Your Average Zalanthian Supermodel

[Rhyden]

Alright. I've played the game awhile, I've read several ldescs. Many of the ldescs are ldescs it would seem of completely flawless, attractive, smooth-skinned, muscular, tall, curvaceous, feminine, whatever the case for male/female.

It seems like most people are playing supermodels! Everybody's absolutely stunning minus those of us who play the good ole' one-eyed hunchbacks with pimples, boils, rashes and scar-lashed skin.

Anybody else see this within ldescs? I know there's only so much room to describe, but it just seems that you're a mutated, ugly character or a supermodel!

It really makes it hard to determine whether or not a pc/npc is really good-looking or more good-looking than others because everybody looks the same! Who's with me?

[EvilRoeSlade]

Huh, I've never had that problem.  My character always seems to have it in his head whose better looking than who.

[Maybe42or54]

Just like IRL. If you are that white, I'mma stay away from you. I don't want to catch anything.

I'll play one of these people one day.

[Rhyden]

Huh, I've never had that problem.  My character always seems to have it in his head whose better looking than who.

You've gotta admit though, it's pretty hard. Usually, the better-looking people are the ones with the longer long descriptions. This isn't fair nor accurate and I can hardly depict what character would be better looking than another as they seem to have many of the same characteristics.

[halfhuman]

I've never really noticed this problem. The only extremes I usually see are on the Rinth citizens. They ugly.

I'm afraid to try and start relationships with any of the well written out female characters in the game, cause when I see the most idealistic, well described females I've ever seen in the game, I just assume that it's some creepy guy in his parents basement playing them.

[YellowCactus]

Mom's basement Rocks.
  I've got a popcorn machine.
   A magazine collection
   Kanks of all shapes and sizes drawn along the walls
   
    Oh, we're talking about character descriptions.  I think you should let people play what they like.  The staff will (I've learned) tell you if they have a concern about a description.  Some are odd, some are typical men and women of perfection.  Most are pure imagination.  Whoever you play, there you are.
Be happy

[Rhyden]

Ya, I don't know why I'm even complaining about a world full of supermodel-like Zalanthians.

I just strive for realism, but isn't that what this entire board is for?

[FiveDisgruntledMonkeysWit]

Rhyden wrote:

Alright. I've played the game awhile, I've read several ldescs. Many of the ldescs are ldescs it would seem of completely flawless, attractive, smooth-skinned, muscular, tall, curvaceous, feminine, whatever the case for male/female.

Rhyden wrote:

You've gotta admit though, it's pretty hard. Usually, the better-looking people are the ones with the longer long descriptions. This isn't fair nor accurate and I can hardly depict what character would be better looking than another as they seem to have many of the same characteristics.

To be honest, Rhyden, I'm confused as to what your problem is. Do you dislike seeing words such as "muscular" or "flawless" in sdesc and mdescs? Are you warning people against making their descriptions too verbose? Are you saying only people who make attractive characters bother to write good descriptions? Are you saying people who are able to write good descriptions are therefore better-equipped to make a physically attractive character, and this gives them an unfair edge somehow? Are you afraid people who have short sdesc and mdescs are assumed to be ugly? Or that people who don't make their character incredibly attractive are considered ugly?
I'd glad give my opinion on the subject, if only I knew what it was you were talking about.

[Rhyden]

So many subjects...

My main concern is that there is a certain median that many characters tend to look like: absolutely perfect. It's true, most people who don't clearly emphathize 'ugliness' in their description are just about perfect in most ways. I'm not saying this is bad, but because of this:

Are characters supposed to think that everybody is extremely good-looking minus those with mutations or mutilations? Because that's the way it seems to me.

[Rhyden]

So many subjects...

My main concern is that there is a certain median that many characters tend to look like: absolutely perfect. It's true, most people who don't clearly emphathize 'ugliness' in their description are just about perfect in most ways. I'm not saying this is bad, but because of this:

Are characters supposed to think that everybody is extremely good-looking minus those with mutations or mutilations? Because that's the way it seems to me.

Sorry for the confusion, I tend to do that.  :lol:

[tortall]

I remember this being brought up somewhere... Either on the board(probably) or at an APM.

