Why do we roleplay?

Is it fantasy? Escape? Ego? Healing? Attention? Creativity?
Or something deeper that most people misunderstand?

In the Season 1 finale of Are Your Eyes On, we close out the season with an honest, layered conversation about why we play FiveM and roleplay in the first place.

After a season of discussing the streamer effect, fragmentation, shifting playstyles, and the modern RP ecosystem, we zoom out and ask the most important question:

What are we actually getting out of this?

We talk about:

• What we thought RP was before we started

• What made us stay

• What roleplay gives us that regular gaming doesn’t

• Whether RP is about becoming someone you wish you were

• The difference between fantasy and self-expression

• Emotional attachment, validation, performance, and control

• How different player roles (serious RPers, grinders, shooters, storytellers, comedians) all contribute to the ecosystem

• Why the “it’s just fantasy fulfillment” narrative feels incomplete

We also bring in Valentine’s Day chaos with:

• RP Love Languages

• “Fantasy or Not?” scenarios

• A spicy RP drinking game

• Rapid-fire character questions

If you’ve ever wondered why people get so invested in roleplay — or why you do — this is the conversation.

🎙️ Host: Meela Vanderbuilt🎧 Featuring: IamMisterGoat & GirlJustGaming

Season 1 closes here — but the conversation is just getting started.

This episode starts with a preview of our new theme song, Are Your Eyes On!!

After our live improv murder mystery at Hookies, we noticed something interesting — everyone naturally fell into different roles.

• Some pushed the story forward.
• Some brought chaos and comedy.
• Some stayed grounded and realistic.
• Some were quieter, but still essential to the scene.

In this episode of Are Your Eyes On, we break down what we’re calling the RP ecosystem — the idea that every roleplayer contributes to the health and culture of a GTA RP / FiveM server, whether they’re leading storylines, building businesses, grinding jobs, creating tension, or just “playing house.”

We discuss:

• How the improv episode mirrored real GTA RP dynamics
• The difference between story drivers, chaos agents, grinders, and grounded RP
• Why serious RPers and funny characters both matter
• How economy players and even shooters impact city culture
• When real-life attraction or personality bleeds into character interactions
• Why RP works best when every role is respected

Whether you’re a veteran GTA RP player or someone curious about FiveM roleplay, this episode explores how cities thrive — and why everyone has a place in the ecosystem.

🎙️ Hosted by Meela Vanderbuilt🎮 Focused on GTA RP, FiveM, and immersive roleplay communities

What happens when GTA roleplayers — and a few first-time RPers — are dropped into a live improv murder mystery?

In this special episode of Are Your Eyes On, the cast steps into Murder at Hookies, a GTA RP–inspired improv scenario where the bar owner is found dead… and no one is allowed to leave until the truth comes out.

Set entirely through improvised roleplay, this episode explores how easily players can step into RP, build tension, create storylines, and react in real time — no scripts, no mechanics, just character choices and chaos.

Whether you’re a seasoned FiveM roleplayer or someone curious about getting into GTA RP, this episode shows how collaborative storytelling can unfold naturally — and how quickly things spiral when secrets start coming out.

🎭 Live improv🔪 A growing list of suspects🎮 GTA RP / FiveM–inspired roleplay👀 And a killer hiding in plain sight

Roleplay has always had an audience — but streaming changed everything.

In this episode of Are Your Eyes On, we sit down for an honest, unfiltered conversation about the streamer effect and how being live reshapes roleplay in FiveM.

We talk about how visibility influences in-city behavior, the pressure of performing while roleplaying, and the subtle ways streaming can enhance — or disrupt — RP. From clout and chat expectations to viral moments, ERP, and content-driven decisions, this episode explores the modern realities of roleplay in a world where everyone might be watching.

This isn’t a call-out.
It’s not a rulebook.
And it’s not about blaming streamers.

It’s a real conversation about influence, boundaries, and responsibility — for creators and non-streamers alike navigating increasingly visible RP spaces.

🎙️ Guests: Orrsumn, MisterGOAT, LadyJDiva
🎧 Host: Meela Vanderbuilt

Because in today’s RP world, even when you’re not live — someone else might be.

In this episode of Are Your Eyes On, we dive headfirst into the growing divide within the FiveM roleplay community — and what roleplay actually means today.

