Character Creation or Role-Playing?

[Phoenix]

The title is entirely misleading and I apologize.

I've come to realize that my true interest is in the creation of a character rather than actually playing it. I much enjoy the development of social and personal culture (whatever that means). This comes much more easily to me than actually role-playing the character. Perhaps this is in part due to my personal difficulties in roleplaying, itself. I feel content creating a character a walking away, whether that character be inspired by others' universes or my own.

Does anyone else feel this way: it is easier/more fun to create a character than to creatively write with them? Does anyone feel the opposite? Any explanations as to why that might be?

[Ergo]

I've both felt and seen what you are describing. I dare not speculate as to what the causes to this phenomenon might be, but I suppose it bears a resemblance to how people delight in the idea of going to the gym but despise the activity itself.

[Strangelander]

Ergo said
I've both felt and seen what you are describing. I dare not speculate as to what the causes to this phenomenon might be, but I suppose it bears a resemblance to how people delight in the idea of going to the gym but despise the activity itself.

Heh, that sounds about right.

As for me, I have a very similar problem but it relates more to comics and stories, though occasionally it does affect roleplay characters. I make up characters to use in something, and I have all kinds of awesome ideas of things to do with them, but then I never really feel motivated to actually do something with them. I'm fine with just the drawing and random ideas of crazy stuff that they do or happens to them. I can't explain why this happens, it just does. *shrugs*

[Crimson Flame]

I prefer RPing, then writing character sheets honestly. I prefer showing a character through actions and dialogue, then by writing a biography and a list of traits.

[Phoenix]

Ergo said ...but I suppose it bears a resemblance to how people delight in the idea of going to the gym but despise the activity itself.

I dislike this analogy because it insinuates that those who better enjoy writing CSs rather than playing with those characters are lazy or unproductive. I would liken the idea to an architect and a construction worker. Of course, this could be equally unfair, but I will explain why I believe this is.

Creating a character, one needs to know the balances of human nature and how events shape the human psyche. If they're not necessarily "human," then they have to reevaluate how that balance is reconfigured in this setting. They have to know the limitations both on the character and their attributes set by the plot and setting. So in creating, they make the blueprint based off the theme and setting as an architect must be conscientious of the safety and regulations their structures must have.
Playing a character requires the skill and mind to keep the personality consistent while leaving room for character development and how that character might develop physically, mentally, and emotionally. This is all done around the stipulations of the RP as well as the other players and the interactions with them. So in playing, they act based off this blueprint as accurately as possible given the circumstances as a construction worker must follow the plans of the contractor to safely implement whatever it is they are implementing.

Crimson Flame said I prefer RPing, then writing honestly. I prefer showing a character through actions and dialogue, then by writing a biography and a list of traits.

I actually like making the biography much like an IC story, but enough so it's interesting to read but not so long that it becomes a chore to read. And to be honest, I very much dislike how most people require personalities, likes, dislikes, belongings, and even appearance in a CS. I believe the character is the set of experiences they have gathered throughout their existence. That, itself, is going to describe everything past their name and the biography itself. But that's just my personal opinion.

Another question: going to the misnomer that is the title of this thread, how many people feel that the role-playing done here is more character creation or simply role-playing?

I feel it depends on the RP, but beyond that, I feel like it's more role-playing. I see everyone that "character development is key" but thinking over it, it just seems like this "character development" is the description of what that character is already like. They don't really change or develop into anything other than their initial personality. Is this because people don't naturally change so much and it would be unrealistic to play that out? I have seen people say that most/all RPers can't keep their character consistent ever, but I don't feel like people are very consistent in their personalities anyway (but that's a different discussion).

[Gat]

I tend to see a lot more actual character development in advanced rps where people will take more tim to think about how their character will react to things and even plan out 'paths' for them to take should certain things happen, this is almost non existent in free from what I've seen and rarer in casual due to the faster nature of rps in those sections.

[Jannah]

Crimson Flame said
I prefer RPing, then writing character sheets honestly. I prefer showing a character through actions and dialogue, then by writing a biography and a list of traits.

This. Definitely this. I actually despise writing up character sheets, but do it since almost all RPs require it. I just feel that once I have something down in a character sheet I'm forced to stick to it. That's hard since the flow of a RP can make me imagine certain traits of my characters much differently.

[Kestrel]

If I preferred making sheets I'd just not submit them.

[Dervish]

Kestrel said
If I preferred making sheets I'd just not submit them.

Kestrel gets it.

I mean, I like doing sheets to help get my ideas in order and have something to reference should I need to during the course of the game (go consistency), but by far the draw of roleplaying is telling a story with other people. I've yet to see a character sheet that elicits emotions, yet I've seen plenty of posts that do. That means something.

