Post by Balthazar007 on Jun 15, 2016 21:10:13 GMT
Non-Player Characters
Non-player characters come in a few different varieties, but they all have one thing in common; multiple people can use them. Let's focus on the differences found in non-player characters.
1st: Single OR Group Characters - This is the TYPE of character sheet that you are creating. Suppose that I am creating a character that has his/her/it's own history and other details that make him/her/it unique; that is obviously a "Single Character". Lets say that I'd like to introduce a group of bandits or a league of merchants into the world; that would be a "Group Character". In this latter case, you will have different information to fill out regarding what these people have in common; other users can then control one or multiple characters from this group in their story.
2nd: Static OR Foil Characters - This is the STYLE of character sheet that you are creating. The character sheet of a static character(s) will never change, and their usefulness is limited by what is described in the character sheet. Foil characters, just like main characters, have a running biography. To use foil characters, you must first ask permission from their creator. When you are done using that foil character in your story, you must reply to that character sheet with a summary of things that happened while you had control of that character; the creator of that character must then add that to the running biography, adding their final twist on how it may have changed the character. In other words, static characters are more accessible, while at the same time, they are more restrictive in what you can do with them. On the flip side, foil characters are harder to manage and get permission for, but they are able to grow as a character, making them more useful and interesting.
Under no circumstances may you kill off or permanently change a character created by another user, unless you have their explicit permission to do so.
Below are a few examples of what info a NPC's character sheet should contain depending on their TYPE and STYLE:
Group - Static
Name: Farmers of Fifth-Earth (What is the group called?)
Race(s): Humans Only OR Any humanoid race (Is the group specific to one or more races?)
Location Restrictions: Only in Hybrida and Camelot (Where can this character be found and used in a story)
Appearance: (What similarities do all characters of this group share? You must provide a description, and you MAY provide a picture.)
Biography: (What is the collective history of this group? Are they tight knit, or are they only grouped together cause of a few things they have in common?)
Personality: (Do members of this group share any beliefs or views on life in general? )
Equipment: (OPTIONAL; What kind of tools and/or weaponry can members of this group be found carrying.)
Restrictions: (What things can't members of this group do? Do they have combat experience? Do they have any special skills? Do they have things that they are universally bad at doing? This is the creator's chance to make sure the character is used correctly)
Group - Foil
Name:
....
Restrictions:
Running Biography
(If you are not the creator of an NPC, you should reply to the character's sheet with a summary of what happened while you were in control of that character. The owner will then need to take that summary and add it directly to the character sheet. The owner of that character should not change or delete anything that is written except for grammatical purposes. The owner does hold the right to add new info on how the character perceived the events.)
Single - Static
Name: Bob (What do we know this character as?)
Race: Human (Simple enough.)
Location Restrictions: (Where does this character normally reside? Can or will this character venture away from this location?)
Appearance: (Description and/or picture)
Biography: (Description)
Personality: (Description)
Equipment: (OPTIONAL; Description)
Restrictions: (What things can't this character do? This is the creator's chance to make sure the character is used correctly)
Single - Foil
Name:
...
Restrictions:
Running Biography
(Same rules as a "Group - Foil" Character)
Non-Player Characters, especially foil characters, is probably the most challenging concept on this site. The payoff is found in the depth that these characters add to the stories that they are in. Please post all questions to the Q&A board. Thank you!
