Short-Term Vs Long-Term Roleplays, which do you prefer?

[CloudFish]

Issue:

There are mainly two types of roleplays in Feral Heart yar? Long-term and short-term. As time has passed, am sure most of you have noted that while there are many long-term roleplays advertised, it is more often than not that these roleplasy turn into short-term. So, what's the difference, and what makes that difference? How do some roleplays outlast the others, and why do so many people confuse the two in terms of what they're signing up for.

People claim to want long-term, however it is not very often that these roleplays stay up enough to actually be considered into the long-term category. Why do you join what you join, and do you stay with the things you join? What makes the two groups what they are. What applies to your preferences? Taking into consideration the information already provided, what do you think makes each appealing?


Long-Term Roleplays: The Pros and Cons, and the Requirements

Long-term roleplays are often the larger groups, ones with loyal members who are truly interested in the progression of the overall plot and usually make friends with the members of the group itself. These roleplays generally have pre-existing plots that cater to users and give them something to base their own ideas for mini-plots off of. A few examples of these are The Ebon Circle (Commonly known and displayed by their tags as "TEC") and Red RaVage (Commonly known as the "V's").

Requirements (Or otherwise standing conditions):

• A Dedicated Leader and Staff Group:
  
  A roleplay would be nothing without a person to head it. In the end, almost all of the fate of the roleplay depends on this individual and the people they choose to stand in for them when they are not on the game. They are, in a nutshell, the foundation. These are the ones who make and enforce the rules, create the plots, organize the members, advertise, and often are stuck with the most work.
  
  A leader determined enough to keep a roleplay going, while not the only factor of making a long-term roleplay work, is one of the most important points. The staff chosen under this individual most also be equally involved with the happenings of the roleplay.
• A Map (Though this isn't always the case):
  
  Why have a map? It gives the members a for sure and guaranteed place to meet. There's room for improvement, and everyone can usually have /their/ spot. The map can be added on to. Group members do not have to worry about random users coming up and interrupting roleplays. Members have a haven.
  
  However; some long-term groups are able to function without a map, as long as they have the majority of the rest of the general standards. Red RaVage is an example of this.
  
  Started originally by Boone (SolBurner) in late 2011 as an "outlaw" type roleplay, the group has thus transformed into the group it is today. There never seems to be a lack of V's sanctioned around the rock up north above the Plus(+) of Fluorite Plains. And the group hardly functions on a map-based system (though to my knowledge, they /do/ have one).
• Rules (Extended or Not):
  
  Because everything needs order. In most cases, long-term roleplays will have somewhere a set of rules for its members to follow. The group admin and their staff should not only follow these rules themselves, but also to enforce them. Without rules, like most other things, the roleplay would be unorganized and setting itself up for disaster. With nothing to go on, users would assume everything is fair game, and not bother to restrain themselves when it came to performing certain actions or speaking of sensitive topics.
  
  Generally rules for in-character and out-of-character are displayed.
• A forum or/and website:
  
  Again, while this isn't always a /have/ it is more often than not a /should-have/. A gathering point outside of Feral Heart (in-game) allows members to stay updated on things occurring in the roleplay, when members will have to leave for a while, and altogether a way for users to stay connected without logging in to the game's server. This can also keep members in-touch when the game's servers are down.
  
  The involvement and usage of these types of things can lead to a better sense of community amongst group members.
  
  While most groups tend to lean towards this (usually just to have a place to send users to get the map) it is in rare cases where it is actually in constant use.
• Advertising and Public-Map Involvement:
  
  A long-term group can always rely on the original batch of members it got when it started. Member count generally begins to trickle down as the "confused-term" users (users who say they want a long-term group but are really looking for short-term), the uninterested users and others who stop arriving for personal reasons, all no longer are considered "members".
  