[Dervish]

Double post.

[Ellri]

We had a CS like that on the old guild. It was pretty emotional... but then, we did write it up as an IC post, simply because we could.

[Brovo]

Well. I can tell you a couple theoretical reasons...

#1: The God factor. We like to create things. We really, really do. I mean look at The Sims, it's wildly popular despite penny pinching you for every nickel and dime you have with DLC. Why? Because people like to play God. They like to create entities, ideal or otherwise, that fit something they imagine, something... Awesome, unique, cool, badass, pretty, etc.

#2: Because making a character is a lot easier than actually playing that character out to a degree that would be as satisfying. Example: Go make an Oriental anything, like a samurai. Now try playing that in a manner that is authentic to its culture. While creating it, it's easy to say that they would adhere to some code of Bushido or behave in X, Y, and Z manner that makes them sound cool, but then putting that to the test in actual scenarios where behaving in X, Y, and Z manner might get them killed and you know it, or where the code of Bushido prevents them from doing the right thing and you portrayed them as a good person, well...

It's a lot easier to paint a portrait, than it is to have that portrait come to life and disappoint you when it never, ever quite matches the expectations you had of it.

... Ironically, just like having children.

[Shurikai]

While I enjoy creating characters, I find playing as them to be equally, if not more so, satisfying. However, I will not play or create a character that doesn't match my personality in some way. Nor will I play characters I didn't make.

So, yes, I believe the idea of being "God" plays a role in preferring character creation. I however disagree with your second remark. The example doesn't fully fit the theory either. Its playing a character and feeling out how they are that makes a character a character. Sure, you could go make an oriental character that adheres to a code and behaves a specific way, but being human, can change they way they act, what they believe in. It would simply be more difficult considering he or she has spent their life being one way. To sum it up, you are the character. They are who we make them, even after we make them.

[StarWight]

Brovo said
Well. I can tell you a couple theoretical reasons... The God factor. We like to create things. We really, really do. I mean look at The Sims, it's wildly popular despite penny pinching you for every nickel and dime you have with DLC. Why? Because people like to play God. They like to create entities, ideal or otherwise, that fit something they imagine, something... Awesome, unique, cool, badass, pretty, etc. Because making a character is a lot easier than actually playing that character out to a degree that would be as satisfying. Example: Go make an Oriental anything, like a samurai. Now try playing that in a manner that is authentic to its culture. While creating it, it's easy to say that they would adhere to some code of Bushido or behave in X, Y, and Z manner that makes them sound cool, but then putting that to the test in actual scenarios where behaving in X, Y, and Z manner might get them killed , or where the code of Bushido prevents them from doing the right thing and you portrayed them as a good person, well...It's a lot easier to paint a portrait, than it is to have that portrait come to life and disappoint you when it never, ever quite matches the expectations you had of it.... Ironically, just like having children.

I actually LOVE the idea of throwing my characters to the test!!! If they have a knights code of conduct, I want to follow through with said character to the bitter end, because it's THEM. It's who they are, and if who they are kills said character, all the more fun for the story!!! I have yet had this be a life or death situation for my characters, but I've done this in novels I've written--much to my surprise, I've had a few interesting things I did not intend in some stories I've put together. And it's ALWAYS fun.

Maybe some people might not want to risk their characters life to make them behave authentically to who they are, but I find it all the more exciting. That said, of something happens in the RP to make them change their behavior or attitude, then I'm not going to have them just ignore said situation either. I like portraying my characters realistically :)

I like BOTH making a character and RPing. I probably enjoy RPing more, but I can spend HOURS on a CS. I've found that I do this more and more lately, it started in the latter weeks leading up to the Guildfall when I got into more advanced RPs. It can be fun to really dig into your character, what they look like, who they are. As for personality, I think that you can set up a baseline for your character, and then as the RP progresses they may or may not change. Nothing wrong with that, it's called character development and if anyone chastises you for slightly altering your characters personality, they obviously don't know much about writing in general. One of the first things you will learn about writing fiction is that character development and growth is VITAL.

[Sarge]

I have often found that the most fun part of any RP is researching and creating a character for the setting, writing a nice backstory for them, getting them set up, etc. Sometimes it's not as fun to actually sit down and go through the motions of having them interact with other characters. That's why, when I RP, I like to keep things fresh with a constant stream of NPCs with distinct personalities and quirks. One-shot characters who only stick around for a few posts then promptly bugger off/are dismembered.

Also: Good to see the site up and running again! I wasn't aware it was, otherwise I would have been back sooner.