Character Creation
1. Pick a character type
The first thing to remember about your first ever RP character is that you probably don't want to play him/her forever. Some people get lucky on their first try but most others take a few tries to find a role that they really fit into. The primary purpose of this character is to allow you to explore and be the first stroke of paint on a blank canvas.
Since Urban Roleplay contains everything the real world offers us, character types with all its permutations can create a list ranging in the hundreds. Instead I will broadly divide it into what aspects you need to pick instead. I would recommend you do your own research to find a role you really like :
If you skipped over a lot of the learning the lore section, you are probably very confused by this point. The next obvious question I usually get is what would be a default safe bet for you to use to look around and decide. My answer is the simplest most unobtrusive character you can create which in most places happens to be an unskilled worker. Someone who will take on odd jobs just to make ends meet. That way you can learn, observe and ask questions in roleplay.
Since Urban Roleplay contains everything the real world offers us, character types with all its permutations can create a list ranging in the hundreds. Instead I will broadly divide it into what aspects you need to pick instead. I would recommend you do your own research to find a role you really like :
- Species : Asphyxiation Point is a modern day Urban Roleplay SIM. There is only one species allowed on SIM : Human.
- Ethnicity : You can be anyone you please but make sure you play a cultural background that you know and understand. Doing so will prevent you from coming across as condescending and/or racist.
- Profession : While it is fine to be a drifter, most adults are defined by how they earn their livelihood. Are you a fireman or a surgeon? A shopkeeper or a shopowner? What kind of business do you run? You don't need to come in with a job but try and think of what skills you want your character to have.
- Class : Were you born into riches or rags? What was your upbringing like? If your financial status changed during the course of your life, have you had enough time for your outlook towards life to change? These are the kind of questions that are important to determining class membership. Class is in fact very important at Asphyxiation Point since we have classes spanning all the way from low to high each more suited for a given section of town.
If you skipped over a lot of the learning the lore section, you are probably very confused by this point. The next obvious question I usually get is what would be a default safe bet for you to use to look around and decide. My answer is the simplest most unobtrusive character you can create which in most places happens to be an unskilled worker. Someone who will take on odd jobs just to make ends meet. That way you can learn, observe and ask questions in roleplay.
2. What is your character's personality?
Once you have picked your character type you may start defining your character. The first thing actual RP thing you'll want to do is choose a very simple character description to start out with, something to define what your character is. Since you will be fleshing out the details later, start with a very simple one or two word description. Maybe something like "cheerful and friendly" or "tough but sensitive". Avoid terms which make it hard for you to roleplay with others at first for example saying "Gruff and rude" means that your character actively drives most people away and is probably a very difficult role to play except for the most seasoned role-players around other seasoned role-players.
The purpose of these key words is to define how you should play your character. Most rookie role-players start with words that define their real selves. Which is both good and bad. Good because acting like yourself frees you up to concentrate on other things such as the roleplay around you. Or to work on better telling your story and the like since you are not having to think on your delivery. Bad because this also means your character feels very very similar to your real self and it takes some effort not to confuse IC/OOC (Already discussed under Roleplay Basics). Since it is a trade-off, I would say start with whatever makes you feel most comfortable.
The reason I encourage you to start off with just two words is simple. There are certain personality traits you want to highlight and some that you don't. By starting off with just two words, you define those traits that define the very essence of your character. Feel free to add various nuances and quirks over time - either when fleshing out your background story or during roleplay itself.
The purpose of these key words is to define how you should play your character. Most rookie role-players start with words that define their real selves. Which is both good and bad. Good because acting like yourself frees you up to concentrate on other things such as the roleplay around you. Or to work on better telling your story and the like since you are not having to think on your delivery. Bad because this also means your character feels very very similar to your real self and it takes some effort not to confuse IC/OOC (Already discussed under Roleplay Basics). Since it is a trade-off, I would say start with whatever makes you feel most comfortable.
The reason I encourage you to start off with just two words is simple. There are certain personality traits you want to highlight and some that you don't. By starting off with just two words, you define those traits that define the very essence of your character. Feel free to add various nuances and quirks over time - either when fleshing out your background story or during roleplay itself.
