Feral Heart

Game & Forum Discussion => Game Discussion => Topic started by: Lady_Alizarin on April 15, 2015, 06:09:07 pm

Title: Elderly Characters
Post by: Lady_Alizarin on April 15, 2015, 06:09:07 pm

Whenever I read a character biography, I've noticed that a majority of adult characters age range is 2-4 years of age (for cat, dog, wolf characters mostly). Once in a blue moon do I find any characters that are above the age of 5-6 years, or what would be known as their senior years. I have a couple of characters who are considered to be senior citizens in the animal world. During roleplays, some people ask,
"Why is your character so old?"
"Wouldn't you rather have one that's young and in the prime of their life?"
I'm like, "Is there something wrong with my character's old age? I didn't know it was weird to have an elderly character." In roleplays I like a little bit of age diversity among the characters. Not everyone has to be the exact same age, do they?

I find it most funny when it comes to the ones who mate-beg toward my middle-aged characters, and when they find out how old they are, they are like, "Eww! You're way to old!" Well I hate to break it to you, but it's sometimes the older and more experienced animals that get mates during the mating season. Example, deer/moose/elk antlers get bigger and more tines/points the OLDER they get. The does/cows are more attracted to the larger antlers from the OLDER stags/bucks/bulls, instead of the little-racked, inexperienced yearlings and 2-year-olds.

So is there anything wrong with having a character who isn't a spring chicken? I really don't think so.

Title: Re: Elderly Characters
Post by: Jango_Fett on April 15, 2015, 08:11:08 pm

I don't see anything wrong with having an older character.
Honestly, in the animal kingdom, if you even make it to being middle aged, it's an achievement.

I myself don't have many older characters(Since I like to roleplay their life out, but I don't get a chance normally), but I'm always pleased when I do see that someone has one out and is using them.

Title: Re: Elderly Characters
Post by: Kastilla on April 15, 2015, 08:16:15 pm

i like the idea of having an older character. mine is Aleu, she is 6 years old. she ie very wise and delicate though very hostile and cranky. this is because{age and personality} Aleu was the first character i actually ran around with and found a roleplay with{which was a mate, who i no longer associate with ahem} but, due to the incident of her pups moving on to their mates and her mate leaving her; she has the knowledge and the wits from her past.
be that as it may, Wolfie is 2 1/2 years old. it is her set age and won't change{unless i, for some reason, feel like bumping it up a bit}. she is not immature, for the most part. she has a younger outlook on life, which is what i like and sort of have. i do prefer older characters though, but Wolfie's age might not change yet.

Title: Re: Elderly Characters
Post by: greenart6 on April 15, 2015, 08:31:26 pm

Ooh, I have a few older characters myself: an elder hyena, who although may seem crazy to most, is actually wise and would sacrifice her life for others. She knows all about healing, wounds, and even making potions. Although most of my characters are more teenagers or young adults, I find it nice to have more different characters. I see nothing wrong with making a more elderly character, and I don't really understand why it's not more common.

Title: Re: Elderly Characters
Post by: Edolicious on April 15, 2015, 11:02:17 pm

I've noticed there is a lack of older characters in RPs as well. However, in just a few short years my main character is going to be a senior canine, and I'm actually looking forward to it!

Title: Re: Elderly Characters
Post by: Dngerboom on April 15, 2015, 11:32:54 pm

Many associate elder characters of course the common thing of being 'wise' but not only that it's the conclusion of a characters resolve. Most like to give the character the potential to grow and experience hardships, for which the elder character has already experienced *And possibly wondering how in the world they managed to live this long*. There's still chance to develop a compelling elder, I find it to work in a reverse setting.

Whilst young characters are seeking out adventures, thus they grow from their experience. A aged character can be recalling their adventures with their fully developed thoughts and ideals and their conflicts to find a conclusion to them, I.E. Why you did it in the first place. And if the problem still persist to find a ending to it.

For me, i find roleplaying elders a more psychological challenge. Due to the fact, that this character is not doing much of heavy physical demands that of a 2-3 year old canine/feline. Though they can, it puts their own characters life in jeopardy. You have a character who is FULLY realized. Who he/she is, what they want, what they hope to achieve. It's more of learning emotional content to the character, in why they do the things they do. From the time they're born to their last breath.

Title: Re: Elderly Characters
Post by: Hooli on April 15, 2015, 11:44:53 pm

I personally love older characters, and am actually disappointed in myself that I don't have many of them! But as stated above most people do enjoy making young characters so they can role play out their lives and get to know them more in role play. Older characters are never a bad thing, though! They can bring a lot more fun and diversity into role plays. Having a cranky old lady/man snap at you to get them something because they're too old is always priceless, especially when the one they're yelling at declines and they get into a cute little catfight!

