How does your RL reflect into your character?

[Branson Thorne]

So it's no secret that RP can be a way of taking on another life.

Often it's someone we wish we could be and so on. However that being said, I'm sure in our characters there are shadows of who we actually are as a person.

 

What similarities do you share between you and your RP character?

 

I will go first as to give some sort of example.

For instance.....

 

MANASA "ROWDY" REED

 

#1. He loves boats, the ocean, beaches, things like that. I also do as well, I have my own 18ft boat I take out and go fishing or just go for a cruise. I try to spend a great deal of time on the water during the spring/summer

 

#2. He is a loner, usually sticking to himself. I'm also like that. I'm incredibly friendly, and enjoy having friends, but more often than not, I'm in my own corner, tucked away by myself.

 

#3. He can be a complete asshole sometimes, totally un-afraid to speak his mind, or to answer a question with complete and brutally honesty. Me on the other hand, not so much an asshole, but I can be rude at times, and very up front with an opinion if asked for mine.

 

#4. He is a relationship pro when it comes to other people's lives, but absolutely clueless in his own. Myself, I can always tell when someone is flirting with a buddy, but I don't know how many times I've walked away from what I thought was an innocent friendly conversation just to have my buddies be like "uhh bro, way to blow her off" and I'm clueless to wait they are referring to.

 

So these are just a few examples, share some of yours!

[Maril]

I try to keep my characters as far away from my own personality as possible. However they are influenced by my general way of thinking.. And then I just really like red hair irl, used to have my hair colored that way but then it started falling out. I like having hair better so, today it's just Nailah that has it ^^ We might also have similar taste in men, sorta-kinda.

[ChewableMorphine]

I like this idea!

[align=center]Flynt "The Hyena" Reddard[/align]

 

[align=center]IC: Snooty rich prick with no sense of morals or a care about anybody but himself.[/align]

[align=center]OOC: Middle class, frugal dork who prefers to care for a close ring of friends.[/align]

 

[align=center]IC: Swears like a sailor[/align]

[align=center]OOC: Swears like a sailor[/align]

 

 

[align=center]IC: No concern for fellow life, combat crazed[/align]

[align=center]OOC: Generally pacifistic[/align]

 

[align=center]IC: Charismatic, devils advocate[/align]

[align=center]OOC: Not as loud, but equally charismatic.[/align]

 

[align=center]IC: No filter, chronic liar and a cheat[/align]

[align=center]OOC: Slight filter, not fond of lying, can't cheat for the death of him[/align]

 

[align=center]IC: Unapologetic[/align]

[align=center]OOC: Horrible, horrible guilt streaks[/align]

 

[align=center]On a physical aspect, facially identical, ICly obviously proportionally larger due to playing somebody far older than IRL Flynt.[/align]

[CrimsonMars]

I am nothing like Chiyo irl, except that we both like martial arts and girls.

[Chris Ganale]

Ganale basically is me with a longer military career and martial skills. Otherwise his past reads having huge chunks out of mine, and most of his likes and dislikes (catgirls!) are mine except for the rain, but he happens to have a disability that acts up in the rain and I don't.

 

Tahz is intended to be a reflection of all my good traits and none of my bad ones, which is why he's pretty one-dimensional. His being a goody-goody, wannabe knight-in-shining-armor is a reference to the fact that I don't seem to be emotionally capable of playing a villain or evil character. A few of his history things reflect me as well; I chose the specific number of challenges in which he failed to become nunh for a reason.

 

Seno is from another setting, where I explicitly made him to be a cooler me, and it's reflected in a lot of his actions and tastes. Less so in FF because obviously it's not a modern setting, but it's still there.

 

The others are either pre-existing characters I just took and modified or otherwise have very few noticeable traits. Ghost is also from another setting where he is another copy of me, but not so much here.

[Cynel1]

Cyneler is a Bit like me with Being socially awkward and saying the wrong thing sometimes.

