Misconceptions about Canon RP characters

MinhyrdinWindrose · Moderator Joined: 13 Mar 2007 Posts: 15682 Location: USA

I've gone through and cleaned out some of the off-topic posting. My apologies if it has left the thread a bit disjointed in spots.
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CountVladDracula · Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Posts: 8151 Location: USA - NY

CountVladDracula · Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Posts: 8151 Location: USA - NY

Bumping.

TonberryShuffle · Joined: 26 Jul 2010 Posts: 260 Location: USA - WA

"3. The idea that Canon RP is pre-destined and scripted. Canon RP is NOT scripted. "

This right here is one of my biggest peeves with canon Rpers. Many of which assume that their character is it. There's nothing better unless it's another canon from their universe. Your custom character can't be older, better, faster, more knowledgable, etc.

However, these are the types of RPers that also use Marty Stu's and Mary Sues whenever they do make a custom.

I'll use Dracula (as a character and not the typer/mun present in this thread) as an example. With my own custom vampire showing up who is say....1,000 years old (arbitrary number). Based on a different source and all. However, in my experience that Dracula (at 500+ years old) is somehow better than the 1,000 year old vampire in every single way imaginable. Why? 'cause he's famous.

I HATE, LOATHE, and ABHOR that style of RP for canons.
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What's the difference between an Englishman and an American? One thinks a hundred miles is a long way and one thinks a hundred years is a long time.

CountVladDracula · Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Posts: 8151 Location: USA - NY

I choose 580 as Dracula's age because the historical figure that Stoker says IS the vampire was born in 1431. Died / became a vampire in 1476. It has nothing to do with superiority, it has to do with being faithful to the source material for me. I'll evolve the character but I try to remain faithful to the book because there are so few people who actually play the version from the novel to any real degree.

You'd be surprised how many "young" vampires (all over six hundred) show up asking for guidance and then get weirded out when they find out my Dracula is younger than them. It's actually hard to play him with the historically accurate age when everyone assumes he's older thanks to things like Dracula 2000, Castlevania, and even Monster High.

TonberryShuffle · Joined: 26 Jul 2010 Posts: 260 Location: USA - WA

"I choose 580 as Dracula's age because the historical figure that Stoker says IS the vampire was born in 1431. Died / became a vampire in 1476. It has nothing to do with superiority, it has to do with being faithful to the source material for me. I'll evolve the character but I try to remain faithful to the book because there are so few people who actually play the version from the novel to any real degree. "

I wasn't really speaking about you but the character as an example. I've just seen it as an issue across the board though. In Comic RPs the normal human canon character is somehow automatically better than a vastly (but logical) super human custom character because they're canon. Or in Animes the main characters the same thing can be said. Every fandom that I have ever RPed in the trend has remained.

"You'd be surprised how many "young" vampires (all over six hundred) show up asking for guidance and then get weirded out when they find out my Dracula is younger than them. It's actually hard to play him with the historically accurate age when everyone assumes he's older thanks to things like Dracula 2000, Castlevania, and even Monster High."

People usually have a poor understanding of timelines anyway. They also seem to forget the scale of things. Especially when they pull from a specific fandom. Anne Rice's work? A few hundred years is the norm and anything older is something special. VTM IIRC is pretty much the same way. Which means the 580 years is still on the upper end of things. Or should be, ideally.
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What's the difference between an Englishman and an American? One thinks a hundred miles is a long way and one thinks a hundred years is a long time.

CountVladDracula · Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Posts: 8151 Location: USA - NY

TonberryShuffle · Joined: 26 Jul 2010 Posts: 260 Location: USA - WA

"
I think that's the issue. One vampire went as far as to tell me he's "only" 25,000. I was like "Was that a typo?" They honestly felt 25,000 was young to a vampire. I wonder if they have any idea what the world was like 25,000 years ago."

He'd be looking at RPing a caveman. Hell, my Sumerian Vampire is nearly 19,000 years younger than him. That character coming from among the oldest civilizations on Earth (as far as can be proven).
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What's the difference between an Englishman and an American? One thinks a hundred miles is a long way and one thinks a hundred years is a long time.

CountVladDracula · Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Posts: 8151 Location: USA - NY

Bumping forward as a sort of PSA as I'm seeing little comments about canon RP in a snarky and negative manner lately.

EtherialNeko · Joined: 15 Sep 2009 Posts: 1445 Location: United Kingdom

Eh, Eh? And what's psa?

CountVladDracula · Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Posts: 8151 Location: USA - NY

PSA means Public Service Announcement. A helpful announcement to dispel misinformation.

Years ago they used to have messages on TV to educate kids about drugs and other issues and they would call these PSAs.

EtherialNeko · Joined: 15 Sep 2009 Posts: 1445 Location: United Kingdom

Oh I see! Sorry if i'm the one who seemed snarky! -not my intent!

CountVladDracula · Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Posts: 8151 Location: USA - NY

EtherialNeko · Joined: 15 Sep 2009 Posts: 1445 Location: United Kingdom

Oh I see! xD

I think it takes a lot of skill to take something from a book/game/etc and apply it to different situations well. It's fun to think of what the character would do, how it would react, etc. IMO anyway! xD I mean, canon and non canon are good for separate reasons, right? ^-^