How do you create characters?

I think, more than role-playing, I love discussing the mechanics of it. There's something really interesting about picking at the minds of people and then, through discourse, coming to, perhaps, a better understanding of things.

Or I could just be a really nosy kid.

So, the thing is, I'm really curious as to how people construct characters, but, more than that, how people evaluate characters (what makes a character "good" and what makes a character "bad?" Or, maybe, what separates a "good" character from an "excellent" character?).

I guess, to start people off - I'll throw out some generic questions that pertain to my original theme and, from there, maybe we'll get some kind of a conversation about characters and whatnot.

1. When you craft a character, do you take other existing characters into consideration? I.E. Do you think about how your character can interact with others? Do you think long-term or do you prefer to let it develop based on the dynamics the role-play will, later, establish?

2. When creating a character, do you throw random traits together or do you proceed in a logical fashion of: good trait, bad trait, good trait, bad trait, etc. Do you always have to "balance" your traits?

3. What kind of process or system do you use to go about constructing a character?

Those are just springboard questions - it'd be cool (if not entirely too awesome) if you gave your own opinions about things not necessarily mentioned, but still relevant to the topic.

First off, I love creating characters. The creation process is what really gives me a lot of the drive and giddy excitement to start off a game right. If I'm satisfied with my characters, I write a lot better than if a character is getting away from me or not turning out the way I'd like.

1. When you craft a character, do you take other existing characters into consideration? I.E. Do you think about how your character can interact with others? Do you think long-term or do you prefer to let it develop based on the dynamics the role-play will, later, establish?

I definitely take other characters into consideration. If their are other characters created and prior to mine, I like to look them over just to make sure I don't create something similar. I think the more unique and diverse a cast, the better the story goes. Plot always tends to mold a character with even more depth than they start with, but I don't usually go back and add to a characters profile after the initial creation.

2. When creating a character, do you throw random traits together or do you proceed in a logical fashion of: good trait, bad trait, good trait, bad trait, etc. Do you always have to "balance" your traits?

When it comes to personality traits, I like to even it out. If a character doesn't have flaws, it just isn't real enough for me. Flaws are what makes someone more interesting! I usually set it up with good traits, bad traits and overall traits. They tend to even each other out, but sometimes I have characters that are more of a mess than others are so negative occasionally outweigh the positive.

3. What kind of process or system do you use to go about constructing a character?

Usually, I create a character after the game is created. The plot, setting, ect is usually what gives me the initial inspiration for a character. It could be something as little as what I see in my head, or just a quick summary as vague as, "a confident and intelligent female" and then I go on from there.

The next step would be to find a visual representation of my character. This is actually a new way I've been doing it, since I used to only write physical descriptions but now I tend to search for images to better represent my character. On occasion, the image itself even helps inspire me further.

Then comes the history of my character. I like to give just enough information in the profile, usually separating it into a brief yet informative timeline. Nobody is going to read an essay, so I tend to keep it between three and five paragraphs at most and make sure it's easy to read.

Afterward I add things like personality traits, little interesting tid bits, equipment list and other fun things.

I work hard on my profiles, I like to also make them esthetically pleasing to others. Interesting, easy to read and informative. I look for these traits in profiles I read as well, I tend to get turned off by bare, boring profiles that I feel like I've read a hundred times before.

Luckily, I don't see much of that on this site. Which makes me happy. ^^ But I'd also like to say my character creation has improved greatly since coming here. The way the profile system is set up makes it easier for me to write exactly what I want to write and have it set up in a pleasing way.

Yay! I added to the discussion~~!

1. When you craft a character, do you take other existing characters into consideration? I.E. Do you think about how your character can interact with others? Do you think long-term or do you prefer to let it develop based on the dynamics the role-play will, later, establish?

It depends. Here, where roles seem to be on a first-come, first-serve basis, I will, definitely, take a look at the other characters. I think it's incredibly important that characters sync well with each other (whether this means having a positive, helping relationship or a very antagonistic one — the relationship type doesn't matter and is irrelevant. The key is that there IS such a dynamic). More than having a "diverse" pool of individuals, having one that bounces ideas or situations off one another is, imo, more significant. Diverse is good, but a bubble of constant dynamic is better.

