The Importance of History.

[V'aleera]

Playing a character the likes of which is constantly subjected to scrutiny, a meticulously planned and thorough backstory has proven to be extremely necessary and extremely valuable for a number of reasons. The first and most important being that it establishes narrative credibility by outlining how this exceptional circumstance came to be. Creating a well thought out backstory that can be viewed publicly also has the added benefit of providing a degree of personal credibility for myself as a player by demonstrating the thought and work I have put into the character.

[Zelmanov]

RP is unique in its trappings that unlike a novel or movie, where a character's backstory can be revealed in an exposition dump or piece-meal ONCE and move on, RP cannot afford the same luxuries for the same audience is not always present.

 

 

So what if you have a wonderfully crafted back-story? Many of us RP'ers are cut from the same cloth as wannabe actors and writers, we want to SHOW our work. I feel a lot of us eventually want someone to know all about our character eventually, to understand them beyond say, their flirting at quicksands. 

 

To which I say Background is important in how your character acts, their perceptions, their allegiances, their skills, their ability to form connections and what types of connections. I personally want someone to know about my backstory, its why I made a Wiki, its why said wiki has a long list of "You can know this about Orrin without me shouting Metagaming/godmodding" but I also endeavor to make my actions be reflections of his history.

 

But what happens when you are someone turning over a new leaf? The reformed thief? The Soldier who can't erase the blood stained on his hands? Or in my case, the Dragoon questioning his faith. How long do you keep that SECRET? How many months do you let someone live their life before their past comes back to haunt them? And what do you do when it comes? Does it then become the realm's worst kept secret? 

 

To this, I answer that do not allow your character to be tethered too tightly to the past that you created. The background that is created in synthesis with other players should, eventually take precedence over the one your character has at "birth". That is not to say that you have to get rid of it all at once. You can make a checklist of things that will be resolved (or never will) and if there is something so monumental and important that can't be resolved without fundamentally changing the character, you stand at a precipice for real character growth and development and if it turns that character into something unfun to play, it may be then that you retire and create another.

 

Embrace the transience of your character, that what makes them real, human. If their arc concludes and they are in "Happily Ever After" mode, start anew, relegate them to cameo status.

 

I think I got off base >_>

[Gegenji]

But what happens when you are someone turning over a new leaf? The reformed thief? The Soldier who can't erase the blood stained on his hands? Or in my case, the Dragoon questioning his faith. How long do you keep that SECRET? How many months do you let someone live their life before their past comes back to haunt them? And what do you do when it comes? Does it then become the realm's worst kept secret?

 

This is what kept me from working on a Wiki for Judge for the longest time. While his background is important for who he is and how he acts, it also is a massive spoiler that I don't want to just... give away. Revealing bits of his past strikes me as something that would be fun in and of itself, and I worry how much would be lost if the person I was playing with just looked and went "Oh. Huh." and their reaction ends up tarnished.

 

On the other hand, it's one of those things that... well, Judge is rather out there as a character anyway. I play him like a FFTA Judge, for one, and all that comes with that. I feel it necessary to have something so that the person I'm playing with has a chance to know what they might be getting into - and can decide if that's something they want to deal with. And yet, trying to write something that is both informative and vague at the same is... difficult.

 

My current thought on the matter is to have the spoilerish bits of background behind spoiler tags (since you can do those in the wiki) along with a warning of what it is. That way it is there if people want to know, but you actively have to pop it open to see it, leaving those who want to still be surprised able to read the rest of the page without seeing something spoiled.

[Otte]

I'm the type that creates the basic framework first, and then throws that character into the world to see what they end up building onto and under that frame! 

 

I usually only have a idea of what I want the character to be like, for example their base personality, still without the quirks or mannerisms. It might be just a concept of a "a quiet bookworm", "Tall scarred ex-nunh" etc. 

After that I put them into the world, start RPing them, and watch them grow in that enviroment. At that point I start wondering what made the character to act like they do, or react to certain things like they do, or why are they there, at that very moment. And that way I slowly build up their backstory! Sometimes the character even takes a completely different direction from what I was initially planning.

