Character Creation 101: Better Characters are a Click Away!

[Desmendura]

You got yourself a Medal of Honour ;)

Consider this post a tag, however.

[Vancon]

Can we have a discussion on Bios: the length of Bios and whether or not they are needed.

[Desmendura]

Can we have a discussion on Bios: the length of Bios and whether or not they are needed.

I'd honestly recommend just a summary of that person's bio so we can get the idea quickly. They're definitely needed, so we understand that person a little bit more than just the personality.

[Vancon]

Can we have a discussion on Bios: the length of Bios and whether or not they are needed.

I'd honestly recommend just a summary of that person's bio so we can get the idea quickly. They're definitely needed, so we understand that person a little bit more than just the personality.

In my most recent RP, I gave the players a choice to do a full bio, but they had to make a small one.

I feel like Bios are posts waiting to happen, and by already telling everyone that information you don't have an emergency post to throw up when the story goes south and no one is posting.

[Desmendura]

I feel like Bios are posts waiting to happen, and by already telling everyone that information you don't have an emergency post to throw up when the story goes south and no one is posting.

Yep. It prevents the RP from messing up.

[Allancia]

I feel like Bios are posts waiting to happen, and by already telling everyone that information you don't have an emergency post to throw up when the story goes south and no one is posting.

Yep. It prevents the RP from messing up.

I was part of an RP that recently dried up. The OP had us all post the bios in our applications. Now I know why the thread died.

[Desmendura]

Yep. It prevents the RP from messing up.

I was part of an RP that recently dried up. The OP had us all post the bios in our applications. Now I know why the thread died.

Confusion and contradiction?

[Allancia]

I was part of an RP that recently dried up. The OP had us all post the bios in our applications. Now I know why the thread died.

Confusion and contradiction?

Maybe. Also, a lot of godmodding, I'll tell you that.

[Rhodevus]

Can we have a discussion on Bios: the length of Bios and whether or not they are needed.

I feel that the point of Bios are supposed to be for other players to get a feel for your character. I think they should always be short, as an overview, not fully in depth. But, in your mind, you should have an in depth character you would like to use.

[Euroslavia]

Can we have a discussion on Bios: the length of Bios and whether or not they are needed.

I feel that the point of Bios are supposed to be for other players to get a feel for your character. I think they should always be short, as an overview, not fully in depth. But, in your mind, you should have an in depth character you would like to use.

Agreed. A bio should make you curious about what the character is going to do in the RP. It shouldn't give away every detail on how the character is going to act.

[Orvius]

This thread looks great.

I'm going to just tag this if y'all don't mind.

[Glamour]

Tag'd.

EDIT: I am sort of using this site as imagination exercise. When I first made it I wasn't too interested in politics, but now I am. So the country thing, having your own country is really interesting to me. And the simplicity of it is great. But I find things like this thread very informative.

[Rhodevus]

Tag'd.

EDIT: I am sort of using this site as imagination exercise. When I first made it I wasn't too interested in politics, but now I am. So the country thing, having your own country is really interesting to me. And the simplicity of it is great. But I find things like this thread very informative.

Thank you.
The reason I started on NS as well was to improve my writing of female characters, making them more like people rather than mary sues or cliches. This site helped me so much, that I decided that I could fast track it and help people on this website with what this website helped me with

[Orvius]

So, I've been working on a character for a while and I've run into a bit of a problem. To summarize the issue, my character is the de-facto leader of an insurgency against his own country. I've come up with an arc in which this character thinks in a more morally idealistic sense that he can rebel against his government non-violently but gradually becomes more jaded and prone to bloodshed the more he gets involved in the revolution.

The problem is that it's difficult for me to voice his distaste in the government without him sounding too radical (it's in first-person). I'm halfway through the fifth page and he's already sounding like Castro. I find it difficult to tone it back. How would I go about this?

[Insaeldor]

So, I've been working on a character for a while and I've run into a bit of a problem. To summarize the issue, my character is the de-facto leader of an insurgency against his own country. I've come up with an arc in which this character thinks in a more morally idealistic sense that he can rebel against his government non-violently but gradually becomes more jaded and prone to bloodshed the more he gets involved in the revolution.

The problem is that it's difficult for me to voice his distaste in the government without him sounding too radical (it's in first-person). I'm halfway through the fifth page and he's already sounding like Castro. I find it difficult to tone it back. How would I go about this?

I've run into the same problem before. Sometimes it is good for characters fighting for a radical cause to sound a bit radica but if your looking to tone it back it always helps if you think of yourself as the speaker. It's a trick I used to good effect and also tried to figure out all the ideological grey areas of the ideological conflict and own them. Throw them into there dialogue but give it a twist given the said characters personality and disposition.

[Otulia]

A problem I've had with a lot of my characters is that I feel they're too shallow: I don't feel like I really show who my character is, or who they are. Is there any way to do this without sounding awkward?

[Allancia]

A problem I've had with a lot of my characters is that I feel they're too shallow: I don't feel like I really show who my character is, or who they are. Is there any way to do this without sounding awkward?

Try to subtly and inconspicuously show them off, so to speak. If you're character is a smoker, have them walk by a "still fuming ashtray." If they are depressed, have them "try not to jump forward" while the train goes by on the subway. However, don't make it too obvious, or else it becomes almost shocking, or as you said, awkward.

