Well, I won't pull out a list of RPs and rate them from 1 to 10, but I'll just go over some and hopefully answer your question as best I can.
And as for "if anyone has the time to put up with this random request", We spend our spare time on a science-fiction fan board about predators and aliens to write up RP posts and sci-fi fan fiction.
Of course we have the time to check questions out
Now to begin with, all flattery aside, I consider your Assassin's Creed RP to be one of the best and most entertaining RPs I've participated in on this board. The reasons will be fully gone over in a few moments.
The thing is, you can class RPGs in quality only after you look at what they're meant to be. You can't argue over which sniper rifle is better if you're comparing a bolt-action to a semi-automatic, they're in completely different classes. So when we make an RP, you'll usually see one of the following....oh blah. It's an amazingly simple thing to explain, yet surprisingly complex for me to try and get across in less than 5 pages worth of text.
(Woot, another chance to use the bulletin function)
- An RPG with no end-goal in sight, no founding point or purpose or objective. Such an RPG is made fun because it lets the players create their own goal/objective through playing. The primary attraction of such an RPG is the setting, the world itself, and the ability to really Role-Play, as it forces players to think of "What would I do in this situation to survive".... The STALKER and Assasin's Creed RPs are examples of this. You're flung into the RP world, now make of it what you will. This reminds me....I should update STALKER.
- The opposite of the above, an RPG with a founding conflict or problem, with the overall point of the entire RPG to reach the end goal of resolving that conflict or problem. The vast majority of previous RPs on this site, particularly Predator RPs. Stone Heart's RPGs are excellent examples of this.
- The same as the first RP, but unlike the first, this one will never have a conflict or purpose. Mostly, these are community style RPGs, such as the Yautja Inn. These are attractive to just kick back and have some easy-going Role-playing and chatting. It's just leisurely fun.
Now, the important thing about all three of the above, comes down to just one thing: quality.
Each individual style of RPing there can be utterly wonderful, or radioactive garbage depending on how much quality the original poster intended there to be. While the players themselves also are highly important, the original poster is the one who determines right from the start how good of an RP it will most likely become.
Check out
thisThat is a perfect example of what an RP should not be. The safari thing is an example of the first type of RP I described, but without the effort and quality that someone like you, Blade, puts into it. The thing you should notice is that an RPG like STALKER or Creed force the players into making their own plot, their own conflict and story-line, because the world itself contains the ability for that plot and conflict. The worlds have certain rules, which are made up of the opposing factions, wars, laws, and so forth. In STALKER, you could end up working directly for the Merchants to open up a path North, or you could get screwed over by the Russian military and forced to do something for them, or you could become a gun for hire.
In Creed, you can work for the Assassins, be a sword for hire, or be saved by say, Templars and then decide to fight for them in return.
In the RP link above, there's none of that. There is no real world, with no working system in it. It's an empty sand box.
So the overall point is, there is an amount of quality that determines how fun an RPG can be. Note, that higher quality does not always mean better RP. Assassin's Creed for example, is an RPG with a huge amount of effort put into it. You took the time to research it, to carve it out, and turn it into a living interactive world, and then you take the time and effort to consistently update that RPG as the original poster (We call such people Proctors on my other board).
So that's a huge amount of quality. Then we can have an RPG with less effort put into it, resulting in an a differently enjoyable experience, but still a good one. The difference being that the less work you put into creating the world, the more freedom you give to the players. RPs like the ones below are not as strictly defined and created as the world of Creed or STALKER, but allow more open game-play and RPing:
FlashpointSee, that RP puts a lot of work into creating the world and plot, but other than that allows each individual player to shape the world as they see fit from then on it. Each player helps in creating the RP setting and plot, sticking only to the backbone set up by the Proctor.
Then we have something of a mix.
Gambler's RuinIn the above RP, there's a ton of detail put into the setting at first, but after that, there effectively is no plot or ability to make a plot from the world. In the above RP, all we have is Group A, Group B, and Group C. And those three groups of players each create a conflict amongst themselves, therefore creating the RP plot.
Note that in that RP, it would have been absolutely pointless if the players hadn't been putting such good posts in. Some RPs are made excellent by the original poster, while others (Like Gambler's Ruin) depend almost purely on the quality put in by all the players.
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Ok, rant over. The bottom line is that what I find fun in RPs boils down to this:
1. An RP where you're in a world and it's "What would you do" thinking, like Creed, where I make my own character act as he would, without relying on foundational plot.
2. RPing through interactions. Having fun by actually writing up RP posts, being creative, and interacting with other players.
How much these are enjoyed always comes down to either the quality of the entire RPG backbone, or the quality of the RPG players that are posting. Usually a mix of both.
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