I... I don't like transformation itself anymore?!

[Ninian]

Hah, caught your attention.

Actually, truthfully, I wanted to confess something. Transformation itself doesn't do anything for me anymore. When I read a caption or story or something where the transformation is meant to be the showcase, I don't feel anything. You know what I mean. Nudge nudge, wink wink. But yeah, nothing. Reading about how X or Y is now a girl/boy/tree/cat/violin/etc. alone doesn't cut it for me anymore, which is part of why I've stopped posting. MSF seems to cater to that crowd mostly, and I figured perhaps I just outgrew the place. Ironically that would become the "real" reason I left, over all of the childish tantrums I've ever thrown here.

So, what do I like now? Well, transformation is a crux in it, and those of you who've been here long enough have seen my evolution of interest. Nowadays I crave a certain degree of feeling and romantic zeal ("romantic" being a situation that engenders a rush of emotion, not necessarily a couple or whatnot). I love sensation created by situation now, albeit exclusively transformation-centric. And most often my favorite flavor is dark fear . The sense of being overwhelmed by a powerful entity, running futilely, hiding and watching and hoping you'll not be found. And of course, the sensation one feels when one is taken, overpowered -- and the burning dread that comes from knowing you're about to become a giggly maid for a sorceress or part of the silent multitude in an enchantress' underwear drawer. Or, yes, avoiding the blasts of a nekofication gun (no doubt inspired by Sanada and her gun). Part of why I tended towards almost exclusively second person content was because they were all about describing those exhilarating feelings, or the necessity to describe those feelings was there inherently. The lack of an ego barrier helped put one in the situation too.

As you can see, it's a bit... risque. Not nearly enough to reach the R-rating (I've never been crazy about sex) but definitely an interest that, when it's expressed, attracts negative attention at MSF. While it's silly to hold out for universal approval in any given community, I felt that support for this sort of thing which makes crucial USE of transformation for something admittedly darker wasn't stable here. I wouldn't say I felt unwelcome exactly so much that my style wasn't welcome as -- pardon the bash -- yet another piece about how "(random male name) is now (female name) because of (object) and has an altered relationship with (another male/female name)", which aren't criticized or questioned with anywhere near as much regularity as when I or those like me attempt to show our colors.

So, why am I bothering to rant about all this? Why am I taking up yours and my valuable time and energy? Well, I wanted to see what people thought. Anyone else like that, moving beyond just transformation but instead craving the feelings and emotion brought on by transformation?

Anyone crave... the fear? The fear of having your very identity permanently taken from you by the will of another? The struggle as you're changing into her's , something she's going to have you be, literally or metaphorically?

If support for this is overwhelming, I might consider doing something on a lark, as it would show that I was mistaken in my assumptions about the nature of the community. But then again, it'd be just as easy to stay in the small circle of friends I made. Dunno, but I'm glad I was able to say "hi!" and doubly glad that I was able to convey a lot of why I haven't posted in a long time.

I want to make clear that I don't blame any of you for this, nor the community as a whole, and that you're still interesting and neat people and you're blessed to have each other.

[Stellar]

*Stellar gives a thumbs up with similar feelings* ^_~

[Sensei Kimiko]

i cannot say I totally agree with the feelings, but I must say I have long felt that they certainly have a place around here. MSF has far too many happy happy TF's. Heck, even some neutral ones would be interesting.

What I like is a good story. TF centered stories rarely engage me very long. It has to be part of a context. My favorite stories are those that deal with the consequences of the change. That is perhaps why I generally don't favor overt mental changes. Sure adapting the person to some things is fine, but the true interest to me is how the deal with the new them.

All in all it is an interesting perspective and I rather hope that nina or others will explore this more (got any story links?)

[Cow Belle]

I think everybody is different in this department. There can be people that can take things like this and take it as a joke. While there will be people that can be quite happy-go-lucky-joy-super-w00t that sure don't like the dark side of things in life.

