Character Background

[Bolak]

I've been thinking about writing a program to help players develop a character background. I am thinking of a simple interface that has a list of questions that can be customized for various campaigns. I am looking for suggestions or ideas. Besides me, will anyone use this kind of tool etc.

Thanks

 

[Lela]

I might be interested.

Are you talking about family background, home town, friends, local bully type thing?

Or something a little grander?

Maybe both?


I've got to stop writing things at 4 A.M.

 

[Bolak]

I'm thinking about having as much information as possible. My current plans include the ability to make campaign specific question files. This way, DM's could make a campaign questionaire and distribute the file to the players. Players could then use it to answer all kinds of questions about the character. Of course, users will be able to create new questions as well to include in their files. I currently plan to have at least one general question file with questions about appearance, birth & family, education, work, friend, attitudes, beliefs, edges, flaws, likes, dislikes, interaction with other pc's and a misc catagory for stuff that doesn't fit anywhere else. Oh, users would also be able to make their own catagories also. Thats about the size of it for now, but ideas and comments will help flesh it out.

 

[Lela]

Well, how do you plan for it to be useful? Why would anyone use it? What makes it something people would want?


Okay, some real questions now.

Is it going to be printable?

What are the possibilities for automaticly turning it into some form of paragraph that is pre-written?

 

[Mahiro Satsu]

It should have a list of major towns from most campaign worlds, and a random town (at least name) generator. Some class specific background items (churches, schools of magic, and armies). Ideally it should feel like the scene in Dark City where Kiefer Sutherland is making memories.

Oh, a random name generator might be good too.