Is it just me or?

Hi... now that you are here... I'm wondering... why does it seem like so many of the rps are either based at a high school or something similar to it?

Yes I know I'm guilty of the high school setting role play but I was home schooled for my middle and high school years, so that's why I do them.

But why is it like always high school? Why not college or some setting like that? If ya think about it, college setting is basically a boarding school with more choices and such to role play as and have more interaction with others. Or even a town setting where people can just walk around on the streets or something like that.

It all seems like slice of life role plays to me even if there is fantasy in them and danger and all that fun stuff that makes role play so much fun aside from the writing part.

Ok I'm done rambling (or is it ranting?) now... I think I got all my thoughts out on this subject... I just hope I put it in the right spot. If not then.. I'm sure someone will hit me up with the right spot to put it.

You do, honestly, have the best excuse in the book for school settings. xD Honestly I don't understand the appeal of school settings unless they're some sort of boarding school. My best guess is people want to live out something different than what they did get in high school?

When I went through and sorted out the available games that we had, there were a good portion that were based in a high school setting. In my opinion it could stem from a few things...

1. Since a lot of the members came from Menewesha, which had a lot of anime/manga inspired themes I can only assume a lot of the members interests fall into stories like in what they watch or read AND a lot of those stories take place in high school.

2. What Eden said, not a lot of people play "themselves" in school life games... it's a way for people to play out perhaps who they'd want to be.

3. It's easy, I've been known to join a school life game strictly if I just want something laid back, the themes and experiences are easy to grasp and is a popular background for beginners who aren't exactly ready to play in worlds that are foreign to them yet.

Ok, I understand the anime & manga thing... really since my collection of manga is mostly school based or based on a book. Most of the school life games are more for fantasy than any real life setting so it would make it a bit hard to play themselves in it.
Who want's to play the human in the school for vampires? Wait a minute that would be a fun setting I would think... like that one manga were an all males school opened up to females and thus there was only one female student in the entire high school and she becomes the leader of the school students.

That's beside the point... but I get why it is an easy choice now. I just hope it doesn't become a rut were there are only school based role plays, there are a lot more awesome animes and mangas out there that don't have school life in them... true they are rare but still they are out there.

With school starting up again for the kids on this site (at least in most places), I would think there would be a slight drop in interest in school setting role plays. At least if they use role playing as an relaxation and escape. I look forward to some other type of role plays starting up that aren't school based. Yes I know there are some around here already but I like the small role plays were the story hasn't progressed a lot and people haven't broken up into their role playing groups were its hard to introduce a new character into the story without it being too weird.

Well if anyone is interested in a school setting that's more college/campus based, ISK is essentially like that.

I agree that when school stars up again we will probably see a change in users and then see a change in the games that are created. I wouldn't worry too much about the site becoming stuck in a rut, surely the site will expand and the more players you get the more interesting and unique stories you are bound to come across.

Also I do understand the dilemma in not wanting to introduce yourself into games that have already progressed... I have to admit in the past I've been interested in a rp and then become weary of joining when I realize the high post count. Mainly because I have joined games like that and then end up being somewhat "ignored" because the other characters are already content with their group. But, from what I've noticed it's not exactly like that on WTF.

Just to jump on the high school thing . . . a lot of people are still in high school and if I were to RP college my RP would be pretty fucking boring . . . all I've done in Uni, college and the trades institue I'm currently going to is "study, sleep, work, study, sleep, work, get a day off study and waste some money made at work, sleep, study, work." not much of an RP, least in high school I had all the crazy drama of a soap opera and I ain't even kidding! >D

Long and short, and unrelated to what I said, high school is just more familiar to people who are 18 and younger and that happens to be a chunk of people here. XD

I think high school is a safe place to go to for most players. Almost everyone will be familiar with the type of setting and know the types of 'groups' you'd find in it.

I don't really see anything 'wrong' with them being popular. xD; But I may be taking that position because I'm currently playing in one on WTF and a friend and I are setting up another one at some point.


I'm not sure if I can explain the appeal to me, personally. I suppose it's a combination of my own high school years being rather boring and full of missed opportunities (I moved around a good bit and missed what I see in tv and movies and comics and books; etc) and that it has clear sets of "rules" that players can choose to have their character follow or break. It's the same sort of appeal to me that draws me to Regency romance novels over regular romance novels - there are rather strict social rules and some of them are unfair and make no sense.


Sorry I'm not expressing myself clearly at the moment. ^^; I'm borrowing the computer quickly while my friend is in the bath and have to give it back when she returns so she can do homework. ^^;




PS: I moved this thread to the forum it fits better in. :)

I feel like everyone's done a nice job explaining why high school is such a popular setting, but I just wanted to throw my two cents in.

Let's face it. Most have attended high school at least once in their life. And, those that haven't, probably want to experience it. It's filled with drama, romance, drama, adventure, drama, and… more drama. It's also really easy to brainstorm as you know the school has to have basic classes - a strict list of basic classes. You'll have math, gym, art, science, etc. which are all easy. When in college, you can have law, politics, psychology, etc. and not everyone's familiar with those subjects so it can be a bit intimidating (perhaps).

HOWEVER, the one thing I HATE about high school stories is the restricted romance. You cannot have anything too hot and steamy as you're minors. Now, once you cross into college/university, you're safe to do whatever you want (assuming there are no minors at said location).

Idk, whenever I make a school-based story, I pick a college-like setting. I like how you have a wide array of classes and opportunities. PLUS, you can probably stay up past your bedtime, don't have to ask mom to play with friends, and, more than likely, own a car. Depending on the age, you might even be able to drink (legally).

Like I said, I get why people like high school settings - it's familiar and easy to manage. But I feel like it's also restricted compared to college. Both have their pros and cons. Both thrive on drama, fights, betrayal, and romance. And, let's say you had a terrible experience, you can fix that in a roleplay - making your character popular and well-liked. Hell, you can even date the hottest guy in the story (something you might not have been able to do in real life).

Super late post to this section, but whatever. Better late than never, right?

College has less drama. Simple as that. Teenagers go to high school; sure, there are those who are immature in college, but they are vastly outnumbered. In high school, hormones are still pumping, pumping, pumping. It's like they're all taking pills and shots (transition safely, kids). High school breeds drama. Drama invites more stories. High school is a better setting.