Quote from: Nexus;968105Well, I don't usually show up with "three pages single spaced" but I don't care for "life path" character generation (or random character generation in general) except as a change of pace for a one shot or short game. Its a matter of wanting to play the character I want and am invested in not what random chance hands me.

Yeah but you're a story guy.

Any good lifepath system in my opinion is one that gives plenty of choice as well as setting appropriate randomness (not everyone is The Last Noldor).  If you can't become invested in a character unless he exists whole cloth in your head before you sit down, well, YMMV.

Quote from: BedrockBrendan;968107With NPCs, I find backstory pays dividends down the road. I don't have the NPC tell their sad tale of woe when the players meet them, but usually backstory comes up in play either when players are asking them questions (say "who is your father anyways?") or if something occurs that makes an NPC's background relevant (for example if there is a group of people after the NPC for something they did and they ambush the party-----and again, questions from the PCs are usually how the backstory comes out---"Why did those people want to kill you?").

Oh, I agree. (I was being a little tongue in cheek). Backstories help make a character feel more "real", gives them a reason to exist aside from "what can they do for/to the PCs" and can drive their actions in a way that makes the role playing more interesting.

Quote from: CRKrueger;968108Yeah but you're a story guy.

Any good lifepath system in my opinion is one that gives plenty of choice as well as setting appropriate randomness (not everyone is The Last Noldor).  If you can't become invested in a character unless he exists whole cloth in your head before you sit down, well, YMMV.

Indeed. If I'm going to play a character for a length of time in an rpg I want to shape it out of my imagination to a large degree. I care more about something I made than something I rolled up on some tables or was handed to me. Playing a character like just feel more detached like an actor playing a role he was assigned. There can be "investment" of type and degree but its not as deep or enjoyable but more like getting invested in a fictional character in novel or movie. Like there are different sorts of immersion. Its not objectively superior or inferior as I'm concerned just a matter of personal taste.

You won't be surprised, but for me it's the complete opposite.  I don't know about you, but I personally had absolutely no say as to what my race, color, genetic makeup is, were my parents rich or poor, what were their belief systems or religion, did I have any brothers or sisters.  All pretty much completely outside my control, like every real person ever.

Choosing that stuff for myself, THAT'S the made up character in a movie or film, that's the character that's been meticulously authored.  That's the one that's not real.  For me, a good lifepath chargen is where the roleplaying begins as my character chooses his way through life based on what life has dealt him, like every real person ever.

Edit: I'll add in YMMV again before someone calls me the "Lifepath Stalin"

A relevant thread.

The person running this website is a racist who publicly advocates genocidal practices.

I am deleting my content.

I recommend you do the same.

Quote from: CRKrueger;968113Edit: I'll add in YMMV again before someone calls me the "Lifepath Stalin"

I was going to call you a 'Lifepath Czar' but then we'd have to pull Doc Sammy away from sucking your royal balls. :eek:

Quote from: CRKrueger;968113You won't be surprised, but for me it's the complete opposite.  I don't know about you, but I personally had absolutely no say as to what my race, color, genetic makeup is, were my parents rich or poor, what were their belief systems or religion, did I have any brothers or sisters.  All pretty much completely outside my control, like every real person ever.

Choosing that stuff for myself, THAT'S the made up character in a movie or film, that's the character that's been meticulously authored.  That's the one that's not real.  For me, a good lifepath chargen is where the roleplaying begins as my character chooses his way through life based on what life has dealt him, like every real person ever.

Edit: I'll add in YMMV again before someone calls me the "Lifepath Stalin"

So, why did you add the YMMV, tavarishch;)?

I think a player can write a lot of backstory if they want, especially if it helps to get into the character.  Just don't volunteer any of it unless someone asks.  When I'm the GM, know that the chances of me asking are tiny.

Quote from: Steven Mitchell;968212I think a player can write a lot of backstory if they want, especially if it helps to get into the character.  Just don't volunteer any of it unless someone asks.  When I'm the GM, know that the chances of me asking are tiny.

I recently had a player explain to me that their 20 (60?) page, 135 year backstory, which I hadn't read, made their PC Heir to the Duchy of Kerandas. :rolleyes: I told them after the final session that they indeed became Duchess, about 10 years after the end of the campaign.
I'm not planning to GM that player in that campaign again, and for the next campaign any backstory had damn well better fit on 1 single-sided page.

Quote from: CRKrueger;968113You won't be surprised, but for me it's the complete opposite.  I don't know about you, but I personally had absolutely no say as to what my race, color, genetic makeup is, were my parents rich or poor, what were their belief systems or religion, did I have any brothers or sisters.  All pretty much completely outside my control, like every real person ever.

Choosing that stuff for myself, THAT'S the made up character in a movie or film, that's the character that's been meticulously authored.  That's the one that's not real.  For me, a good lifepath chargen is where the roleplaying begins as my character chooses his way through life based on what life has dealt him, like every real person ever.

Edit: I'll add in YMMV again before someone calls me the "Lifepath Stalin"

On the player side, I've been using a really simplified approach to this in my campaigns. Mainly I use it to determine family stuff (how many siblings you have, if your parents are alive, any unusual events or situations, whether you are really a bastard, etc). I think it does work well on the player end because creates character backgrounds they might not otherwise consider or use, and it can lead to surprising connections. I still let the players do some basic background, but typically the campaigns begin early in their life so it is usually limited.

Quote from: BedrockBrendan;968227On the player side, I've been using a really simplified approach to this in my campaigns. Mainly I use it to determine family stuff (how many siblings you have, if your parents are alive, any unusual events or situations, whether you are really a bastard, etc). I think it does work well on the player end because creates character backgrounds they might not otherwise consider or use, and it can lead to surprising connections. I still let the players do some basic background, but typically the campaigns begin early in their life so it is usually limited.

I think much of a person's preference in character generation probably stems from their outlook on rogs. While I don't consider myself a "story guy" in the somewhat pejorative manner its often used om this board my outlook does appear to be significantly different than the more vocal lot on the rpg.site.

Quote from: Nexus;968236I think much of a person's preference in character generation probably stems from their outlook on rogs. While I don't consider myself a "story guy" in the somewhat pejorative manner its often used om this board my outlook does appear to be significantly different than the more vocal lot on the rpg.site.

The longer I play, the less attention I pay to online outlooks and the more I just focus on what is working or not working at my own table. So as long as you are running campaigns and enjoying yourself, that is all that matters in my view.

On character creation, I think people have wildly different preferences in general. The background generation thing has worked well with some players in my games, but I also have players who prefer to make their own background. I am fine with either as a GM and do what works with the group. The reason I brought the family background thing in this case was because family is more important in this campaign than in others, and I didn't want anyone hand picking advantages for themselves in that respect.

Really on this stuff, I am fine with whatever the GM wants to do. If the GM wants character backgrounds, I am fine making one. If the GM wants life paths I am fine with that. Usually I find the GM makes these calls for a reason that benefits the game (even if it is just bringing things in line with what he or she is comfortable running).

Quote from: Justin Alexander;9681451. Sandbox IS structure.

Also, I just thought that this bears repeating.

Quote from: BedrockBrendan;968241The longer I play, the less attention I pay to online outlooks and the more I just focus on what is working or not working at my own table.

Of course, but we're not playing (I imagine several of the people playing together would result in brawls) just hanging out on a forum so some degree od navel gazing is okay. Besides I like thinking about what motivates people and their opinions even they're completely wrong.