Roleplay Pet Peeves

[Arctique]

Bit of a lighter pet peeve here that's honestly 90% of the time just more amusing than actually annoying when it happens, but:

People giving IC reactions to what is clearly just some OOC goofing off.

What I mean by this is typically something like, when just bumming around somewhere like Pocket D with some friends but not actively RPing, just exchanging dumb OOC banter and/or goofing around with emotes (for example, one friend flopped on the floor with /e collapse or /e swoon, and others doing the jackhammer or shovel emotes on top of them), usually a bit out of the way from the actual busy RP areas. Typically stuff that's pretty easy to tell at a glance isn't remotely in character for anyone.

Then somebody just wandering past it stops, takes one look at the clearly OOC buffoonery, and reacts to it completely IC. Typically ends up being their character reacting with confusion at what they're seeing, or dropping some snarky comment about it in passing.

Again, it usually ends up being amusing and harmless rather than legitimately irritating in any way. Usually a simple response of "Don't mind us, we're just goofing around not in character" is enough for anyone making those passing IC reactions to understand and laugh along with the goofing. It just tends to also leave you just wondering "in what possible context would this interaction make sense from an in character perspective" and that can end up painting some funny pictures.

[Darmian]

1 minute ago, Arctique said:

Bit of a lighter pet peeve here that's honestly 90% of the time just more amusing than actually annoying when it happens, but:

People giving IC reactions to what is clearly just some OOC goofing off.

What I mean by this is typically something like, when just bumming around somewhere like Pocket D with some friends but not actively RPing, just exchanging dumb OOC banter and/or goofing around with emotes (for example, one friend flopped on the floor with /e collapse or /e swoon, and others doing the jackhammer or shovel emotes on top of them), usually a bit out of the way from the actual busy RP areas. Typically stuff that's pretty easy to tell at a glance isn't remotely in character for anyone.

Then somebody just wandering past it stops, takes one look at the clearly OOC buffoonery, and reacts to it completely IC. Typically ends up being their character reacting with confusion at what they're seeing, or dropping some snarky comment about it in passing.

Again, it usually ends up being amusing and harmless rather than legitimately irritating in any way. Usually a simple response of "Don't mind us, we're just goofing around not in character" is enough for anyone making those passing IC reactions to understand and laugh along with the goofing. It just tends to also leave you just wondering "in what possible context would this interaction make sense from an in character perspective" and that can end up painting some funny pictures.

Just run from them screaming, "ARGH! The gas! It burns!"

 

Or not?

[Tigraine]

On ‎2‎/‎27‎/‎2021 at 2:12 AM, jkwak said:

if you dont want to interact with specific characters its up to you, but reflecting the interaction with one character on the player behind it is just bullshit.

You cant just judge someone because of one character.

 

While generally good advice, not just in game but in real life, I cannot count the number of times I've encountered someone playing a catgirl or some other animal-themed character who OOCly wants to tell me about their "fursona," or the characters whose "superhero" costume looks like a dominatrix OOCly discussing their RL BDSM preferences...  It happens often enough to set expectations/precedent that certain types of characters will reflect RL personalities.

 

On ‎2‎/‎26‎/‎2021 at 11:21 PM, TheCorvus said:

Wait...wait...wait...

 

Flying and super-strength are not natural for Kryptonians. It's only after being under the effects of....

 

...

 

meh..nevermind.

So, would that make him Science origin then? 

I don't know; it seems his powers are still a product of his species' natural characteristics, even if triggered by being in a different environment.  I naturally have the ability to leap high into the air and cover great distances - if I'm on the moon.  What makes it natural is that every other human (who has grown up on Earth and developed muscles under Earth's gravity) has the same ability.

[TheCorvus]

12 hours ago, jkwak said:

thats not the point,

my point is that putting someone on /gignore, like some people in the forum stated they do, without telling them OOC "hey i dont want to play with your character leave me alone" is just not the way to go in my opinion and i think i m not only asking for my self if i ask you to do this befor putting someone on /gignore i bet most people who play such a character would be understanding and will leave you alone.

 

Which are you more interested in? Being "right" or having people want to play with you?

 

It would seem pretty obvious that specific character is proving to be a problem getting others to want to associate with it. Are you going to expect everyone else to change their behavior to match what you want? Or are you going to change yours to fit in better with the people around you?

[Andreah]

If a person chooses to play a thoroughly unpleasant character, one should not be surprised if others don't want to interact. No matter how technically correct, true to the characterization, or cleverly played, that kind of character is going to have limited appeal, especially to those who don't know the player OOC'ly very well, or at all.

