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Animal RP help- the why's, how's, and huh?


Guest Archaic Cyborg
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Guest Archaic Cyborg

Animal rp was one of my early rp settings/subjects/third-example, and it's something akin to a guilty pleasure these days. I'm not interested in quite a few aspects of this genre, I know fuck-all in comparison to the average animal rper. I like a very specific kind of basic talking animals rp, which isn't very popular.

 

So, I have a few questions for experienced animal RPers who're active in this genre. The point here is to get a better insight and to help with game creation.
 
What are the pros, aims, and purpose in the following list of popular themes? For example, is xyz purely for aesthetic appeal or is there a distinct use? If so, how and when is it applied in a scene? E.g the extra-large or hypermorph mutation.

 

  • Accessories, e.g jewellery, clothing
  • Unusual colours, markings, extra limbs/appendages
  • Skills/stats, upgradable or not
  • Territory challenges
  • Mutations, be it magic or science fiction=based
  • Anthropomorphism*

 

For the last subject, does it matter? Can a game have a level of anthropomorphism beyond standard human speech and intellect? How might it be measured, explained, and enforced for consistency?

 

e.gIn a semirealistic game, rodents naturally have 'handpaws' and can hold, use simple tools or items,  whereas dogs and cats cannot; but in a fantasy setting, nearly any species can unrealistically turn and bend their wrists, shoulders, toes/fingers etc.

Lastly, please keep in mind that this is not a debate, or a casual 'why is x popular? || I dunno.' discussion thread, thank you!

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I'm just tagging in some people from the directory that are animal RPers.

 

@Sheena @Umbra @Ferret @Castle

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  • 2 weeks later...

When I was getting started in the community Wolf RPGs were all the rage, it seemed like everyone had their hand in a wolf RPG or had been apart of one. Now, you don't see that as much. Wolf RPGs were how I was introduced to RP world as a young child/teenager navigating the internet. I have watched the community grow, develop, and I have seen what has worked and what hasn't. So, I hope that I can shed some light on some of the topics that you've brought up.

  • Accessories, e.g jewellery, clothing

There are two types of RPers in the community, the kind that like realism and the kind that do not. So, you'll have your sites that will only allow things like collars, you'll also have some that take a step further and allow bracelets, necklaces, and piercings. Though the sites that I have seen that have taken it even further and allowed clothing usually do not last. Most of the time these are just for looks or have something to do with their characters history and are rarely useful in the RP scene other than a mention towards appearance.

  • Unusual colours, markings, extra limbs/appendages

This pretty much goes along with accessories and jewellery. Some RPers like to have unique characters so these things allow RPers to exercise their imagination in that way. Extra limbs and appendages do have some rp scene uses as in some scenarios it would be a(n) advantage/disadvantage that a character would have to work with.

  • Skills/stats, upgradable or not

It's really a split down the middle when it comes to RPs that use them and rps that hate them. For some it's to create a system where characters cannot be created to be overpowering, and have the option to get stronger over a time, which would be realistic. For others, they'd like to focus more on the writing aspect of it all, rather than the stats and upgrade systems. From what I have seen over the years, upgradable systems have always done better than not. People love to level up and have their character develop, so I would assume this is why ungradable systems do better. Skill/Stat systems are definitely not just for looks or level ups, they are particularly used in battles, tracking and hunting scenarios.

  • Territory challenges

The aim of something like territory challenges, is that everyone has a chance to become the next leader. No one is overpowered, because everyone has a opportunity to take that IC leadership position if they choose to. This also creates a lot of plotting opportunity with the shift of power. 

  • Mutations, be it magic or science fiction=based

Any mutation leaves room for major plotting especially if the the mutation is magic or science fiction based. The mutation could be an aesthetic in making the character look pretty, but in my experience it is more about the advantages and disadvantages brought on by the mutation itself.

  • Anthropomorphism*

Every animal RP has some level anthropomorphism, whether it be just human speech or the added human intellect and facial expression. Some even take it further into the being able to use weapons or have bags for items. I normally keep to the semi-realistic genre but in a fantasy setting the lines can definitely be blurred as you said. To be honest, in the fantasy sites that I have witnessed, they have never been really clear about where the lines in this regard lie. Perhaps, that is because there are so many possibilities in a fantasy genre that you just can't cover them all or maybe there is an unspoken rule about it all that I am not privy to.

 

Hopefully I offered some sort of insight to you.

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