Character Backgrounds

[Rhiel]

I was wondering if it would be feasible and profitable to perhaps include either a forum space, or an application process specifically set up for the posting of character background stories. A lot of folks have really interesting backgrounds, and it would be neat to see them and the fruits of all their labors.

[Selveem]

I think this was discussed in the past and, if I remember correctly, the end result was that it should really stay in the game itself via books, helpfiles, and the like.

Personally, Selveem's background is pretty long and while it will be available via Tempus' only bard sometime soon, it will be a very, very long book.

I think, all in all, it would be better that it was done all within the confines of the game. However, I recognize the ease at which just posting your own background via forum would bring.

I don't mind either, I just prefer that the RP aspect of the game stays within the game. OOC methods like this kind of ruin it for me.

[Harroghty]

Speaking of in-game biographies...

What if some new books were posted to Kingdom's Journals? Or portions of them?

This might add more visibility to a lot of the poetry, prose, histories, and other books being written by players and encourage people to make things like character biographies.

Often, the books become only a token and a glory point.

[Horace]

Drewder's idea is great. I hate reading the books in the mud because the format is so crappy for reading for comprehension. I'd read a ton more if there was an online library of them all.

I'd gladly buy every book I find just to copy and paste it into this sort of medium.

[Nedylene]

Speaking of Bios, how feasible would it be for a "bio" command to be made in game? Something that would act as a description take only a certain number of characters and each character can put a bio on themselves. Just a tool for immortals to use to know the characters they are interacting with in a rp. While the player behind the immortal character may have no way of knowing little snippets of history this may give them an extra tool to personalize rp to the players they are dealing with at the time.... if they desired to.

[Layna]

I believe the bio command is in game already, albeit in beta.

Help bio says:

The bio command is still in its beta phase, meaning that it is functional,
but not fully implemented. Please feel free to give it a try. It allows you
to write a brief text file, visible to the immortals, that describes your
character's history and biography. Perhaps key events that happened in his or
her life so that the immortals can see that and use it to facilitate roleplay
with your character.

And using the bio command does indeed seem to work.

[Rhiel]

Good ideas! And I am a bit ashamed at never having known of the existence of that command! How useful! Very nice.

Also, how about a "catalogue" of sorts? You know, something like a "message" board for new/top publications in bookstores across the Realms? (As I am in agreement with Harroghty, since he made his point rather well. It's more interesting to read such in-game).

[Lerytha]

I'm sure if the imms responsible for publications, forwarded the books published (and where placed), to me, the Oghman faith could publish yearly book lists for the Realms, somewhere?

Just a thought. All we'd need is another board in the Scribes' Room, and we'd be sorted.

[Peverell]

I'm sure if the imms responsible for publications, forwarded the books published (and where placed), to me, the Oghman faith could publish yearly book lists for the Realms, somewhere?

Just a thought. All we'd need is another board in the Scribes' Room, and we'd be sorted.

Alternatively, there is a fairly regular in-game player-run publication, whose editor would be more than happy to include information on new publications And I'm sure he's even written words to that effect... one more than one occasion... And would be more than happy to include a regular Book Corner with Nana Lerytha.

Here's a thread on Bio viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6813

I think it would be great for imm-assisted role play... Imagine joining a faith and having your deity say "I knew you would come to me one day, I have followed your steps ever since you killed your father / saw your family slaughtered by orcs / put on your first pair of high heels / stole that cookie from the cookie jar."

[Harroghty]

Look, no one knows about Harroghty's first pair of heels... uhh...

To clarify: I think that posting the books in the Kingdom's Journals forum here (or maybe only an excerpt from them) would give them more visibility and encourage people to buy them in the game and, consequently, encourage people to spend time writing them.

It's great if someone wants to put their stuff out in Peverell's paper or somewhere else, but I think it'd be a cool idea for a bard (another role-play hook..) to sit down with a character and write a bio about them.

[Rhiel]

Look, no one knows about Harroghty's first pair of heels... uhh...

To clarify: I think that posting the books in the Kingdom's Journals forum here (or maybe only an excerpt from them) would give them more visibility and encourage people to buy them in the game and, consequently, encourage people to spend time writing them.

It's great if someone wants to put their stuff out in Peverell's paper or somewhere else, but I think it'd be a cool idea for a bard (another role-play hook..) to sit down with a character and write a bio about them.

I like this idea, Harroghty. For some reason, it conjured a mental image of Interview With a Vampire-esque images of a chronicler sitting with some powerful evil, scribing the reasons they walk the dark path. Oooh. I may just roll for a bard. >.<