I kind of feel the same. I mean, I enjoy making art and challenging myself, and I enjoy being part of a community and talking to people, but I don't really feel like personalizing for anyone anymore. I still roleplay a little, but otherwise I really am indifferent toward it.

I think it's because most of us are growing up. We all come and go in little stages; I think "our" generation of rpers and personalizers (regardless of age) are moving on. I kind of feel like roleplaying is dying in general. *shrug* Oh well, so it goes. All good things must end.

I've noticed that while there are some great games out there, and great people, it's not really like it used to be when I started all those years ago. It's changed a lot, and I don't feel like it was all for the better...

<sup>hmm, perhaps it's because of the studio. It, photomanipulating, requesting, was brought so much into the public and blown far out of proportion. I admit, being with most studios has made me think less of personalizing for people for many reasons. One, the requester usually does not use the image or they make the same request on like five other studios <.< And then there are the staff of the forum that bat around the idea of perfection and how great an image needs to be..but are not very open to new ideas..just to the popular ones. I found, that for myself, the only way for me to keep my love for making images for people was to challenge myself and do my best. I love making people happy and giving gifts, and making manipulations is one way I can do that. I do agree, the whole idea of requesting, in some aspects, has become quite a comedy routine. But hey, to each his own, right ? LOL


Same with role playing. My characters were restricted on forums because I had to rely on the other player, and most players did not try to work with me in plotting and making histories with my characters. It was like: my horse likes yours...oh! newer sexier horse is created..bye! Or people would leave / go on breaks or hiatus, then I was kind of lost..>.> so I just put it towards writing and stuff, and left that alone.

I'm still a member on some request studios and very few forums. Most of my threads on the forums are dead or dying, and the studios..I'm there cause I like the atmosphere. I don't have to make an image for someone, I can chose to make some thing if it challenges me or interests me ^_^ I still like the thrill, well, the happiness when someone likes an image I make for them and uses it.</sup>

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^{Manip account: [link]
Stock account: [link]
Lit account: [link]}

<sup>I'm pretty disillusioned with studios right now. I'm still roleplaying in full force since I run my own RPG, but I definitely prefer seeing the image I've made being put to good use instead of assuming it'll get used by some random person. So I only take requests on that RPG so I know where and how the image will be used.

Yeah, I'm getting kinda old to be all "Yay, ponies!" and I get disillusioned sometimes, but it still makes me happy. Maybe because I'm always learning.</sup>

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<sup>I tried snorting coke once, but the ice cubes got stuck in my nose.

You've never seen a plot like this before. Original equine RPG The Secret: [link] .</sup>

I know what you mean. That's why I don't personalize or roleplay anymore. Roleplaying never really was a big thing of mine, and personalizing just got to be this really ridiculous thing to me. You have to get people to tell you whether you're good enough to take requests for FREE, you are forced to make a certain amount of images a week regardless of your schedule, people disrespect you and your images... I don't know. It has too many rules for it to be fun anymore. It's defeating its own purpose. Now I just do art for fun and use my own ideas. It's a lot more laid-back, which I like. Because honestly- personalizing has always felt more like a responsibility than a hobby to me.

Maybe you've just lost interest, or maybe you just need a break for a while to go off on your own. But just remember, it's not your duty or your responsibility to stick with it for anyone. If roleplaying really is just about the writing, then people should stop worrying about how good their picture looks for their character. Sounds more like online social status to me.

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<sub>i think it's nice we're all growing up. i used to think that i'd still be hanging around studios in my thirties because "it was just that important to me". now i'm pretty happy to know that i won't be doing that. xD

i think the problem with roleplaying nowadays is that there are so MANY sites. and it's all about "OMG OUR LAYOUT IS AMAZERING!!!" rather than actual writing. even the characters are lame—i mean the number of sadistic emo stallions i see come into surreal is ridiculous.

but the memories live on! haha. xD</sub>

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<sub>~percaratography

.. 98% of deviants don't know the difference between "your" and "you're." if you're one of the 2% that wants to kick them in the teeth, put this in your signature.</sub>