Me.

I've been on a lot of RP forums, and I'm sort of tired of something in particular that I want to rant about for a quick minute. Generally I actually like being staff because it gives me an excuse to really contribute to getting the posting pace moving quickly and doing the fun community building stuff. Ordinarily this is super rewarding and I love it, but obviously with any project there are going to be people who slow the project down while bitching that it isn't moving fast enough to suit them.

( I dislike this. )

I love being friends with archmage_brian 's ex. She's so awesome.

(11:55:49 PM) Amanda: You know....
(11:55:57 PM) Amanda: Brian and I could be cousins...
(11:56:20 PM) Amanda: <.< He's from dayton, I was born in dayton, sold into the baby trade....
(11:56:23 PM) Amanda: He could be family....
(11:56:31 PM) Christian: You're adopted Amanda?
(11:56:38 PM) Me: !
(11:56:38 PM) Amanda: Yeah. 200 bucks on clearance.
(11:56:42 PM) Christian: You're like the first person ever I've talked to who's adopted.
(11:56:45 PM) Me: That means we might be, like, sisters in law, Amanda!
(11:56:45 PM) Christian: Awesome sauce
(11:56:47 PM) Me: This is awesome!
(11:56:50 PM) Me: Let's say it's so.
(11:56:50 PM) Amanda: YES!
(11:56:57 PM) Charles: ... but... you two DATED. o.o
(11:56:57 PM) Christian: The family just got bigger.
(11:57:10 PM) Amanda: >:[ Brian and I had a brief incestuous romp and now I have a sister in law. The end.
(11:57:19 PM) Charles: ...
(11:57:22 PM) Amanda: Chew on that.

A lot of GMs say they "don't like to push their players." They don't like to guide or railroad or otherwise drag the players and their characters from one plot hook to another. Instead, they say they're running a "character-centric" game.

In my experience here is what they're really trying to say. "I have a plot in mind, but I don't know too much about pacing, so I figure I'll let you guys ramble about and do whatever. If you do something interesting enough to warrant a reaction or some gamemastering, I suppose I'll get involved. I'm not sure what I'll do if none of you have a plot in mind and a way to make it happen. Probably be upset with you."

This is why, while character development is really important to me to be able to have fun RPing, I don't like "character-centric" RPs. In my experience that's not what it means. It means that the GM wants more than a table of pro-active RPers. They want a table of people who'll take over plot and pacing, an interesting choice considering that the GM is usually the only one who really knows the plot.

Now why in the world would you put the responsibility for pacing on people who don't know what's going on? It's a recipe for people to stand around talking in-character, killing time and hoping that the GM will notice them waiting.

Players throwing a creative wrench into the plot by acting in-character and doing unexpected things are gems, and they help create much richer plots than the GM could create by him or herself. But a GM has to have a backup plan, a plot in mind and something interesting to offer in case they have to be the engine of plot and pacing. Because guess what? That's part of your job, gamemasters and storytellers. The buck stops at you.

A lot of GMs say they "don't like to push their players." They don't like to guide or railroad or otherwise drag the players and their characters from one plot hook to another. Instead, they say they're running a "character-centric" game.

In my experience here is what they're really trying to say. "I have a plot in mind, but I don't know too much about pacing, so I figure I'll let you guys ramble about and do whatever. If you do something interesting enough to warrant a reaction or some gamemastering, I suppose I'll get involved. I'm not sure what I'll do if none of you have a plot in mind and a way to make it happen. Probably be upset with you."

This is why, while character development is really important to me to be able to have fun RPing, I don't like "character-centric" RPs. In my experience that's not what it means. It means that the GM wants more than a table of pro-active RPers. They want a table of people who'll take over plot and pacing, an interesting choice considering that the GM is usually the only one who really knows the plot.

Now why in the world would you put the responsibility for pacing on people who don't know what's going on? It's a recipe for people to stand around talking in-character, killing time and hoping that the GM will notice them waiting.

Players throwing a creative wrench into the plot by acting in-character and doing unexpected things are gems, and they help create much richer plots than the GM could create by him or herself. But a GM has to have a backup plan, a plot in mind and something interesting to offer in case they have to be the engine of plot and pacing. Because guess what? That's part of your job, gamemasters and storytellers. The buck stops at you.

Communities!

( Wherever you go, everyone's connected. )

Communities!

( Wherever you go, everyone's connected. )

So I'm still RPing. The internet moves on, etcetera. Things are still happening, and that's always nice.

( Cut for.... for something. )

I haven't been doing much, but I thought I'd let people know it isn't all angst and drama up here. Well, when I hang out with my parents it kind of is, but I've found ways of entertaining myself.
I've rediscovered computer graphics. I'm trying to resign myself to the fact that Procreate Painter 7 is just not an option. I have to make due with photoshop and imageready.
I've also begun to be slightly more active on deviantart. This means not just using it as a free image-hosting service, but actually looking at other people's artwork and having opinions on it and stuff. Good times.

I've been plotting as well. Evil GM plotting. I never thought it would be enjoyable to gamemaster, but I'm finding that it gives me a good 'evil calculating bitch' fix. I thought initially that it was something I'd never ever want to do, but now that I'm more familiar with D&D I'm more comfortable working within it. It's not as arduous as I thought it would be. As long as I know where I'm going, I'm all right. I just hope that people who play in my campaign(s) have fun. I'm trying to make things interesting.

Just another few days until I see Brian again. That'll help. I'll have something to do where being myself is a good idea. He likes me. I don't think I'll ever understand it, but he does.

I'm getting really tired of how difficult it seems to be to actually RP anywhere. I tried the Islands of Ecestrim RP on the board because I didn't think I was ready for the Gaeran setting just yet, and now no one posts ever. It's a struggle just to get RPers attention, and I have to be the heinous bitch who keeps everyone on task.
Now, this RP isn't working either. I was really looking forward to playing Holly this way, and having Brian be able to play Xevan without playing ten other characters/co-GM at the same time. It was cool. And it doesn't work either.

I just don't know what the point is. I find a hobby I can enjoy on basically every level (I've never done so much artwork before, for example), and it doesn't work. I know it's no one's fault, but I resent it a little.

blahblah... also posted on my woohu blog.

Well, I'm feeling a lot better about this break than I was a few days ago. Friday night I was really torn up about it. But, as Spock teaches... pain is a thing of the mind. The mind can be controlled.

I applied for several summer jobs today, and will canvass the local mall tomorrow. Friday I have two more to handle. This should put me where I want to be goal-wise for apps.

I also have a new gmail account, and I do think I like it.

In RPish news, I'm finally getting around to a sketch of my latest character. (Latest to RP, but she's one of the characters I made over Christmas break, so she's been around a little while.) It's a little more anime-style than most of my other drawings, simply because it's too small to work in the amount of detail I prefer to include. At any rate, when she's finished, I'll let you guys know. It will be on my DeviantART with the others.

I'm proud of my characters. I've avoided the angsty stuff as best I can. My characters do not brood or angst if there's any way around it. Usually there is.
I'm trying to cover as many D&D alignments as possible and still roleplay the characters well. It's a little difficult to roleplay a chaotic neutral character, but once you've done the others, it's the logical next step. All that would be left is chaotic evil, and I have little interest in that at this point.
I'm considering getting involved in at least one board RP this summer, just to try it out. RPGWW has pretty high standards, and I'll be interested to see where my characters fit in with the existing population.

Anyway, enough rambling about my characters I suppose. You probably don't want to hear any of the specifics. Just thought it had been a while since I'd rambled for you fine folk.