Character Pictures. . . *eye daggers*

[Damian_TF]

Okay, even though this just occured to me as a coherent thought, it has been an incomprehensible annoyance to me for my who Gaian life:
Why does nearly every roleplay require a picture or your character?

This seems like an elementary enough question at first glance, to be sure; the obvious anser is so that everyone has a clear picture of what your character looks like. However, consider novels. You know, those pictureless books from which the rolplaying style on which this guild is based is derived. We manage to read them just fine without picutures. How, you may ask? The human imagination.

Why can we not simply have a detailed character description? To be sure, this does go beyond most novels' degree of appearance characterization, but to a far lesser extent than do the pictures we use now. Escpecially in this guild, where the key that separates us from every other Role Play guild and their dog is literacy, one would think that a detailed description would be enough.

Thoughts?  

[Mr. Eccentricity]

.:: Like a butterfly through a paper shredder...

For my roleplay, I require a picture and/or a description, in case whoever is applying agrees with you. I'm fine with either, really. =)

...so fricken' awesome. ::.

 

[The Count of Monte Carlo]

I usually prefer to use pictures, both because I'm too lazy to type out my character's description and make it seem interesting, and because I want everyone to see my character the way I see them.

And when the RP is mine, I usually don't care which is used, as long as the descriptions are good, or the pictures took at least a little bit of talent.

(Someone once tried to join an RP of mine with a stick figure on lined paper as their character's pic.)  

[Mr. Eccentricity]

The Count of Monte Carlo

I usually prefer to use pictures, both because I'm too lazy to type out my character's description and make it seem interesting, and because I want everyone to see my character the way I see them.

And when the RP is mine, I usually don't care which is used, as long as the descriptions are good, or the pictures took at least a little bit of talent.

(Someone once tried to join an RP of mine with a stick figure on lined paper as their character's pic.)

.:: Like a butterfly through a paper shredder...

rofl

That's amazing. xD

...so fricken' awesome. ::.

 

[Soft Serenity]

I find pictures more convenient. Because you can say your character is beautiful, and I think of my girlfriend...but someone else thinks of their wife. This helps give a clear image for everyone, and some people like me, LOVE looking at the images.

 

[Damian_TF]

Well, I suppose that makes sense and all from the right perspective, but one of the things about good writing is that it generates in the minds of the reader the image(s) the author had is mind, yes?  

[Rikki Tikki Travi]

I'll be completely up front here. I'm actually not that great at describing facial features. A pic helps me out a lot in that at the very least they know "what" they are looking at and not just "who."

Quote:

I find pictures more convenient. Because you can say your character is beautiful, and I think of my girlfriend...but someone else thinks of their wife. This helps give a clear image for everyone, and some people like me, LOVE looking at the images.

A very good point. I can't speak for everyone of course, but with a lot of people I talk to in regards to books they tend to paste on the face of someone they know to a character. Half the time I don't even think they realize they do that. Heck I know I sure didn't until Lilly gave that insightful little "8-second sound bite."  

[Lady Sedia Auvryarn]

I do the same as Mr. E, picture and/or description. I really don't care how you want to present your character just as long as I have some notion of what they look like.

However, I really hate when people try and submit a picture and then say "here's a pic, just ignore her cat ears (or whatever)." ...if you're going to use a picture for you character then find or make one that is accurate!!! I don't want to see a cat girl in a maid's dress being passed off as a half-demon/half human mage.

Which is another thing, I get so annoyed with people who use anime pictures as their characters.... not that there is anything wrong with it per se but its like an epidemic now, especially when there are rp's out there that only except anime pics for characters!! I mean really... rolleyes  

[Mr. Eccentricity]

.:: Like a butterfly through a paper shredder...

Seriously! I was thinking of joining this one out-of-guild roleplay, but they said, "Only anime pictures." No photos, no descriptions...

What the hell?

...so fricken' awesome. ::.

 

[Lady Sedia Auvryarn]

I could never join an rp like that xd its a deal breaker hehe  

[veggiesprout]

I personally love pictures. Anime, though. It gets me inspired for my drawings! They aren't that good, I'm still learning. Plus, anime pics are soooo pretty! Well, most of them... sweatdrop Never done a roleplay that doesn't require anime pictures.... SO, I guess I'll have to deal with it....
One thing, what's WRONG with anime pictures? I love them! I mean who doesn't? Oh.... uh...... heh heh..... Just expressing my opinion..... don't get mad.....

 

[Blind Cave Salamander]

You make a good point.
I started out RPing on neopets back when there were literate users on there :/ And since we couldn't post links, we had no choice but to detail our characters in words, so I'm used to it. But I do enjoy pictures :3  

[Sparoe]

Hmm...
I like having a picture because sometimes when my character interacts with them, I like to look at their picture.
I don't have an issue with people just describing their character because sometimes there maybe no pictures that capture your picture though if picked properly, a picture can capture the character's personality.

And for anime vs other pictures, I usually use anime pictures because I have so many on my computer and that there are some I really like. Some of my characters were created because I saw the anime picture and was like, "I think they could be an interesting RP character! I have to make a profile for them!" I always use one that for as far as I can tell, aren't from a real anime, just pictures someone drew. I personally don't care what a person give me for a picture, though most are anime pictures o.o  

[Starlyn Neoma]

I think pictures are helpful. If you read a novel, everyone thinks of the characters differently. My friend frequently draws what she thinks the characters look like and we end up arguing. I know it's stupid, but she should learn everyone thinks differently. XD  

[Linus Weedwhacker]

I'm a professional artist, so I love a chance to show-off "mah skillz" (I'm joking, please don't kick me OUT!!) gonk

Drawing a picture for a character also lets me procrastinate from doing actual work, like laundry, dishes, or working on my webcomic. I leap at a chance for something fruitless and pointless. BWA-HA-HA!!