Order Server and Lack of Roleplayers

[neva]

Or so it seems like it at times.

Call me old fashion or call me a stickler, but I remember a time when the Order server had some d@mn nice roleplaying going on. The channels were telepathic communications that the gifted had the ability of doing and all says unless marked by (()) were ic chatter.

Lever were called ranks or sessions(seasons?) of experience, and marking something on a map was done like:: "Here, let me see your map, and I'll mark it for you." takes the map from the other and then marks it. (( You can find the location here: 10002,22093))

Now its like, says are all combination of ooc chatter and ic chatter, and you can't ever tell the difference anymore, and channel chat is about no better.

Order is suppose to be a roleplay server so what happened?
Did everyone get lazy, go off and forget how to roleplay? Or does no one give a d@mn anymore and no one is willing to teach?

Like I said, maybe I'm just being a stickler, but I guess when you remember RP everywhere including in the newbie areas, then you don't see it anymore...
Its.. just disheartening.
And I love Horizons, I give the game always high praise and sure I wont stop playing, but for crying out loud!!!

Grrr..

Ok, I'm done. -_-

[neva]

Lever = Level

Sometimes when your ranting you forget to spell check

[Hraefn]

Haha... actually. There was a /HUGE/ drama debate (there have been a few, really) that kind of killed much of the more advanced role-player's will to RP in the public channels. Add that with something of an exodus from the server and or/game and there were few people who really role-played and even fewer sources of RP plots and ideas. The darker and more (IC)drama inducing characters were shunned and thus became slightly taboo.

In order to make everyone happy, the much more in depth and dramatic RP was taken into private places or disappeared altogether. RP, as it once was on Order, has become something of a myth unless you know where to look.

It's not that there aren't people willing to teach others about it or RP seriously, it's more that it has become a touchy subject with how much OOC drama bubbled up because so-and-so said, or he-and-she did, and misunderstandings occured.

[BrightCat]

Yeah, good RP for me is now relagated to just between me and a few others unfortunately. I don't really RP in dragon chat anymore because now it's just bleh (I know that technically it's not an RP channel and blah blah blah, but that's not my point). There's generally very few in the actual RP channel. And yes, say is often cluttered with none RP chat (at least in New Tris). That can be understandable though because it's an area with new players and they may not nessesarily know the rules yet.

[neva]

Huh, really? But isn't the point of RP to have some drama here and there and sometimes to have some character that go against the grain to make things interesting?

And honestly, I always saw the Dragon channel as the RP Channel, since many Dragons would RP there, though most of them were Lunus and didn't like the bipedals, and those who did like them all hung out also on the RP channel with all the bipedals.

General was for all the ooc jabber and Market Place was also very IC and dealt with people selling items or services

Though I do see myself as a Hardcore RPer, that was actually what I gave the Order server high remarks on, so--
I guess I'll have to chop up my high remarks and call it another wanna-be place with very few good rpers and more like oocers who just jabber on there cause they don't want to bother with the normal server. -_-

However, I guess I can keep my hopes up since I believe the game is still recovering.

[Raptress]

Like Hraefn said, there've been a couple absolutely huge OOC-drama fights about this or that, the most recent being RPing in Dragon Chat and how "elitist" all the high-end RPers are probably because of one bad experience with one player or stories of such that got spread around and blown out of proportion. So yeah, most of us hardly RP in Dragon anymore; most of my chat in Dragon is OOC, answering questions, nowadays.

The new players aren't helping either, especially since whenever any of us tries to do any educating, we're called rude or told it's uncalled for no matter how politely we try to explain using brackets and a big, unnecessary OOC dramafest starts up, killing any RP that was going on in the channel beforehand.

I've virtually given up on trying to influence the new RPers because I'm either told off or ignored, and the roleplay quality in DC (whenever it actually gets going) is generally so low or so borderline-OOC, that I can't really bring any of my characters into it, without stepping out of character myself. :/

I know what you mean though, Neva. I remember when DC was mostly IC, and RP was quite easy to find. Sadly, I've had to watch this happen. Around November or so is probably when this started happening; the population plunged for some reason, and RP dropped to a trickle at best as the result. We've lost a number of the better roleplayers for various reasons. Only now do they seem to be coming back, though I know at least a few are gone for good.

Like you though, I am hoping that this is just a temporary crash and that things will, at some point, recover. They're at least better than they were during the holiday season of last year.

