Passive-Aggressive Godmoding

[Tefka]

HUMAN FETHING NATURE. Humans and other species, as well as us in real life, naturally compete and have a confidence that we are better than others, its human nature...

Lol... This explains very little, actually. Mainly because I don't believe it, and that it's just another "easy excuse." What led to the character being passive aggressively minded? What plot, what background story, what event, what behavioral modifier.

 

[Darth Veles]

That really does not seem like godmoding, more like a character's opinion. Some players write their post in a neutral manner and write their character's thoughts in italics, some players write entire posts from their character's point of view. If I ICly write that the Jedi are a bunch of weak fools, it does not transform every Jedi into a demented old man rather than states my character's opinion.

 

[Darth Ferus]

You know how you can talk to someone in a manner that isn't technically condescending with the word choice, but how you say it makes it very much so? Think of this like that. It's not what you say, but how you say it. There are ways to write things that make it your characters opinion, then there are ways to write it that makes it look like you, the writer, are stating a fact that can't be dismissed.

@[member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Nikolas Faselli]

To be honest, until now, I have never seen a single person who has been bothered by writing like that.

Some people naturally have a higher ego than others. It exists in real life and in RP. Indeed, it doesn't mean, that all are like that. That's why one thing has always bothered me a bit: everybody (clealy exaggerated) thinks their character is supreme. Personally, I have tried to keep my characters a bit more humble before they reach the Master rank and are actually better than some other people (Padawans, Knights...). But I can't change other people and I won't go reporting them if they write like that.

 

[Chupa La'Roi]

If you wanna roll around believing you're better than other people, just do it. Lol.

But my question is - why do so many damn characters think they're better than everyone else?

Probably because of two things, both of which occur OOC:

1. Ranks. Chupa for example is an apprentice level ( for now ), yet I write him as overbearing, insane and foolhardy. And if he came into a fight against a knight or master level, he would most likely lose. But naturally, the concept will come up in that form of a discussion of "Well, anyone could lose to anyone. Masters can lose to apprentices, NFUs can lose to FUs, it's possible." Suddenly, your apprentice character is the best thing ever, even HE/SHE can fight a Master. And your NFU characters become capable of challenging FUs. If we get rid of this system, another fault forms: Masters become nigh invincible except to other Masters, becoming untouchable characters to a large portion of the community. People write their characters as if their character is superior for a legit reason: because otherwise, who wants to spend their time writing a character who lets themselves be stepped on in a universe where you can be practically anything?

2. Because they need to feel that way. I know a lot of people who roleplay not just here, but elsewhere, who struggle with being themselves in public or believing that they are important. And they can use roleplaying as a means to feel that way, to express themselves and their emotions in their work. Their characters become their personal works of art and help to define themselves in the community they join to roleplay. They lack the confidence in life so they express their confidence in their fantasy character, in order to grow that confidence over time. What we need to do less is making comments about how immature or badly written or offensive the author of these characters are, and privately bring up a discussion with them about why they write their character that way, and what we can do to help change that.

We need less public sacrifices, and more people willing to mentor.

 

[sabrina]

@[member="Tefka"] any advice, as I can`t wrap my opinions up, speech bubbles, as that would give game away. As she under cover sith, but same time, I like to express my character contempt for the mandalorians, for taking thing`s that are not theirs.

 

[Not Ordo]

I am guilty it seems. I guess I need to put more thought bubbles into my writing.

 

[Garza]

As much as I agree with the entire subject, I try and give the writer doubt by thinking that it's just their character and not the writer, but there are a few people here and there that I know think that way about people IC and OOC for reasons.

 

[Velok the Younger]

TL;DR: Wheaton's Law

 

[Darth Immortus]

He was astonished at how weak and feeble Obi-Wan seemed to have become after all their years apart.

This would be acceptable, as it puts the opinions within the context of the one stating them and doesn't explicitly state that Obi-Wan is objectively weak.

You want people to correct how they write their characters thoughts and opinions based on empirical fact? What fact? A fact the author knows or the character?

Yes.

Forum RPing is a collaborative process, meaning you do not have sole editorial point-of-view. If one character is truly stronger, or smarter, or a better pilot, etc. than another, then this decision needs to be reached cooperatively by both writers. It cannot be assumed automatically, unless there is a clear rank difference. You are of course free to write your characters' opinions until you're blue in the face - including in the third person - as long as you make it clear that they are nothing more than your character's opinions. Otherwise it's bad form.

I would also add that your quote from Urban Dictionary aptly summarizes everything I'm talking about in the last paragraph.

A Sith who thinks highly of himself or herself is more likely to downcast their opponent; the same goes for Jedi, who look down upon Sith teachings. How are we to gauge what is a character opinion that is true to a character's personality and what is purely OOC power playing?

Is it so hard to wrap quotation marks around your character's opinions? Or say "He/she thought..." before going into a diatribe about silly your character thinks your opponent is?

