How do you visualize your role plays?

[Stonebones]

This popped into my head at work just now. How do y'all usually visualize your role plays? Do you picture them as real life? Cartoony? Animey? I imagine all mine in an anime style.

 

[SweetKissHardBite]

Well in my head its usually more Animey than any other version, sometimes if I get a specific picture sent to me, I'll adopt that style instead, but I used to be a huge anime nerd, not so much anymore, but old habits dye hard I guess
Plus I think anime girls and boys are just so hot

 

[SithLordOfSnark]

Real life, so I prefer real faces over anime.

 

[Chai]

I visualize my roleplays as if reading a book. So every scene has real images, and even if it's fantasy/sci-fi, I still visualize with real people/things. I watched a lot of anime growing up (because Asian; what can I say), so one would think I would visualize in an anime style, but I don't. I think it's because my roleplays are very character-based, and I imagine them being real people with real reactions, and as I write I empathize with those characters. Even on a physical level, I opt for real (not exaggerated) body proportions and features.

 

[Mr Quixotic]

I don't visualise my roleplays in an imagery sense; I can't. It's difficult to explain, but I get a 'sense' of the characters without a visual picture, so I know intuitively and intellectually what they look like, but am unable to create, or see, pictures in my head.

I guess my way of 'visualising' is to think about it logically - what would this character do, why would they do it, what could have caused them to think the way they do, or what life experiences could have driven them to choose one particular action over another - and I tend to be more into character-driven stories where thoughts, motives, and interaction are the main focus, rather than the external world.

It's the internal motivations of people that interests me, rather than appearances/body proportions/features, except where those are actually relevant to the story. It's not what someone looks like, or how big her breasts are, but who she is, so I tend to stick to realistic proportions as well.

 

[Rudolph Quin]

I usually visualize it like a movie in my head, as a result, I often cast real life actors and actresses in the roles. But I also role-play a lot of surrealist fantasy mixed with modern settings. Like, a couple years ago, I had a character that was a guy with a large crow's head for his head. Physically a man in every other respect but with an appropriately sized crow's head for his own. I imagined his expressions as cartoonish in my head, like that crow in the children's movie, The Secret of NIMH.

Right now, in my current role-play, we got Michael Fassbender and Charlie Hunnam interacting with Noh-Face from Spirited Away(kind of).

 

[Shovel]

Usually, it will look real life-y unless someone decides to use a picture of an anime character as a description. Then it becomes anime-y.

Kind of hard to put an Anime looking character in a real life looking environment without it coming off as "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?"

 

[Tierhund]

@Rudolph Quin
Roleplaying with my wannabe future husband?!? Oh god!!!! That gif got my heart skittering......my only weakness!! gasp gasp o|-< jelly


But in regards to the question, it really varies from me. Visualized fantasies depend on what imagery you have stocked up in your mind, like dreams, so it can be a mix for me. If I'm really into something that I have lots of realistic, IRL visual imagery or sensory input, then I use that. If I have no IRL/realistic input for another fantasy, I imagine it up myself. Like dreams, very rarely are fantasies EXTREMELY vivid unless you really have a lot of imagery at hand.

 

[DelightfulRevenge]

To me, as a writer, not so much due to the fact I cant keep my partners long enough. Buts it okay they can smd. BUT personally, I imagine myself inside the plot since I enjoy what I write.

 

[Mitsu]

Rarely will I have have a visualization in my head while writing. I just figure out what I want to write, and then decide which details and actions would best fit what I want. When I do manage to get some kind of image in my head, it's usually of a fight scene. Everything I imagine tends to fit the general style of the writing. An anime role-play will look like the anime, a role-play using real people will look realistic, ect. I decide on the tone and style before I role-play, and it dictates all of my creative decisions. If everything isn't uniform then it really bothers me.

 

[Krimson]

I don't visualize - I can't. I once read an article of someone who shared the same plight, that author had a very good description that I'm going to repeat. Picture a red square, can you? Well I can't. Logically I know what a square is and what red is, but I can't combine the two in my mind. I can kind of, if I really try, picture a square, but as soon as I try to add red it all falls apart.

That said, I approach rp the same way I approach everything else, deduction and induction. I try to figure out what my character, given his/her inclinations and background, what do in any given situation, and go from there. Heaps and heaps description helps, at least in my experience.