It invites more exciting situations and, possibly, inspires writing.

However, in a role-play where characters are competition-based and slot-limited, I'm less likely to evaluate other people's creations. One, if there are slots — there's no need to watch out for "diversity." You'll just have to create a best-fit character for both the role-play's setting and the slot's definition/limits. Assuming the GM did a good job, the slots should all work relatively well with each other. Obviously, I'm assuming that people read other people's characters for an idea on how to add to the group's existing dynamics and not to use it for something else (I'm not even sure what else it can be used for).

As for development... A mix of both. I don't see much stock in having ALL long-term plots because that detracts from the story. Rather, a little bit of pre-plotting is good, but, in most cases, I like my characters to have the freedom to develop as the setting decrees. It's more fun that way and I don't feel like I'm forever stuck writing a prompt.

2. When creating a character, do you throw random traits together or do you proceed in a logical fashion of: good trait, bad trait, good trait, bad trait, etc. Do you always have to "balance" your traits?

I am actually extremely against the idea of a "pair" trait system/method. I think the use of one good trait, one bad trait to be really, really elementary and a poor basis for characters. Believability in characters arise from the fact that they are not perfect or balanced. They are dynamic and riddled with unmatched numbers of positives and negatives. Also, I think a random choice of good/bad to be really pointless. Instead, imo, people should just create characters based on a key set of traits.

For instance, let's say I'm playing a character, who has the follow core traits: arrogance, wit, and charm.

From those three traits, it's easy to see other aspects of how he or she will develop. If the character is arrogant, they can be assumed to be, possibly, flashy. They like attention and their views are narrowed — tunneled only onto what they like and want (possibly disregarding the feelings of others). If they are witty, they are good with words (also reinforced by the aspect of 'charm'). They are probably a big-ego character, who gets offended easily — whether or not it shows is dependent on how you want to take this character, etc, etc, etc.

See, I don't think pairing-traits is a good idea just because ONE adjective will come with a slew of other things, both good and bad. I think a logical addition of traits makes more sense. I'm not saying that I think the "balance" method is necessarily a bad model to use (it makes sense and keeps order). I'm simply saying that the "balance" method isn't the best form to go with. There's nothing wrong with a character, who may be slightly worse or slightly better than the average person.

3. What kind of process or system do you use to go about constructing a character?

Usually, I have an idea in mind before I apply. If I don't, I won't pick up a role because... I don't want to force myself into something I can't even envision in my brain.

As another general question (I realized, I should have asked this too!): What do you guys think separates a "good" character from an "excellent" character? Like, in your opinion, where do the two differ and how do they differ?

SCHIZOPHRENIC

So, when you're picking traits for a character, do you give all traits even value or are some more important and more stressed than others (aka some are more expressed than others)?

Also, when you construct the history portion of a character, do you like to paint a thorough picture or are you more guarded with what your character's backstory is? I'm just curious because, from my experience, people would write paragraphs upon paragraphs (I'm talking, possibly 800+ words) of information that pertains to their character's life before the role-play. It discusses everything from parental care, early life, mid-life, etc. And, what is your opinion of a long, drawn biography? I know you said you think nobody wants to read an essay, but, do you find merit in detailed histories or do you prefer a character to stay relatively basic?

And, yes! Haha, you've added to the discussion! ;)


JINGRAWR

First, you make the distinction between "diverse" and "dynamic" - why are they mutually exclusive? I would think they were the same thing.

But don't you think balancing out traits, on average, produce more well-rounded characters than if people were to just spring-board off of one or two traits? I mean, I understand and agree that traits are more than a singular description (that they lend themselves to a variety of other connected behaviorisms), but that requires a lot of interpretation on both the writer and the reader.

Not to mention, the ability to make the connection between traits and for them to be expressed/considered by the writer, would require the writer to be at a particular "level" or writing. It would have to be someone who's gone through the process of character development enough times to realize that, as per your example, arrogance conveys both confidence and ego-centric views.

Also, extrapolating an idea imbedded in your method, what is your opinion on the reader's job? Do you read point-blank or do you infer things that might be implied vis-a-vis the existing traits?

