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FCs - The good, the bad and the ugly


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Are you set on having faceclaims? Do you make them optional? Are they completely in place of a physical description or not? How far can you go with tweaking their appearance for your character/does clothing and hair style really matter? What about when joining a site, is the availability or lack of (or even the presence of a PB that is disliked) truly so important as to make/break joining that site for you?

 

I fully admit that most sites I've RPed and staffed on have not had faceclaims as a requirement, and as a result I'm mostly against using them even though I do have FCs bookmarked for some characters. Though for each character it's only one and it took me years to find some of them, especially those who I've designed from the ground up. If you want to use them more power to you but I honestly don't see the point of them unless they're canon characters  or it's an RP based on a show/movie/whatever. And if it's supposed to be an original RP with OCs that requires a PB? I can understand basing the appearance of a character on a certain PB but not when they look exactly alike aside from minor edits. I'm not even touching on tracking and reserving FCs and only allowing that FC to be used once and the hassle on the staffing end of it.

 

Recently I was looking around for sites to possibly join and I have to admit the FC thing confuses me. Like okay, yeah, it's awesome that you can have a character and easily make graphics for them if you've got a PB. But it seems like most sites don't give you the chance to write an actual description of a character in the application anymore and idk. To me it's odd. I'm used to having 200+ word descriptions of what the character looks like, pointing out their physical scars and imperfections and how they carry themselves. Pointing out eye color and mannerisms and how they might blend in or stand out in a crowd.

 

My vision is also terrible and I find that descriptions are easier to visualize in my head as opposed to figuring out how to describe the appearance of a PB most of the time if there's no description to go along with the image. Eye color is hard to distinguish, downright impossible actually if it's a small image or not a close up of the face. Then there is the issue of lighting and heavier graphical edits to faces which introduces a whole new set of issues for someone who has visual impairments or who may not be the best at separating lighting from actual skin tone. Generally that means looking up who their PB is and then looking up pictures of them and asking the RPer if I'm getting them right just to make sure. For me, it's exhausting.

 

I see people who ban a certain PB or who won't join a site because either their PB was taken or someone had a character with a PB they hated. I understand not liking the PB because of something they've done, but the character isn't the PB. Imo it really stifles creativity and honestly, is it really such a huge problem?

 

And how far is too far to go when editing the appearance of an PB? Eye color and maybe hair color/length are fair common and reasonable edits. The issue I have mainly with mine is finding someone who face shape/bone structure that matches the character. To date I've only had one PB I've found that matches the character's bone structure and didn't require much editing (none in this case actually), but tbf my little healer was half based on the Harp Twins  to begin with so Kennerly Kitt being a perfect match isn't exactly surprising. But then I look at other characters, good luck finding a tall, muscular woman (wrestler/bodybuilder, because this particular character likes walking around in full plate armor with a sword bigger than she is) that also happens to have this particular facial structure, which leaves out a good chunk of the candidates there without even going into skintone/eyes/hair. How do you deal with the more niche or unique characters?

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Are you set on having faceclaims?

Yes. The visual component helps people see the same thing... mostly.

 

Do you make them optional?

No. Uniformity and coherence are important on a site. This is why I don't want animanga but only real life faceclaims.

 

Are they completely in place of a physical description or not? How far can you go with tweaking their appearance for your character?

 

The physical description must exist anyway, for 3 reasons:

 

a) not everyone sees colours the same way, and sometimes people get angry if I mention a character's hair is "a shade of red" when she calls it strawberry blonde, auburn or mahagony.

 

b) as you had mentioned, not always one can see eye colours well in the photo;

 

c) some characters' eye colour can differ from the playby's (who is a similar look, but can't be identical look). I think Hilary Swank might have brown eyes, my character having her PB has green eyes. Alain Delon has blue eyes, but my character has them green (these two are siblings, and the unusual shade of green in their eyes is what makes them look alike the most, otherwise one looks like the mother, one like the father).  Not to say about the ladies' hair colour, which might differ radically from a movie to another...

