TMI in Character Bios

[blue4333]

Why are there so many bios that make mention of the character's bodily proportions???

 

Is this something we should be aware about and why does it matter in RP???

[Veloice]

I think it's fine to a certain degree, to sort of point out things the model can't convey (i.e.: weight and so on). I think language also matters ("is quite heavyset" vs "is mega thicc"), but more and more I see 'dumptruck' rears, or mentions of certain anatomy being visible through clothing. I also see a lot of links to NSFW imgur albums these days. At least those are reportable.

 

I assume they just want to attract a certain type of roleplay. Pocket D gets quite a few brazen 'I'm here for ERP and ERP only' characters. I don't know if this is a new thing or not - back on Union, the EU RP scene, we didn't get them nearly as much as we do now, but we were also far smaller than even Everlasting.

 

 

[Haijinx]

I completely agree with the OP on this one. 

 

Why should it matter in a world where you can actually see the character in question?

 

There are better places for the ERP only crowd tbh.   Never really saw why they hung around COH when they could go to Secondlife or wherever.  

[Shadeknight]

Virtue had this in drives, but NA vs EU are two very different mindsets.

So long as it doesn't break rules, they'll do as they desire - and more power to them.

[WanderingAries]

*Goes to check character Bios*

 

Yeah, I guess mine's not so bad.

 

[ForeverLaxx]

The amount of people I see in Pocket D with bios full of kinks, "preferences," measurements, "model backgrounds," "wards against 'psychic intrusion'," "susceptible to 'psychic intrusion'," etc etc made me stop reading bios while I'm in there.

 

I used to read bios all the time, but I guess Pocket D has become an extended bedroom for some people and I'm not interested.

[Haijinx]

17 hours ago, Shadeknight said:

Virtue had this in drives, but NA vs EU are two very different mindsets.

So long as it doesn't break rules, they'll do as they desire - and more power to them.

 

To clarify from my earlier post. 

 

While I think there are better places for all the ERPrs out there to do their thing, I don't really see where banning it from Homecomming is necessary either.   

[luficia]

I think if things like weight are good to put in. Especially if your a roleplayer and you think you can try to sweep a lady off her feet

 

unaware that she weighs 600+ pounds due to body durability and super strength. I think details like that are okay and probably necessary depending. 

[Safehouse]

I think one example where it made sense to me was a bio where somebody said she was flat chested, and then indicated that she has a chip on her shoulder about it. That’s a scenario where the bodily description in and of itself may not be directly relevant, but the character’s feelings about it may have a direct impact on how they interact with others or how defensive they are. IDK, that was a time where it didn’t bother me that much, but I’m inclined to agree that most of the time it’s superfluous and gratuitous.

[Direct Control]

Character bios are a way for the player to show you what kind of story they're looking to tell, and give the reader some information to work with on how to approach or why. When people put measurements or kinks or whatnot in their bio, they are providing that information. They are advertising their priorities and their interests. Those interests are certainly not mine, and by the sounds of it not yours either, but that's fine. It saves both of you some time, because it is a strong pre contact indicator that your interests and goals in a given scene are probably not aligned enough to have fun building something together.

 

Those people will likely recognize each other, read something they like the looks of, and have fun with a kindred spirit. 

[El D]

Basically what @Direct Control said. It's as much an indication of the player's intentions as it is a glimpse at that character's role/history. Character Bios are all basically just advertisements anyway - some read like the sleeves of fiction novels, some read like dating profiles, some read like satirical internet posts, but they're all meant to espouse some sort of angle not immediately explainable by the avatar/name/powersets.

 

Also, not everyone RPs the same way, or has the same goals in-mind for when they do RP. Though that's just looping back to 'player's intentions' at that point. Plus, some of the 'obviously for ERP' bios can at least be funny sometimes - intentionally or not - which is more interesting than the bios that say nothing about the character at all. Like the ones that go 'Here's a list of my other level 50s,' [Bio In Progress], or a completely blank slate.

 

If you like a bio, send a tell/strike up a conversation. If you don't, move along to the next one. If the bio breaks the rules, screenshot it and hit the report button. Not much else to it. <.<

[VV]

Seriously. 2022 in an ancient game and we still have, "Wah, people play different than me and I don't like it so I'm going to whine on the internet about it."

 

Since you seem to be new to this, lemme give you some direction. If you open a bio that you don't find appealing, you close it and move on. That's it. You've lost, at most, 30 seconds of your oh-so-important time, nothing else.

 

Grow up and let people live, jeez.

[biostem]

Some people imbue a lot of creativity into their characters.  Whether that is in the form of a detailed backstory or every jot and tittle pertaining to each freckle on their body is up to the player.  Yes, some people "overshare", but no one made you read their bio, afterall.  I find that the better players, (or at least ones with more foresight), tend to divide their bios into sections - basic info and pertinent details are at the top, and the more risque stuff is toward the bottom, often with section headings...