[Dhalin]

I know several times I've tried to participate in RP when I saw it (on channels, as I'm usually goal-oriented), but yet the few times I tried, I got absolutely no responses, except for just one night and it was kinda bleh (no offense to anyone OOCly meant).

I can't help but to admit that posting several posts in the channel, ICly, amongst other IC roleplay and getting absolutely no responses to anything I said whatsoever at all, isn't exactly encouraging to a new roleplayer.

I know how easy it is to get caught up in cliques and such, and how easy it is to get absorbed in talking with your friends, but if you want RP to thrive, you gotta look towards the newcomers/strangers now and then too. Otherwise they are going to try, get ignored, and just shrug and not try again.

'sides, I can get roleplay elsewhere, outside of Istaria.

[Raptress]

Not in any way saying that you did this, Dhalin, as I don't know one way or the other, but I often see people complaining about being unable to participate with other roleplayers when it's really their fault, and not anyone else's.

Often, I will see people roleplay idle actions such as "sits by the tree and looks at the others" or "cleans his claws" and get fussy when they are "ignored", sometimes by other roleplayers who are actively engaged in actions or conversation. It isn't fair to put the fault on the other roleplayers.

Say that you're in a park, sitting on a bench and talking with your friend. Across the path, on another bench, is a stranger and they are looking around at the goings on of the area. Suddenly, that stranger complains at you and your friend for ignoring them, even though they A) are a stranger and B) did not directly interact with you or your friend.

That's what I see happen most of the time when people complain that they are being ignored. Again, I am not directing this at you, just explaining that I see this situation quite a lot.

When I roleplay my characters, I roleplay them as if they are a normal person. If someone directly says or does something to me, I'm going to respond. If someone is sitting off to the side, twiddling their thumbs, I'm unlikely to have much to say or do with them, especially if I'm actively engaged with someone else.

An example recently occurred not long ago in Dragon Chat. My more evil-aligned character was talking to a hatchling, and being at least threatening enough that I honestly expected someone to intervene, or at least notice, that the hatchling character could possibly be in danger. There were a few other players IC while this was going on, and my character and the other hatchling character were more or less left totally alone except for maybe glances.

Now imagine my surprise when a player who was IC at the time brought up the fact that they felt ignored, even when their character had not done anything towards my character or the hatchling character that we could reasonably respond to.

We weren't making it hard or telling anyone off if they tried to interact with us. We were in a public channel, so we both expected that others may become involved in our roleplay. The only thing we did not do was step out of our roleplay (or even, in some cases, our character) to interact with someone who was not making an effort to get directly involved with us.

You can't expect others to RP with you simply because you're there, and, imho, they shouldn't have to. You have to take responsibility for your roleplay and get involved. Walk up to a character, say "hi", wave, anything that gives another player something to respond to. Simply glancing at or noticing someone guarantees a response in the same way that noticing someone in a supermarket does.

However, if you do try to get directly involved and are completely ignored, then the fault rests with the other roleplayers, especially if they tell you not to bother them (in an OOC manner) when they are in a public channel or place. If you want an RP to stay private, do it in private. Otherwise, it's fair game.

Again, this is not directed at anyone, it's just my observations of what's really going on most of the time when people complain that they feel left out.

[neva]

That is actually very common now-a-days Raptress. Most places I have gone to RP on, MMOs anyhow, people don't seem to understand the concept you gotta jump in, in order to get your feet wet, because no one just gonna do it for you.

Ofcorse, I am rather fearless in matters, so when I have been told off on a RP server, I typically tell them, "If You don't like the Roleplay, then go to a Normal server."
But, I'm also known as being a very blunt person.

Though I am just sorry to see such BS happened...

At least I am finding some to roleplay with, perhaps not the best, but it will do. That and I learned something over the years, typically if you keep up your game, don't lower down to theirs, they tend to actually start to come up to your level in order to keep up.

So, sometimes the best way to make a great RP session, is to just stand your ground.

[Uhlakk]

Hmmm.... I always RP in the Main Channel.

I hate to RP with someone I can't see before me. Why I should RP in Dragon chat, or some other channel?

I RP right here and now. When I see someone, and want to talk to him, I stand before him or shout after him. Like in RL.

[LungTien Temeraire]

Sometimes, when I have the mood, I RP on the DC
The fact that some advanced roleplayers had a bad experience with some is sad, but I think that doesn't meant they should always stay away from new players, roleplayers or not...