3. What is his/her reason to exist?
Roleplay is all about interacting with other people. Role-playing by yourself has no real purpose. A certain amount of roleplay of course is created by the very role you pick. For example, if you are a Fireman you may be called upon to fight fires within the city . Or you may be healing a wounded officer as a physician.
But more often than not, it is the story-lines you create yourself and not the ones which are fed to you that create the most interesting roleplay. For example, your character might have been separated from his/her sibling at birth and now goes city to city following up little clues as to their whereabouts. It's a really simple purpose and no such person needs to exist in reality -- but it is a reason for being around. More importantly, you do not just have a reason to travel, you have got a reason to talk to other people as well and ask them if they've happened to see your precious sibling in their travels.
Now, please don't use this as a standard formula. Try to be inventive and come up with your own reasons or all role-playing sims will be filled with people traveling from city to city looking for their lost siblings. Also, don't be afraid to let your purpose evolve over time.
But more often than not, it is the story-lines you create yourself and not the ones which are fed to you that create the most interesting roleplay. For example, your character might have been separated from his/her sibling at birth and now goes city to city following up little clues as to their whereabouts. It's a really simple purpose and no such person needs to exist in reality -- but it is a reason for being around. More importantly, you do not just have a reason to travel, you have got a reason to talk to other people as well and ask them if they've happened to see your precious sibling in their travels.
Now, please don't use this as a standard formula. Try to be inventive and come up with your own reasons or all role-playing sims will be filled with people traveling from city to city looking for their lost siblings. Also, don't be afraid to let your purpose evolve over time.
4. Flesh out the background story
Now that you have given your character a personality and a purpose for existing, the rest is simply up to your creativity. Try to explain his personality and purpose for existing by means of a background story that defines your characters origins and how your character got to be who the way they are. The key point here is simplicity. You do not want to be writing an essay if someone asks you your story. If it takes you an essay now, after you have actually role-played for a bit, it may become unwritable. More importantly, as a starting character you want to make other people talk instead of talking too much yourself so as to better observe them.
Some things to think about can be :
A few points of note while doing the above :
Some things to think about can be :
- Your character's origins ( What city/culture/economic level they were born to? What kind of family? etc. )
- Growing up ( Any significant experiences made him/her what he/she is )
- Their relationships ( Family / Friends / Significant others. Are they still alive? Maybe lost? )
- Likes and dislikes ( and how they developed those likes/dislikes )
- Social and financial status ( and how they got there )
- Skills / Expertise ( and how they developed those )
A few points of note while doing the above :
- Stick to the basics : Only write enough of a story to explain your character and his/her personality. You can flesh him/her out along the way.
- Make sure you give your character some weaknesses too : Else he/she will lack depth. Remember, no one is perfect so don't try to make your character perfect.
- Physical appearance, traits etc : Your character's physical attributes say a lot about your character. Make sure your background story takes into account the same. Same applies to other attributes such as intelligence, eyesight, hearing, communication skills and the like.
5. Improvise and revise
No background story is going to anticipate every question that may be asked of you or every roleplay situation that arises that may force you to draw on it. That's one of the reasons to focus on simplicity in making your background story in the first place. There are less places to trip up and contradict yourself. You will inevitably end up improvising once you get into roleplay anyway either because of questions people may ask you or because of hints more experienced role-players give you that your story may not be entirely believable. While you do not want to change your background story dramatically after you have already entered roleplay, small changes can be easily made by claiming you weren't entirely truthful the first time.
More importantly perhaps, note that your character will not stay the same forever. Your personality and your story will evolve over time. Keep adding onto it depending upon your experiences in roleplay and keep revising your story at all times so that you have an ever evolving character. A little common sense goes a long way here. While it is easy to read online resources and pick up a new skill for your character, ask yourself if your character would truly be likely to do so. Maybe it would be better off if you created a new character for that purpose instead of making your first one a jack of all trades.
More importantly perhaps, note that your character will not stay the same forever. Your personality and your story will evolve over time. Keep adding onto it depending upon your experiences in roleplay and keep revising your story at all times so that you have an ever evolving character. A little common sense goes a long way here. While it is easy to read online resources and pick up a new skill for your character, ask yourself if your character would truly be likely to do so. Maybe it would be better off if you created a new character for that purpose instead of making your first one a jack of all trades.
