RP Con-Critic Club - Any Interest?

[Root]

Just throwing an idea out to see if anyone in the community is interested in this kind of thing.

The idea is to get people happy to take constructive criticism and give it to others in the name of improving your and their roleplay and writing skills. Giving criticisim to people who don't want it is generally taken defensively and is never a good idea, but taking it is one of the only ways to improve yourself, and definitely one of the best.

So, the idea is thus:

1. If you sign up, you agree to take, as well as give, any criticism, comments, or suggestions to your own or others RP, bearing in mind that you only give your own criticism to other folk in this group. If they're here, and you see something about their RP that you think is a clear flaw, tell them, to their face, honestly and maturely, and agree to listen when folk do the same to you.

2. Likewise, if it's good, give a back-pat, but following rule #4.

3. Never criticise without bringing up a good point. Too much negativity gets people down.

4. Never compliment without bringing up a bad point. Too much ego is bad for you.


This would not be a good idea if you're thin-skinned or easily offended.

Constructive criticism is the idea around this whole thing revolves. Not back-patting and complimenting, there's another thread for that. Not outright insulting and moaning, there's brick walls if you want to do that. An inbetween.

Being in this group by no means makes you superior to those who choose not to be. There's lots of reasons not to join. Being a more casual RPer, being happy with your current ability, knowing you're not good at taking criticism, etc. Those who do are just looking to improve.

After all, if you decide to start painting and nobody does anything but compliment you, you're not going to know when you've messed up.

So, just posting this out for any comments on the idea, interest, dislike, love, hate, heck, maybe even some criticism.

[Saulus]

Too much room for drama with this. RPoTM is already out there to promote good roleplay.

If you really want criticism of your rp I recommend dealing with it in PMs.

[MadSeer]

But with RPoTM you're just told you're good. Besides, this seems to be only for the people that sign up for it. I mean it's pretty clear what it is about and it doesn't look like someone prone to drama and bitchin' would sign up.

[Saulus]

But with RPoTM you're just told you're good. Besides, this seems to be only for the people that sign up for it. I mean it's pretty clear what it is about and it doesn't look like someone prone to drama and bitchin' would sign up.

You'd think that but I've been running this forum for over 4 years and it isn't that simple.

[AsuraKing]

I like this idea, but i think it should be kept to PM's only...

[Machiavelli]

I can see it turning pretty sour...

[OnyxTigress]

I can see it turning pretty sour...

Yeah, me too.

[Doubtful]

I'm never surprised by the number of people who are convinced they're thick-skinned and can take constructive criticism, but aren't and can't.

Let's file this idea under 'great in theory - Potentially disastrous in practice'.

[Root]

Hmm.

On the point of drama, it would be intended primarily and pretty much wholly for people who wouldn't cause it. Hell, if you want to improve your RP, the best way to do so would be to face up to whatever happens and roll with it rather than creating fuss or complaints. Such puts DM's and players off doing anything significant with you. THEN start looking for criticism from others.

If drama did start coming from it, the person causing it could be told they're not fitting in with the spirit of the thing and removed. Harsh, perhaps, but if they were prone to causing fuss they shouldn't have signed up in the first place.

In terms of it being kept to PM's, that's something that could be done. We'd still kind of need a public thread for organisation to be kept in, but any actual comments between people in it can be kept to PM's if there's worry of it turning into a drama fest when out in the open.

So far I count two people perhaps interested in it, which is a good start.

[DM_Equinox]

I'm afraid I'm with Doubtful on this - despite the concept being good, and valid.

[GodBeastX]

If you want criticism, just ask me. Everyone knows I'm the best RP'er in the universe and therefore wholly qualified to dish out verdicts upon you all.

(/SARCASM OFF)

But honestly, there's no rules that state you can't all setup a group of people that want to give feedback to each other.

[Root]

If you want criticism, just ask me. Everyone knows I'm the best RP'er in the universe and therefore wholly qualified to dish out verdicts upon you all.

Go for it. :P

There is the slight problem that what is one mans garbage is another mans treasure, but as everything that's a matter of opinion, the more you can get the better kind of idea you'll have of what the real situation is.

[Qinniqtuq Aggaak]

I'm also with Doubtful on that. Not that it isn't a good idea though. As an artist, getting into groups to do critiques on and with each other is the norm to me.... However Saul is right. he's been around long enough to have seen the good, bad, and the fugly, and could see the outcome of any thread just from the first or first few posts.

If such a critique was an open source for anyone to add their input it would inevitably turn sour and argumentative. You could probably find good examples by going through several old threads where such discussions took place and see the progression until someone had to put their foot down and lock things up before it turns into a flame-war.

The idea does have merit though, and If any of you are intersted in it I would say use this thread to find those with a similar interest for a critique group and consult with one another through PM's, chat, or email. I do know such self reflection would indeed help many out with new ideas for RP, Character concepts, etc... that's the benefit of sharing ideas. It isn't always easy though, just remember that.

[DM_Equinox]

On another note, setting up such a thing and taking it off the forums, so that only those who actually join can access, might be a good compromise.

For example, set up a Yahoo Group. (Or google group)

[cdnspr]

best thing to do in my mind is just send a tell ig to some of the people you rp with most. why open it up to the general public when you may not even rp with most of them?