Yes, there are two types of people. The ugly people to do the muscle work, and the pretty people.  They are the only types of people likely to survive in this world. Why? Well, does some noble REALLY want a puss-oozing pimple-faced woman near him as his aide? No, but he won't mind if she's part of his guard... FAR away from him.

Gah, I really didn't say that right, but do you get what I mean? And as for realizim, for most of us this IS a game. One where you CAN be uber-ugly IF YOU WANT TO. Or you can be uber-attractive. Which, quite frankly is more fun since most of us that play this arn't.

~strikes a pose~ Except me, of course.


-Tortall, the most attractive person ever.(In her mind)

[Spoon]

I think I'd rather have extremely flawless characters or extremely ulgy characters that mundane, shop assistant PC's called Dave.

Besides, I thought ldesc/sdesc's were supposed to highlight the MOST prominent features of your character.

Anyway, I'd rather play "the deformed, hunch-backed midget" than "the not-quite-so-good-looking, average-chinned man" any day.

And one last thing: Characters are deeper than sdesc's, stop being so shallow! :wink:

[My 2 sids]

I suppose that perhaps a regular amount of dust, ageing, and scaring is to be expected on most characters (like having 10 fingers even if the desc doesn't say they do).  So when a player takes the time to draw attention to flaws or filth, many players probably assume this is something big, something noticeable.  In turn, characters that don't want to be known for an abnormal about of flaws, probably have very nice looking descriptions.

[Cuusardo]

If you think there is too much beauty in the world, play a character who isn't beautiful rather than sit back and complain about it.

[Xamminy]

While a great suggestion, Cuusardo, don't expect anyone to go out and suicide a pretty character just to follow it.  Seriously, yes, lots of people want to be popular, so they create a character that looks like what they think should look good so that everyone will want to muds3XX0r them.  Why is this a problem that can't just be solved by, "If you think there should be more ugly characters, play one," is because those people that see it as a problem aren't bitching about their unpretty character, they're finding everyone else's pretty characters jarring.  Why is that Byn Sarge a 'flawless, porcelain young woman'  Things like this need to be looked over realistically.  Most poor people don't have the money or means to go about unscarred or get wounds tended so that they wouldn't scar...but all these commoners wanting jobs have flawless skin blah blah blah.  Why not have a few faint scars on your hands from working in the kitchen as a child?  Maybe you were assaulted by the neighboorhood serial rapist and have a knife scar down your right butt-cheek.  Not a single commoner child should have unmarred flesh by the time they are thirteen (human starting age) without a really good reason.  They, likewise, should not be a trim yet quite busty young vixen, as most of these people are just scraping by and shouldn't have much fatty tissue, which is what is necessary for an expansive bust size.  The list goes on.

[Nidhogg]

This is a really hard issue. I remember, a couple of years ago, I felt that I had to make sure that my pc's were flawed. Had to - was required in order to gain legitimacy. So, I'd write up a rather ordinary looking person, who was not terribly unattractive, then knock out some teeth, and give them some disfiguring scars.  The thing is I hated that I felt -required- to disfigure all my pc's.

I also have flet frustrated by the sheer volume of lovely perfectness. Sometimes after a round of finishing apps, I'll have a whole new vocabulary for describing beautiful breasts. It feels trite.


Perhaps the answer is to reassure the beautiful people, that they -can- be beautiful, but they don't need to be.

I love that on Zalthanthas a femme fatal can be hard, scarred, and brown toothed. Don't you love that? And I love that that makes more sense than the soft handed uber-warrior. Don't you love that too?

[Maybe42or54]

The average Zalanthan supermodel to all my pcs are the ones that you pay and they lay.

[FiveDisgruntledMonkeysWit]

I remember early on in my arm career, I had a lot of trouble with the text editor. The result was that one of my longest-lived characters had a mdesc that was only one sentence in length. Somewhere in that sentence, I mentioned him as having 'flawless' skin. Now, by 'flawless', what I meant was that he wasn't covered head to toe in hideous burns, didn't have any gigantic moles or tumors, and wasn't green. Later on, however, it occured to me that some one might assume my character was attractive, based on the lack of description. So I made sure to put in lots of EMOTEs about his battle scars and crooked yellow teeth.
My point is, it's never too late to make a pretty character ugly, through the magick of EMOTEs.