Title: Re: Elderly Characters
Post by: wolfdog01 on April 16, 2015, 12:36:45 am

The ages for my characters seems to vary a bit through the years. A few years back, like...ALL of them were teens, then they didn't get used or I got rid of them and started to make older characters. Thyme is 21, Grog is 34, Maxwell is 24, and Merlin is 17 with a crab companion who I am planning on making in either her sixties or seventies. Sorta like a grandma that keeps him out of trouble. I love the diversity with some characters ages but it never really occured to me that I had youngins. When I see an elderly character I'm like: OOO I wanna rp with you...

Title: Re: Elderly Characters
Post by: magicfairy on April 16, 2015, 12:49:37 am

Nothing is wrong with this, in fact being a Warrior Cat fan have I ever seen a Warrior Cat betray the elders of their clan? No, straight up no. In fact, the elderly characters do tend to have more experience and can be more smart with their actions. I find nothing wrong with this, but people need to be mature and stop being a baby about it. I actually prefer roleplaying as elderly ones or well known ones, but I more like dark characters and don't think about it. But I have a pretty unique character coming up, and the age is going to be very elderly. As long as there are not too many elders I'm fine with it, I believe people prefer young ones because they are facing common challenges often used in other things.

Title: Re: Elderly Characters
Post by: Wolflover224 on April 21, 2015, 02:19:06 am

Personally, I have never seen anything wrong with having an elderly character. In fact, one of the characters lurking around my account is around 1,000 years.

Title: Re: Elderly Characters
Post by: Kibacher on April 21, 2015, 04:05:45 am

personally I think its better to have naturally older characters for a realistic rp, one of my chars is an 8 year old Tabby and I love her too bits!. It gives you a lot more of a story-line advantage to be the experienced wise one of the clan/pack/pride/cult

Title: Re: Elderly Characters
Post by: DreamerDay on April 22, 2015, 09:19:21 pm

Having an older character isn't bad at all. It just a character your role playing as. However, yes, it may be boring I think it's okay to have a older character. Not only that, your character can have a pleasing rank or background. You can be a philosopher or leader...either one...

Anyway yeah.

Title: Re: Elderly Characters
Post by: WhiteLightHeart on April 25, 2015, 04:09:20 pm

Yo, I love varying my characters' ages. Allegra (my fursona) is 4, and I actually have a warrior cat who is 6. I once had an elderly wolf named Mordecai who was 11, as well.

Although, my warrior cat, Lightmare, has been called "elderly" for being 6 years old, when in reality, that's just barely scraping into being middle aged. Talking in human years, she might be more along the lines of 35 or so.
It annoys me a smidge, but I also remember that most people make these 1-2 year old characters because they want to create a new story with them. Get them a mate during their prime, raise kids, lead a pack/Clan, etc., without having to worry about someone questioning their "strength" or whatnot because they are still young. It boils down to experience in roleplay, essentially, since the ultimate goal in RP is the story, including the character with its strengths and weaknesses that make for an interesting tale alongside other characters. Everybody wants the big, tough hero type, but not everyone is like that, realistically. There's the wisened oldster, the timid youth, the foolish and inexperienced young leader, and any mix beyond these. It makes the world you're creating more believable.

Title: Re: Elderly Characters
Post by: Rizzla on April 25, 2015, 05:00:14 pm

I don't see a problem with roleplaying elderly characters, much like the rest of you.
I haven't had any really elderly character in a while (My oldest is in the 4-5 range. Unless humans count *cough*). This doesn't mean I dislike them; in fact I am more than willing to create an older character, the problem is that I wouldn't have anything to do with them afterwards and they would probably wind up getting deleted at some point.

I assume most people stay clear of the seniors because they want an OC that will be able fight well, be an eligible mate, and will still have the ability to gallop majestically through a field of daisies with the best of 'em.

But in order to "Roleplay out their lives", wouldn't you need to go through the elder stage, too? My theory is that roleplays don't last long enough for this to happen, or most characters are just killed off at a young age.

Title: Re: Elderly Characters
Post by: Berrymutt on April 28, 2015, 07:10:32 pm

I think people forget that the African Lions who have the beautiful faces and the fully grown manes are indeed older around Six or Seven years old. There is nothing wrong with my real life Shepherd mix who is around Eleven years old so why would any older character be wrong? You would understand if you too have an older animal but there is nothing wrong with it. It's very realistic to see these things and it's quite unrealistic to just see abunch of pre-teen (yes usually two years old is pre-teen) animals running around.

Title: Re: Elderly Characters
Post by: alexterri on April 28, 2015, 10:57:29 pm

I don't really get why people don't like older characters so much tbh. I have a canine character who's 5

Title: Re: Elderly Characters
Post by: Fallenleaf on April 29, 2015, 12:29:36 pm

I see nothing wrong with having older characters uvu

However all of my characters are RPed from the moment of their birth and none are older than 4, but I plan to make them age normally (except for Heulog)