[N'velhi Tia]

I'm pretty much the opposite of my main, N'velhi.

 

Velhi repels most people with a foul mouth. He patronizes pretty much every stranger he crosses paths with, precipitates fights and is outright gross (flicks booger, openly scratches at his groin, belches, farts as loud as can be) in public. He doesn't take care of himself nor anyone else.

 

I, on the other hand, usually attract people with a sanguine outlook on most things, am usually behaved in public (depending on who I'm with, don't judge) and take good care of myself, and I'm usually very helpful and forgiving. I'm also not particularly fond of how tribes function.

 

I'm also not a pirate, contrary to popular belief.

[ArmachiA]

I think some of Armi's core beliefs are the same, but we're not really that much alike is most aspects.

 

IC: Shy, kind of introverted. Doesn't like being in large groups. Better one on one or in small groups.

OOC: Extroverted, friendly, not afraid of people, better in large groups than one on one.

 

IC: Has entire personalities for her plants and loves romance novels. Likes to Garden, likes to make tea. Collects stuffed animals. Favorite color is White.

OOC: Yeah none of the above. Armi is way cuter than me. I'm kind of gothy. Favorite colors are Red and Black.

 

IC: Kind of passive. Not really much of a fighter. Has no temper to speak of.

OOC: I am brash and loud, and I will fight you if necessary. While 90% of the time I don't have a temper - I tend to speak very neutral - 10% of the time I will be on your ass.

 

IC: Not even a little snarky.

OOC: Do you know how hard it is for a snarky player to play a non-snarky character? I deserve a medal.

 

IC: Not a jealous person.

OOC: Not a jealous person.

 

This is actually an intentional decision I make with all my characters because I honestly believe I would play a jealous character WRONG and make them a little too possessive. Since I'm not a jealous person myself, I honestly have no frame of reference and feel like I would make it more of a parody of people less open then me and it could turn insulting.

 

IC: Bit of a broken bird.

OOC: I'm long past the Broken Bird part of my life. Was able to come to some semblance of sanity years ago.

 

IC: Immature for her age.

OOC: Immature for her age . I still think I'm 25.

[Aaron]

Me and Aaron are nothing alike save for the heavy sarcasm. 

 

Physically though he's nothing like me either (tho I wish I had white hair omg yes)

 

He IS based physical and appearance wise off my obsession with the ice element. Not sure if that's counted though.

 

Other than that me and him are different. Im not a loner in the slightest nor am I reserved. I try to get along with everyone when I can.

[Erik Mynhier]

My rp is not so much based on my life as it is now but more based on my life 10-15 years ago when I was an officer in the service. Granted the rp is very fantasy based, but the core of it is based off of missions both real and training.

 

Erik's personal rp is basically a fantasy rp version of my early life, with names and events changed but basically the same.

[Domri Blackblade]

Besides hating feet and liking women, not much. I really try not to make my characters anything like me and I have a tendency to avoid those that do RP themselves because I worry about OOC/IC bleed when my characters (who tend to be major jerks in a lot of situations) inevitably insult them and their player by proxy.

 

They may think about situations in strange ways because of my strange social tics, but I really do let them take the reins and try to write them as well rounded, very different-from-me people.

 

They do tend to influence each other, however. But that's a different topic.

[Berrod Armstrong]

Berrod likes to work out, so do I. 

 

Uh. 

 

That's about it lol.

[Zelmanov]

I done some flippity floppity with my character

 

physically: 

 

Nothing is similar exception for the eyes. He is way more fit and handsome than I ever could be. 

 

Intelligence: Similar or at least Orrin possesses the same potential for book smarts as I do. He is not a downplay or an idealization of my own intelligence.

 

history/background: 

 

Orrin's only recently journeyed outside of Coerthas, I fly outside country and continent frequently

 

Orrin's adopted and parents unknown, though he accepts them as his own. I am well aware of my heritage, accept it and have my biological parents raise me. Both Orrin and I have parents that at least, to my knowledge seem happy together from 2 diverse backgrounds.

