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Post by tanshin on Nov 24, 2009 19:31:21 GMT -5
Because Novella is usually community rather than plot driven, the templates are different. Don't forget that the more detail you have, the better- I made sure, on constructing a character's armory, for instance, that I looked up the amount that each item weighed and the dimensions and compiled the list. I wound up with over 300 pounds of desired equipment -- A lot of people can't lift that much, let alone carry it. I chopped it down to about thirty pounds and figured out where to put everything using holsters and harnesses, to equalize the weight and thus his balance, as well as make it easier to walk, and - very important - figure out where his hands go for a particular set of weapons. For instance, since my character is left handed, I put his falchion on his right side for a cross draw. This gives me a way to accurately write any blocking motions or drawing motions. While you don't have to be nearly this detailed, it can add to realism.
=============== What's my character's name, and is that the person's real name? (Try not to intersect with other people's names for clarity's sake) Why is my character in this world? If my character's not involved in this world, how is s/he going to become involved in it?
What important things happened in my character's past that affect present outlook? (backstory) Does any of this backstory involve other people in the thread? (It's a good thing to do so, but can be difficult to swing. PMs and IRC, and other IMs are very useful here.)
What's my character good at?
What's my character bad at?
What makes my character interesting to read about and write for?
What does my character look like? Including clothing, size, distinguishing marks, as far into detail as you want to go. How does my character speak, and in what language? How does my character act or react to unusual or dangerous situations? What groups in the city is my character affiliated with, if any? What will pull my character into interacting with people when first injected into the game? (plot hooks)
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Post by Gothic Lolita on Nov 24, 2009 21:42:00 GMT -5
Well now, that certainly is a lot to read. So what, am I supposed to make a template now? And if yes, where is it going? I mean, I can make a template but not knowing the story and such will make it pretty difficult.
And also, what if I'm not too knowledgeable when it comes to armaments and their weight? I've got like, very basic knowledge in that area. I usually just take a picture off of Photobucket for appearance and be done with it. Albeit a cure photo of an anime gal/guy but that is of little consequence I suppose.
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Post by tanshin on Nov 25, 2009 0:23:59 GMT -5
Right. Important questions I forgot to address.
While I used armaments as an example, the real message was to know your equipment -- Wikipedia is very useful for looking up tech specs on things you might not know about.
For your use, a world to inject yourself into:
The year is 2043. You find yourself in none other than Tokyo, Japan -- A malformed, twisted version where crime runs rampant, triads are the main source of protection and peacekeeping, and the police are a distant memory, as is a government of any strength, replaced by corporations that, public opinion says, exist only to profit.
There are factions within the city: The Hawks, a militaristic, offensive group bent on containing the Shades, a smaller, creepier, much more elegant group that specializes in skilled emotional manipulation and attacks from the shadows. These two are have formed an uneasy truce, in response to the newer factions: the TCI, a cybertechnology-hoarding group with a hidden base, and the EMC, a small arm of a major corporation, who offers research and weapons contracts, as well as dealing with anyone who has enough money.
These four factions manage every so often to destroy a great deal of property, so much that a specific reconstruction arm of the government, funded mostly by a trust fund put together by several megacorporations to limit and repair damages as quickly as possible. As a result, the infrastructure of Tokyo remains relatively intact.
Your method of arrival, place of origin, and character are all up to you, as is your direction.
While it's easy to just pick an existing character art piece, I find that original characters are, in the end, a better choice -- you get something very nearly human if you know what you're doing.
I leave the level of detail up to you.
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Post by Gothic Lolita on Nov 25, 2009 1:55:37 GMT -5
Well, I guess that answers my question. Well then I suppose I'll start work on what is going to be the longest template I've ever done in my life.
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Post by Gothic Lolita on Nov 27, 2009 19:34:48 GMT -5
Okay so double posting, finished my template, though I'm not sure if it's right. I took a few liberties with the info you gave to fill in some of the blanks but I don't think I was reaching too far. Let me know if I was obviously. So without further ado... My template.
Name ~ Annabell "Anna" Lee
Alias's ~ "Raven"
Age ~ 19
Gender ~ Female
Appearance ~ She is rather short, standing at only 5'3". She has a small frame as well so most might think she is around twelve at first. She has jet black hair that is layered at just below her ears, she also has gray eyes. She usually wears a pair of black cargo pants that have pockets galore, she uses the pockets to store various things she finds as she is always coming across something that strikes her fancy. She wears a black tank top as well and has a black jacket with a hood that, like her pants have plenty of pockets. Her clothes because of all the pockets are obviously going to be baggy, this helps to make her look younger then she is. She also has elbow length thick black gloves that are riddled with scratches from so much use. Upon these gloves is usually a large raven named Hugo, the presence of the bird and her tendency to collect things is where she got her nickname.
Languages ~ English. Moderate Japanese. She is fluent in English and knows a good amount of Japanese, however her wording is off sometimes so she can't call it perfect.
