The importance of character stories...

[Unseelie]

I wont read something if its very long. I simply refuse to. I ask for a synopsis. I try not to write novels, and indeed, my longest RP is 3 pages, with I believe 5 people working on it. I will demand that people write things on the forums. I want a record their characters, because I think it helps create an RP. A first character especially, should get some sort of short bio information. It does two things: It creates, for people who didn't have one (and I cannot show who do or do not start with one.) a stable RP background. Also, it is an exercise in disco knowledge. There's a lot here, and it takes study to learn anything. Making something fit with a nonstandard Freelancer world (and by this point, we are rather nonstandard), is an exercise in that study.

Its also a great way to demonstrate to many, many people, what your story is, or that you even have one.

And, honestly, they're generally the most wholesome part of these forums. Products of compromise and collaboration, where the community comes together. Every storywriting experience I've had here has been greatly rewarding.

---

[Dusty Lens]

I have little to no forum RP to my name. I tend to wax loquacious in the Xeno Alliance message dump, which is where the majority of my writing takes place, but the majority of my character development is in my head and the heads of my chums. Del can tell you that my character was a school teacher before things went sour, Zavier can tell you that his character indoctrinated me into the Xeno movement and Connor can tell you that I spent my first years flying freighers and, really, that's the way I like it.

I could write a magnum opus chronicling these events, or I can keep what I know about my dudefellow in my noggin and carry on in game.

There's some out there who might say that I've wretched RP for not developing as such, but I don't feel that way at all.

[n00bl3t]

Not changing mine, you're not changing yours, let's agree to disagree, OK? Though it is true that you don't need to write anything to RP, it's a nice touch. And that second sentence... whether intended or not, that's an underhanded blow man.

Okay. I will change mine though, as it has changed over time on this forum. It's a nice touch, but it's seen as compulsory otherwise you end up being called a capwhore. I have no idea about your intelligence. Stories show the ability one has to write stories.

---

Anything I say is not intended as offensive, and to try and deliberately misinterpret it as such would be an attempt at trolling via misrepresentation.

It's not a conspiracy, it's localised bias. They're not intelligent enough to form a conspiracy.

[Zapp]

I disagree, that not having a story gets you labelled a capwhore. One example of a cap without a story that I actually respect is Gafwmn. I also must disagree with the statement that Yoda has no RP, I've found myself RPing with him before. As I said, a story is much preferred, but through diligent in-game RP, a "storyless cap" can gain respect and what have you.

I'm not going to discuss intelligence here, I really don't feel like sounding like an egotistical, stuck-up priss >.<

Well, good night.

---

[n00bl3t]

I disagree, that not having a story gets you labelled a capwhore. One example of a cap without a story that I actually respect is Gafwmn. I also must disagree with the statement that Yoda has no RP, I've found myself RPing with him before. As I said, a story is much preferred, but through diligent in-game RP, a "storylesd cap" can gain respect and what have you.

I'm not going to discuss intelligence here, I really don't feel like sounding like an egotistical, stuck-up priss >.<

Well, good night.

I'm not saying Yoda has no RP. I'm saying he doesn't attack anything.

Good, Outcast BB without written RP coming up.

---

Anything I say is not intended as offensive, and to try and deliberately misinterpret it as such would be an attempt at trolling via misrepresentation.

It's not a conspiracy, it's localised bias. They're not intelligent enough to form a conspiracy.

[sovereign]

Writing stories gives a background for the community to use, something they can build off of- in RL conversation, you use what you know of someone to find something to talk about. Ingame, if you've read about a character you have a starting point, a history that you can ask a question about, something to get talking started... after that, the RP just flows like a river.

I write because I like to, and because people like my writing. If it makes their day better, that's good enough for me. If you can write, please do, it gives us a nice break from the rough forum politics, something we can learn from, something to help structure how we see this little place called Sirius. By no means a requirement for anything, but if you do something out of the ordinary and someone asks you about it, its a lot easier to point them to a link on the forums than it is to explain the synopsis of your idea to everyone who asks about it.

Also, a story really gets into the head of a character- if you have an idea and don't know where to go, the story will give others a place to start, something to work off. Characters and players can interact in ways you could never do ingame, and after awhile you can figure out what your character will do in any situation without second thought... quite useful in the rapid pace of ingame action.

Its something fun, its something helpful- if you know what you need to and you can write, do it. If you don't know the finer points of Sirius, either ask or browse stories. Not much more to it. Its something that I wish more people did, but if you can't write then you don't have to. No biggy, it isn't your field. Oh well.

---

[Boss]

I've done a number of RP stories in my time, most of which aren't finished >.>

READ MAH STORIEZ!

Oh, and for those that are a bit upset with us, I AM working on the 522nd's story.

*goes to make extremely charismatic duck char*

---

Just go play the game and have fun dammit.

all in all the conclusion is that disco doesn't need antagonist factions, it doesn't need phantoms, it doesn't need nomads, it doesn't need coalition and it doesn't need many other things, no AIs, the game is hijacked by morons to confuse the game with their dickwaving generic competition games mixed up with troll-of-the-day.

[Marburg]

I'm alot like Unselie about this.

To me, it really doesn't matter how good a story is...if it's a wall of text, I skip it.

However, I do think people should make an attempt on the forums to develop their characters.

It doesn't have to be "good" & it doesn't even have to be read... but on the forums a person has the opportunity to do things with their character that go beyond the scope of the game mechanics, & thereby giving the characters a little life, that just sitting in the cockpit & talking on the radio to other pilots in between fights will just never match.

Even if it's nothing but a personal log that only outlines what the character likes to eat for breakfast, it gives the person creating the character the chance to get into that character's head, & either conciously or sub-conciously helps the creator RP a little better on the server.

Alot of people have low self-esteem about writing...screw all that.

If you can speak words, you can type 'em out.

Just don't worry about what other people may think of your skill level.

...It has nothing to do with them.

---

[Boss]

In continuation of Marburg's post, there are also grammar freaks that will help if asked. (not me at this time, too busy >.<)

---

Just go play the game and have fun dammit.

all in all the conclusion is that disco doesn't need antagonist factions, it doesn't need phantoms, it doesn't need nomads, it doesn't need coalition and it doesn't need many other things, no AIs, the game is hijacked by morons to confuse the game with their dickwaving generic competition games mixed up with troll-of-the-day.

[sovereign]

In continuation of Marburg's post, there are also grammar freaks that will help if asked. (not me at this time, too busy >.<)

*raises hand*

I'll help if you need it. Its a right shame to see legitimate writing talent spoiled by little stuff like typos, just give me a ring if you need me to look through something.

---