Additionally, if one constantly has to state these things in their prose, then they're probably doing things fundamentally wrong. Show, don't tell. If your character is arrogant, show us through his actions. Don't simply tell us how arrogant he is by demeaning the opponent. Have him take off his suit of armor when fighting an opponent, or give a snarky retort, or laugh in his opponent's face. You'll find that trying to show your character's personality in this way, rather than simply telling us how they are, makes for a much more vibrant experience.

 

[Garza]

@[member="Count Aretine"] I love your brain.
May I have it? lol

 

[Aithne Charr]

If you wanna roll around believing you're better than other people, just do it. Lol.

But my question is - why do so many damn characters think they're better than everyone else?

Original question my quoted response was too.

Lol... This explains very little, actually. Mainly because I don't believe it, and that it's just another "easy excuse." What led to the character being passive aggressively minded? What plot, what background story, what event, what behavioral modifier.

Your post....


Tef... Sith are taught to be arrogant and proud, humans are arrogant and proud, countless star wars species are arrogant and proud. Its a single, undeniable, reason for their chars acting pompous, confident, scared. AND FURTHERMORE. You cant just throw every character on the karking board into one pile, each character has their own back stories. Youre too hung up in your own inability to separate OOC and IC, and i will stick by this from now until the time the board is gone or i am. People's characters grow depending on their story, and if being pompous, confident, scared, weak, strong, etc... then let them. You nor anyone else has any right to tell a character they should stop acting confident, whether the sheer fact is the other char is stronger doesnt mean a character isnt entitled to thinking themselves better.

 

[sabrina]

can`t do the above, as I am in cover, as a mandalorian red guard. @[member="Count Aretine"]

 

[Nikolas Faselli]

Is it so hard to wrap quotation marks around your character's opinions? Or say "He/she thought..." before going into a diatribe about silly your character thinks your opponent is?

... Beware, people... From now on, all of my posts will be a million words long monologues by my characters... >.>

 

[Flint Dexen]

@[member="Count Aretine"]

Thanks for this epic explanation. I'm definitely going to see if I can get rid of passive-aggressive godmoding from my RP posts from now on.

 

[Aithne Charr]

Yes.

Forum RPing is a collaborative process, meaning you do not have sole editorial point-of-view. If one character is truly stronger, or smarter, or a better pilot, etc. than another, then this decision needs to be reached cooperatively by both writers. It cannot be assumed automatically, unless there is a clear rank difference. You are of course free to write your characters' opinions until you're blue in the face - including in the third person - as long as you make it clear that they are nothing more than your character's opinions. Otherwise it's bad form.

So, youre saying we should bow to other writers and play characters of our own creation to their standards too, i will roll over and die before someone tells me how to play characters i have crafted in my mind and their personalities that control their actions. Thank you very much.

 

[Darth Ferus]

So, youre saying we should bow to other writers and play characters of our own creation to their standards too, i will roll over and die before someone tells me how to play characters i have crafted in my mind and their personalities that control their actions. Thank you very much.

Your ironically agreeing with him. Perhaps you should reread what he's saying.

 

[Darth Immortus]

But naturally, the concept will come up in that form of a discussion of "Well, anyone could lose to anyone. Masters can lose to apprentices, NFUs can lose to FUs, it's possible." Suddenly, your apprentice character is the best thing ever, even HE/SHE can fight a Master. And your NFU characters become capable of challenging FUs. If we get rid of this system, another fault forms: Masters become nigh invincible except to other Masters, becoming untouchable characters to a large portion of the community. People write their characters as if their character is superior for a legit reason: because otherwise, who wants to spend their time writing a character who lets themselves be stepped on in a universe where you can be practically anything?

You are confusing intentions with results. This is not to say that objective facts do not exist; some characters are indeed stronger or better than others at certain things. The point is, this must be decided upon collaboratively.

People's characters grow depending on their story, and if being pompous, confident, scared, weak, strong, etc... then let them. You nor anyone else has any right to tell a character they should stop acting confident, whether the sheer fact is the other char is stronger doesnt mean a character isnt entitled to thinking themselves better.

No one is saying you can't do those things. Rather it's all in the delivery.

@[member="Zoey Marix"] It sounds like you and I would get along just fine.

 

[Jorus Merrill]

Clearly, Jorus thought to himself, Solan Charr had missed the point. And was now weak and vulnerable to the roflstomping ahead.

Jorus cackled maniacally.

 

[Nellja]

This form of writing has bothered me for some characters. Like my main character from another website. She is trying her hardest to reach the top but all these opponents she faces always drags her down. I've written her to be aggressive but heartbroken. The way I write her both ICly and OOCly is reflected off of how I myself get annoyed with her weaknesses - especially when other players write up posts where their characters SEE her that way.

Then I make my next post havoc just for that...

HOWEVER, people do have their own writing styles. I myself rely a lot on narrative tone to draw my style out. Other people may have that too. That style may include narrative tones saying that"he looked down on his weak, pathetic, opponent".

I don't suggest changing the structure or wordings, I suggest changing the way those words are potrayed. "He looked down on his seemingly weak opponent, one who was pathetic in his eyes". It also makes the post longer xD