  This means advertisement, whether it be in the public maps (Fluorite as it usually goes) or on the official Feral Heart forums. If your group is known in the public maps and amongst the general population there is a better chance of the group gaining more members even without chronic advertising.
• Dedicated Members:
  
  While this isn't as "necessary" as the devoted leader, this is one of the most important factors. As it goes, the majority of Feral Heart users sign up for long-term roleplays, and at best, may stay there a week.
  
  The problem often lies in the lack of instant gratification. Users want roleplay when they want it on their time. If the group doesn't fit this expectation of having a highly active, every day roleplay, users may say that it is the group itself that isn't active.
  
  Or perhaps the roleplay is slow due to plot development. maybe there's not enough males or females in the pride. maybe the users don't like the rules, or even the staff problems. there are many reasons that could contribute to users leaving or not coming back to a roleplay.
  
  So while it is the leader and staff's responsibility to present users with a workable experience, nothing can come of it if there is not member involvement.
• Rankings (Because Everyone Likes to Feel Like They're Important):
  
  A good and organized ranking system that allows for positions that aren't "normal". This could even be as simple as given the "normal" members a different name. It all depends on how its organized. Howeve once people feel they have a secured spot, they're more likely to stick around. Make member groups that can evolve into others, give them something to stride for.
  
  
  

The Pros and Cons of Long-Term Roleplays:

There is a fine line between what one can consider a pro and a con when it comes to this type of thing, but based on various opinions, here is the general consensus.

• Pros:
  
  Sense of community
  Established settings
  Established characters
  (Usually) Mapped
  "there's usually standards to join."
  "You don't get kicked from a group because it ends early.".
  "you can develop your character and it's relationships."
  "In a long-term role-play, you don't have to go and find another short-termed one when your last s-t one died, you can just go back to your long-termed one because it will still be there."
  "You can gain more members with a long-termed role-play because recruiting goes on for longer, which means more people to interact with."
  "you can have your character age and grow."
  "Seasons can pass in a long-termed role-play. As well as other aspects of time; days, months, years."
  "keeps a community of role-players involved more with one another rather than becoming split up in different role-plays."
  
• Cons:
  Activity is a two-way-street
  Time-consuming
  "there's usually standards to join."
  "you bond with other peoples stronger, so when they leave it's extra hard."
  "if a role-play has been going for a long time, it often becomes stale and therefore, inactive."
  "some members can't stay committed, and leave the role play with leaving things behind, such as cubs."
  "owner  may feel pressurized with upkeep of role-play"
  "members may feel stressed with keeping up with the role-play and remaining active."
  
  

Short-Term Roleplays: The Pros and Cons, and the Requirements

Commonly identified as the roleplays that occur on public maps, do not limit players (or if they do, these types of roleplays are not as frequent) based on roleplay "capabilities" and can be made and joined by anyone. They are the ideal roleplay for when you're bored right? Heading on to what is needed to be considered a short term roleplay..

Requirements (Or otherwise standing conditions):

• A Group Leader With An Idea:
   
  Wanna grab some cublets/puplets up for some roleplay? Look no further than making a group and rounding up others in general chat who share your interests. In less than an hour you'll be roleplaying in no time.
• A designated area:
  
  Once you've got enough people, you just need to find a nice place on a public map for people to waltz in on. This can prove good or bad. You could get some good interesting players involved, or new members for the group, or you can get trolled. All depends on attitudes though. It can be a good and bad thing.

So there really isn't that much you need to make a short-term roleplay work. But they're good if you're wanting to roleplay as soon as you hop on.


The Pros and Cons of Short-Term Roleplays:

Again, a pretty fine line, but this one seems to have equally good and bad things.