[Aquesta]

Could be useful,bookmarked.

[YellowApple]

Can we have a discussion on Bios: the length of Bios and whether or not they are needed.

tl;dr: keep biographies short and simple, if you even use them at all; don't rely on them to fully describe your character's every last detail (save that for actual posts).

Personally (as someone who tends to lean very heavily on character-oriented roleplay), I find it preferable to develop a character's "biography" organically via actual in-character posts rather than trying to predefine a biography. The very most I tend to go with would be basic reasons why the character in question is actually involved in that particular storyline; any further is only due to the OP requesting such information in an application form or somesuch.

This takes a longer time to do right, but when done right, it forces your characters to be meaningful beyond one RP (or - worse - beyond one post), since you'll be inclined to continue developing that character with more and more RPs involving that character in some capacity. This makes it very easy to create a dynamic and robust character rather than someone who is flat, uninteresting, and might as well be a background character. If I've done an RP with a particular player before, then I'll almost always try and reference that particular RP in the character's backstory (or, better yet, find a suitable character of mine from that RP and bring him/her back for a sequel to his/her life story), since that adds even more richness and depth to characterization pretty much for free.

A problem I've had with a lot of my characters is that I feel they're too shallow: I don't feel like I really show who my character is, or who they are. Is there any way to do this without sounding awkward?

My above recommendation is applicable here, too. Instead of trying to cram a complete character in a chunk of prose as small as a single post - or even a single RP - letting that character develop across multiple storylines will bring richness more organically and automatically, preventing most of the opportunities for "awkwardness" to creep in compared to trying to artificially craft a character in one fell swoop.

[Insaeldor]

A problem I've had with a lot of my characters is that I feel they're too shallow: I don't feel like I really show who my character is, or who they are. Is there any way to do this without sounding awkward?

I technique I've found really effective expecially for longer more drawn out character driven RP's (although it will idially work for any RP) is to have your character converse with some on things that can slowly start to peel back their layers. I usually do it with close confidants of my characters.

Also subtlety is your friend. Subtle hits like smoking at a specific time or after a specific event, having them make sounds or movements after a strain subject is brought up like say your character sinks back in his seats as the topic of was is discused. Things like that will definetly make your characters more relatable and dynamic.

Can we have a discussion on Bios: the length of Bios and whether or not they are needed.

I prefer in depth bio's although I typically don't do more the four paragraphs which I think is just enough to give a good sample post but not enough to get to long winded.

[NyanInk]

Coffee, Anyone?
I'm using the generators to make an almost fatherly character. I'm making up everything as I go, but I havent got far on age or appearance.
I know I want him to have either dark or blond hair but thats about it.
Tips?

[Krakozhya]

http://www.nationstates.net/nation=krak ... /id=370712

Hello all. I created this leader a while ago, and have been updating, researching and so forth on him. As he is fictional. But I can't seem to think of his personality. It has become a problem in roleplays as well, unable to hold one stance with another knocking it off kilter. I would very much like some advice.

[Glamour]

When I read it, to me he sounds like a formidable leader. As far as personality goes, I think he would consider it an advantage to conceal his personality and give as little away as possible in negotiations. You could, however, still write him in RP in a way that shows he has one and what it is like. He is a liar, apparently, about his age, and so I think it's okay to have a character who behaves one way and then remorselessly changes their stance. The personality as a politician comes across in how they attempt to justify their behaviour. As a person - I once heard that Putin learned Merkel was scared of dogs, and so had his dog sit with them in front of the fireplace during negotiations to intimidate her. I always found that quite interesting and a nice demonstration of what goes on in his head and what he finds funny and/or necessary. So I think facts about his life should be more of a context for his behaviours which should drive his character and demonstrate his attitudes, even if in a way that his decisions go against his beliefs out of necessity sometimes.

[Krakozhya]

When I read it, to me he sounds like a formidable leader. As far as personality goes, I think he would consider it an advantage to conceal his personality and give as little away as possible in negotiations. You could, however, still write him in RP in a way that shows he has one and what it is like. He is a liar, apparently, about his age, and so I think it's okay to have a character who behaves one way and then remorselessly changes their stance. The personality as a politician comes across in how they attempt to justify their behaviour. As a person - I once heard that Putin learned Merkel was scared of dogs, and so had his dog sit with them in front of the fireplace during negotiations to intimidate her. I always found that quite interesting and a nice demonstration of what goes on in his head and what he finds funny and/or necessary. So I think facts about his life should be more of a context for his behaviours which should drive his character and demonstrate his attitudes, even if in a way that his decisions go against his beliefs out of necessity sometimes.

I see, so in a sense. Make him like a poker player. One who shows himself, but doesn't reveal all of himself. Alright, I think I understand. Thank you very much!

[Rhodevus]

Coffee, Anyone? (Image)
I'm using the generators to make an almost fatherly character. I'm making up everything as I go, but I haven't got far on age or appearance.
I know I want him to have either dark or blond hair but thats about it.
Tips?

How old is this character? IF he is fatherly I am going to guess he is age 40+
Is he balding? Bald?
What job does he have? ever serve in the army?
children? Usually having children is a great way right off the bat to show someone that he is a father figure, rather than just the old-wise-man.