MoonsongJun 16, 2014Jun 16, 2014 at 04:38 PM
#1
Disclaimer: This Specific thread will be where I put my thoughts on both character backstory and development, after i would ask the other officers add in any comments and impressions of their own. Once done I will recompile the whole thread into a post that can be stickied at the top of the character sheet or stories forum. I want to do it this way because backstory and development are the cornerstones of RP, and there is too much to it to cover fully in "rp school" (in my opinion). Plus it won't hurt IMO to have something that new members can read if they like outside of rp school.
Character creation/backstory
Insert cliche about houses and foundations here
Creating a backstory for a RP character is the most important thing you can do with your RP character. The backstory gives your character the beginnings of depth, a history of what came before we meet them, and even what motivates the character to move forward. If the RP itself is a character's life, the back story is their birth. While the story should never be set one hundred percent in stone, it should at least be set in quick dry concrete. By this I mean that the backstory's minor details can change as your character develops. Your original story states you came from the town of Gerard, no details. Now you feel like describing how Gerard looked growing up, adding to the story. Backstories can be added to, but never taken away from, and never should something already laid down be edited.
There are many ways to write a backstory, and no way is truely correct.
I have always found the best way to add backstory for a character is to begin with where the character came from, physically. You do not have to name the place, but there should be a place. Whether your character grew up on the mean streets of West Mooresdale as a pickpocket, or from the Noble House of Gormar, living the life of leisure, the character had to come from somewhere, otherwise how can they leave it to be with us? The place you come from only needs to be a shadow of a thought, this is where the quick dry concrete idea comes from. You do not need every detail of how the city streets were laid out to begin with, that can come in character development as your toon connects with people and decides to share their past.
A prime example of this is my character Inata, the back story I created only mentions she came from a village where the people were friendly, nothing more.
The next step I have found to work is a basic past, how the character grew up. Just as we are the sum of our past experiences, so are our characters. This past does not have to be what motivates a character going forward, this part is more about giving a basis for a character's personality. The character we know has a personality, and that personality had to come from somewhere. With rare exceptions we are not going to know your character as evil incarnate, the master of death and destruction, if you grew up with puppy dogs and sunshine.
The next step I use is "What caused your character to leave the only thing they ever knew." This goes hand in hand with the basic past, adds depth to that character, and giving the motivation that moves it forward. A popular technique for answering this question is to add a tragedy to the story. (ie. All was good and great in Bumblestump, until the evil Snark came and burned the village to the ground!) However, this does not have to be the case. This motivation will change and add to your character's personality but should not overwrite it completely except in rare cases. If your character was happy growing up then their whole village was slaughtered in a raid, your character may be generally haunted and sad, but they still grew up in a good place, and will tend to be "good" over all, even while hunting down and slaughtering all the raiders that ruined their life.
An example of these two points are Inata. She grew up accepted by her village, she was loved by all, taught the ways of good. Her own personal flaws saw those she cared for get hurt and she left, not due to tragedy, but out of love, an unwillingness to see others harmed due to her. She is driven to do good, even though her tainted blood corrupts her intentions. This drives her in both her personality and her motivation.
The above example touches upon the next concept used in a good backstory, and answers the questions "What is wrong with your character? or What is their flaw?" No character is perfect. They have problems, they have a limp, they have to wear glasses, they are unable to control the evil power they were born with. (every superman has their kryptonite) This flaw, or flaws, serve multiple purposes. The first and most important is it makes the character more "human" (even when they are a khajiit) or rather more real. The second purpose is to add another layer to your character's personality. We are complicated creatures, so too should your character be. We all know a flaw affects how we act, and it should affect your character as well. You are short so you stand on a hill to seem taller, or get defensive when someone comments. You have a limp so you try to meet people while sitting, and never walking so they won't see. Your character will do the same things. While this flaw can be major, most times it will only have minor affects on your character's personality.
To elaborate on the previous example, Inata has daedric blood, and a power that goes with it that twists her good intentions. Despite this she is a good character, she strives to do the right thing even if she is sure it will turn out wrong. To this end she tries to spend her time around "evil" characters so that the innocent won't be the ones that suffer from her flaw's affects. Inata's flaw shapes how she acts, and motivates her to some extent, but they are minor adjustments, "flavor" as it were. She is still a good person from a good background.
Anything further is just details, more flavor. Added just to make the character more filled out and less fake. Very nice, but it is not needed. A favorite detail for me to add is where the character thinks they are going. My example is Inata seeking to join sugar-tooth so that only those evil ones suffer from her flaw. This may or may not happen, and she may be affected more by them then they are from her, this is where character development comes into play.
Recap, the questions to ask when developing a character, as I see them.
1. Where did he/she come from.
2. How did she grow up? IE basic past
3. What caused your character to leave?
4. What is wrong with the character? or What is their flaw?
5. What other details can I add to give the character personality?
Character development
This is the song that never ends! It goes on and on ....