[blue4333]

On 8/6/2022 at 4:27 AM, VV said:

Seriously. 2022 in an ancient game and we still have, "Wah, people play different than me and I don't like it so I'm going to whine on the internet about it."

 

Since you seem to be new to this, lemme give you some direction. If you open a bio that you don't find appealing, you close it and move on. That's it. You've lost, at most, 30 seconds of your oh-so-important time, nothing else.

 

Grow up and let people live, jeez.

 

I would call differences in superhero/fantasy genres or tropes or roleplay styles a difference.

 

But explicitly stating lewd stuff in your bio just to get your rocks off in erotic roleplay? That's just nasty.

 

Growing up means understanding there's a time and a place for everything - Everlasting isn't a by-default NSFW server and neither does the base COH game contain erotic content. This is City of HEROES. Go to SecondLife or something else if you wanna be kinky.

Edited August 8, 2022 by blue4333

[Bionic_Flea]

Well, we've had a Dominatrix for as long as I can remember and her followers are  . . . well . . . I'll just leave this here:

 

 

Edited August 8, 2022 by Bionic_Flea

[blue4333]

2 minutes ago, Bionic_Flea said:

Well, we've had a Dominatrix for as long as I can remember and her followers are  . . . well . . . I'll just leave this here:

 

 

There're no mentions of genitalia or explicit kinks/sexual acts.

Edited August 8, 2022 by blue4333

[Neiska]

Here's a few thoughts from me about RP and Bio's.

 

First, I go by live and let live. Sure I see things that might bother me, but I usually just ignore them and move on. If we vibe and mesh, then sure. Good times to be had by all. If we don't? Well, it happens. The height/weight/orgin story stuff doesn't bother me, due to the limits in the creator. What if someone wants to be something that can't be done in the costume editor? I am a bit OCD when it comes to my characters personality, appearance, and BIO, so I get where they are coming from.

 

The nsfw stuff? Meh. Doesn't bother me much personally. Most times when I interact with such people, that is more or less an afterthought. Just because someone has that in there doesn't mean that's all there is to them. Honestly it varies person to person. But I get why it might be distasteful to some. To me though there are far worse things. There are far more things that I find personally distasteful, such as -

 

1. The "I'm a greater deity, gods other child, personal friend of DJ Zero, existed before time, exist on multiple levels of existence at once, feared by mortals everywhere blah blah blah" levels of power, and they are level two. I have no qualms against powerful characters, but at least earn some of it in levels and so on. But I see far more "Zomg I'm so powerful" level twos than actual people roleplaying their incarnate level abilities.

 

2. Roleplaying powers that are not in any way affiliated with their powersets. Some gentle creation is awesome, sure. But not for example a Fire/thorn blaster who is immortal, instantly regenerates everything, immune to psionics, can speak to spirits, control machines with telepathy, can summon ice cream cones, so on. At least "resemble" your powers is all I ask.

 

3. The "I'm so special" sorts. The "I'm a half angel, half demon, half werewolf, vampire, troll, who is a high ranking arbiter in Arachnos." Look I applaud originality and creativity, but there is a point where it gets absurd or ridiculous where it just feels like they want attention or to stand out. Honestly? I find a characters story more engaging than what they are. Funny enough, if you actually sit and interact with many such characters, their RP is about as deep as a kiddie pool. They have no goals, no motivations, no problems, no hobbies or interests. As an example, a character of mine who couldn't die. (She was more or less Kenny. She could die, but she just wouldn't stay dead. Dark/Dark Tanker.) What did she do with her time? She learned languages, took up Pottery, literature, and cheese mongering. Yes, she was a highlander cheesemaker.

 

4. The "I am absolutely perfect" sorts. It is important to have faults and flaws, goals to overcome. If you are perfect with no obstacles, than I would argue your story is already largely behind you. An example would be my main character who is a cyborg, a Robot/Ele MM. Shes fantastic when it comes to technology, but a complete dunce when it comes to anything Magical. to her, its all rabbits and card tricks. No matter how many times its explained to her, she will never "get it." She thinks of magic as a science that changes the rules every day. But she has friends who are experts in magical matters, so when she has a magical problem she goes to them about it. In return, they ask her to reset the clocks on their microwaves, so it works out. Having flaws is what makes a character full, or complete in my opinion. It makes them relatable, and have things to deal with and ways to grow.

 

My two cents on things. Sure, sometimes there is TMI in Bio's, but not all of that is strictly NSFW stuff IMO. And not everyone is going to agree on what they like or don't like.

 

 

[Crystal Dragon]

*sighs.* Sounds like bio writing is going to become a focus topic again with the classes for a while.