[Nambroth]

I have been debating replying or not because this is a sad issue for me.

Yes, there was a huge fuss over using public channels such as Dragon to RP in, and there were some very vocal about having it be OOC only. This really soured it for me. I will still occasionally do some very light RP in the Dragon chat, but for the most part I've taken myself to RPing 'in person' (via 'main' chat tab with the other players in sight) or sometimes in the other channels such as the RolePlay channel.

Sometimes when no one is around, I'll look on the player search and find the most populated area and take my most obnoxious character out there to have some fun.

Some people do form 'cliques'... but this isn't a surprise given the server population. What is a clique in this case? A group of friends, and they often RP together because they know each other well enough to know that what they RP =/= OOC issues? I have friends in game that I RP with more often, but I would feel pretty sad if I were shunned for it. I am also very much up to RPing with others... newcomers, and old players alike. I used to be one of those that would go out to Skalkarr whenever I saw a new player that might need help and company. My current schedule often doesn't allow me to do that anymore, but the will is there.

But yes, I feel your pain. It used to be you would have to actively avoid RP if you didn't want to RP. Nowadays you need to actively seek it and sometimes even then you are unlucky.

[Frith-Rae]

Yes, there was a huge fuss over using public channels such as Dragon to RP in, and there were some very vocal about having it be OOC only. This really soured it for me. I will still occasionally do some very light RP in the Dragon chat, but for the most part I've taken myself to RPing 'in person' (via 'main' chat tab with the other players in sight) or sometimes in the other channels such as the RolePlay channel.

To clarify, as I feel perhaps one of the main voices about this, the fuss was never about RPing in Dragon chat. The Fuss was when the RPers started griping at those that weren't RPing. Or those who were "interrupting" their RP. Dragon Chat is not a private room, and no shouldn't be a place to do deep-multihour-plot progressing-limited RP.

Now, having said that, every time I've logged into the game in the last month Dragon Chat has been RPing away. With OOC comments welcome, and RP continues on. Is it some huge plot developing RP? Nope. But its still RP. Hatchlings run and play, dragons interact, talk, discuss things, all IC. And noone getrs jumped on for asking a question, and noone gets jumped on for joining into the RP (as both should be). I don't rem,ember a single person on the forums anyway who was insisting on it being "ooc only". Only that to keep BOTH welcome - as the movement and "bad experiences" were more often on those not RPing "exactly just so", or not Rping at all and actually using dragon chat to ask questions of dragons (gasp)

I think the big drama came when certain factions of RPers were trying to control others RP, trying to take over Dragon Chat, and then even within their own communities the diva's were starting to shine - making noone in the group want to RP with them. This is only words on the winds...as it were. And is ALWAYS the cycle in RP servers and guilds and groups - I've seen it over and over and over again.

There is still roleplay but the channels are not as numerous as before in by gone days. You can still roleplay in DC - but don't expect everyone else to sit around and watch you develop a set storyline. Keep it "lighter", something that anyone can jump into and be done with in an hour or two (or 10 minutes if they have to step out).

Also poke around for RP friendly guilds - as I'm sure there's lots of RP going on in certain guild channels.

But sometimes you login and its a bad time - and there's crickets everywhere no matter how much you're talking to yourself. It happens.

[Akrion]

To clarify, as I feel perhaps one of the main voices about this, the fuss was never about RPing in Dragon chat. The Fuss was when the RPers started griping at those that weren't RPing. Or those who were "interrupting" their RP. Dragon Chat is not a private room, and no shouldn't be a place to do deep-multihour-plot progressing-limited RP.

I actually found the fuss to be about RPing in DC quite a number of times around April to May 09. It was often sparked by people talking OOCly in DC without brackets while other people were roleplaying and when people would ask whoever wasn't using OOC brackets to use them, the stupid fight would start. I started taking my character into DC less and less at this time.

DC is not a private room but by no means does that make it off limits to deep multi-hour plot progressing RP. It was most often those RPs that I saw other people getting involved with the most. I certainly did. If I see a deep and interesting story being played out in DC, I'm much more likely to push my character into it as well over just casual bantering back and forth RP.