I think T.F.'s (to me at least) have been showed as the thing that happens to you for a comical purposes. One of those things being Anime. It's quite a joy ride for the viewers to see one (boy/girl) get turn into a the same old plot. The boy boy/girl gets changed into the opposite sex for a brief time. Some stuff happens were the main person gets put into very award situations. Then things go back to normal and then everybody go back to the way it was. I think most of the web comics follow the same fight plan. (EGS and misfile come to mind). But, isn't that what the kind of stuff people want to make a story of right? That's what most people want. A good story with a happy end.

It's just that's what makes me kind of unease sometimes. To much happiness in stores. I don't think there are a lot of dark stores and what not in life. Isn't life a dark place anyways? It's full of hopeless, despair, hardships, heartbreak, sin , and worthlessness. Living here is can be a good time too.

I guess what I think I'm trying to say is that eveywere in life it hurts in some way. The reason that people like happy stores is that we want to forget how bad we have it. And how you can get happy-happy with a little mix of gender right? And this is also why our fairy talles get watered down! (But that's a different story...)

I really don’t know what I’m talking about .... I think....

[Mitera Nikkou]

I'm not the kind of person who likes to withhold others from doing what they like, even if, for some unlikely reason, that I don't like it. I'm a person who likes variety, and I know that interests can ebb and flow, either with a change of interest or wanting a change of scene. I can't say whether or not domination, fear, corruption, helplessness and the like have ever been anything that I've put a focus on, but I do know that I include them to some degree or another. Take out the element of sex (which I have no interest in), and I see no reason why anyone shouldn't express the kind of elements and circumstances that you're after. It's only realistic since even the nice stuff can be risque; it just depends on how you look at it, and it's natural for that which holds a greater interest to have a more positive spin on it.

I guess I've been disappointing you with my captions, because I am aware of at least most of the things that interest you, yet I hardly ever get to any one of them. For that I apologize; which captions I decide to do are often chosen by whimsical inspiration than planning. I'll see if I can whip up anything worth your interest.

[Musashi]

I don't see why you couldn't do it here, as long as the material stayed within PG-13. Even if some people won't like it, other people will. *Shrug* Happy captions, funny captions, dark captions... variety is good shtuff. Then there'll be somfin' for everyone.

[Brnin8r]

I totally agree with Nina about the whole 'sensation through situation' bit. That's what defines adrenaline as well as a good RP. If we're just gimping around TFing everything that has a pulse; there won't be any hard love to the RP...it's just a fling. You could relate a good RP to a love life; it takes a bit of time, a lot of work, and everyone needs to act mature enough that it doesn't get silly or childish...if it does, as above, it becomes a fling...a something that was just for kicks and didn't really have an emotional thrill to it.

(Don't mean to brag or boast) Take my RP; Kidaroc Myths. While centered on a TF theme, there have been several opportunities and times where there is no transformation. There have been battles, confrontations, discoveries, and hidden mysteries; all that have included the overall theme of TF but not the simple 'tomapple ditz' we commonly see these days. My TFs up until recently have taken their sweet time with coming about. This gave everyone the opportunity the chance to reflect on their situation, realize future consequences, and eventually determine a decision. So far everyone says they like it and I'm doing my best to make sure we still have a plot.

I like TF...it intrigues me in more ways than one...but if there's no emotion involved...just 'point and click'...it's extremely boring and unfulifilling to me as a roleplayer. If I take the time to write up some big paragraph fest describing what I'm feeling, how I feel about it, and what I'm going to do...and I get answered with short posts like 'that's nice' or 'why don't we go play in the permagirling fountain?' I feel shirked and shortchanged. It makes me feel like I've spent my time for little more than a catchphrase. But enough of my ranting and rambling.

In the interest of Nina's fear explanation; I agree with her wholeheartedly. Fear is one of the basic emotions we feel when times get stressful...and what's more stressful than knowing that you might be forced to wear a dress or become magically affected if you don't meet the demands of, like Nina said, a higher power or seductive sorceress? It's hard to top that, and Nina...if you're going to pull off what you said you would try to do...I will participate with initiative and delve into my imagination, pull out and describe emotions, and try to make it an interesting post to say the least.

Another thing that I thought about when reading Nina's post was what was my favorite MSF type situation. I love the 'hopeless chase'. Being chased by, again like Nina mentioned, someone who can easily overpower you is exciting to me, its an adrenaline rush that no pain medication can quench!