 

And I could see and understand if some of those people who don't want to interact just go straight for the global ignore, to cut their losses, so to speak.

 

 

[Andreah]

17 hours ago, Arctique said:

People giving IC reactions to what is clearly just some OOC goofing off

I think most players can tell, situationally, whether things happening are IC or OOC. When not, it's easy to ask: "((Hey, are you all in character?))". And if someone coomes up to a group I'm in when we're messing around OOC'ly, I might drop a "We're OOC here : )" with the smiley into local chat. If after that they insist on being in-character, okaay, whatever floats, but it does seem to be pointless to RP into OOC stuff.

[Haijinx]

21 hours ago, jkwak said:

thats not the point,

my point is that putting someone on /gignore, like some people in the forum stated they do, without telling them OOC "hey i dont want to play with your character leave me alone" is just not the way to go in my opinion and i think i m not only asking for my self if i ask you to do this befor putting someone on /gignore i bet most people who play such a character would be understanding and will leave you alone.

 

As a clarification

 

I have never put anyone in COH in either incarnation on global ignore. 

 

I only meant ignore them in the traditional sense.  Not RP with them playing as Wolverine's step sister.   I'd still work with them OOC on the mission of course.  

[Coyotedancer]

On 3/2/2021 at 6:30 PM, jkwak said:

thats not the point,

my point is that putting someone on /gignore, like some people in the forum stated they do, without telling them OOC "hey i dont want to play with your character leave me alone" is just not the way to go in my opinion and i think i m not only asking for my self if i ask you to do this befor putting someone on /gignore i bet most people who play such a character would be understanding and will leave you alone.

 

 

Why is it everyone else's responsibility to mollify the person who decided to roleplay an asshole?

[America's Angel]

I've noticed the people who like RPing assholes don't like it when you RP someone who doesn't want to talk to assholes.

 

Apparently "hey it's just RP" doesn't apply when you do it back to them. Funny that.

Edited March 8, 2021 by America's Angel

[TheCorvus]

2 hours ago, Coyotedancer said:

 

Why is it everyone else's responsibility to mollify the person who decided to roleplay an asshole?

Essentially the point I was making as well.

 

Whether it's morally correct or not, if a character is an asshole, it's not unreasonable to be reacted to as one.

[Seed22]

On 3/2/2021 at 2:49 PM, Haijinx said:

I don't think being a Kryptonian is specially not allowed.  But being Superman, Supergirl, PowerGirl, General Zod, Krypto   those are all out.  

This. While I’m no hardcore RPer, even seeing these makes me sad. A whole game of creativity, and then you literal have clones passed as «Homages» like these. For those who do this, do you, but still, doing this and claiming to be creative is well...contradictory. My other issue thats made me a bit reluctant is the abundance of JLA/Avengers SGs. Mostly because A.) there is not enough vill RPSGs that would even act as the antithesis to these (there are not enough vill SGs period but thats another matter), and B.) I tend to assume that these SG’s will cross the line into direct ripoff territory during their arcs. Never been in one but it’s always a thought in the back of mind. 
 

[TheCorvus]

1 minute ago, Seed22 said:

This. While I’m no hardcore RPer, even seeing these makes me sad. A whole game of creativity, and then you literal have clones passed as «Homages» like these. For those who do this, do you, but still, doing this and claiming to be creative is well...contradictory. My other issue thats made me a bit reluctant is the abundance of JLA/Avengers SGs. Mostly because A.) there is not enough vill RPSGs that would even act as the antithesis to these (there are not enough vill SGs period but thats another matter), and B.) I tend to assume that these SG’s will cross the line into direct ripoff territory during their arcs. Never been in one but it’s always a thought in the back of mind. 
 

People interested in doing something like that could look at the Amalgam series of comics Marvel & DC put out after the Marvel vs DC series. Clever mashups are an art form in and of themselves.

[TheCorvus]

On 3/3/2021 at 7:09 AM, Tigraine said:

So, would that make him Science origin then? 

I don't know; it seems his powers are still a product of his species' natural characteristics, even if triggered by being in a different environment.  I naturally have the ability to leap high into the air and cover great distances - if I'm on the moon.  What makes it natural is that every other human (who has grown up on Earth and developed muscles under Earth's gravity) has the same ability.

The moon isn't your natural environment.