Last point, your name is strikingly familiar. Did you RP on a different site before coming here?

The first thing I do. THE FIRST the most important step.

I avoid any and all thoughts of: "do not make a mary sue."

I personally think this is the worst thing to think. Anyone consciously trying to avoid making a mary sue often, not always, makes a dull drab, static and boring character. Even I have fallen victim to the thinking. Trying so hard to avoid mary sue and getting so hung up on it that my character becomes boring.

I always remind myself not to think about that and to say fuck it to even bothering. Mary sue who?

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I've been sitting on this thread for a few days debating how to answer. The conclusion I came to is that I will be writing several long winded answers. I for one do not have one particular way I create characters and over the years I've done the job several ways. For the sake of being able to give examples I'm going to use my most recently created / developing characters as examples: Riley Charles Tucker, Addison Kinley and Marshal Greg. I know the profile are rather blank, Greg and Addison's especially, they're WIPS I'm currently working on. Might work in my favor as people can see the develop.

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Where do I start? I start every character the same way, regardless of how I proceed after this point all characters start the same way, and that is with a base. The base is a set of points random things that setup a line of think that I can form and build ideas from.

Take Charles as an example he started with: captain, older male (40s - 60s), gruff, masculine, facial hair. These five points are what I started with in order to build his character.

Addison was something along the lines of: female, mid twenties, politician, authoritative.

What factors contribute to the development of a character? From the base several elements, varying from RP to RP, help me through the developmental process. One of the biggest is the RP world itself and genre. 95% of the time I develop characters for one specific RP world making those characters nontransferable. A character is built specifically with elements of the RP world in mind whether is a role, planets, countries, NPCs, internal structures (magic/combat/government or physical/metaphysical/spiritual systems.) I consider the worlds cultures, races, governments and how they connect to my characters history, life style, and thinking.

Other characters play a role in my own characters development. I as a GM/DM/Host strongly believe in communicating between players and that means discussion when developing a characters. Little things like how two character met, if they start out already knowing one another and working together, and how this relationship effects how they work with one another and respond to each other. I try to build in holes and openings in my characters history and personality to fit in things related to other characters. How my character verbally responds to one character verses another based on their history. How my characters mannerisms are one way around one character and very different around another. Things like that I consider when developing a character.

Some elements of a character are developed as I play them. You can't possibly figure everything out before you run through the gate. Sometimes things popup or even change from their original state and get added in as I go. Shit happens. I try to keep such changes and addons within reason. I don't 180 a character just to suit a situation that pops up.

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More to come . . . >>>

---------- Post added at 04:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:25 PM ----------

2. When creating a character, do you throw random traits together or do you proceed in a logical fashion of: good trait, bad trait, good trait, bad trait, etc. Do you always have to "balance" your traits?

Random traits. I don't care if they're balanced. Balance is boring. Balance is static. Balance is predictable. Is balance a bad thing, no. Don't get me wrong there is difference between static balance like "one good and one bad" verses logical addition (as jingRAWR called it). People aren't balanced they aren't one good one bad, the world isn't balanced like that, things aren't so black and white. It's kinda a mushy grey blob with random colors and that ugly looking shit stain where things got mussed together.

I guess what I mean is good balance is understanding that shitty, arrogant and rotten are not black and white traits they're not bad or good. I guess my issue with a balancing act is when people try to say one trait is bad and the other is good. There are no good and bad traits, as jingRAWR said there is logical addition. Because who is to say "authoritative" is a good or bad trait, it's just a trait the defines a character but does not make their design any less or more good or bad. Nor is the character any less balanced if there is no OPPOSITE trait to even out the tree.

You can be authoritative without something to balance that personality trait. Being authoritative might make your character a bit of a dick, but being a dick doesn't make your character bad just makes them real. Some people are dicks no way around it and there ain't anything about them that makes them less of a dick. Best thing of all your character is still balanced. A dicks a dicks a dick, consistent and balanced.

Guess this is a wordy of way saying good balance isn't the actual act of balancing one thing to anther. It's actually consistency, consistent logical traits create the balance people seek.

