Thread: Why so much god mode?

Personally, I think the term God-Mode is actually pretty loose in what it defines. Everyone has their own idea of what counts, and to some others the same rules don't apply in their own mind. Given, I've never really player the super heroes type deal but I have done magical ninja before. xD But at least in my own dealings there, violence or potential violence is discussed OOC in PMs or chats. So that may cover the 'insta-hit'. If they are powerful enough, andor speedy enough, and the other character caught off guard, there is a high probability that a hit like that would be hard to dodge or even react too until after the fact. The same sort of goes for the damage caused. This is just a theory and the ever-optimist in me coming out, but hopefully that is all discussed before hand. I don't like posts that overlap a lot, meaning the previous poster went through a long spiel of time and actions, then you have the next poster reacting to all of it over again and adding their own part which seems to detract from the real reactionary things. Whenever I've done combat threads, there is a lot of private discussion that takes place about what hits can be called and what damage can be done, leaving my partner to actually take time to focus and describe the extent of the injury, their initial shock or realization of it, and then the reactionary part that moves along the plot. Come to think of it, that might be a reason I love to put my magical ninja through some pretty torturous pain and brutal beatings, even if it their victory was assured i.e. planned ahead. It actually reminds me of a couple of things I've discussed before. But first... DA brought up a very good point in starting off with a weaker character and having them be built up, rising to the occasion and surprising everyone. Even if those 'powers' that they gained have negative connotations later on. Since I'm focusing on more mundane characters right now, I'll just use positives. For everyone out there who loves a character in a triumphant story, there are two more who seem to like tragedies. They want to see someone stumble if not completely fall. I think there is more delight in that if they think the character is perfect, powerful, and impenetrable. The fall from grace that anyone can relate to on some level made even better by a it being someone other than them and b being in a better place than them in some way looks, status, wealth, power, what have you. It is just easier for people to connect with. Sort of like... I dislike most romantic comedy movies because I see them as unrealistic. Life isn't like that and it is not always a happy ending. Give me The Break Up or P.S. I love you... and I'll be all sniffly after I watch it. Then again, I've always been in love with tragedies, especially if no one dies and everyone deals and lives with the fallout from what happens. Everyone actually does judge a book initially by its cover or title, you can read it though and be disappointed or find a happy surprise at the end. But the heart and real truth lies in what is written on the pages. Was one of things I was mentioning being discussed earlier. I think from what I've seen on here is more the character becoming the embodiment of the idealized writer. I've actually had some characters come off as 'Mary Sues' in the first few posts, but this quickly declines as you get into the meat of potatoes because as the story goes on, flaws that my character fought so hard to keep hidden from the rest of the world by hiding behind this and that, slowly comes to light. To a point, at least, even if you do manage to get over your own ego, there are still things that the writer is more familiar with and those traits will flow into their creation. I think a big part of a character coming off as an idealized version of yourself is when you don't acknowledge your own limits. One reason why I stopped playing male or very dominant characters so much is not because I haven't tried, but because of my own limits. I've never been a dominant person. I'm pretty damn accommodating and will be polite, even if I am secretly wanting to stab your eye out with a fork and feed it to some stray cat. It is one of my own traits that I have a very hard time getting over and that comes through. It comes out as forced and it makes it harder for me I end up focusing too much on what I should make my posts like rather than throwing up my hands and saying 'I can't do this, can we come to a compromise?'. The same happens whenever I play a male character. It is something I'm very capable of doing, but I just don't really like it because I also sort of live by the write what you know thing... and guys are very weird creatures and my brain is rarely in line with theirs. I can get the basics just fine, but I can't get into the specific details, which is what I like best RPing. I'm pretty damn detail oriented. Like, no joke, my first cigarette wasn't out of peer pressure, but because I wanted to know the taste and be able to accurately describe how your head spins with the third hit after you get over a couple of coughs. Then again... that might be why I'm a freelance writer because I don't just want to give someone a basic story, I want to put them there. When someone has only one rail when it comes to emotions though, I'm out. There is something that always makes a person react. Be it something little or just stripping that person away of everything that makes them, they're going to react. Though, that is a more a thing of a person being one-dimensional more so than god-modingmary sueish. I will add one more thing though on the whole mind reading thing. Sometimes thoughts or emotions can be read out in body language or empathy. Lol, I've also had a problem with that happening to me... like going into their private thoughts and feelings and them specifically addressing it in their posts. A general idea is fine, but don't react to my character is so very angry they're seeing a color different than red, like... white blinding rage, and have your character take it to knowing they are on that level. Anyways, just a few thoughts on the whole thing.