What defines a "character?"

cedarbridge · Post by **cedarbridge** » Fri Oct 13, 2017 2:57 am #346495

I wonder sometimes how much thought actually goes into player characters on our servers. Are your characters motivated by anything beyond base instinct or just being a player avatar? Do you construct a personality or background for them or are they just pixel projections for yourself to run around doing whatever it is you do before the shuttle arrives and ends the round? I wonder this because it might explain the divide between the "wants more RP" and "wants 'RP' to fuck off from my griff simulator" camps. Its easy to see that a player that defines their experience in relation to a character with motivations and feelings external to their own would be more invested in creating storylines that reflect that. A player that instead defines their experience with the game as a player avatar among other player avatars would be more interested in a freewheeling "make stuff happen and things explode."

I'd like to avoid this turning into a "tg is low/mid/high/no rp server reeeeeee" shitfest as long as possible so lets try to keep it civil for a few pages.

calzilla1 · Post by **calzilla1** » Fri Oct 13, 2017 3:03 am #346499

It depends on the job I choose but Im always the ligger hater

AnonymousNow · Fri Oct 13, 2017 3:36 am

Wrote a bunch of backstory for the character I usually play; sometimes feel as though there's only half a dozen players currently active who've done that. Built up his personality as a grumpy old man, but I let mine take over when I'm experimenting with the mechanics.

D&B · Post by **D&B** » Fri Oct 13, 2017 3:42 am #346512

Recklessness and only accepting death in combat defined my character. Suicide was never an option and instead I would throw myself at megafauna or cults to die trying or persevere and search for another fight.

It got so bad one day a captain dueled me with a ninja sword since I had to leave. I managed to cut off his leg and arm but I lost due to lower armor stats. Still, it was a fight and thus I could leave satisfied.

imblyings · Post by **imblyings** » Fri Oct 13, 2017 3:48 am #346516

job or role stereotypes to some extent

Qbopper · Post by **Qbopper** » Fri Oct 13, 2017 5:11 am #346525

I have some vague idea of who percy oppenheimer is in my head that's basically a gary stu of me irl

ShadowDimentio · Fri Oct 13, 2017 5:42 am

I play something between a stereotypical powergamer and myself

XDTM · Post by **XDTM** » Fri Oct 13, 2017 7:05 am #346535

I'm pro-rp, but i usually find i play my character more as an avatar rather than something with its own personality. It'd be nice to try actually rping sometime, i never noticed this distinction until i saw this.

DemonFiren · Post by **DemonFiren** » Fri Oct 13, 2017 8:41 am #346549

i steal most of my character names and designs from somewhere else
they tend to be as flat as the source material

SaveVatznick · Fri Oct 13, 2017 11:26 am

I think it's fun to act out characters that have set personalities, so that they can react in a semi-reliable way to each given situation. It makes it easier to negotiate with other characters who are willing to negotiate as well as more fun because I get these moments where I think "This is dumb, but this is what the character would do."

That being said the character I play the most is pretty much the digital embodiment of the Id with vague backstory and red hair, so....

I don't know where I'm going with this. Characters are fun when they have consistent personalities or " job stereotypes", but I don't think there's anything wrong with someone whose character is just their avatar.

peoplearestrange · Fri Oct 13, 2017 11:53 am

calzilla1 wrote:It depends on the job I choose but Im always the ligger hater

So reflection of yourself then :V

For me I've tried to keep true to characters, I'll select characters to play a job role and try to react how I think they might in given situations.

I.e. given a situation like saving someone but possibly dying, or saving my sorry ass and fuck the rest I'd change what I do based on who I'm playing. This also applies to how much "Shit" I think a character can take before hiding in a cupboard or just giving up fully.

As a result it also means that often certain characters are way more likely to die than others. I guess its a kinda a self inflicted difficultly setting but with more details?

Rustledjimm · Fri Oct 13, 2017 12:59 pm

As others have said it very much depends on the job I have depending on what character I play. If I need to come up with further background I will usually make it up on the fly. I do not re-use the same stories over rounds.

So it changes from round to round depending on job and how I feel.
Engineer? Maybe I do the bare minimum required, grumble everytime something is broken or an area blows up. Sit in the bar and drink when I can.
Maybe I'm the happy CE/Engineer who tries to keep chat going in the department channel and is always willing to volunteer to fix items or run a little project.

