Animation Source Forums

Ah. Very useful. I like it. I especially like what Cat said *g*. I put THAT in my signature for safe keeping. And I am glad this is getting talked about.

I also posted in BOTH shout boxes a link to my little guide thing I made, which I dont know if anyone really saw. But, hey - I will continue to post it once a day until it starts to work. ;]

I am glad others want to do something about this. :]

EDIT : I just PM'ed Steet about putting a link to my topic up into the roleplay shout boxes. We'll see what he says.

Yes, that topic certainly is helpful and that's a good idea, Maya, and I thought the conversation on the shout box had some pretty insightful points. I only wish I had been there to add my take on everything. But since I wasn't, I brought a couple of comments and I'm just going to respond to them with some ideas and suggestions they inspired in me. This isn't organized enough to be an article, though if I can organize it enough, I will surely make an article out of it to try and get peoples attention.

So here are my comments, responses, and suggestions/ideas in concern with the comments of other members (taken, of course, from the conversation posted by Sepp.) Member comments are italicized.

Staff Sergeant Bruno (11 h) : so why dont all the "good rp'ers" come back and take it over? why just sit there and complain, when you can do something about it?

That's a good question. Why don't the "good rp'ers" just come take over the chat? The answer is pretty simple: it can't be done. Even if the ones who consider themselves stronger at role-playing come in and ignore the others who are lesser in skill, it takes much longer to type out a long post than it does one or two words. The longer posts are quickly drowned out before another person who rps like you has even the chance to read it or reply. And even if the good rpers try to include the others who type only a few lines and make everyone have a good time, they are simply ignored and cast out - unwanted. That battle was lost long ago and it can't be won that way.

baltowolf (11 h) : Stone Paw: i think it sounds like a good idea (as long as the mods watch the rp box)......

MayaHuskee (11 h) : Maybe if more posted in here, Steet would achknowledge the problem. XP

baltoseppala (11 h) : There apparently is almost NO moderation in the RP box.

Perhaps, but I think we've already gotten his attention here. And as for the little moderation, this is sometimes true. The moderators have lives, like us all, and they get a little busy sometimes. Not to mention that after all of the drama that's occured in, around, and because of the rp box, we can't blame the mods fore being a little exasperated at having to watch for trouble when they know it's bound to turn up.

Staff Sergeant Bruno (11 h) : Maya: then why not go in there and TEACH them how?

MayaHuskee (11 h) : Bruno : Why dont you. Its like talking to a brick wall.

Yes, most of the time it is like talking to a brick wall because many of them don't want to learn. However, I'm sure there are plenty who would be open to being instructed if we don't criticize and are kind in our methods. After all, we only want to help them improve and have fun, right?

baltoseppala (11 h) : Let them go to a place where GOOD RPing occurs, in order to read and learn that way.

This is yet another good idea for those who wish to improve. I have been to many sites (both forum and chat) where good form in roleplaying is encouraged and I can recommend several.

catwhohas14tails (11 h) : But really, this debate can't be won because people have different views on what's "good" roleplay and what's "bad" roleplay, and like drawing, some are not skilled at it, but do it for the mere fun of it.

Very true, Cat. And as I stated before, you can't teach someone who won't learn. I know some of the people who go to the rp box do so only for the fun of it, and that's okay to a point. But I think we could kindly encourage them, show them that it's far more fun when you get wrapped up in it.

baltoseppala (11 h) : MOST of the people who hang around in the RP box are pre-teens who can barely speak in a full, intelligible sentence, without using SMS, and love to use blood, gore, and mate talk to "RP"

Yes, the SMS can get very annoying, as well as the mate talk. And while I, for one, like blood, gore and violence, I like it only when it is used tastefully, descriptively, and for the sole purpose of plot advancement. I dislike it when gore is used needlessly and though I tend to get creative when I do have in character battles, you can research posts I've made on the forums and you'll notice I try to cut down on the gore and violence because, once again, this is a kid's site and such violence is not appropriate most times.

Staff Sergeant Bruno (11 h) : I do not go into the RP part of the forum though, because I know if I do, I will be slaughtered for "not knowing how to properly RP" and other things...so I go to the RP box, where I know they will actually except what I put.

baltoseppala (11 h) : Actually, I found (when I did participate in RPs there) that most people were tolerant of newer RPers, unless they started a topic for "advanced RPers only".

baltoseppala (11 h) : What drove ME away was the almost incessant unfinished role-play situations. I got tired of putting my heart and soul into something people would just drop like a bad habit when they got "bored"

Yes, most of the forums roleplays are incredibly tolerant of newer roleplayers. Very few topics actually have a label for advanced players only, though there is usually a 3 sentence minimum purely in the interest of not wasting space and increasing interest and enjoyment level of the rp. And we discussed a solution about the unfinished role-plays and the crowding of newer, pointless topics which I plan to polish up and then hopefully enact. Just let me know I have your support.

catwhohas14tails (11 h) : If I may be blunt. I just think its safe to say that Balto Source is not known for its roleplay for a reason...mainly because the majority of the people are are, uh...children, who also do not grasp the concept of RPing in full detail.

