Marking 'theives'?

[Genesis9]

I'm sure a lot of you have come across something like this, weather it be some random person walking up to you and claiming that you have 'stolen' their markings or design, or perhaps you've been in a situation (one I'm about to delve into a little further) where you have designed what some other people must think is a good enough character to blatantly copy without any regard for the original design and then see them either running around flaunting their new look and soaking up any compliments they receive like a overpuffed sponge OR they'll try to become mates with your character.

I'm not quite sure what the mentality behind the latter option is. Why do people really think that making your character look like the alternate universe twin of the character you're trying to become mates with will make them even remotely like you back? If anything, I was very offended when the designs I had put a lot of thought into were ripped off and then used by 'illiterate' characters who were only interested in hooking up with said character.

I feel as though the thought going into this must be something like -

Copycat: We look the same, therefore it must be twu luveeee~

Me: >:C

Lemme show you some examples. The first time this  happened, I wish I had taken a screenshot but basically I joined an 'elemental' wolf rp, in which my character Adonis was a sort of water spirit, with a very lovely shade of blue. One of the females in the group was sitting beside him for quite a while before she suddenly logged off, only to log back on several minutes later with the same design, same colouring and the insistent need to become Adonis's mate. She was called out about the copycat...ing, by the other members thankfully, and eventually left.

It was the second time this happened that I was lucky enough to document it for you enjoyment.

Here is my character. I was hanging around Bonfire with a friend of mine when I was suddenly approached by one of the female lions who had originally been hanging around the mate center.

She came back a few minutes later looking like this.

>:I

To make her leave I told her I was mates with my friend over there in the corner and that was enough to send her running away as though he was infected. (seriously there are a lot of people who seem to have problems with bi/homo sexual characters on here, I think that's a topic for another day though). A few minutes later we saw she had transformed, yet again, into Slender Woman and was trying to hit on Slender Man.

...what the heck.

And that's not all. No no. The SAME day, another Lioness wandered over to where my friend and I were chilling and just stared at the two of us for a verrrryyyy long time before running off. She was a pale cream colour when I first saw her. She came back looking like this.

Thankfully enough this person didn't try the same routine as the first, but I still felt offended that that person had more or less 'stolen' my creative design. I don't know if I should feel this way, I mean, they're just markings, but I can't help but feel a bit annoyed when other players just rip off not only my own characters that had a lot of thought put into them, but other players designs as well. Perhaps these 'copycats' think that they're complimenting the person who's design they are stealing, but overall I think it's wrong and people should try to avoid doing this. Of course this doesn't go for all designs, I mean it's hard not to get a few look alikes when you're roleplaying as a real species like cheetahs, lions, or other realistic things, but when it comes to semi or unrealistic characters I really think that people should be more considerate (and rethink their dating strategy) when they try to pull of things like this.

So, what do you guys think? Have any look alike pics you want to share or stories to tell?

[Feareh]

I've actually had that kind of situation happen to me when I was in Focho.

This is what one of my main fursona looks like. And when I was hanging out with my clan in Ficho, I get a random user saying this

Wolf: You look like my father
Baku DTEC: Oh do I?
Wolf: you must change your markings now, you can't look like that
Baku DTEC: nope, not going to change
Wolf: fine...ill be back for you later-walks off-
Baku DTEC: ok then, ill still be here.....in this spot....looking like this.

Is very unusual on what some kids think these days, from mate begging to just claiming looks

[Nemena]

I absolutely adore the look of your character, Genesis9; those can't be down to mere coincidence-- it's so unique! Even so, I think everyone's come across this problem-- it happens on a near-daily basis to me, especially when I'm roleplaying. It really, really irritates me; thieves are one of the only things on FH that get me completely and utterly riled up sometimes! Whilst it's natural for some characters to look similar given the creator's limited set of markings, there's a distinct line between coincidence and a copy.

Can share a few stories from the past! Will need to root through my screenshots for more daft (and recent!) tales.

Was idly roleplaying in Ficho with my group and the very second someone found out I was the leader, this person began frantically changing their character to mine. I didn't get its final appearance, sadly! He didn't even bother to spell the name right.



