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Self-Demonstrating Character Pages cleanup

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Important note:

  • This thread is for discussing individual self-demonstrating character pages. However, it was determined that consensus regarding whether such pages are or aren't necessary or beneficial to the wiki needs to be determined before discussing individual pages, as stated in this mod statement, so this thread has been locked in the meantime. Please join the policy discussion in this thread on the Wiki Talk forum.

    Original post 
So apparently the self-demonstrating page I created for Charizard was deleted. I could somehow sense that the character articles were getting out of hand, but since nobody really had a problem with it I just decided to run with it.

However, this deletion hints that rules should be in place for self-demonstrating character pages, so does anyone have suggestions for what the rules should be?

I have a few:

  • Deadpool has one, no questions asked (even if everyone else's are deleted). Especially Charizard's.
  • The character must be able to speak English (or other intelligible languages), except for Rule of Funny (like with Groot's page). Charizard violated this rule. Kyoko's page is fine since she'd be speaking Japanese, for example, which is simply "translated" for reader convenience (largely based on the official subtitles).
  • There can be a forum thread where people can post their drafts and suggestions for character pages, similar to the Fanon Pokédex. In this case, new character pages can't be started without being reviewed in the thread. This is to avoid having the wiki oversaturated with pages for characters with boring personalities (like Shu Ouma) or ones with strange speech patterns that aren't for Rule of Funny purposes like Charizard. I can just imagine the chaos that would have ensued if other tropers had decided to follow my lead and create Pokémon Speak pages for about 30 other species of Pokémon.

Any thoughts?

Edited by GastonRabbit on Nov 4th 2024 at 11:22:35 AM

AlicornGaia Fishy from Mega Man Zero Earth Since: Sep, 2019 Relationship Status: Married to my murderer
Fishy
#801: Mar 16th 2023 at 8:43:30 PM

Pretty much. Wished it wasn’t the case.

"Come on Zero. Fight me. It feels so good :3"
UzarNaimBer15 Burger King Foot Lettuce (nothing personal, BK; from The Little Shop That Wasn't There Yesterday Since: Jan, 2020
Burger King Foot Lettuce (nothing personal, BK;
#802: Mar 16th 2023 at 8:54:40 PM

Oh ok

Eat your vege-tables (┳━┳) and drink sum milk
CardboardBot from Saudi Arabia (Life not ruined yet) Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#803: Apr 2nd 2023 at 7:31:18 AM

I finally found this thread. I was told to go here to get my ideas approved.

The first one is probably the easier one, a page for Tricky the Clown. For the weird speech pattern part, he tends to speak in all caps, generally treating everything like a game, radiating Ax-Crazy and Cloud Cuckoolander from his dialogue at the same time, having a device in his head that keeps on saying words related to its status (if it's damaged, it'll say ouch, if a situation it wants to change happens, it'll say something along the lines of improbable), and he sometimes talks in third person.

The second one, which is probably gonna be a bit harder, is Pyro. At first glance this may violate the "must be kind of understandable" rule, some of his dialogue has some resemblance to actual speech. I'm thinking of a page that is basically english, but extremely muffled, and transliterated into the same language over 100 times. Resulting in a page that requires paying attention to the pronunciation of the words and connecting the dots using context to understand, not the spelling. Couple that with his belief that he is quite literally blasting rainbows and sunshine instead of deadly flames, it may result in a good page.

Are these good?

Edited by CardboardBot on Apr 2nd 2023 at 5:36:45 PM

Checking in on this account after leaving the site, MAN that is a cringy forum post history. Daaamn. Never again.
CardboardBot from Saudi Arabia (Life not ruined yet) Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#804: Apr 3rd 2023 at 6:44:33 AM

Hello? Is anyone there? Can at least one person give me the go ahead or the disapproval?

Checking in on this account after leaving the site, MAN that is a cringy forum post history. Daaamn. Never again.
Larkmarn Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Hello, I love you
#805: Apr 4th 2023 at 1:08:03 PM

SelfDemonstrating.Captain Rex seems pretty unviable. Big fan of the character, and while the shows he's in works hard to make clones their own individual characters, he just doesn't have that much of a distinct voice.

[up] Hard no on the Pyro. Abstain on the clown, don't know what his speech patterns would be.

Found a Youtube Channel with political stances you want to share? Hop on over to this page and add them.
CardboardBot from Saudi Arabia (Life not ruined yet) Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#806: Apr 4th 2023 at 3:08:33 PM

Pyro's rejection was expected.

