Suggestion for Change to the Character Creation

[Illysia]

I think the character creation events section could either use a change or needs to have a slightly different section added before or after it.

Most of the time, people choose the events they think will give them the skills they want for their character. However, very few bother to roleplay those events, and to their credit it isn't an easy thing to do. In a way this greatly limits the events section as there is a finite amount of events, and an infinite number of ways people would like their character to be.

One way to improve this would be to sit down and just crank out event after event. Not only would that take an inordinate amount of time, I would put money on the person doing it going stir crazy.

Another way to handle it would be to have a personality traits section. For instance, say I want my character to have higher charisma because it is a charming character, but I don't want charm school to be in the history. If there was a traits section you could choose traits instead of events and get similar stat changes. People would probably be more likely to remember and roleplay those.

True it is a pretty small thing, but I think it would help whether it was added into the Character Creation or replaced the events entirely. Not only would people probably use it in their roleplay, it would probably help people when creating the personality for the character.

Honestly, many people make the character first and personality second. This way, you would be doing both at the same time. In addition to traits, you could choose "inclinations". This would allow your character to either favor (gain skill in) different professions, or maybe way in the future, not be able to learn some skills and learn others faster.

[verden]

Events could easily be translated into traits and used in the same way. If this was done, the player could be presented with a list of various traits and asked to describe their character. It would work the same way as it does now, just classifying the choices differently.

[Prolix]

Personally I went through and mapped out all the effects from the various options, I'm sure I'm not the only one. However as the game goes there is one strategy for character creation that stands alone if you are going to use the game mechanics at all and that is to maximize strength and endurance as much as possible. This is because in the beginning you are so weak that it is extremely hard to do anything and you need physical stamina and carrying capacity just to be able  to level. I do not particularly like the creation concept as it stands, it is not terribly original, T4C had something like it in the 90's. Eventually someone does what I did (more diligently even) and it gets out how to game the system. It is far better to allow people to create their characters the way they like than to try to obscure it so the sheep get whatever crap characters they get and the wolves have the best that can be. People will still make mistakes and wind up with inefficient characters but at least they will have a better idea why their character stinks and can try to apply what they learn to their next character.

[khoridor]

Indeed, events are removed from the character description as soon as the game starts, are quickly forgotten, and the character background is rewritten entirely.
Besides, saying you got strength, for example, from guarding this or living there doesn't make sense when you quickly realise IG that you are a wimp anyway; all your stats are ridiculously low compared to the average citizen.
Yes, the creation process only consists of browsing a long, heteroclite list of events, reading way too long and precise texts for the sole purpose of guessing how it will affect your figures. These events should at least be short, vague, and flexible in interpretation.
The system fails to promote RP, and even to keep people in setting, as many just will ignore their forced choices altogether. It only succeeds in giving you an approximate character, one you have to guess what he actually can and cannot do until you validate it.

It'd be best to first choose your stats and skills as you see fit, then to proceed with a series of events that help you create your background and explain how you became who you are; without affecting your chosen figures. Vague events such as: birth, where you lived, your family size, love affairs, joys and fears, religion, etc. Grouped by themes, not like the big soup it currently is.

Ah, and please early mention which stat a skill uses: How silly is it to learn a magic way that is based on your lowest stat?