[path]

Realism is great. Hurray for that! May more characters desperately need to piss outside the tavern after finishing that last ale!

But, for me, part of the charm of playing in a fantasy world is the fantasy of being the person I can't achieve in real life.  Be it a different height, larger breasts or different colored, high up-keep hair.
A common complaint in the RL world is the seeming demand for visual perfection in women (and possibly for big muscles and height in men, hell yes), and oftentimes no matter how balanced your upbringing you're likely to feel the cultural push anyhow. For those girls and boys who want to be the beautiful people, can't we just smile sympathetically and allow them to soothe their burned psyche?

If you feel the desperate need to qualify them let's use the concept of natural selection, as forementioned.

On another note, I'd like to speak for the female player population on arm. We are not all nerdy man-children hunched in darkened basements. Sarah is pretty, or so some of my guy friends have told me.  

[EvilRoeSlade]

Heh.  If anything I'd rather have Armageddon be an experience where people realize that you can still be cool even if you don't live up to the expectations of appearance that are rarely attained in RL, let alone a desert planet.  You know, as opposed to the game being an avenue in which people can magically live up to those expectations just by writing in a few sentences.

Honestly, if that's your idea of a fantasy world, then I don't think that this game is one.

[Rhyden]

If you think there is too much beauty in the world, play a character who isn't beautiful rather than sit back and complain about it.

My characters are usually pretty as much as they are ugly: rarely. I usually play the riff-raffin' mundane, mediochre character who has nothing to do with absolute prettyness. You know why? Because that's what makes up most of the entire population. Instead, I see pretty people making up almost the entire population. Yikes!

Oh, this isn't a complain, just an eye-opener.

I don't complain, I explain.

[Angela Christine]

I think flawlessly beautiful and hiddiously deformed characters are two sides of the same coin, and equally good/bad.  Both are ways of making a character who stands out from the crowd.


However, I think sometimes people over-estimate the perfection of an average character.  Having all your teeth and no disfiguring facial scars doesn't make you are beautiful, that just makes you normal (having all your teeth isn't really impressive until you are over 30).  If they don't mention that their skin is smooth and flawless, but they don't mention that it is chapped and scarred either, then I assume that they have normal skin for their place in life, with the normal assortment of small scars, blemishes and imprefections.  A mercenary is going to have a few more scars than a florist, so I assume that they have a few good scars unless they specifically mention that they have no scars.  Putting scars into your maindesc or using coded scars is ok too, but without them I assume the character has the normal allotment of non-disfiguring scars.


AC

[HardCarbon]

My less then humble opinion?   In a fantasy world characters are main (or at least secondary) characters in a novel.. We ARE the extremes...

While some folk might find it fun to be the everyman..  We are the rogues,  the foolish heros,  the wanderers, the courtisans,  the bards of lore, the knights errent (well mebby not),  the wicked sorcerer, the evil warlock, the kindly witch.... well you get the picture...

we are larger then life.. even if we can't hold down a regular job.

[Bestatte]

I dunno, I have only made three out of my 13 characters *intentionally* good looking. One was buxom with decent curves, another had a bit of described femininity, and the third was written to be very feminine-looking in an exotic kinda way.

I don't think it's necessary to make a drop-dead gorgeous PC *or* a mangled mutant PC in order to RP someone interesting in the game, or even someone who gets actively involved in all kinds of "cool stuff."

I think the average Zalanthan is - average. That's kinda what makes them average, ya know? So I try to make my characters appear fairly average, given their backgrounds. If they stand out, it's because they've done something to make themselves stand out. Not because they sashay with child-bearing hips, or thrust their tits in peoples' faces, or continuously and blatantly expose their long slender curvy perfectly flawless thighs when they cross their legs at the bar.

NOR do they stand out because of some mutation, or Rave-dyed hair, or glowing eyes, or deformities or disfigurements.

Physically - they're just pretty normal average looking Zalanthan citizens. I figure with all those f-mes and mutants running around, SOMEONE's gotta look normal <--- those are smilies to show that I'm being sarcastic and not all that serious or critical.

