#7: Methods of Character Creation, Part 1

[RPGnet Columns]

http://www.rpg.net/columns/building/building7.phtml

Summary:

Analyzing character creation as a four-step process.

Go to the column (http://www.rpg.net/columns/building/building7.phtml) for more information.

[algi]

Hi!

I was thinking about these elements of character(creation) and I think there should be another method/element included, namely: strategy. I define strategy in this case as the sum of all player decisions that is to be seen in the "behavior" of the character. I think almost everything can included here from how does the player decide when to go in-character and when to come out-of-character, how to play to impress another player or how to play to achieve some goals. I think this is mostly unintentional, but this would include for example the Gamist intentional strategies, too.

Gabor

[gschneider]

The concept has some clear merit - but I do think there is quite a bit of overlap with what you call strategy with what is already defined in Drama and Mechanics. A gamist type strategy will greatly affect both a players focus on mechanics and on their actual in-game actions (drama).

A way to integrate the idea of strategy into the scheme would be to break the four pieces into two sub-groups. You could but Mechanics and and Drama into the Strategy half of the diagram (if we had a diagram) and put Inspiration and Concept into the other half and call it something like - Vision. Then you could talk about each section as having common traits and then break it down further into the categories for specific traits.

Greg