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Is there any such thing as "too much" when it comes to a back story? - Printable Version

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Is there any such thing as "too much" when it comes to a back story? - Moondoggie - 08-22-2013

I was pondering this in respect to an MMORPG. I'm relatively new to RP in an MMORPG and it's quite different to me in that the story and game world can in many ways shape your character (Much more so because of the amount of people playing as well as the game storyline.) and i wonder how much wiggle room for that people will leave in the whole back story. Some back stories could be a novel in themselves with lots of experiences that make a character stuck in their ways. How well does that work in an MMORPG compared to a more blank slate character that say you know where they came from and their upbringing and the events that bought them into the game world but they have not really become anything in particular yet. 

So how do you normally approach characters in MMORPG? Do you prefer a deep storyline and a "this is who they are" approach or do you shape some of your characters personality by how they experience the world and their interactions with other characters? Do you ever feel limited by your characters back story?

RE: Is there any such thing as "too much" when it comes to a back story? - K'nahli - 08-22-2013

I only write about important events that would explain how they came to be in their current situation or anything that impacted their life in particular ways that affected their personality, mentality or behaviour. Anything normal or not really worthy of note can really just be saved for RP'ing with others. I mean sure, develop information about their interests, family and anything else that may be brought up in the future, but I wouldn't go into too much detail about anything that didn't serve of at least relative importance to your character.

But yes, out of the very few characters I have played so far, I like to leave them open to change, even if it seems unlikely. I love when other people can influence my other characters or vice versa. I am also looking forward to the day I can create a character with a set agenda and probably will never change, but it's all down to the person you want them to be in the end. Do they know who they are? Do they THINK they know who they are? Or do they know nothing at all about who they are and where they truly stand?

RE: Is there any such thing as "too much" when it comes to a back story? - Jomoru - 08-22-2013

In my experiences in MMOs and outside it having a long complicated backstory doesn't help, the character will find his or herown voice in play so its better to have a concept and fill in points as needed.

This is I find especially worthwhile with connections to other characters in an MMO, its good to leave yourself some openings incase you change your mind on things or run into a player that just clicks with you in the right ways.

RE: Is there any such thing as "too much" when it comes to a back story? - faceman7381 - 08-22-2013

In a word....yes.

Writing one is great and is a great creative outlet for you personally.  But RPing in a game is about establishing relationships with others and interacting with them.  That means being somewhat socialable.

 A back story is great but after you reveal it over the campfire or the tavern over a night of drinks then what?  Find out what kind of personality you have and your flaws to get a good idea of how you will interact with others.  This is what really will give you the in road to good lasting RP.

Back stories good for you not necessarily good for RP with others.

RE: Is there any such thing as "too much" when it comes to a back story? - Alexis Price - 08-22-2013

For me, writing a backstory is almost like 'setting the scene' for my character.

I've tried RPing in several different ways on MMOs, and I find it works differently for different people. 

When I create a character with only a very loose idea on their backstory, I struggle to get into their mind and I'm always unsure how they'd actually react to a situation, if you know what I mean? Though I have friends who vastly prefer this style and it works wonderfully for them.

On the other hand, a detailed backstory is something I enjoy creating because it gives me a strong feel for the character and how they would react to situations occurring in game. While a character might be quite set in their ways at first, I find even with a detailed backstory RP develops my character by a huge amount, sometimes turning them to the opposite of what they originally started as in their backstory. 

Though I do see where you're coming from! I really think it all depends on your own style and what you're more comfortable with. Someone might very well think they 'know who they are' only to have their mind changed through meeting others and certain events that occur within RP.

I think both routes are fine to go with, really! You can be as detailed or as loose as you want if you think it'll help make your RP experience more enjoyable.

That's my thought on the matter, at least. Smile

RE: Is there any such thing as "too much" when it comes to a back story? - Clover - 08-22-2013

It depends on the person.

I personally don't tend to give my main characters huge backstories, for "discovery" is a key word for me.

I've often seen RPers whose characters had already gone through everything they could even experience in life in their back stories, so the players got bored quickly (or much sooner than I did) when the real RP started.

There are also people who can make that work for interesting plots, however, so it always depends on your playstyle and what you're looking for. I enjoy finding many kinds of characters when I RP.

RE: Is there any such thing as "too much" when it comes to a back story? - FreelanceWizard - 08-22-2013

(08-22-2013, 07:33 AM)Moondoggie Wrote: So how do you normally approach characters in MMORPG? Do you prefer a deep storyline and a "this is who they are" approach or do you shape some of your characters personality by how they experience the world and their interactions with other characters? Do you ever feel limited by your characters back story?

Can't it be both? Smile As you can see from my wiki page, I have a fairly detailed backstory that covers the time from L'yhta's birth to around when the game opens. That backstory explains a lot of how she came to be and the sorts of behaviors she exhibits. The way I see it, it's easier to tell where a character is going if you have an understanding of where they're from. Additionally, a good backstory offers hooks for other characters and opportunities for RP as it's disclosed little by little over time.

