2010-02-06 [another brick in the wall]: I don't RP, but I do see these occurances EVERY time I skim through RP pages. The thing I must say though is I think this little rant is more childish than what its ranting about. Seriously, making a character just to beat the norm is not true originatly, since you're still basing your character after the norm only in this instance just doing the opposite. just so you know, 'counter-culture' is just as dependent on the culture as the conformists, you just do whatever the norm tells you not to. that's blatently childish in my eyes. to be original isn't to be different, but to be your creation. do whatever the hell you want. If people like RPing with 18 year old white boys, who the hell are you to tell them not to?

2010-02-06 [another brick in the wall]: And also, you fail to realize that to some people RPing is more that just a pastime and place to be 'original'. There are deeper motives for many people to RP, that I've noticed, then just to be creative. You criticize people that use orphaned characters or ones that have no contact with their parents. I will admit, I've noticed this trait in just about every single RP I've been to, but from being friends with a few of the players behind the characters, I've noticed that nearly all of them themselves have unhealthy relationships with their parents. If you know anything about Psychology, this is obviously a way to express and vent their home life. The best character is not the one that is original but the one that the player can virtually connect with and thus give him a believable personality. You yourself are not a 40 year old married man, so you are less likely to know how exactly a character as such would react to events in the RP. It is best to have a character you can relate with, not one was is just unique. 

some people have a little deeper reasons behind their character than just for the sake of being original.

2010-02-07 [kay-chan]: They can vent, dude. But honestly? 90% of the people I RP with who make orphaned kids had mostly an angsty teenager-hood. 'My parents don't UNDERSTAND me.' Write what you know until you get the experience. Plus, the other things... what deep psychological hangup do people have to be half-Japanese with green hair and striking blue eyes? Challenge yourself, make an interesting character who has a personality not based off their good looks.

And who's telling people to not RP what they want? It's a plea, not a demand. You're *telling* us to not have an opinion, we're *asking* for people to try and create more originality in their character so it's not the same RP 20 times.

2010-02-07 [NOOOPE]: What kay said. When everyone is EXACTLY THE SAME, I have a right to wish that people shake it up a bit for the sake of expanding their imaginations. I mean, is there really merit in creating what you already know? Why not tackle a character completely different from you, analyze them, and come back with a stack of new perspectives and insights? Creation should enlighten you, should push you to a higher level of awesome. Sticking to cliches because that's all you know is in no way creative or mind expanding. I'd like people to actually use their brains in rps. I'm not asking them to be different for the soul sake of being different, but to expand their way of thinking and explore new scenarios and lifestyles totally different from their own. I want people to be truly creative. Now, if they'd rather rp horny hot 20 somethings and play out their very predictable fantasies, well, that's what rping is to some people. But for me, and others, it's about entering an entirely new world with entirely new eyes. It's an intellectual business. Me, and others, would like to see more of that, and are challenging the mary-sues and anime hotties out there to give true creativity a shot and step out of their boundaries.

FIN.

(Which is basically what kay said in a hundred less words)

Plus, thanks for calling me childish. I looove it when self righteous random internet peeps swoop in and insult me for expressing my hard to swallow opinions. The internet is serious business, after all.

2010-02-07 [another brick in the wall]: so you can insult all these 'cliche' people, and admit to it, but when somebody insults you, oh no he's a douche bag?

I'm not looking for an argument, I don't plan to say here long, I'm not saying cliche is cool, I'm only trying to state that there are sometimes deeper underlying reasons for people to make a character than simply to be original. that's it.

2010-02-07 [NOOOPE]: Yeah I never called you a douche bag. As for deep underlying reasons to make the same cliche over and over again... makes me think the underlying reasons aren't so "deep". Nearly laughable, like the example Kay gave.

2010-02-07 [Nocturnaliss]: Actually, M, I think you're being too stereotyping. From a psychological point of view, and having been one of those cliché-ers myself, I can tell you it can in fact have deeper underlying reasons that an RP can bring out for you to deal with.

Saying they're nearly laughable without really knowing what you're saying is insulting to those people who have a real issue to work with.

