Starting a roleplay character for the first time. : V

» Mon Sep 17, 2012 11:55 am

I've seen several people with characters that have massive amounts of backstory and depth to them and decided it was high time I create a character that I play through in the proper roleplay manner. However, since I've never created a backstory for a Skyrim character, I was hoping for a few pointers for a beginner wih things I should I include. I've already got basics such as name, age, race, birthplace, family and childhood, but then I'm at a loss at what I should focus on next :S Any help?
Also, sorry if I mad no sense, I'm a terrible explainer.

» Mon Sep 17, 2012 10:16 am

I've seen several people with characters that have massive amounts of backstory and depth to them and decided it was high time I create a character that I play through in the proper roleplay manner. However, since I've never created a backstory for a Skyrim character, I was hoping for a few pointers for a beginner wih things I should I include. I've already got basics such as name, age, race, birthplace, family and childhood, but then I'm at a loss at what I should focus on next :S Any help?
Also, sorry if I mad no sense, I'm a terrible explainer.

What race is your character? That would help a lot to figure where to go from there.

» Mon Sep 17, 2012 11:15 pm

/snip

Sorry, I misread the OP.

» Tue Sep 18, 2012 12:04 am

Welcome to the series of TES and to the forum. Have a complementary Fishy Stick. http://images.uesp.net/c/c4/Fishystick.jpg

There are as many different views about this subject as their are different people. I try to stat out just creating a personality for the character. Sometimes it is nothing short of a...short story. Other times it's just a personality concept I was inspired by. This can be from someone I know in real life, to a character from another game, book or movie.

Sometimes it just just comes to me as I am creating them. If I want to play a new character and I'm unsure about the whos, whats and whys...I will just start randomly playing around with the creator. At times I have spent all day just exploring the different races and configurations. Stopping ever so often and actually ask the screen.."Who are you?"..."Where are you from?"..."What is your story?" If I get no good vibes, I will start over with another one.

Sometimes, I have a general idea about a certain character's personality and even no idea what so ever. I just create them and let them tell me who and what they are as I play them.

In every case. The main rule of thumb I invoke on every character is..."If it's not fitting for the character, I don't do it." That is role playing for me. Others will set limits like eat, sleep drink, but to me those things are rather trivial and do not directly effect the gameplay. Being a Mage and not enduring things and quests that are more fitting for a Warrior is more of a sound role playing choice. That type of reasoning has a direct effect on the game and the way it feels with that character.

What Senor Cinco said. That's basically what I do for a lot of my characters. If I don't have a pre-written backstory for my character I develop one as I go along. Try doing that.

» Mon Sep 17, 2012 7:04 pm

I've seen several people with characters that have massive amounts of backstory and depth to them.

I could never understand how those people do it. I'm not bashing them or anything, but I think it's pointless to play pretend a background story (it's not like your background is acknowledge by NPCs). You can be the lizard bastard son of the third cousin of Talos; in Skyrim you're still a lizard who daily concern is not be stabbed to death.

I found it easier to swallow to role-play an ideal. Undead slayer: Heavy plate armor + dawnbreaker + restoration. Chaotic Evil Trickster: illusion + stealth + conjuration. Vampire Scourge: Alteration + Conjuration + Twohanded + Helm of Yngol = Blitchin' shiny eyes, bare-chested incarnation of evil vampire king of skyrim.

Just my two cents... Use your imagination.

» Mon Sep 17, 2012 9:26 pm

Wow, okay, I must have done some bad explaining to come off sounding like a total newbie to TES. My bad.
I've played several characters through the way you guys have said but in this character in looking for an in depth game, not just "make up a backstory as you go" :')
What I was asking really was for things I should include in my characters back story like what caused them to be captured by the imperials crossing the border etc.
Also, my character is a 253 year old female imperial vampire :3 for those wondering,.

» Mon Sep 17, 2012 9:05 am

How to Make a Good Protagonist

Sever all of one's family ties.
(optional) Make a reason why these ties have been broken.
*Insert Long-Lost-Redeeming-Relative Here*
(In coordination with #2) Have that relative die at the hands of the same reason.
(optional) Repeat Numbers 3 & 4 Until Satisfied
Make the character have a tragic fault(s).
Make Close Friends

There you go, that seems to be the distilled formula for most writers.

» Mon Sep 17, 2012 7:24 pm

Also, my character is a 253 year old female imperial vampire :3 for those wondering,.

*Catch Vampirism*
+
*Turn into a Vampire*
+
*Wait 253 in game years*

=Profit?

» Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:27 pm

If your character is an Imperial vampire your reason for being captured could be the following:

As a vampire you live in a Nordic crypt. As you exit your abode to feed you find the Stormcloaks camped outside. Now seeing an Imperial possibly raiding one of theie ancestors crypts would not sit well with them. They capture you, and you are all then captured by the Empire.

» Mon Sep 17, 2012 1:09 pm

Wow, okay, I must have done some bad explaining to come off sounding like a total newbie to TES. My bad.

The title says "RP for the first time" I guess I took that to heart. I apologize for too mush info... :blush:

Or the wrong info, it seems. However, I hope you find what you seek.