Profile LayoutThe first thing to focus on is how the profile layout, or more commonly profile skeleton are constructed. Every role play should have one of these listed somewhere and finding it is the key when it comes to making a good profile and role play character.
While they can be different, all profile skeletons are at the center the same and should be looked at it that way. If you ever have a question about something that you find in a profile skeleton, never be afraid to ask the threads creator, aside from leading you through the rp, its their job to help people who want to join by answering any questions they might have.
I will be giving details on EVERYTHING, so while we might all know this stuff is required, some might not know why.
Here is one of my 'typical' profile layouts
Gaianame: Characters Name: Age:Race: Gender: Personality: Likes: Dislikes: Occupation/Job/class: Appearance: Height: Weight: Strengths:Weaknesses:Weapons: Powers/Abilities:Bio: While all profiles can be different, mostly depending on the one who made it, they are all very similar and the each do the same thing. They each are the building blocks towards making a role playing character. Here is a breakdown of my profile layout and what each grouping is used for and why they are there.
GaiaName: I use this because most often in rps, you end up PM'ing profiles to the creator and he or she posts them in the rp thread. This helps so that other rpiers can tell who is in control of what character.
Character Name: While there are not often details here, you just create a name for your character and use it. Some people require a first and last name, while some don't. Use of the same name is not that much of a problem over multiple rps but as a rule of thumb, its more interesting with each new character to give them a different name.
After you have completed the first two, the following areas can be different, some people include more, others include less. Always read carefully and fill out each section with what information the creator gives you. Here is how most of what remains of a profile is divided up into.
Your Character's AppearanceRace, Gender, Appearance, weight, height focuses on how your character will appear to others. While some may have additions, these should be the most common you will find in any role play.
Race: While most rps list races you can pick from to play, some rps allow you to play as any race. It is always key to make sure that you follow the rules when it comes to picking a race so you make a character which fits into the rp you are trying to join.
Gender: While about 99.9% of the time its either male or female, a few races, and often ideas from the creator create a race or choice of a third or more gender. Nothing seriously fancy to explain here, its all a matter of making sure to read what the creator put down.
Weight and Height: While not always included, it can give a rather good comparison to other people of your characters build and adds to the appearance. Sometimes they are separated into their own sections, and if they are not listed, you can easily place them into your profile. Not always required but its kinda like a little more icing to the role play cake.
Appearance: This would probably be the most tricky of any profile, so many differences and often the most challenging to plan. While your appearance is effected by your characters race, there can be other features which makes your character different from the rest. Consisting of clothing, physical appearances, weight and height(in some cases). The biggest thing when it comes to an appearance is should you describe your appearance, use a picture, or both. This choice is always up to the thread creator, while people still use pictures, be they real or anime, in most high end rps its common to type up a description and if its allowed back it up with a picture. If the request by the creator says no pictures, then don't use a picture. When you type up an appearance, give as much detail as possible so that everyone who reads it gets the best idea of your character.
Weapons although part of a characters appearance are classed in a different section.The next section after this will focus on creating a character, where I will explain how you would go about filling these areas out.
Your Character's PersonalityUsually just a request for a personality, but sometimes it includes likes and dislikes, and even more, this part of a profile focuses on how your character acts and reacts to certain situations which they end up facing.
Likes and dislikes: These focus on things which your character, or your own(which you pass on to your character) finds good and bad. Things like cakes, sweets, weapons, combat, and so forth are all forms of likes and dislikes. Usually requested in list form but sometimes in sentences.
Personality: Like appearance, personality is fairly challenging and comes in many different forms, overall the creator is asking you to describe how your character acts and reacts with other people. While a personality can tell others how to expect the character to act, its another thing for the person controlling the character to stick to that personality. Usually asked in either a list or commonly a paragraph. Detail here is always very good, the more the better.
What can your character do/can't doThis can be a wide range of stuff, focused on weapons, strengths and weaknesses, magic, powers or abilities, jobs, occupations, or a class. This part of the profile is used to convey what your character can do well, and not well, what they like to use and so forth.
Weapons: Almost always controlled by the creator, often limited to so many weapons or certain types of weapons depending on when or where the rp is set. Its easy to fill out using what the creator says your allowed to use and its often a good idea to pick a weapon you know or understand how it works so you can describe what you can do with it in better detail.
Strengths and weaknesses: The key to a good profile is making an even balance of strengths and weaknesses. What is your character really good at and what is he really bad at, or sometimes it can mean what your good against or what your bad against, there is usually a clarification on what exactly the strength or weaknesses that are being requested. Regardless of whats asked, its always a good idea to give as much detail here and
above all to be fair!
Job/Occupation/Class: Focus on what your character does for a living, or in some rps, what they can use for weapons and their powers/magic/abilities. Check for a list, and if none exists pick something, this usually ends up being applied to a bio(the last section) but it more often applies here.
Powers/Magic/Abilities: They can be separate, or a mixture of both, like strengths and weaknesses its important to be fair, and be as descriptive as possible. Most commonly an ability might be faster reflexes, magic the casting of spells, and power might be some kind of super ability which applies to the theme of the rp. Although it can happen, its quite often rare you see magic and power in the same place. Abilities are quite often paired up with either magic or power and form the core of your characters skills which are critical for a character.
Your Characters HistoryThe end of a profile, the true reason you gather all that stuff above is so you can use it in this, the bio, or biography of your character. A summary of what your character has done up to this point, or what happened to them when they were younger, everything and everything about your character and their past!
Bio/biography: In most role plays there is always a listed minimum number of
'paragraphs' In most cases its usually one. Sometimes they ask for less, or even more, and out of the rest of the profile, it is probably the most difficult to make as it requires a lot of thought and putting everything you did above together. Why is your character able to use their powers, abilities, or magic? Why are they doing his job/occupation/class? Why does your character have the personality and appearance they do? Not everything is used in a biography but a good majority of your profile ends up being useful for writing up a good biography and is probably the most important thing followed by Appearance and then Personality. Although I only use Bio's, some people use parts about family and they are part of this section of a profile.
SummaryThe most important parts of a profile are the
Personality,
Appearance, and
Biography. They reflect the true image of your character and without them you do not have a profile. Now that you hopefully have a general idea of what parts are with a profile and why they are there and what they are for, here is an example of a few 'different' profile layouts.
The key is to look at what exactly is asked and determine if it is part of your characters appearance, personality, what they can and can't do, or part of their history, remember this and any profile is possible to be filled out.
Profiles
My name is...[First.Middle.Last]
But my friends call me…[Your Super hero/villain name]
Oh just something I had laying around…[A picture or description of what your hero/villain's uniform is. If you’re an alien or shape shifter you aren't required a uniform so it will be the standard legion uniform if you choose.]
When I last blew out the candles, I turned...[age preferable 17-22 if you age differently put actual age then your age appearance]
When I was born, they saw I was a...[Male or Female or genderless]
I hail from…[What planet is your hero from and what is his race, be as creative as possible. If I like it I will incorporate your planet into the plot.]
I act like...[Personality. Describe your character. Minimum of five sentences.]
And I blame it on my past...[Tell your character's story. Minimum of two paragraphs.]
I can move the stars…[Full description of your powers]
These are a few of my favorite things...[What does your character like?]
I abhor...[What does your character dislike?]
I Cannot sleep at night....][What are your motivations for joining the legion or a villain]
A few last words for you...[Your profile quote, and character's song, both are optional]
My master is pulling my strings...[Gaia Username]
This is a good example of a different style profile layout. It has a different appearance and flare, while yet it is still a profile layout regardless.
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