Which I guess brings up the whole one trait that seems rather polar opposite to another trait and makes a character seem inconsistent. I counter that with their is either something in between that connects the two, or the player consistently play the character portraying both traits in a fashion that is logical and makes sense as to not come off unbalanced and out of character. If that makes sense.

Sorry this post is a bit long and rambles and seems all over the place.

STRUDE

The argument about consciously avoiding a Mary Sue is an interesting one and, I think, rather persuasive. It makes sense and I completely agree: Characters development should not revolve around the rejection of Mary Sue.

But, to be honest, I do not believe that all Mary Sues are created at the profile stage (although a vast majority can be spotted there). Rather, a frightening number of Mary Sues seem to crop up during the games. Personally, I believe Mary Sues are the byproduct of a writer's failure to let their character suffer genuine humiliation or appropriate failures when necessary and not necessarily the aftermath of trait-pairing.

I think a character can function perfectly fine despite being great at a multitude of activities and well-loved by a fair majority of the cast. There's absolutely nothing wrong with being "better" than average, rather, the problem lies in the writer's ability (or lack thereof) to convey it convincingly.

A think a clarification on how I used the word "balance" might be in order. When I say balance — I merely meant an equal number of good (or positive) traits with an equal number of bad (or flaws) traits. They don't have to necessarily mirror each other. For instance, a character can be a good listener, but rather nosy. So, when drafting a character, do you consciously make an effort to ensure that, at the end, your character has relatively close good points and bad points.

However, having read what you wrote, it seems like you prefer the same method JINGRAWR uses (which is a lack of balance and, instead, a preference for simply adding on as you see fit). In which, I would like to ask: Do you spell out all the traits of your character or do you leave some up for interpretation? Do you believe you have to spell out all the various added traits or do you think the reader should be capable enough to interpret it fairly vis-a-vis context-clues?

I know the questions are not entirely relevant, but the thought just occurred to me while reading your response and I was curious as to your thoughts on the matter.


And, don't worry about making long posts or rambling! This is just a casual conversation on how you guys create characters and characters in general. There's nothing wrong with discussing all the things you think are relevant and, plus, this may, optimistically, help some people improve in the way they think about characters.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dubujjigae

I merely meant an equal number of good (or positive) traits with an equal number of bad (or flaws) traits.

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To this I revert to my original argument but say this. No one is balanced; no one has an equal amount of good and bad traits. Any given day I myself may be more incline to say I have more good traits to bad, whereas on another (bad day) I will definitely list more bad to good and in some cases even turn what was once good into something bad.

I understand the premise of one good one bad and I see how it works as a tool to help a player define their character. I also feel that traits are not strictly defined as good or bad. A single trait can be both and try balancing that mess.

I guess as a beginner tool one good one bad trait is a good starting point. I feel more advance players recognize the diversity in a single trait and do not, or should not, treat them as one good one bad. They simply take traits that accurately define their character regardless of whether it creates a balanced trait table. Again referring back to the logical addition concept.

I will get to other points and your questions too. I've been a bit busy sorry for the slow reply. XD

---------- Post added at 01:19 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:03 AM ----------

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dubujjigae

Do you spell out all the traits of your character or do you leave some up for interpretation? Do you believe you have to spell out all the various added traits or do you think the reader should be capable enough to interpret it fairly vis-a-vis context-clues?

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I don’t actually list traits. I just define my character through a description. I do define some key traits (and I feel by define I mean more along the lines of attribute it to an experience there in explaining its existence, if that makes sense) while other subtler traits can be interpreted from the context there in. In some cases it comes down to interacting in-character for someone to truly grasp my character or wrap their head around something described in the profile.

So in short no I don’t define everything.

Defining everything becomes far too tedious both to write and read. Besides as a friend of mine and I discussed once: “…the more defined something becomes the less creative one can be with it. Over defining something restricts a player to a linear, strict set of boundaries that must be adhered to and any deviation from them thus becomes out of character.”

Which is to say being or allowing for vagueness gives a player more room to create, wiggle, define and ultimately change their character (or race, faction, anything related to an RP this is just a general creative concept if you will that I am applying to character design.) This is not to say being completely and totally vague and undefined is a good thing, being too vague leads to confusion and inconsistency. However, some vagueness is key to being able to expand upon ones base ideas, allows for natural, flowing development.