Security? I'm the naive, new sec officer with dreams of stopping crime and having a nice orderly station only for my dreams to be smashed as I see everyone else bloodying each other. Do I go along and follow orders making sure I get to keep my job? Or maybe quietly help those I think have been wronged by my wayward coworkers? Or maybe I am the grizzled vet, the one who doesn't give a shit. Mime strangling the clown to death? Who cares it's a fucking clown, we've got an emagged door to investigate, where's that lazy arse detective.

Obviously it means these are pretty basic cookie-cutter type characters usually but it's just what you build off from to do what you like.

Qbopper · Post by **Qbopper** » Fri Oct 13, 2017 1:46 pm #346601

I forgot to add that I'll occasionally do a gimmick where I'm a mime detective because it's hilarious

it also spices up the round because people react in one of two ways

- they're immediately on board and play along (HoP/HoS give me det access, people I'm interrogating will get into it, etc.)
- they immediately think I'm an antag trying to powergame the shit out of it (or they just are anti fun) and REFUSE to acknowledge my meme

cedarbridge · Post by **cedarbridge** » Fri Oct 13, 2017 2:56 pm #346612

There is a little bit of give and take with my characters as they adapt to roles. Naturally, the same character who also managed to get a job as warden isn't going to have the same background as the one who becomes a detective or a janitor or a miner. This applies to both my humans and my lizard in different ways as well and it makes adapting my internal backstory a bit interesting. It does help a lot to keep a few things consistent between roles for the sake of having a coherent backstory for the most part though.

Dalton is a clone right on the edge of being self-aware and occasionally the brute force trauma of being on Death Trap 13 jogs loose a couple extra memories he wasn't supposed to have (what happened on SS12, the fact that he's a clone of a clone of a clone and so is everyone else, Hanson really was a shitty band but everyone pretended to like them) and that leads to its own sort of internal issues. He's also territorial. If he's a warden in the brig he wants prisoners in and out in a timely manner and no dicking around from officers, but none from the Tide either. If he's CMO, and he finds you causing trouble for the doctors or inviting yourself to do the doctors' work, he'll throw you out faster than you can say "AI door."

Dreams is a fair bit different. He's a free-running son of a trader family. The family was well enough off and Dreams figured there was something to be made getting involved with NT. This usually means he looks for something to scratch his profit motive every shift. The more value of stuff he can get off station with the better off he is. Like most lizards, he's prone to circle the wagons for other lizards, but his stronger bond is with off-station trading partners, companions and family and those will come before other, station-bound relationships. He spent a lot of time arguing with the on-board AI system of his previous trade ship so he's prone to getting involved in station-based AI issues, at least ones that concern him or others like him. The relationship with NT goes only as far as his illusory paycheck.

calzilla1 · Post by **calzilla1** » Fri Oct 13, 2017 4:00 pm #346628

People who run multiple characters are autismos to the extreme

cedarbridge · Post by **cedarbridge** » Fri Oct 13, 2017 4:11 pm #346629

calzilla1 wrote:People who run multiple characters are autismos to the extreme

>People who play characters in a roleplaying game are autistic
Really makes you think.

calzilla1 · Post by **calzilla1** » Fri Oct 13, 2017 4:12 pm #346631

cedarbridge wrote:
calzilla1 wrote:People who run multiple characters are autismos to the extreme
>People who play characters in a roleplaying game are autistic
Really makes you think.

>tg
>role play
Ayy lmao

cedarbridge · Post by **cedarbridge** » Fri Oct 13, 2017 4:13 pm #346632

Take your shitposting back to the hut.

Qbopper · Post by **Qbopper** » Fri Oct 13, 2017 5:03 pm #346648

calzilla why did you go back to being a bad poster

calzilla1 · Post by **calzilla1** » Fri Oct 13, 2017 5:07 pm #346652

Qbopper wrote:calzilla why did you go back to being a bad poster

I am neither a good poster nor bad poster

bman · Post by **bman** » Fri Oct 13, 2017 10:34 pm #346822

John Diagonal comes from a long line of strange individuals cursed with the strange condition that causes gravity to affect them in strange ways. He was born the son of John Breakdance II, and the youngest of his two brothers, John Vibrator and John Tornado (Now deceased).

It is because of John's uncanny ability that he attacts much negative attention, often people trying to make him not-diagonal or attempting to replicate his technique, however, none other than John and his sons are able to perform such a feat, and do so with both grace and style...

John Diagonal is an impossible man, he is diagonal even in space where there is no point of reference. All Johns are affected by gravity differently but only some of them know the techniques, John Breakdance I and his son were the only individuals to master all three arts and also perform them simultaneously...

