Character Creation Guide (For beginners)

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Peach
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Joined: Sat Apr 13, 2013 7:58 pm
MC name: Peachi3xx

Character Creation Guide (For beginners)

Post: # 38Post Peach »

Ah... Yes. Creating a character for the first time. Sounds like a daunting task? Well no fears, 'cause lil' old me is here to walk you through it. - Peach

Archetypes

If this is your first character, focus on creating a fun foundation which to expand on. Don't over think on creating a "unique" character (trust me, they've all been done), but rather leave lots of room for development and change. It is the individual experiences and reactions to them that truly creates a unique character.

Here's a few standard types as examples to begin the ball rolling:
The Wise Old Man (Sage) - Professor Oak - Intelligent, helpful, experienced, and physically weak
Trickster - Jessie and James - Defies conventional behaviour and rules
Mother - Brock - Caring, kind, and sensitive
Hero - Ash Ketchum (Red) - courage and a will for self sacrifice

Personalities

Now we can begin shaping them. This is where we can start to be a little creative. The experiences we establish to the character's past life should ultimately effect his/her decision making. Let's begin by imagining their childhood.

Were the parents kind or abusive? Or did they spoil their child rotten?
How many siblings? Where in the family hierarchy does your character stand?
Did they grow up with Pixelmon pets? Or were they sheltered from it?
How's the family finances? Is the family rich, poor or in between?
What line of work is their family in?
Where did they live?

This should lead you to a line up of ponderful questions but the most important one to ask yourself is:

Because of these experiences...how does my character respond?


Tips: We recommend that beginner roleplayers keep their character's past experiences at a minimum. The more experiences that are pre-established, the harder it will be to stay in-character.

Appearance

Oh-ho! Appearance. If you couldn't guess it- that's right! Appearance is suuuuuuuupppper important. Think about the amount of time we spend each day grooming ourselves for public life. Think about that one pimple that stood out and bothered you. Maybe not- but does he or she have an old injury that hinders their flexibility? Perhaps it leaves them with a limp. Maybe there's an apparent scar that makes your character stare at the floor when they walk. Or maybe they wear a hood to hide it. Perhaps your character is from a long line of Rock-type trainers making them unnaturally pale from the lack of Vitamin E? Its up to you. Really!

Here's a simple appearance template to help you begin questioning your character:
Skin: (Rough, smooth, ivory, pale, etc)
Hair type: (Long, wavy, short, tied in a bun, etc)
Body type: (Stout, curvy, skinny, etc.)
Height: (7 feet should be the tallest any character can become)
Eyes: (Color, shape, etc)
Facial hair (if any): (Beard, hairy chest, etc)
Fashion: (Dresses, suits, fedoras, neutral colors, etc)
Accessories: (hats, bags, pocket watches, glasses, etc)
Habits
Habits are one of the best ways to express your character without any interruption to the RP. Observe your own body movements or habits. Do you brush your hair back with a hand? Cross your arms across your chest? Do your eyes wonder when you're bored? Personality is reinforced by your character's habits, so pick a few habits and find opportune moments to practice.

A few examples:
Her eyes twitch at the question.
He runs a tongue along his bottom lip before continuing...
She smacks her lips with finality.
He scratches his head, tilting it to the side with a questioning look.

These emotes can reveal a thousand things, yet show nothing when used properly. A "curt nod" could show distaste, boredom, and impatience, whereas a simple "yes" says... well...yes. There are infinite possibilities for every response and varieties of wording that can only created through practice.

For example:
She nods curtly.
She nods followed but by a curt, "Yes."
She replies flatly with a "Yes."
She acknowledges him with a curt nod.
She responds with a small smile and a tip of her head.
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