Do you think Age effects RP?

[Titan]

What do you think?

 

[Darth Ferus]

I have met twelve year olds with the skills of famous authors and I've met people in their forties who surprise me they even made it out of kindergarten.

So no. Age does not matter.

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

Attitudes change over time, and approaches to writing.

Skill is not based on age though. You can make sweeping generalisations, but not all of them are correct.

 

[Aithne Charr]

I think it can change the direction of your characters, as my own characters have changed with age. But overall, I don't think age effects it too greatly.

 

[Goran]

With age often comes experience. I'm a much better writer now than I was a decade ago, and if I keep refining my craft, I'll be a much better writer in a decade than I am now.

Raw talent can be found at nearly any age, and I've met teenagers who can write circles around me. But generally speaking, the longer someone has been writing, the better they'll be, especially if they consciously improve themselves as they go along.

 

[Jaxton Ravos]

There's a saying in business that some people have ten years of experience and some people have two years experience five times. Some people are fair and balanced writers at 13, some aren't at 31. Some take a year or two to click, some don't. Everyone has room for improvement, and can get better if they make it a priority and make sure not to think linearly. I would say in general people who start older a little more prepared, but I haven't noticed any trends on how people grow in relation to age or experience.

 

[Matsu Ike]

I don't think it does, as has been said there are young people who can write circles around me but generally the longer you stay at it the more you've had chances to develop something for your own. I am 28 and despite a decade plus rping I would say I am at best average to mediocre for it with a lot to learn and do. Maybe in another ten years I'll be better.

 

[Nymeria Vizsla]

[member="Goran"] nailed it.

I think in life, skill in anything can be talent. However the best of the best don't become the best by being talented. They practice. Which in my opinion is what makes a great. Talent can make you good, but only practice can elevate you to greatness.

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Been doing this since I was 9. I'm 22 now.

Experience does, but not age.

 

[Juggerduck]

Agreed. The one thing age gives you is experience, which you can use to shape and motivate your character. Younger players have a smaller palate, that's all. Nothing to do with skill level. I'd rather write with a 14-year-old that can tell a good story using whatever they bring to the table than a 50 year old Mary Sue who thinks characterization means angry orphan who hates authority, is super sexy and can never be hit in battle.

 

[Davin Jusik]

[member="Titan Kryze"]

Yes and no, pretty much what the others said.

Older folk TEND to be more mature but you really never can tell until you actually write with someone.

 

[Darth Prazutis]

[member="Titan Kryze"]

Experience matters, age doesn't. A very good friend of mine writes like a famous author and he's young, younger than me actually. Age has nothing to do with it experience is what matters.

 

[Cyrus Tregessar]

[member="Titan Kryze"]

Was going to chime in with a resounding YES but really I think [member="Darth Prazutis"] covered it. Typically as one ages one experiences more and does more. That means why you write, the way you write, what you write and so on will all change.

But it's not a clear correlation. An older person is not necessarily a better writer, nor are they more likely to do such and such type of character better than a younger person. I can tell you that for myself I am somewhat less wildly imaginative than I once was, but also much more consistent and (I hope) readable. I can also tell you that my military characters are a hell of a lot more convincing now than they were back in high school.

 

[Corrax Talrus]

I've been doing RP for some years, and certainly experience makes a difference - which requires time, which translates to age. So age does make a difference, as long as the person has been doing it for quality amounts of time. A 40 year old doing it for the first time versus a 20 year old doing it for the first time, however, is not going to make much of a difference.

Aside from that, one of the things I do​ see age contributing to, is that as I get older I'm less inclined toward the drama that accompanies RP so often. Something happens that bugs me? I don't fly off the handle (anymore), I make some type of IC joke about it and move on. Someone insults my writing skills? Well, darn, because I was totally here just to impress you​. /sarcasm

So I think age generally​ contributes to a healthy dose of maturity ... but not even that is a golden rule.

 

[Fabula Caromed]

A very complicated question without a single correct answer. Lemme see if I can boil it down to math.

Practice = better writing.

Maturity = better writing.

There is a noted positive correlation between age and maturity.

However, age =/= maturity.

There are many older writers even on this board who are not terribly good, either in regards to literary skill or basic interpersonal skills, but it would be false to assume that age has nothing to do with it at all. On the other hand, we've had many examples of very young writers on this board who are a positive joy to work with, with compelling plotlines, personable demeanor, and solid technical skills. There does tend to be some correlation between "skill" as an RPer and age, but it's not at all a hard and fast rule. In general, it's more the quality of a person that determines how they RP, not their age.

 

[Vustia]

I was terrible when I was younger but that was probably due to me being new at it

 

[RC 212]

I think it does. Not in the effect that age is experience. I've been RPing here and with folks before here on TGC as Captain Colbs, RC 212, and host of other characters. Some of these folks have been here for a long time. When I started before the switch to this board I think I was about 15?

Now I'm 24, fast approaching 25.

I've noticed my writing and how I handle folks has changed with age. One notable difference right off the top is I don't take everything as personally as when I was younger, and I'm not as much of an ass to folks any-more either. When I was younger I was much less mature about the way I handled things. My characters were cheesy because I hadn't had that age and experience.

Now with age you learn more about people. About purpose, what drives folks in real life, what things are actually like. Your education level is generally higher the older you get and therefore you have a deeper well of knowledge, wisdom and experiences to draw from and infuse into your character. Many of my characters have been reflections of what’s going on within my self.

When things are going great I tend to write lightside oriented folks. When things are rather Chaotic In my life I tend to write more darksided characters. With age I've come to understand what drives each a little better.

When I was fifteen I was more into writing the whole, "I go to a planet, mess everyone’s day up and generally cause hell."

Then I graduated to the "Hell raiser, but fun plot twist guy."

Now I still like to stir the pot, but as I've changed over the years so has my attitude towards characters, and the world. It's reflected in the type of writing I do. I'm more concerned with telling an amazing tale and really driving a characters development rather than being super Clone Trooper Warlord X. I generally try to stay away fro screwing with people IC just for the sake of it. Except with Jack, but that wasn't personal. That was just how I imagined he'd feel IC and the actions he'd take IC.

 

[Horus]

I feel I was a more imaginative writer five years ago than I am now, but I write with better quality than I did back then. Everyone is different, I feel that I've lost a lot of my spark I had back then, but I've improved my ability to tell stories

Edit: Didn't realize how old this was, I was just browsing threads