Another copy! I think they ran up to me randomly, entirely out of the blue. Not entirely sure why they stole such a bog-standard, stereotypical wolf myself.



This story's similar to yours, too. I was idly roleplaying on my gryphon, Vulta (now called Vultra), and within a matter of mere minutes, this began copying my character. They then began flirting with my poor, estranged gryphon, insinuating that we must be mates because we look similar!



This person claimed to have had this character for '10 years' when I declined their mate request after they'd blatantly logged out in front of me-- and copied Haru.



Blergh! I hate it!

[WhiteLightHeart]

Wolf: fine...ill be back for you later-walks off-
Baku DTEC: ok then, ill still be here.....in this spot....looking like this.

-pats Feareh-
I am sorry to hear your character got all copied-over, though, Genesis. It looks fairly obvious that these guys were imitating your design. While a random match in markings might happen on occasion, the fact that they imitated the colors can get a bit irritating. However, I don't think there's much that can be done about it, unless they were also taking your character's name, personality, and everything else, while claiming it as theirs.

I have experienced the 'copycat true love' thing, though. Multiple times. All on Linger. ._.
Experience #1.) Fluorite Plains.
I was sitting in Fluorite some time ago, and went afk to work on some art. When I realized I'd left FH up and running for a while, I toggled back into the window, and there was a winged lioness with shockingly similar markings and colors to what Linger has. She was curled up in a way so it looked like Linger had his forearm around her, and his muzzle was close to hers.
I had three friend requests from this person, two group requests to a certain "Im love you" group, and a bunch of whispers that read "im love you," "will u be my boy?" and similar things.
It was flattering, and all, but I scooted over a little, when I realized she was afk. Shortly after she disconnected, so I guess that was that.

Experience #2.) Bonfire.
Just hanging around, really. A wolf runs up to me, and after a while of looking at me, she whispered, "Hey."
I replied, "Hey, there. Can I help you, floof?"
"Stay there," she says, and leaves. So, I stick around for a few minutes, until she comes back. She was a deep brown lioness with bright white wings, white markings, and basically pestered me to be her mate for a while, until I convinced her politely that yes, I was sure I wasn't looking for a mate. So, she took off on this character.

It wasn't as bad of a copycat as the last experience, of course, but I think the reason they do this (especially with less realistic species) is because they want to be the same species that you are, that way you might think "Oh, look! Someone of my species! We must make a family."

It is a bit unusual, and sometimes irksome. I get that. The way I see it, though, it's best to just take it as a compliment on your character's design. Be it someone trying (sometimes going trough huge efforts) to be your mate, or somebody just being a lazy bum, the fact that someone found your design so desirable is at least something to take comfort in.

[Raxoremys]

Luckily for me, I haven't had too many situations where someone might have been copying my character. On the one occasion that I can remember, I was on a horse character with fairly generic markings and colours. All that happened was that after I got on, I suddenly began seeing a lot of slightly less smexy horses with similar looks. Ah well, no harm done. There's only so much you can do with a realistic horse design on this game anyway.

Whenever something like that happens to me though, I like to give the person the benefit of the doubt if I can(unless I'm absolutely certain that it really was a deliberate copy). And if they come up to me trying to start the issue, I just tell them "Clearly we both just have impeccable taste, don't you think?" But of course, a full-on blatant copy is never a good thing to do. However I must confess, whenever I see a character with a cool design or a really nice colour scheme, I'll screenshot it so I can take inspiration from it later if I want. But naturally, I would only use elements from the design rather than going for a straight up clone.

[rustheart]

Blergh! I hate it!

That is a common character look and I think I may have one like that too.  There is a lot of Aricanes that look like that though I like mine with more orange.

I am happy to say I have not had this happen to me.  Maybe because most of my characters are plain and most people have characters like mine just because it is common.  But there was one person I saw copying the leader of a warrior cat group I was in.  The leader was a very nice looking Siamese cat.  This person kept logging on and off right next to him, each time changing the color a bit more.  This person didn't even bother covering it up and might as well have asked him for his numbering for his pelt!