 

[Mr Quixotic]

I don't visualize - I can't. I once read an article of someone who shared the same plight, that author had a very good description that I'm going to repeat. Picture a red square, can you? Well I can't. Logically I know what a square is and what red is, but I can't combine the two in my mind. I can kind of, if I really try, picture a square, but as soon as I try to add red it all falls apart.

That said, I approach rp the same way I approach everything else, deduction and induction. I try to figure out what my character, given his/her inclinations and background, what do in any given situation, and go from there. Heaps and heaps description helps, at least in my experience.

Hey Krimson, you'll see that we're in the same boat from my post above. And I think I know where you may have seen the red square example. This is a link I posted on my journal only a few days ago, written by someone with whom I share many similarities.

I've found quite a few people don't really get what you mean when you say you can't visualise - a woman at work even said that I must be 'missing a creativity gene' (she soon found out just how creative sarcasm could be). For me, when people say they're actually able to see pictures in their head, it's as if they're talking another language.

 

[Krimson]

I don't visualize - I can't. I once read an article of someone who shared the same plight, that author had a very good description that I'm going to repeat. Picture a red square, can you? Well I can't. Logically I know what a square is and what red is, but I can't combine the two in my mind. I can kind of, if I really try, picture a square, but as soon as I try to add red it all falls apart.

That said, I approach rp the same way I approach everything else, deduction and induction. I try to figure out what my character, given his/her inclinations and background, what do in any given situation, and go from there. Heaps and heaps description helps, at least in my experience.

Hey Krimson, you'll see that we're in the same boat from my post above. And I think I know where you may have seen the red square example. This is a link I posted on my journal only a few days ago, written by someone with whom I share many similarities.

I've found quite a few people don't really get what you mean when you say you can't visualise - a woman at work even said that I must be 'missing a creativity gene' (she soon found out just how creative sarcasm could be). For me, when people say they're actually able to see pictures in their head, it's as if they're talking another language.

Yep that's the one! I don't remember how I stumbled across it, but it was eons ago. Pretty cool coincidence.

I have to second you there, I don't think my inability to visualize takes away from my creativity. Well, then again, who knows how creative I would be if I could visualize? So I guess I lack the sample size for that assertion...hmm. But, I have done visual arts for a number of years. And, while I'm by no means spectacular, I consider my works fair. So I don't think lack of visualizing is hurting me too much in the creative category.

That said, I do wish I could visualize though. The author of that blog thing said he was naturally attuned to music, but for me, I can't hear music in my head either. The closest I've came to "song stuck in my head" is being able to hear a single line from the chorus. Would be cool if I were born with those talents. =D I would waste so much time visualizing pink dinosaurs and other silly things!

 

[Mr Quixotic]

I don't visualize - I can't. I once read an article of someone who shared the same plight, that author had a very good description that I'm going to repeat. Picture a red square, can you? Well I can't. Logically I know what a square is and what red is, but I can't combine the two in my mind. I can kind of, if I really try, picture a square, but as soon as I try to add red it all falls apart.

That said, I approach rp the same way I approach everything else, deduction and induction. I try to figure out what my character, given his/her inclinations and background, what do in any given situation, and go from there. Heaps and heaps description helps, at least in my experience.

Hey Krimson, you'll see that we're in the same boat from my post above. And I think I know where you may have seen the red square example. This is a link I posted on my journal only a few days ago, written by someone with whom I share many similarities.

I've found quite a few people don't really get what you mean when you say you can't visualise - a woman at work even said that I must be 'missing a creativity gene' (she soon found out just how creative sarcasm could be). For me, when people say they're actually able to see pictures in their head, it's as if they're talking another language.

Yep that's the one! I don't remember how I stumbled across it, but it was eons ago. Pretty cool coincidence.

I have to second you there, I don't think my inability to visualize takes away from my creativity. Well, then again, who knows how creative I would be if I could visualize? So I guess I lack the sample size for that assertion...hmm. But, I have done visual arts for a number of years. And, while I'm by no means spectacular, I consider my works fair. So I don't think lack of visualizing is hurting me too much in the creative category.

That said, I do wish I could visualize though. The author of that blog thing said he was naturally attuned to music, but for me, I can't hear music in my head either. The closest I've came to "song stuck in my head" is being able to hear a single line from the chorus. Would be cool if I were born with those talents. =D I would waste so much time visualizing pink dinosaurs and other silly things!