[Haijinx]

40 minutes ago, Seed22 said:

This. While I’m no hardcore RPer, even seeing these makes me sad. A whole game of creativity, and then you literal have clones passed as «Homages» like these. For those who do this, do you, but still, doing this and claiming to be creative is well...contradictory. My other issue thats made me a bit reluctant is the abundance of JLA/Avengers SGs. Mostly because A.) there is not enough vill RPSGs that would even act as the antithesis to these (there are not enough vill SGs period but thats another matter), and B.) I tend to assume that these SG’s will cross the line into direct ripoff territory during their arcs. Never been in one but it’s always a thought in the back of mind. 
 

Pretty much.

 

It'd be different if playing on the DC universe MMO, if there is a RP community there at all. 

 

In that one my character was sort of attached to the Bat family/Birds of prey at least in my Single Player RP head cannon  

 

But its City of Heroes you already have Expies of all that stuff.   Why play a JLA SG?  Why not the Freedom Phalanx Reserve?  There's even an accolade. 

[Alchemystic]

1 hour ago, Seed22 said:

This. While I’m no hardcore RPer, even seeing these makes me sad. A whole game of creativity, and then you literal have clones passed as «Homages» like these. For those who do this, do you, but still, doing this and claiming to be creative is well...contradictory. My other issue thats made me a bit reluctant is the abundance of JLA/Avengers SGs. Mostly because A.) there is not enough vill RPSGs that would even act as the antithesis to these (there are not enough vill SGs period but thats another matter), and B.) I tend to assume that these SG’s will cross the line into direct ripoff territory during their arcs. Never been in one but it’s always a thought in the back of mind. 

Yeah, and it always ends up revolving around whoever plays the Superman of the group...

 

Edited March 8, 2021 by Tyrannical

[Starforge]

2 hours ago, Seed22 said:

My other issue thats made me a bit reluctant is the abundance of JLA/Avengers SGs.

While I happen to run a RPSG that is inspired by those two groups, most that I see advertised (at least when I’m in game) are for more specialized groups like an all magic group as a quick example.

 

And even of the groups that fashion themselves like a JLA/Avengers type group which I am aware of it seems they all tend to be a bit different. While they all focus on costumed heroes, there are variances such as targeted age groups or experience levels for members as well as if they’re focused in Paragon specifically fighting in-game enemy groups or if they branch out and make their own custom enemies.

[Haijinx]

5 hours ago, Tyrannical said:

Yeah, and it always ends up revolving around whoever plays the Superman of the group...

 

Yuck

[TheCorvus]

6 hours ago, Haijinx said:

Pretty much.

 

It'd be different if playing on the DC universe MMO, if there is a RP community there at all. 

 

In that one my character was sort of attached to the Bat family/Birds of prey at least in my Single Player RP head cannon  

 

But its City of Heroes you already have Expies of all that stuff.   Why play a JLA SG?  Why not the Freedom Phalanx Reserve?  There's even an accolade. 

I have never seen an incident of RP in DCUO.

[Grindingsucks]

8 hours ago, Haijinx said:

Pretty much.

 

It'd be different if playing on the DC universe MMO, if there is a RP community there at all. 

 

In that one my character was sort of attached to the Bat family/Birds of prey at least in my Single Player RP head cannon  

 

But its City of Heroes you already have Expies of all that stuff.   Why play a JLA SG?  Why not the Freedom Phalanx Reserve?  There's even an accolade. 

There are a lot of player SG's that are DC/Marvel inspired homages to X-men, JLA/JSA, and Avengers, yes.  You could also create a group that's a Freedom Phalanx Reserve, as you suggested.  Either one is applicable and fitting to the game genre and setting and both could be very fun, IMO.

 

Of course, Freedom Phalanx (and all the other super teams inherent to the setting) are also simply homages to the JLA, Teen Titans, etc.  So, there really is no appreciable difference.

[Haijinx]

1 hour ago, Grindingsucks said:

There are a lot of player SG's that are DC/Marvel inspired homages to X-men, JLA/JSA, and Avengers, yes.  You could also create a group that's a Freedom Phalanx Reserve, as you suggested.  Either one is applicable and fitting to the game genre and setting and both could be very fun, IMO.

 

Of course, Freedom Phalanx (and all the other super teams inherent to the setting) are also simply homages to the JLA, Teen Titans, etc.  So, there really is no appreciable difference.

This is a pet peave thread though.

 

You don't really decide my pet peaves, that's kind of the point.  They are just my opinion.

 

I personally do not like mixing Lore of multiple universes like that.  To me it makes no sense that Superman and Statesman co-exist.  NONE.  

 

So yes, in my opinion only.  All those player SGs are wrong.  LOL.   

[Starforge]

50 minutes ago, Haijinx said:

This is a pet peave thread though.