 

Orrin has a Military/Court background, I do not have that, though according to my grandfather(who is Japanese, yes) I am of Samurai lineage so I guess it comes for that.

 

 

Personality:  This is where we are the most alike and different at the same time. 

 

Both of us tend to pay no mind, not resort to force if not necessary. However where I am more passive and tolerant, Orrin by definition of being an Ishgardian is more confrontational and opinionated. However my RL personality tempers Orrin from less religious Zealot to moderate.

 

Orrin's more impersonal and not one for lasting relationships, more like alliance via proximity. 

 

Orrin also has the confidence that I severely lack. He can flirt, get shot down and keep going. I can talk to women fine, just not women I like (though he looks miles better than I do, so that may help ) 

 

Both of us love our fine alcohols

 

In short, Orrin and I would not get along if we existed in the same world. Not enemies, but awkward. We do not share enough similarities to be pals or enough common ground to talk about to be drinking buddies. 

 

 

 

 

Which is fine by me to make a character that can be likeable but not someone I can necessarily get along with.

[Zhavi]

I recently realized I tend to make my characters have dark hair and eyes, which I have irl. Asides from that, there is really not much Zhi and I share in common (besides common things -- for example, she changes her manner depending on who she's speaking with, same as me (and most people, I'd imagine), just in different ways). Skinny little shit that she is.

[Seriphyn]

I am a slender and well-spoken low-ranking United States Air Force technician from London with a university education from Scotland who can't compete with the jacked gym dogs that does permeate some areas of the profession.

 

Kale is my opportunity to indulge in being all hardened, buff, gruff, and militaristic with a big dick also. While I enjoy theoretical discussions IRL, for example, Kale absolutely despises it. He is aggressive, and can be rude if he thinks you're being a waste of space. His way is the only way, and you are all measured by what tangible good you can bring to a situation. Compare an ESTJ (Kale) with my ENFP.

[No Longer Exists]

The Captain is nothing like me, with one exception, we're both capable of being verbose. I wrote him intentionally to be nothing like me, but a way for me to express my aptitude for wordsmithing. 

 

Oh, and I suppose we have the same attention span cause once I get bored, He gets bored.

[Vysce the Lad]

I like to think of my four characters being the four different parts of me.

 

Caen is my joy, Juste is my sorrow, Liam is my anger, and Sugin is my curiousity or intellect.

 

Usually the changes in their personalities from my own are wishes or improvements I wish I could make in my own life... like how Caen's favorite pastime is running, and I don't like running at all irl, but I wish I did. Sugin remembers most of everything he reads and is able to use his knowledge in the field, and I can barely remember anything from my High School classes. Liam like to take apart magitek and figure out how it goes back together, and I can't even put a computer together without a group of people to help out.

 

I can't rp when I get depressed because it shows in my interactions with people... which is a little sad. I feel that's not uniquely my problem though.

[Delilah Scythewood]

It depends. For the most part my characters and I might share a few traits (moreso by coincidence then purpose) but they all have flaws or outstanding characteristics that would make my nose wrinkle if I noticed myself having them or saw someone with them in reality.

 

For example, Lili and Xelra (my main and my mainalt) share a trait with me: insecurity. With Xelra having it a LOT worse then Lili does and myself having it way less then both of the characters though its still in the back of my mind.

 

I tend to purposefully go out of my way to make my characters flawed to varying degrees. Whether it be by a shortcoming, a bad habit, some form of ignorance...usually it's something that's the opposite of what I might be comfortable with or agree with on a personal level but makes it interesting to watch a character with it.

[DeletedUser]

I don't think I have much of anything in common with Inarah... In fact, some of her traits are the precise opposite of mine. I've had characters in other MMOs which were a lot more like me but decided to get out of my comfort zone in this game. It's been interesting playing her, to say the least!