[Anonymous]

I think Bestatte makes a good point.  From what I've seen on TV of different tribes and middle-eastern countries there are attractive women.

Specific to Zalanthas though, I think boobs like Pamela Andersen or Tara Reid would be very rare as I doubt most chicks get enough fat in their diet to grow a nice set of cans.

The other thing I think is out of place when describing an attractive PC is the pale skin stuff.  Unless you've had servants getting you food your whole life at some point you are going to have to take long walks through the city to get some food or water or clothes.

[Rhyden]

True with Pam Anderson, but I think there could be women in Zalanthas looking similar to Tara Reid.

[Anonymous]

True with Pam Anderson, but I think there could be women in Zalanthas looking similar to Tara Reid.

I probably have my boobs mixed up.  I would think the average Zalanthan woman would have more of a Renee Zellweger build.

[Rhyden]

True with Pam Anderson, but I think there could be women in Zalanthas looking similar to Tara Reid.

I probably have my boobs mixed up.  I would think the average Zalanthan woman would have more of a Renee Zellweger build.

Lol...nah, more Keira Knightly than anything.

[Spoon]

From what I've seen on TV of different tribes and middle-eastern countries there are attractive women.

Yeah, you know, they almost look human like us. :roll:

Your going to get attractive people all over the place because of genetics.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, you know, they almost look human like us. :roll

Thanks.  I'm running a clan rally next week.  People who hate beautiful PCs seem to imply or say that its somehow bringing western ideals into the game.  It's possible to be attractive and non-western was my point.

[WarriorPoet]

I've watched alot of pigmy documentaries, and I'm positive I've never seen an attractive one. That's probably due to lack of nutrition and a different culture than I'm used to, but the point remains that there are gorgeous people in the world, just like there are average and hideous people. If you want to play an fme, that's fine with me. Sometimes I get the urge to play a disgusting, wrinkled old beggar. Other times I want to play that tall blonde hero with the chiseled features and the huge bulge. I can play either one and have a good time.

It's been said already: Your desc doesn't make your character unique, or even attractive. Your roleplaying does that.

[SanityAssassin]

I don't see anything wrong with people taking attractive/ugly roles.  Barbie doll proportions or bodybuilder physiques don't belong on Zalanthas (not that I've seen it yet) but culturally appropriate beauty is cool with me.  PCs are the dramatis personae of the world, so to speak.  They are not representative of the population at large.  PCs are given opportunity, lead more interesting lives, and have greater potential than the average Zalanthan.  What's wrong with them being more distinctive in appearance?  

With gender roles being so blurred on Zalanthas (physically and socially) the world probably has some cultural kinks on beauty that are strange or unattractive to us.  The only real issue I have is that the appearance of a character should suit the setting.

The reason that many non-Western peoples are seemingly unattractive is due to wretched health and poor nutrition, not racism or cultural snobbery.  Go visit poor people in a third world country sometime.  You'll notice once they're out of their teens (and often before that), they look like hell!  Certainly, all cultures can have attractive members so long as they get enough to eat and haven't been ravaged by toil and disease.  Health is the universal trait of physical beauty, after all.

On the side discussion concerning Zalanthan breasts:  
According to An Underground Education by Richard Zacks, the Western obsession with large breasts is a very recent phenomenon.  For most of history small, pert breasts have been the ideal.  Yes, I know Armageddon isn't the real word yadda yadda yadda but it's something to consider.  Furthermore, naturally large breasts usually belong to women with weight problems (or possibly those who drank RBST-laden milk).  That's not something you're going to see on Zalanthas too often.

[Akaramu]

I am SO going to make an ugly dwarven assassin with the focus to rid the world of all pretty females.

Take that, you cat-like, kohl-eyed assassins with dancer bodies, you dirty commoners who were born with innate elegance and noble gaits, large-breasted warriors with cute little flower tattoos instead of scars, unblemished females with perfect bodies and full red lips everywhere.

Play what you want... but be ready to face my dwarf.  

