Thoughts On Sad RP

[Lydia Lightfoot]

It's a balancing act with me. I love, love, love tragic and difficult backstories, because they tend to create characters that if realistically portrayed have complexity, prejudice, fears, sour memories, and a certain grim realization that life isn't a fairy tale, and yet that twinkle in the eye that says "...but I haven't given up /yet/."

 

Then, in the live RP, it's really great for the character to have goals and to achieve those goals over time. Progress! Hooray! But not without hardship, or the advancement of the story lacks a certain... gravitas. At the end of the segment of the story, as the characters exhale in relief at having achieved a hard-fought objective, there should be that bittersweet moment where they look back upon what led to that moment and feel the ambivalence of joy and sorrow.

[Faye]

I love sad RP. That being said, you can overdo the sad. I'm not interested in a story that's always grimdark, where bad thing after bad thing happen to your character until he/she is a total woobie and eventually stops being a functional person but some unstable, emotionally wounded, shivering... thing. As with most things, moderation and variety are important. Sad scenes are going to be a lot more impactful when they strike after some moments of happiness. With no reprieve from the tragedies, it's hard to keep caring about them.

[Sylentmana]

Never really been a fan of tragic characters and drama. That being said, there is a time and place for such things which I feel the MSQ does fairly well. For the most part though, I prefer a healthy mix of comedy and adventure with maybe one sad/heroic death in there where appropriate.

[Kinono]

I'm been roleplaying in this game for over two years at this point, and only recently had an incredibly sad thing happen to my character.

 

Up to that point, it'd been mostly fun times, silly adventures, and romance.

 

The sad thing hit hard. It was the best roleplay I've ever had.

[Caspar]

For me, tragedy/dark storylines are low-hanging fruit. It comes to me naturally, but if I overindulge it loses its flavor. My dream is to make someone so emotionally invested in my writing that they cry or laugh as I intend. I want to build up to a strong, cathartic finish that people will remember, so I cannot just repeatedly throw punches at the participants and make them numb to sadness. Unfortunately, rarely have any of my rp experiences actually ended successfully, so the complete story never really comes to fruition.

 

Even when it's stuff that I didn't write, I still find myself drawn to dreary stories and drama like a fly on carrion. Just the other day, I was observing some other rpers' characters discuss a particularly toxic relationship of some infamy, and I got the old itch to watch, or even participate somehow, despite feeling like an interloper.

 

To counteract my tendency to gravitate towards depressing rp or dramatic writing, I've tried to make sure most of my impromptu or walk-up rp is neutral or comedic, rather than constantly trying to push my character's obviously unhealthy mental state/philosophy as the theme of the day. I save that for when rp focus shifts to my character naturally, either because it was planned or because people are interested in her.

 

The other thing I do is just not get immersed. I like to pick apart my own stories and make fun of my characters on the side OOC, though I know that bothers people. A lot of the silly prompts we write on the forum are a great way for me to not take my character too seriously. A tragic storyline often is just this fertile ground for black comedy to me.

 

That being said, I share the trait of certain popular writers these days in that I often find that I struggle to write a happy ending, maybe even to the point of being incapable of it. Sometimes that actually bothers me a bit, to think I'm really that pessimistic. Were all the countless rps of yesteryear that ended due to scheduling, flakiness or loss of interest finished properly, I could count the number of my characters that ended their stories unequivocally happy on one hand. A grenade inspector's one hand.

[Laike]

For me, tragedy/dark storylines are low-hanging fruit. It comes to me naturally, but if I overindulge it loses its flavor. My dream is to make someone so emotionally invested in my writing that they cry or laugh as I intend. I want to build up to a strong, cathartic finish that people will remember, so I cannot just repeatedly throw punches at the participants and make them numb to sadness. Unfortunately, rarely have any of my rp experiences actually ended successfully, so the complete story never really comes to fruition.

