Thoughts on Pictures in Roleplays

[Minibit]

I'll start.

I don't like pictures in intros; and before you go hating, haters, please allow me to explain the circumstances in which I do or don't like seeing a picture in an intro post

I don't like pictures in intros WHEN

~* The picture takes the place of description. To me, you should be able to quickly and accurately describe anything. Obviously this takes practice, as does everything, but even "Anna had blue eyes and blonde hair and was dressed casually in a camo shirt and khakis for her day off base" is better than just a picture of some army chick; that's just lazy writing. Not to mention that if said army chick is holding a cigarette, your character is now perceived as a smoker, whether you wanted her to be or not.

~* When the picture is of a canon character or real person/celebrity
Nothing and I do mean NOTHING irritates me more than someone posting a picture of some established character or actor and telling me to just picture them but [SMALL DIFFERENCE HERE]. If you want your character to be perceived as attractive; don't tell me they're Brad Pitt with different eyes; think about what is perceived as attractive for a dude (strength, confidence, ingenuity) and make those traits part of your own character. When you copy an established character's appearance, you end up watering down your own originality; it's a damn shame.


There are some circumstances where I DO enjoy illustration in a roleplay, in some cases I even suggest it!

~* When there is a need for us to have extensive knowledge of an area, maps are the shiz.
It's not only annoying to write and boring to read, but not realistic for someone to just spew out a complete topographical knowledge base of an area they have not spent most of their life in. Maps are not only fun, but useful for worldbuilding and any roleplay that requires a lot of travel. A shared map also allows two characters to share a knowledge base without a total deus ex machina going on.

~* When everything has been appropriately described and the picture is a complement, not a necessity.
If everything has been set up, and there is already a clear idea what the place looks like, and you have a picture handy that you think would look good as a flourish (for example, we've already finished describing the quaint French village this story is set in, and you want to tack on a screenshot from the Bonjour/Belle song in Beauty and the Beast just to drive the impression home, that's actually kind of fun.) The major IF in this one is that I should be able to picture the scene WITHOUT the picture. If that's the case, go ahead and add one on.



BUT THAT'S JUST ME, AND I'M NOT ALWAYS RIGHT!

Iwaku, why do you like or dislike adding pictures to your roleplay?
Do you find it only acceptable/unacceptable in the first post?
Do you think it adds anything?
Do you think it takes anything away?
Are there circumstances which dictate if you will like a picture or not?

 

[Diana]

I like this discussion! 8D


I LOVE pictures, but as an ADDITION to the posts and to bios. Not as a description replacement.

I always get frowny face when people only post a picture to describe their character. I mean, I love having a physical representation of a character's appearance cause it helps me imagine the scene better. BUT a picture doesn't give me the little details that will help me with MY posts. Color of the eyes, the height of the character. The clothes they are wearing that moment. Build of the body, etc, etc. I want to be able to write a good post, and show what my character sees and perceives about yours, and without that information... well... I have to guess at it, or not be able to write at all!


I actually feel the opposite about scenery, rooms, and cityscapes, though. Trying to describe the position of everything in the room can get really tricky and really complicated. You have several people posting in a thread and all of them are reading things differently or describing the room differently, and then it's a mess. Having a picture example is a nice way to give a visual aide and keep everyone on the same page.


So... Diana LOVES pictures, as long as people aren't lazy and only using pictures. 8D