ooc Making a Background for your OC

[GreyScholar 1,584]

When you look at a 'completed' character, you will notice in many times there are still a number of unanswered questions: Who were the character's parents? Are they still alive? Does the character have brothers and sisters? Where was he born? Does he have any notable friends or enemies? Are his parents wealthy or are they poor? Does he have a family home? Is he an outcast? Is he civilized and cultured, or barbaric and primitive? What are his goals, desires, and hopes? What are his or her feelings on what is going on around him and where does he go? In short, just how does this character fit into the setting you place him in?

 

Of course, I don't have to do all the work in my settings. Each of you can provide most of the energy, enthusiasm, and ideas needed. My task is to provide direction and control.  I try to allow players to decide what kind of ponies (or otherwise) their characters are. One could be a rough nomad, another an over-civilized fop, others, homespun farmboys or salty seadogs. I let you decide, and then tell you if, and how, your characters fit into my roleplay world. A carefully well-crafted character background can do more than just provide emotional satisfaction. It can also provide motivation for your characters to undertake specific adventures.

 

A character can have parents to avenge, long-lost siblings to track down, a name to clear, or even a lost love to recapture. Background can be used to build sub-plots within the overall framework of the roleplay, enriching character descriptions, and interactions. Background should not be forced though,  technically I cannot insist that a player take upon his character a things that don't make sense or that they wont like. Yet at the same time the player choosing to have lets say an alicorn will have certain challenges that would be greater then that of any other race (a big example).

 

A character's background is a role-playing tool. It provides the player with more information about their character, more beginning personality on which to build. It should complement the setting (currently the Equestria Divided roleplay) and spur it forward. Background details should stay there—in the background. What your characters are doing now and will do in the future is more important than what they were and what they did. Yet at the same time a pony's background will effect them, what they do, what they think, how they act... while one can put their past behind them but it will always follow them and even guide them towards the future.

Edited December 30, 2012 by EquestrianScholar

[The Original 571]

*single tear* That... was beautiful. Bravo i must say. Even thought i already knew most of this, should help everyone else out ^-^

[The-Master 1,176]

Are you getting that annoyed with the Equestria Divided submissions? I've read some of them and would accept them even if they doubled the length.

[~Lawful Sturdy Wing~ 522]

-sigh- thank you.. Now I need to go and continuing working on Sturdy Wing's backstory more, which sucks because I am more concerned with his present and future -goes off to write-

[GreyScholar 1,584]

Are you getting that annoyed with the Equestria Divided submissions? I've read some of them and would accept them even if they doubled the length.

No not so much that, it was actually partly for those that were struggling with their bios as well as a reference for those that still wish to make an OC or have not already.

-sigh- thank you.. Now I need to go and continuing working on Sturdy Wing's backstory more, which sucks because I am more concerned with his present and future -goes off to write-

Well the fun thing about players having something of a past, a backstory is it allows the 'Game Master' or 'Story Creator' (whatever you want to call me and even my Moderators) is that we can then use the information from said backstory to create subplots or non-player characters. You have friends, family, or loved ones or certain events in your past I can use such to add drama and show my players that I wish to involve them in the story.

 

*single tear* That... was beautiful. Bravo i must say. Even thought i already knew most of this, should help everyone else out ^-^

 

Your welcome, for me making a detailed character brings the character to life. My MLP Character Creation motto is "A Happy Pony is a Detailed Pony"

 

It also has the added benefit that because these roleplays are free form it allows me the chance of making sure a player doesn't create an abuseable character... which it is possible some might still be which means some OCs are ones I have to watch closely.

Since there is no real rules or gaming mechanics to make sure characters are balances with each other or not too powerful I have to create some sort of structure and even 'rules' to character creations.

Edited July 13, 2014 by EquestrianScholar

[Troblems 5,617]

I've moved this post to Creative Resources, since it offers tips and tricks on imaginative projects.