That said, while her backstory informs her personality, it doesn't dominate it. Her "voice" has already changed a bit in RP (I've turned down the "crunchtastic" elements of her speech, for instance, as well as made her a bit less overtly egotistical), and I fully expect for her to grow and change even more over time. Her backstory sets up how she is when the game starts; it's the interactions with other characters that define how she'll be going forward. As a young adventurer, she has a fairly mundane backstory, as all of the heroic stuff is in her future.

I don't generally feel limited by my backstories, since they're just that -- stories of the past. Characters can change from the circumstances that created them, so your backstory shouldn't forever dominate your character's RP. The important things are to have a reason why your character's changed and to do it over a reasonable period of time.

RE: Is there any such thing as "too much" when it comes to a back story? - somrue - 08-22-2013

During RP, you don't go around telling everyone your life story. Even characters you're close to should know all of this because they can use that information against you. Its good to know hey events in your characters life that defined them, but the rest is filler for yourself.

RE: Is there any such thing as "too much" when it comes to a back story? - Cato - 08-22-2013

A character's past can be as elaborate or as mysterious as you like, though I would definitely agree that it's possible for a character to have too much in the way of a background story. It's not necessarily an issue in itself for one's character to have a lot of history behind them - especially since many people in the real world can boast the same thing. 

I do find that it quickly becomes a tad tiresome when someone's character claims to have been involved in anything and everything that came their way, which is when inconsistencies tend to emerge. I think the better compromise is to build up a decent and solid background story for a character but focus upon the present day affairs to add to it through engaging in actual role-play.

RE: Is there any such thing as "too much" when it comes to a back story? - Uther - 08-22-2013

The problem with too much backstory is that you don't leave much room for character development. If your character has already gone through a strong developmental arc, there's probably not much else he or she could learn, and he or she might then be set in his or her ways. Furthermore, the game should be your story, not happen after your story. What's the point in RPing a character who's already done everything and experienced everything? The game is the journey, not the destination. Also, and this is the most blunt reason of all, no one cares. Everyone has their own character history and they're pretty focused on it. When everyone is trying to tell everyone their back story, you get a lot of talking and not a lot of listening. You could come up with a 600 page back story, but it will still fall on deaf ears most of the time. Personally, I keep it simple and streamlined so there's room for development in the future and I don't bore people to death talking about myself. That doesn't necessarily make it boring.

Eko Tenok - The intellectual savage. Eko was born on an unknown jungle island somewhere in the south seas. His people are a sub-species of Miqo'te that can not be defined by Seeker or Keeper. They have no written language, no oral legends, a very limited spoken language, no religion, and only have mastery over basic stone tools. Four cycles ago, Eko was found, captured, and brought to Limsa Lominsa by pirates hoping to make a fortune off of their discovery. He was freed by the Port Authority and taken in by a sophisticated old gentleman who taught him how to speak, read, write and function in society.

That's pretty much it for my character. It's interesting (I think it's interesting at least) and it's streamlined. Plenty of room is left for character development, but he's not just a blank and standard character either. I'm no expert, but I think my character is a pretty decent example of making a back story basic and in-depth at the same time.

Still want to write about your character but you're afraid of adding too much back story? My solution to that problem is writing post-ARR stories. Things that happen to my character after the events of FFXIV. I have a direction I want my character to progress in, and I use the finished product of that as my slate for writing that kind of stuff. That's just me though.

RE: Is there any such thing as "too much" when it comes to a back story? - Qhora Bajihri - 08-22-2013

The only limitation I can see on amount of backstory would be whether or not you can remember it all and whether or not forgetting some of it would bother you.

My character changes as I write him, and that's cool. I just go back and change what I've already got to suit the way he is now, if necessary. Same goes for if I forget something I've already set. I'll just go 'oops' and rewrite it, and if I need an IC excuse for giving two answers, I hit my head really hard, okay!

I usually go into a character with nothing but a basic stereotype. That way I know basic reactions and behaviors that I intend to have and then as people ask questions, I wing it and see what happens. With this guy, I've kind of accidentally gotten him a (relatively) massive backstory due to my sheer pre-launch excitement, filling out questionnaires and writing profiles and such.

I'm not worried about it, though. I just focus on staying creative and flexible in play.

RE: Is there any such thing as "too much" when it comes to a back story? - Alexis Price - 08-22-2013

Quote:Still want to write about your character but you're afraid of adding too much back story? My solution to that problem is writing post-ARR stories. Things that happen to my character after the events of FFXIV. I have a direction I want my character to progress in, and I use the finished product of that as my slate for writing that kind of stuff. That's just me though.


That solution is one I find really interesting, Uther! I think I'll give that a go sometime. 

I found your entire answer interesting, really. Especially the "no one cares" bit! I'll agree with that. The reason I develop a detailed backstory at all is for myself so I can get into the mind of my character. I'm fairly sure no one else ever reads it! Saying that I find myself browsing random wikis when I have nothing busy going on at work, so there is that! But again, that's like maybe one a day, at that. (And while on this topic, I really enjoyed Uther's wiki and his history! The family history angle you did was an interesting read.)