So leaving things to interpretation is a good creative tool. Leaving some things open ended is a good tool for allowing for alterations and expansion upon an idea by both the player and other players too.

"Diverse" and "Dynamic" are not mutually exclusive.

Rather, what I'm trying to say is that it is better to have a dynamic cast than a diverse cast. While it's good to have a variety of characters, a variety of mismatched, uncoordinated characters will just let a role-play devolve into sluggish interactions, which isn't very fun to write for. So, yeah, I'd prefer a cast where there may be some repeating traits/values if it means we can have scenes where people are inspired to write.

Interpretation of traits will exist irregardless of method you use. And, in my opinion, a good role-player should be able to fairly interpret and judge a character with the given contexts. If a role-player doesn't make SOME inferences, they're crippling the offered character and, I think, that's a shame. I never detail out every trait and, even when I make traits explicit, I leave some to be inferred via explanations or the RP's setting.

So, yes — I do write assuming that people are at a particular "level" or writing, as you put it.

I mean, as Strude has iterated, balance is not real. Obviously, this is true of anything that relates to characters. Even talents, I think, should not be balanced. For instance, just because my character, Danny, is good at swimming and cooking, it doesn't mean I have to automatically give him some failures. i'm not going to make up fake, illogical shortcomings just because i have to. i think, a good character, should, inherently, have such failures imbedded in them and, if you have to grasp at straws for a flaw, then you're doing it wrong.

of course, if you're just plain making a mary-sue then... you're already doing it wrong, haha. i mean, sure, a good writer can pull off a mary-sue, but, a good writer wouldn't make it a mary-sue in the first place. a good writer can identify the things that are important and work with a situation without making the situation work with them. that's, how i think mary-sues are created. any character can be a mary sue. seriously. it's in the writing and the conveyance that makes the difference.

the difference between a good/excellent character is mainly, for me, in the writing good writing will produce good characters and excellent writing will produce excellent characters. there's no real criteria that i match characters against to determine whether or not they are good or excellent. you sort of just know. i think a character can't be fully evaluated until we can see the posts. posts will shape/make characters. i think profiles are just a skeleton — kind of like a movie teaser of what you expect. you can't judge things based on teasers.


And, yes, GaiaOnline only though. Haha.

Pfft, he recognizes your name but not mine. BA-HUMBUG! XD *snickers* I jest.


^{"the difference between a good/excellent character is mainly, for me, in the writing good writing will produce good characters and excellent writing will produce excellent characters. there's no real criteria that i match characters against to determine whether or not they are good or excellent. you sort of just know. i think a character can't be fully evaluated until we can see the posts. posts will shape/make characters.} i think profiles are just a skeleton — kind of like a movie teaser of what you expect. you can't judge things based on teasers. " - jingRAWR

Agreed and on that note I personally feel profiles are first and foremost a reference for you as a player. It helps you plot out and design a character template that you can then play from (and in turn the better laid out and designed a character is the more you know and understand them and thus the better you can play them and remain in character). Secondly it is a reference tool for other players, but not necessarily made for them. The profile is made for you and if you are able to see the ins and outs then that is good; going back to the spelling out every trait, this is why (or at least another reason) I don’t because I don’t need to spell out every trait for myself.

I'M JUST TOO POPULAR, STRUDE. TOO POPULAR, lol. U JELLY? LOLOLOL.

I AM JELLY DAMN IT. WE'RE NOT FRANDS NO MOAR. *goes in the corner of MAPS! OOC and pouts*

1. When you craft a character, do you take other existing characters into consideration? I.E. Do you think about how your character can interact with others? Do you think long-term or do you prefer to let it develop based on the dynamics the role-play will, later, establish?
Most of the time, yes, other characters influence, either by intentionally making them similar or not. Playing out their actions and reactions, before using, helps, because I don't want the other author's or my desire for a certain direction to override that person's character. I try for long-term, but it's always like discovering a delightful surprise whenever any of them are in the right position to do this/have that.

