Whatever happened to those rtd's where people just picked up skill as they went along, the story was decent, the humor was fantastic, and there was no need for overcomplicated crap (such as backgrounds, appearances, age, and names) at the start?
People got tired of them and decided they wanted more stuff? If you really have a problem with it, CREATE A GAME YOURSELF! Seriously, you're not making the games, don't complain. If you want to start or change a trend, do it yourself.
Seriously, theres no art, so appearances don't matter (usually), backgrounds don't really have that great an impact unless it's really specific on focusing on it,, ages are superfluous (EVERYONE IS 23!) and names just make it confusing as to who is who.
The art is more of a problem of the GMs, the appearences are pointless but sometimes people like to fill them in, background helps with roleplaying, ages help with roleplaying, and yes, names are confusing, but... does it really make sense in a story for someone like, say, L33tHaxx0r to use his own name in the game? No, it doesn't, it makes no sense why ANYONE in the would would ever name their son L33tHaxx0r. Names are more of a choice. They're completely optional in most games since you can just put your own username down.
I just want to see something where I can say 'In' and nothing else, except for maybe a class or a job or something, do awesome things, laugh, and be told a good story in the process.
Then okay, good for you.
Maybe my standards got warped. I dunno. I know i can't expect every RTD to be a wonderful paradise of epic storytelling and laughs.
Yeah, sometimes GMs (like me) just have a really hard time telling story or don't want to. And there are plenty of good story RTDs, it's just that the GMs tend to be the ones with character sheets you don't like. It's a choice: Great but complex RTDs, or bland but simple RTDs.
Or maybe the ones I really am interested in come out in the middle of the night or when I cant otherwise get one of the starting positions
Yeah, that tends to happen. Can't help you on that.
Because seriously, there's like maybe one or two deaths, tops, in the first hundred turns. And even then there's always someone ahead of you in the waiting list. And then it dies. I don't even bother most times.
The reason why the games die is one of several things:
The GM's life gets worse. Completely unavoidable.
The GM makes it too complex. Newbie mistake, let them fail one or two RTDs and they'll learn. Just like I have (mostly).
The GM just doesn't find it fun anymore. Completely unavoidable. Sometimes the GM just... well, can't find the interest.
The players just don't find it fun anymore. Avoidable if the players shout out their concerns and also if they try to make it interesting when it's not. Also, the GM must also try his/her best to give them something to do.
There may be more reasons, but I can't think of them right now.
PPE: 8 ninjas? >_>