Tricky's fast paced, sometimes breaks into angrish, speaks extremely casually for a former scientist, would somehow be able to yell through the screen. It seems basic, but the real gimmick comes with the device named the Improbability Drivenote  in his head uttering words and phrases, interrupting, or echoing what he says.

Here's a preview:

    Very early drafts for tiny sections 

"Well well well, someone who isn't Hank, hah! PREPARING Apparently, I'm supposed to CALIBRATING DEFINE MY TROPES TROPES here."

  • Achilles' Heel: So this THING SUPPORTING in my head is what's keeping me running! THATDUCKINMURDERFACEZOOPDAP MURDERFACE BROKE ME DOWN INTO THIS, but I manage. Without this improbability drive, I'd well, DIE. But that can't happen, it never will...

  • Demonic Head Shake: OHHHHHHH, IT ALWAYS HAPPENS WHEN THE DRIVE IS ACTIVE ACTIVE, I JUST DANCE, DANCE, DANCE, SHAKIN' MY HEAD NONSTOP.

  • Winds of Destiny, Change!: SCREW REALITY, I DO WANT I WANT CORRECTING. CAN'T KILL CLOWN, CLOWN KILLS YOU! CLOWN KILLS YOU!

  • Evil Former Friend: According to some dumbass files OVERRIDING..., I'm some nerd named Hofnarr. Even though it says that on the nametag, I'm Tricky! Tricky the Clown. ALWAYS.

I know it looks bad right now, but right now I'm just trying to get a rough picture. I can't really show his reckless demeanor right now, it requires building it up over the whole page as his speech makes implications about what exactly happens to him within the story, and how little he cares for it. I also want the drive to silently do tasks that he probably should be paying attention to, but just ignores in favor of rambling on, such as in the last example where the device is apparently overriding something. He'll also eventually hurt himself to demonstrate an example (he lets people rip him apart for fun), and the drive reaction will be used, dealing with his mess up. "REVERTING, CORRECTING, RETRYING", etc.

Checking in on this account after leaving the site, MAN that is a cringy forum post history. Daaamn. Never again.
Smashman2893 Since: Sep, 2021
#807: Apr 14th 2023 at 8:40:54 PM

Do you think a Self Demonstrating page for Dr. Evil could work? I think he has a colorful personality and think there may be a unique talking style.

AustinDR Lizzid people! (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Lizzid people!
#808: Apr 14th 2023 at 8:41:45 PM

Could see it.

dsneybuf (Not-So-Newbie)
#809: Apr 18th 2023 at 7:07:37 AM

Nvm

Edited by dsneybuf on Apr 19th 2023 at 1:07:09 PM

spyland2 Since: Jun, 2021
#810: Apr 25th 2023 at 6:59:42 PM

So I originally asked this in the Magnificent Bastard cleanup thread and I was told to bring it here. Here's the original post.

Quick question, is it OK to pothole this trope on a Self-Demonstrating page for a character who doesn't count according to the cleanup thread if the character would think they qualified? Thanks.

AlicornGaia Fishy from Mega Man Zero Earth Since: Sep, 2019 Relationship Status: Married to my murderer
Fishy
#811: Apr 25th 2023 at 8:20:53 PM

Usually no. I only know if they were once an example but then re-analyzed to not fit anymore.

"Come on Zero. Fight me. It feels so good :3"
spyland2 Since: Jun, 2021
#812: Apr 25th 2023 at 10:27:15 PM

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/SelfDemonstrating/WalterWhite This is why I asked about potholing the Magnificent Bastard trope to Self Demonstrating Pages. I believe early on, people thought he counted until it was pointed out that he was too arrogant and petty to count. So would I be able to add the trope? It would be something like this

WarJay77 It's NaNo, Bay-beeee! (8,356/50,000) from My Writing Cave (Troper Knight) Relationship Status: Armed with the Power of Love
It's NaNo, Bay-beeee! (8,356/50,000)
#813: Apr 26th 2023 at 12:55:20 AM

Uh... I wouldn't, not necessarily because of the MB thing though more because I really don't see how that entry illustrates it. If it's impossible to demonstrate it from his own POV then it shouldn't be there.

Working on: Author Appeal | Sandbox | Troper Wall
Smashman2893 Since: Sep, 2021
#814: May 11th 2023 at 5:54:55 PM

I made a rough draft on a Self Demonstrating page for Dr. Evil. How does it look so far?