John Tornado however, is presumed dead after exile by Nanotrasen - for he caused two major Code Purple disasters the two separate instances in which he practiced his dangerous art. When he practices it, he is able to cause massive ripples in spacetime and then turn it inside out, which requires a DELTA-CLASS Universe Reboot device to fix. In fact, performing the base component of John Tornado's art, spinning, emits no sound whatsoever, but why you might ask?, well, that is because John Tornado's art was so loud that Nanotrasen changed the laws of physics in order to prevent that from being the case....

ThanatosRa · Post by **ThanatosRa** » Fri Oct 13, 2017 11:18 pm #346852

Depends. When I grace the server with my presence I tend to stick to three archetypes.

Chrysanthemum Thorne is for when I feel like robotics and need full science autism. I play her as tired and easily irritated. And very proud*cough* of her shit. Strips-the-flesh is for medical autism. Played as a tired, chain smoking surgeon since that's all I'm good at in medical anymore.

Diogenes tate is for "assisting". Or for being philosophical and spouting pseudophilosophical bullshit over general.

I used to RP more, but I tend to just do my job in character and that's it. What's the point if no one else joins in.

Sat Oct 14, 2017 12:47 am

Start by putting a lot of yourself into your new character's personality, then change things like giving them flaws or having certain traits reversed. Exaggerate some attributes like quirks and maybe even find a catchphrase if it would be appropriate. Allow your character to change or act different from time to time, as playing the same personality can get boring. It can be fun to take things seriously, but it's important to get silly and have fun too.

Qbopper · Post by **Qbopper** » Sat Oct 14, 2017 1:28 am #346896

GLORF

Post by **Armhulen** » Sat Oct 14, 2017 3:05 am #346913

What makes a man neutral

ThanatosRa · Post by **ThanatosRa** » Sat Oct 14, 2017 4:34 am #346930

PKPenguin321 wrote:Start by putting a lot of yourself into your new character's personality, then change things like giving them flaws or having certain traits reversed. Exaggerate some attributes like quirks and maybe even find a catchphrase if it would be appropriate. Allow your character to change or act different from time to time, as playing the same personality can get boring. It can be fun to take things seriously, but it's important to get silly and have fun too.

Believe me I know how to do it well PK. I just... don't try anymore. I should. Be the change I want to be.
This is good for anyone who actually wants to RP.

teepeepee · Post by **teepeepee** » Sun Oct 15, 2017 7:16 pm #347361

Well, my character is kinda loose, most of the time I dont have anyone to speak to so I'm a silent autist doing his job, sometimes I get into some hijinx with a fellow greytide/the clown/a workmate. I do my best at keeping some consistency. For example, if I must suicide for whatever reason (gotta go/bored/memes) I will only do it in a flashy manner (conveyor belt+electricgrille/glass shard filled disposal chute+outlet/emitter+buckled to a chair/hacked vape with alcohol/building a camera in a dorms room+setting air alarm to syphon). Other things I try to keep consistent is shitty speech (sayinh yeeh instead of yeah, shite instead of shit, calling any non-human by their race instead of their name, etc.). I will also lightly annoy AIs with commands such as "say X thing every 15 seconds".

Johnny Dood is a slow (3rd world internet) yet skillful and unforgiving man. Slight him in the least and one of you will end up in crit and bloodied, in medbay though, he's an honorable man. His only skill is botany and any kind of greytide acts(convoluted break ins such as fake reinforced walls or modified disposals, major theft, major inconveniencing such as lube), but he can be seen working as miner or engineer (I like autism forts and SM mixes) from time to time. Dont let his bald head fool you, he's got some experience working in spess and totally didnt forget to ever choose his hairstyle and now feels like it would be wrong to change it.

Anonmare · Post by **Anonmare** » Sun Oct 15, 2017 7:45 pm #347374

Sarah Hooker is a good Protestant Christian girl from Space England and from a lower class background (AKA: A chav) and the very model of a greyshirted general. Being from the Space Council Flats, she learned when to mind her own business and when to defend what was hers and when to run when the blues and twos got involved. Helpful but any perceived slight must be punished quickly and without prejudice. Also hates aliens because those damn xenos took her cushy Macky D's job and now she as to work for Nanotrasen to pay off her fines.

Ispiria · Post by **Ispiria** » Wed Oct 18, 2017 4:09 am #348112

Each of my characters is represented by a D&D alignment, along with individual quirks that flesh out their particular personalities. As a result this leads each of them to being better or worse suited for any given job and is pretty useful for setting role designations. Adding stuff like speech impediments or a habit of slurring gives extra flavor while also enhancing their alignment.