 

Even when it's stuff that I didn't write, I still find myself drawn to dreary stories and drama like a fly on carrion. Just the other day, I was observing some other rpers' characters discuss a particularly toxic relationship of some infamy, and I got the old itch to watch, or even participate somehow, despite feeling like an interloper.

 

To counteract my tendency to gravitate towards depressing rp or dramatic writing, I've tried to make sure most of my impromptu or walk-up rp is neutral or comedic, rather than constantly trying to push my character's obviously unhealthy mental state/philosophy as the theme of the day. I save that for when rp focus shifts to my character naturally, either because it was planned or because people are interested in her.

 

The other thing I do is just not get immersed. I don't immerse; I like to pick apart my own stories and make fun of my characters on the side OOC, though I know that bothers people. A tragic storyline often is just this fertile ground for black comedy to me.

 

That being said, I share the trait of certain popular writers these days in that I often find that I struggle to write a happy ending, maybe even to the point of being incapable of it. Sometimes that actually bothers me a bit, to think I'm really that pessimistic. Were all the countless rps of yesteryear that ended due to scheduling, flakiness or loss of interest finished properly, I could count the number of my characters that ended their stories unequivocally happy on one hand. A grenade inspector's one hand.

I can understand certain styles of rp are easier than others for some people. I wouldn't consider dramatic rp universally low hanging fruit. For example: For me, the flighty, silly comedic character is the simplest for me to portray and sort of feels 'cheap'. I think in the end, sad stories can get a bad wrap because we've all met people who will throw out drama whenever they feel they're losing attention. But for many people, myself included, there is a cathartic sort of enjoyment in the bittersweet. It has nothing to do with how others react to it. It's purely just an undertone that enhances the past time.

[Jana]

Somewhat related to a few points on the first page of the thread, I do plan out sad stories sometimes but I never set anything in stone. I had planned to kill off my (villainous) RP character on Tera when it became obvious that FFXIV would be my new full-time place to RP, but enough of the friends and contacts she made intervened so I let her retire peacefully. I don't want to, as the OP put it, waste the efforts of those I'm RPing with, so I never let my intended conclusion be unchangable.

[Cassandra]

I adore the sadder aspects of RP, though preferably if they are the result of a slow burning developmental arc. For instance, in my early RP goings several years ago, I had a character who rose to authority via a series of manipulative schemes. Brilliant little tactician, but far too pragmatic for her own good. Said ploys resulted in the execution of her brother when they ultimately lost a war (it was a medieval setting). Despite everything she'd done up to that point, it nearly felt like a cry for the devil moment. From that point on, I got to explore her coping with the consequences her actions caused.

 

These types of plots can be incredibly rewarding with the proper commitment. The only downside is it does require a lot of said commitment, unless your tragic elements are apart of the character's backstory.

[Caspar]

For me, tragedy/dark storylines are low-hanging fruit. It comes to me naturally, but if I overindulge it loses its flavor. My dream is to make someone so emotionally invested in my writing that they cry or laugh as I intend. I want to build up to a strong, cathartic finish that people will remember, so I cannot just repeatedly throw punches at the participants and make them numb to sadness. Unfortunately, rarely have any of my rp experiences actually ended successfully, so the complete story never really comes to fruition.

 

Even when it's stuff that I didn't write, I still find myself drawn to dreary stories and drama like a fly on carrion. Just the other day, I was observing some other rpers' characters discuss a particularly toxic relationship of some infamy, and I got the old itch to watch, or even participate somehow, despite feeling like an interloper.

 

To counteract my tendency to gravitate towards depressing rp or dramatic writing, I've tried to make sure most of my impromptu or walk-up rp is neutral or comedic, rather than constantly trying to push my character's obviously unhealthy mental state/philosophy as the theme of the day. I save that for when rp focus shifts to my character naturally, either because it was planned or because people are interested in her.

 

The other thing I do is just not get immersed. I don't immerse; I like to pick apart my own stories and make fun of my characters on the side OOC, though I know that bothers people. A tragic storyline often is just this fertile ground for black comedy to me.