• Pros:
  
  "They're useful if you don't have much time to spare and you just want to role-play."
  "You don't have to join a site or a forum with a short-termed role-play because it's EXTREMELY unlikely that they will have made one for it."
  "You don't have to write out a biography for a short-termed role-play often."
  "Offers more variety since you'd be able to hop from role-play to role-play without having to remain tied to one particular group."
  "no stress since it'd be a 'no strings attached' kind of deal."
  "would meet more people overall by hopping."
  "good for people who don't have much time on their hands"
  
• Cons:
  
  "they don't tend to stick around for long, wouldn't get to know people as well as you would in a long-term role-play unless you sent them a friend request in order to stay in touch."
  "can become inactive quickly, usually a day thing."
  "not much time for plot development."
   "It's difficult to find a short-term role-play consisting of literate people, so if you are literate, it's usually a bad choice to go looking for one."
  "you cannot often go back to a short-termed role-play because it will of been deleted."
  "It's difficult to create complex relationships and plots in a short-termed."
  "a long amount of time cannot pass, your character can't age much..."
  

So, which do you prefer and why? Think of something missed?

[Okami-Shiranui]

Well, it depends on what i'm looking for at the time. I prefer long-term because they are usually larger packs. It really depends on how I get along with the community. That really determines how long I'll stay. Another con about long-term; if there is someone you don't get along with, it will cause you to want to become inactive or leave... but since you joined a long-term pack/pride, you really have to think back on it.

[Zarago]

Ah, so this is what you were using our suggestions for.

Well, when I go looking for a role-play (let's say I'm looking for a long-termed one) it must have a site or a forum (can have both) which must be organised (I cannot stand disorganisation), the concept of the role-play must be interesting, and if it's unique along with that, then all the better. I'm sick of seeing warrior cats on every corner. It has to be literate (occasionally I can cope with semi-literate, but no less) and active (more than one person on every day) and it is imperative that it has a good map. I will have a go at a role-play that a friend has introduced me to, but someone just randomly offering me one is unlikely to get me to join.

If I see a short-termed one advertising in Fluorite (it must be literate) I may join it if I'm in the mood. Otherwise, unless the plot is irresistible, I will not join a short-termed role-play.

[Viinca]

What I find most users doing nowadays in the plains, and something I prefer out of both choices, is picking a precise character that would be used for mapless and often short-term roleplays, used over and over again until a story is built, as it would be in a long-term roleplay. Long-term roleplays have the advantage, as Cloudly said, of developing a unique plot and more precisely a story for your character, but these are hard to find.. I find, at least. But I've seen and know so many who stick to one or two characters and let them hop in various prides, packs, clans, whatever, then when the group is no longer interesting/is disbanded, the character moves along, and again, and again. So a story is slowly made around these trips and bonds are usually built and strengthened after some time, ie meeting old acquaintances, etc.

It's a lot more freedom, you never know what to expect. I suppose this is a long-term roleplay, for you, based around short-term roleplays in the plains?

[Lady_Alizarin]

I myself prefer long-term roleplays and groups. I lead two groups and try to keep them both active. I also think you are right about the pros and cons of being part of a long-term RP group. Most of the things you listed have happened to my most active group. I have gained a few good role-players; some are still active in this group, while some do not come around anymore. 
Let's not forget all the cons that tag along with having this long-term group.   

[Tessel.]

I prefer both. If I don't have a lot of time on my hands, but I want to Rp, I will most likely join a short term. If I really am in the mood, I will join a long-term. I agree with the Pros and Cons. Long-terms become unactive after a while, while short terms, your character cant age much and ect.

[WarriorMoo]

I'll make my answer short, sweet, and simple.
Long term Roleplays.
Because they are quite fun and allow you to develop an interesting plot within them.

[Abomine]

I would like to join a long-term rp, but my amount of free time tends to fluctuate because I have work and school. This is why I tend to join short-term rps because there isn't that level of commitment, and I don't feel like I'm letting anybody down should I not show up to rp one day.

...Well, I do feel like I'm letting people down to some extent and that makes me a little sad sometimes, but I my real life has priority over my internet life.

[shootmedown]

Long-term for me. I'm actually a TEC! ~Thorn TEC (Derp. My name is Thorn TEC in game. Watch out for me.)

