Character Creation Workshop

Character creation workshop

"Oh my gosh, I'm new! I don't know where to go! where to start! What to do!" These are common thoughts and you're allowed to have them, however, if you would like to get out of the new player smell and roll in the dirt of "well adjusted" Keep reading! Everyone is new, even most of the staff had to struggle with being new, so let this guide get you on a fast track of jumping in and getting somewhere quicker.

There are always questions when you start, always concerns too, don't let these things cloud your judgement. Some people get overwhelmed that we have levels here and that some players have been at this longer so have higher levels. DON'T BE DISCOURAGED! For one, we make it really simple to climb the level ladder here to get on even footing with everyone else and if you aren't a fighter, you don't need to worry about levels! No one can ever force you into a fight, you are allowed to walk away or propose less physical confrontations in IM's.

We strongly suggest making a new character due to starting at the baseline, hard to play a built up character from the start all over again (and we honestly don't want to hear OOC "My character used to me this great thing, I hate this HUD because I can't..." Just don't... We all had to start from scratch, some staff even RE-starting from scratch)

Play your character weakened from the journey, give them more intrigue, give them a reason to carve a place for them. Examples of IC debuffing would be shipwrecked, a spell gone wrong, just a long journey your character was unprepared for, illness, loss of a catalyst of power etc. MAKE IT INTERESTING! Give those around you a reason to revere your character. You don't march into a McDonalds and announce you are a manager at burger king and instantly get any respect. We're here to RP not cling to a happy ending. That's an ending, nothing more to be done.

Also keep in mind, roleplay is acting in a way. Yes we get attached to our characters but you are on a stage with other actors, don't take your work home or in other words OOC, it stays In Character. Robert Downey Jr or Anne Hathaway are not the characters they play in the movies when they go home. If someone's CHARACTER doesn't like your CHARACTER or has problems with their moral compass or what ever it may be creating conflict? That stays IN CHARACTER. Do not debate or argue about Character choices/behavior in IM's or in the OOC Chat or anywhere. That becomes metagaming and no longer a character being played, that's player against player.

== CHARACTER IDEAS ==
The following is designed to be used by you as an aid in brainstorming initial ideas for your character. You don't have to use these; we encourage you to go out on a limb and come up with your own ideas. But if you’re not sure where to start, maybe this will help you brainstorm.

Something to keep in mind: Humor, whimsy, horror, and happiness all have a place.

The best way to get started is to think in terms of answering some basic questions about your character:

1) Who are you?
2) Have you just arrived? Or have you been here a while?
3) What were you before you arrived at the Island?
4) What were you doing when you were ‘taken’?
5) What are your character’s needs or wants? What kind of goals do you have?
6) Are you generally good? Evil? Neutral? Or yet to be decided?

== CHARACTER TEMPLATE ==
The items below are meant to give you a starting point in creating a fully developed character. You should fill out as many of the items as possible, with the realization that they may change over time as your character changes based on roleplayed events.

In addition, this information can be given to another RPer at your discretion, either through in character roleplay or through OOC discussion, to assist in creating roleplayed storylines.

Please note that you do not have to have detailed answers to all of these questions; indeed, keeping the answers as loose and general as possible opens you up to more roleplay than if your answer is tightly limited, especially those dealing with goals, wants, and needs.

For example: “Searching for my father who disappeared years ago” as a goal from life ends as soon as the father is found, or spins hopelessly if he is never found, leaving you without a purpose. Instead, “looking for love and acceptance” is open-ended (and might have its roots in the lost father) and can be used as stimuli and motivation in any variety of situations. If it helps you keep track of these for your own character, feel free to copy and paste the below list into a notecard for your personal use.

Name:
Age:
Sex:
Physical description:
Mannerisms:
Habit or Hook:
Goals and Aspirations:
Current Status/Occupation:
Wants from Life:
Needs from Life:
Major Strength:
Minor Strength:
Major Weakness:
Minor Weakness:

Other items of note:

== UNDERSTAND THE WORLD YOU’RE PLAYING IN ==
Every roleplaying game, inside or outside of Second Life, has rules, game history, and explanations of races and classes within the game.

Seek out and read the information given to you by the admin team. Don't think of it as extra reading, but as gaining a better understanding of the world you are stepping into. You may then choose whether your character knows the information based on your character’s needs, but you, the player, should be as fully informed as possible in order to make good roleplaying decisions.

Additionally, don’t be afraid of “not knowing something”. Talk to your fellow players in character (or out of character as appropriate) to find out the things you need to know. You’ll find that most people are more than happy to help – by definition, the fact that they are here with you means that they want to play too! There is no greater stimulator of roleplay than asking questions of your fellow players.

== WEAKNESSES ==
All characters must have weaknesses. No one is invincible, everyone has a foil. And generally speaking, the more “powerful” you choose to make your character, the stronger your weaknesses should be, to compensate.

Weaknesses can be one of two sorts: player-defined, or racial. Player-defined weaknesses are those that you, the player, have chosen to fully round out your character. Examples could include fear of heights, or being clumsy. Racial weaknesses are those that are defined for the race you play, and are usually “common sense” or based on established folklore (either “real world” or sim-defined). This category would include sunlight’s effect on vampires, or holy water’s effect on a demon.

You should have a few of these, and they should have some substance to them. An aversion to the use of plaid in interior decorating isn’t going to have as much meaning to your roleplay as having the fuels you need to activate that cyber attachment of doom are rare and toxic to your race.

Don’t think of weaknesses as a deficit to your character; in many respects, they enable roleplay and are quite helpful. Besides, no one will want to play with you if you are invincible; a fully-rounded character plays these no matter what the circumstances or results.

== PLAYER VS CHARACTER ==
There is a difference between you and your character; a solid division between the pixelated form on your screen and you, the person controlling that form.

As such, try to keep things in perspective. This is an adult sim, with adult themes, and a lot of heated discussion, anger, hatred, and fighting occurs on a regular basis.

*None* of it is aimed at you. *None* of it is personal. No one in the sim is out to “get” you, no one will hunt you down because they hate *you* as a person or dislike you.

Conflict is set solely inside the world of the characters, directed towards your character, not you, the roleplayer acting it out.

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How to generate RP -- a.k.a. how to combat the "I'm Bored" syndrome.
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1. Are my actions observable and able to be reacted to?
2. Do I have an agenda and a clue of what my character needs?
3. Am I willing to an open ended rp with no fixed outcome?
4. Am I willing to risk defeat in pursuit of rp?