RPR Archive Research for RPing Article

Hello all,

I am writing an article in the topic of 'Why Do Males Outnumber Females in Rping?' and I have decided to do some research and get other people's opinion on the matter. I have come up with some questions and I would appreciate it if you could help me by answering one or all. Thank you in advance to everyone who participates :]

-What is the excitement that draws people to rping?
-Why do you think males tend to rp more than females?
-Do you think that males like to escape from the real world more than females?
-Do males get more caught up in/obsessed with a movie/book/game than females?
-Do females that play video games tend to rp more than females who do not play video games?
-In your opinion, do you think that the ?outcast? people rp more than the ?popular? people?

Thank you again for any help that you can give!

Hmmm. Out of interest, let's leave this thread in here.

I might say that you probably need to better define what you mean by roleplaying, because there are different forms of it. The earliest form of roleplaying was "tabletop" roleplaying where six or so people got together in person for an afternoon (or longer) and (typically) played Dungeons and Dragons. Since then it's spread into other forms: single-player computer roleplaying games such as Diablo or Ultima, where there is no interaction with other people; live-action roleplaying, where people attempt to act out in costume the actions of their characters; roleplaying by successive posts or e-mail, much as you see on these boards; and MMORPGs -- massive multiplayer online roleplaying games such as Star Wars Galaxies, where people move their computer-generated "avatars" around and interact with others only online. All of these can be classed as roleplaying, but the methods are different

I'll assume for present purposes you're talking about sither computer-based roleplaying (whether MMORPGs, single-player, or by successive posts).

What is the excitement that draws people to rping?

It varies. For some it is a feeling of accomplishment on attaining a certain level. For others it is wish-fulfilment -- a desire to be something they cannot be in the real world. For others it is simply harmless escapism, a form of entertainment. The excitement of it for me personally is the ability to imagine other worlds and, as a GM, to entertain others with an engaging story that people (hopefully) enjoy.

-Why do you think males tend to rp more than females?

The premise of your question needs analysis; it assumes that males do roleplay more than females, when I'm not sure if that's actually so. Some of the bigger roleplaying conventions could give you a better idea one way or the other. Having said that, I tend to think personally it is because males tend to be conditioned in their upbringing to enjoy the more martial aspects of roleplaying -- swordplay, explosive magic, and all the rest of it. Many roleplaying systems (not without exception) are goal-based or advancement-based; reach this level and you can cast more spells, and what have you. It's marketing to boys primarily than causes it IMHHO.

-Do you think that males like to escape from the real world more than females?

It is more a measure of different coping mechanisms than an insinuation that males don't like the real world. If anything females at puberty have as much reason as boys to want to get away from the real world for a while -- the onset of physical changes, manuevering within peer groups, and the sudden hormone shifts are equally as taxing for males as females. And one might note that it is the stereotypical little girl who holds tea parties for her dolls and talks to said dolls as if they were living, breathing entities. For my part I think both sexes would like to escape the the real world equally; it's just that some guys (and girls) seek out that escape through roleplaying while an equal number of other guys (and girls) get trashed on alcohol or drugs.

-Do males get more caught up in/obsessed with a movie/book/game than females?

The obsessive aspect of personality can manifest across both sexes. Witness the pilgrimage of generations of women to their couches when "The Bold and the Beautiful" is on. Guys just get caught up in more flashy forms of entertainment than women.

-Do females that play video games tend to rp more than females who do not play video games?

Not being female, I probably can't answer this one.

-In your opinion, do you think that the ?outcast? people rp more than the ?popular? people?

Brave question, given you've come to something of an "outcast" settlement to ask it. Seriously, I think that question is really invoking the nerds v jocks stereotype, and I don't think it actually assists. There's a very wide community of people who roleplay, whether it's by computer or by tabletop. This

Well i'm no expert but i'll try and answer

-What is the excitement that draws people to rping? i think it is the prospect of being able to live out the adventure of a story that you have created instead of just reading about it in a book or watching it in a movie.

-Why do you think males tend to rp more than females? i'm not sure, maybe it's because females don't serf the internet for that kind of stuff.

-Do you think that males like to escape from the real world more than females? well on this one i'm not sure, maybe it's got something to do with the brainwaves

-Do males get more caught up in/obsessed with a movie/book/game than females? i think so, maybe with movies and games, but a few of us do get caught up in a book once and a while, like i know have like two books going at once.

-Do females that play video games tend to rp more than females who do not play video games? like i said before, mi think it's the idea of basing a RPG off of the movie/game/book and being able to change events and do it the way you truly want to do it.

-In your opinion, do you think that the ?outcast? people rp more than the ?popular? people? No necessarily, i'm pretty popular at my school and i still rp.


Alright so there you go, sorry some of my answers are short and blunt i just couldn't think of any real good answer at the moment. good luck on the research article

Well, as one of the outnumbered females, I suppose I should answer.

