RPC has moved! These pages have been kept for historical purposes

Fox · **04-30-2015, 04:11 PM**

(04-30-2015, 03:52 PM)Faye Wrote:
(04-30-2015, 08:52 AM)Flickering Ember Wrote: -Read tvtropes.orgÂ
Beware it's addictiveness though. Anyway, tvtropes breaks down story and character themes into articles. It is the sister site of wiki and can be a good source of inspiration as well.

These were going to be my suggestions, so just gonna quote them instead of repeating them. Just be forewarned, though--the addictiveness of TVtropes is not to be taken lightly! Once you're there, you'll never get out.

I'm going to agree with these. Lol they are suuuuuper addictive, and I always end up losing time there.

Mercurias · **05-03-2015, 01:08 AM**

The thing about generating ideas is that everyone does it. The trick is to realize what is you're doing and hold onto the good ideas.

Start small. Start with a thought. Then look at the thought and see what lies underneath it to discern whether or not it's good ground on which to build a story.

The basic part is just a simple "Hey let's take (insert character/s here) and put them into (insert situation here) and see what happens".

Once you have that thought, poke at it. Think about what needs to happen for that thought, that scenario, to take place. Consider who would be affected by it, as well as what the central conflict is and if it's going to be engaging. Sometimes it'll be a dud. Sometimes it'll be awesome.

An example, you ask?

Hey let's take M'sato Tia (my main) and Erik Mynhier (picked at random because he posts a lot) and get them both kidnapped and shoved into an illegal fighting ring where they're going to be forced to fight one another to the death to see how they'd fight or work together in order to escape.

...Now this idea actually isn't too bad. It gives the following:
-Two characters who don't know one another and could thus get acquainted.
-An illegal underground coliseum, which means there will be bad guys involved who profit from and/or enjoy this. Given that this is a rich person's game? That means the Syndicate.
-A chance for the FRIENDS of Erik and M'sato to get in on it, hunting them down through a trail of clues and rumors.
-A complex conflict. Sato and Erik don't know one another. M'sato isn't a trusting soul, and he comes off as a bitter, angry little ass most of the time. He's also affiliated with a group that has a really shady reputation. Erik is a known Paladin, generally fairly well-liked by the people who know him, and is a known associate of the Immortal Flames. If they don't get a chance to stop and talk things out before they're forced into the ring, they could very well kill one another. We can only imagine that their captors would try to spin any lie they can to keep the two at one another's throats to make for a more entertaining event. Given how the story goes, they might end up working together...Or going at one another with real murder in their hearts.
-The chance to bring in others as additional captives, or even bring in new characters as criminals or guards for the baddies.

So now you've got a story idea. It took me about five, ten minutes to iron out this far after picking Erik, including placing it more or less comprehensively into a post. It gets complicated fast, and I haven't even gone into the things that can be done to nudge the story along.

Just start with a thought, then once you think it's something you can build a story on, go to work.

Steel Wolf · **05-03-2015, 07:57 AM**

Okay, so here's how I wrote Steel, and I'll try to verbalize my thought processes as I crafted her, starting at 2.0

I never played this game before--or at least, I never played it to any great length of time. I had no idea of an RP community until I found this website. So, my first instinct was to place her story after Dalamud went kerplooey. So, how to hide in plain sight? Be a regular-ass resident. Limsa was chosen out of personal preference.

So why do I like Limsa? Pirates, seaside, the leadership, the whole "rogues gallery" with just enough civilization to keep it together. Okay...so a warrior lady. Well, no, swords. I like swords and shields. Born and raised Lominsan, but to a Sea Wolf mother and Hellsguard father as an illustration of the whole "port of many people" thing.

Now, to think of a linking event to her and Dalamud. Well, Carteneau was a terrible event so...someone dies there. Someone she cares about. A husband. Bam--trite as hell, but it works. Write out their romance, write out his death. Have her react from being a simple armorsmith to someone who wants to follow her husband's example. Boom. I has a charrie!

Over the course of my play, I found Paladin to be boring. Didn't like their playstyle--too easy. So...going back to the drawing board. What's happening in the game now that I can use....Beast Tribe dailies. I checked out the Amalj'aa, and liked their line of thinking. Use that. Make her want to become like them. Okay, so what was the triggering event? ...look to the husband again. He's already dead...but....perhaps something....

--SHE'S ACCOSTED BY A PAIR OF THIEVES WHILE SHE VISITS HIS GRAVE. Boom. She's disgusted. She's furious. She's realized she hasn't really made a difference with her current line of action and thinking and seeks a better way. Play with the Amalj'aa. Roll Marauder. Enjoy Warrior tanking, which not only feels good mechanically, but fits her current tone. Awesome.

Dark Knight's coming. She wants more power. She wants to become more than what she is. Her martial prowess is at what she thinks is peak....so now she has to tie it to magic. Become a reaver. Rip shit apart for the good of the realm and to sate her rage against those who started it all.

The first triggering event.

The Empire.

« Next Oldest \| Next Newest »
Pages (2): « Previous 1 2

Story/RP idea inquiry

RPC has moved! These pages have been kept for historical purposes