Post by Danzig on Nov 21, 2019 16:33:37 GMT 1
Introduction
When building a character there are three main things you want to look at developing in order to make that character a well rounded part of the world you a joining. These three aspects of character creation (Personality, Appearance, and History) are the foundation of your character, and while there are additional sub-categories you can dive into in order to create a deeper character, for this guide we will stick to the basics.
Thinking about these three basic aspects of character creation can help you decide what race you want to play in a game, what race might fight your personality type the best, or what might be the best archetype for you to play. An axe-wielding, battle hardened barbarian? A quirky, nature-loving healer? An eccentric spellcaster? A pragmatic wizard? There are many types of characters you might be considering playing, but one thing is for sure, that if you have a love of fantasy stories, movies, writing, etc. you will most certainly find maximum enjoyment in your character if you think about these things before you go into creating a character and playing the game. Be sure to look at the (Tribes) section of the guide as well, to aid in your decision.
The Aspects of Character Creation Explained
Personality
Personality is how your character interacts with the other characters/players of the world. It is how they carry themselves, what their motivations might be. This can be a difficult thing to pin down for even a veteran roleplayer, especially if you plan on playing a character that doesn’t have your real life personality tied to it. You have to create something that is believable, playable, and fun for you to experience and write about. Defining a personality type also helps immensely with writing stories about your character. For personality, you can also draw on inspiration from other forms of entertainment you might enjoy. Most, if not all people who play RPGs have watched fantasy shows or read fantasy novels that depict characters of many different personality types. Consider thinking about or even listing your favorite characters and what it was about them that you liked.
Was it their unrelenting sense of honor and justice? Was it their passion for ale and fighting? Was it their sarcastic wit? Was it their stoic pride or their willingness to overlook morals to reach their goals? Your character can be good, evil, moral driven, or completely lacking in the morals department. They can walk the line between the two, they can be self-centered and egotistical or giving and kind-hearted.
You can take the archetypes your favorite writer or tv show/movie has built into a character and make it into your own! There are so many great ones already out there if you find that building your own from scratch is too daunting.
Things to Consider
Appearance
Appearance is what your character looks like, what other characters visually see when they interact with you. This is arguably the most fun aspect of character creation and inspiration can be taken from many sources. One of the fastest ways to approach this in a game like Agonia is to look at the starting art of the tribe you choose. You can base your appearance off of this by adding things or taking them away, changing colors of skin tones and armor pieces and things of that nature. Another way to approach this is to search for pieces of art on the web that depict how you imagine your character. At this point you can begin to write a description of how your character looks, making changes as you wish or not making any if the appearance you have chosen fits your vision.
What to Consider
Verbalization: This is also a tied in with your appearance. Verbalization is how your character speaks, the sound of their voice and what kind of body language they use.
Does your character have a deep, rough voice? Do they speak in soft tones? Do they not speak at all and communicate with gestures instead?
Do they hold an aggressive posture? Are they typically laid back and relaxed? Would they appear to others as dangerous, or would they be less threatening and seem to others as welcoming and approachable?
History
The characters past, from birth to the present day. You don’t really need to detail every moment of their lives, however details such as where they might of been raised, how they were raised, how they came to be who they are could be relevant. You can also choose to leave their past a mystery by leaving out details that you fill in later. Maybe they have amnesia and remember nothing. This part is entirely up to you, and your characters history can be as important or unimportant as you would like it to be. Though remember that a lot about how you interact with other players can be understood by others if they are able to read at least a bit about your backstory.
What to Consider
A Final Consideration
Realism!!!
This is just as important as anything else, but often overlooked. Understand the world you are a part of, what that world is and what might or might not be acceptable with the constraints of this world. Try not to be one of those players who is “The Chosen One” and has glowing blue eyes, a shining halo, and a flaming sword with dragon wings sprouting out of their back. Try to develop a believable character, one that other characters/players might actually find interesting and want to read about, and interact with. Most importantly, one you actually enjoy playing. Character development is a fun process and allows you to get creative and actually feel like your character is a part of the world!
When building a character there are three main things you want to look at developing in order to make that character a well rounded part of the world you a joining. These three aspects of character creation (Personality, Appearance, and History) are the foundation of your character, and while there are additional sub-categories you can dive into in order to create a deeper character, for this guide we will stick to the basics.
Thinking about these three basic aspects of character creation can help you decide what race you want to play in a game, what race might fight your personality type the best, or what might be the best archetype for you to play. An axe-wielding, battle hardened barbarian? A quirky, nature-loving healer? An eccentric spellcaster? A pragmatic wizard? There are many types of characters you might be considering playing, but one thing is for sure, that if you have a love of fantasy stories, movies, writing, etc. you will most certainly find maximum enjoyment in your character if you think about these things before you go into creating a character and playing the game. Be sure to look at the (Tribes) section of the guide as well, to aid in your decision.