 

Sometimes the backstory never gets shared and just works as a base, or a pool I can pull from when I imagine what's going on in my character's head. It depends how open the said character is, some of mine wouldn't talk about their past to anyone, others would be happy to talk when asked.

[Lilia Lia]

My current thought on the matter is to have the spoilerish bits of background behind spoiler tags (since you can do those in the wiki) along with a warning of what it is. That way it is there if people want to know, but you actively have to pop it open to see it, leaving those who want to still be surprised able to read the rest of the page without seeing something spoiled.

 

I dunno... you might as well just omit them at this point?  Even having spoilers in there cues people off to the fact that there's more than meets the eye, and there's something fun in gradually raising people's eyebrows about your character through roleplay instead of having them suspect something off the bat.

 

I guess depending how the disclaimer is worded, like "this section contains details that I would rather reveal through roleplay."  But I'd still think that you can work around saying such things explicitly.

 

I know it's tempting to share your work when you put so much thought into a character backstory but you don't want to compromise your RP experience.

[Gegenji]

I dunno... you might as well just omit them at this point?  Even having spoilers in there cues people off to the fact that there's more than meets the eye, and there's something fun in gradually raising people's eyebrows about your character through roleplay instead of having them suspect something off the bat.

 

I guess depending how the disclaimer is worded, like "this section contains details that I would rather reveal through roleplay."  But I'd still think that you can work around saying such things explicitly.

 

That's where I'm at an impasse. Is it really all that bad for there to be clues that there's more than meets the eye - both in-game and out? Of course, this is JUDGE we're talking about and he stands out quite a bit already, but I do like the idea of people thinking there's more beneath that armor than an old war vet who talks loudly.

 

And, again, it's also sort of a warning system to me, I guess? I mean, if someone's character believes they're a physical manifestation of Menphina or something, wouldn't that be something you'd like to know? Not so much for the "ew, I'm not playing with that" factor, but more to know what you might be getting into? And whether that is something you might be comfortable RPing with?

 

I dunno. I think it's because I'm doing something... something that might be well out of the norm for some with Judge? I just think it's something that might not be someone's cup of tea and I'd like them to have some manner of way to know. But at the same time, I don't want to just straight up give it all away - which would still happen if they opened the spoiler bit in the Wiki.

 

Blagh. :dazed:

[Arik]

Whenever I'm creating a character, I usually start at what I want for the *present* first. 

 

Namely--- I try to come up with a personality I'd like them to portray, a specific skill or two I'd like them to be proficient at (or even horrible at), and maybe a certain career or calling. Then, once that is all said and done, I use the history itself to explain the why's and how's behind those traits.

 

For this purpose, history is incredibly important to me-- but that doesn't necessarily mean that I let the history control the character. Rather, I use their past as a way to augment and round out their present into something dimensional for me to work with in RP. 

 

As a result of this, the history is a direct reflection of the character's personality and vice versa-- a character with more complex behavioral patterns should naturally have a more complex backstory to explain why they are the way they are. Conversely, the less complex a personality, the less complex their story needs to be to explain it. (Of course, there are always exceptions to this.)

 

Age is another factor that plays into the significance of a character's history. A young kid fresh off the farm has much less backstory to contend with than, say, a fifty year-old war veteran who surely had to have experienced a few things that helped to shape them into the individual they have become. It would seem strange to give that average farm kid an overly elaborate history jam-packed with action and superfluous details, just as much as it would seem off to leave that veteran's history totally uneventful or lacking in substance.

 

As has been mentioned a few times already though: my character's history is more for my own benefit than it is any one else's. Sure, it might come to be useful for people who happen to get close enough/dig deep enough, but for the most part I'm the only one that needs it. 

 

Additionally, even when I write profiles or what-not for character databases, I make a point to omit some (sometimes even most) of the sensitive or important information so as to avoid killing the mystery. Of course, I try to include "hooks" so speak in both the writing and the story to hopefully grab people's curiosity-- like perhaps an extension of a major life event into 'present' day to play out-- but if you want to know the details, you'll likely have to try finding out ICly and over time by involving yourself in that character's story. Even then, however, I have played countless characters in RPs-past whom actually never had their backstories explained or revealed ICly-- and sometimes, it's better that way.

