Post by Deleted on Oct 24, 2013 2:23:00 GMT
I've seen a lot of questionnaires for games for characters; some have been extensive and most are impersonal. I find them tedious to go through and have a distaste for doing them personally. My best experiences have come from sitting down and talking with an ST or with a player of mine and being able to ask them the questions myself. I'm not sure how viable that is going to be for this, but in the meantime, here is my own revised questionnaire of sorts for characters. There is no need to fill this out like a form and mail it to the staff, treat it as an aid in fleshing out your character - there are no right or wrong answers.
Conceptual:
- Give a brief description of your character concept.
- Some of us play characters to scratch an itch, what itch are you trying to scratch? As another way of putting it - What are you looking to explore with this character?
- This is the juncture to submit your character concept to the staff, to ask questions or hammer out a rough idea of what it is you’re going for, maybe solicit feedback.
- Given the description you have already given, what other elements can you attach to the character? For example, if the person is strong willed and independent, would that entail any other personality traits like impatience with others who don't jump on board with their ideas or out of their way? Also, what made them that way? Jot a down a few ideas for future use.
Basics:
- About how old is your character? How do they relate to their age – are they young and brash or old and hardened? There’s a lot of events going on in Warcraft that you may want to consider your character’s involvement in.
- Does this lead your character towards being in novice or master of their skills? Tell me something about those. Are they happy where they are or is this a stepping stone to what?
- What social class do they belong to? Is this the same as what they grew up in? How will this affect their personality? - perhaps poverty gave them a chip on their shoulder, silver-spoon give them a sense of entitlement. Does it affect their perceptions or opinions in other ways?
- Where does your character live? Where did they grow up and why did they move to where they are now, or why did they choose to stay?
- What race is your character? How do they feel towards this heritage - does it give them a sense of identity or was one pushed on them as a child? Has their race had any special lore in game you should take in account? Ex: Blood Elves and the loss of the Sunwell, Trolls reclaiming the Echo Isles, Tauren loss of Cairne and civil war with the Grimtotem. How did your character deal with/feel about those events?
-What class is your character? What drew you/them to that class? What stands out as the most interesting aesthetic of the class?
- Breaking your character's life up by decades, give me a sentence describing their life during those decades. Were they happy, any major events that defined it, overarching trends? No need for heavy detail, but feel free to include if you want in your back story. Below is a timeline of expansions and major world events to give you some perspective:
30-26 years before Wow starts - Warcraft 1: Opening of the Dark Portal, the First War between Orcs and Humans
24-23 years before WoW starts - Warcraft 2: The Second War, Destruction of the Dark Portal
5-4 years before WoW starts - Warcraft 3: The Third War, Creation of the Scourge and Forsaken, Arthas as the Lich King, Destruction of the Sunwell, Discovery of Kalimdor, Return of the Burning Legion, etc.
WoW starts - Classic WoW
2 years after WoW starts - Burning Crusade: Reopening of the Dark Portal, Death of Illidan and Kael’thas, renewal of the Sunwell
4-6 years after WoW starts - Wrath of the Lich King: Death of Arthas, Death of Malygos, Creation of Death Knights, Varimathras revolts in Undercity, Trolls and Gnomes retake their homes.
9 years after WoW starts - Cataclysm: Garrosh becomes Warchief, Death of Deathwing, Zandalari Trolls go evil, Introduction of Worgen and goblin into their factions, Wrathion is born.
11 years after WoW starts - Mists of Pandaria
For a more detailed look at lore, check out www.wowwiki.com/Timeline_(unofficial). Also Lore for Noobs: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdqEmi1GbsE
- I would advise stopping here. Assimilate any new information about the character into your conception of them. Connect any dots of their behavior with personality traits. This is a good time to write a draft of the back story before continuing this.
Personality:
- Are they an introvert or extrovert? Where do they go or what do they do when they want to be alone?
- Is your character introspective? Do they spend time pondering life or are they too busy living in the moment?
- Optimist/pessimist? Why?
- Are they cautious or adventurous?
- Type A or B personality?
- Greatest strength? Biggest Weakness? Do they flaunt or conceal any of these?