2. When creating a character, do you throw random traits together or do you proceed in a logical fashion of: good trait, bad trait, good trait, bad trait, etc. Do you always have to "balance" your traits?
Nope. It can go any way. What matters is a basis for them, where history and character bounce off of each other, until there is an end result.

3. What kind of process or system do you use to go about constructing a character?
If it's not inspired by an appealing sensory basis like a story, thought, music, a picture and so on, then I work off a system based on numbers: 1 (Entirety), 2 (Genders), 3 (Descendents), 10 (Easy to Understand), 12 (Associated with Circles), 13 (Rebellion and Hatred VS. Love and Unity, Good VS Bad Luck). If there is anything that I can relate to these in any way, I'll use it. 1 tends to be the least used for obvious God-mode reasons, 2 to anything halved, 3 sons of Noah or a small family unit, 10 normally involves places or organizations which can effect the development or creation of characters to fill roles, 12 like the division of the color wheel for eyes and 13 can help me with personalities with the different Zodiacs out there (though most think of only 12). That sterility can sometimes open up ideas that I wouldn’t have thought of before, because it limits and forces a redirect. I’ve also categorized creatures and their ways of creation, when in the character’s life the story starts, who their narrator is, grammar tenses, language, what has and hasn’t been tried, and what can I link, mingle or struggle some feature against. Admittedly, that’s only for certain characters; I pull one out of my ass when I feel like the plot is done like that, but I don’t have the heart to tell the other RPer that I’m not interested.

What do you guys think separates a "good" character from an "excellent" character? Like, in your opinion, where do the two differ and how do they differ?
The amount of amusement, whether it is believable or appealing, does it for me. Broad, I know.

1. When you craft a character, do you take other existing characters into consideration? I.E. Do you think about how your character can interact with others? Do you think long-term or do you prefer to let it develop based on the dynamics the role-play will, later, establish?

It hugely depends on what the game inspires of me. I start by reading the plot, details, etc. and if a solid idea sprouts to mind by then, I go off with that one. However, if I find myself showered with options, I go check out the other characters and decide against using personality types which are already (over)used. It'd just be lame if everyone was a brooding anti-hero, right? I don't really go for the future interactions. I learned that you simply cannot expect a character to go a certain way or another when you're not the one controlling it. Assuming your characters will infallibly get along or become enemies is doomed to fail (though the latter has better odds of success).


2. When creating a character, do you throw random traits together or do you proceed in a logical fashion of: good trait, bad trait, good trait, bad trait, etc. Do you always have to "balance" your traits?

I don't typically balance my traits, but I occasionally do it when it seems to be the norm for the game I'm about to join. Typically, I start off with flaws and then decide on which qualities would suffice to "redeem" the flaws I've given this character. If the flaws are huge (in my personal opinion), he will end up with a lot of qualities to reach some kind of balance. Every trait has a different value, just like 1 apple and 1 orange aren't equivalent, 1 good trait and 1 bad trait are not equivalent either.


3. What kind of process or system do you use to go about constructing a character?

I use a step by step process which is equal parts elimination and inspiration.

1. Read the story of the RP.
2. Eliminate all possibilities which clash with the setting.
3. Minimize selection based on what the story inspires. (stop here if you are down to one possibility)
4. Read other profiles
5. Eliminate all possibilities which are too similar to already existing characters.
6. Minimize selection based on which traits this story seems to be missing (stop here if you are down to one possibility)
7. Find an inspiring picture.
8. Eliminate all possibilities which clash with the picture.
9. Use inspiration to finish the damned job.

Saw this at work the other day and wanted to do it, so now that I'm at a computer, I shall XD

1. When you craft a character, do you take other existing characters into consideration? I.E. Do you think about how your character can interact with others? Do you think long-term or do you prefer to let it develop based on the dynamics the role-play will, later, establish?

I do take other characters into consideration. There are times when I have something in mind but when I look at the characters I get the feeling that things just won't work out (not that there will be drama but more one character may be forced out of a scene for one reason or another) I may look at altering that character. There are also times when I see characters and think 'I want to create some sort of history with that person' because their character may have intrigued me in some way and I think our characters could make good chemistry or make things more interesting and in depth. So, I like looking at deepening the story in a way to aid the story or add more to it in the future. I even look at the characters I'm currently using; if I notice that I have so many of a certain personality type, or even remotely similar I may look into making something different. Of course, it all also depends on my inspiration at the time.