The Aspects of Character Creation Explained
Personality
Personality is how your character interacts with the other characters/players of the world. It is how they carry themselves, what their motivations might be. This can be a difficult thing to pin down for even a veteran roleplayer, especially if you plan on playing a character that doesn’t have your real life personality tied to it. You have to create something that is believable, playable, and fun for you to experience and write about. Defining a personality type also helps immensely with writing stories about your character. For personality, you can also draw on inspiration from other forms of entertainment you might enjoy. Most, if not all people who play RPGs have watched fantasy shows or read fantasy novels that depict characters of many different personality types. Consider thinking about or even listing your favorite characters and what it was about them that you liked.
Was it their unrelenting sense of honor and justice? Was it their passion for ale and fighting? Was it their sarcastic wit? Was it their stoic pride or their willingness to overlook morals to reach their goals? Your character can be good, evil, moral driven, or completely lacking in the morals department. They can walk the line between the two, they can be self-centered and egotistical or giving and kind-hearted.
You can take the archetypes your favorite writer or tv show/movie has built into a character and make it into your own! There are so many great ones already out there if you find that building your own from scratch is too daunting.
Things to Consider
- How do you interact socially? Are you soft spoken, quiet and reserved? Are you witty? Do you have a quick temper?
- How do you carry yourself? Are you a stalwart symbol of honor? Are you the first to charge head strong into the enemy? Do you carry fervent faith in a deity that impacts your choices? Are you a steady voice of reason for those around you?
- Do you play this character with your real life personality? Consider thinking about others might describe your personality and that should be relatively easy to apply to your character.
- Do you play your character with the personality of a favorite character from a book or movie you have seen? Think about listing those traits, how you might describe that characters personality and apply it to yours.
Appearance
Appearance is what your character looks like, what other characters visually see when they interact with you. This is arguably the most fun aspect of character creation and inspiration can be taken from many sources. One of the fastest ways to approach this in a game like Agonia is to look at the starting art of the tribe you choose. You can base your appearance off of this by adding things or taking them away, changing colors of skin tones and armor pieces and things of that nature. Another way to approach this is to search for pieces of art on the web that depict how you imagine your character. At this point you can begin to write a description of how your character looks, making changes as you wish or not making any if the appearance you have chosen fits your vision.
What to Consider
- Pysical Stature - How tall is your character - Are they bulky, thin, or muscular?
- Hair - Bald, unkempt, wild and long, receding hairline, mohawk?
- Facial hair - Bushy beard or stubble? Are they clean shaven?
- Eye color - How might one who looks upon them see their eyes?
- Attire - Does your character wear armor, clothing, have distinctive patterns? What would make your character stand out from others in a crowd?
- Markings - Does your character bear any distinctive scars, tattos, war paint?
Verbalization: This is also a tied in with your appearance. Verbalization is how your character speaks, the sound of their voice and what kind of body language they use.
Does your character have a deep, rough voice? Do they speak in soft tones? Do they not speak at all and communicate with gestures instead?
Do they hold an aggressive posture? Are they typically laid back and relaxed? Would they appear to others as dangerous, or would they be less threatening and seem to others as welcoming and approachable?
History
The characters past, from birth to the present day. You don’t really need to detail every moment of their lives, however details such as where they might of been raised, how they were raised, how they came to be who they are could be relevant. You can also choose to leave their past a mystery by leaving out details that you fill in later. Maybe they have amnesia and remember nothing. This part is entirely up to you, and your characters history can be as important or unimportant as you would like it to be. Though remember that a lot about how you interact with other players can be understood by others if they are able to read at least a bit about your backstory.
What to Consider
- Family: Did/does your character know their mother, father, brother’s sisters, etc? Do they not? Who were they? How was your characters relationship with them? If not, how was your character raised, did they come up as a beggar on the streets or something similar?
- Historical Character Shaping: What about your past made you cling to a code of honor, or converselt, erupt in violent fits of rage? Why are you a murderer? Why are you a knight? Why do you cling (or disavow) the gods that your family might have introduced to you?
- What events in the life of your character contributed to who they are today? You don’t want to be that roleplayer who has personality traits without an explanation of why those traits exist. Explaining these things will help other players understand and interact with you more effectively, especially when it comes to writing stories that include your character.
A Final Consideration
Realism!!!
This is just as important as anything else, but often overlooked. Understand the world you are a part of, what that world is and what might or might not be acceptable with the constraints of this world. Try not to be one of those players who is “The Chosen One” and has glowing blue eyes, a shining halo, and a flaming sword with dragon wings sprouting out of their back. Try to develop a believable character, one that other characters/players might actually find interesting and want to read about, and interact with. Most importantly, one you actually enjoy playing. Character development is a fun process and allows you to get creative and actually feel like your character is a part of the world!