- What are they talented at?
- What would you consider their biggest flaw? What would be their saving grace? Alternately, what brings out the best in them/the worst? Any particular reason?
- How do they deal with regrets? Any major ones or lots of little ones? Give me a few examples of them.
- By contrast, what do they regard as their biggest accomplishments in their life? What makes them proud? Why?
Relationships:
- Tell me about your character's parents. Are they still alive? What relationships does your character have with them, why? Any siblings? Same questions as regards parents.
- Does your character have a large extended family or no? Has this affected their life at all? Are they close with any of them or are any notable? Examples - Your uncle was your god father and lived 10 minutes away, he's been like a second father to you. Or perhaps your Aunt is a military commander and you got your first commission with the horde through her connections.
- No man is an island, your character almost certainly has friends that populate their life. Tell me a bit about those friends. Does your character have a lot of friends or only a few? Who are they closest to and why? How long have you known them, how did you meet?
- How about dating or marriage? Tell me about that relationship and the person. If single, are they looking for a significant other or content to be alone? Why?
- How does your character relate to others? Are they shy when meeting new people or the life of the party? Are they caring/distant, friendly/indifferent? Do they treat people differently once they've gotten closer to them? How does your character react when a total stranger walks up to them on the street and starts a conversation? Do they feel/act like themselves when around others or do they inhibit themselves? Why?
- Who is the most important person in their life? Why?
Thoughts On:
- What is your character's perceptions of themselves? What do they like or don't like about their personality, body, life?
- What was your character's happiest moment in their life? Their saddest? Tell me a bit about them. Did it have any long term affect on their life or mental state?
- What sort of morality do they follow? How strongly do they follow it or enforce it on others? Do they see themselves as moral?
- Are they religious? If so, what religion, how were they exposed to it, how important is it in their life? If not, why?
- What do they think about death, the afterlife and the soul?
- Any strongly held beliefs or convictions not specifically address above? Examples - political leanings, vegetarian etc.
- Did they have role models growing up? Still? If so, who and why?
Self Expression:
- Does your character have any hobbies?
- How do they spend their free time?
- Notable spending habits?
- Clothing - What are they most often seen wearing? How do they dress when relaxing at home? What would they wear when dressing to impress? Accessories like jewelry?
- What do they look like/Physical appearance?
- Do they have any defining mannerisms or peculiarities?
Conceptual:
- Give a brief description of your character concept.
- Some of us play characters to scratch an itch, what itch are you trying to scratch? As another way of putting it - What are you looking to explore with this character?
- This is the juncture to submit your character concept to the staff, to ask questions or hammer out a rough idea of what it is you’re going for, maybe solicit feedback.
- Given the description you have already given, what other elements can you attach to the character? For example, if the person is strong willed and independent, would that entail any other personality traits like impatience with others who don't jump on board with their ideas or out of their way? Also, what made them that way? Jot a down a few ideas for future use.
Basics:
- About how old is your character? How do they relate to their age – are they young and brash or old and hardened? There’s a lot of events going on in Warcraft that you may want to consider your character’s involvement in.
- Does this lead your character towards being in novice or master of their skills? Tell me something about those. Are they happy where they are or is this a stepping stone to what?
- What social class do they belong to? Is this the same as what they grew up in? How will this affect their personality? - perhaps poverty gave them a chip on their shoulder, silver-spoon give them a sense of entitlement. Does it affect their perceptions or opinions in other ways?
- Where does your character live? Where did they grow up and why did they move to where they are now, or why did they choose to stay?
- What race is your character? How do they feel towards this heritage - does it give them a sense of identity or was one pushed on them as a child? Has their race had any special lore in game you should take in account? Ex: Blood Elves and the loss of the Sunwell, Trolls reclaiming the Echo Isles, Tauren loss of Cairne and civil war with the Grimtotem. How did your character deal with/feel about those events?
-What class is your character? What drew you/them to that class? What stands out as the most interesting aesthetic of the class?
