Survey Time: What's your playstyle?

[petals_scatter]

This is something that I've been thinking might be good to discuss for a while now. So in order to help us get to know each other better creatively and help us coordinate as writers, here's a little survey (adapted from this meme).


What’s Your Play Style?

1. Are you a “pantser” or a “plotter?”

2. Detailed character sketches or “their character will be revealed to me as I write”?

3. Do you know your characters’ goals, motivations, and conflicts before you start or is that something else you discover only after you start RPing?

4. Constructive criticism – helpful or harmful?

5. Are you a procrastinator or does the urge to RP keep at you until you sit down and work?

6. Do you RP in short bursts of creative energy, or can you sit down and RP for long periods of time?

7. How distinct is the divide between IC and OOC to you?

8. Do OOC reactions to your character influence how you characterize them? If so, how much does it sway you?

9. Do you self-edit before posting? If so, to what extent?

10. How closely do you follow source canon? Are you by the book or willing to play fast and loose with the rules, so to speak?



There's no rush on this to get this done NOWNOWNOW, but I strongly request that all participants in the game fill this out at their earliest convenience. Also, please be honest in all your answers. It's important to get a clear view of how each of you work as individual players. So please fill this out when you can to best of your ability.

Thank you for your time and effort.

Comments

[burningbow]

1. Are you a “pantser” or a “plotter?”

Sitting on the fence. I like having points 'a' and 'c' but don't worry too much to the detail about how 'a' becomes 'c'. I find an outline helpful but like to not plan too much to take into account character actions.

2. Detailed character sketches or “their character will be revealed to me as I write”?

I have a lot of their detail planned in advance; self-opinions, attitude towards others, family psychology. I believe nuances come as characters interact.

3. Do you know your characters’ goals, motivations, and conflicts before you start or is that something else you discover only after you start RPing?

In advance. A lot of them tie into psychology and personal interactions, which generally get discussed and thought of first.

4. Constructive criticism – helpful or harmful?

Helpful to a point. It helps to have an impartial eye to suggest details or putting the brakes on things so you don't have a whole game's worth of character development within two-three months. There is a difference between that and nitpicking however.

5. Are you a procrastinator or does the urge to RP keep at you until you sit down and work?

I tend to RP around certain hours, depending on who is online and my current mood. When tagging I multi-task; there's usually things on the side that draw my attention.

6. Do you RP in short bursts of creative energy, or can you sit down and RP for long periods of time?

Depends on the day. Either or.

7. How distinct is the divide between IC and OOC to you?

Very. I'm not my character and don't support his views. I believe the line might blur when one's receiving constructive criticism. That requires impartiality and subjectivity.

8. Do OOC reactions to your character influence how you characterize them? If so, how much does it sway you?

Not too much but if the advice is good I see no harm in taking it. My
characterisation is more influenced by headcanon discussion - if somebody mentions an idea I like I try to use it. I discuss during character creation too, so that's part of it.

9. Do you self-edit before posting? If so, to what extent?

Yes. A lot.

10. How closely do you follow source canon? Are you by the book or willing to play fast and loose with the rules, so to speak?

I enjoy source canon and follow it to a point. It's why I'm playing in a fandom, right? I play with rules but don't break them. Branching into a Persona 2/SMT-style game away from the highschool focus on P3/4 might be enjoyable. A drastic shift outside of that might not interest me. Also I enjoy realism. Cultural, etc. Consequences are fun to explore, and were the game suddenly to be influenced more on a non Persona/SMT canon it would feel too different, I guess?

[petals_scatter]

What’s Your Play Style?

1. Are you a “pantser” or a “plotter?”

Both. Generally, I plan just enough to have a solid framework/foundation and play everything else by ear. I'm pretty easygoing as a player and there isn't much I'll outright say no to. If it's IC for my character and makes sense within the constraints of the setting, I'll usually greenlight it. I tend to make flexible/fluid characters that can go in most directions and react to an assortment of stimuli in game. Most of the time I don't need to plot extensively and it's very much an 'if and when' kind of deal. I like structure but I also like having elbow room and keeping my character development options open.

2. Detailed character sketches or “their character will be revealed to me as I write”?

I use a combination of both. I start out with detailed character sketches so I have a concrete image in mind when I start. Examples of things I focus on: personality, how they fit in and might interact with other cast members, a brief sketch of what their daily life might be like, etc. Mostly characterization that will come up immediately upon joining a game. After that, I follow my creative intuition and let them grow as they will. However, if something really unexpected comes up in play, I always go back to the original character sketch to see where it fits within established headcanon. Part of the fun of RP for me is the element of surprise but nothing ruins a good character faster than inconsistent characterization, imo. I also believe that in order to write a character well, knowing them like they're a close personal acquaintance of yours is a good place to start. Also, an important side note, if a character of mine appears to behaving in an OOC manner in game, there is always a solid, well-reasoned IC reason for it.

3. Do you know your characters’ goals, motivations, and conflicts before you start writing or is that something else you discover only after you start writing?