Meela is joined by co-host Mr. Goat and special guest Tanya Vital, a UK actor and creative producer, for a candid conversation about how FiveM has evolved from a storytelling-driven space into something far more fragmented. Together, we unpack the different motivations driving today’s players — from immersive roleplayers and content creators to grind-focused and GTA Online-style play — and how those shifts are reshaping the ecosystem.

We discuss:

• Why FiveM often feels like “GTA Online with mods”

• The erosion of roleplay standards and server identity

• Content creation vs. storytelling — and the pressure to go viral

• Romance RP, immersion, and the blurred lines between character and creator

• Whether there’s a right or wrong way to roleplay

• How creators and communities can reclaim creativity, structure, and fun

This episode isn’t about gatekeeping — it’s about honest reflection, shared frustration, and imagining what FiveM could be if storytelling, collaboration, and intention mattered again.

Whether you’re a roleplayer, server owner, content creator, or just FiveM-curious, this conversation will feel uncomfortably familiar — and hopefully inspiring.

Is FiveM really just a dating game — or is that an oversimplification of how people use roleplay spaces?

In this episode of Are Your Eyes On, we unpack romance and ERP in RP communities: where expectations clash, where boundaries blur, and why relationship roleplay can feel fun, frustrating, or emotionally complicated depending on how you engage with it.

We talk openly about different RP relationship styles — from strictly in-character storytelling to players who welcome real-life connections — and why mismatched expectations often cause tension, discomfort, or burnout in casual and semi-serious cities.

This conversation isn’t about shaming how people play. It’s about honesty, communication, and understanding that not everyone comes into RP for the same reasons.

Whether you love relationship RP, avoid it entirely, or feel caught somewhere in the middle, this episode creates space for a more grounded, nuanced conversation about romance in roleplay.

Welcome back to Are Your Eyes On? — the interactive FiveM & RP culture podcast where creators, roleplayers, and community builders break down the REAL art of GTA RP.

In Episode 2, we run a full RP workshop:

• Why RP is harder than people think

• The unseen skills (improv, emotional awareness, pacing)

• What NOT to do in FiveM

• How to build better characters & storylines

• Live improv games, call-ins & community questions

Whether you're new to RP or leveling up your storytelling, this episode shows you how to improve your scenes, have more fun, and stop rushing your roleplay. Yes… we even talk about the “foreplay” of RP — why build-up matters and how to use it.

Hosted by:Meela Vanderbuilt — creator, community builder & multi-platform RP storyteller
MisterGOAT — seasoned roleplayer, server owner & long-time GTA RP creator

FiveM, GTA RP, Roleplay Tips, Improv, RP Workshop, Character Building, RP Culture

Welcome to Episode 1 of Are Your Eyes On, the RP Creator Collective podcast.

In this episode of Are Your Eyes On, Meela sits down with @iamMisterGoat, @KinggTonio, and @iamToons to unpack the massive shifts happening in GTA RP — from trend culture and server saturation to gang dominance, inclusivity issues, and why story-driven roleplay feels harder to find.

We talk about:• How TikTok changed RP culture• The rise of copy-paste servers and starter packs• Gang RP vs actual organized storytelling• Inclusion, LGBTQ+ players, and acceptance in cities• Why people fear serious RP (and how to fix it)• Character creation, confidence, and breaking the “meta”• What new servers get wrong• Plus: hilarious RP stories, chaos moments, and real advice for new players

If you love RP, feel stuck in today’s 5M culture, or just wanna hear creators speak honestly about the state of things — this episode is for you.

Follow Meela:Twitch — http://twitch.tv/meelavanderbuiltYouTube — http://youtube.com/meelavanderbuiltTikTok — http://tiktok.com/@meelavanderbuiltIG — http://instagram.com/meelavanderbuilt

Want to join the community or call in for future episodes? Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/MwBe4AJ

🎙 Are Your Eyes On is a weekly RP creator roundtable focused on culture, community, and the evolving world of role-play.

• FiveM

• GTA RP

• Roleplay podcast

• RP community

• Streaming culture

• Content creator podcast

• Online gaming culture

• Meela Vanderbuilt

• GTA V

• RedM RP

• RP storytelling