 

You don't really decide my pet peaves, that's kind of the point.  They are just my opinion.

 

I personally do not like mixing Lore of multiple universes like that.  To me it makes no sense that Superman and Statesman co-exist.  NONE.  

 

So yes, in my opinion only.  All those player SGs are wrong.  LOL.   

Are there actual Justice League/Avengers SGs where people are playing as those heroes? The pet peeve about JLA/Avengers SGs I took to mean costumed superheroes in the vein of those types groups. If people are actually RPing as those DC/Marvel characters then that's a different story entirely.

[Grindingsucks]

@Haijinx Ah, I think we're thinking of two different things here and that I may have misunderstood your initial comments.  

 

If I understand you correctly, you mean players that make literal groups called the justice league and X-men (with a direct cyclops, wolverine, storm, gambit clone, and so on). 

 

I don't know of any SG's that actually do that.  Global Defense Force, for example, is a JLA-like team with a space station base like the Leagues Watchtower, just as the Freedom Phalanx is a JLA-like team with a ground based HQ, like the Leagues Hall of Justice. 

 

Evolution X is a school for mutants and other super-powered students and their instructors as an analog to Xaviers school for gifted youngsters.  Just as The Shining Stars are a group of fresh, young heroes, much like DC's teen titans or Young Justice.

 

And of course many players play lone vigilantes- analogs to DC's Batman or Green Arrow, just as Manticore and Blue Steel are analogs to the same.

 

The members of those teams are mostly very different from the teams that inspired them, though (yes, I am sure there are also some that are analogs- it's a bit hard to come up with truly unique concepts, where super heroes are concerned).

 

I didn't mean to imply that your opinion was wrong, in any case.  It's certainly as relevant as mine or anyone else, of course.

Edited March 9, 2021 by Grindingsucks

[Alchemystic]

I've never seen anyone play actual characters from existing franchises (in RP anyway), but I've seen plenty of examples of people playing off-brand knock-offs of characters like Superman or Batman and not even trying to distance themselves from the IP.

 

CoH has a wealth of possibilities when it comes to characters, so it's a bit uncanny when you see 'The Jokester' in your RP team and you have to play along with it...

 

Now... a whole supergroup of people like that? Yeah, that sounds pretty dire...

 

 

[Haijinx]

6 hours ago, Grindingsucks said:

@Haijinx Ah, I think we're thinking of two different things here and that I may have misunderstood your initial comments.  

 

If I understand you correctly, you mean players that make literal groups called the justice league and X-men (with a direct cyclops, wolverine, storm, gambit clone, and so on). 

 

I don't know of any SG's that actually do that.  Global Defense Force, for example, is a JLA-like team with a space station base like the Leagues Watchtower, just as the Freedom Phalanx is a JLA-like team with a ground based HQ, like the Leagues Hall of Justice. 

 

Evolution X is a school for mutants and other super-powered students and their instructors as an analog to Xaviers school for gifted youngsters.  Just as The Shining Stars are a group of fresh, young heroes, much like DC's teen titans or Young Justice.

 

And of course many players play lone vigilantes- analogs to DC's Batman or Green Arrow, just as Manticore and Blue Steel are analogs to the same.

 

The members of those teams are mostly very different from the teams that inspired them, though (yes, I am sure there are also some that are analogs- it's a bit hard to come up with truly unique concepts, where super heroes are concerned).

 

I didn't mean to imply that your opinion was wrong, in any case.  It's certainly as relevant as mine or anyone else, of course.

Yeah you are going to have a hard time avoiding characters who seem inspired by X character tbh, since marvel and dc have been so prolific. 

 

And the Freedom Phalanx itself seems inspired by the JLA, so there is that.  

 

So Expies will happen.  I guess hopefully clever ones.  

 

So a Lantern Corps SG would bother me. 

 

A interstellar group of watchers imbued with powers by a group of ancient aliens that all wear the same color costume would bother me less, especially if they took effort to change things.

 

A group of Kheldians that serve as a group of watchers on earth and nearby planets would probably be my preferred choice.  Since lorewise that's what Kheldian Peacebringers are   

[TheCorvus]

What do you guys think about character mashups?

 

I have a Superman/Captain America mashup. He's not named Steve or Clark. The words "Kryptonian" and "Super Soldier Serum" have nothing to do with him. He's not even Causasian.

 

That said, he's very strongly influenced by Superman and Captain America (or Statesman and Blue Steel) in terms of costume and powers.

 

Does that pass the smell test, or too copy-cat?