- Breaking your character's life up by decades, give me a sentence describing their life during those decades. Were they happy, any major events that defined it, overarching trends? No need for heavy detail, but feel free to include if you want in your back story. Below is a timeline of expansions and major world events to give you some perspective:
30-26 years before Wow starts - Warcraft 1: Opening of the Dark Portal, the First War between Orcs and Humans
24-23 years before WoW starts - Warcraft 2: The Second War, Destruction of the Dark Portal
5-4 years before WoW starts - Warcraft 3: The Third War, Creation of the Scourge and Forsaken, Arthas as the Lich King, Destruction of the Sunwell, Discovery of Kalimdor, Return of the Burning Legion, etc.
WoW starts - Classic WoW
2 years after WoW starts - Burning Crusade: Reopening of the Dark Portal, Death of Illidan and Kael’thas, renewal of the Sunwell
4-6 years after WoW starts - Wrath of the Lich King: Death of Arthas, Death of Malygos, Creation of Death Knights, Varimathras revolts in Undercity, Trolls and Gnomes retake their homes.
9 years after WoW starts - Cataclysm: Garrosh becomes Warchief, Death of Deathwing, Zandalari Trolls go evil, Introduction of Worgen and goblin into their factions, Wrathion is born.
11 years after WoW starts - Mists of Pandaria
For a more detailed look at lore, check out www.wowwiki.com/Timeline_(unofficial). Also Lore for Noobs: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdqEmi1GbsE
- I would advise stopping here. Assimilate any new information about the character into your conception of them. Connect any dots of their behavior with personality traits. This is a good time to write a draft of the back story before continuing this.
Personality:
- Are they an introvert or extrovert? Where do they go or what do they do when they want to be alone?
- Is your character introspective? Do they spend time pondering life or are they too busy living in the moment?
- Optimist/pessimist? Why?
- Are they cautious or adventurous?
- Type A or B personality?
- Greatest strength? Biggest Weakness? Do they flaunt or conceal any of these?
- What are they talented at?
- What would you consider their biggest flaw? What would be their saving grace? Alternately, what brings out the best in them/the worst? Any particular reason?
- How do they deal with regrets? Any major ones or lots of little ones? Give me a few examples of them.
- By contrast, what do they regard as their biggest accomplishments in their life? What makes them proud? Why?
Relationships:
- Tell me about your character's parents. Are they still alive? What relationships does your character have with them, why? Any siblings? Same questions as regards parents.
- Does your character have a large extended family or no? Has this affected their life at all? Are they close with any of them or are any notable? Examples - Your uncle was your god father and lived 10 minutes away, he's been like a second father to you. Or perhaps your Aunt is a military commander and you got your first commission with the horde through her connections.
- No man is an island, your character almost certainly has friends that populate their life. Tell me a bit about those friends. Does your character have a lot of friends or only a few? Who are they closest to and why? How long have you known them, how did you meet?
- How about dating or marriage? Tell me about that relationship and the person. If single, are they looking for a significant other or content to be alone? Why?
- How does your character relate to others? Are they shy when meeting new people or the life of the party? Are they caring/distant, friendly/indifferent? Do they treat people differently once they've gotten closer to them? How does your character react when a total stranger walks up to them on the street and starts a conversation? Do they feel/act like themselves when around others or do they inhibit themselves? Why?
- Who is the most important person in their life? Why?
Thoughts On:
- What is your character's perceptions of themselves? What do they like or don't like about their personality, body, life?
- What was your character's happiest moment in their life? Their saddest? Tell me a bit about them. Did it have any long term affect on their life or mental state?
- What sort of morality do they follow? How strongly do they follow it or enforce it on others? Do they see themselves as moral?
- Are they religious? If so, what religion, how were they exposed to it, how important is it in their life? If not, why?
- What do they think about death, the afterlife and the soul?
- Any strongly held beliefs or convictions not specifically address above? Examples - political leanings, vegetarian etc.
- Did they have role models growing up? Still? If so, who and why?
Self Expression:
- Does your character have any hobbies?
- How do they spend their free time?
- Notable spending habits?
- Clothing - What are they most often seen wearing? How do they dress when relaxing at home? What would they wear when dressing to impress? Accessories like jewelry?
- What do they look like/Physical appearance?
- Do they have any defining mannerisms or peculiarities?