[Asmodean]

I dunno... you might as well just omit them at this point?  Even having spoilers in there cues people off to the fact that there's more than meets the eye, and there's something fun in gradually raising people's eyebrows about your character through roleplay instead of having them suspect something off the bat.

 

I guess depending how the disclaimer is worded, like "this section contains details that I would rather reveal through roleplay."  But I'd still think that you can work around saying such things explicitly.

 

That's where I'm at an impasse. Is it really all that bad for there to be clues that there's more than meets the eye - both in-game and out? Of course, this is JUDGE we're talking about and he stands out quite a bit already, but I do like the idea of people thinking there's more beneath that armor than an old war vet who talks loudly.

 

And, again, it's also sort of a warning system to me, I guess? I mean, if someone's character believes they're a physical manifestation of Menphina or something, wouldn't that be something you'd like to know? Not so much for the "ew, I'm not playing with that" factor, but more to know what you might be getting into? And whether that is something you might be comfortable RPing with?

 

I dunno. I think it's because I'm doing something... something that might be well out of the norm for some with Judge? I just think it's something that might not be someone's cup of tea and I'd like them to have some manner of way to know. But at the same time, I don't want to just straight up give it all away - which would still happen if they opened the spoiler bit in the Wiki.

 

Blagh. :dazed:

 

I'd say the best way to hide there is more to your charcter without adding to a wiki page would be the rumors you have for him. I'll use my own as an example.

 

Asmodean seems to a simple traveling warrior. Hard worker and heavy drinker nothing seems out of place for the most part but of each teir of rumors I hint there is a darker part of him. Some thinking he may be a voidsent in Hyur form and a few feels at if Death it's self follows him. Even people who once knew him before the Calamity can see something is different.

 

Most RP will never his darker side unless they show up at the wrong place wrong time and will thinking these rumors, if they even read about them, as nothing but gossip. It's all about how you hide it in plain sight, maybe even leave a note if you want to know more about so and so, send a pm or something and you can let them get idea ooc if they want to rp with your Judge.

 

I know for myself, throw anything at me so long as you aren't godmodding or out right breaking lore, I'll be fine to rp anythingso long as it makes sense for Asmo.

[Dravus]

I think it's important for a character to have a fleshed out backstory but at the same time I feel like the most common mistake many role-players make is placing far too much focus on the past rather than the present or future.

 

If a character claims to be a mercenary or seasoned soldier who frequently goes out into the world to put an end to threats then I want to...see that. Hearing the occasional tale in a tavern about that character's past exploits can be fun but if that's all they do then it becomes very stale for me.

 

It's largely why I deliberately designed Graeham to be young and impressionable. He has a backstory, yes - but the stuff happening around him is what is shaping his present and future.

[Nero]

I'm extremely picky when it comes to choosing who I roleplay with, so for me a backstory's primary function is to help me evaluate how a writer treats their character and a narrative, and the nature of the backstory also helps conceive possible avenues of interaction if I become interested. Thus I can gain a pretty clear idea as to what kind of roleplayer they are and whether or not we'll be able to mesh together reasonably well.

 

Are the events in the backstory consistent? Are those events plausible? Do they respect lore? Is the backstory centered solely around a character's success and their achievements? What, if any, seems to be the central idea behind the character? How extensively does this writer emphasize their character's "special" abilities? How much attention is given to flaws or failures? Are these flaws or failures presented with melodrama or angst? How justified are their character's attitudes towards certain topics? How reliant is their backstory on NPCs? Is this backstory presented as an objective retelling of events in sequence, or as a self-indulgent biography meant to garner awe or sympathy?

 

So yes, backstory is pretty important for me because it helps me decide who I'd like to interact with and also signify who, as roleplayers, I wouldn't get along with very well.

[111]

I like to go back in time.

 

As in I start with a simple concept, and then RP with people to flesh it out. I just make things up as I go along, and eventually that stuff coalesces into a backstory.