[Bestatte]

Can I play your third cousin, Akaramu? Ya know, so we can be a legitimate "family" of beauty-killers. Kohl-eyed, berry-red lipped, glossy luxurious cascading tressed, full-bosomed, gently-flaring-hipped, curvaceous muscular thighed, flawless skinned beauties - all evil, all the result of vile magicks, all must be destroyed!

Oh yeah and my dwarf's focus will be to fashion a wig from all that luxurious perfectly coiffeured raven-black, golden-blonde, silvery-shadowed glossy tumbling cascading hair.

[JollyGreenGiant]

A poorly written or cliche description bothers me, whether it's for someone stunning, average-looking, or hideous.  Well-written descriptions don't bother me a bit, even if they are describing some extraordinary beauty.  In all fairness, being annoyed at mediocrity in the technical aspect of the writing is just as shallow as being annoyed at the content.

[Akaramu]

A poorly written or cliche description bothers me, whether it's for someone stunning, average-looking, or hideous.  Well-written descriptions don't bother me a bit, even if they are describing some extraordinary beauty.

A lot of beautiful female descs look very cliche to me. They (almost) all have the same full red lips and graceful dancer-like bodies. I'd love to see more descriptions that are not 'porn star' pretty, but interesting in some exotic way, including some blemishes.

You probably wouldnt like my descs, they are not quite as well-written as I would like them to be. Have mercy with us poor ever-struggling europeans!

If I manage to have one that is really well-written, chances are I got support from a helper. Two thumbs up for Nin.  

[JollyGreenGiant]

Here's an example of one of my favorite descriptions.

It is the color of a bleached skull, his flesh; and the long hair which flows below his shoulders is milk-white. From the tapering, beautiful head stare two slanting eyes, crimson and moody, and from the loose sleeves of his yellow gown emerge two slender hands, also the color of bone.

The writing is intriguing.  It draws you in, even though the face is described as beautiful.  The structure impresses a sense of somewhat inhuman beauty on the reader.  There are no complex or obscure words; there is no need.  Moorcock very simply and efficiently paints his picture of Elric.

You may disagree with me.  You might dislike the above description, for whatever reason you have.  My point was that one standard for crying foul on a description, or praising a description, is just as good as any other.

A lot of beautiful female descs look very cliche to me.

I agree.  Perhaps if fewer "beautiful" descriptions were cliche or drably written, people would be less inclined to find them irksome.

[Larrath]

Personally, I just play down these super-beautiful descriptions.
Whenever I get an actual mental image of Zalanthas (which sadly is becoming a rarer event), I'd just picture that perfectly flowing hair as a little more strawlike and those impossibly large breasts as smaller, and what not.

Ugly characters actually never bothered me, but I've only ever seen them in moderation.


Besides, let's not forget that in a place like Zalanthas, thin people shouldn't be all that attractive.  A flat stomach isn't a turn-on, a double chin is a turn-on!  And if we're talking some warrior society then not having any scars isn't a good thing.  It means that either they don't fight enough, are cowardly, or use evil sekret ways to get rid of these scars.

So, well, let's just keep it all in perspective, yeah?  People with a lot of money get to be pretty.  People without a lot of money don't get to be pretty unless it's some very special circumstance, and just being the daughter of some average merchant doesn't always cut it.

I think that's all I have to say about this.

[Cuusardo]

People with characters written to be beautiful don't annoy me.  It's the people who emote things like "with a smile on her pretty face" or "with a smile on his comely features" bother me.

I've also seen some mdescs where people outright have written "her face is pretty" or "his face is handsome".  How in the world do these slip past the staff?  Don't tell me that you're pretty.  Describe WHY you think your character is pretty.  Everyone is attracted to something different.  (For example, not everyone likes huge breasts, or facial hair.)  Just saying that you're attractive is too vague and too subjective.  It's telling someone what their opinion of you should be, and people should be allowed to form their own opinions.

[sarahjc]

I always liked that guy that made the handsome man.  Heh..

In reality though.. this is fantasy. I know we all strive for realism, but who wants to play a toothless, saggy old hag at 30 years old? I know I don't. Well, maybe I do.. but not all the time.

That said, the world is not Cancun MTV spring break either. There is a limit, and it's important to remember that.