I think the big drama came when certain factions of RPers were trying to control others RP, trying to take over Dragon Chat, and then even within their own communities the diva's were starting to shine

I honestly didn't see very much of what I would consider 'trying to take over DC'. Most often I saw anything that could be considered that, were older Roleplayers taking issue with newer Roleplayers making very close copies to their own characters RP. People often wouldn't listen to the reasons to /why/ they felt this, thinking it very hypocritical and just arguing about that. What I saw was the older roleplayers were experiencing negative feedback of their character because others would have bad experiences with the new 'insta-special' characters.

Many of the new blight dragons, or demon dragons, or other such characters were looked down on by the older roleplayers because even though they might have a similar character, their character evolved into their role over the course of months if not years. And they started to watch their roleplay suffer because people were getting tired of all the new 'blight' or 'demon' dragons because they would be freshly created and instantly evil or something with almost no back story or any roleplaying into it.

So that's the main conflict I saw with 'trying to take over DC'. Older roleplayers not only experiencing negative reactions to their characters because other people were having bad experiences with all the new insta-'weird' characters, but also feeling kind of slapped in the face due to it because all of the work they put into evolving their character over the years was getting tossed aside.

This was conflicting with people who felt anybody should be able to roleplay whatever they want whenever they want with or without logic behind the character. I feel it was mostly an Immersion of RP vs Freedom of RP issue.

An example recently occurred not long ago in Dragon Chat. My more evil-aligned character was talking to a hatchling, and being at least threatening enough that I honestly expected someone to intervene, or at least notice, that the hatchling character could possibly be in danger. There were a few other players IC while this was going on, and my character and the other hatchling character were more or less left totally alone except for maybe glances.

I was playing the hatchling of this roleplay, and I can definitely say I was surprised so little happened with it outside the RP between Raptress and myself. We tried quite a number of times to form the RP in such a way so that people would have the chance to join in, no matter the reason. This was the last time I tried to RP very much in DC, haven't tried to go back yet. Was kind of disheartening to see people talk about feeling ignored just before we did that RP, and not bother joining in. Or feeling ignored after the RP was over.

I'm much like Nambroth is now, I used to spend a lot of time in NT role playing with new characters but constant stuff like all of the above slowly turned me to just RP with a small few privately away from DC.

[Dhalin]

I understand what you're saying Raptress...

And trust me, I (well, my character...) said things to people ICly, which never got any responses. The other peeps continued their RP as if I hadn't posted Anything at all...

I'm not really upset about it, it is just I'm not real eager to go trying again anytime soon. I think RPing in a game isn't really my "thing" anyways; I prefer text-based games for that (MU* and the like).

[LungTien Temeraire]

I was playing the hatchling of this roleplay, and I can definitely say I was surprised so little happened with it outside the RP between Raptress and myself. We tried quite a number of times to form the RP in such a way so that people would have the chance to join in, no matter the reason. This was the last time I tried to RP very much in DC, haven't tried to go back yet. Was kind of disheartening to see people talk about feeling ignored just before we did that RP, and not bother joining in. Or feeling ignored after the RP was over.

If i had been there, and RPing, I think I'd surely have come to interfere...

[Raptress]

I think the big drama came when certain factions of RPers were trying to control others RP, trying to take over Dragon Chat, and then even within their own communities the diva's were starting to shine

I'm just curious.. has anyone actually seen these factions? I know I haven't. x3

The only thing I remember seeing is experienced roleplayers being called hypocrites for informing a newer RPer that their character ought to have a backstory that made sense before they went and made a very out-of-the-ordinary or evil character. Is that really so unreasonable?

All the things I saw or heard about were not attempts to control, but attempts to educate and help a newer RPer become a better RPer. Unfortunately, many times that newer RPer will take things completely the wrong way or misunderstand what the more experienced roleplayer was trying to do. Or maybe the experienced roleplayer was not as saccharinely polite as they could have been. But does the newer RPer ask? Of course not. They assume that the experienced roleplayer is trying to control their RP, and spread that around, no matter what the actual story may be.

Experienced roleplayers are constantly asked to step up and teach the RP-newbies how to do it. Why would we possibly want to do that if all we get is stuff like that?

About DC..

I agree that no one owns the channel, and that both OOC and RP are allowed there. I do not agree that DC should be off-limits for deeper RP. What it should be off limits for is private RP, that is, RP that the RPers involved do not allow anyone in the channel to join or influence.

Deep RP and storylines make roleplaying interesting. Why should anyone want to limit that sort of RP to only those involved already? Seeing nothing but idle banter and hatchling games all the time gets terribly boring, as essentially, nothing's going on. There's no character development in a "Hi, how's the weather?"

