[quote=@LoneSilverWolf]
[@Phoenix] I've waited months for an RP to catch interest, at least on the Old Guild. I haven't in this one simply because I had a small group of friends that I knew would love to RP with me. That said, I also had a LOT of RPs peter out and die due to lack of interest after it starts. Couple people drop, then bam, everyone else starts to follow. It's like a freaking plague, a cancer. Once it take hold it is hard to fight.

I think if you have a great idea that just doesn't take off, keep trying. There was one RP I tried to get going 3 times before it finally garnered enough interest to get off the ground. It was going good for a bit too, but eventually died. Still, it made it a ways past the very start, and that's farther than a lot of RPs go these days. Just keep trying, maybe modify your ideas if you think there is something turning people away--unless you are adamant about that particular thing. In which case, just keep trying. Eventually it will take off, if you wait long enough.

Also consider what section you are posting in. Obviously an advanced level RP will be a harder sell than casual, simply because a lot more people play casual vs advanced.
[/quote]It seems like that's the only way to have a successful RP: to have friends or just those who enjoy RPing with you and have similar interest or vice-versa. Unfortunately, I have so such people. :(

I've just modified my rules after considering how harsh they sound. After lurking through this Forum, it seems there's a new batch of Advanced RPers that aren't used to the standards of "normal" Advanced (grammar, story-telling/plot-driving, ability to develop one's own character, etc.). Granted, I was harsh about those standards, but I've had such bad luck with people showing interest that don't really belong in Advanced to begin with (don't read entire OP and ask questions that have been answered, don't understand the mechanics and don't know they don't understand them, etc.). I have no problems with explaining things, but I can tell if someone read the OP and actually comprehended most of it (I'm not saying they have to memorize it).

But, yeah, I, no longer, have interest in Casual. That's where I started, but those standards are just not enough for what I wish to accomplish or create (and I'm not going to go "High Casual" because that's a cop-out and even those standards don't bring what I want). I understand that this makes me picky and makes the window so much smaller, but I know there's at least a few people out there that can create a character, stick to it, read the OOC and IC and comprehend it, and can contribute to the world itself.

[quote=@Dinh AaronMk]
I think there's a time when you should give up or re-evaluate. But then again: I'm a fan of the idea that you should plan to be a GM second and a participant first.

If you don't have a clique to be a member of and people to bounce ideas off of it can be difficult to really get anything moving. The best thing to do would be to join other RPs and acquaint yourself with others on a professional basis at least, or within a genre. Whenever you want to try and be a GM these people can help to get an RP off the ground (or even into the interest check phase if they like the idea) and can be the core of the first members.

I understand people want some semblance of power by being the big boy on the internet but it's truthfully not worth it when so many do and there's so many other RPs that might be doing that field much better.
[/quote]I agree with the sentiment that, even when you are GMing, it's important to be an RPer first and then a GM.

But that really seems to be the case. I have no one to bounce ideas off of because I haven't played the fandom a lot because it's never offered what I wanted.

And I've always been looking for RPs to join, but my tastes are so limited. Then, when I see the genre I like, I get turned away because I don't like how it's being run, the mechanics are off-putting, the GM's are rude, or I decided to be a b!tch that day. I've finally found one that I'm currently participating in that's been doing pretty well and I've already established pretty good relations with the GM and Co-GM, or, at least, I think I have. 

And this goes into your last statement. I don't really care to have authority. If someone created an RP that's like mine, with the same mechanics, and even the same plot (though the plot is largely irrelevant), then I would be happy to join and not GM. But, again, the mechanics most utilize for that fandom are not what I like, desire, or care for. But I still want to RP that fandom in this general, though particular, manner.

[quote=@LoneSilverWolf]
[@Dinh AaronMk]Just because there are RPs in a field doing better than yours, doesn't mean you shouldn't try for a good successful RP. At some point, there just isn't an RP you REALLY want to join, or you feel passionate about. In these cases, it's time to step up and make one. I don't think one should let the fact that there are already highly successful threads stop people from trying to form their own. I DO agree that one should look at what makes the successful ones take off, but it shouldn't deter people from attempting. 
[/quote]Yes, I agree with this.

However, with the latter portion. I've looked through my fair share of the fandom and don't really see how mine lacks other than straying from the norm almost completely. I think it's because of this, and the fact that I don't care for the norm, itself, that there has been an utter lack of interest.
However, I'm sure my rules strayed people away.

If you care to, in the hider below are my current list of "rules/notes" that I'm open to arguing about and hearing criticism of. [hider]- No God-modding, power-playing, etc. etc.
- CS’s need only contain Name, Age, and History/Background/Biography as well as a list of all their Pokemon. Additional sections will not be necessary and I may not read them. 
- CS's must be submitted to me through PM. I do not want to see WIPs in the OOC.
- Characters must have their own goals. This is advanced and I will treat it as such.
- You may create any number of PCs or NPCs as you wish. But if you overload yourself, you will be asked to cut down your list.
- Spelling and grammar should be at an acceptable level. I will PM you if I believe more focus on grammar is necessary.
- Constructive criticism, with thought-out opinion and researched facts, is always welcome. However, any kind of arrogance or bullying, implied or otherwise, will not be tolerated.
- Three thoughtful and story-driven/driving paragraphs is the minimum post length.
- I do not read prose, never mind purple prose. If that is how you enjoy to write, put the prose in a hider and type a short summary of what your post actually did for the story. 
- Characters (including my own) are always under revisement by anyone and everyone.
- Be willing to participate in this RP for a long time. If you need to take breaks, let me know.
- OOC activity should be once a week and I will keep games going to sustain activity.
- A post every 3 days in the IC will be considered “quick.” 
- There is no posting order. Post only once after I make a post, unless I state otherwise.
- I welcome the idea of side-arcs and mini-plots, flashbacks and time-skips. Please feel free to contribute to the story as much as you like.
- I welcome input and ideas for technologies, landmarks, moves, mechanics, etc. This is as much your world as it is mine.
- I am patient. As long as there is respect and cooperation with reasonable communication, time is not an issue. 
- Any and all sections of this RP are subject to editing, additions, or omissions by the GM.[/hider]