I spent a lot of time googling before I came across that link, and book-marked it. I wanted to find out how common it was, and I think the fact that there was very little to find on the net says that it is fairly uncommon.

I'm the same, I love photography, and have been told I'm fairly talented at it. Because I can appreciate an image when I'm looking at it, I just can't retain it once it's gone.

Sometimes I do wish I could, to experience reading a novel like others do, and be able to 'see' the characters, and events unfold. However, I think it has it advantages too. I don't know if you're the same, but when I think of a place I've been, rather than seeing it, I 'sense' it and re-experience original emotions (sometimes just as strongly, sometimes not). I was also told in a random pm today that my writing 'adopts a unique sense of prose' and my reply was that "because I have no visualisation ability, I need to compensate for it in other ways."

It looks like, from what you've said about how you approach your stories that we're similar in that way as well. As for the song thing, I'm with you, but it's bloody difficult to try and describe what you mean. The other strange thing is that we're also on exactly the same page in regards to the bump I gave your thread ages ago.

Now I'm sensing pink dinosaurs, but I still can't see the damn things!

 

[Krimson]

We do differ in that regard. I just tried picturing a couple places I've been to, and instead of emotions, I get like, a very vague conception of the place? For example, if I think home, I try to construct the various rooms and what might be in those rooms. I remember the objects that's supposed to be there, but I don't actually picture it? Personally, the best way I can describe it is almost like seeing a flicker of my memory, but it's way too fast that I don't actually see a picture. Alternatively, it's not dissimilar to having a very blurry idea of something, but if I try to focus the image, everything just falls apart. For example, if I think of a beach side vacation, the first thing that comes to mind is waves, but they are like, squiggly lines (kind of like how ancient Japanese drew waves) instead of actual waves. I definitely share you pain in trying to explain it though. It's bloody difficult.

On the flip side, maybe the inability of visualize gives us a somewhat unique perspective? Having not experienced visualization, I can't say for sure, but, I kind of imagine that it would be distracting. Also somewhat limiting. That is to say, once you form a pre-conceived notion of something, it's stuck in your head. I'm not sure if that's true or not. But, if so, I do enjoy the freedom I have to shape and reshape something. For example, if I were trying to describe a handsome male character, I might start with his hair. I assume if one could visualize, one form a picture in one's head and go from there. Since I can't, instead, I logically proceed through his face. How is his brows arced, does he have a strong nose, facial hair? That type of thing. And it help me add more details later since I have such a vague notion of what he looks like the entire time.

And hey, you never know, maybe you are my long-lost Australian twin or something. =D Orrrr we just have good taste with regard to women.

 

[Mr Quixotic]

I think there's probably slight differences between everyone, even those who do visualise. If I try to visualise my parents house, or even my parents, I can't see it, or them, at all. I just 'know' what they look like. The same if I close my eyes and think of an elephant, it's just nothingness, but I 'know' what I'm looking at, and can see it......... subconsciously? As for the emotions, for every day things I don't really receive them, but if I think of visiting Machu Pichu (or any other memorable experience) I don't picture it, but get the same sense of awe as I did when I first laid eyes on it. Damn, I can't really describe it!

As far as character details go, I find it difficult to do more than a basic description, and I'll provide a detailed one more for my partner, than myself. Looks or appearance mean nothing to me in the context of a story, unless there's a relevance to a particular feature. It's why I generally don't worry about character images, unless it's something the other party enjoys. I find, however, without the visual imagery, that I spend a lot more time concentrating on motivations, background, internal thoughts, and reasons for why the characters behave/react the way in which they do.

My long-lost twin, I wonder if we're identical. For your sake, I hope not, XD

I think we both just have good taste in women.

 

[DJBayview]

I don't visualize either. Probably why I'm not an artist. My brain works perfectly well with people and logic and reasoning. Visualization, and dreams and most creative things are lost on me.

When I write though, I dunno. Can't explain. Well, I think some other's have said pretty much the same thing.

 

[AndNich123]

I visualize it like a movie in my head using real people. I want my partner to be able to see the scene I'm writing when he reads my post.

 

[Manic]

I picture them as real life albeit perhaps sometimes in alternate realities. I like a level of realism in terms of how characters respond to situations and how it affects their personalities. So I don't like it when a partner starts going over the top with things which has happened a couple of times.