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 Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 11:59 am
Due to a certain number of people confusing literacy with character developing and plot following, I've developed this thread to help clarify things.
literate:
1. Having the ability to read and write. 2. Having or showing the skill in using words. 3. Knowledgeable: educated.
Now being literate is crucial in the point that we would all like to understand what you're trying to have your character do without using chat speak or l33t speach. It doesn't nessarily mean you have to use perfect grammer or spelling or type out novel level paragraphs used in most Victorian age books and series. The bare minimum of a paragraph is three sentances (or that's what my literature teacher has us do ><) and that should not only give you enough words to explain your character's actions, but insight as well.
Now, character development is taking your literacy and using it to explain a person you choose to roleplay as. Roleplaying demands that you become the character you use in order to utilize all aspects of the person he/she is. Understanding their emotions, morals and essentail foundations as individuals is a given, or it should be. Also, what a lot of people miss, understanding flaws and weaknesses of the character.
Alright, you've got a rough idea of the character you want to play. Lets name him 'Bob' for now. What do you want his strengths to be? He's fit, strong, of good moral fiber, handsome, ect. All the aspects of Prince Charming at first glance. Okay, now put him in a story and try to sell it as a book. Want to know how much money you'll make with such a perfect, flawless character? Nothing. Zilch. Nada. He will always be victorious, his actions are perdictable and he'll dull. No conflict of any kind brings about you writing yourself into a corner. Same with roleplaying. Bob meets Mary Sue, Bob loves Mary Sue, they live happily ever after. No matter how much magic and super powers you throw into that or how many evil villans and monsters turn up, it will always be the same. Boring. Why? You know he'll win. Knowing this, the actual rp dies half way through Bob's story. Don't deny this because you know it's true.
Okay, you give Bob flaws. He's strong and handsome, but isn't the sharpest nail in the box. Because he has a low realization of common sense and is slow in understanding, he gets into his far share of trouble with people, especailly women. Sounds better already, doesn't it?
Bob has flaws, good. Now, when posting for the roleplay you post nothing but what he does... That's not good enough because Bob remains rather 2D.
"Bob sees the dragon and goes to attack, but trips on the burnt up bones of his comrade. He attacks in a rage and defeats the dragon."
Give insight to what goes through the character's thinking and the reasoning behind his actions.
"The dragon approaches and Bob swells with fear, but casts his fears aside as he goes to attack his awesome foe. Unfortunatily, his large feet catch at an unidentified object and he stumbles to the ground. Aggitated, our hero looks to his feet only to be horrified by the deep fried remains of his fallen comrade. Now enraged and filled with self-righteous vengence, he attacks the dragon again with renewed vigor."
Better, isn't it? Making the reader feel for the character is crucial and using descriptions to add 'flavor' to it makes them want to read more. Like watching a movie and being stuck on a cliffhanger expect you're doing this with posts to a thread.
I hope people find this helpful. I'll add more once I feel like it. Feel free to ask questions or add more to what I've already written. Thankies. ^-^
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Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 1:55 pm
It's also helpful, when giving your character depth, to think of your posts in relation to reaction, action, and stipulation.
Reaction: Bob trips over Fred's outstretched leg.
(notice this involved something someone else did)
Action: Bob trips over a poorly placed cobble.
(notice no one else was involved in this action)
Stipulation/Interaction: Bob stumbles, and is about to fall into Meg.
(notice that not much actually happened, but the next poster knows what will happen if nothing is done to stop it from happening)
It's always best to keep these elements in balance, to have a little of each. This is also a good structure to follow in fast action sequences, to limit yourself so that you aren’t bouncing off the walls like a crack crazed ninja ferret.
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Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 2:14 pm
Try to at least give your characters backgrounds as well... The more background they have set for them the clearer you will see the options of their reactions as well as their personalities.
Remember, no one likes an emo character. Waiting around for someone to notice you will do no good in the long run and will even subtract cool points from your character...
In fact, Saori gains fifteen cool points.
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Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 6:23 pm
I want a ninja ferret, though.... I wonder how helpful this really is going to be and how important character development is really is gets across to those who didn't realize it before.
Cool points? Sweet... ^-^
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Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 11:43 am
Another twenty of said points from Ptero.
In some miracle, with what a fine job you've all done thus far, I still have something to add. *rolls up sleeves* Ahem.
Along with bearing flaws, why not give your brain's product some color with a little something-something I personally refer to as creativity? You may be utterly shocked, but after the first thirteen catgirl vampire demons I ran into within my history of roleplaying, I must admit that the idea no longer retains novelty. This goes for all you mysterious telepathic anthro kitsunes, as well, so perk your big, furry, orange ears (that just happen to be sticking out of the top of your scalp) and hear me out.
Allow for my disclaimer: I've nothing against anthros and vampires (in fact, I adore both) or anything of the like as long as they are developed with that convenient right hemisphere of that gray thing between your ears, as opposed to simply being ripped off RPGfan.com. Really, kids. Not only is it essentially art thievery when you slap some image in your signature without crediting it, but you are also depriving your fellow RPers of some well-deserved sanity. Why not take a couple minutes, open a word processor, and follow my lead. This is Ptero's nauseatingly basic character design guide. It'll be fun, and I will not have to tear your cute, pointed little ears off.
Firstly, create a list of twenty adjectives that describe you. And I'm referring to the actual human being sitting behind the monitor. We are all naturally narcissistic to some degree, so this should not be hard.
Now, select ten of them at random. Isolate these so that you are left with two lists of ten words. Label them appropriately, and flip a coin. The winning list will be the root of your new character's personality. Take these and exaggerate a bit. For instance, perhaps your list includes the word "timid". And perhaps your character now has a crushing case of social anxiety disorder.
This should essentially get you started. Let your imagination run with it. Write a bit about your character. Practice letting him speak and act. Once you have about a page or more filled with descriptions and practice RPing, you may choose to move onto an illustration of your character, or, if your art skills are too atrocious, you may choose to let your words do the illustrating. After all, if you are truly a roleplayer, you should be well-equipped with this quality. If you are not, reconsider your hobbies as a whole. Just keep in mind the role the character will be playing, and if the absence of a big fluffy tail hanging from the seat of your pants will really hinder the story progression.
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Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 11:59 am
No! That's a bad platypus! No increasing suicide rates!
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Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:32 pm
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Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:55 am
More coo' points for me! So happy am I! That... and mildily entertained. :laughs:
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Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 10:58 am
This deserves a bump. A lot of people need to read this.
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Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 6:45 am
Lawrence Roy Bloodwing Try to at least give your characters backgrounds as well... The more background they have set for them the clearer you will see the options of their reactions as well as their personalities. I was thinking about this. I always have loads of background for my characters, but I never write it all, if any, in a profile, I sometimes don't even tell people in the RP, I just know it myself. Does anyone else do this?
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Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 1:14 pm
Good thread!
It's also important to 'recognize' your character's flaws. It makes them more life-like. 3nodding
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