Anywayz...thanks for reading my rant. I'll see you all on the forums.

[Rowan]

I understand and appreciate your views and feelings, and share them though prolly not as strongly as you have them.

Go for it, just keep the rating in check.

I for one, prefer happy ending stories. The world sucks. I like happy hehe.

But there is a call for darker material.

[Mistress Guendolen]

You know I've agreed with you more than once that more darker ideas need to be explored. I'm not explicitly into fear per say, but as was mentioned above, the notion of "rush of emotion" is one with some appeal. I don't do much transformation-y stuff- most of you know I'm here more for the general company than for specific changes- but when I do, I want some energy suffused into it, some feeling. And I like seeing stuff beyond the happy-happy-joy-joy that seems to be most prevalent. Yes, happy endings are good, but sometimes they're not the best ones for the story. I like seeing the maleficent side of the coin as well as the beneficient one.

[Ninian]

Adrenaline, yeah, that could sum it up well. I like adrenaline rushes, which is why I write the way I do, as well as turbulent emotions. They need not always be unhappy though, or with an unhappy ending. In fact, I like a happy ending as much as anyone -- and how much happier could you be than being part of something much more beautiful than you were? But the primal emotions associated with transformation are what I'm there for -- and fear takes its place among my favorite of those.

Heh, sorry, exciteable.

Nikkou or anyone else: I don't expect anyone to provide for me. That's not really fair to expect. I know I'm part of a culture where it's common to demand but it's far more constructive to inspire by setting an example. I'm not sure where I want to start with that though.

I can see a number of you are definitely like me though, and are beginning to crave something a bit stronger. Well, for what it's worth, none of you are alone and I'll try to figure out something to appeal to you before I go back into hiding (if I do).

[Mitera Nikkou]

I'm not a very good provider, but I like to try. Whatever stays in my head is wasted on me, because I can easily get what I want with a little imagination. That's why I like to share ideas that come to mind, so others might enjoy them, and/or add them to their own fantasies. I simply know that people look, and that I may be one of the people that has what they're looking for. I don't really see it as unfair in my case... It's probably the best way that I have of communicating with others.

Anyway, if you don't know where to start, but do want to get somewhere, I guess you could start small. Even tossing around incomplete ideas can inspire and entertain; I mean, remember how popular the Eternals became in the beginning, even before they had been expanded and had become more elaborate? Even if you can't start out big, you can still start small and work your way there.

Not that I really know what I'm talking about. I still have plenty of unfinished or unwritten stories... And I kind of lost my train of thought here... -_- Um... Well, someday I hope to do something more than captions. I'm hoping to actually give more of what I'm capable of doing instead of the excuses that I've been giving.

And stuff. I guess you could just slip on a pair of Nike's and just do something? ^_^; *Flees*

[Selena Aninikkou]

Quite frankly, I get irked when I read a lot of captions which are "quick change, happy happy" style, because it feels more like cheating. I prefer there being a big of a story behind the caption, and I seem to really like slow mental adjustments (I dunno why). Then again, some captions just hit me the right way.

[ZeroForever]

heh, I understand what you mean, evolution of interests.

not much to say on this, as your original post sums it up pretty well. (that and i'm lazy).

My interest in content has gotten more selective as well but that can be both a good or bad thing.

[Ninian]

From the sound of things, I'm not the only one who's interests have deepened or changed.

I definitely need to come up with something. I have a couple of, uh, fetish-y Aeternalae-related one-shots I've written but I've been holding back on sharing them because they just add fuel to the fire of the Aeternalae being a predominantly dangerous or negative force, whereas the epic Kerina and I have been brainstorming helps add a new dimension or humanistic level to their previously flat portrayals.

Nonetheless, the two second person one-shot stories I wrote about the lusting duplicate-creating Luxuria and the greedy, materialistic, but polite and formal Avaritia had hit a lot of people's sweet spots for a TF need. I'll throw 'em both up if people want, but they'd need to keep in mind that both Luxuria and Avaritia embody some of the extremes of Aeternalae society.

[Brnin8r]

I'm all up for that. Remember, its not negative or dangerous...its extreme RPing.

Compare it to suicide. Its not suicide...its extreme living.

I'll gladly join these!