[TML] The Perfect Character Design

[Timothy Little]

On Sun, Dec 02, 2007 at 03:37:55PM +0100, Knapp wrote:
> So, I am at the point that I need to design a character generation
> system.  What do you feel are the most important points?

For me, by far the most important point is the ability to design a
pre-existing character concept.  It's not character generation, but a
description or expression of those aspects of a character that the
game system requires.


> What stats could you not live without?

That's entirely up to the rest of the game system: there is no point
in having stats that the system never uses.

It sounds like you intend wealth to be a substantial variable, so that
should certainly go in.  You mentioned asking about skills for running
a spacecraft, so something for those should go in too.  If it's going
to be a game in a visual medium, you'll probably also want to be able
to have characters with different appearances.

What other game mechanics do you expect to have that will vary by
aspects of the character?


> Also a story and an attachment should develop between the player and
> his character.

I don't think any system will do that.  At best a system can suggest
character traits and stories, but an attachment will only develop to
the degree that the player accepts a character and story as being
*theirs*.

Even completely random generation will suffice sometimes.  Other times
players already have an idea of who they want to play, and attachment
drops in relation to how far from that concept they are forced to go.

And sometimes the character is an unattached game token, simulated
personality, or a story part - regardless of how it was created or how
well it is played.


- Tim