In Retrospect...

[Aleister Black]

I'd like to see what our current active (and inactive) RPers have experienced on this forum so far. I'm also interested to see if there are any common denominators among RPers and their preferences. I am aware that the RP section isn't as active as it could be, but perhaps we'll be able to remedy that, in time.




What has been, in your opinion, the best Roleplay on RSF so far?

What do you think made it that good?

Do you reckon this would translate to other Roleplays?

What has been, in your opinion, the most successful Roleplay on RSF so far? (yes, there is a difference)

What do you think made it that good?

Do you reckon this would translate to other Roleplays?

Do you prefer small or large Roleplays?

Is there a certain kind of Roleplay you prefer? Why?

What kind of changes, if any, would you like to see in the RSF Roleplay section?

Did you used to Roleplay on RSF and did you stop? If so, why did you stop?

Have you ever participated in the RPC? Why (not)?



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I'll go on and answer these right away.

What has been, in your opinion, the best Roleplay on RSF so far?
To be quite honest, I'm not sure if I can really answer this question (yes, I know I'm setting a bad example). There have been a few RPs on RSF that I really loved and still do. The New Age, the Asylum, Dragon-Bane; they all deserve to be mentioned and they are all awesome enough to stand out among any crowd. (also, I should read Peter and the Wolf, I'm sure it'll blow me away!) While I do not want to under-praise the other RPs, the Derandel Knight in me chooses Dragon-Bane. While it is true it has only gotten to page 2 (so far! *crosses fingers*), I think it is worth its virtual weight in gold.

What do you think made it that good?
The sheer amount of background crafted for this world by all concerned is simply phenomenal. I cannot praise my fellow knights enough. The only reason that I wouldn't recommend this amount of planning and background-crafting for ALL RPs, is that it would leave everyone too drained to actually post... which might be what has happened to Dragon-Bane...

Do you reckon this would translate to other Roleplays?
Yes, although I recommend the amount of background-crafting to be lower. A good background can be very important for an RP (not absolutely necessary, but a good, well-thought out background can attract many people) and good planning is a good plan (c wut i did thar?) for any RP.

What has been, in your opinion, the most successful Roleplay on RSF so far? (yes, there is a difference)
I think that, even though Final Fantasy Another Way and The Dragonball Z RPs both have three times as many pages (16 and 14 respectively), the original Centra Crisis RP is the most successful RP we have had on RSF so far. While the first two had, as far as I'm aware, no more than three participants at any given time and most posts were about 5-10 lines long, the Centra Crisis RP had as many as six participants (and 14 characters!) and many of its posts were very long and elaborate, and, on the whole, very good. Its success is proven by the fact that it is being resurrected at the moment.

What do you think made it that successful?
I think the main reason for its success is the fact it had both quality and quantity. The posts were usually quite good and the RP generally didn't drag on. I think it had a great mix of activity and quality. The participants were its most important lifeblood I think, plus the fact that (nearly) everyone knows the story since it's set to a familiar world (FF VIII).

Do you reckon this would translate to other Roleplays?
As long as the posters maintain that same balance of quality and activity, any RP could do well. When the Centra Crisis RP started, there was almost no background; that was all created later. It shows that it is not background that gets an RP going, it's the participants who do that. Of course this translates to other RPs; it's what RPs run on.

Do you prefer small or large Roleplays?
While I'm a sucker for RPs like Kendra's large, ambitious projects (and will never pass up the chance to participate in one), I usually prefer smaller RPs, since it is easier to keep track of everything and to contact other players about things without getting lost in who's who. In smaller RPs, there's a better chance of everyone getting involved.

Is there a certain kind of Roleplay you prefer? Why?
I like more or less everything as long as there's a blend of gritty realism and insane dementia present. You will not often catch me playing a noble magic-wielding knight without anything to balance it out a little. I don't really care about genres although generally certain kinds of fantasy don't attract me and I don't like science fiction either. At least, the 'phaser' kind. Lightsabers are only just bearable in Star Wars; I don't want to RP with them.

What kind of changes, if any, would you like to see in the RSF Roleplay section?
More activity! I want a more thriving community with multiple RPs being played every day. But it's up to YOU to make that happen!

Did you used to Roleplay on RSF and did you stop? If so, why did you stop?
I still RP on here; never stopped. At most, I took a short break when RPs died (after they died, obviously) but I never felt I 'stopped'.

Have you ever participated in the RPC? Why (not)?
Yes, I have. I like to write stuff, and while I'm not really competitive, I;m just really interested in what other people will do. Granted, I have not often participated (usually only when I had a good idea or when it was absolutely necessary because there was only one entry) but when I did, I liked doing it. Writing creatively within certain restrictions is really rather interesting. I really hope more of you will try it (again)!

Why do you like RPing at all, anyway?
I really like writing. However, I don't have the creativity/determination/perseverence/stamina to write an entire story or book. I find I just don't get stimulated enough when I try to write my own things, on my own. The first time I entered an RP, a world opened to me. Suddenly, writing didn't get old anymore. Interaction with other people kept the story fresh and, above all, unexpected. Sure, you can make long-term plans, and I absolutely love trying to predict what other players will do and how the story will go, but an RP is, essentially, unpredictable and this is what turns me on about them.

[Doaj]

What has been, in your opinion, the best Roleplay on RSF so far?
The best one, for me so far, was probably The New Age. I love playing that RP because I feel like the people that join it are quite creative. It was chock full of some of the best RPers around, and watching everyone flee for their lives was a great experience.

What do you think made it that good?
Definitely the players involved. Also, not to be arrogant (), but I think the amount of depth there was to it really helped those who were involved feel more connected to it.