And just as the song never ends, neither should development of your character. While the backstory is where your character came from, development is where the customer is going, and what they will become. The only thing worse then a character with no past, is one with no future, one that never changes. Just as Luke Skywalker had to go go from backwater bumpkin to hero of the galaxy, so too does your character need to grow and change.
Unforunately Character Development by it's very nature does not have an exact formula. Where I could lay out clear path to develop a backstory, and have it take minutes to do. Development takes hours and hours of work that never ends. This is where the roleplay actually happens. Your character meets people, she either hates or like those people. They fight, they love, they lose. Every thing you do in character should affect your character, and every thing your character does should affect those around you. So for this section it is more very basic things to keep in mind while you rp.
First, make short term goals and then travel whatever path you end up on until you get there. Once there make a new short term goal, the character is ultimately yours, so you have final say in where they go, however, you should leave the path getting there up to chance as much as possible. Just as in real life, in character others will always move to make things more difficult. Let them, knowing that you will eventually get where you are going, and will have a more interesting character for the trouble.
A prime example for this is is the formation of the Sugar-Tooth clan. Ri'sari wanted to be the leader, other players denied him this, so he had to go about it a different way.
Second, remember your backstory, just as you always remember "where you came from" so will your character, you spent time making a backstory, it is the foundation for your character, do not forget it or neglect to use it.
Third, remember your flaw. If your character fears fire, you cannot just charge into the burning building to save the viscount's son. If they cannot swim then they aren't jumping into the lake hunting for sunken treasure. The flaw is not meant to cripple your character completely, merely make it more interesting. Remember even the pyrophobe can overcome their fear with enough incentive.
Fourth, or perhaps 3 b. Remember your character is not perfect. Just as we have to touch the hot pot to learn we shouldn't touch it, your character has to also make mistakes to learn from them. Even the master smuggler gets boarded by the imperials sometimes. Even the master chef will occasionally burn their masterpiece. Another way to put this is "Be prepared to lose" since we can never always win or no one will want to play with us.
Fifth, put yourself in your character's shoes, if you had to stand fast against a charging mammoth and somehow survived, then you would definitely come out of the battle changed (and not just in need of new pants) Your character is the same exact way. There is always the urge to not let your character change, you made them to be a certain way after all. Avoid this urge. You would make new friends, so would they. You would fight that mammoth and win, and forever after fear the next mammoth you see will charge you again, your character would likely react the same way. Let this happen, it is a good thing in the long run. Just keep your goals in sight and lead things towards that end.
Sixth, Have fun! let your imagination run free, let the crazy out to throw peanuts and peanut named horses at people. :)
((Ok let me know what you guys think, add anything you would like or your own personal ways of doing things))
Character creation/backstory
Insert cliche about houses and foundations here
Creating a backstory for a RP character is the most important thing you can do with your RP character. The backstory gives your character the beginnings of depth, a history of what came before we meet them, and even what motivates the character to move forward. If the RP itself is a character's life, the back story is their birth. While the story should never be set one hundred percent in stone, it should at least be set in quick dry concrete. By this I mean that the backstory's minor details can change as your character develops. Your original story states you came from the town of Gerard, no details. Now you feel like describing how Gerard looked growing up, adding to the story. Backstories can be added to, but never taken away from, and never should something already laid down be edited.
There are many ways to write a backstory, and no way is truely correct.
I have always found the best way to add backstory for a character is to begin with where the character came from, physically. You do not have to name the place, but there should be a place. Whether your character grew up on the mean streets of West Mooresdale as a pickpocket, or from the Noble House of Gormar, living the life of leisure, the character had to come from somewhere, otherwise how can they leave it to be with us? The place you come from only needs to be a shadow of a thought, this is where the quick dry concrete idea comes from. You do not need every detail of how the city streets were laid out to begin with, that can come in character development as your toon connects with people and decides to share their past.
A prime example of this is my character Inata, the back story I created only mentions she came from a village where the people were friendly, nothing more.
The next step I have found to work is a basic past, how the character grew up. Just as we are the sum of our past experiences, so are our characters. This past does not have to be what motivates a character going forward, this part is more about giving a basis for a character's personality. The character we know has a personality, and that personality had to come from somewhere. With rare exceptions we are not going to know your character as evil incarnate, the master of death and destruction, if you grew up with puppy dogs and sunshine.
The next step I use is "What caused your character to leave the only thing they ever knew." This goes hand in hand with the basic past, adds depth to that character, and giving the motivation that moves it forward. A popular technique for answering this question is to add a tragedy to the story. (ie. All was good and great in Bumblestump, until the evil Snark came and burned the village to the ground!) However, this does not have to be the case. This motivation will change and add to your character's personality but should not overwrite it completely except in rare cases. If your character was happy growing up then their whole village was slaughtered in a raid, your character may be generally haunted and sad, but they still grew up in a good place, and will tend to be "good" over all, even while hunting down and slaughtering all the raiders that ruined their life.