 

That being said, I share the trait of certain popular writers these days in that I often find that I struggle to write a happy ending, maybe even to the point of being incapable of it. Sometimes that actually bothers me a bit, to think I'm really that pessimistic. Were all the countless rps of yesteryear that ended due to scheduling, flakiness or loss of interest finished properly, I could count the number of my characters that ended their stories unequivocally happy on one hand. A grenade inspector's one hand.

I can understand certain styles of rp are easier than others for some people. I wouldn't consider dramatic rp universally low hanging fruit. For example: For me, the flighty, silly comedic character is the simplest for me to portray and sort of feels 'cheap'. I think in the end, sad stories can get a bad wrap because we've all met people who will throw out drama whenever they feel they're losing attention. But for many people, myself included, there is a cathartic sort of enjoyment in the bittersweet. It has nothing to do with how others react to it. It's purely just an undertone that enhances the past time.

The operative words in this case are "for me." I'm saying essentially that writing tragedy or depressing stories is my natural way of doing things, and anything outside of that is me diversifying or branching out. I think I enjoy a story that incorporates both comedy and tragedy. It's just some moods are easier for me personally to convey in writing than others.

 

I wish I was better at humor and making people laugh, but if I can accomplish it once in a while, I feel very proud. If I can make someone think my character is cute, that's a pretty big success in my mind. It is because I can use these things to make my more serious scenes feel unsettling that I really enjoy opportunities to express more lighthearted aspects of my character.

[C'kayah Polaali]

I do like sad (or tragic) RP. I think you can tell some really interesting stories, and having bad things happen to characters people care about can really increase the emotional impact of a story.

 

I actually really upset a good rp friend of mine because they felt helpless to change the story.

 

This doesn't only apply to sad stories: It's important that everyone participating in an RP is able to affect the story. That doesn't mean that they should be able to pop in like a rainbow pony and make everything better, but they shouldn't feel like they're helpless to change the story at all.

[Miko Shiroi]

Actually, I really like sad stories and RP plots. I feel like a character can't successfully develop if their life is always all sunshines and rainbows (not saying it's a bad thing, I just prefer to broaden the spectrum with both happy and sad things). With that being said, though... I really have to coordinate the day I RP a sad plot with my irl mood and well-being. As much as I like causing my characters turmoil, writing something really sad when I'm already down isn't good for my mental health.

 

BUT, man-oh-man, when I'm in the mood for it, a good sob is a great thing to have. Gimme those dramatic plotlines!

[Dravus]

I enjoy exploring a variety of themes during role-play. It becomes very dull and stale if every situation works out well for my character - or if they're always happy and able to sit back and relax at every turn. Having bad stuff happen can be great for character development - though only if it's done in moderation. I don't like it when 'sad' role-play is an eternal thing because too much of anything tends to just lead to boredom.

[LadyRochester]

I love tragedy. I especially enjoy it when I make myself/the reader very emotionally invested in the character, only to have them die in the most devastating way possible. It's always a plus if it crushes another RPer. I have not been able to do this with my character yet, though there is a strong build up for it. Mainly because my main rp partner isn't into tragedy (He prefers "fun" and "enjoyable" rp with no fights, etc. ) and because I haven't been able to rp enough to truly make an impact on other characters after 3.0.

[Ignacius]

My honest take on it is that sad RP is just like any RP.  Don't "aim" for an endpoint.  You pick a theme, but if you're forcing too much as the GM to get the story you want, you end up just writing a story.

 

Sad RP should be intertwined with everything else.  In my first example, it's important to note that the sad (yet foreseen) end to the storyline followed probably a year or two of RP that went every way.  Every session may have had a little sadness, humor, violence (actually a lot of violence), etc.

 

I don't necessarily do "sad RP" any more than anything else.  Just create the scene and let the emotions play around it.  If I can be said to write anything, I tend to write criminals more than anything else.  But "criminal" has meant a lot of things.  A lot of glamour, a lot of tragedy, a lot of humor.  I tend to run the theme, the emotional aspects aren't forced.  They'll show up.

