PlaneShift

Gameplay => General Discussion => Topic started by: Illysia on October 07, 2016, 01:51:57 am

Title: RP Workshop - Character Development 3
Post by: Illysia on October 07, 2016, 01:51:57 am

The purpose of this guide is to help you flesh out your character’s appearance but also tailor it to help you RP. While it is good to personally have in mind what your character looks like, remember that not every single detail needs to go into their description.
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• What is your character’s general facial expression?
  
  • It is welcoming or approachable?

• What color are their eyes?

• Do they have any prominent facial features?
  
  • Do they have any other prominent physical features? Long arms, big ears, head too small for their shoulders?

• What is your character’s sex?
  
  • Do they appear clearly as that sex or at they more ambiguous?

• What is your character’s body type? Fat, slim, muscular, stocky, willowy, etc?

• Do they have hair or fur?
  
  • What does it look like naturally?
  • How is it styled?

• If you have a Kran, what does the bulk of their rock look like?
  
  • Do they have any interesting veins?

• If you have a Klyros, do their scales lay in interesting patterns?
  
  • Do the scales themselves have any noticeable properties? Dry, small, large, almost hexagonal, etc.

• What kind of clothing do they wear?
  
  • Do they wear armor?
  • Do they have more than one outfit?
  • Is there a general theme or style linking their various outfits?
  • Is there a story behind what they wear?

(Keep in mind that a reason for wearing certain clothes can flesh out your character)

• Do they wear any other items? Sacks, pouches, jewelry, belts containing knick knacks, etc?
  
  • Do these items reflect elements of your character’s backstory?
  • Could you add in appearance elements that directly involve your character’s backstory?

The following questions are meant to help with deciding what goes in the description

• What is your character’s current mood and how is that reflected in their appearance?

• What few things would stand out at first glance?

(Remember, when you first meet someone you won’t see everything at once…. partially because it would be rude to stare that long. Consider what other characters would be able to see in that brief interval before the staring becomes creepy.)

• Does your character wear a cloak, mask or other article of clothing meant to conceal their identity?
  
  • Would wearing such an item in in public actually draw more attention to a person in real life?
  • Do they actually need to wear this clothing all the time?

• What appearance elements will tell someone else’s character about who your character is?

• Can you cut back on some of the details already in your description?

(While a highly detailed description can provide a wealth of knowledge, especially when it comes to identifying characters later, it can also be overwhelming. Remember that the description window is small and that people have to scroll. If your description is too involved, people are more likely to give up reading before they see it all anyway. Just give the gist. Leave the bulk of detail to actual RP where those elements may be more relevant.)