An example of these two points are Inata. She grew up accepted by her village, she was loved by all, taught the ways of good. Her own personal flaws saw those she cared for get hurt and she left, not due to tragedy, but out of love, an unwillingness to see others harmed due to her. She is driven to do good, even though her tainted blood corrupts her intentions. This drives her in both her personality and her motivation.
The above example touches upon the next concept used in a good backstory, and answers the questions "What is wrong with your character? or What is their flaw?" No character is perfect. They have problems, they have a limp, they have to wear glasses, they are unable to control the evil power they were born with. (every superman has their kryptonite) This flaw, or flaws, serve multiple purposes. The first and most important is it makes the character more "human" (even when they are a khajiit) or rather more real. The second purpose is to add another layer to your character's personality. We are complicated creatures, so too should your character be. We all know a flaw affects how we act, and it should affect your character as well. You are short so you stand on a hill to seem taller, or get defensive when someone comments. You have a limp so you try to meet people while sitting, and never walking so they won't see. Your character will do the same things. While this flaw can be major, most times it will only have minor affects on your character's personality.
To elaborate on the previous example, Inata has daedric blood, and a power that goes with it that twists her good intentions. Despite this she is a good character, she strives to do the right thing even if she is sure it will turn out wrong. To this end she tries to spend her time around "evil" characters so that the innocent won't be the ones that suffer from her flaw's affects. Inata's flaw shapes how she acts, and motivates her to some extent, but they are minor adjustments, "flavor" as it were. She is still a good person from a good background.
Anything further is just details, more flavor. Added just to make the character more filled out and less fake. Very nice, but it is not needed. A favorite detail for me to add is where the character thinks they are going. My example is Inata seeking to join sugar-tooth so that only those evil ones suffer from her flaw. This may or may not happen, and she may be affected more by them then they are from her, this is where character development comes into play.
Recap, the questions to ask when developing a character, as I see them.
1. Where did he/she come from.
2. How did she grow up? IE basic past
3. What caused your character to leave?
4. What is wrong with the character? or What is their flaw?
5. What other details can I add to give the character personality?
Character development
This is the song that never ends! It goes on and on ....
And just as the song never ends, neither should development of your character. While the backstory is where your character came from, development is where the customer is going, and what they will become. The only thing worse then a character with no past, is one with no future, one that never changes. Just as Luke Skywalker had to go go from backwater bumpkin to hero of the galaxy, so too does your character need to grow and change.
Unforunately Character Development by it's very nature does not have an exact formula. Where I could lay out clear path to develop a backstory, and have it take minutes to do. Development takes hours and hours of work that never ends. This is where the roleplay actually happens. Your character meets people, she either hates or like those people. They fight, they love, they lose. Every thing you do in character should affect your character, and every thing your character does should affect those around you. So for this section it is more very basic things to keep in mind while you rp.
First, make short term goals and then travel whatever path you end up on until you get there. Once there make a new short term goal, the character is ultimately yours, so you have final say in where they go, however, you should leave the path getting there up to chance as much as possible. Just as in real life, in character others will always move to make things more difficult. Let them, knowing that you will eventually get where you are going, and will have a more interesting character for the trouble.
A prime example for this is is the formation of the Sugar-Tooth clan. Ri'sari wanted to be the leader, other players denied him this, so he had to go about it a different way.
Second, remember your backstory, just as you always remember "where you came from" so will your character, you spent time making a backstory, it is the foundation for your character, do not forget it or neglect to use it.
Third, remember your flaw. If your character fears fire, you cannot just charge into the burning building to save the viscount's son. If they cannot swim then they aren't jumping into the lake hunting for sunken treasure. The flaw is not meant to cripple your character completely, merely make it more interesting. Remember even the pyrophobe can overcome their fear with enough incentive.
Fourth, or perhaps 3 b. Remember your character is not perfect. Just as we have to touch the hot pot to learn we shouldn't touch it, your character has to also make mistakes to learn from them. Even the master smuggler gets boarded by the imperials sometimes. Even the master chef will occasionally burn their masterpiece. Another way to put this is "Be prepared to lose" since we can never always win or no one will want to play with us.
Fifth, put yourself in your character's shoes, if you had to stand fast against a charging mammoth and somehow survived, then you would definitely come out of the battle changed (and not just in need of new pants) Your character is the same exact way. There is always the urge to not let your character change, you made them to be a certain way after all. Avoid this urge. You would make new friends, so would they. You would fight that mammoth and win, and forever after fear the next mammoth you see will charge you again, your character would likely react the same way. Let this happen, it is a good thing in the long run. Just keep your goals in sight and lead things towards that end.
Sixth, Have fun! let your imagination run free, let the crazy out to throw peanuts and peanut named horses at people. :)
((Ok let me know what you guys think, add anything you would like or your own personal ways of doing things))
TryynityJun 16, 2014
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