After a conversation in #efu, it got me to thinking: What makes a successful character in Efu? Or what makes a character successful to you? Maybe efu as a whole doesn't even know the character or remember them, but for some reason they are successful in your mind. Was it something they did? Some item they got? What is it that makes a character successful in *your* mind?
For me it's simple, it's how the people and things around them effected them. My two most successful characters are most likely not remembered by many, but to me they evolved with the world around them.
Anatia, started off as an C/G Bard, applicant to the Fleet of the First Bolt (only to have the faction closed 2 days after app'ing) ended a C/E Concubine to the Herald of the Rot. She worked with a lot of people, was the Bar wench at the Kingsman Inn, was part of Proversions Mercantile and was an informant for the Stygians.
Haevn, She had no memory of the world before Ymph. Everything was new to her, she even made up her name. She learned as she went, every person or place had an effect on who she became. She was involved with a lot of groups, Wilds, Wastrel, Greywood, Syndicate Library, and finally the Conclave.
Every encounter I had with her from large to small changed in some way how she thought or saw things.
These are the successful characters I've had, at least in my mind. Neither of them were 'strong' characters, neither of them ever did any server changing things, neither of them had any 'real' loot to speak of. But, the evolution of the character is what makes them 'successful' to me.
So share with me what's successful to you?
If your name is bold in the Gossip Thread, than you know you made it.
Haven't we done this before?
Hmm, if we have then I'm sorry and feel free to delete this. I'm just trying to figure out if my perspective is so much off of everyone elses. But, no worries. Please DM's delete the thread.
My own notion of a 'successful' character is twofold: one, I have fun playing it, two, people tell me they enjoy interacting with it. By that measure, I really can't complain -- my 'success' rate is sufficiently high that I feel very content about my time here at EfU.
As to how I achieve 'success', I have always gotten the best results when I make the character this way:
1) I have to start out with a basic idea, be it concept or motivator. Some sort of raison d'être. With Karrin Connell it was 'end the famine in the Dominion.' Everything she did was ultimately aimed at this goal. (Sometimes this goal may change on the fly; that's OK as long as it fits the character. With Camille de Ferbourg the goal started as 'completely revise and renew the legal code of the Dominion' but within days changed into 'prevent the end of the world; apocalypses are untidy and therefore bad.')
2) Having established a goal, decide on the character's personality and how it intends to achieve its goal. 'End the Withering' is all well and good, but in which way? Alchemy research? Gather an army and break the Maiden's tower? Systematically casting Remove Curse on all who are Withered regardless of personal cost? Any of these might work for the character; actual success in the goal is optional.
3) At this stage, go to work on the actual build of the character. I am not sure why but when I start with a build and try to add the rest later, the character almost always 'fails' for me. I end up not having fun and the character quietly vanishes into the deeps of my vault, to finally be deleted on such occasion as I beg Snoteye to take mercy on my sinful soul and erase the evidence of all my follies.
4) I start playing and build as I play. I might start out with 'was rescued from Mist Raiders by Dominion forces.' Then I start wondering, how did my character get captured by the Raiders? What made her end in that situation? Et cetera. Or alternately I start out with, 'Was born in this place, did this and that, then got snatched to Ymph by Mythallar.' I then add flesh to the bare bones during play.
5) The character must be able to keep evolving as I play. Sometimes the silly things shock me out of my wits. Kara Szantovich started out as a cynical and worldly character and then witnessed a miracle in the presence of the Order; afterwards, guided by Herostrat, she got religion and ended up quietly supporting the Order in everything she did. I had absolutely no idea of anything like this when I created her. In short, a great part of the fun for me is when the character feels alive! And it feels most alive when I allow events and other characters to impact and alter its perspectives, in ways small or even large.
Well, that was my own way to success. I'm sure there are many others but this one works for me :)
~tOH.
In my mind there is only one thing that makes a character successful. Not how much they influence the world around them but rather how the world around them influences THEM
So often PCs are OOCly trapped by the mindset of what they want to do, where their plans take them, how they want to pursue their PC's future. When you let your PC be open to change from DM events, IC actions of other PCs, major shifts in trends, it opens up an entirely new world of depth and dynamism in all the PC's we play.
Now I'm not saying "OMG MAKE A SHEEP", or someone who is influenced by anyone, but really that's how you can personally and publicly see the way EFU changes.
When you can go "Holy shit, my PC would have never done that if X DM didn't put me in this event, after which this PC did this, and my Friendly PCs did this, and my Enemy PCs did this".
The Criminal who ends up working for the law.
The Priest who ends up taking the step from follower to fanatic.
The Paladin who takes the step from fanatic to fallen.
The Wizard who sacrifices his friends for advancement.
