Membership PB Ages

[Morrigan 1,826]

So I was considering this as I was using a PB that is younger than the age of the character I was playing, by ten years, to find out other opinions. Now I know a lot of people prefer "find an age appropriate PB" but I think that as long as it's "possible" then it's age appropriate.

 

Now, I say this for a number of reasons! First and foremost I say this because I'm advised, on a regular basis, that I look anywhere between 5-10 years younger than my actual age. Heck I've been mistaken for being 13 years younger than I actually am before. That means that, as a 31 year old woman that I can pull off being 21 then I should, by all technicalities, able to pull off a 41 year old.

 

Obviously there are some stipulations to this. Children really can't go up and down is a little difficult but adults. Adults are pretty flexible.

 

What do you think?

How do you handle it?

Do you care?

[Death Kitten 200]

I think if the PB is younger in the picture than they're supposed to be in the RP, you *can* argue that it's an old picture of the character, from an ic standpoint. I've honestly not been that fussy about it myself, I don't even know how old the model is I use for my character Amelia Waterhouse (seen in my user icon). No one's really mentioned it, but it could be because in Star Trek people generally age better than they do IRL, so people don't fuss over it. Also, Klingon blood... you grow up faster and age more gracefully after that.

 

Also, I think Hollywood's kinda thrown off our expectations anyways. Casting people in their 20s to play teens because child labor laws and sexual situations in these high school dramas, or we can talk about how they constantly pair the 20-something woman with the 40-something or older man, like that's a normal romantic pairing. I don't know about you, but the large splits in age I've witnessed or even been involved in, it starts getting a little challenging beyond three to five years difference.

[Elena 546]

There are people who look younger, so go for it.

[Guest Archaic Cyborg]

I generally don't mind; I really just need the PB in that specific photo to match the character's age, rather than the PB's current RL age. Because shit, everyone ages! You can't stop from aging! If I find a film role of a pb from their early days, damn it, I want to use that particular role of that pb in that age group. On that note, I can't suspend belief much when a 30 year-old is used for a teenager, and vice versa. While there are some actors & actresses who literally look like they're still in primary school or high school, it's not ridiculously common.  I can't pretend that Jensen Ackles, taken from his Supernatural role, is playing a kid.

 

Most of my canon characters have canon faceclaims that match the character's age group; 30-something year olds for 30-early-40s. I have at least one canon character, though, from a video game-- that I use a PB for. Said pb is in his 30s now, I think, but I use one of his early film roles from when he was 16, and he matches the character perfectly, who also happens to be 16. It's fantastic when you can find a pb that matches in age range; I find that using Google's Search by Image can find you PBs that are similar to the 'look' you're going for.

 

Sometimes, it just doesn't work when you have to rely on PB databases, ala 'search for icons by skin colour, hair colour, eye colour, teenagers, young adults, etc'. More often than not, I find people in their 50s  taking up the teenager group. X3

[Rune 1,099]

As long as the PB is over 18 I don't think it should really matter. I mean, I'm nearing 30 and I've been mistaken for a teenager. My SO is in his thirties and has been mistaken for older. People age differently. Unless you're claiming a wrinkly white haired geriatric is 20, it shouldn't be a huge issue.

[Huskerdust 625]

I don't think it matters much. I've never been a fan of the 5 year rule so I've never used it. I'm 31 years old and solicitors still ask to speak to my parents when I answer the door. I've met people 10 years my junior who look older than me. I might have a laugh at a Jensen Ackles teenaged character using current images but it's not my character so I don't care what other people use. 

[Morrigan 1,826]

@Rune @Zozma Roleplaying keeps ups looking young.

[Rune 1,099]

32 minutes ago, Morrigan said:

@Rune @Zozma Roleplaying keeps ups looking young.

I say that for every post that makes someone cry, I get a year added on to my life.

[KARA BELLA 18]

I think if you are comfortable doing it then do it.  I wouldn't be but then I am kind of picky about making my character's age close to the PBs age.

[CovertSphinx 710]

If it's got the traits you want, then the "apparent" age shouldn't really matter. I've passed up plenty of "age appropriate" pictures for one a bit outside in either direction because the "look" personified the spirit of my character perfectly.

[Honorem 219]

I think a ten year gap is absolutely fine. So yeah, I agree as long as it looks possible it shouldn't be an issue.

 

I feel that standard 'five years either way' is too strict in certain circumstances. Sometimes actors look very young for their age, or the reverse. For example Keanu Reeves does not look 50 to me. He could pass as 40 or younger.

 

But of course the time the photo used was taken has to be taken into consideration too. For example, if someone uses Kirk Douglas in Spartacus as a play by, he was 44 years old at that time. Therefore the character could be roughly middle aged. Even though he's actually 99 in the present day.

[Coley 2]

I'm rarely picky about it, if its plausible, I'll go for it. I figure that we see thirty year olds play sixteen year olds all the time on tv so five or ten years for an rp character isn't that big of a deal. People also age differently and that has to be taken into account. Plus, like it was said above - sometimes a certain look totally embodies what you are looking for and you just have to use it!

[gavinvenom 1]

I really have no issues with this. Most of the actors I use are in their mid 20s-early 30s now and I still use them as teenagers or even older than their ages. You like who you like and see who you do as that character. I just try to find age appropriate pictures if its possible for how old the character is supposed to be.

[Dawn 1]

I really don't mind using or having my members use PBs that are older/younger. As long as they look that age. I use a PB that is ten years older that my character's age, but he looks like he is that age, and in a show he is on he plays a character around that age. So I've never had a problem with it.