Personality ~ Anna has a quiet personality, she does not talk a whole lot in general, preferring instead for her actions to speak for themselves. She has been known on occasion to talk a lot but this is with very few people as she does not like getting attached. If one can get her to talk they will find that she talks a lot when given enough reason though usually it is to shout something at someone.
She is eccentric, many would call her weird, between Hugo and her love of small shiny objects most just stay away. It's not that she isn't a nice person she has just grown cold and distant from people. She loves shiny things which she collects in her various pockets to place around her room. She loses many pieces of her collection but she doesn't mind as she then has room for more.
Bio ~ Anna grew up in what one might call a safe area, well as safe as one can get. She grew up with her parents and big brother. Her brother was a part of a local gang that helped to keep the areas inhabitants safe, all of the areas were run by gangs except for where such groups like the Hawks and the Shades were located. The gangs worked together sometimes to keep areas safe, when cities are thrown into such turmoil it's the only way to stay as safe as possible. Her brother came home sometimes with wounds but her mom always patched him up. Anna hated to see him hurt and started to learn from a local member of the gang how to fight. Her parents loved to read and named her after the poem written by Edgar Allen Poe, even then though they did not know just how fitting the name would become for her.
Her parents hated seeing their children exposed to such violence, they wanted a peaceful life for their kids as many did. Her mom raised birds since she was a falconer, there was always songbirds flying about the house at all time. When Anna was little the songs they'd sing would lull her to sleep, hearing them even now brings a calm about her. Her dad enjoyed gardening and grew fruits and vegetables, he also had a flower garden which left the house always smelling fresh. Her house was the envy of all those on the street because of these two things, it was a small piece of happiness amongst all of the chaos. Her dad taught her to garden so that she could grow her own things, a task that she did reluctantly. Her mom taught her how to train birds, she found a baby raven one morning and Anna started training with it from then on. This very raven chick is in fact Hugo, her one companion left to her.
One day when Anna was 11, the Hawks paid a visit. It seemed like an average day at first but then gunfire could be heard getting closer, everyone went indoors and soon the fighting came closer. The Shades and Hawks were at it again, they sometimes got along but apparently it was not to be on that day. Collateral damage was something unavoidable and many lost their lives that day in the firefight. The local gangs came out to try and stop the fighting and protect the families and were quickly silenced; Anna's brother among them. Her parents were killed when a stray grenade came in through the kitchen window, she had been sent up stairs with Hugo but her parents had gone back downstairs to see if her brother was alright.
Afterwords when the fighting had stopped a few of the Shades had gone around seeing if there were any survivors. One found Anna hiding upstairs with Hugo. Anna was not pleased about her being discovered and kicked the poor woman, her tenacity impressed her and she took it upon herself -upon learning of the fate of Anna's family- to teach her and make her a Shade. Anna had no problem with this as she had little else to do now and the lady said she could keep Hugo with her.
Anna grew up amongst the Shades though still resents them sometimes for the loss of her family. She holds the same feelings for the Hawks, more so since they never came and helped her. She remains amongst the Shades trying to restore some order to both her life as well as any other she can find.
Affiliations ~ Shades
Skills ~ She is a falconer, taught by her mother and so her and Hugo are capable of delivering messages as well as spying. She has a small video camera that Hugo can carry that allows them to spy on enemies or if she gets bored, on the locals.
Her training with the Shades has increased her speed, she enjoys running and is capable for running at the same pace for an extended period of time.
She is very dexterous, she learned some gymnastics from a Shade she met and it has helped her flexibility and maneuverability.
Due to her size as well as her clothing she can hide really well, she uses this to her advantage when she wants to get our of doing something, or in hostile situations in enemy territory. She is fond of undercover work when there is some, she has died her hair on occasion just to make the new identity look better.
She has on her person 2, Glock 19's, she prefers these to some of the guns that others have because it's small enough to hide on her already small person, as well as the fact that she can carry large amounts of ammo. She can also interchange all of the parts with the Glock 17 which makes it easy to fix if it should ever break (which has happened on one or two occasions) She has a few attachments that she has collected but they are just for light so she doesn't use them all to often.
She has a hunting knife that she got one day as well, she uses this only if she has to since she is not to fond of hand-to-hand combat. She can do it well enough she just prefers not to get so close to her enemies.
She has learned how to cast her own bullets, though it is so tedious that she dislikes doing it and would rather buy them. She is pleased however, with the knowledge that she could make them if she had to.
Other ~ She likes to carve, she is sometimes found sitting up in a tree simply carving away at a branch. She doesn't think she is too good but it is a hobby and she enjoys it.
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Post by tanshin on Nov 28, 2009 2:50:21 GMT -5
Without a doubt, the best first-timer's template I've ever seen.
Some pointers:
-I'm pleased you ran with the plot. Even though it contradicted some earlier ideas I had, it worked well.
-The addition of ultralocal gangs was an interesting twist.
-It's here I make my remarks. I dislike dual-wielding unless the combatant is inhuman - unless the point is to just fill the air with lead, you're not going to hit anything. It looks cool, though. But the physique of a 19-year old girl, specifically this one, would not support the tremendous amount of strength needed to steady both guns - in fact, most people use a detachable stock to fire it in full-auto with any accuracy.
