Detailing characters

[MT++]

I was ruminating (as I am wont to do) over how to increase the connection between character and player.

I hate characters that are a series of stats, sometimes to the point that the player names them Fred because they don't feel like making up a name

How does this sound

Pick two things you do really well
Pick three things you do well
Pick two things you do poorly
Pick one thing you are a failure at
Pick a word to describe you

examples:

Private Soldier, Infantry
Endure Deprivation, Run Like Mad Under Fire
Stay Alert, Chat Up Women, Get a Car Running
Read Literature, Not Smoking
Understand Science
Stoic

Lawyer
Remember Quotes, Get on a Soapbox
Boss People Around, Write Beautifully(Penmanship), Appreciate Wine
Be Patient, Treat People Fairly
Roughing It (Think Fraser Crane)
Slick

Scout
Identify Starships, Endure Boredom
Hold His Liquor, Practical jokes, Spit Polish Starship
Tolerate Officers, Keep His Uniform Clean
Handle Open Spaces
Grease-Monkey

None of these really have a game effect most of the time but they add something. And not just extra skills or abilities

 

[N.I.C.E. Labs]

that's a good way to do it. Simple and puts the player's hands into it. There are a few things that I've encountered that might help you as well.

We did this for our D20 D&D characters and you might modify it to help you....If you're not familiar with the Herobuilder's Sourcebook, it's a great aid for finding out not only what a character is, but why he is and where he came from. Things like family members living or dead, childhood memories, rivals, mentors, reputation, family secrets. It really helped to flesh out our characters and I'm sure it could be modified to work for Traveller easy enough.

Another thing is what's happening in a Traveller game I'm in....Sort of a reference to Rule #9: "Don't let good Role-playing get in the way of good Role-playing." The GM has given each player secret histories and motivations...in certain instances to the point of going outside the rules and our stats. For example, my character is an ex Marine Lt. Col. who had spent most of his service in a Special Forces unit (which was spooky when I rolled him up in Mercenary and he was sent into the Commandos for most of his terms). His unit was a group of experimentally trained killing machines. They're so nasty that the GM has ruled that stats no longer apply. I can fight normally, but if I access that certain part of my character's brain...armed, unarmed, friend or foe. It doesn't matter. Whatever is in range of my character dies. No rolls necessary. Here's the kicker. After being used this way in the war and piling up countless bodies right down to women and children, my character is understandibly freaked out. So much so that he is now a devout memeber of a church that believes ALL sentient life is sacred. Now he not only WON'T kill, he won't let anyone around him kill....even bad guys. If forced to kill he becomes a basket case mourning over the dead.

So....in a unique way my GM definately gave me something other than my stats to concentrate on.

The third thing you can do works very well and for Traveller is my personal mode of choice. Use the stats as personality indicators Here's a generic character:

10 8 7 6 6 9 Gambling-2, Jack-o-T-1, Tracked Vehicle-1, Shotgun-2, Mechanic-3

Describe the character with his skills and stats now.... He's a strong guy (10) who is fairly bright (6) though he didn't go through school much (6). Even so he's likeable and well thought of (9). He likes to takes risks and thinks on his feet (gambling & J-o-T). He's good with his hands and prefers the simpler things to dazzling technology (mech and ATV). He uses a shotgun because of his days growing up hunting waterfowl on his uncle's agricultural preserve.

Now that collection of stats is a person. Add a name and you've got a good start to a giving your character....some character

 

[Gerald]

If you can find them, the old Central Casting books from Task Force Games, specifically Heroes for Tomorrow, are wonderful sources for ideas.

 

[Shadowdancer]

Another good resource is the character creation rules for Cyberpunk 2020. It has a flow chart series of charts for use in rolling up a background. Nothing like Traveller's prior history, but it does give you family, siblings, old flames, enemies, etc. Plus things like mentors and cherished items you might own. Provides some good character role-playing hooks, and some adventure hooks.

 

[Stormraven]

Originally posted by Gerald:
If you can find them, the old Central Casting books from Task Force Games, specifically Heroes for Tomorrow, are wonderful sources for ideas.

While I agree they're a good source of ideas, I feel it's necessary to point out that the authors of the books wrote them very explicitly from their own philosophical and religious background, and they are very derogatory of certain lifestyles.

This doesn't invalidate them as sourcebooks, but I feel that people should be aware of what they're getting if they purchase them.

 

[Liam Devlin]

QB][/QUOTE]
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Uhmmm STormraven??? I own a copy of Central casting, have used it for many years...and have never once perceived what you have revealed...

"the authors of the books wrote them very explicitly from their own philosophical and religious background, and they are very derogatory of certain lifestyles.
This doesn't invalidate them as sourcebooks, but I feel that people should be aware of what they're getting if they purchase them."
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Since I have purchased it, used it, "what" did I "get myself into?"

Mind you, I'm not flaming ya , I'm wondering what the heck ya mean, thats all ?

 

[themink]

Any background book is going to desribe a background if is going to be at all useful in it's intended purpose.

