Categories? RP Forum Idea.

[Black.Ice]

Roleplays can be broken down into several categories, for example Quest Based and Open-Ended. Quest based would be where the GM leads a story, and Open-Ended would be where the GM creates a world and lets the RP'ers do everything.

Even further, those RP's can be broken down into categories, like Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Future, Modern, Historical, etc.

The question is, should we establish mandatory category headings in the title? For example, in the main page instead of

"Empire City" it would be
"Open - Cross-Genre - Empire City"

"Starcraft Aftermath: Reiterated"
"Open - Science Fiction - Starcraft Aftermath: Reiterated"


The words I used above wont be the exact category headings, we'd have to sit down and hammer those out and find appropriate ones for everyone to use. The real question is, will they be helpful?

Post whether you love the idea, vehemently hate it or are indifferent.

Thanks.

[Vhaeraun]

We tried this before. It was alright before, but I don't remember why it was taken away. Personally, it clutters up the thread title, so it seems pretty useless to me.

[Black.Ice]

That was back in WB had little category headings. When it was upgraded or something was reverted (I can't remember which), it was removed.

Other than cluttering up the thread title, do you have any other reasons why you don't like the idea? We could always think of a way to categorize RP's. For example, we can even make them the first words in the RP, or something to that effect.

[Vhaeraun]

Other than cluttering up the thread title, do you have any other reasons why you don't like the idea? We could always think of a way to categorize RP's. For example, we can even make them the first words in the RP, or something to that effect.
Well, I thought it got annoying to have to put a category. Maybe it's just me.

[GrassDragon]

I can understand that negative aspect that it clutters the thread title. It might also be confusing to new GMs, though that's not as big of a deal. My question is what is the advantage? There really aren't that many active RPs at a time, and usually the first few lines in the first post gives all of this info.

[100thlurker]

I agree with grassdragon and Veh, catogorizing rps serves little purpose, taking several seconds to get the general gist of an RP ain't going to kill you, right?

[Nickodemus]

I concur that it doesn't seem to work and simply clutters things. we only have a very little amount open anyways. the rest died slow agonizing deaths. ( at least for me...)

[Calibur]

I agree, this seems like a cluter and the only way I see this being helpful if we write down comprehensive definitions of what exactly each category means. You would be surprised how easily even the most simple of titles can be confused for something else.

[Modred]

I think a small designation like "SciFi" or "Medieval" or something along those lines might be helpful. Of course, the real problem comes up with having enough categories to encompass all of our RPs and ideas without having such an overwhelming number of categories that it becomes totally pointless. In that light, it might be just as good to not put up categories as the others suggest.

[Biohazard]

I think it isn't the best idea in the world. As Quimbley said, we already have limited space. Plus, who is it gonna kill to open the thread, take a look inside and see if they really like it or not.

Me personally, I don't really like modern that much. I looked in at Nephilim and I was instantly captured, but it's modern. I think it's going to be a great RP. If we generalize the RP's into categories then many potentially good RP's will go unplayed because someone thinks that they don't like its genre.

[Magmaniac]

I don't like it because people would generalize too often. They would see something like
"Fantasy - (insert RP name)" and think "I won't like that, I don't like fantasy RPs." When in fact RPs are each unique in their own ways. Putting labels on like that is just a way to let people discriminate instead of getting in and reading a little of the RP before making a decision.

- my four or five cents

[Black.Ice]

Sounds good, the people have spoken. We won't be implementing categories.

Thank you for being part of the Forum Democracy. Your votes don't matter, because I make the final decisions anyway.

:)

[Luna]

I really want to start what I would call a "Vegabond RP" which means its almost open ended. I guess it would take place on some kind of airship. There would be a captain and various crew positions but it would be a mercenary ship, with living quarters and people always coming and going. It would travel with its crew everywhere and stop at different ports across the land. That way, you could take characters from all over and have them assemble a fun cast. If people go inactive, we can always fill their positions. The only problem would be a setting. I would personally choose SPIRA from FFX and have the story take place ambiguously after the storyline from the games.

[Vhaeraun]

And then I say "RP's based on games generally suck donkey testicles."

Now, if you created a *new* world to set this RP on, then I'd be slightly interested.

[iHawk]

I agree with the general opinion but what we can to is have a basic summary at the beggining before the meat of the info. Some RPers aren't willing to or don't know how to properly skim an RP to see if it'll interest them. So having that short blurb to read might help and make a large opening post seem less intimidating. I don't think it should be manditory, but it might be helpful.

Your friendly neighbourhood iHawk

[Luna]

Well, maybe not based in SPIRA, but in a world very similar. It has to have lots of Islands and ports to dock at and it has to have a technological status where guns are not as common as swords. I find space RP always die in the long run.