While those four choices are so commonplace extremes you also have to think of those who -resisted- such actions, countless times, only for it or other equally awesome events to eventually occur.
having fun? = success
Quote from: The Old Hack;307079My own notion of a 'successful' character is twofold: one, I have fun playing it, two, people tell me they enjoy interacting with it. By that measure, I really can't complain -- my 'success' rate is sufficiently high that I feel very content about my time here at EfU.
Quote from: Random_White_Guy;307080In my mind there is only one thing that makes a character successful. Not how much they influence the world around them but rather how the world around them influences THEM
So often PCs are OOCly trapped by the mindset of what they want to do, where their plans take them, how they want to pursue their PC's future. When you let your PC be open to change from DM events, IC actions of other PCs, major shifts in trends, it opens up an entirely new world of depth and dynamism in all the PC's we play.
QFT. Couldn't have said it better myself. As long as you have fun, and make fun for those around you, your character is successful. Super, server-changing plotting is fantastic and bound to be fun for all, but not all of us are capable of, or want to commit to, such grand endeavors. As long as you're having a blast, and can make the server that much more flavorful for other players, in any way, shape, or form, you're doing a good job.
Quote from: sylvyrdragon;307070... For me it's simple, it's how the people and things around them effected them.
Quote from: Random_White_Guy;307080In my mind there is only one thing that makes a character successful. Not how much they influence the world around them but rather how the world around them influences THEM
So often PCs are OOCly trapped by the mindset of what they want to do, where their plans take them, how they want to pursue their PC's future. When you let your PC be open to change from DM events, IC actions of other PCs, major shifts in trends, it opens up an entirely new world of depth and dynamism in all the PC's we play.
Quote from: The Old Hack;307079...
5) The character must be able to keep evolving as I play...
Quote from: Adhesive;307087... Super, server-changing plotting is fantastic and bound to be fun for all, but not all of us are capable of, or want to commit to, such grand endeavors. As long as you're having a blast, and can make the server that much more flavorful for other players, in any way, shape, or form, you're doing a good job.
All of this is what
Immersion means to me. Let the story unfold before your eyes...
I remember when I first saw the name 'Escape from the Underdark' in the Game Spy server lists.. I thought, "That looks like fun". Let's escape...
So I made a character to explore and see if I could escape. And I never have. :) Yet!
What I enjoy most, ot believe is a successful character is one who brings influence.
It doesn't mean a huge political person but somebody as simple as a fisherman who displays his wish for peace or a bard who sings of hope and inspired people not to give up.
But really? Who plays bards of hope these days?
Personality and the willingness to react to the environment (other players, plots, etc.) win the day.
I judge success solely on the amount of sending totems or bedrolls (silken please) I collect from others.
For me, it's a character who succeeds or makes good progress toward a goal and has some degree of fame or infamy.
If a character is boring I'll quit him, if he's fun I'll keep playing him, but he's not really a success to me until the above is met.
Quote from: Sternhund;307116Personality and the willingness to react to the environment (other players, plots, etc.) win the day.
Yes
Quote from: Kinslayer988;307107But really? Who plays bards of hope these days?
I did. That pc was excellent fun.
I would not really consider any of my characters personally successful, as mostly they are short-lived or I bench them when they are on the cusp of fulfilling what I want from them. I do however consider them successful in terms of how they are welcomed by other players and am ever glad to know that, on some level, each of them have given something in terms of playability to somebody else.
Quote from: Somniis;307099Quote from: "sylvyrdragon"... For me it's simple, it's how the people and things around them effected them.
Quote from: "Random_White_Guy"In my mind there is only one thing that makes a character successful. Not how much they influence the world around them but rather how the world around them influences THEM
So often PCs are OOCly trapped by the mindset of what they want to do, where their plans take them, how they want to pursue their PC's future. When you let your PC be open to change from DM events, IC actions of other PCs, major shifts in trends, it opens up an entirely new world of depth and dynamism in all the PC's we play.
Quote from: "The Old Hack"5) The character must be able to keep evolving as I play...
Quote from: "Adhesive"... Super, server-changing plotting is fantastic and bound to be fun for all, but not all of us are capable of, or want to commit to, such grand endeavors. As long as you're having a blast, and can make the server that much more flavorful for other players, in any way, shape, or form, you're doing a good job.
All of this is what Immersion means to me. Let the story unfold before your eyes...
I remember when I first saw the name 'Escape from the Underdark' in the Game Spy server lists.. I thought, "That looks like fun". Let's escape...
So I made a character to explore and see if I could escape. And I never have. :) Yet!
These quotes really can't be stressed enough, IMO. Allow your PC to be changed by the people and events around you. Evolve, even if it's not where you ever thought you would go. Be open to being converted, falling from grace, going from a bad guy to a good guy or a good guy to a bad guy. Allow your PC to make mistakes, or to dig in their heels and rise above setbacks. To me that's what makes an interesting PC and ultimately what keeps the world immersive.
Doing badass stuff for the sake of it, like running the way on level 3 dwarves.