I put a lot of thought into character psychology so yep, this is a staple. At the very least, I give them one short term goal, motivation, and conflict and one long-term goal, motivation, and conflict. Sometimes I give my characters 2-3 of each ranging from major to minor. Ultimately, my primary goal in characterization is for my characters to read like real people with realistic issues and problems. However, it isn't until after I'm playing that it all starts neatly into place.

4. Constructive criticism – helpful or harmful?

I think it's very helpful - so long as it's wanted and needed. I believe that the player has the right to refuse it or choose not to follow the advice. When concrit's given, I believe it should be balanced and detailed, highlighting both what's done well and what could use improving. When I give it, I tend to be very critical, even nitpicky on certain points, but it's always done with the intent to help the writer improve. It's something that requires tact and assertiveness on both parties, imo.

5. Are you a procrastinator or does the urge to RP keep at you until you sit down and work?

It depends. Usually I'm eager to thread when I have time and energy to do so but I can be easily and thoroughly distracted. Active chats, in particular, can very distracting for me when I'm trying to tag because my attention's winds up divided between tagging, chatting, and RL stuff going on around me. Also, never link me to anything on Cracked.com or Youtube while I'm threading otherwise my productivity goes down the toilet.

6. Do you write in short bursts of creative energy, or can you sit down and RP for long periods of time?

I'm a parent of an active child so I've had to learn how to write anytime I make time for it. I can RP for long periods of time but I tire much more quickly during chat events. Four hours without a break is pretty good for me.

7. How distinct is the divide between IC and OOC to you?

It's pretty distinct. I tend to write what I know based through personal experience, firsthand accounts from other people with those experiences, or tons of research. I do appreciate emotional honesty in art. However, characters are simply that - art. They're not me or extensions of me. They're fictional creative outlets, even if they do have relatable struggles.

8. Do OOC reactions to your character influence how you characterize them? If so, how much does it sway you?

I'm open to suggestions and ideas but I don't like being told how to play my character. Given how I work, I tend to take it very seriously. I also believe that once a character is accepted into a game, they're accepted as is. (Which is another reason I'm so insistent on character consistency.) On the other hand, I like being asked questions about the character and I'm interested in hearing people's observations. Usually it's better to come to me with an impartial, rational, and reasonable frame of mind. I also prefer one-on-one discussions so I can properly think things through and respond accordingly.

9. Do you self-edit before posting? If so, to what extent?

I do a little self-editing but if I feel like it's cutting down my productivity in threads, I limit myself to simple proofreading. If there's a sentence that doesn't make any sense at all, I'll go back and edit it. (I'm sure most of you have noticed that sometimes I accidentally leave out words. As meticulous as I can be about characterization, RP is basically my lazy writing that I do for fun, no more and no less. I make it a point to never forget that RP is ultimately a leisure activity.

10. How closely do you follow game canon? Are you by the book or willing to play fast and loose with the rules, so to speak?

I'm not a dictator when it comes to canon but when I apply to a fandom-based game, I expect the game to adhere to the rules of the canon it's derived from. I'm all for exploring the fandom universe in ways that were never done officially but the new additions have to make sense within canon, mesh with the concepts that the canon is based on, and capture the spirit of the canon in some way. Or at the very least, have some sort of internal logic that can hold up under fire, so to speak, and stay consistent. I'm tolerant of deviations up to a certain point but when it becomes less about canon and more about non-canon ideas, I wonder why it wasn't just made into unrelated game or some kind of unofficial franchise spin-off.

[allisnothing]

What’s Your Play Style?

1. Are you a “pantser” or a “plotter?”

Both. I like to have a solid ground work first though and that gives me room then to experiment and take swerving turns within what I've come up with. I don't like overly plotting things at the very least, especially given the nature of RP.

2. Detailed character sketches or “their character will be revealed to me as I write”?

Both, though a bit more on the later. I usually start with a barebones framework and a set of core concept (...and long ass histories, so I guess that counts for the former) and then fill in the rest of the gaps and nuances as I write.

3. Do you know your characters’ goals, motivations, and conflicts before you start or is that something else you discover only after you start RPing?

The core ones are always before I start, especially since they define the rest of the character for me. There's usually other goals and motivations and conflicts that get mixed in as a I go but the core ones need to be set first so I can work everything else with it or do a natural progression away from it if it's not working for the character in play,

4. Constructive criticism – helpful or harmful?

Very, very helpful. Coming from writing workshops and stuff, this almost always gives me something new to think about. I might not agree with something but I'm very open to hearing it in the first place.

5. Are you a procrastinator or does the urge to RP keep at you until you sit down and work?

Depends on the day and what else is going on, especially since I have other things I need to get done.

6. Do you RP in short bursts of creative energy, or can you sit down and RP for long periods of time?

Both. See the above.

7. How distinct is the divide between IC and OOC to you?

Very distinct. I may draw from some life experiences and emotions but characters are characters and def not me.

8. Do OOC reactions to your character influence how you characterize them? If so, how much does it sway you?

Occasionally, but it's inevitable given how biases work and how you discover new things you never thought about and sometimes people give really good ideas. However, I would never let something sway me if it didn't feel natural to the character or it was something I didn't feel comfortable playing.