 

Also, the height must be mentioned, because for me the characters' likeness to the PB stops mostly at the face. They can be taller or way shorter than the PB (e.g. I used Peter Dinklage as a ruthless pirate captain. His rather severe, imposing face was doubled by a bear-like poise. Someone not checking thought he was as short as the character in GoT).

 

Does clothing and hair style really matter?

 

Yes. Give me a faceclaim in jeans and T-shirt on a 1700s site... and it wouldn't fly. If you crop the image to see only the face and you describe the proper attire for the period, then it is OK (and I can pretend I don't see in the lower part the start of the shirt buttons or T-shirt, as long as it is just the smallest part possible of it, and the face is prominent). Equally, a short-haired girl wouldn't be accepted unless the hairdressing can give the illusion that it is a kind of a bun behind her. (e.g. no bob, no emo look, etc).

 

What about when joining a site, is the availability or lack of (or even the presence of a PB that is disliked) truly so important as to make/break joining that site for you?

 

If the playby of the character I wanted to make is taken, I'll join with another character. Not liking somebody else's PB choice doesn't mean that I might not like the character. I might. It is up to the writer.

 

How do you deal with the more niche or unique characters?

 

I ask someone to help me with photoshop (because I can't) sometimes. (Scars, etc.) Other times, I settle on the closest look even if it is not exactly how I would have envisaged the character in my mind. Movie makers do this all the time. I imagined Edward in Twilight very different than Robert Pattinson; so what? The movies were made and they had success. I can say this for most of the books I read which got made into movies.

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I strongly dislike using faceclaims. for me it feels morally wrong to use someone's face or art without their permission. (Of course there are people who give their permission to be used, but I don't want to go looking for them, and it still doesn't sit right with me even if it's in the public domain.) I also don't think they represent my characters as well as I can with my own images.

 

 I have the ability to visualize my characters and those of others based on descriptions alone, and finding a picture that matches would be a chore. In my case I also am capable of, and  prefer to draw my characters. If sites want a particular style for faceclaims, (photos, anime etc) often it just doesn't mesh with my characters' styles. Sadly I don't find many sites that say they allow members to use their own art for their characters when they have faceclaim rules, so I have come to prefer sites that simply let players use whatever images they like.

Some people dislike those because 'the styles don't mesh from character to character' but that has never really bothered me.  When I visualize the characters and the scene, my mind balances things enough so it doesn't look weird for an anime style character and a realistic character appear in the same space.

The freedom to use whatever images players like just means the people who need faceclaims can use them, and the people who don't can do their own thing.

Edited by Kazetatsu
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Are you set on having faceclaims?

 

I'm set on having the option, but not all of my characters have them for lack of finding a near enough representation. But like @Elena said, the visual mostly keeps people on the same track in a way that no written description will ever be able to do. 

 

I could give the most detailed description possible of my character Seth, and some people are still going to envision someone like Jason Statham when in reality he's almost a dead ringer for Jon Bernthal. And it doesn't matter how much detail you try to describe Kristen Stewart with, she still looks exactly like literally a million other girls out there - which is exactly why she was chosen to play Bella, because she's a cookie cutter chick. She could get a face tattoo and she still wouldn't stand out from a crowd. Just google Kristen Stewart look alike. 

 

People are going to assign some sort of visual representation to a character whether its an actor/model/we of their choosing or a fabrication of their minds - play bys give the writer a mechanism of control over how their character is perceived. It is hugely annoying to read your character described improperly. If I'm just writing a story for other people to read, then I really don't mind how they choose to interpret a character's description - but the interactive nature of role playing makes accuracy a big deal. 

 

Do you make them optional?

 

Yes, but if people do chose to use a play by I require them to be a real person. No anime/manga characters can be claimed or used. That said, I allow members to use personal art and commissions to represent their characters.

 

Are they completely in place of a physical description or not? How far can you go with tweaking their appearance for your character?