WarJay77 It's NaNo, Bay-beeee! (8,356/50,000) from My Writing Cave (Troper Knight) Relationship Status: Armed with the Power of Love
It's NaNo, Bay-beeee! (8,356/50,000)
#815: May 11th 2023 at 5:57:35 PM

He doesn't really seem to have a distinct voice, at least not in the way that's written

Working on: Author Appeal | Sandbox | Troper Wall
CardboardBot from Saudi Arabia (Life not ruined yet) Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#816: May 20th 2023 at 8:50:02 AM

Any response to Tricky?

Checking in on this account after leaving the site, MAN that is a cringy forum post history. Daaamn. Never again.
troper101 (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: love is a deadly lazer
#817: Jun 5th 2023 at 12:28:06 AM

[up] I'm not familiar with Madness Combat, but what you wrote for Tricky seems distinct and at least has a gimmick with the Improbability Drive. I say go ahead.

Can someone explain why Tywin Lannister has a page? It looks very dry and he definitely doesn't have a voice in it. I vote to cut.

Edited by troper101 on Jun 5th 2023 at 12:28:54 PM

AlicornGaia Fishy from Mega Man Zero Earth Since: Sep, 2019 Relationship Status: Married to my murderer
Fishy
#818: Jun 5th 2023 at 12:44:20 AM

If anyone wants an easy self-demonstrating page, try Popeye the Sailor Man. Guy has a unique voice pattern AFAIK.

I would make myself but I need to make a sandbox somewhere first.

"Come on Zero. Fight me. It feels so good :3"
BocchiTheRock Since: Feb, 2023
#819: Jun 5th 2023 at 12:58:56 AM

The character page for Bob Hale has no tropes whatsoever, should it be cut?

troper101 (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: love is a deadly lazer
#820: Jun 5th 2023 at 1:16:38 AM

It has a short description and zero tropes, so yeah, cut it.

I think Severus Snape and Din Djarin should definitely be cut, too. They both just list off tropes without any speech pattern or unique style.

BocchiTheRock Since: Feb, 2023
#821: Jun 5th 2023 at 1:41:29 AM

[up] Snape I'm unsure about (it does at least have the pauses), but Din I'm in favor of cutting. There are a few dubious pages I see:

Sprite Boy: This character only appears in vintage Coca Cola ads, and thus doesn't have a voice, the voice seems to be made up and not based on the advertisements.

Alcatraz Series, Bum Reviews: No Tropes

Rainbow Dash, Gogo Tomago, Lance Boil, Self-Demonstrating/Gabriel, Self-Demonstrating/Jasmine, Self-Demonstrating/Jahy, Self-Demonstrating/West, Self-Demonstrating/Rufus, Mr Ulquiorra Cifer, Waltolemew Stricklander, Tsuyu Asui, Nagito Komaeda, Abridged Alucard, Mr Wilson: These pages don't really have voices imo and a lot of them are just tropes in the first person.

Edited by BocchiTheRock on Jun 5th 2023 at 5:35:16 AM

troper101 (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: love is a deadly lazer
#822: Jun 5th 2023 at 2:09:31 AM

That Ulquiorra page is...odd. Why is there a self-demonstrating page for a fanfic's version of a canon character? It reads exactly the same. What's the point?

[up] I'm still in favor of cutting Snape's because having some pauses doesn't really make it unique. Without them, it's a standard first-person recital of tropes.

And I'll go ahead and cutlist Din's. Thoughts on Tywin's?

Edited by troper101 on Jun 5th 2023 at 2:16:33 AM

BocchiTheRock Since: Feb, 2023
#823: Jun 5th 2023 at 2:18:47 AM

[up] I think Tywin's is also pretty bad, mostly just tropes in first person with little voice.

troper101 (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: love is a deadly lazer
#824: Jun 5th 2023 at 2:37:57 AM

Alright, I'll cutlist Tywin's too. And agreed on the rest of the pages you mentioned (Sprite Boy, Rainbow Dash, etc.) lacking voices.

Personally I'm starting to think there should be a blanket ban on SD pages for fanon versions of characters. It always seems kind of dicey and more like fanfic writers trying to promote themselves than anything else.

AlicornGaia Fishy from Mega Man Zero Earth Since: Sep, 2019 Relationship Status: Married to my murderer
Fishy
#825: Jun 5th 2023 at 3:37:20 AM

Abridged Mr. Popo would technically count as a fanfic character though.

"Come on Zero. Fight me. It feels so good :3"

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