(08-22-2013, 10:49 PM)Theodric Ridgefield Wrote: As far as I see it true creativity is working within the confines of any given setting rather than indulging all sorts of strange gimmicks to make one's character concept stand out from everyone else's. I've found that whilst many role-players get a lot of criticism for alleged elitism chances are if multiple role-players are putting across similar concerns to one another there may very well be some questionable elements to one's character that may need to be addressed.
WoW has a pretty volatile community at the best of times, let alone alone when you add role-players to the mix...but usually when I saw people being hounded for their character concepts it was at least partially justified. I guess what I'm getting at is that criticism shouldn't just be brushed off as role-players being 'mean' or 'spiteful' if there's numerous competent and experienced role-players putting forth similar concerns.
There is always room for justified criticism or concern around RP characters. There are also ways to go about it that are right and wrong. You can approach someone and voice concern or you can stand up on your soap box shouted at them and damning them to hell for trying. I am very much for working within the world and letting your creativity flow within it, but there are some you try to confine you within the lore of the world to near restrictive means that scares away new RPers and makes old ones question why they RP to begin with. Just because you roll a Human Paladin, doesn't mean you have to work for the Stormwind guard or being a druid that favors the animalistic parts of nature does not make you a "furry freak".
To call back again to my Guild Wars 2 time, we had not even discussed the idea of even trying to have children or even if the characters would last as a couple. We merely played as a Norn male and Human female who met, were dating, and happened to like traveling with each other. There was no reason for us to be met with hate and anger in whispers telling us that due to game lore they could never have children together and it was silly to think they could among other rude comments that revolved around him "breaking her in half" if they tried to have sex and how them being in love would be impossible. Nothing we did was against lore or outside the concept of the world. We made two characters who liked each other, we never mentioned sex, breeding, or anything of the sort to provoke instant malice.
An example on wow was when I played a Druid who happened to be more in tune with the Feral side of things and happened to show more animal characteristics, like when his wife was pregnant he sort of went "Sleep walking" in his bird form and ended up stealing things from the guild house to make her a nest. Something simple, innocent, not really against any lore.. but I got marked as weird, a furry, and told my RP was "Stupid". However these same people thought it was super f**kin cool when Malfurion showed up with part animal body parts. Eh.
So that is why I am pleased to see a welcoming voice in the RP community of FFXIV over a Damning growl. You can critique and help shape RPers without making them feel like crap.
![[Image: Sigcat_zps9f7bb2c1.png]](http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/Melisel/Sigcat_zps9f7bb2c1.png)
**WARNING**
This may not be -exactly- what my Miqo'te looks like
