Character Description

[Leama]

Zan,

Thank you for your thoughts I agree with you and I will remove it.

Leama.

[Zhaxor]

The way a person moves, the way they react when another person approaches them, do you see them suddenly turn away down a dark alley when a guard approaches, all things that can be seen and judgements made from.

Eh, I still think that's something you'd pick up as you got to know the person... If I only ever saw you in the tavern, how would I know how you react when a guard approaches?

I think much of the problem with this is that people tend to minimize RP... even people who are into RP don't usually do more than the absolutely necessary for getting their point across.

When I RP, on the other hand, I include facial expressions, what I'm looking at, whether I'm shifting around in my chair, etc. etc. I RP things even if I'm in a room and no one is "RPing with me..." If I'm in Kada's staring at the fire, I may smile wistfully... not because it's the beginning of "an RP" or because I'm trying to draw others into interaction with my character, but because it's something that Phinehas does... So I wouldn't need to include "He tends to smile wistfully when staring at fires," in my description, because I actually do it.

Hmm, ok, good point, maybe my description needs a minor touch up then also.

[emeraldfool]

because it's something that Phinehas does... So I wouldn't need to include "He tends to smile wistfully when staring at fires," in my description, because I actually do it.

Cute. But one shouldn't make the mistake of thinking of their characters as real. That's one of the worst things a writer can do. When your characters become your friends, the range of things you feel comfortable putting them through becomes limited. And suddenly it's not just a figment of your imagination that's being insulted or stabbed...

[Anfa]

Cute. But one shouldn't make the mistake of thinking of their characters as real. That's one of the worst things a writer can do.

Is your character not as real as the world your character lives in? Separating your life and world from your characters life and world is what you need to do, but Anfa has a life of her own separate from me, and in Yialkum she is as real as Yialkum itself is, and her reactions and decisions are based on the actions of her world. 

For sentimental reasons I still keep some OCC stuff in my description, put for the most part I try to stick with only what you would see with a brief look. Anyone who wishes to know more, need only introduce themselves, Anfa is usually quite friendly. 

Cheers

[Raa]

At the end of my main's description, I said something like, "[Everything that you can't see is OOC and should be ignored.]" I wrote that because I haven't updated most of the description since I started playing several months ago. Also, I tend to forget things I don't refer to often, so sometimes I have to use the description as a reminder (not like appointments, I mean for my character's past and etc.). Eventually I'll get around to fixing it all up, but I'm just too lazy.

[Phinehas]

because it's something that Phinehas does... So I wouldn't need to include "He tends to smile wistfully when staring at fires," in my description, because I actually do it.

Cute. But one shouldn't make the mistake of thinking of their characters as real. That's one of the worst things a writer can do. When your characters become your friends, the range of things you feel comfortable putting them through becomes limited. And suddenly it's not just a figment of your imagination that's being insulted or stabbed...

Yes... if you're weak-minded I suppose that could become a problem... for my part I've never gotten so obsessed with roleplay that I lost my perspective on reality. Anfa is right, the character is as real as the world he's in.

[Xillix Queen of Fools]

I would add that not only what you see but what one sees when looking at your character but everything they perceive, appeal to as many senses as possible to create the effect you mean to with your description.

Also settings endorsement for the idea that the blackflame is a 100 percent secret organization. Anyone revealing themselves to be a member of the religion would be killed not by the authorities, but by the blackflame itself (and probably long before the authorities could get a hold of the person).

[Phinehas]

I would add that not only what you see but what one sees when looking at your character but everything they perceive, appeal to as many senses as possible to create the effect you mean to with your description.

I agree, although you still have to be careful... Depending on a person's astuteness they might not be able to perceive as much as another person... So you have to be careful what you give out... I don't want to say, "There seems to be a magical aura about him..." if that's something only a magic-wielder would notice, because frankly there are a lot of miserable RPers out there whose character may have no magic capabalities whatsover who'd be like, "So, you're a mage, eh? I could totally tell by your aura..."

[ThomPhoenix]

Come on, like all wizards have an aura around them. Being good in magic doesn't automatically mean you will emanate some strange kind of light. Unless some experiment went wrong of course, but that's another story.

You just want people to be blinded by your presence, eh Phinehas?

[Phinehas]

I don't have an aura... doofus. It was an example.

[Raa]

I thought your charrie glowed purple?

[Phinehas]

No, not really. And what there is about him is rather different than an aura... nothing so presumptious. And nothing that I'm going to explain in the forums, since Phinehas keeps his secrets close.