 

That's up to the player. I have both for some of my characters, image only for others. I'm handy in photoshop so I can make whatever sort of tweaks and changes I need to. Most of the time my play bys are chosen for facial features and I'll describe their general physique in actual threads as needed - that tends to work a little better. 

I've been role playing a long time and honestly I'm pretty over having to write bios. Like I mentioned above, you can use all the detail in the world and the other person still might not picture what you want them to. And some people are just going to willfully ignore your descriptions anyway. I have a character that was always described as world worn, weary and heavily battle scarred - a man that in his younger days was nondescript at best. Every female character that ever encountered him referred to him as handsome or attractive in some way - lot of people told me they pictured Karl Urban for some stupid ass reason. I put up with that for about six years before it turned into well if you can't beat the bastards then fucking join them. 

 

Do clothing and hair style really matter?

 

Not really. There comes a point where its just too knit picky. I'm not gonna tell someone they can't use a play by that fits their character perfectly just because that actor/model/athlete has no available imagery that fits the time setting. Most of the time cropping can solve those problems anyway. 

 

Does availability or lack thereof make a difference in joining? 

 

It can. If I'm considering joining a site because I think a specific character will do well there, then finding out that their visual rep isn't available is going to be a deal breaker. Chances are I can find another site with a similar setting that's going to allow me to use the character I want. 

 

On the other hand, if I didn't have a specific character in mind and I find out the PB for one of my favs is taken, then I'll just use another character. No big deal. 

 

How do you deal with the more niche or unique characters?

 

There's almost no level of niche or unique that photoshop can't produce with a little bit of know how. Being willing to put in the time and effort to create the exact look is a different matter entirely, though, especially when you have to teach yourself along the way. I could create a pretty decent representation of my Bright based orc character, but I'm not really willing to put in the time - just finding a character in the background of the film that's close enough works fine for me. But stuff like hair/eye/skin color, scars, horns and fangs I'll usually mess with. 

 

 

 

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I personally love face claims but they're not a MUST for me. I have joined forums without them before and I was just fine with written descriptions.

Edited by Zozma
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Are you set on having faceclaims?

I like them. It's a handy reference (note that I'm not against art as avatars either). Describing your character's mannerisms in profile/app is also helpful imo. It gives me a reference to use for my character to reinterpret yours (rightly or wrongly!)

 

Do you make them optional?

Yes.

 

Are they completely in place of a physical description or not? How far can you go with tweaking their appearance for your character?

People can use whatever they want for their avatar And tweak whatever they want.

 

Does clothing and hair style really matter?

Yes it does to me but not enough to enforce it as a rule on my site.

 

What about when joining a site, is the availability or lack of (or even the presence of a PB that is disliked) truly so important as to make/break joining that site for you?

No. It wouldn't stop me.

 

How do you deal with the more niche or unique characters?

 In the example you gave? You suffer! I've struggled with that sort of thing too. Body diversity isn't the entertainment industry's strong point.

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Are you set on having faceclaims?

No.

I, like many people, prefer a photo for sake of ease but it's not a game-killer if somebody doesn't have an image they feel does justice to their character. 

 

Do you make them optional?

Yes. Always. 

 

Are they completely in place of a physical description or not? How far can you go with tweaking their appearance for your character?

part a: They can be if the player chooses. I also love seeing extra descriptions from the player in addition to the image (like mannerisms or dress)
part b: However far you need to go in order to be happy with the representation of  your character

 

Does clothing and hair style really matter?

A little bit; I mean, what's the point of having an image if you then have to say, "Oh but with a buzzcut instead of the curly hair - and uh, decked out in Technogoth attire instead of lumberjack hipster special"? It's nothing I would pend or reject a profile over though. 

 

What about when joining a site, is the availability or lack of (or even the presence of a PB that is disliked) truly so important as to make/break joining that site for you?

I have a very STRONG dislike of "Oh well somebody else is using this Playby/actor so you can't" rules. It's hard enough finding somebody who fits your headcannon, and truth of the matter is, in RL people find accidental twins ALL the time. So I won't join ANY site that has detailed/strict FC rules. 
 