Bringing a storyline into DC gives other people a chance to join in on a plot, and that's how it should be whenever anyone decides to bring anything like that into a public channel or place. If however, the RPers involved do not allow others to join in or ignore their actions, then yes, they need to be doing it elsewhere. A public place is for allowing others to join you. Not for anyone to strut around saying "Look at me, aren't I cool?"

Public RP is public. That's the only rule that I think anyone needs to abide by in DC or anywhere else when talking about what sort of RP is or isn't allowed there.

[Frith-Rae]

Sorry let me clarify..

When I say "deep - multi-hour - plotted storylines" RP these are usually Roleplays that have been in the works for weeks if not months, and have a set tone and background by the players who have been involved for weeks/months. Those players know what's going on, what has led up to Point X, and all that jazz.

the issue *I* have with those types of RPs then going into dragon chat is that it becomes very clear, very quickly (at least when I've both been a part of these and on the outside of them) that this is a plot with a history. When its done in DC, then yes I would hope the people in them would expect that other characters are going to jump in - having no foreknowledge of whats going on. What ends up happening though isn't always so freeform - and the people who try and jump in (feeling that since its in DC its open), are regulated to lesser involvement - or ignored outright.

So that DC has been "taken over" as a stage for people who want othesr to watch, but not wholly partake in, their RP. That's what I meant by the "deep plotlines" and "taking over" Dragonchat.

The only other reason I mentioned "multihour deep RP" is that yes - if you've got a multi-plotline going on it does make it harder for people who have not been involved inyour plotlin to just "jump in." Sorry, these just don't feel very welcoming to outsiders - even if you mean it to be so. If a character stumbles into DC with this plot they want to develop, a plot that is "ongoing" - then one (the player watching) is faced with the issue of wondering if its a plot they can just 'jump into and leave', or if its something they need to be on night after night after night in order to partake. And then if they do jump in, and they're out a few nights, and they return - the RP may or may not still be in Dragon Chat - or may be somewhere else entirely - and something they thought they were a part of reallky they were just a "blip" of entertaining while the "real plot" went on wihtout them.

See what I'm trying to say? Sorry if its confusing - I know what I mean in my head lol. Did that make any sense at all?

I didnt mean that there shouldn't be "plots" or "deep RP" in dragon chat - its just that so many times when I see this happening in a public forum - its not done in such a way that is very inviting - even when the RPers are trying; it just doesn't come across that way.

not saying it CAN'T, just saying very few people seem to be able to do it...lol.

Now as to RPing and never getting a response - hey it happens. I can't TELL YOU how many "RP only" channels I"ve gone into, with 5-10-15 other players in there - suppsedly there to RP. I sit down, I start RPing, to hear *crickets* - nothing - no response - not even a "you see another dragon sleeping in the corner" response.

So that isn't the mainstay of dragon chat. Any room you go into sometimes you're just not goign to get a bite. I expect it more from dragon chat as I see it like an "open room".

Me - I get more surprsied by the "Active RP only" rooms when people go in to RP and get no response at all.

Though I'm with Lung - if I'd been in DC with someone threatening a hatchling *I* woudl have responded! LOL.

Now as to the impression of "evil RP" in DC - well that's a whole other ball of wax argument we don't need to get into here.

Public RP IS Public - the problem I see happens when people want to do Public RP but don't want others to jump in - or only want them to jump in if they're going to follow ABC of plot. Thus, *normally*, this is made easier by non-multi-chapter plot RP. (but I think we're in agreement here - I just think we've all had different experiences with how much this was, or was not, going on lol).

Course we can beat this to death or we can RP. Those who have left RP to be "only private", I feel saddened by your choice of non-participation. I mean does all RP have to be so heavy that you can't just hang out in dragon chat and RP with what comes?

And how do you find new blood to RP with if you're only RPing with a select group of players?

[neva]

I would have also jumped in if I saw a evil dragon picking on a hatchling. Ulharisk would have been all over that IC like a mouth to a flame. He doesn't take things like that very lightly.

I do admit, after playing for a week, RP has picked up on the Roleplay channel, still have trouble finding it over the normal walk around, but there has been increased activity(or feels like it), which makes me kinda glad.