My main character Ispiria Hunter is neutral good, and as such fits really well into medical roles where she can heal indescriminately, while still being able to act against traitors and protect her team with violence if necessary. Neutral good is the most generic alignment for protagonists, though, so she does really well in just about any role.

Krystal Serpa is my lawful neutral, and this is one who's really defined by her alignment. Nothing fits her better than being a warden, who's primary allegiance is to their armory and the proper enforcement of law. Negotiating with traitors can be done as long as the exchange is just, mutinies can be launched if the command staff are breaking the law, illegal weapons can be used as long as they're to better enforce the law. It's a ton of fun playing warden with her, and while she does pretty well as any sec role, that's the one that fits best.

Finally Eve Hybrid (retired until she gets her damn cats ears back) is the chaotic neutral, and this is where the real fun begins. The alignment locks off a lot of jobs that would require her to kowtow to a supervisor, or really adhere to the chain of command, but it leaves most civilian roles open. I give her an extreme difficulty speaking galactic common to better emphasize the chaos, her behavior is erratic and energetic, she'll steal anything that lands in front of her and she'll hold a grudge until she dies, or gets bored and finds something else to do.

Playing to alignments is an excellent way to jump into rp because there's tons of guides for how each alignment should be done, and even the most jaded powergamer has some idea of the concept. Even if you've already got a backstory and behavioral archetype for a given character, consider slapping an alignment on them too and watch how fun it is!

Okand37 · Post by **Okand37** » Wed Oct 18, 2017 4:30 am #348116

Generally I play a different character depending on what job I'm playing and I like to keep it varied, from the way the character dresses to how they act and speak. Depending on the character, I often wont do certain tasks from other jobs (so long as it isn't restricting/hurting anyone else's ability to play) as a way to both immerse myself as my character and to give myself a reason to co-operate with other departments/players if I want to get something. I prefer to play as the character as opposed to the person behind the screen because I think its more enjoyable and immersive in a story and character setting. Some people play the game for the competitive and fast-paced action intensive 2D spess action, some people play it for the social opportunity, and some people play it for a mix.

Since I tend to keep all my characters to the same visual pattern, I set my characters under the story of test-tube experiments bred for specific jobs and or duties (albiet unbeknownst to them.) I like to give my different characters specific quirks or personality traits as it helps me to give them more of a guide on how I'd react to a situation as them. I like to play a varied cast of characters in terms of how they act because it offers variety and allows you to approach the same situations in a different way!

I wouldn't say I have specific stories for each of them written down, because I think its more fun to develop them through interactions and impressions and likewise for others to learn more about your character through similar ways.

Bob Dobbington · Wed Oct 18, 2017 5:38 am

Botany.

Qbopper · Post by **Qbopper** » Wed Oct 18, 2017 6:26 am #348129

Bob Dobbington wrote:Botany.

botanists are objectively the worst players

prove me wrong

Spoiler:

Ispiria · Post by **Ispiria** » Wed Oct 18, 2017 7:00 am #348134

Qbopper wrote:
Bob Dobbington wrote:Botany.
botanists are objectively the worst players

prove me wrong

Spoiler:
you can't

Reed Glover plays botany

Your move

Nilons · Post by **Nilons** » Wed Oct 18, 2017 10:28 am #348149

I actively don't pay attention to radio chatter so I can play Ostrava as a perpetually confused person just kinda stumbling through event after event going with the flow.

Qbopper · Post by **Qbopper** » Wed Oct 18, 2017 3:40 pm #348206

Ispiria wrote:
Qbopper wrote:
Bob Dobbington wrote:Botany.
botanists are objectively the worst players

prove me wrong

Spoiler:
you can't
Reed Glover plays botany

Your move

reed glover is an objectively bad player

lol baited

calzilla1 · Post by **calzilla1** » Wed Oct 18, 2017 3:41 pm #348209

Qbopper wrote:
Ispiria wrote:
Qbopper wrote:
Bob Dobbington wrote:Botany.
botanists are objectively the worst players

prove me wrong

Spoiler:
you can't
Reed Glover plays botany

Your move
reed glover is an objectively worst player

lol baited

cedarbridge · Post by **cedarbridge** » Wed Oct 18, 2017 3:57 pm #348220

Nilons wrote:I actively don't pay attention to radio chatter so I can play Ostrava as a perpetually confused person just kinda stumbling through event after event going with the flow.

