When it comes to amnesia, I feel like it can be done very sloppily or very well. Which is why I also agree with researching cases of amnesia to see how it works in real life and how it can be played.
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It really depends on how you use it. For example, I've played Chouwa for almost over a year now. When I gave her the amnesia, I wasn't intending on retconing anything that had happened to her prior to the memory loss.Â
Everything that had happened still happened, Chouwa had forgotten certain events. All the characters who knew her still knew her, she just wouldn't remember some faces.
If you play your cards right, amnesia can be a good plot tool. For example, Chouwa was recently remembered someone who she was very close with before the amnesia, someone she had treated like a stranger after her accident. The next time she meets him again she's going to apologize.
Do your research, plan out how your character is going to react, and if you're giving it to a character who's already out in the world, make sure to let roleplay partners know the amnesia is a thing.
Quote:I'm also thinking about what difference if any it makes to you, that such an element is placed in a character's background versus being done in for example a year-old character. Does the latter end up seeming more like a "lazy" retcon?
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It really depends on how you use it. For example, I've played Chouwa for almost over a year now. When I gave her the amnesia, I wasn't intending on retconing anything that had happened to her prior to the memory loss.Â
Everything that had happened still happened, Chouwa had forgotten certain events. All the characters who knew her still knew her, she just wouldn't remember some faces.
If you play your cards right, amnesia can be a good plot tool. For example, Chouwa was recently remembered someone who she was very close with before the amnesia, someone she had treated like a stranger after her accident. The next time she meets him again she's going to apologize.
Do your research, plan out how your character is going to react, and if you're giving it to a character who's already out in the world, make sure to let roleplay partners know the amnesia is a thing.