2. When creating a character, do you throw random traits together or do you proceed in a logical fashion of: good trait, bad trait, good trait, bad trait, etc. Do you always have to "balance" your traits?

This varies per character and how inspired I am while making them. There are some characters that flaws come to mind easily, others not so well. I don't normally make a character with flaws and traits in mind per say, I tend to make a character's story and learning about them so in my mind it can become difficult to really point out specifics; again, not for everyone. At the same time, things like 'likes and dislikes' totally made up every time. If you were to look at a lot of my characters you would see that most of them have similar likes and dislikes; they tend to not be something I focus on too much. My characters do end up developing likes and dislikes but they aren't something I usually I come up with seriously while making a profile but at the same time, if it's something more 'unique' (especially for my characters) then it's probably a real trait.

3. What kind of process or system do you use to go about constructing a character?

This also varies for each character. If I have an idea of what I want out of my character, personality or past may be made up first and when that comes to mind I find an image that comes close to what I'm picturing in my head. When I'm requested to play a certain type of character then I try to find an image while piecing this personality into something that I like. Music is a big way for me to make a character; I tend to always have a theme song for my characters looping while I make them.

Now I'm getting distracted so I'm probably missing somethings but this works for now XD

This is such an interesting question because I never really thought about it in an in-depth sort of way. I guess it all starts with a single roleplay/fandom, at least in most cases. Characters, for me, come about as an addition to something that I plan to be roleplaying in rather than something I would like to stick into a roleplay.

1. When you craft a character, do you take other existing characters into consideration? I.E. Do you think about how your character can interact with others? Do you think long-term or do you prefer to let it develop based on the dynamics the role-play will, later, establish?

I do take other characters into consideration, but only in the sense that I try not to create a carbon copy by accident. There was a time actually, when I was applying for a Gaia b/c (this was like three or four years ago iirc) and because B/Cs are big it's sometimes hard to read over everyone's profiles in both the quests and accepted users so I just skimmed the people who seemed to be most active and my competition. What ended up happening is that my biography was very similar to one of the players already accepted. At that point I basically had to scramble to differentiate my character in personality because why would you want two of the same person to interact with? Well, after that I ended revamping her for something unrelated (a B/C two friends and I started) and she grew into her own person from there and eventually joined the other B/C with a totally different character.

Other than that, I prefer to let the dynamic come through just roleplaying and using that to plot with the other RPers in the OOC. The best relationships will grow organically and (to me) it doesn't make sense to force a relationship before the RP even starts unless the relationship of those two characters is integral to the plot (1x1s are excluded in this case).

2. When creating a character, do you throw random traits together or do you proceed in a logical fashion of: good trait, bad trait, good trait, bad trait, etc. Do you always have to "balance" your traits?

I don't think it's good just to go "good trait, bad trait, repeat" until you have the amount necessary for whatever you're doing because I don't think that's how people are. Yes, people have their good and their bad but it's never as simple as "Bobby has 3 good things about him and 3 bad things". Some traits stick out more and some traits come in tandem with others. It's all very gray and while it's efficient just to throw traits together for some people, I feel like it's better just to let the character flow through plain, unpartitioned writing.

3. What kind of process or system do you use to go about constructing a character?

I start with a concept that I believe fits the RP and I think about what sorts of things that concept needed to grow from in order to be what it is now. To use an analogy. If I have an image of a house I want to build, I think about what sort of paint, wood, nails, etc. is necessary to make it happen and what furniture I need to fill inside. After outlining a general direction of my concept I try to think about what exactly my character amounts to. Are they a mishmash of traits or do all these tidbits have some connection to each other? Does this character sound like a person or a cardboard cut out? How can I take this beyond just a concept and make them flesh and blood?

When I was younger I tended to throw my characters away after an RP died, but nowadays I keep them to see if I can do anything to make them exist on their own (without needing a separate universe). Plus, it's fun to buy art for them.