 

For example with Evangeline, all I had at the start was that she was exiled for being a heretic, and she hates tyrants and slavery.

 

As I RPed more and explored the nuances of those basic things, the details of the backstory sort of arrived. I felt like I knew who Evangeline was, right at the moment I started RPing her, but I wasn't sure how she got there.

 

Having played her for six months or so I'm now ready to fill in the gaps, and I've been writing snippets of her backstory. I don't think I could ever just whip up a complete and detailed backstory without playing the character for a while and getting a feel for them.

[Caspar]

Generally, when I make an rp character, I plan out a concrete back story that explains everything I want to do with them. First I think of what I want to do, even if it's just a vague idea spawned by various influences. I mix the ideas together and come up with a personality to attach to them and an aesthetic impression, sometimes a concrete mental image of how I want them to look. I think about what basic idea or theme I want the character to convey and draft a background to reflect it. If I make them a skilled martial artist, I want to have an explanation ready for it that I think will interest people and provoke thought or comment from their characters. If I want them to be socially inept, then I must think of a reason for them to lack experience socializing. It's partially because when I get an idea I tend to want to spew it out onto a page or text file somewhere, and partially because I think having a solid answer keeps me consistent, and I'm very forgetful.

 

As for the wiki, It's not like I'm aiming to be particularly deep or anything; I don't take myself that seriously. I feel like aiming for pulpy entertainment is as worthy a pursuit as trying to create some sort of exclusive cadre of tightly interwoven characters styled as actors in a play or a novel storyline. I'll freely admit to thinking "this character was cool, and I'd like to make something along the lines of that in my rp," and doing my own take on the same archetype. I like cliches a lot and I want to use them smartly. However, I do sort of want to provoke a reaction in people who play with me, and entertain them. Thus using my history and having it openly displayed in a really extensive profile feels to me like a good way to give people a more detailed view of what kind of rp they should expect playing with my character. When people interact with me IC and OOC tell me they think Virara is funny, or a scene made them sad, I find it really gratifying. (More the latter than the former, by the way.) Naturally if people react that way when they see her history on the wiki, I think that would be swell too, so I try to go the extra mile there too. A staggering amount of my characters have had ridiculously detailed profiles down to the type of cigarinos they enjoy or their favorite toy as a child, and only got slightly used in IC. Such is the nature of forum rp with flakes. But if I could impress even one person and entertain them with my open profile, I feel like at least I managed to make a really cool character.

 

I don't do this only for the character's history either. Future and present developments are of course mutable and subject to change. However, I typically have envisioned goals for what I want my character to do and act like later on in their development, and actively try to put them into situations which move them in that direction. If the plan changes because of someone's actions, then no big deal, but oftentimes I'll have four or five potential futures envisioned for the character planned out to their moment of death, and generally those unexpected happenings will fit into at least one of my plans in some way.

[Darien Cadell]

I like to go back in time.

 

As in I start with a simple concept, and then RP with people to flesh it out. I just make things up as I go along, and eventually that stuff coalesces into a backstory.

 

For example with Evangeline, all I had at the start was that she was exiled for being a heretic, and she hates tyrants and slavery.

 

As I RPed more and explored the nuances of those basic things, the details of the backstory sort of arrived. I felt like I knew who Evangeline was, right at the moment I started RPing her, but I wasn't sure how she got there.

 

Having played her for six months or so I'm now ready to fill in the gaps, and I've been writing snippets of her backstory. I don't think I could ever just whip up a complete and detailed backstory without playing the character for a while and getting a feel for them.

 

This is what I do, too. I have a concept, I go out and play it, and I add the backstory as I go. If someone asks a backstory-ish question that I don't know the answer to yet, I make one up on the spot. Or more often, I come up with a lie because my characters do that kind of thing, but meanwhile, I write down the truth somewhere else.

 

I also like to do those "100 questions about your character" things, but only after I've started playing them, so the base concept fills out with history over time. Even my amnesiac character ended up with an extended backstory, and it was fun for him to remember it in bits and pieces over the time I was figuring it out. I definitely don't start from Day 1 with everything already figured out.