[Val]

I'd like to think that most of our characters have at least some part of us in them, no matter how small. As diverse as my characters are, from the spectrum of Val being only in it for himself to Cyrus wanting to do everything in his power to help people and Melfice wanting to just study them in general, there are small quirks and traits that I've given them that I share with them.

 

As for history, I try to keep my personal life history out of my roleplay, and there are certainly some decisions that my characters make that I wouldn't have done.

[Merri]

There's a few things that Merri and I share in common. Not the least of which is a love of apples. Definitely just sat down at my desk, apple in hand, and went to browse the RPC only to find this thread.

 

Merri and I love us some apples.

[Askier]

Huh. My characters are all cats. I do not have a tail or kitty ears irl.

 

Askier had some similarities at first. Then he went insane and that changed.

 

Jin'li, the emotionless, undead, genocidale valet, is the furthest from myself and I enjoy rping  him the most because he is so amazingly alien to my own brain that I really have to think before each post. Feel I get the best rp out of him.

 

Ki Grimsong is a back stabbing, money loving asshole. First two parts do not reflect me. But yes, I, like Ki, am  a lovable asshole. Lol

[Darien Cadell]

Qhora takes a side of myself that I hate and extends it into a place that every reasonable person should hate.

 

Both of us are shy, reticent, cynical, capable of being vicious, losing friends faster than we make them.

 

Both of us have someone we rely on but hate that we have to rely on someone.

 

Neither of us mind being alone and find more solace in solitude than company, to a point. We're both perfectly capable of entertaining ourselves almost indefinitely.

 

We both love to travel and did a lot of it as children. She actually still can. I can't anymore. That's where I get my wish fulfillment in her.

 

We share some loss.

 

She's very, very angry. I'm not. At all.

 

She has a lot of violence in her past. I have zero.

 

She has severe mommy issues that make her a raging misogynist. I don't. Mostly. Ha! Aww, I made myself sad. /farnsworth

[D'aito Kuji]

Aside from both of us having tan skin and black hair, I tried to make D'aito Kuji the least like-me character so far.  She is not meant to be this mute, shy, wallflower type person like I am.  She's a brave adventurer who takes her role seriously.  She has a more naive sense of right & wrong and struggles to deal with some of the grey areas in the game (the exploitation of the Miqo'te in some places, for example).  I tend to see and think about the grey areas and sometimes lose track of right and wrong.

 

She's less tolerant of the other races and prefers to be around other Miqo'te or Highlanders.  But that has more to do with romantic pursuits.  I'm way more tolerant of others which is a good thing since there's like not very many east asians where I live.  Besides, I like being tolerant.

 

D'aito Kuji is a lot less likely to reveal potentially useful facts about herself.  She keeps her past a secret as she's a runaway from her tribe.  I have a tendency to reveal the most intimate facts about myself to just about anyone.   

 

D'aito is also...er...dumber than I am.  If a plan is excessively complicated, she is far more likely to just decide to jump into the middle of a mob and start swinging her ax around.  She relies on brute force and since I'm tiny, I have to think more strategically.

 

The hard part is actually making D'aito more social.  Since she's driven by me, I have to really push myself to live up to my intention.

[Ryanti]

A lot of RP'ers take the approach of making their characters exactly the opposite of themselves, and yet other RP'ers prefer a more closer-to-self approach.

 

 

For myself, I tend to view it as a way an actor would view a role. If you do something like... compare everyone who has played James Bond over the years, it's relatively the same character. But each individual actor adds their own flare to the role. That own flare really has to do with the quality of individuality. They add a little bit of themselves into the role.

 

I tend to view my relationship of Ryanti as Ryanti being the same man he is right now if anyone else RP'd him. But because I specifically am RP'ing him, I add my own.. flare to it. Just like an actor would a role.

 

That's how I feel about it, if that makes sense.