Character Creation
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Below are some basic tools to help you formulate a new character. There are many resources available on the web as well.
Character Ideas: The following is designed to be used by you as an aid in brainstorming initial ideas for your character. You don't have to use these ideas, you are encouraged to go out on a limb and come up with your own ideas. but these ideas are a good start for any player. The intent of these questions it to help you brainstorm about your character. The best way to get started is to think in terms of answering some basic questions about your character:
Character
Template:
The items below represent the basic character application for Dark Radiance. The application only covers basic information that the Dark Radiance staff needs to know to evaluate your character, The intention is NOT to hamper your character but to insure that your character will fit into the general game play in this area. You should fill out as many of the items as possible, with the realization that they may change over time as your character changes based on role played events. Mainly, the Dark Radiance staff needs to evaluate if your character is "way to powerful" and assist in toning down elements so that the roleplay at Dark Radiance is fair to all players. See the following link for the character application http://www.dark-radiance.com/player-application.html Please note that you do not have to have detailed answers to all of these questions; indeed, keeping the answers as loose and general as possible opens you up to more roleplay than if your answer is tightly limited, especially those dealing with goals, wants, and needs. For example: “Searching for my father who disappeared years ago” as a goal from life ends as soon as the father is found, or spins hopelessly if he is never found, leaving you without a purpose. Instead, “looking for love and acceptance” is open-ended (and might have its roots in the lost father) and can be used as stimuli and motivation in any variety of situations. Player Application Example
Know the
world you are playing in:
Every role playing game, inside or outside of Second Life™, has rules, game history, and explanations of races and classes within the game. Seek out and read the information given to you by the game designers. Don't think of it as extra reading, but as gaining a better understanding of the world you are stepping into. You may then choose whether your character knows the information based on your character’s needs, but you, the player, should be as fully informed as possible in order to make good role playing decisions. Additionally, don’t be afraid of “not knowing something”. Talk to your fellow players in character (or out of character as appropriate) to find out the things you need to know. You’ll find that most people are more than happy to help – by definition, the fact that they are here with you means that they want to play too! There is no greater stimulator of roleplay than asking questions of your fellow players. Titles
Dark Radiance is set in London, England approximately 1890 and many players will want to play Lords, Ladies and so on. If you choose to play a character of noble birth, then you MUST do some research about the British Peerage and then create an appropriate backstory. Just calling yourself a Lord or Lady will not suffice. Remember that nobles were rare. There were just over 250 persons belonging to the peerage at that time (excluding wives, sons, daughters). Only 250 out of approximately 6 million in Britain at that time is a very small percentage. Please refer to the Peerage & Titles page for more information.
Weaknesses:
All characters must have weaknesses. No one is invincible, everyone has faults. Generally speaking, the more “powerful” you choose to make your character, the stronger your weaknesses should be, to compensate. Weaknesses can be one of two sorts: player-defined, or racial. Player-defined weaknesses are those that you, the player, have chosen to fully round out your character. Examples could include fear of heights, or being clumsy. Racial weaknesses are those that are defined for the race you play, and are usually “common sense” or based on established folklore (either “real world” or sim-defined). This category would include sunlight’s effect on vampires, or holy water’s effect on a demon. You should have a few of these, and they should have some substance to them. An aversion to the use of plaid in interior decorating isn't going to have as much meaning to your roleplay as having the fuels you need to activate that cyber attachment of doom are rare and toxic to your race. Don’t think of weaknesses as a deficit to your character; in many respects, they enable roleplay and are quite helpful. Besides, no one will want to play with you if you are invincible; a fully-rounded character plays these no matter what the circumstances or results. Players vs
Character
There is a difference between you and your character; a solid division between the pixelated form on your screen and you, the person controlling that form. As such, try to keep things in perspective. Dark Radiance is an adult sim, with adult themes, and a lot of heated discussion, anger, hatred, and fighting may occur on a regular basis in roleplay. None of it is aimed at you. None of it is personal. No one among the players is out to “get” you, no one will hunt you down because they hate you as a person or dislike you. Conflict is set solely inside the world of the characters, directed towards your character, not you, the roleplayer acting it out. How to
generate RP -- a.k.a. how to combat the "I'm Bored"
syndrome
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