con-man who is trying to pass off fake knowledge as being truth.  Maybe that character is a madman who actually believes that cats are reptiles. 

You don't know, and making an immediate assumption cuts them off at the knees when it honestly isn't necessary, and actually tends to make the "better" RPers very cliquish against anyone perceived to not be up to their standards when playing.  And that is no way to foster or bolster the community.

I'm probably going to call it quits at this, however, as it seems like the topic keeps going in circles. Hopefully you don't deal with any theoretical assholes who try and shove a character concept down your throat - I've never actually seen this type of character represented anywhere by anyone who is part of the RPC, or even the community at large.

RE: "Witty" characters, can they be roleplayed by the dumb? - Warren Castille - 08-22-2015

Yes, but the challenges are obvious.

RE: "Witty" characters, can they be roleplayed by the dumb? - Sig - 08-24-2015

This topic is very subjective and semantic.  I'll boil it down to a few points -- you can and should:
  • play any type of character that makes you happy;
  • attempt to play that character in a way that is consistent with the character;
  • gauge IC reactions towards other characters based on the character's IC representations;
  • do your best to humor and entertain people who cannot fully convey a critical aspect of their character that should otherwise be apparent; and
  • respect and enjoy RP with others. 
/thread.

RE: "Witty" characters, can they be roleplayed by the dumb? - Desitjant - 08-24-2015

I would probably answer that question in the same fashion that Chris Rock responded to an interviewer's assertion that Dane Cook was "not funny."

CR: "If you can make your audience laugh, you're funny. Simple as that."


I really don't think you can make generalizations about something like wit, because the answer is almost solely determined by the individual.

RE: "Witty" characters, can they be roleplayed by the dumb? - Kalooeh - 08-25-2015

I try to avoid rping most things that I don't have at least a general knowledge about to start with (so I know what to google to keep bookmarked/in document files for later if needed) and can bullshit easily enough, or try to avoid it. I'm one of those people who tend to have a general knowledge about a lot of things, and I tend to info binge A LOT, but I also tend to forget a lot of things I researched so then I need to re-research the details for the thing that I remember reading about that one time for things that is being talked about now. So I know I know the things, or know OF things, but I forgot details because I havn't been using the information so it's just kind of filed away somewhere in my brain. It's there..... somewhere (I do the same thing with paper files and word/notepad files too. I know I got the info! Just where I'm not sure :Ia Now if only I could do a key word search in my brain like you can a computer)

Though I admit too that a lot of stuff that I'd be "hurrdurr?" about irl or be slow to come up with something witty, I do manage to pull off well enough when messing around on certain characters and then I'm like "Dude what? Where that come from? Why don't I do that normally? I would be awesome"