- Invitation Status
- Writing Levels
- Intermediate
- Adept
- Advanced
- Preferred Character Gender
- Male
- Female
- Genres
- Fantasy, Modern, Magical, Romance, Action, Urban Fantasy
Guide: Making a Character for a Certain Genre
Step 1: Know your Genres
Modern: These are stories and roleplays that take place in the present day, whose technology hasn't advanced to the era of laser beams and levitation. However this also means that Magic can have a place in this genre. Examples of this mix of Modern and Magical are Urban fantasy, Surrealism, and sometimes the romantic Western. So long as the magic exists in present day, it can be called Modern.
Fantasy: Fantasy is typically seen as a genre that has its own world, and is heavily influenced by magic or technology. What makes Fantasy stand alone, and not classified as Science Fiction is its emphasis on the past or magic - or an entire new world itself. Fantasy genres tend to also have different races than just simply human. These races sometimes consist of elves, dwarves, and dragonkin, demon, angels, etc.
Science Fiction: The genre Science Fiction more often than not, takes place in the future. It is a genre that focuses heavily on advanced weaponry, medical care and space travel. As a roleplayer you will most likely find a Science Fiction roleplay filled with space ships, time travel, and light speed space travel. Robots and splicing of one's DNA is also a common element. Different races can exist in a Science Fiction genre, but most roleplays and stories pit the human race versus an alien.
Please note that all genres can be mixed together. Examples are Fantasy/Modern, or Fantasy/Science Fiction.
Step 2: Know what Your GM Wants
What will never get your Character Sheet/Bio accepted into a roleplay is if you don't listen to what the GM has stated. If the GM says that a human race is the only playable race, you cannot play anything else. If the roleplay exists in a certain time frame - say in the past - you cannot make someone whose weapons and technology do not belong in that era. If the roleplay is about the Civil War, your character cannot be running around with a rail gun. The same could also be said with a Science Fiction genre, why would your character be running around with a bolt action gun when there are NPCs equipped with laser cannons?
Aside from what the GM specifically stated, also keep in mind the concept and plot of the roleplay. If the roleplay focuses on a quest, curb your character towards this goal. If the roleplay focuses heavily on action, make a character that knows how to fight. You can go against the grain but make sure that what you have in mind will work with the GM's idea and also with the other players. If you are unsure, send a message to the GM to share your thoughts.
Step 3: Making Your Character
Keeping Steps 1 and 2 in mind, you are now ready to make a character for a certain genre. For the sake of this workshop, we'll say that the genre is Fantasy, and the plot is fighting against a Tribal war band in the desert. The GM has stated that your characters will be the army that fights against this war band and you can be whatever race you wish. Most roleplayers go with the simple but informative Character Template unless a GM has specified that you use a different format.
[SPOILI]Name: Bastien Lor'tha
Age: 27
Appearance:
Race: Elven, this particular race lives in the desert.
Personality: Cunning and silent, Bastien is not one for talking, but this trait is shared by his race of desert elven folk. He is very meticulous with his combat tactics and cares deeply for the weapons he uses to fight with. As far as the people he kills, Bastien is not one for sympathy.
History: He is a hired mercenary meant to fight off the tribal war band that has crossed into the border of the Hastha nation. While he doesn't care much for the political affairs of the nation, he fights because he needs the money and enjoys the thrill of the fight.[/SPOILI]
Step 4: Profit
Step 1: Know your Genres
Modern: These are stories and roleplays that take place in the present day, whose technology hasn't advanced to the era of laser beams and levitation. However this also means that Magic can have a place in this genre. Examples of this mix of Modern and Magical are Urban fantasy, Surrealism, and sometimes the romantic Western. So long as the magic exists in present day, it can be called Modern.
Fantasy: Fantasy is typically seen as a genre that has its own world, and is heavily influenced by magic or technology. What makes Fantasy stand alone, and not classified as Science Fiction is its emphasis on the past or magic - or an entire new world itself. Fantasy genres tend to also have different races than just simply human. These races sometimes consist of elves, dwarves, and dragonkin, demon, angels, etc.
Science Fiction: The genre Science Fiction more often than not, takes place in the future. It is a genre that focuses heavily on advanced weaponry, medical care and space travel. As a roleplayer you will most likely find a Science Fiction roleplay filled with space ships, time travel, and light speed space travel. Robots and splicing of one's DNA is also a common element. Different races can exist in a Science Fiction genre, but most roleplays and stories pit the human race versus an alien.
Please note that all genres can be mixed together. Examples are Fantasy/Modern, or Fantasy/Science Fiction.
Step 2: Know what Your GM Wants
What will never get your Character Sheet/Bio accepted into a roleplay is if you don't listen to what the GM has stated. If the GM says that a human race is the only playable race, you cannot play anything else. If the roleplay exists in a certain time frame - say in the past - you cannot make someone whose weapons and technology do not belong in that era. If the roleplay is about the Civil War, your character cannot be running around with a rail gun. The same could also be said with a Science Fiction genre, why would your character be running around with a bolt action gun when there are NPCs equipped with laser cannons?
Aside from what the GM specifically stated, also keep in mind the concept and plot of the roleplay. If the roleplay focuses on a quest, curb your character towards this goal. If the roleplay focuses heavily on action, make a character that knows how to fight. You can go against the grain but make sure that what you have in mind will work with the GM's idea and also with the other players. If you are unsure, send a message to the GM to share your thoughts.
Step 3: Making Your Character
Keeping Steps 1 and 2 in mind, you are now ready to make a character for a certain genre. For the sake of this workshop, we'll say that the genre is Fantasy, and the plot is fighting against a Tribal war band in the desert. The GM has stated that your characters will be the army that fights against this war band and you can be whatever race you wish. Most roleplayers go with the simple but informative Character Template unless a GM has specified that you use a different format.
[SPOILI]Name: Bastien Lor'tha
Age: 27
Appearance:
Race: Elven, this particular race lives in the desert.
Personality: Cunning and silent, Bastien is not one for talking, but this trait is shared by his race of desert elven folk. He is very meticulous with his combat tactics and cares deeply for the weapons he uses to fight with. As far as the people he kills, Bastien is not one for sympathy.
History: He is a hired mercenary meant to fight off the tribal war band that has crossed into the border of the Hastha nation. While he doesn't care much for the political affairs of the nation, he fights because he needs the money and enjoys the thrill of the fight.[/SPOILI]
Step 4: Profit