You aren't going to stop people from wanting to be attractive.. Hell, most of us that play this game are playing it to get away from the person we are for a few hours and immerse themselves in another role, another life. Who wants to be the beer bellied computer geek? Anyone? Anyone?

One thing I think it is important to stress is that those off color roles may not make you the mud sex king, but they can be way more fun. Playing an old hag, or a defeated cripple, or being able to spit some chewling leaves from your mouth with great skill due to a missing front tooth. These can all be fun roles. Or just being the average looking person. I find I am more attracted to Rp with the characters that have beautifully written main descriptions as opposed to beautiful looking ones. But more importantly those people who immerse themselves in a role, besides just sitting there looking pretty.

I also tend to assoicate seriouse role players with more realistic and worldly descriptions, because these are the people that care about the entire feel of the game world.

We only get a small idea of what the people we interact with look like from a main description. There is lots of room for interpretation and mostly that is done through how we emote, and interact with other players.

I wouldn't stress too much on how people look. If you think there is too many pretty people in the world, play an ugly one and show the pretty folk just how much fun it can be.

[Anonymous]

who wants to play a toothless, saggy old hag at 30 years old?

The question should be rephrased: Who hasn't played a toothless, saggy old hag at 30 years old? Come on! That's the first concept I applied for.

Sa'alam,

Dirr

[Karianna]

One of my absolute favorite characters was a woman who was obese, gap-toothed, snuffled when she breathed and good-natured as all getout. She was incredibly loyal and loving, and obnoxious at the same time, and it got a lot of reactions from other PCs around her.

I think as long as people are having fun and keeping descs realistic and set by the guidelines of app creation - have at it. Personally, I like to alternate between playing chars with 'horrid', 'average' and 'woohoo' descs time to time. I like variety.

S.K.

[ShaLeah]

People often confuse well written or poetic descriptions with "beauty" on Zalanthas.  

I had a mutant whore. She was silver from head to toe except for her eyes and yet because the description was poetic and -she- was sensual people looked past the fact that this character was a knock off of the... get ready for this.. BLUE MAN GROUP . . . cept she was silver.

I found her very unattractive but I played her like she was a supermodel.

Next time you come across a supermodel take a real look, break her/him down piece by piece.

Aside from this there is the beauty is in the eye of the beholder theory, just because someone says their lips are sensuous doesn't mean your character has to think so. Maybe your character likes firm, thin lips?

Aside from THAT, who the hell wants to play someone mundane... isn't that what we are here in RL?  I want my characters to be extraordinary, be it in psychosis, looks, wealth or demons.


ShaLeah
-the F'Me PC advocate...

[Spoon]

Here's an example of one of my favorite descriptions.

It is the color of a bleached skull, his flesh; and the long hair which flows below his shoulders is milk-white. From the tapering, beautiful head stare two slanting eyes, crimson and moody, and from the loose sleeves of his yellow gown emerge two slender hands, also the color of bone.

The writing is intriguing.  It draws you in, even though the face is described as beautiful.  The structure impresses a sense of somewhat inhuman beauty on the reader.

Might be a bit of a derailment, but wasn't Elric some sort of elf?

And on topic perhaps we can conclude f-me pornstars: bad; inhuman beauty:good and possobly wonderful

But bad in a 'marrying your cousin' sort of way, so not impossible. In the end no-one can really stop you creating any character you want (to an extent).

[Anonymous]

And on topic perhaps we can conclude f-me pornstars: bad; inhuman beauty:good and possobly wonderful

But bad in a 'marrying your cousin' sort of way, so not impossible. In the end no-one can really stop you creating any character you want (to an extent).

See, I just can't agree with the idea that we are calling something 'bad'.

There are beautiful people in the world, so why not Zalanthas?  I've never played a PC I wrote up to be handsome, but why would it be 'bad' if I decided I wanted to make a gigolo who had found ways around working so his hands were softer than normal?

I just don't think an F-me PC should be looked down as much as it is.  Players who find themselves playing nothing but F-me's are doing a disservice to the mud but no moreso than folks who play nothing but variants on the tall, muscular warrior.

