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can being too unorthdox turn off potential members?


fruity20
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when thinking about it, I found it hard and frustrating  on finding genres that fit my rpgs perfectly. they feel so unorthodox that they end being a little too original for this directory.  in fact, some time ago I pitched an idea about an rpg where you play as a bug/humanoid arthropod. one user stated it was way out of their comfort zone and i fear it might not catch on compared to the several fairy tail or harry potter. things, i hate fan related things based on popular media. i don't car how original your harry potter thing is compared to the rest of the pack, I'm not interested nor will i ever be. it's a shame, it's very hard to find rpgs that actually interest me that aren't reliant on using familiar characters or settings we grow up with.

 

eventually, i shuttled down one of my forums since i personally didn't see the idea working. Not many people are as passionate with bugs as I am or are absolutely scared of them. even when i make them look cute, humanoid, or not as scary, you got some jerk who says  "nope" "ew" "or "kill it with fire".

 

sorry for the rant, i'm not mad at how the categories work but i can't seem to find any genre that worked for me. so i guess I'm gonna do a bog standard rpg that takes place in a cyberpunk fantasy world with superpowers or dragon riders rpg. both which are done before.

 

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It's true that people often don't like to step outside their comfort zones. BUT! That doesn't mean you can't make  a niche concept work!

 

For example, your bug RP! A way you could make that work is to develop an RP around antho animals in general (or maybe just small animals? Like rodents and such? Redwall is a very popular and well-known fiction series!), but divide them up into groups. One of those groups could be the bug group!

 

The reason I could see this working is that you'd attract a bigger array of players, who might be drawn to the game based on the other options. But meanwhile, you can still play bug anthros, and show by doing that playing those bug anthros is really fun! Develop an event around the bugs to generate hype! Make it look fun and super cool!

 

People who joined because they could play a cute mouse might, after a bit, see the bug stuff and go, "Huh! Yeah, that is pretty cool!" and join on in.

 

A lot of the time, people are afraid of trying niche stuff because it just sounds weird and they can't imagine what it would actually look like in practice.

 

So what I've found is that the best way to play a niche concept is not to build an entire game centered around it, but to include it as part of a bigger game and then hype the hell out of it. 8D It's how I've made a lot of my more niche ideas work successfully.

Edited by Viscount Rhi-Rhi
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1 hour ago, Viscount Rhi-Rhi said:

It's true that people often don't like to step outside their comfort zones. BUT! That doesn't mean you can't make  a niche concept work!

 

For example, your bug RP! A way you could make that work is to develop an RP around antho animals in general (or maybe just small animals? Like rodents and such? Redwall is a very popular and well-known fiction series!), but divide them up into groups. One of those groups could be the bug group!

 

The reason I could see this working is that you'd attract a bigger array of players, who might be drawn to the game based on the other options. But meanwhile, you can still play bug anthros, and show by doing that playing those bug anthros is really fun! Develop an event around the bugs to generate hype! Make it look fun and super cool!

 

People who joined because they could play a cute mouse might, after a bit, see the bug stuff and go, "Huh! Yeah, that is pretty cool!" and join on in.

 

A lot of the time, people are afraid of trying niche stuff because it just sounds weird and they can't imagine what it would actually look like in practice.

 

So what I've found is that the best way to play a niche concept is not to build an entire game centered around it, but to include it as part of a bigger game and then hype the hell out of it. 8D It's how I've made a lot of my more niche ideas work successfully.

that's a really good idea though i might kinda disagree in some areas. honestly, maybe i should just make it redwall but instead of rats and mice it's bees and wasp. But, as a experiment, I shall do it at some point.

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I don't think the problem is being too unorthodox. I've seen plenty of really WEIRD ones that seem to do well enough. Ones where the characters are normal and Weird Stuff™ happen in the town (flood of goo, plague of locusts, sink holes full of worms, etc), ones where it takes place on unique fantasy worlds with cities inside jellyfish or on the backs of giant beetles, ones where it's 'pan-fandom' and thus just a fuster-cluck of random shenanigans with no real 'canon' plot. 

 

I think @Viscount Rhi-Rhihad the right idea. 

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... develop an RP around antho animals in general (or maybe just small animals? Like rodents and such? Redwall is a very popular and well-known fiction series!), but divide them up into groups. One of those groups could be the bug group!

 

That isn't to say you should do a Redwall clone, but have various anthro-options. Bugs is just very narrow, and not everyone wants to be a bug. Maybe they want to be a vole, or a toad, or a snake, with bugs as just another option. I probably wouldn't join a site that was all bugs, but I might join one that was a bunch of different anthro-animals and maybe make a bug later. 

Edited by Bro
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You might have to find the right group. Like find people who are fans of a Bug's Life and that other stuff you mentioned in your idea thread. Target those people. I'm sure there is a market out there for a bug based RP and some people seemed excited. You don't even have to expand to small animals. Personally, I don't think bugs are too limiting because there are a LOT of freaking bugs out there, from beetles to butterflies to ants to aphids, mantises, bees, etc. And spiders too, if you're counting them. 

 

I do NOT think the solution is to make a generic site you're not interested in. It's not fair to you or the members you gather when you eventually lose interest and kill it. I think you should just develop what you're interested in and see how it goes. Flourish or flop, at least you tried.

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Reality is an illusion. 


 
 

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I think some of your frustration might be stemming from "managing expectations". You are right, a site with anthro bugs will take a bit more work than a Harry Potter site.

 

But there is nothing wrong with being original. I too have a LOVE AFFAIR with bugs. Most of my RP buddies have encountered at least one bug character from me. I also have rat, mouse, pidgeon, snake, spider, lizard, and other "vermin" characters.

 

Sell it to people. Don't get upset that they aren't invested from square one. Like Zozma said, there is a market. People still talk about a Bug's Life. People like Ant-man and Ant-ony (RIP). 

 

If you build it and love it, people will join. Maybe you will never reach 100 members, but those that do join will love it just like you do. 

 

(I agree with others. Making a generic site just to have a site won't work. I've seen them die left and right. Take the time to build and develop something you love.)

Edited by Thyme
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I've come to see that when two or three players are gathered together you can have an rp, maybe not a big booming site, but an rp all the same. If your unorthodox ideas have even a little support and you can make an rp that caters to the group you have, not the group you want. Small rps can last for a long time if every member is passionate and dedicated. The interest pool might be sparse but if you spread out, advertise hard, and talk about how much you enjoy the site to others, you'll eventually attract curious others. Some may stay, some may not, but as long as the core is there, it can still be a thriving rp.

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It really is just about finding that niche community, which can be really hard - especially if you don't have anywhere to start! I would suggest starting something on a resource site - maybe start a bug coterie here! It might be slow to build up a community, but if you're able to, then the reward will be much more satisfying than doing a generic site you're only lukewarm about.

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a dark, urban fantasy;

inspired by sailor moon

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