 

Seriously though, NSFW content in bios is NOT welcome on Homecoming, and yes it can lead to a ban if it's reported. If you see NSFW content in a bio, report it please. Body size content isn't really necessary with the costuming options we have with this game, even as dated as it is, and shouldn't be necessary to phrase what parts are what shape or size or pronounced in a bio. It's our job as players to report bad content when we see it on public facing spaces, and DESCRIPTIONS are certainly public facing.

 

If it's someone just trying to bait for trolling - well, point them to the code of conduct and global ignore them. Otherwise, send them to the thread in my edit. Might help them brush up and fix things so it's not so, crude.

Edited September 6, 2022 by CrystalDragon
Ref: https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/34119-the-absolute-beginners-guide-to-writing-descriptions/

[Latex]

The entire thread topic seems like a bait to me. If you think Pocket D is bad sign up to FFXIV and enjoy your trip to Ul'dah or check out WoW and note that Goldshire and it's infamy is still a thing fifteen plusyears after the games release.

 

As long as the bios aren't explicit -- there is a big difference between explicit and suggestive -- then just move on.
 

Edited September 10, 2022 by Latex

[MistressOhm]

I can count on the fingers of one hand how many times my characters (all 40+ of them) have been 'overtly' propositioned by someone with an ERP-centric bio.  You'd think, with my character bios and designs as they are, I'd see it more often, but, nope.  And this is a good thing, it means players are at the very least being respectable about their ... desires.  

 

I get the impression that the ERP aficionados keep to themselves, likely because they don't want to be reported, they don't want to be harassed, and they don't want to put up with the drama of 'what happens after' the one night stand.  They're like swingers - you have to actively look for them, and they'll only accept you once you 'check out' as OK for them.  Creepers Need Not Apply.

 

And yes, I agree, there's better places online to let your freak flag fly than a superhero game; altho I'm not adverse to some mature storytelling or roleplay, if it gets explicit there's the "Fade To Black" screen wipe.

 

I don't see the need to flip out about them, however.  Long as it's not in public chat? two people can warm that park bench sipping coffee all night long if they want.

 

[Seed22]

On 8/8/2022 at 6:09 AM, blue4333 said:

 

I would call differences in superhero/fantasy genres or tropes or roleplay styles a difference.

 

But explicitly stating lewd stuff in your bio just to get your rocks off in erotic roleplay? That's just nasty.

 

Growing up means understanding there's a time and a place for everything - Everlasting isn't a by-default NSFW server and neither does the base COH game contain erotic content. This is City of HEROES. Go to SecondLife or something else if you wanna be kinky.

Time and place? And who sets it? I think the original post you quoted, while a bit blunt, is 100% correct and your post only adds to it’s validity. This is not City of HEROES, it’s a game. 
 

ERP is odd and not to my liking, but then again I don’t generally RP much overall. When I see these bios, unless it’s explicitly against Conduct, I ignore it. THAT is the grown up option.

[VV]

On 8/8/2022 at 7:09 AM, blue4333 said:

 

I would call differences in superhero/fantasy genres or tropes or roleplay styles a difference.

 

But explicitly stating lewd stuff in your bio just to get your rocks off in erotic roleplay? That's just nasty.

 

Growing up means understanding there's a time and a place for everything - Everlasting isn't a by-default NSFW server and neither does the base COH game contain erotic content. This is City of HEROES. Go to SecondLife or something else if you wanna be kinky.

Growing up means learning to mind your d**n business and stop telling people how to do stuff. Clearly you have not. Don't like it? Don't read it. It's really not that complicated for MOST people.

[Safehouse]

On 11/23/2022 at 6:03 PM, Krimson said:

This is an Everlasting Only problem. I solved it by moving my toons to Excelsior, and suddenly the squick no longer existed. I've been playing RPGs since 1985, and the RP on Everlasting made me realize that I'd rather just min/max and power game. It was frustrating trying to RP a character in character, and realizing that the other players are just RPing "Horny" and nothing else. So I left. Let them smash fugly pixels with painted on eyes if they want. 

So that I’m clear, are you completely out of the RP game altogether? Or are you saying that there’s a smaller RP community in Excelsior that you prefer to engage with? I’m assuming the former but was unable to rule out the latter when I read your comment.

 

I’ve personally had a very limited experience with people RPing “Horny”. I think I’ve been propositioned once, and they were respectful about it, even when I said “I don’t do ERP”. Not ruling out that it happens to others; it just hasnt been a major issue for me. Perhaps that’s just down to my experience and how I’ve chosen to put myself out there, I don’t know.

 

That said, I’ve CERTAINLY overheard aggressive horniness and propositioning lol.

[lemming]

It's definitely more on Everlasting.  Going thru pocket D and glancing at the local chat is often, odd.   I don't see that on Excelsior.

 

I think I have only gotten one ick proposition on Homecoming. 

[Safehouse]

On 11/27/2022 at 4:38 PM, Krimson said:

Yeah I just stopped. There are RP groups on Excelsior but I've never interacted with them. 

Cool thanks for the clarification!