Every background contains assumptions based on the universe. These are invalidated by the flick of a refs pen.

So if your trav universe has planets which only allow female immigrants, make it a crime not to use a Gene clinic and make female children compulsary at those clinics (For example) then having a table which tells you how many brothers you have isn;t as useful as you might hope.

Similarly for line marraiges, clans, creche babies, clone factories etc etc etc

There are at least a million different lifestyle choices detailed in modern SF (I never exagerate) even if only as examples. I use them with gay abandon and I figure most other refs do so also. (My female engineer Character had a clone mother who had a clone mother etc - one gene line goes back 5 generations that I know of - It isn't important other than she doesn't "understand" sexual differences in a visceral sense - which affects gameplay. So far the characters haven;t talked about "growing up" so it hasn;t come up in conversation)

Lifestyle choices that High tech Science allows is part of the phase space of SF.

I seem to have departed from my origional topic: Any background book contains assumptions, it can do nothing else. You have to accept that if you are going to use those sorts of books.

 

[Liam Devlin]

Mink's point is well taken. For that matter, ye dinnae need CC or HFT to "roll-up" background data-one can get enough from Sci Fi movies, and more plentifully, books!
(my example was a PC from a line marriage of 4 fathers, 3 mothers, 26 siblings...on Hefry. Belting was the family trade...so he joined the Scouts instead...!)

 

[Stormraven]

Originally posted by Liam Devlin:
QB]

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Uhmmm STormraven??? I own a copy of Central casting, have used it for many years...and have never once perceived what you have revealed...

"the authors of the books wrote them very explicitly from their own philosophical and religious background, and they are very derogatory of certain lifestyles.
This doesn't invalidate them as sourcebooks, but I feel that people should be aware of what they're getting if they purchase them."
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Since I have purchased it, used it, "what" did I "get myself into?"

Mind you, I'm not flaming ya , I'm wondering what the heck ya mean, thats all ?[/QUOTE]

I said 'getting', not 'getting into'. One specific thing I noticed was that bisexuality/homosexuality were listed - in every one of their books that I got - as 'dark side traits'. Bad. Again, I don't think it invalidates their use as sourcebooks, but it was a bit of a surprise to me. There were others, and I know in at least one, they mentioned that they wrote them from their own beliefs, and offered no apologies. For which I applaud them, even though I disagree with a lot of what they believe.

Like I said, they're good resources.

 

[Liam Devlin]

Stormraven posted:
"I said 'getting', not 'getting into'. One specific thing I noticed was that bisexuality/homosexuality were listed - in every one of their books that I got - as 'dark side traits'. Bad. Again, I don't think it invalidates their use as sourcebooks, but it was a bit of a surprise to me. There were others, and I know in at least one, they mentioned that they wrote them from their own beliefs, and offered no apologies. For which I applaud them, even though I disagree with a lot of what they believe.

Like I said, they're good resources.
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Hmmm, listed Bi & Homosexuality as "Darkside traits." Hmmm.
And this is the opinion of the authors. Well, blessed be, they're entitled to their opinion (and they got it published).

But as any GM here can tell ya, we dinnae use every wee thing in every book. Thats why this is on this IMTU page.

Personally, most of my ex-Army/ USAF gamers are straight. I have two bisexual gamers (females) in our association "The 319th Gaming Sqdn", as well as my own daughter, a widowed lady of 44, and her two sons (19, & 17). What the two ladies do in private does not enter the game, nor in table banter. I dinnae discuss my bedroom life being a gentleman, and ask that no one share theirs.
It has come up "in character", but not in any negative way. I may be an enlightened heretic. We all in the long run make choices and decisions of what to use, not use in our games; whom to invite, or not within our groups. Happy Holidays regardless of how you take this!

 

[Stormraven]

Originally posted by Liam Devlin:
Stormraven posted:
There were others, and I know in at least one, they mentioned that they wrote them from their own beliefs, and offered no apologies. For which I applaud them, even though I disagree with a lot of what they believe.
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Hmmm, listed Bi & Homosexuality as "Darkside traits." Hmmm.
And this is the opinion of the authors. Well, blessed be, they're entitled to their opinion (and they got it published).

See above. I don't blast them because of their beliefs. Nor did I say 'don't buy these, because of this'. I simply said 'This is what these are like. They're good resources regardless, but I want to point it out, so that if someone purchases them, they're not surprised.'

 

[Liam Devlin]

Stormraven:
"See above. I don't blast them because of their beliefs. Nor did I say 'don't buy these, because of this'. I simply said 'This is what these are like. They're good resources regardless, but I want to point it out, so that if someone purchases them, they're not surprised.'
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I didn't say you were blasting them(see above).
You give hue and cry on these issues in these books, and i asked a question, "why?".
To warn other people they might find beliefs offensive/ contrary to theirs with in them seems to be the answer. BUT you have given me the topic for another day...inspired me, actually STormraven!
Thanx fer particpating, and welcome to CoTI, btw!