Character Pages

[Kinni]

On a number of games I have played (or built/Immed) we used a wiki-like website so that players could create a page that described their character. I have always found that this is a fun way to develop and really dig into your character. I think this is especially important in an RP-rich environment that does not require a history for set up of a character. Creating a sister wiki website where players can create a character page and post pictures, history, descriptions, etc. would be really fun.

I believe, if I read the forums correctly, FK used to have a wiki page but upon searching for it I found it deleted. I'd like to offer my assistance in maybe setting one up? Here's an example of the one such website I put together (this is not a shameless plug as the linked webpage is NOT to an active MU): http://duat.wikidot.com/the-characters

With the wikidot site we can create pre-made templates to give a clean/matching appearance to all character pages and thus also create fields that are appropriate to be filled, helping players really flesh out their character in the process.

Eager to hear what ya'll think.

[Nylo]

There's actually a site made by some of the older players, http://www.bardiccircle.net, that has such a wiki.

[Rhangalas]

I would rather backgrounds be required at character creation, players required to wait for an admin to approve the character before it can be played, and the background would only be viewable by you and admins.

[Harroghty]

There already is a background command and it is only visible to admins. It is not required.

[Solaghar]

I think this is a cool idea, but character pages should be locked to their owner somehow to make sure that there's no drama. After all this would be offsite so there's no way the staff could police it...

[Alitar]

I remember trying to use the background command when I was new and finding it far too glitchy to actually get anything writ... I'll give it another shot. Could've been my preconceived notions of how the syntax oughta be that didn't jive up with how it actually works.

[Harroghty]

Bio worked for me. Hopefully your bio stops jiving and sticks.

[Rhangalas]

Didn't know you could have a biography, maybe the tutorial NPC that teaches you about adjectives can also mention them and how to set them.

Anyway, if you type the entire biography on one line and then format it, it outputs perfectly. If you use multiple lines and format, it will sometimes scramble sentences or omit them entirely.

[Tamryn]

That sounds like a bug that should be reported... is the bio editor the same as the editor used for other files?

[Rhangalas]

Yes, the same editor is used to write notes, description, and biography. It will not always mess up your lines when you format it. I think it does it when some of your lines are over 75 characters and it tries to bump the excess down to the next line, yet ends up deleting some text in the process.

[Hrosskell]

I've got a couple bios and they work. I use it just to track general info about the characters and their motivations--helps to look back at them sometimes to get a good feel for the toon.

[Kinni]

I suggested the Wiki because it is nice when you put so much effort and time into a character to be able to share the background with those interested to read them. Furthermore, the Wiki is nice because it does not place any undo work on Imms who already work with applications, building, coding etc. Assuming that people do not use the information they have not been given OOCly, I always found it a great way to visualize and share you character. But, it was just an idea.

[Larethiel]

I suggested the Wiki because it is nice when you put so much effort and time into a character to be able to share the background with those interested to read them.

That puts it quite well.

[Raona]

On the Bio command: It isn't well-advertised because so far it's not used much by the folks upstairs. Maybe it is something of a chicken-and-the-egg problem, but right now only the enthusiastic both upstairs and downstairs (this includes me, Raona has a lengthy bio!) that use it.

On a Wiki: While I'm in agreement on almost all points raised, my concern is that it becomes almost too easy to know everything about a PC without the IC interactions to back it up. I wouldn't want Raona's bio to be public, even while I'd love to have people reading it and getting inspiration from it. So I'm of two minds. Frankly, I think I'd err on the side of preferring that only retired PCs have public Bios.

[Beskytter]

On a Wiki: While I'm in agreement on almost all points raised, my concern is that it becomes almost too easy to know everything about a PC without the IC interactions to back it up. I wouldn't want Raona's bio to be public, even while I'd love to have people reading it and getting inspiration from it. So I'm of two minds. Frankly, I think I'd err on the side of preferring that only retired PCs have public Bios.

I fully agree with this assessment of a Wiki. It would be great to have a character supplement like a wiki page about them, so that if someone wanted to remember something about Besky's past without having to bring it up, they could easily check his wiki page and find out. However, that does also mean that someone could just read his page and decide, my character won't like this person ICly so that character starts off mean and hurtful to Besky causing him to hate them and ruining the chance for them to get to know him.

[Mohana]

I fully agree with this assessment of a Wiki. It would be great to have a character supplement like a wiki page about them, so that if someone wanted to remember something about Besky's past without having to bring it up, they could easily check his wiki page and find out. However, that does also mean that someone could just read his page and decide, my character won't like this person ICly so that character starts off mean and hurtful to Besky causing him to hate them and ruining the chance for them to get to know him.

These pages should be a reference to your character and what you want people to know about them. However this being said, whatever is on the WIKI should be considered OOC Information ONLY and used accordingly. It is to give other players a brief history of your character, to show the time and effort you have put into him/her/it, what you are trying to make your character represent, and maybe a picture of them.

Where smotes are limited (as opposed to a MUSH where players my post one to two paragraphes per emote/smote) it can provide some depth to the RP.

This can also help the player remember things about his/her character especially in a game where there is no limits to how many Alt.'s one may have.

[Beskytter]

Now I'm swayed! I think it would be great to show off how much work I put into my characters.
Each of them is written by me well before I make them, I add in events from FK as it happens, but if you've met one of my characters and RPd with them about their history, then you know they are quite in-depth and complex.

Perhaps a few of us to try it out with some sample characters and see how it goes... if people like it and can keep the information OOC then maybe it can grow. I'm up for writing a sample character or two if you'd like me to.

[Raona]

On the Bio command: It isn't well-advertised because so far it's not used much by the folks upstairs. Maybe it is something of a chicken-and-the-egg problem, but right now only the enthusiastic both upstairs and downstairs (this includes me, Raona has a lengthy bio!) that use it.

Happily, I have to correct myself on this! Seems that nowadays if you put in the effort of writing a BIO for your character, the Imms will see it and potentially use it to aid in their interactions with you. So don't be shy about setting one up for your PC(s)! It can serve to jog your own memory, too.