Not sure if it is because I wrote this, or-- if just I've been picking good times to log on. However, I do hope to see an increase of this over on the Roleplay Channel, as for the Dragon Channel---
I am in it, but I don't read it very often, because most of the time I click the tab to glance over at it, there is mostly ooc jabber.

I do also understand the problem with deep plots, however to Roleplay you don't need deep plots to have deep characterization. For me, it is all about the character and the personality. I work a few days to sometimes a week(maybe even hash it with other roleplayers) for a personality and history. I also try and be original.. though sometimes that can be a bit tricky.
Then beyond this, I let the character grow by whatever experiences they have in the world, this starts to effect them in how they respond to things and how they move. If they are treated with friends, they stay very friendly, if they run into problems, they don't forget them easily.

Character Growth is very important and knowing where your character has been is just as important as well. Plots and story-lines can always follow later.

[Akrion]

When its done in DC, then yes I would hope the people in them would expect that other characters are going to jump in - having no foreknowledge of whats going on. What ends up happening though isn't always so freeform - and the people who try and jump in (feeling that since its in DC its open), are regulated to lesser involvement - or ignored outright.

It's weird, becuase I never experienced this through the first half of 09. There were quite a number of deep RPs that I recall happening, and I managed without too much issue to progress my character from almost no involvement to major part of the RP thanks to it being in DC at one point and time.

SSiscor, Sereamha, Kandrin, Selarth, Tsargoth, Amethyr, Daeza, Maekrux, Sigvard, Slee, DharSii, Seventh and Polydore, Vesper, Kaelisorai, Xeffer, Hraefn, Siivyra, Malestryx, Vhazshyn, Vaega.. I could probably list more if I thought longer about it, but all these characters had some form of deep RP for many various reasons that all crossed through DC occasionally. I was able to get Akrion not only to the point of having a major part in their RP, but also become close to many of them. All from absolutely zero involvement, and mostly because they came through DC at one point or another. It was an amazing time because many of these characters seperate RPs cross connected between eachother.

Unfortunately, a little more than half that list has faded away, mostly due to leaving players or players that can't currently play. Personally I feel that it's the lack of deep RP that's currently hurting DCs ability to progress back to the more active and interesting locale that it used to be.

Course we can beat this to death or we can RP. Those who have left RP to be "only private", I feel saddened by your choice of non-participation. I mean does all RP have to be so heavy that you can't just hang out in dragon chat and RP with what comes?

And how do you find new blood to RP with if you're only RPing with a select group of players?

I used to spend most of my time in DC. But around mid 09 many of the vet roleplayers that I roleplayed with started recieving more and more crap about one thing or another. Many times due to reasons that Raptress pointed out:

All the things I saw or heard about were not attempts to control, but attempts to educate and help a newer RPer become a better RPer. Unfortunately, many times that newer RPer will take things completely the wrong way or misunderstand what the more experienced roleplayer was trying to do. Or maybe the experienced roleplayer was not as saccharinely polite as they could have been. But does the newer RPer ask? Of course not. They assume that the experienced roleplayer is trying to control their RP, and spread that around, no matter what the actual story may be.

Because often a hailstorm of yelling would spark afterwerds. Or it might be reasons similar to what Nambroth said:

Yes, there was a huge fuss over using public channels such as Dragon to RP in, and there were some very vocal about having it be OOC only. This really soured it for me. I will still occasionally do some very light RP in the Dragon chat, but for the most part I've taken myself to RPing 'in person' (via 'main' chat tab with the other players in sight) or sometimes in the other channels such as the RolePlay channel.

I stopped coming into DC consistantly back in July of 09 for all of the above. Not because I just wanted nothing but deep RP, but because I knew I could expect a warm OOC welcome with those that I'd RP with privately no matter what. Despite what one may think not all of the RP in the group I'm with is always deep, a good deal of it winds up just as casual as DC.



Almost all of Akrion's development, minus back story for him to have something after creation, has happened over time from much of the RP in DC for the first half of 09, and privately. I've done very little to actually aim my character in a specific direction, and just went with the flow.

I was able to do this because I always found a way to get involved in RPs going on, no matter what their topic or depth. A very small portion of those RPs pulled my character in without much effort on my part. If so few people are willing to make the effort to push their character to get them involved in an RP that's going on, then why would I wish to continue making the effort to actively attempt extending my current RP out in hopes for people to get in on it? That's more than I usually ever got, as it was often entirely on my shoulders to get my character involved with something.

To me it all just sounds like excuses, honestly.