Character Creation 101: Better Characters are a Click Away!

[Rhodevus]

Strong Heroes!
Lovely Damsels!
Mischievous Villains!

There are thousands, if not millions of different characters that have been created on this website alone. Used to move roleplays forward or demonstrate national power. Someone to bring to influential weddings, or play on sports teams. With so many different types of characters and characteristics to give them, how can someone new, or someone old create a character that they will be happy to use, time and time again?

Welcome to Character Creation 101!

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This thread will allow people to begin character creation, or to continue it into something you will be happy to use. Discuss anything relating to RP characters, such as motives, backstories, emotions.
Help each other create that true hero, dastardly villain, or even that perfect morally gray masterpiece.

Remember, the whole point of designing characters is not to have a character to play as, but a person with which a story can be told about. The goal of any writer or roleplayer, is to make their character feel like a living breathing human (or not) being. It is how we describe them in our paragraphs. Their little quirks and charms. What they are scared of and what they love. Design people and the perfect character will follow.

Classroom Rules:

1. By posting here,you are accepting the fact that your characters and designs will be criticized and critiqued beyond imagine. People will be trying to help, but it is your decision to listen or not.

2. Don't offer useless critiques. Make sure to be constructive and thoughtful. If you do not like another's idea, do not assume that your ideas will fit theirs.

3. Be respectful to everyone. Most importantly, the Principal. AKA Rhodevus

4. All site rules apply here.

5. This thread is mostly OOC, but if you wish to, posting in IC is always allowed, if not regular.

Moderator Gold Stars
We have received a gold star from everyone's favourite Game Moderator:
Euroslavia!

Websites that might help out with character creation:
Name Generator
Backstory Construction
Character Profile Generator
Tips for creating Memorable Characters
Character History Help
Creating believable characters
On Writing Morally Ambiguous Characters
Morality, Alignments and Loyalties
Point of View Writing
Character Personality Development
How to RP good characterization
Use of Astrology in Character Creation
Astrology Chart
Helpful Character Dev and Creation/Name Generators
How to Design a Character: From the Paedagog Roleplay Group

Introductory Example
Designing Female Characters as a Male Writer
Stopping Character Blur and Self-Inserts
Changing Character's Personalities Over Time
Atrology for Creating Characters (Guest Speaker: Fashiontopia)
Character Sheets
Backstories
Using the "Show Don't Tell" Story Trope
Emotions in Action
RP Symposium Lecture 1
Rp Symposium Lecture 2

To Be Added:
Organization of Character Creation Websites

[Capsland]

wow those links are quite helpful <.< I use the name generator and got "Alexandros O'Hannigan". No matter what anyone says, that's the best name for an evil guy, in the world... I might just use it in my fackbook xD He can be a Representative or something.

[Rhodevus]

If you need any help to flesh out that character, you know where to go!

[Grand Britannia]

Definitely needed a thread like this, my characters could use some fleshing out.

[Allancia]

Incredibly helpful. I will try and post in the future, if possible, as I like narrative oriented nations (IE: I want to make Allancia more narrative oriented). Ergo, tag.

[Neema]

This has been needed for a while.

[Larthinia]

Thank you dude, this will help a lot. Not only to me, but to other fellow RP'ers.

[Ainkolezetor]

Looks great!

[Insaeldor]

You deserve a medal

This will be extremely helpful not only to the new guys out there but also to the older guys on here. While I like to think I'm a good and well established guy in the II forums I will definetly be making use of this page and its links.

[Blakullar]

Definitely going to bookmark this thread and recommend it to others.

[NyanInk]

Bookmarking! Its so hard to come up with names lol

[Ammerinia]

Bookmarked. These tips are amazing.

[Rupudska]

Behind the Name has a name generator now? I was unaware. This further confirms that BtN is best name finding site.

May put up a few characters here for review.

Also might I suggest getting this stickied?

[Insaeldor]

Behind the Name has a name generator now? I was unaware. This further confirms that BtN is best name finding site.

May put up a few characters here for review.

Also might I suggest getting this stickied?

I was thinking the same thing, how would we go about getting it stickies? Just put a post up in moderation?

[Rhodevus]

Let's get the actual Character discussions going. So, back stories.

Back stories are tricky to do right off the bat, but can become easier obviously with practice and spacing out how often you think of the character back story. For example, I use four main characters. Each of them needs a unique history before that roleplay as well as a reason for why they act the way they do. Both of these things together create a character's back story.