How do you deal with the more niche or unique characters?
THIS is a major reason why I roll my eyes at forced faceclaims/playbys. I refuse to penalize a member for their inability to create the perfect photoshopped representation - nor do I want to create a culture where they feel they have to ask somebody who IS graphically inclined just to gain access to a WRITING HOBBY. It feels like a.... I can't think of the word.... something to do with Gatekeeping, Entrance "fee", initiation bars, etc. 
 

Edited by CovertSphinx
Found a word: Restrictive and Elitist.
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Yes, my sites use playbys / faceclaims - I'm old, I prefer to call them playbys or avatars. We accept both real life and well-done original art - no anime. We also ask for a basic short descriptions to augment the photo. If someone is adamantly against using a playby, we'd ask they write a much more thorough description of the character in the bio.

 

At our historical site, we ask that the playbys be as time period appropriate as possible (i.e. no cell phones, cars, etc. in the pic). Otherwise, we're not very picky.

 

I like having the face to illustrate who I think the character looks most like. However, I usually phrase it as "Looks most like Character Y, played by Actor / Actress X in XX movie or YY TV series."

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  • 3 weeks later...

I used to draw all of my own characters, and I was once part of a forum where one of the admins or the player would draw their character. It was awesome, but time consuming. A full time job and four kids later, and I'm going to use a face claim. Now that I'm running my own forum, I require a face claim, yes. If someone wanted to draw their character, I'd allow it, and if someone asked to use art instead of a real person, I'd be alright with that, too. So far, my handful of players have all chosen real people. Oftentimes, their descriptions vary from their chosen likeness, and I like that. I have enough of an imagination to be able to alter that appearance in my mind, so, it's cool with me. 

That said, some of the regional differences in appearances with some of the races in my game do not at all lend themselves well to real life face claims, so that's going to complicate things once those areas are open for play and/or a player requests to be a character from that location in the currently open areas (totally allowed, with a handful of exceptions)! Photoshop is our friend! 😉

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Q.:  Am I set on using face-claims?

 

A.:  Yes, but in regards to boards where I can make original characters.

 

Q.:  Do I make face-claims optional?

 

A.:  As long as members aren't forced to personify characters.  Likewise, if the roles can't fit certain concepts.

 

Q.:  Are face-claims acceptable instead of an appearance section?

 

A.:  I am use to both being together, but I do understand others' frustrations.

 

Q.:  How far can I tolerate tweaking face-claims for certain games?

 

A.:  My original dramatis personae stem from a historically minded man.  Their appearances must conform to settings as best they can.  It's nit-picky details which may evanesce my restraint.  Such occasions are limited.

 

Q.:  Is the presence of face-claims, or the lack thereof, enough to become a deal-breaker when applying at a locale?

 

A.:  I hail from a strain of collaborative writers which desire play-bys to be streamlined.  If I join an ani-manga site, visuals will not employ thespians and models.  That's flipped when playing elsewhere.  All the same, at times, I loathe obligatory human masks.  It isn't fair to some people regarding uniques.

Edited by Jacob
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  • 2 weeks later...

Q  - Are you set on having faceclaims? 

Not really. I may like using a picture to describe how my character looks, but I can do without, and also I tend to like stock photos over famous people. Actually the "claiming" part is a pet peeve of mine, as is celebrity culture in general. Pics are nice when they're just that.

 

Do you make them optional?

Yep.

 

Are they completely in place of a physical description or not?

No. Appearance isn't just a face. There are traits you can't see in one's avatar, and no pic will show how one moves and the like. And no, I'm not going to assume one has the same attitude as their famous dude. 

 

How far can you go with tweaking their appearance for your character/does clothing and hair style really matter?

What's visible should fit the setting and your character's looks, other than that describe away.

 

What about when joining a site, is the availability or lack of (or even the presence of a PB that is disliked) truly so important as to make/break joining that site for you?

No. Although I must say, if everyone is superfamous & typecasted I might have second thoughts.

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