Posted by Gobnait on July 3, 2000 at 09:03:34:
In Reply to: How can I become a better roleplayer? posted by Bearclaw on July 2, 2000 at 18:37:14:
Gobnait was easily one of the best characters I've played and the most developed. I strongly agree with most of Proud Blade's points below, and now I'm a little miffed I didn't have the opportunity to interact with Ingvar more. My current character just wouldn't talk much with someone like that. Little flaws like that make a character more interesting to play, but I've found that I'm having a hard time living with the flaws of my current character. As to Gobnait, I think most of what made her interesting and memorable was the little details. I've found that people still remember her penchant for chocolate cake because I emphasized it so much - expressing disappointment when I was out of cake, licking the frosting off first, etc etc. She had a fantastic bow that actually got me applause on a few occasions by itself. Along with her bow, I tried to make all her gestures grand and bigger than they needed to be. She was an entertainer and always regretted the fact that she didn't have the musical ability to be a bard. When I played her, role didn't exist, but I'm sure I would have written a few pages if I could have. Being able to play regularly and interact with some of the same people over time also really helps to develop a role. Two things in particular that have helped me: reading a lot of fantasy books and a very fast typing speed. I can interact creatively with others because I can incorporate little touches from a lot of sources and because I can type quickly and well enough to get my point across in a conversation. I think if you have a lot of problems with mistyping or if you type less than maybe 40 WPM, you should seriously think about finding a way to improve your typing. You'll also be more employable with a faster typing speed. *grin* I type between 60-70 WPM. Picking a role that feels natural (or can become natural) helps, too, because it takes that much less time to decide how to respond to a given situation. When you add up deciding how to respond and then having to type out the response, your ability to play out your role can be hampered by hesitation in either aspect. I eventually found Gobnait's flaws a little more of a hindrance than I wanted them to be. Perhaps that's why I didn't stick with her. So, if you do pick an interesting flaw, try to guess how it will impact your character at different stages and in different situations... and don't go with a flaw that will be too much of a burden. Good luck.