[Larrath]

Beautiful women in Zalanthas are perfectly alright, as long as they are something more than just beautiful.
ANY cookie-cut character is a bad addition to the game.  No fearless warriors who feel no pain and are secretly artist prodigies, no giggly weak tender supermodels who need constant nurture, and no people whose sole purpose in life is to promote equality among the races and to, ehh, release the gaj from captivity.


I have no problems with any beautiful characters who show me depth.  No, it's not their duty to do so, but I'll mark them as shallow f-mes until I have evidence that indicates otherwise.  There are so many attitudes that a beautiful person can have that I truly feel it's a shame that we--or at least, I--don't see them played.  Self-loathing, narcissism, laziness, depression, fear of being used, anger at only being seen as a pretty thing...you name it.

There are so many things past the old giggly tease love-me-love-me-I-am-flawless part that it makes me sad.


(This post is NOT about anyone's character, and if you think that it's about you then you're wrong.  No harm is meant for anyone and I seriously am not talking about anyone in particular.  No, your character is not pointlessly shallow and these pants don't make your butt look big).

[Akaramu]

Aside from THAT, who the hell wants to play someone mundane... isn't that what we are here in RL?  I want my characters to be extraordinary, be it in be it in psychosis, looks, wealth or demons.

A normal looking PC doesnt have to be mundane at all. Some of my normal looking PCs have been very deep, and special. Why not be extraordinary and ugly, for a change?  :wink:

Besides, when 90% of all female PCs are supermodels, it really isnt that special anymore.

[Rhyden]

Besides, when 90% of all female PCs are supermodels, it really isnt that special anymore.

Precisely, Akarumu. You couldn't have stated it better.

[Angela Christine]

Aside from THAT, who the hell wants to play someone mundane... isn't that what we are here in RL?  I want my characters to be extraordinary, be it in be it in psychosis, looks, wealth or demons.

A normal looking PC doesnt have to be mundane at all. Some of my normal looking PCs have been very deep, and special. Why not be extraordinary and ugly, for a change?  

There are plenty of hideously ugly PCs, and plenty of suspiciously good looking PCs.  They are two sides of the same coin, and equally realistic.


AC

[Akaramu]

There are plenty of hideously ugly PCs, and plenty of suspiciously good looking PCs.  They are two sides of the same coin, and equally realistic.

Where are the ugly PCs? I've seen a bunch of male ones (bravo, guys!), but in 100ish days played I dont remember ever having seen an ugly female PC. And only very few normal looking ones. I dont consider supermodels in combat roles realistic, nor those extremely curvy porn stars who dont come from a very well off and pampered background.

[wizturbo]

There are plenty of hideously ugly PCs, and plenty of suspiciously good looking PCs.  They are two sides of the same coin, and equally realistic.

Where are the ugly PCs? I've seen a bunch of male ones (bravo, guys!), but in 100ish days played I dont remember ever having seen an ugly female PC. And only very few normal looking ones. I dont consider supermodels in combat roles realistic, nor those extremely curvy porn stars who dont come from a very well off and pampered background.

I've seen plenty of ugly female PC's.  So have you.  You just see so many attractive ones you've forgotten.

[sarahjc]

I play an ugly PC  :wink:

[Akaramu]

All the uglies must be hiding from me  :shock:

Are you on at peak times only or something?

I'll admit that after seeing the same cliche full red lips, slim waists and firm full bosoms I tend to skip the rest of the mdesc. I may have missed a tiny scar here and there  :twisted:

[Bestatte]

But, I DO have full red lips, a slim waist, and firm full bosoms! Don't hate! Don't hate!

And okay - I cheated. My lips are red because I use lipstick. My waist is slim, compared to my thunder-thighs and child-bearing hips. My bosoms are firm because I wear an underwire, so gravity is a little slow to make those bad boys sag.


Oh - you're talking about characters...heh.

Mine isn't attractive, if that helps. She's not ugly either. She's just very plain looking.

What I have found, though, is that people who write well tend to seem more attractive than people who don't. Flowing sentences can attract the eye to any paragraph, no? So if this dwarf is missing an eye, but he's missing it GLORIOUSLY, people might naturally attempt to get closer to that character. If it's just "his left eyesocket is vacant," or "he is missing his left eye," the writing itself might not be nearly as attractive.

