Since suhuy enacted a "change your ldesc week", I think we should have a, "make a bio entry," week.
What do you say?! Can you commit to writing a substantial biography that can help you analyze, reflect, and give goals to your character?!
Let's. Do. This.
I'd urge anyone doing this to try doing a short bio on a recent event in a first-person reflection format. That's what works best for me.
Quote from: valeria on April 12, 2016, 01:58:29 PM
I'd urge anyone doing this to try doing a short bio on a recent event in a first-person reflection format. That's what works best for me.
First person reflection format?
Example?
"This week I ran into Lord Borsail again. He smelled funny."
I prefer third person - just goes to show that to each your own.
Sometimes little vignettes are cool, mini-stories as extra bio entries to really flesh out an important scene.
I've experimented with a lot of different styles, and what I seem to prefer these days is:
- 1-3 initial bio entries covering background and personality
- Regular "life so far" bio entries that are heavily summarized
- Then if I'm feeling ambitious, I fill in the gaps with "mini story" bio entries that flesh out an important event.
Of course, I've been awful about writing bios, so this is a great reminder. Thanks boog!
Agreed on the first person. It really helps!
Some other tips and tricks:
1. You can do:
bio add This Epic Event Just Happened To Me!
~
Then go to the website and fill out the rest of the bio instead of using the clunky in-game tool. (Plus you can document events on the fly, and then fill them in later when you have time to reflect.)
2. You can point staff to bio entries in your character report, thus keeping what you say in the latter short and precise.
All the characters I've had that I bothered to do bios for, they have been in the first person and they have been in the form of waying someone important from my backstory. I like this for a few reasons, it keeps my character on track with their original purpose because often the character is somehow related to my characters goals, I get to include all of the characters mannerisms so that when I look back I can remember the smaller details, and lastly if I receive feedback from a character report I often justify the IC change as the character telling me off.
I have like 4 bio entries that are just titles waiting for me to complete. I'm falling so far behind and I need to get up to date so I'm totally getting in on this.... Tomorrow.
Quote from: Jihelu on April 12, 2016, 02:07:57 PM
Quote from: valeria on April 12, 2016, 01:58:29 PM
I'd urge anyone doing this to try doing a short bio on a recent event in a first-person reflection format. That's what works best for me.
First person reflection format?
Example?
Example (http://gdb.armageddon.org/index.php/topic,50272.0.html) in terms of everything past the initial background.
This is the sole reason I'm so bio-prolific. My characters just reflect to themselves in my down time.
(http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lhfyjqPLry1qfymvl.gif)
I've always felt bio entries are a better way to give staff insight into a character than solo rp that's probably just being thrown into the dark abyss of nothingness.
Count me in :)
I don't think I've ever made a bio entry ever.
Second person omniscient is the way to go.
I like first person and it's more inspiring to me, but it often ends up sounding like a diary entry rather than a train of thought, which doesn't seem right for an illiterate PC.
I used to do bios for a few characters a long time ago and got out of the habit. The funny part is that I always have a stack of stuff in my mind about their current lives, their history, their life before I took control of their life and so on.
So thank you for the inspiration. I've done three so far today!
Quote from: Beethoven on April 13, 2016, 10:45:41 AM
I like first person and it's more inspiring to me, but it often ends up sounding like a diary entry rather than a train of thought, which doesn't seem right for an illiterate PC.
A psionicist has acquired your illiterate character's brain and is now reading their memories in first person in some weird, FPPOV reexperience.
Does that help? :D :D :D
Quote from: Cayuga on April 13, 2016, 05:09:48 PM
Quote from: Beethoven on April 13, 2016, 10:45:41 AM
I like first person and it's more inspiring to me, but it often ends up sounding like a diary entry rather than a train of thought, which doesn't seem right for an illiterate PC.
A psionicist has acquired your illiterate character's brain and is now reading their memories in first person in some weird, FPPOV reexperience.
Does that help? :D :D :D
That makes for good rp tho :)
"I access minds differently. Sometimes in first person, others in third. Like I'm reading a story"
I'm just trying to get Beethoven to feel better about their choice of narration style. You're not helping! :'( :'( :'( :'(
If you haven't written a bio yet, you still have 4 days!
Also, lots of love to the sweet replies here and nice PMs I've received!
I like to add bio's as if a psionist is going to dive into my mind and learn everything about my character.
I add bio's for who they hangs out with, what they talk about, why they talk about it, how they feel about it, how they think the other person feels about it --- what they did and felt before, during and after an event, why they did those things.
I really try to do my best to explain my characters as if a psionist; someone who has the ability to know everything about that character - had the ability to know everything about that character.
... so when they try to confuse and trick me affectively, they can.
I finished some of my bios. Mission complete.
We have a couple more days to get on this!
Do it! Make your characters have literary flesh since it's unlikely they have extra fat, cos you know, hunger.
Also all of my characters have less than 10% body fat because Amos is ripped, bruh
Biographies have always been the bane of my character's.
I've actually sat down and written another. This thread has inspired me.
Mission accomplished. Thanks for the encouragement.
Hey guys!
Did you know you can still access your BIOs and add to them via the main website! So, while you can't play, why not take the time to flesh out those bio entries or add to them?!
Quote from: nauta on April 22, 2016, 01:34:27 PM
Hey guys!
Did you know you can still access your BIOs and add to them via the main website! So, while you can't play, why not take the time to flesh out those bio entries or add to them?!
I use the Web editor. Always. I only write quick bios in game, if they're like, "tried kalan, hates them, had allergic reaction."
WRITE. GUYS.
Just make sure you make your own manual backups since Adhira mentioned in another thread that the main site might go down ;D
Armageddonmud OOCly says, "AFK, bio."
Armageddonmud is gone; Bio.
Some people mix and match and experiment with styles in each entry. That can work well too.
Quote from: Xalle on April 23, 2016, 09:15:13 AM
Some people mix and match and experiment with styles in each entry. That can work well too.
Do what works for you, she says!
Didn't realize we could do character bios - just added a little entry to keep track of how it's been going.
Can other players see these on the website, or is it solely for the benefit of myself and the staff?
Bios are not public. The biographies of long-dead characters have been released to the general public for their storytelling value, but that is not common.
http://www.armageddon.org/help/view/Biography
Quote from: Delirium on April 28, 2016, 04:42:06 PM
Bios are not public.
This is not the same as saying only you and staff can see them.
Much like think, change mood, and feel, your bios are another tool to help you flesh out and get more into your character.