2010-02-07 [Rice]: She's only saying the one's who use the same cliche over and over again are laughable. Not in general 8/

2010-02-07 [Aeolynn]: We've all been cliche rpers, that's how we all start. It's the ones that do not learn and keep repeating their behavior are the ones that need to change. Now I'm not sure if this is right, because Robin Williams said it in his new show, that the definition of crazy are those who repeat actions expecting a different outcome.

They must be crazy XD and often times crazy people are funny, aka, laughable!

2010-02-07 [Aeolynn]: And you missed the point brick, that this is a plea, and your comment was a demand.

2010-02-07 [Rice]: Nicely put Aeolynn 8D

2010-02-07 [Aeolynn]: *bows* thank you :]

2010-02-07 [Rice]: Plus this is her opinion, which if I remember correctly everyone is entitled too. She is simply trying to create a wiki to help people understand role-playing a little better. Everyone is a newbie at one point and I think wiki's like this really do help people understand how to develope their character's and not stick to a single 'type' or 'cliche'. And even how to RP and not annoy other people, especially when it comes to people going crazy and posting while other characters are away :D

2010-02-08 [Aeolynn]: I'm a little bothered at how Brick went about saying his things... for one to say they live by "love and peace" his first comment was rather accusing.

"-this little rant is more childish than what its ranting about" and "that's blatently childish in my eyes," Is rather judgmental, and not a peaceful move. Brick, I really think you're missing the message behind this page... Yes people are entitled to do what they want, yet your demand is stating the opposite, of saying that M's opinion is childish, when she is just saying those that basically create the same character over and over are childish. The only difference between her's and yours is that her's is a plea, and yours just sounds judgmental and demanding. Like Reaver said, we are all entitled to our opinions. If we support M's, that is our business. And the fact that you don't agree is yours, but next time be more polite about it.

Okay? Love and Peace!

2010-02-08 [Rice]: XD I know..it's a littke 'you're idea is STUPID AND WRONG D8<' isn't it.

2010-02-08 [another brick in the wall]: I apologize. I see your point and I repent my words as much as possible. It's just I got a little worked up when I saw this wiki. It wasn't the overall thing that got me, I honestly wouldn't have cared much if only I hadn't have glimpsed the line concerning orphaned or runaway characters, because though I completely admit I see that trait used in virtually every single RP I've ever been to, but because I have had the pleasure friendship with a handful of the people with characters like that, and have noticed that nearly all of them themselves are or were going through rough relationships at home, so I got the realization that RPing is for many a way to express emotions and stress and can work as theropy. So when I saw this wiki critizing people like that, it kinda hit a raw nerve.

I should have swallowed my emotions and made my complain a bit more rational. I apologize.

2010-02-08 [Xerin Zamaki]: I don't really have anything to add or say, but I do agree with this wiki and I'm proud to say I live by it ^,^

2010-02-08 [kay-chan]: I appreciate an attempt to keep debate civil. I do like rational debate, but I am human and get defensive.

2010-02-09 [Aeolynn]: What Kay said. :3

2011-04-27 [Veltzeh]: Heh, I sort of felt like bragging about my original characters, but I realised years ago that many of them were quite clichéd, just not the way they usually are, which is why it took a long time for me to notice the problem.

A problem with making an original character that isn't a copy or fantasy of the player's person is that it requires a lot of research (of an unfamiliar culture, for example). I don't know what amount of research is enough for sufficient believability. :o

2011-10-25 [Mortified Penguin]: The only reason all of my characters are young, thin, toned, super intelligent, sexually appealing bachelors is because I model them after myself. And when I'm playing a roleplaying game, there's nobody I'd rather be than myself, because I'm the most fascinating character I know. You would rather I play a bald, 55-year-old, 600 pound, lesbian, black chick in a wheel chair missing an arm that smokes, has diabetes, has 12 kids, is on welfare, and is illiterate? It's original, sure, but roleplaying isn't about who can be the most original, it's about living your life as someone who you'd rather be (as opposed to the fat neckbeard living in your parents' basement that you currently are).