[Martiallais]

Going to side with those who say to use it sparingly. It's like spicing a meal, really. Just enough to give the story flavor and pop but not so much that it drowns out everything about the character.

 

Which for some is an easy trap to fall into. I'll admit there are some characters that I have who, eventually, I would -like- to see them wander off into a happy ending (typically once I'm done playing the game or retiring the character). I admit I'm a bit of a romantic at heart (sssh my poor reputation!) so I like the idea of some characters finally getting a bit of hard fought peace at the end of the road.

 

Of course they're going to walk through hell all the way there. *insert evil laugh here*

 

The less fortunate characters usually end up horribly maimed or killed off (I tend to be pretty brutal when the story fits), I think my favorite being a Hunter character who at the end of the game session committed suicide (which resulted in teary eyes from another player), but I also had a paladin who finally married into nobility only to die, become a death knight and basically lose everything and most everyone who he'd known and cared for. It really just depends though. A lot of times for me it sort of becomes clearer as I play the character and such.

 

There's a scene from the "Gantz" manga I wish I could find that captures it well. Basically, in the midst of a terribly vicious battle a character who was up until then regarded as 'second string' at best suddenly begins to have his big heroic moment to save the day!

 

And the next panel he's smashed to bits while the text basically says 'Not everyone is meant to be a hero'.

 

By the same token, I'm kind of a softie in some ways, too? Like I'd actually LOVE to play a character who knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that they would die at X time or once Y circumstances were fulfilled. However, I am not totally sure I'd be able to go through with it and to me, stories like that need that finality to them or there's no point. /endramble

[Sig]

I love tragic roleplay but hate when it devolves into a prolonged parade of miserables.  As others have observed, it's about finding well-reasoned balance.  Letting the good times roll without the occasional tragedy can become boring.  

 

But most of all, allowing RP to organically evolve and accepting spontaneity is important, even if your character gets dragged through the mud. Until about one week ago, Sigurd had been stuck in a cycle where every time I logged on and went IC, Sigurd was thrust into highly confrontational scenes as a result of his zany personality. It was, literally, a parade of going IC to get punched in the face, stabbed, and/or threatened for several days on end.  The RP almost became depressing.  But then things started to lighten up a bit. As a result of the temporary parade of miserables, recent "happy time" RP has been so much more entertaining and satisfying. 

 

Gotta love dat dramatic, awesome RP, <3.

[Gone.]

Love tragedy. Love woobies.

 

As long as it's reasonably balanced and above all, plausible, I'm all for it. :love:

[rainichan]

The comic about "yes I'm going to do horrible things to you" is usually me, but really heavy angst is actually really, really draining. Still something I love though. That's usually something that I can plot out in my head with no issues. That and fluff. Stuff in the middle is harder for me to rp.

[Imo]

In addition to what everyone and their dog already said (use sad/tragic RP sparingly, too much and it loses its flavour), there's one thing I'd like to mention:

 

Tragic RP works best when you play with people who already know your character well. People who are attached to it, and will feel bad when something bad happens to it, instead of rolling their eyes and going "ugh another emo kid using drama for cheap sympathy". Don't drop your whole tragic baggage on someone with whom you only RPed for two short sessions before. Pacing is important.

[Diskwrite]

I love making things agonizing on my characters. ...Of course, part of that could be attributed to the character I've played for the last three or so years. She insists on making everything difficult on herself. So plotting out things that induce emotional agony in her come very easily.

 

But even for her, piling on tragedy after tragedy would get a little much.

 

I like running her through the emotional ringer so it can all pay off in a wonderful catharsis. Let it all build and build until finally, she scratches out a happy ending through her own pain and blood. That is truly satisfying to me. Not tacking on a sad conclusion at the end. (Besides, I'm pretty sure if I did all that to her and didn't give her some peace in the finale, she would rebel in my head.)

 

Not to say sad endings are bad. I love a good sad story, and the heartbreaking plots I've participated in have been great RP.

