Post by Riley Campbell on May 21, 2009 14:58:51 GMT -5
Welcome to the Variable Intricacy Application Template Walkthrough!
If you've been directed here, don't worry. You haven't been sent to 'slow class' or anything. This is a valuable resource for explaining in detail the depth and content we seek in our applications, and is by no means an insult to your ability as an RP'er. Anyone can make use of this guide, and a vast many people will be pointed toward it. Most likely, you're simply here because this guide can help you understand what one or more of the template's fields truly asks of you.
Before I begin the walkthrough itself, I want to cover a few general rules for the application:
i n t r o d u c i n g . . .
A1. Just above is a three-line body of code. This creates the "First Middle Last" that you may see on your application once it's posted, or on the template itself. Simply find the words "First", "Middle" and "Last" in the body of text, and replace these words with the first, middle, and last names of your character.
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(character image here)[/img][/center]
A2. This is where you place an image for your character. Here are a few points to consider:
Full Name~
A3. This is the full name of your character, which should also be represented in A1. Here are some points to consider:
Gender~
A4. Typically, you're choices will be Male, or Female. Obviously, this needs to match that of your CC. Although these are the only choices I've seen in use, there's nothing stopping you from creating a M2F or F2M trans-gendered character if you wish, but like always, make sure you know what you're doing. If you know nothing about transgendered people, research.
Age~
A5. A pretty simple entry, but it can become an issue when it doesn't match correctly with your Date of Birth or the appearance of your CC. See that it does.
Birthdate~
A6. You are not required to put your character's birth year here. If you wish to do so, there's nothing stopping you, but all we really need is the month and day on which your character was born. If you wish to also include your zodiacal sign, please feel free. I'll personally encourage this, if only because I think zodiacal signs are neat. If you include Birth Year, make sure it's accurate. Mind the setting; our RPG starts in the year of 2010.
Location~
A7. This doesn't necessarily have to be where the character is at the time of the application's completion. You will likely have an idea of where you wish to start out RP'ing with the character, and in this case, opt to put down the name of the place you will be in, rather than, say, "On a ship bound for such and such, presently in the Pacific Ocean". Other than that, it's not a complicated entry. Just remember that your best bet is to set your location to where you will find RP, i.e. the populated 'main' cities. You're allowed to RP anywhere, but it will help you get started much more easily.
Faction~
A8. This is an entry that you need to think about along with history, background, and the kind of things you plan to do with your character. There is a page under resources, and I'll be nice and link it to you here, that describes all of our site's factions enough that you can get a feel for where your character can go. Our factions are designed so that they are described just enough that you can get a feel for the range of people that might find good plot there, but also vague enough that they can allow for a range of people, so you can most definitely find a place to put your character. One world-famous maneuver is to start neutral, hero, or villain, and 'find your way' into something later, but as we wish to especially encourage focus on plot on VI, and our factions are the heart of our plot, we encourage you to look into these factions and get involved from the start. There is nothing stopping you from plotting your character's position before you finish your application, and the Cbox is an excellent utility for this.
Celebrity Claim~
A9. Some points regarding the appropriate selection of a CC, or an actor to portray your character 'on screen', have been covered above. I'll review them here for the sake of being thorough. Your character's CC needs to be fitting to their appearance, age, background, etc. and should be someone recognizable. A known musician, athlete, model, or some such also works fine. They do not have to be an actual actor, but they do need to be a real person. Try to avoid the most famous people on earth if you can. Creative choices score points! That doesn't mean your CC has to be someone we've never seen before, either. If all else fails, the Cbox is always a great source of feedback.
As an extra measure to help you out, here is a site called Hollow-Art, which is an excellent place to browse for a possible CC. This site is pretty much a resource for the RP community, and they have been a great boon to many of us. I believe they run on donations, so if you can afford to, I'm sure they would appreciate it.
Lastly, although this doesn't pertain to actually choosing a CC, this may be the best place to say this. Please avoid copying the real life information of your CC, such as name, birth place, their history, etc. Your character is not the same person as the actor playing them.
Play anyone else?~
A10. Personally, I like to list my characters below the header line here, but I always play more than most people do. Needless to say, though, just make sure you list everyone you play and you'll be fine. For the sake of meshing reference, this can be updated later by staff to reflect other characters that you have created to play.