How do you go about writing for your character after FFXIV, though? I know you have an idea for where you want your character to go, so you just use that? I'm the opposite to you in that regard! I plan a detailed backstory but leave the future of my character open to see what happens throughout RP.

I always find it interesting how people take different approaches! I think I'll give writing for Alexis after FFXIV a go. See how I do with it! Big Grin

Edit: I'm terrible with spoiler tags AND quote tags, it seems. Sad

RE: Is there any such thing as "too much" when it comes to a back story? - Uther - 08-22-2013

(08-22-2013, 12:09 PM)Alexis Price Wrote: That solution is one I find really interesting, Uther! I think I'll give that a go sometime. 

I found your entire answer interesting, really. Especially the "no one cares" bit! I'll agree with that. The reason I develop a detailed backstory at all is for myself so I can get into the mind of my character. I'm fairly sure no one else ever reads it! Saying that I find myself browsing random wikis when I have nothing busy going on at work, so there is that! But again, that's like maybe one a day, at that. (And while on this topic, I really enjoyed Uther's wiki and his history! The family history angle you did was an interesting read.)

How do you go about writing for your character after FFXIV, though? I know you have an idea for where you want your character to go, so you just use that? I'm the opposite to you in that regard! I plan a detailed backstory but leave the future of my character open to see what happens throughout RP.

I always find it interesting how people take different approaches! I think I'll give writing for Alexis after FFXIV a go. See how I do with it! Big Grin

Edit: I'm terrible with spoiler tags AND quote tags, it seems. Sad

First of all, I'm glad you enjoyed Uther Skystrider's wiki! I put a lot of work into that character, so thanks for the kind words. 

As for writing about my characters' futures: I like to break my character up into three parts. Pre-FFXIV, FFXIV, and post-FFXIV. Obviously this is back story, game itself, and future. Back story I try to keep simple and streamlined like I said earlier. (I also edited that post to give an example of one of my character's back stories) I see it as sort of an origin story for my character. 

That's a good analogy, lets roll with that.

If you think of your character like a Western (or American) Super Hero, you have your origin story (pre-FFXIV). Origin stories are easy to understand and easy to draw personality from. For instance, Bruce Wayne's parents get shot = Batman broods a lot, Clark Kent is raised on a farm by two loving parents = Superman is a really good guy, etc etc. Then you have your actual story, or FFXIV. This is like your hero's career. Batman starts off working against the law fighting mobsters, eventually working with Gordon to fight villains, Gets and loses sidekicks, villains become more intense, eventually the whole story goes from one guy vs. the mob to a bunch of heroes in outer space or whatever. Everything cool that happens to your character happens here in the "FFXIV" chunk. It's still full of call backs to the origin, or "pre-FFXIV" era though. Then you have your "post-FFXIV" era. The future. Sticking with the accidental Batman analogy, this is your The Dark Knight Returns era. The war is over. You're retired. But there are always references from your "FFXIV" and "pre-FFXIV" life that force you back into the game. Your character is old, experienced, and has nothing left to learn. This part of the story is just freebie time. Want to kill off your character? His or her career is already over, go ahead. Want to make your character live happily ever after? Up to you. This is my favorite part to write, because I can do whatever I want with my character and it won't effect how I RP them now. Plus, I'm a fan of the "seasoned hero" archetype and I love The Dark Knight Returns and Kingdom Come.

I hope that makes sense.

Also, I've read a ton of wikis too in my free time. They're nice, but I'll never be able to stick a face with a wiki at launch.

RE: Is there any such thing as "too much" when it comes to a back story? - Alexis Price - 08-22-2013

(08-22-2013, 12:30 PM)Uther Wrote: I see it as sort of an origin story for my character. 

That's a good analogy, lets roll with that.

[Explanation words here!]

I hope that makes sense.

Also, I've read a ton of wikis too in my free time. They're nice, but I'll never be able to stick a face with a wiki at launch.
Yep! It made perfect sense. Thanks, it's something I'm definitely going to try out for myself.

As for the latter point, I'm the same! Though in a way I guess that's a good thing. While I enjoy reading a character's history, I like my character getting to know people ICly. So finding out a history IC is something I enjoy, too!

RE: Is there any such thing as "too much" when it comes to a back story? - FenixDarkblaze - 08-22-2013

Well, I think it's all in the execution. A person could have the most detailed backstory imaginable, but if they weave it in a way that leaves zero room for character development or interaction, then it will fall flat. Part of RP is having the world and interactions shape your character. At least to me. But on the flip side, a person who again weaves a long, detailed backstory and manages to leave the character room to continue growing and changing.. So yeah, I think it just comes down to the execution and what the person writing the character feels most comfortable with and able to pull off the best.

As for myself, I tend to go for a minimalist approach to character backgrounds -- Leaving enough that there is a solid path that leads to where I begin playing the character in live RP, but I try to avoid great conclusions in backstory. I prefer to play my characters at the beginning or in the middle of the big events that will shape who they become, and let the rest of the world decide who he/she turns into.