[kiaz1st]

well, Ive had that sorta experience, but truth be told, I was not angry, offended, or irritated in any way xD. you see. I was on my everwolf(my own species, a subspecies to the werewolf. it basicly has no human form) just hanging with my pack at SB, trying to get members. so I had shot out a few (epic) adds, and this everwolf comes up, and I notice she has the same brown body colour, the same red scars, same red glow eyes, basicly everything, and she comes striaght up, and asks to join the pack. sure! I was happy to let her in and wasnt bothered she looked like me, I basicly assumed she didnt know how to look with her everwolf, so she made one similar to mine :3
But then, she lays down next to me, looking like shes 'cuddling' me. I immediatly understand then why she looked like me, but I hardly cared. she then whispered me, and asked "Do you have a mate?" I told her yes, I did, and she immediatly moved away, and I think she looked slightly embarrased xD.
I was completely fine with all this, and she roleplayed pretty good. I later asked her if she would, instead, like to be my sister, as she looked like me. she agreed, and I sometimes look back on it for a bit of humour, but never annoyance, anger, or offendance.
so yeah, happy, active longterm pack, is still a happy, active, longterm pack. no awkwerdness yet xD

[rustheart]

well, Ive had that sorta experience, but truth be told, I was not angry, offended, or irritated in any way xD. you see. I was on my everwolf(my own species, a subspecies to the werewolf. it basicly has no human form) just hanging with my pack at SB, trying to get members. so I had shot out a few (epic) adds, and this everwolf comes up, and I notice she has the same brown body colour, the same red scars, same red glow eyes, basicly everything, and she comes striaght up, and asks to join the pack. sure! I was happy to let her in and wasnt bothered she looked like me, I basicly assumed she didnt know how to look with her everwolf, so she made one similar to mine :3
But then, she lays down next to me, looking like shes 'cuddling' me. I immediatly understand then why she looked like me, but I hardly cared. she then whispered me, and asked "Do you have a mate?" I told her yes, I did, and she immediatly moved away, and I think she looked slightly embarrased xD.
I was completely fine with all this, and she roleplayed pretty good. I later asked her if she would, instead, like to be my sister, as she looked like me. she agreed, and I sometimes look back on it for a bit of humour, but never annoyance, anger, or offendance.
so yeah, happy, active longterm pack, is still a happy, active, longterm pack. no awkwerdness yet xD

I do not see anything wrong with this too.  Your Everwolf was something new to her and just copied so you wouldn't not look like one.  However if someone copied now my Vorox, my breed, I would ask them to change a little because I had the character for almost four years, no kidding!

[SteampunkWolfdog]

When people make their character look like your character to 'attract' them, they're attempting to show you in their odd little way that they like your character's design and appreciate how well you design them. I heard once, I can't remember if it was on the radio or whatever, but subconsciously, when you fancy someone or are already in some kind of relationship with them, you mimic your partner's actions and mannerisms without even realising. The situation you have here, Genesis, could be very similar to that.

Or perhaps these people have never heard the saying, "Opposites attract." They believe for someone to like you, you must be like them - people don't like others that are different apparently, in their own minds. That may be the case with some people, but not all.

It's something we see a lot of, but I don't think really understand the psychology behind it...If anyone who does these things and knows why they do them, please tell us. XD

[Lady_Alizarin]

First off... I'd like to say that that's a nice lion character, Genesis.

This kinda happened to one of my characters, but in a different way. You may be familiar with my Pharaohstar character. He is a smokey Egyptian mau, with some dark emerald green eye shadow and a gold colored necklace. There was someone who kinda copied his designs, but a few small changes. They used the same head and body markings he had, blue eye shadow, same lazy expression. The only things that were different was the fur color (they were bronze), eye color, hair tufts, and ears. But then they made a character that looked almost exactly like him, but with different ears.
I didn't get upset over it... in fact I was somewhat flattered. However, if something like this is a bother, there is always the handy-dandy block button.