That RP isn't a numbers game. Too many admins — but especially those who are new to running a community — have fallen for the allure of "bigger is better"/"the more the merrier" for their site(s). I.e. Being too fixated in growing their member base at the expense of just about everything else. Like, not caring if these members integrate well into the community and/or are able to get plots with other members. This often leads to a vicious cycle where even though the site gets a lot of new registrants, it has a poor member retention rate — and to make up for the members that drop from the site, the admins bring in more registrants... and the cycle continues. Yes, the more the merrier, but let's not forget that too many cooks spoil the soup as well. Quality over quantity!

A fantasy kitchen sink that isn't a panfandom.

Commissioned custom art from an artist's booth at a cosplay convention; (Cosfest Singapore 2022) while I've always been an avid commissioner of art pieces both online and in-person, doing it in-person now feels all the more special given the advent of AI image generators – a technology that while cool in its own right is something that I have mixed feelings about at best.

The art in question:

I always wonder what's with right-wing Twitter accounts and their love for moeblob waifus/loli PFPs? I know right-wing Twitter accounts with anime PFPs aren't unheard of, but they tend to be also very specific with their anime PFP preferences. Like, 9.9 times out of 10, it's some loli or moeblob waifu; think Love Live!, K-On!, etc. I'd be rather surprised if I ran into a right-wing Twitter account with a MANime PFP like Hokuto no Ken, Berserk, Grappler Baki, etc.

Another potential takeaway of a High Republic RP is the lack of Sith, too. (In the source material, the main threat the Jedi deal with are the Nihil, a band of surprisingly well-organised bandits and Marauders – but they're certainly not the Sith, nor dark side Force-users.) Then again, depending on how faithful such a RP wants to keep to source material, they could probably substitute the Sith with some other cult of Dark Side adepts, who may or may not be affiliated with the Nihil. But otherwise yeah, the lack of Sith or other Dark Side adepts can be a potential turn-off, seeing how some are gonna be like, "So only the good guys get badass space wizards? Laaaaame."

After reading the manga titled “Edge of Balance” that is part of Star Wars' High Republic franchise (a project that consists of different Star Wars stories set in an era roughly 200+ years before the Clone Wars), I'm thinking an animanga Star Wars sounds promising.

Reading articles and forum discussions on various philosophies behind (tabletop) RPing such as Adversarial DMs, combat-as-war vs. combat-as-sport, etc. has proved to be rather illuminating in understanding why certain players think and act the way they do.

This totally resonates with me, but if only due to some really fun threads I had on Comic Book Resources forums years ago. Back then, there was this series of threads called "Fantasy Recasting", where we attempt to retell the events of Marvel/DC story arcs, but with the involved characters being recast using characters from other franchises. Like, one I remembered was a fantasy recasting of Infinity War. (the story arc in the comics) Also reminds me of some of my old RP buddies of mine from Hyakuji High School who did Elseworlds-style reinterpretations of animanga characters. Like for example, making Kagura Hinata from H²O: Footprints in the Sand a friggin' Stand User. XD (With her Stand being none other than the ghost of her deceased sister, Otoha)

This concept seriously has potential.

I may have lost interest in RPing, but it rekindled my interest in writing and more recently I rediscovered the passion I had for drawing that I once had during my teens to twenties. You lose some but you gain some...

youtu.be/ptkYbL4tpko

How to act a character in a mask without having to take said mask off every 5-10 minutes is becoming something of a lost art in Hollywood, IMO.

Getting older, I realise that I begin to question more and more, whether a site even needs a detailed rules thread to begin with. The only rules I feel at this point that need detailed explanation are any unique mechanics (I.e. survival mechanics, character progression, etc.) a site may have – if any, that is.

Outside of a site's special mechanics (if they apply), 90% of OOC and RP etiquette are pretty much extensions of general, everyday etiquette that should be pretty much common sense for any mature adult in civilised societies.

Basically, most players (if we go by the assumption that Most RPers are Adults) don't need the rules to be explained to them because these are civil behaviours that should come as second nature to anyone with some maturity.

If they need to have the rules read out to them repeatedly, chances are they're immature and/or entitled pricks who aren't so much ignorant, but rather don't give a shit to begin with, no matter how much the rules are being explained to them.

Pain in my left wrist (I suspect it might be an ulnar tendinitis) is keeping me away from any upper body workouts for the last 2 days and I hate it.

I really hate it when people make their own carelessness into my burden. Like, goddammit, you're responsible for remembering your own passwords. And now you want me to help you reset your password when it's the result of your own forgetfulness? Jeez...