 

It's just not my preference. At least, not with this character. It doesn't fit her well, I don't think. If I played a different person on a regular basis? I might be a lot more inclined towards a tragedy ending! But this is what feels right for her, so it's what I prefer to pursue.

[Roen]

I don't shy away from sad RP. Matter of fact, if I know there is a potential scene coming up where it can possibly get emotional, a part of me gets a little excited. I love emotionally gripping scenes!

 

But! I can't have them all the time. They are like cupcakes. I need to savor them, but not too often.

 

And if a character was always sad, I think the RP would be quite taxing. I say this even knowing full well that my character currently is still grieving the loss of someone she loved, is guilt ridden over that death, and it is a daily struggle for her to not think about that.

 

But before it led to that, there were plenty of lighthearted moments, heartfelt scenes, and adventures to be had. So the tribulations have to be paced appropriately, hopefully with a compelling story that leads up to the tragedy if there is one, and when it happens, those involved should be dealing with the fallout afterwards. The consequences of the tragedy should be just as interesting if not more so than the actual event itself. Oh how I look forward to the emotional payoff.

 

I sometimes do find myself struggling a little with the pacing though. As exciting as roleplaying can be, and with many different story arcs that happen sometimes at the same time, it is easy to get swept up in all of them because it's fun and exciting! But to do so sometimes can lead to too many things happening to the character in a short span of a time, which realistically could turn anyone catatonic with PTSD. And that's no fun to RP.

 

But getting back to the point of the original post, heartache and sorrow can really be compelling to roleplay and I enjoy it, but it has to be relevant in terms of context of the story and paced. There are also very few things that are more rewarding for me than someone ELSE telling me that they were moved by a scene with my character whether they were part of it or they read about it afterwards.

[V'aleera]

Good stories are like a rollercoaster: you have your ups, your downs, and your flat and slow bits that ease you into a false sense of security.

[KHMarie]

[align=center]_{Serylda's very being is just sad if you ask me, I more or less have taken everything away from her. For me I think for anyone to really grow they have to go through tough obstacles, something I reflect off my own personal experiences onto her.}[/align]

[align=center]_{I sometimes feel the need to ask others I am RPing with if she is being too gloomy. I do enjoy some bitter RP with my characters, but not at the extent of making other people feel bad. I know how that can feel first hand in real life.}[/align]

[Paradox]

I like sad, or tragic RP. I like conflict, drama, and antagonism. I like when it's not clear who the bad guy really is, because everyone is the bad guy. Fear, anger, and loss are meaty and delicious, while warmth, gentleness and love are a nice sweet dessert. I've always been the kind of guy who likes it when the hero gets fucked up, and becomes not the hero but also not the villain because of personal fear and sadness. That said, while I love me a good tragedy, some less tragic stuff is good too. I mean, every day doesn't have to be a crisis of identity. Sad RP is an ongoing thing. Someone who is sad because of an event or loss will still be so as time goes on, but how they cope with it is also part of the fun. Will they fall into a black pit and never return? Will they dig their way up til their nails are blooded with scars to show for it on the inside? Will they bounce back carrying the burden but be optimistic about the future? So many choices. That's what makes it fun. So come at me, Sadbro.

[Dis]

I actually enjoy sad RP, because it tends to bring my own mood down, and the more depressed I am, the better I write.  Which is kind of a bad thing, but also a good thing.  It's complicated.  That's really the only way I know how to say it.  It's complicated.

 

But either way, I enjoy seeing the dramatic scenarios that can be drawn out during sad role-play.  Like Ark and others, I like watching the way it can impact a character, change the way they view the world, and the way it manipulates and sometimes twists their worldview.

 

There's a time to be light-hearted and fair, but the sadness, the drama, the conflict, the tragedy, the antagonism.  These things are part of real life, and I find including them in my RP tends to make my characters feel more 'real'.  Even my most light-hearted character, Liviana, has a bit of tragedy in her backstory with the loss of her brother and father during the Calamity.