Personally I do RP aging. Keep in mind that most of roleplaying doesn't last many years, so although you character ages, the difference is barely noticeable on their look, as one or two years hardly bring any change.
My FFXI RP experience is now at its 5th year, about always with the same character. In this one case, his aging is more noticeable, not only in how he looks (I started with Kenjii as 23, now he's 27 years old), but also his behavior matured a lot, and went from a jerk youth to a more mature, battle-harshened rough man, still with some stubborn spurts. I'll say I never really had to 'be careful' in making my behavior fit my IC age: it all came naturally. I matured with the character, and don't feel the urge to RP him as I did five years ago. All the RP experience in my mind, all the memories I have of his IC adventures helped me keep him age psychologically, and that helps give an idea of an older man even though his avatar OOCly doesn't show any change of aging.
All in all, I think the physical aging in XIV will be even easier to demonstrate thanks to the barber we'll be getting. After some years of RP, you could add some gray to your hair, which does make a lot of difference in the age one shows to me. And who knows, we could be getting the option to change scars too in the future ^ ^ Looking forward to it!
My FFXI RP experience is now at its 5th year, about always with the same character. In this one case, his aging is more noticeable, not only in how he looks (I started with Kenjii as 23, now he's 27 years old), but also his behavior matured a lot, and went from a jerk youth to a more mature, battle-harshened rough man, still with some stubborn spurts. I'll say I never really had to 'be careful' in making my behavior fit my IC age: it all came naturally. I matured with the character, and don't feel the urge to RP him as I did five years ago. All the RP experience in my mind, all the memories I have of his IC adventures helped me keep him age psychologically, and that helps give an idea of an older man even though his avatar OOCly doesn't show any change of aging.
All in all, I think the physical aging in XIV will be even easier to demonstrate thanks to the barber we'll be getting. After some years of RP, you could add some gray to your hair, which does make a lot of difference in the age one shows to me. And who knows, we could be getting the option to change scars too in the future ^ ^ Looking forward to it!
To be an interesting, intriguing, well-written character, there needs to be something to allow the audience to relate to them. That is what the problem is with who wants their character to be "perfect". Perfect characters will never be strong, and strong characters will never be perfect, because WE (those who read, who watch, who RP) are not perfect.
"What makes a strong character is how they deal with their flaws, their fears, their turmoils, their troubles that get in the way. That's what makes them relatable." -- N.C.
"What makes a strong character is how they deal with their flaws, their fears, their turmoils, their troubles that get in the way. That's what makes them relatable." -- N.C.