-The Glock 19 cannot use the slide, frame, barrel, locking block, recoil spring, guide rod, or slide lock spring of the 17, or for that matter any other model of glock.
-Remember that Glock 19s only come chambered for 9x19 Parabellum ammunition ; While in some situations this might be a hindrance, 9x19 is the most popular military handgun cartridge; However, while the armor piercing is good, the stopping power on a 9mm round is rather lacking. Remember this if she ever has to fight a big target.
-Bear in mind that when writing in a community-driven roleplay, the point isn't to get ahead of the others, but to contribute to the community as a whole. I know several people who exclusively torture their characters because it's Funny. While there are serious roleplays, you may want to join one that isn't so Serious Business.
I tend to write seriously with moment of non sequitur silliness; for instance, if my character gets run off the road, I'll try to insert some silly collateral damage - for instance, a fruit cart from the infamous Dot Plevices Ltd. - unless it'd ruin the mood. Jackie Chan's fights are generally good examples of mixing seriousness with laughs, and it works very well.
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Post by Gothic Lolita on Nov 28, 2009 23:54:09 GMT -5
Well thanks, I think.
I noticed the Triad thing you wrote after I had already posted it and figured "Whatever they are kinda the same thing".
I've read a few books that had similar methods of protection, also some stories from friends and family and such. Figured the same principle would apply.
I guess that's true, I hadn't put into account her strength and size. Should I edit that?
I just looked back on the site I was using for info and I must have missed that part. My bad. 30+ minutes of looking through guns when I know nothing about them will lead to one miss details. And for that matter I don't plan on having her fix the blasted thing that often.
What do you mean by "stopping power"? Recall if you will that I have no knowledge of guns aside from the basics, such as the fact that they shoot bullets and are deadly.
Now is that you saying something in regards to something I wrote in my template? Or just random advice?
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Post by tanshin on Nov 29, 2009 2:48:42 GMT -5
This is mainly in response to your weak point, so far as I can tell - combat and weapons. Stopping power is how likely a weapon is to incapacitate the enemy with one shot - a .45 ACP round is right next to the enormous .357 magnum for the ability to stop one person per bullet, even if it doesn't kill them. This is different from Armor penetration, as some rounds with great stopping power (like hollow point rounds) are terrible if the target has armor. They won't make it through the armor, and the target won't be stopped. It's also good to point out that sometimes realism has to go out the window - Hence the Rules of Cool, Funny, and Drama. These are important writing devices and work well when used in moderation.
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Post by Gothic Lolita on Nov 30, 2009 0:41:59 GMT -5
Okay so basically what you are saying, is that it is impossible but if I knew what I was doing, it could be so awesome nobody would care that she technically would not be able to aim?
And that makes more sense. So if I use a gun like that I should try and make sure I avoid fights with armored foes, or at least give her another gun with armor piercing rounds?
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Post by tanshin on Nov 30, 2009 19:09:16 GMT -5
Equipment, if your character is informed in advance, is up to you - Here's a brief rundown on armor types. --Type 1 protects against .22 (target shooter) bullets, and small handguns with little penetration. It's so ineffective that it's not even part of the standard anymore - Only a third-world militia would fool themselves into using them. --Type 2A, 2, and 2B protects against 9x19mm Parabellum bullets (Anna's Glocks) all the way up to .45 FMJ rounds - Pretty much all handguns, possibly with the exception of high-powered specialist handguns like the .357 magnum and the .454 Casull (Which is about the size of a AA Battery). --Type 3 would probably save you from rifle fire - like from an AK47 - unless they were too close. --Type 4 is so effective that it can stop some sniper rounds, including a .30-06 round. Again, realism with bulletproof vests is that even if it stops the round it's still going to hurt like crazy - causing bruises and cracked ribs, depending on the round. So normal guards might carry types 1 and 2A-2B, while military would carry 3 or 4. Just a quick pointer. A good thing for Anna to run into later might be armored foes - She'd have to fight with them for a while, shooting for the weak points on their armor - The neck, thighs, legs, face. The Shades probably wouldn't lead an offensive, anyway. A good advisory on acceptable fighting is in some games, but not others -- F.E.A.R. (the first) has great example videos that can show you how opponents (The AI in that game is incredibly good, jumping through windows and over railings, using covering, suppressive, and precise modes of fire, all without scripted level events.) behave in a combat situation if they've training. I didn't include this, but had I wanted to actually play in this game, I'd have included something important -- Supernatural abilities and events. A good way to include this is to go with All Myths Are True, Or just limit it to one sort of myth/fiction - In the best RP I've been through, it was set in contemporary Tokyo, and All Anime/Fiction/Religion/Myths were true after a sort - Even if it didn't get invoked until someone wrote a character using them. In this way, there was ample material to draw from -- Currently there is a Demon invasion going on. If you wind up being the one making the RP, remember that abilities and personality make the character much more than the looks -- You can't see the character but they can sure have some good quirks.
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