I am going to start by going through the development of my most used Character, Queen Diana Wolff.
I started creating this character in my first few days of nationstates. It started with a name, a position and a gender. That was it. It was a start at least. I realized prior that achieving that perfect all-around character is hard to do quickly, so I allowed Diana to grow through RPs so that I could get a sense of how I wanted her to act and behave in certain situations. Once her present self was how I liked it, I turned to her history.

Why does she act calm in diplomacy meetings. yet rash during war time?
Why is she treated like a child by these people, but as a leader by these?
etc.

Each question needed to be answered. Over time, they do get answered, but it leaves more questions in its place. Some can be roleplayed, while others must be written down outside of an RP.

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So, first topic of business for today. Do you have a character/characters that need proper backstories? Are you unhappy with your back stories you have already created? Or do you want to update it?

Do you have any examples of characters that you made?

And as always, we are here to help build/create your characters with you to make them as life like as possible.
Yes, this is just a long worded bump

[Insaeldor]

As per the topic I must say I am fairly happy with my main set of characters I use to RP with but I feel as far as characters go I have a terrible time with female characters who so far in my writing have only been side characters because I don't feel comfterble in my ability to make a good female character but I would like to make a strong yet feminent character to RP with. So far my female characters have ether been men with breast and vaginas or a par of walking tits who act more as plot divides to show of my Kings love of his authority and I'm not big on ether.

I simply don't have a clue how to properly RP a female, would anyone have any suggestions? Or should I just keep working with male characters?

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So as for actual back story I think my most highly developed personality is King Varúlfer who I've always played as a well intention yet manipulative leader who has been slightly corrupted by his power changing from an idealistic progressive to a lustful, foul mouthed, and jaded centrist. Although I haven't RP'd him in his youth I think I've developed him enough to make him a believable character when I RP with him.

[Rhodevus]

I simply don't have a clue how to properly RP a female, would anyone have any suggestions? Or should I just keep working with male characters?

HEADS UP: THIS POST WILL SOUND VERY SEXIST, BUT IT IS NOT MEANT THAT WAY AT ALL.

I tend to use more female characters in my RPs than male ones. Not because I find it easier to RP as women, but because it allows you t explore deeper emotions. Women tend to be more expressive with their emotions, meaning that you are able to relate past events that caused emotional stress to present RPs.

Not saying that men are not emotional, it is just that they tend to cover it up, in order to preserve their "manliness". In essence, RP female characters just as you would male ones. Don't be scared to give them "male"roles or characteristics. Allow the characters to grow just as you would a male one.

If in her past, she was in the middle of a war, make her more inclined to fear or become uneasy in war scenarios. Just like any male character
Be open to changing her language to more appropriate language. As in using certain, more thoughtful words in certain scenarios. Again, not trying to be rude or anything.

damn... hard topic to explain without sounding sexist, mean or rude...

continuing on, Again, RP female characters just as you would male ones. Over time, it will become easier to do.

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quick methods to success:
-READ books that have lead female characters. "The Demon King" is a great example.

-Watch movies/shows with female leads. Again, one I watch as an example is Agent Carter

-Finally, don't stop practicing. Don't like how a character is turning out? Kill her/him off to make way for a more diverse and "human" character. Do not recommend this one, but I have friends who do this all the time.

sorry if I offended anyone in this post.

Edit: Original post Edited Tue Apr 11 2023 8:50 pm.
Ha, Well, I was wrong there. Writing female characters as a female writer confirmed. lmao

[Rezua]

I'm going to tag this. I will need help defining some characters more.

[Insaeldor]

Thanks Rhod! I'll try out a female main character here in my next major RP.

[Rhodevus]

And of course, if anyone ever finds useful websites for character creation feel free to TG them to me, or post them here for me to add to the OP.

[Sungai Pusat]

This thread has now been tagged. By me.

[New Kvenland]

Get it? 'Cause it's a tag? Ahahahaha...

I already knew of the name generator, and have used it countless times, but the other websites are great. I do plan on posting a character soon. Thanks!

[Allancia]

(Image)

Get it? 'Cause it's a tag? Ahahahaha...

I already knew of the name generator, and have used it countless times, but the other websites are great. I do plan on posting a character soon. Thanks!

Mobilmachung tag. There, that should give world war 1 buffs a laugh.

[Insaeldor]

Rhod think this could be put in the OP?

[Rhodevus]

Rhod think this could be put in the OP?

perfect!