So maybe it's not as much a matter of gorgeous characters, as it is gorgeously written descriptions.

Something to consider, eh?

[Gaare]

All the uglies must be hiding from me  :shock:

Are you on at peak times only or something?

I'll admit that after seeing the same cliche full red lips, slim waists and firm full bosoms I tend to skip the rest of the mdesc. I may have missed a tiny scar here and there  :twisted:

If you would like to run a good looking character go for it.. Or an irritated one again begin playing with it.. Or something ordinary, I doubt no one would stop you...


Because of two matters, I can not understand the problem with good looking characters..  

First, In a harsh world like Zalanthas, only the fittest survive, so probably higher percentage of the population is healthy ones which manage to stay alive.. And If someone has a healthy body, that usually implies she is somewhat beatiful..

Second, we are running a bunch of potential heros, and antiheros. All PCs have lots of skills, higher phsical attributes than usual people in  Zalanthas. In other words, they are special.. Every player tries to write a story for his/her character who is special in Zalanthas, and all most all story characters carry something different in their apperance...

[Akaramu]

So maybe it's not as much a matter of gorgeous characters, as it is gorgeously written descriptions.

Something to consider, eh?

Yup. I have recently encountered one pretty female PC who I considered well-written and realistic. I liked that one.

What bothers me are those unimaginative porn star descs with zero blemishes that use the always same cliche words I've seen a dozen times too often. Quite often they are blonde fighter / hunter types with Dolly Buster curves that dont hinder them in any way.

[Cuusardo]

Dolly Buster?  I was thinking more along the lines of Dolly Parton.

Anyway, it's like I said in another thread:  People are going to play unrealistically beautiful characters no matter what, whether or not it's good roleplay for the character to have such a well-fed and flawless appearance.  No amount of complaining is going to stop that.

[Akaramu]

I'm not complaining! I'm being inspired for future roles  :twisted:

I am SO going to make an ugly dwarven assassin with the focus to rid the world of all pretty females.

I'm not really annoyed or anything, either. I just like to pick on people who focus so much on their looks.  :wink:

[corona]

In my opinion, it's a game, people will play it how they find it enjoyable. Not everyone is going to follow one set standard that everybody else wants (I'm talking how PC's look or what words a player will use to express their PC's actions or emotions - I'm not talking about game code or what is considered as not being twinkish) no matter how often people will bring up this topic or complain, this is something that is literally left up to the player to decide about their own pc's. I do believe that if there is something terribly wrong with a PC and how it's being played, the Imms will most definately take care of it.

I've played fairly attractive PC's.. yes, they may have been seen as f-me.. my others.. weren't anything too outstanding in the way of looks, but they all had their things that made them dynamic pcs. My current pc could be considered f-me, no scars, pretty cute, but that follows her background and she happens to be a spitting image of her attractive mother.

All in all, I do think that people get out of the whole f-me, cookie cutter stage down the road when they see how complex this game is and understand that it's okay not to be the most beautiful little thing on Zalanthas, there's always the few who like things how they like them, no matter what.

Get back to playing!  :twisted:

Edited: Spilled coffee on the post.. shit.

[Ghost]

Where are the ugly PCs? I've seen a bunch of male ones (bravo, guys!), but in 100ish days played I dont remember ever having seen an ugly female PC.

If there is such a problem as women being too beautiful, my guess is, half of those women are played by men, and they are playing the character, they want to see everyday!

But I dont think there is really that kind of problem as "all the women are supermodels".

Most beautiful women around, have good reasons to be beautiful (like they are noble or some big merchant houses's people or, someone wealthy enough not to get into conflict themselves mostly)  I dont see beautiful hunters and byners running around much.  But I dont give much attention to the people's desc.  I might be wrong.

[EvilRoeSlade]

In my opinion, it's a game, people will play it how they find it enjoyable. Not everyone is going to follow one set standard that everybody else wants...

No, they'll just follow the real-life one set standard that everbody else wants and displace it into the game.

[corona]

No, they'll just follow the real-life one set standard that everbody else wants and displace it into the game.

That's the media for you. :shock: