Part of the issue with growing forums and growing communities is that topics that have been discussed to death will often rear their head again in ugly ways.
I am not referring to questions about lore that reappear every other week. Fact of the matter with those is the second they are off the main page they tend to be fair game because it is difficult to expect someone to search the forums beyond the first pages for the exact answer to their question.
I am referring to the threads that keep popping at least one a month in which the same people take the same stances and verbally spare with the same comments. Such as ERP, representation, sexism, elitism, and other REAL LIFE social issues being applied to a fantasy game where they do not exist. All of them are under the shallow guise of RP discussion but clearly never stay there so it becomes personal for everyone. These threads seem to come in threes and end up kinda getting everyone at each others throats for some reason or another. Over time it will build up to a bit of a sour time for everyone for a bit.
What can be done about that? Fuck if I know.
The other thing to note is, not everyone is going to mesh well RPing. Some folks are looking for particular things from RP, be it adventure, be it psychological thrills, be it slice of life RP, and of course that list goes on. Folks also have a different method of getting that rp, a recipe if you will.
Some people have it this way:
Internal Conflict (between characters) -> Resolution -> Bonding -> Growth -> cycle repeats.
Other people have it this way:
Bonding ->Â External Conflict (World affecting them)Â -> Growth -> Resolution -> repeat.
You can arrange it in any pattern you want.
However, if folks have a different methodology to getting the RP they want than other people, it can create tension. It can also flat out create barriers for RP all together. If someone prefers bonding first or external conflict over internal conflict, RPing won't really happen "easily" between the people and can even create OOC tension because the way the characters react will be based on the style of RP the individuals want. Folks can get excited for the prospect of RPing an idea with someone, but because what the individuals want and the method of getting it does not mesh well, the RP may quickly fizzle out due to a member of it being uninterested or the RP may simply never start.  (This is just from personal experience)
All of this can bleed (oh another word that causes massive thread issue) into folks whether they realize it or not. People like rping in ways that they think give the best character development or enjoyable times. When you think something is best, you may end up voicing your opinion about it a bit too strongly and because the lack of 'tone' in text it can be taken the wrong way. Those who don't get "RP" style along may start to think folks simply don't want to rp with them and feel isolated as if they are being stonewalled.
And since my train of thought has completely been derailed while Rping and trying to post and I don't know where I was going with this.... here is a dancing Cactaur:
Edited for better word choice pointed out by Tiergan.
I am not referring to questions about lore that reappear every other week. Fact of the matter with those is the second they are off the main page they tend to be fair game because it is difficult to expect someone to search the forums beyond the first pages for the exact answer to their question.
I am referring to the threads that keep popping at least one a month in which the same people take the same stances and verbally spare with the same comments. Such as ERP, representation, sexism, elitism, and other REAL LIFE social issues being applied to a fantasy game where they do not exist. All of them are under the shallow guise of RP discussion but clearly never stay there so it becomes personal for everyone. These threads seem to come in threes and end up kinda getting everyone at each others throats for some reason or another. Over time it will build up to a bit of a sour time for everyone for a bit.
What can be done about that? Fuck if I know.
The other thing to note is, not everyone is going to mesh well RPing. Some folks are looking for particular things from RP, be it adventure, be it psychological thrills, be it slice of life RP, and of course that list goes on. Folks also have a different method of getting that rp, a recipe if you will.
Some people have it this way:
Internal Conflict (between characters) -> Resolution -> Bonding -> Growth -> cycle repeats.
Other people have it this way:
Bonding ->Â External Conflict (World affecting them)Â -> Growth -> Resolution -> repeat.
You can arrange it in any pattern you want.
However, if folks have a different methodology to getting the RP they want than other people, it can create tension. It can also flat out create barriers for RP all together. If someone prefers bonding first or external conflict over internal conflict, RPing won't really happen "easily" between the people and can even create OOC tension because the way the characters react will be based on the style of RP the individuals want. Folks can get excited for the prospect of RPing an idea with someone, but because what the individuals want and the method of getting it does not mesh well, the RP may quickly fizzle out due to a member of it being uninterested or the RP may simply never start.  (This is just from personal experience)
All of this can bleed (oh another word that causes massive thread issue) into folks whether they realize it or not. People like rping in ways that they think give the best character development or enjoyable times. When you think something is best, you may end up voicing your opinion about it a bit too strongly and because the lack of 'tone' in text it can be taken the wrong way. Those who don't get "RP" style along may start to think folks simply don't want to rp with them and feel isolated as if they are being stonewalled.
And since my train of thought has completely been derailed while Rping and trying to post and I don't know where I was going with this.... here is a dancing Cactaur:
Edited for better word choice pointed out by Tiergan.