-What is the excitement that draws people to rping?
... Good question. I don't think it's just one thing (at least, it's not for me) - it's the excitement of seeing the story unfold, or rather having a part in the story and being able to influence its course; simple glee at melting NPC faces; the community; the sense of ... for lack of a better way to put it, bringing characters to life; escapism. The list goes on.

-Why do you think males tend to rp more than females?
Why are there more female fanfic writers than male? *shrug* I think it's a self-perpetrating cycle. Birds of a feather flock together, and all that - it takes more effort for a female to break into a male-dominated subculture than join a female one. And vice versa, naturally.

-Do you think that males like to escape from the real world more than females?
I highly doubt it. It's just the method of escapism that may differ.

-Do males get more caught up in/obsessed with a movie/book/game than females?
I don't think so ... I mean, it depends on the movie/book/game. Harry Potter fandom is like 90% female or something ridiculous.

-Do females that play video games tend to rp more than females who do not play video games?
(I'm taking RP here to mean RP-that-is-not-a-videogame - not counting games like Diablo or WoW as RPing, basically.) I don't think they have anything to do with each other. I play video games and RP here, but - I know girls who play video games obsessively but won't touch DnD with a ten-foot pole, or girls who will RP on forums and IRL but abhor video games.

-In your opinion, do you think that the ?outcast? people rp more than the ?popular? people?
I think this question ceases to be relevant after high school.

Cool, I will try and answer those that I can.

-What is the excitement that draws people to rping?
I like RPing because I like writing. It provides a creative outlet for me, allowing me to delve into my character and become something that I cannot be in real life. Also, it is less boring than a story because there is more than one "author". Sometimes, I look at it as a type of movie with different actors taking on different characters of an ensemble cast. To me, that is just great. It is just fun.

-Why do you think males tend to rp more than females?
I really don't know. Perhaps this isn't true, perhaps it is. Maybe it's the same thing for video games, men are just attracted to it more than woman. But, I honestly have no idea.

-Do you think that males like to escape from the real world more than females?
No, I think it just depends on the person. I mean, maybe the reason there is more males here than females is because it is Star Wars, and more males are attracted to SW rather than females. But, I would say a place like Gaia Online (the largest bulletin board on the net), there are tons and tons of females. But, I don't know for sure.

-Do males get more caught up in/obsessed with a movie/book/game than females?
I wouldn't say that they get more caught up, as in more involved in what they are doing. Perhaps the number of men compared to woman is more. Again, I think it depends on the person.

-Do females that play video games tend to rp more than females who do not play video games?
I really do not have a clue...Sorry.

-In your opinion, do you think that the ?outcast? people rp more than the ?popular? people?
I would probably say yes, because the more popular people in high school and such are busier doing other things. When I was in high school, I wasn't the most "popular" kid in my school, but I wasn't an "outcast" either. I was an average kid who enjoyed writing, so I joined these boards. I also spent much of my time with friends, playing some sports, doing school work, etc. Even today, I spend a lot of time with my friends, but I have found more time in my life, so I am able to get on here more often.

I hope that helps.

Thank you everyone for the answers. I am very happy that you have taken time to do this and I can't wait to get started on the article!

Would you possibly be able to post it here when you are finished?

Meet Daedalus.

I would like to and I will ty

-What is the excitement that draws people to rping?

This has mutliple answers based on each type of Role Playing Games that are out there but most are multiplayer, so fundamentally it is the social aspect of the gaming that attracts people to it the most. A person can make new friends, discover new things while at the same time improving upon their "dream" character.

-Why do you think males tend to rp more than females?

First I must ask you. What makes you assume that males outnumber females? It is a proven fact that in WoW players gender swap so what looks like a male player is actually a female and vice versa. In tabletop gaming my group had an equal number of female players to male players, a group I had been with back in highschool had more female players than males. So to me it seems females are equal in number or outnumber the males really.

-Do you think that males like to escape from the real world more than females?

No. Women have the same amount of problems as do men and want to escape from them as much as men do. They just choose to spend their time doing that through other means. Posting on Myspace, reading a book, watching tv, playing games or chatting on the phone.

-Do males get more caught up in/obsessed with a movie/book/game than females?

Absolutely not. You will find that females outnumber the males in the obsession department of franchises. More females write fan fiction more often than males do and obsess over collecting things from that franchise. Head on over to fan fiction forum and you'll discover a lot more women there then men.

-Do females that play video games tend to rp more than females who do not play video games?

Yes. If they are into video games then they're into all games.

-In your opinion, do you think that the ?outcast? people rp more than the ?popular? people?

Yes and no. It really depends on their interests really and on how much they socialize with other people. The "outcast" may not be as popular as the jock or cheerleader, but they still have friends and will socialize with them. If one or more of those friends is interested in rping then that outcast/popular will get involved in it.

It's actually true that males outnumber females in RPing more often than not - I mean, I've never done tabletop so I can't say anything about it, but look at the gender balance we have here in the RPF and the same goes for videogames in general. It's definitely a lot better than it used to be, but it's still a male majority.

Eh, I can answer a few questions

-What is the excitement that draws people to rping?