If that was the goal you could turn off the speaker on your headset.

imblyings · Post by **imblyings** » Wed Oct 18, 2017 4:14 pm #348223

reed also plays a chemist

your move law man

BeeSting12 · Post by **BeeSting12** » Wed Oct 18, 2017 4:39 pm #348231

I kinda play Sloan as a veteran detective turned into the HoS- in his offtime he works as an assistant or engineer for fun. He sorta works as security for the adrenaline rush, you could say he's an adrenaline junkie. Once he realized he was essentially immortal with cloning, he started taking huge risks and shit to see if he could get away with it. It's somewhat a mental disease, and he realizes that which is why he randomly falls into bouts of depression. He also gets incredibly angry at people who fuck up the atmos of the station because it interferes with his smoking.

That's really just part of his backstory, I roleplay with him but I also do gameplay a lot because thats just the culture right now. I don't like roleplaying as incompetent very much- I've done it but I feel like it keeps more people in the round and generally improves it to be competent at your job and whatever task needs doing.

Nilons · Post by **Nilons** » Wed Oct 18, 2017 5:01 pm #348242

cedarbridge wrote:
Nilons wrote:I actively don't pay attention to radio chatter so I can play Ostrava as a perpetually confused person just kinda stumbling through event after event going with the flow.
If that was the goal you could turn off the speaker on your headset.

I try to toe the line, I don't want to intentionally be unreachable. I will pretty much not read green chat unless its a bunch of the same people saying something and redchat gets my attention if its someone I either like or dislike. If I just turned off my headset it would be forced and less being a bumbling idiot and more not wanting to listen to radio

Edit: this is also my IC reasoning for chem smokes, if Im never gonna know when trouble hits I might as well try to be prepared for it regardless

Saegrimr · Post by **Saegrimr** » Sat Oct 21, 2017 11:16 pm #349369

cedarbridge wrote:
Nilons wrote:I actively don't pay attention to radio chatter so I can play Ostrava as a perpetually confused person just kinda stumbling through event after event going with the flow.
If that was the goal you could turn off the speaker on your headset.

This actually sounds kind of fun, might start doing that. I'd be fucked if I get jumped and can't scream for valids though.

Anonmare · Post by **Anonmare** » Sun Oct 22, 2017 3:32 am #349435

You can just re-tune your headset to an invalid channel and leave your departmental keys in and scream on them if you want to be able to call for help.

cedarbridge · Post by **cedarbridge** » Tue Oct 24, 2017 4:00 pm #350199

Saegrimr wrote:
cedarbridge wrote:
Nilons wrote:I actively don't pay attention to radio chatter so I can play Ostrava as a perpetually confused person just kinda stumbling through event after event going with the flow.
If that was the goal you could turn off the speaker on your headset.
This actually sounds kind of fun, might start doing that. I'd be fucked if I get jumped and can't scream for valids though.

I still think that common is a mistake. Its practically required because dudes would rather be off solo in maint than interacting with coworkers and then get dunked solo in maint and need common to scream into. I'd rather we had more department wall intercoms that spoke on the common channel and just reduced headsets to department only. Obviously you can simulate this by taking out all but your department key from the headset, but when nobody else is doing it you're basically just kneecapping yourself for the experience. Also the "people would just carry station bounced radios so who cares." thing kinda stymies the concept.

In any case, its always better for players to have to go and talk to a person than shout into the void over a headset into the vast shouting match that is Common radio. I couldn't imagine working somewhere where practically everything said in the office was shouted into my ear.

captain sawrge · Tue Oct 24, 2017 4:03 pm

Reginald Spessmehn is an amnesiac psionic supersoldier but he killed so many xenos mankind got scared of his infinite power and they had to activate his failsafe which injected Phaeron dna into his brain and made him retarded

captain sawrge · Tue Oct 24, 2017 4:04 pm

Eva Straub is just an autistic girl with extremely heavy delusions

Christmas Holliday is Reginald from 300 years in the future sent back to assassinate his previous self but he forgot who his previous (and current self) is because he's so old

cedarbridge · Post by **cedarbridge** » Tue Oct 24, 2017 4:28 pm #350215

captain sawrge wrote:Eva Straub is just an autistic girl with extremely heavy delusions

I thought Eva was a spooky spess witch.

captain sawrge · Tue Oct 24, 2017 4:31 pm

cedarbridge wrote:
captain sawrge wrote:Eva Straub is just an autistic girl with extremely heavy delusions
I thought Eva was a spooky spess witch.

Her delusions and mental state make her extremely susceptible to demonic incursion