9. Do you self-edit before posting? If so, to what extent?

I usually self-edit more when I first start with a character since I'm learning their voice but once I've learned it I don't edit that much, except during important posts I want to get just right.

10. How closely do you follow source canon? Are you by the book or willing to play fast and loose with the rules, so to speak?

I follow the canon but I'm open to playing with the rules, especially if it leads to interesting scenarios to play and explore. The only guideline for me is that even if the rules are played with, it has to make sense within its own rules.

[suiseimushi]

1. Are you a “pantser” or a “plotter?”

Under most circumstances, I prefer to improvise aside from very broad strokes or unless it's needed. Even as a GM, I strongly prefer the "you want to try this? Okay, try it and let's see what happens" approach rather than plotting arcs in advance, aside from a general skeleton of the plot and timing of important events.

That said, I understand that not everyone else works that way, and I'll try my best to accommodate that.

2. Detailed character sketches or “their character will be revealed to me as I write”?

I try for the former and end up with the latter. Kisa's gone fairly far afield from where I expected her to be.

3. Do you know your characters’ goals, motivations, and conflicts before you start or is that something else you discover only after you start RPing?

See above. It's rare that what I plan for matches up precisely with what I get.

4. Constructive criticism – helpful or harmful?

I'm not sure this is an entirely fair question. Constructive sort of implies helpful, and saying it's harmful reads as not being able to take advice.

5. Are you a procrastinator or does the urge to RP keep at you until you sit down and work?

Both in bursts -- I start out as the latter, but if something keeps me away from the game for a bit, I tend to stay away for some time. It's a problematic tendency in a mod, I know...

6. Do you RP in short bursts of creative energy, or can you sit down and RP for long periods of time?

Generally the former, unless inspiration strikes. I'm a sprinter, not a marathon runner.

7. How distinct is the divide between IC and OOC to you?

I make every effort to keep a strong wall between the two.

8. Do OOC reactions to your character influence how you characterize them? If so, how much does it sway you?

More than I like to admit. It mainly comes up if the character is taken in a way that's wildly different from what I was going for (e.g. a charismatic character being read as cold).

9. Do you self-edit before posting? If so, to what extent?

I'm starting to do a little more than I used to -- I think that's a consequence of writing for a living.

10. How closely do you follow source canon? Are you by the book or willing to play fast and loose with the rules, so to speak?

I think the game itself is Exhibit A when it comes to published canons. However, once the "canon" of a game has been set by whoever's running the place, I strongly prefer not to break the rules without good reason.

[petals_scatter]

The wording of the concrit question was just a vestige from the meme I adapted. At the time, I couldn't think of a better wording for it. The reason I left it in there was because was to get an idea of people's feelings on the subject in general. A better wording for it would probably be effective vs. ineffective. Generally, concrit's intended to be helpful but some writers prefer books/help articles/etc? If that makes any sense.

[heirofkobe]

1. Are you a “pantser” or a “plotter?”

Pantser 75% of the time, plotter 25%. I will readily admit to being ruled a bit TOO much by the Rule of Funny/Awesome, but when it's time for serious business, I can write serious business as well as the next person. When I do plot, I like a few points to go on, and then see how things go.

2. Detailed character sketches or “their character will be revealed to me as I write”?

Latter. I want to have a basic idea of what I'm doing, but the fun for me is exploring and fleshing out the personality of my character as I write him/her and he/she meets new people and interacts with them.

3. Do you know your characters’ goals, motivations, and conflicts before you start or is that something else you discover only after you start RPing?

Generally I know the big ones, or how I intend them to be, but sometimes new ones arise over the course of the story, or small ones become big ones. I like to write and see how it goes.

4. Constructive criticism – helpful or harmful?

Helpful for the most part, as long as it's done nicely.

5. Are you a procrastinator or does the urge to RP keep at you until you sit down and work?

Procrastinator, sadly. I'm trying to get better, I promise.

6. Do you RP in short bursts of creative energy, or can you sit down and RP for long periods of time?

Former - but with that said, if my partner's online one afternoon, I can bang out a ton of posts in one long writing session. So, sorta both maybe?

7. How distinct is the divide between IC and OOC to you?

I think it's fairly distinct, but as a mod-type-person, I dislike giving out excessive OOC information because I feel like it (primarily accidentally) can color people's thoughts when they sit down to write their characters.

8. Do OOC reactions to your character influence how you characterize them? If so, how much does it sway you?

Nope. I play my character because I enjoy playing him or her. Some people here can likely attest to that fact - I played in a game full of people who didn't like my character much. xD

9. Do you self-edit before posting? If so, to what extent?

Usually just for blatant spelling errors, and not for content. My first go is, usually, the most "authentic," so I try to stick on it wherever possible.

10. How closely do you follow source canon? Are you by the book or willing to play fast and loose with the rules, so to speak?

Depends how important the bit of canon is, really. Anything of major importance I will keep to, but playing fast and loose with things is in other areas my speciality. I'm not going to fuck with anything vital, though.