Forums » RP Discussion » Why the long post lengths?

I agree with the original post most of the time it's easy to respond quickly as some have not enough time to rewrite paragraphs. Now I understand about detail I really do but if it takes 2 paragraphs to describe one person dont you think its overboard?. Plus this adds to the fact that rps move on quick it's just how the site works if that isn't confusing. Now this is not an attack on anyone I just agree that at least lower expectations a little bit because really it doesnt take much detail to describe a person you can do it by being specific without being to specific.

Yes, that's my point. There's no need for human beings to numerically regulate the way they communicate like robots.

Some people whose posts are usually a couple sentences and people whose posts are usually a few paragraphs, prefer also reading similarly constructed posts, and therefore put 'multi paragraph writers wanted' or 'concise writers wanted' in their LFRP's or profiles in order to find other people whose natural post length aligns with theirs. That's not regulating, that's just defining a preference that makes things more enjoyable for them and others.

For me specifically, the longer posts aren't about describing the character. If you want to know what my character looks like, all that info is on their page. It's about describing how they stand, how they move, how they're dressed in this situation as opposed to any other, how they react to a given situation, how they feel about the situation they are in, what the mood is in the room, what the setting is like, the ambiance of the entire scene. Now granted I don't always have enough brain power to fully convey all that information, but when I do, that's usually when my posts get longer and when my writing gets exponentially better.

I disagree with 'rps moving on fast' being 'how the site works' that's not really true. Multi-paragraph and novella rpers RPs tend to move at a much slower pace than more concise rpers. This isn't a problem for us, because we write with other people who enjoy this style, so they expect and often prefer the plot and pacing to go much slower. (Example, I have an RP that started an entire year ago where only two weeks have passed in character but both myself and my partner are still having a lot of fun.)

Multi-para writers only 'expect' the other person to write multiple paragraphs when they know that person is a multi-para writer.

For example, I wouldn't join a RP that says it's concise style then write multiple paragraphs and get upset when everyone else is writing 2-3 sentences. No, instead I would join an RP that is specifically for people who write multiple paragraphs.

A lot of us enjoy writing in a long-form and very detailed style, so we find other people who enjoy writing this way as well. It's not about anything other than enjoyment.

If someone finds themselves upset because they are writing 2-3 sentences and their partner is writing 2-3 paragraphs, this isn't a case of 'writing too much' (or too little) it's a case of lack of communication about post length style and potentially not being well matched as partners.

I wasnt talking about the role players the site itself moves fast say your in a group ya, you can message back each time but I see that in order to see any updates you have to refresh the page by then so many people have responded already that the one person missed out. So I understand you disagree that's your opinion but it is a bit faster most especially with some people's jobs.

That fast-pace would apply to quick or concise writers, not multi-para/novella writers and doesn't have anything to do with the website itself. There are plenty of groups and group rps on this site where people post in a set post-order, and/or only once a day, sometimes everyone posts only once a week. If you or anyone else finds themselves having trouble keeping up with an RP because everyone posts very frequently and there is no post order keeping someone from being left out, then the people RPing should probably have a conversation about developing a post order or not moving on until everyone who is part of that RP has posted. Pace and post order is something that is workable and molded to a groups best interests, not something that should just be automatically accepted even if it's leaving people out or moving too quickly.

Also, you can open forum topics and PM's into a function by pushing 'Launch Chat', where you will get each post or message at the exact time it is sent and not have to refresh your page, just letting you know.

You can't always have it both ways. Quality will always matter more then quantity, provided people can spare the time and don't rush through things. It's the saying of "It's the thought that counts". Roleplay can be a struggle for people new to it or just getting back into it again after a long time. I'd rather have a response with little details then a quick one without much thought given to it.

Simply put, people that tend to post too short overlook the little details that matter. Some people will rush/pressure you because they're impatient. So it's quite possible looking for longer post lengths is also a way of looking to see if people will have more patience too (which is important in other areas as well as RP. Patient people are more understanding on a whole).

And sometimes people can wait 20 minutes and let the posts build up because we're adding more. This in turn can end up becoming a 10 minute wait once the ball is rolling. I also got other tabs and need something to do while waiting on your posts, so I might not see a response right away as soon as it's done. But I personally made it a habit to keep looking at whatever tab the RP is happening on. In other words I don't make excuses to "forget" about it. I check back every 5-10 mins. Easy when playing single player games I can pause on a whim. If I'm on a multiplayer game I just have to find a safe-ish spot. Obviously it's not the best idea to play a multiplayer game when roleplaying. But single player games have the advantage of pause.

I don't need super long walls of text, but at the same time any phrases that are short and lacking in detail lack the "nitty gritty" details. I think some people assume "long" translates to "detailed". And that's normally the case. But you can also post 4-7 sentences with good detail and make a long wall lacking context.

It's not the length that matters. It's the context. What people can engage back too. The more little details in what you do there is the more you have to work with. And it can greatly enhance affection. Even if you're being firm and harsh at the same time in the same post. And that post could be about 3-4 sentences. At least involving that one action. That's a post you can either leave as is or follow up with another action in the same post.

It's also important to not do too many actions at once. Otherwise you won't be giving the other person a chance to engage back. This largely depends on the actions you're doing with the other person.

I'm having way too much fun with the rp discussion forum.

This is a bit like comparing a handful of related tiktoks to a three hour long director's cut of a movie. Neither is wrong or bad; Neither is good or correct. In the end it all just boils down to personal preference and style.

If you're trying to tell an epic tale the size of something like "The Lord Of The Rings" via tiktoks and the pace is one tiktok per week, per writer? That is going to take a LONG time. It's not impossible, of course but you'd be hard pressed to keep it rolling. If you were telling this tale at a rate of twenty to fifty tiktoks in a day, then it becomes closer to possible. The same is true in reverse. A simpler tale that focuses on a handful of moments in time told through endless reams of description is, frankly, unnecessary in most cases.

Much of these style decisions are affected by the writer's lifestyle, I find. Those who have a large amount of time available to write in real-time tend to be happy to write in short posts at a rapid fire rate and those who have less time tend to pack more detail into posts in an effort to find joy in their journey toward plot.

TL;DR
Much of it is driven by OOC lifestyle and personal preference, in my opinion