[LordSuragaha]

Interesting discussion topic here CloudFishy
Well for me I prefer Long Term RPs over Short Term RPs

My Reasons:
1.) Because if you find a long term RP that you like you can always have a group to go to on Feral Heart and you will not have those awkward sometimes boring "I have nothing to do today" type of days on Feral Heart especially when most of your good friends aren't online.
2.) Most long term RPs have many members so if there are ever some users offline it's not as big of a loss as it is with the short term RPs which usually start with tons of members and slowly thin out within as fast as a few hours or even minutes . The less people there are in a group the more awkward it gets and the faster the group dies because people lose interest. More people also allows for more ideas to flow around, more interesting characters to build to a plot, plenty conversation, and many people that you can meet and truely befriend. If some really important members are missing that we can't continue a plot story/battle etc we just go by episode and do a filler with our characters (you know like a silly short side story) or just casual chat.
3.) I don't mind adding people in long term RPs as friends because I get enough time to feel them out and know they are mature gamer/RPers. If the RP is long term I can build amazing friends with some of the group members unlike with short term RPs that I always end up adding a bunch of random people just to know where the group is and I probably will never speak to or see them online again. This stuffs up my friends list since I'm nice and I hate to decline requests when the person is there and then later on I have to clean out all the mystery people who sometimes later find me in game and ask me "who are you?"
4.) Long term RPs usually have thick, interesting, and unique plots with some equally awesome characters and I don't have to worry about getting overwhelmed by new people constantly because the group stops growing at some point unless it adds one or two new people every so often. It's nice to get greeted and greet familiar faces everyday. People get to know my character well and I get to know their's. Sometimes even create new characters during RP (like new pups, Kittens, or cubs) to grow along with the plot. TIME CAN PASS not just one day of a typical short term RP story be born, hunt, eat, sleep, mate, and die.
5.) The long term Rps don't easily die off because another member of the group will usually take leadership to keep the group alive plus the group is usually very active and we meet almost everyday so even when some members are not online there will always be enough people to interract with.
6.) Long term RPs tend to have dedicated mature members with good/excellent RP skills so we don't have to worry about any trouble with the flow of the RP.


Now for the Cons though:
1.) Sometimes when you're a member of a long term RP the lead characters can get brutal with new people wanting to join. Sometimes its hard to squeeze a new person somewhere into an RP without disrupting the plot some how. Sometimes this leads to unecessary violence in the group like claiming of maps etc.
2.) I can't stand when a long term RP has a wetpaint group page . I have enough websites to sign in to so it annoys me to have to check a wetpaint or other group site.
3.) EXTREME EXAGGERATED sign ups- Some sites act like you need to bring in a resume just to join their RP. I hate answering thousands of questions just to join an RP and have a little fun. It's like the torture of having to read the instructions before you play with a really cool game or device. I mean really people some of the things they ask for are uncessary and just defeat the purpose of learning a character through RP and over time. I don't mind the RP examples to much so you can tell how literate some one is but why do I have to write a whole paragraph if that can be proved in just a few sentences? By the time I finish the sign up I lose interest in the group.
4.) Map that you have to download- Sometimes these groups also exaggerate just how many times they update their maps. I was in a group once that updated their map I swear at least 20 times while I was in it or abandoned one map that we only used for three days and created a whole new one just to abandon that one again. It's very annoying to fill up my computer with new maps and then have to delete them or update them constantly. Fine the new maps can be cool to play on but don't release a map unless you are totally done with it and updates should only be every once in a while not everyday -___-
5.) I don't always have all the time in the world to constantly be on and catch up with the plot and group activity.

All in all I think most people join the short term RPs over the long term ones mainly to avoid all the excess floof requirements of the long term RPs.
- Short term RPs are more easily available (all over Flourite, Ficho, Bonfire etc)
- Most of the Feral Heart community consists of kids in elementary/highschool and they only have soo many hours to get into long term RPs
- Easier to join.
- You can leave whenever you want
- Plots are simple and you can go straight to play
- You aren't discriminated as much as in a long term RP