Do you reckon this would translate to other Roleplays?
Having a great cast of RPers and a detailed Sign-up definitely can't hurt.

What has been, in your opinion, the most successful Roleplay on RSF so far? (yes, there is a difference)
Now, that is easily Centra Crisis, the first one. Hopefully this one will not just match it, but exceed it. I don't expect it, because it's hard to beat the top, but it would definitely be nice. Sins and Virtues did quite well, too.

What do you think made it that good?
No clue. Just fun material, a lot of room for every member to make changes to what can and cannot happen. Nobody had a real vision with how it was supposed to turn out, nobody could say, "That isn't possible." Or, "No that isn't how that works." Simply because it was a fresh idea and those limitations hadn't been set. I think the material of Sins and Virtues was enough to give it what it needed to be successful. I don't think it's a theme that many have used.

Do you reckon this would translate to other Roleplays?
Most definitely. If we could get out an RP with as much detail as Sins and Virtues, with as much room for change as Centra Crisis, then I think we could have a masterpiece. In fact, maybe when there's less on my plate, I'll try my hand at it.

Do you prefer small or large Roleplays?
Totally depends. I prefer to be in just one, maybe two RPs if one of them is large. 7 or 8+ members, probably. If less then I'm good with joining probably three of four RPs, as I have before. My preference is the large, because I feel like smaller RPs aren't as inspiring for me. I'm less likely to put my all into it, and I don't like not putting my all into any RP.

Is there a certain kind of Roleplay you prefer? Why?
Definitely original RPs. At this point, I kind of want to drop everything I have just so that I can bring in something big, but I'm completely fine with playing them until everyone else is done and ready to move on. I just can't be the guy who calls it quits. =P I don't have specifics, but the more effort put into it, the more likely I am to join it. Realism is great, and gets me more interested. I have joined RPs simply because of who is involved though.

What kind of changes, if any, would you like to see in the RSF Roleplay section?
Actually, I'm quite fond of how it's organized after our redesign. Visually, I don't think it needs any work. I'd like to see more people willing to try their hand at role-playing, maybe with a small section for teacher/student works. We would end up with a surplus of teachers and no students though, I'm sure. In the end, the most important change would be more activity.

Did you used to Roleplay on RSF and did you stop? If so, why did you stop?
I have always role-played, but I did take a somewhat brief hiatus, that lasted a few months. But I've been back for a while now, and I'm here to stay. I stopped because I felt like everything I was involved with was just in the way, and because there were RPers around that really got on my nerves.

Have you ever participated in the RPC? Why (not)?
I participated in two? I'd like to participate in more, but the time is hard to find. Been making progress though.

[Aleister Black]

So, no one else has had any RPing experiences on RSF? Let your voice be heard and post here!

[Contra Fates]

What has been, in your opinion, the best Roleplay on RSF so far?
I also can't really answer this well. I'd probably say that Dragon-Bane was one of the most impressive RPs on here, just because of how massive it was. The FFVIII RP also seems to be a great one because of how popular it is. Personally, I really enjoyed the Sins & Virtues RP, despite it being a bit short lived. [Probably my fault. =(] I really liked the Asylum RP as well, just because it was entirely up my alley. Dark, twisted, and it even got one of my characters referenced a few times!

What do you think made it that good?
Despite being a bit vague, I answered this in the first question. I do wish I was a bit more involved in the RP section, and I'll probably look through the RPs more often, even if I'm not participating in them.

Do you reckon this would translate to other Roleplays?
I'd definitely say so. Every RP on RSF that I've seen has been great for one reason or another.

What has been, in your opinion, the most successful Roleplay on RSF so far? (yes, there is a difference)
I'd say it probably has to be any of the FF RPs, primarily because of their popularity. Other RPs may have been more original and had some incredibly diverse and well-written characters, but from purely a numbers perspective...the FF RPs were very successful.

What do you think made it that good?
The subject matter. Almost everyone on this forum is or was a fan of Final Fantasy, so that helps to instantly grab people's attention. It's also a lot easier, and sometimes even more enjoyable, to play in a world you're already familiar with. Because players can relate to the FF worlds, it makes RPing in them perhaps a little more attractive than in a completely foreign land.

Do you reckon this would translate to other Roleplays?
I believe it could, but I don't want to sit here and say that RPs can only be successful if they're based on a popular fandom. So, I think that good promotion of an RP, and an idea, itself, that interests dedicated players, is all that's needed to put together a successful RP.

Do you prefer small or large Roleplays?
Now all I do is RP in private RPs, mainly because my schedule makes participating in group RPs nearly impossible. But when I did do group RPs, or if I do in the future...the bigger the better!

Is there a certain kind of Roleplay you prefer? Why?
I'm a sucker for anything that is dark and twisted, so the more wicked the better. Dystopian settings tend to grab my attention, as to slightly futuristic storylines.

What kind of changes, if any, would you like to see in the RSF Roleplay section?
I think I'd just like to see more RP-related discussion. I love RPing, and I love talking about RPing. I'd like to see more character bios from players as well, as there are tons of great characters that have been created for RPs on RSF, and they should be showcased!

Did you used to Roleplay on RSF and did you stop? If so, why did you stop?
Yes, and I had to stop because I wasn't able to keep up. I'd post a few times, and I'd become too bogged down by work and school, and I'd feel that what should be a hobby was just stressing me out - especially if there were a lot of long posts to catch up on. It's not so much that it was too much work to do it...but because I was busy, I just wouldn't be as creative or motivated as I'd have liked to be, so, I'd have to drop from the RP.

Have you ever participated in the RPC? Why (not)?
I have, and I actually quite enjoyed it, I even won for the one time that I entered! I should really enter it again sometime, now that you mention it. Not because I won the time I did it, but because it was fun!