To me, it is shaping and molding a character and a story. I am a writer at heart, and as such I simply love to develop a story and characters. It's just thrilling to me, I guess. However, I do prefer to do it more through the RPing aspect of writing than the FanFic aspect of it.

-Why do you think males tend to rp more than females?

Why do women enjoy shopping more than most men? I'm not saying that there are unbreakable molds dictating what men and women like. As most of us know, men and women are very different. In general, men will enjoy doing certain things more than women, and vice versa. Whether this is because of nature or society, I don't know. However, I feel that RPing in the sense we are talking about is simply an activity that men just naturally (or what not) enjoy doing more than women.

-Do you think that males like to escape from the real world more than females?

Certainly not. Escape from reality is shared equally by the sexes, methinks. As I believe has been mentioned, the two just have different and more/less noticeable means of this escape.

-Do males get more caught up in/obsessed with a movie/book/game than females?

Absolutely not. Females are not above obsession. Perhaps men are much more open about it, but there are times that women get way more into things than men.

-Do females that play video games tend to rp more than females who do not play video games?

I have no idea. However, I would venture to guess that yes, they do.

-In your opinion, do you think that the ?outcast? people rp more than the ?popular? people?

Well, first of all, you would have to define 'outcast' and 'popular.' For instance, there are people--I'm sure--on TF.N that are extremely popular around here, yet I bet some of them are very unpopular in real life. The concepts of 'outcast' and 'popular' are very fluid ones. It varies by example, so this is a hard question to answer. However, I would say that the ones that society tends to deem 'outcasts' are probably more likely to be seen around here. However, that is not to say that those popular people in real life cannot come on here and RP. It really has little bearing on it. However, a point to ponder; (I mean no offense by it, so please don't be offended) Those who avidly Role Play outcast themselves. People who spend all their time in front of a computer (I'm just as guilty at some times) truly do outcast themselves in this regard. So, I guess, in a way, the 'outcasts' are more likely to RP... and they are not more likely. Did that make any sense?

sure, let's give 'er a whirl.

-What is the excitement that draws people to rping?

It's getting to not only tell a story, but live it. You get to put yourself in the situation and figure out how you'd react in it, or become whatever character you're playing and do the same. I suppose it comes back to a basic desire as a little boy/girl to have adventures, and seeing as that's not terribly feasible in todays world this is as good as it gets. Plus you get to use your imagination and be creative which are things that need to be exorcised lest they die. Too many people have let them die out in the last few decades.

Plus for me, I'm a writer at heart and it gives me a chance to polish certain aspects of writing I wouldn't get much work at normally. On that note, it's also like writing a story with a bunch of other people which has it's own appeal.

-Why do you think males tend to rp more than females?

Again it goes back to a basic desire that never really leaves guys, to have adventures. To rescue people, to go and fight injustice in a way that can't be done in real life. Or it's to be someone who would get you killed/arrested, in a way to play out whatever baser desires that one has in a manner that is "socially acceptable" and won't result in getting in trouble. From my experience most females don't have that desire as strongly as men, or it comes out in a very different way.

-Do you think that males like to escape from the real world more than females?

Yes I do, and that it's related again to the desire for adventure that is so lacking in real life. Also it's a way that guys seem to escape from stress, a way to release it as well.

-Do males get more caught up in/obsessed with a movie/book/game than females?

Not really, as I've met plenty of females more obssessd than I am by far. True females seem to be more obssessed with clothing and shopping (sterotypically), but that doesn't mean that it doesn't balance out in the end. On the flip side I've met guys more obssessed with shopping and such than many females I know. In a way this question is generalising... and that doesn't ever work terribly well.

-Do females that play video games tend to rp more than females who do not play video games?

It would seem that they are, especially if they play RPG videogames. I guess it opens them up to that kind of thing more, as it is frequently the same type of personality that likes one or the other. Of course they can be mutually exclusive too. (Sorry if that doesn't help at all).

-In your opinion, do you think that the ?outcast? people rp more than the ?popular? people?

Historically... that's who it was, the geeks. I don't think it is so much anymore. It seems to have crossed into most levels of popularity to some degree or another. I think it's more tweeners rather than the outcasts that do it the most now. Of course, it would have a monster appeal to an outcast because they'd get to be someone else completely. The reason I don't think it's JUST them as much is that not so many popular people are truly happy with being themselves... and it presents them with the exact same opporunity to be someone else. To take risks they wouldn't otherwise take.

hope that helps some.

:snoopy

Is it really? As I stated above, how can you be sure that the person who appears male isn't really a female in disguise?

Here at the JC sure there are a lot more males but take a look at the subject. Sci-Fi Fantasy. More males will be interested in that kind of topic than females. Take a look at PotC or LotR, there are more females than males. Why? It all bogs down to interest really. Guys tend to be more interested in the explosive, big ships, big guns cool gadgets than in the romantic pirate or heroic knight that women tend to be more interested in. 1 out of 6 there will be the opposite gender that is also interested.

Well, voice chat is one. On WoW especially, most of the toons I run into are female, but the majority of players are still male. Not all, mind, but the majority.