baltoseppala (11 h) : Maybe the younger RPers could take some lessons from all the Dungeons & Dragons role-players out there. ROFL

These two are pretty self-explanatory, and I agree. Maybe D&D is a little extreme, however this is a good analogy. There are plenty of other rp groups that we can learn from.

catwhohas14tails (11 h) : I found it quite effective that when I, for example, RP in the RP box, I do it like I would normally RP. Use lengthy descriptive sentences, and people did tend to mimick my sentence structure, etc. So. Next time one RPs, how about "Showing them how it should properly be done"

baltoseppala (11 h) : Role-playing is more than just describing an action in the most basic terms. It is about stimulating everyone's imagination with lively and creative descriptions and dialogue. You can't do that with one-word or short-sentence interplay.

animal freak (11 h) : how do u do real rping?

baltoseppala (11 h) : animal freak: by what I and Cat just described. Being descriptive...creative. Letting your imagination guide your words.

catwhohas14tails (11 h) : I'll show you in the RP box, animal freak

catwhohas14tails (11 h) : I woke up in the middle of the night to light footsteps in the snow outside of the barn. I sniffed the cold air. It definately wasn't the scent of David's wife, or any human for that matter. I quietly got up and padded over to the barn door. It was always cracked open so that the barn never got too warm for us dogs. My ears moved around to hear if there was anything outside of the door. So far, there wasn't, so I slowly walked out of the barn and looked around. I couldn't really see anything because it was snowing, so I relied on my sense of smell. I made my way to the back of the barn. The sled was parked there.

"Hm," I thought. "They must have forgotten to put it away."

DrewTheWolf (10 h) : Balto treaded through the town, the soft snow had just fallen and dusk was drawing near. It had been a long tedious day, despite being the town 'hero'. Balto still had no real home. The boat was his only shelter, Boris quietly followed the wolf-dog and noted he seemed rather down.

A perfect example of a newer member asking for help and being both told and shown the proper method to roleplay. It is as Cat said, one of the best ways to teach others is to BE the example and SHOW them how it's done. Though, I would like to note, the excerpt Cat used was from one of her fanfictions and so her use of the 1st person point of view (using the pronouns 'I' and 'me' instead 'he', 'she', and/or 'it'.) Drew's example is closer with it's use of proper pronouns suited for roleplay.

catwhohas14tails (10 h) : So I rest my case. Children's website + All-round good roleplaying = nonexistant.

Maybe, but we can't just give up hope yet. We have to make an effort to show them how much more fun and fulfilling an rp can be when you put your heart and soul into it, trying to describe things in detail.

Well, those are all the comments I had responces to really, however I do have a few more ideas. They're just shots in the dark, but they're worth mentioning.

First off, maybe the VIP box could be made into an rp box for those who consider themselves role-players of a higher caliber and want plots that are much more intricate and posts that are more descriptive. I say the VIP box because, as far as I've heard, no one really talks in it, it has little or no purpose at the moment, and most members are against it. Also, perhaps, since the VIP box has some limit on it allowing only members who've existed over a year in, there could be a restriction on the advanced rp box (like the restrictions on the mod box) allowing only members who have attested and proven their level of rping into that particular box. That box could then have it's own small set of moderators who know and care about roleplaying who would deal with allowing the members who pm them for acceptance with proof that they deserve it and who would moderate the messages and content posted in it.

This would elminate the need for a length requirement and it would allow the rpers who don't wish to improve to keep their box and roleplay their own way, in essence, making most people happy. I would volunteer to be a mod for the new rp box (if that's not too bold a move to make) and I would do my best to keep order there in every way possible and be fair.

My other idea involved using a code (such as a : or /me ) at the very beginning of the post to denote actually role-play and show up in bold, or perhaps show up in bold italics. Posts without the code would show up normally (as they do now) and that way moderators and members could more easily distinguish what is roleplay and what is chit chat.

Once again, these are just ideas and suggestions and also my opinion on things. I hope others agree with me to a degree as I'm only trying to help out.

I love this idea. I do. Because its true - the VIP isn't really useful. Why not make it useful to the advanced roleplayers? I think someone, such as the roleplay mods, should be in charge of this box as far as... well, I have an idea. To only let those in who can prove themselves worthy to be in this box. By using proper grammer (to an extent and such), and not use the aristisks and such. You could make a topic in one of the roleplay sections. And there people could show you how they roleplay. Because I know if it was just freely open to everyone, those who CAN'T roleplay to an 'advanced' standard would come in and ruin the roleplay.



I really dislike this idea. Because a LOT of us just have screennames, like myself. My characters are not by my username. Because, I have been to places where they have this function - it would take away "MayaHuskee (0 s) : O:" and replace it will just something like "mayahuskee says O:". Its really a bother, if you ask me. But I still think your other idea was amazing. XB

I have a lot of rps that died but I kept posting in the rp trying to keep it alive and I got some other people to post but it's sad when they die so I rally don't have much good use of my characters.