Quote from: JongWKHow much do you work on your campaign's NPCs?

Do you create a detailed background for all the major ones, or do you more or less make them up as you go?

Depends, the more connected the npc is to the pcs, the more detailed the background. So, if I suspect a npc is going to play a large part in interacting with the pcs over a long period of time, I invest more in his  background. If not, then just a couple of lines. Most of the time, the details for most npcs are behaviourial details anyway, not background ones.

Regards,
David R

Quote from: Caesar SlaadNot enough.

What he said.  For my games, it's little more than a stat-block and some notes.  I usually don't have time do do anything more, which is why I love published adventures and currently have a whole Feng Shui campaign that's lovingly ripped off of Constantine and Artemis Fowl

Typically I write a short description, often three words.

So, an NPC would read:

Tall, rangy, sardonic.

Or:

Quiet, compact, determined.

That is usually enough I find.

Sometimes for more I would go to five or six words, but more than that and I tend to find people lose track anyway, better clear hooks people can relate to I tend to think.

Oh, background is usually something like:

Elderly adviser to the king, well connected but not as sharp as he was.

Or:

A rich and influential merchant, shady past.

Again, that usually seems to suffice.

Three classes of NPCs, really. First, there are the faceless security guards, cops, townsfolk and whatnot who don't really interact with the PCs except to say a single line, or as cannon fodder or target practice. They are a profession, and nothing else at this point. ("Security Guard", "Taxi Driver", "Bartender", "Kid"). In TV terms, these are extras. These NPCs get created on the fly as needed.

If the PCs decide to interact with a certain NPC more, they get a name (lists of genre-appropriate names are vital), a personality trait ("Grumpy", "Romantic", "Corrupt", for example), and two or three appearance descriptors ("short, bald & sweaty" or "a mountain of a man, covered in faded tattoos."). I create these details during play when needed.

At this point, I might give them a simple, short-term, goal that involves or requires the PCs. ("Stop the PCs from entering", "Get away from the PCs as quickly as possible", "Make as much money from the PCs as I can", and so on). In TV terms, these are bit parts and minor supporting cast.

Finally, I have the major NPCs. These guys are pretty much the same as the named NPCs, but with longer-term and more significant desires towards the PCs and, sometimes, other major NPCs. ("Shut down the PC's church", "Crush any who oppose me", "Get the PCs to get me the McGuffin", "Get the PCs to leave town"). In TV terms, these are the major supporting cast. I usually prepare about half-a-dozen or so of these before a campaign, and let things develop from there.

When I come up with an NPC (of any type), if any notable skills, abilities, resources or equipment come to mind (that aren't obvious from the NPC's profession), I note those down too, for consistency. ("Raised by Wolves", "Related to the Royal Family", "Ancient Sword" or whatever).

NPCs can get 'promoted' as the players show interest in them. So a faceless security guard could develop into a major NPC, if the PCs keep on interacting with him and so on.

EDIT: So I don't really come up with a 'background' for the NPCs. It's all focused on behavioural stuff instead.

Quote from: BalbinusOh, background is usually something like:

Elderly adviser to the king, well connected but not as sharp as he was.

Or:

A rich and influential merchant, shady past.

Again, that usually seems to suffice.

That's how I do it too -- I usually focus (very briefly) on

1) What they're doing / their agenda in the game (e.g. detective, hired by heirss, knows something weird is going on)

2) Some description notes that I feel communicate the character or notes on how to play him (e.g. swears like a soldier, not a sailor)

Cheers,
-E.