A word to the wise: We can see your IP on the site, so do not attempt to bypass the character capping limitations under false pretenses by creating multiple "player" identities. In other words, don't pretend to be several different players so you can play 12 characters! We don't expect it needs to be spelled out that there are definitely concequences for fraud on the site.
m i n d . . .
/// SPECIAL ABILITY
B1. In this entry, you'll describe how your abilities work. Consider your ability from a scientific perspective. Describe how it works in this light, from scientific angles, and yes, some research will once again serve you well. Here are some other points to consider:
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/// ABILITY LIMITS
In this section, you should describe your ability further by covering what kinds of limitations the ability has. Here are a few questions that you will likely need to answer, that can help you in fleshing this information out:
Now, bear in mind what was said above (under Special Ability) about how powerful your ability can be. Limitations are used to balance and off-set powerful abilities. The more powerful an ability is, the more limitations are necessary in order to make it fair. Keep balance in mind as you proceed, and you may be fine. If you need help, we'll be happy to help you out in any available channel.
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/// PERSONALITY
B3. This is where you will cover the character's personality. There is a great deal that you can describe here, but many don't realize just how much depth they can go into, so here is some advice:
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Likes~
B4. Your likes and dislikes are meant to further flesh out your character's personality and give us a better feel for who they are. For likes, consider your character's favorite foods or beverages, music, reading, the kinds of people they get along well with, or pretty much anything else. Activities? That works. Sports? You get the idea. Avoid being vague with entries like "Reading" or "Music". If your character likes break-dancing, don't just put "Dancing". Be specific. You need at least five likes!
Dislikes~
B5. This is much like your Likes, although you can afford to be a bit more general with them. You need at least five dislikes!
Strengths~
B6. Strengths are traits that give you an edge. Is your character athletic? Are they good with computers? Are they innovative or cunning? Do not list skills here, but traits that aid in skills are okay. For example, saying you're good at mathematics is okay, because that covers a wide range of ground, but don't say your "Strength" is "dancing" or "playing videogames". These are more like hobbies. They don't truly give you an edge and are better listed under skills as they are specifically, well... skills! Remember: traits that give them an edge. You need at least five strengths!
Weaknesses~
B7. Weaknesses are the opposite of Strengths. These are traits that act as drawbacks, things that could be used against you, or things that can hold you back or get in your way. Don't confuse these with flaws. Weaknesses are traits, such as being stubborn, narrowminded, having no ability to plan ahead, jealousy, etc. These are negative traits that significantly affect your character. They may hinder them socially, intellectually, or in some other way. Don't list something cheesy like "not physically strong". The absence of a strength does not count as a weakness, just as I would not list "unable to operate a space shuttle" as a weakness. You need at least as many Weaknesses as Strengths! More Weaknesses than Strengths is okay. More Strengths than Weaknesses is not.
Skills~
B8. Skills are learned proficiencies. Do not confuse Skills with strengths, and list things such as "good problem solver" or "intelligent". Learned proficiencies mean specific tasks that require learning in order to perform, such as woodworking, locksmithing, picking locks, operating heavy machinery, working with pharmaceuticals, etc. Think of your character's profession, as well as any extra-curricular or personal interests and activities they may have grown up with. Things such as swimming and debate count as well, but an entry such as 'athletic' is more general, and is a trait rather than a learned skill. You need at least five skills! Don't be discouraged, the average person knows how to do a large number of things. Many may seem menial, but if it's a learned proficiency, it goes here. Also, please avoid making silly entries like "pops bubble gum loudly" or "can read", "driving", "running" etc. Things that most anyone can be assumed to be able to do will not work here.
Oh, one more thing! If allowed to, 90% of RPG players will have a black belt in "martial arts". First of all, there's no 'martial art' with the official name "martial arts". It's a good idea to avoid this bandwagon with your first character, because people tend to try to use this as a substitute power. That's one of the reasons I advise against reaching this high for your first character, who is a new manifest. We also don't want 90% of our civilian (no ability) characters to have a black belt in something either. So, some notes on 'martial arts'.
Hobbies~
B9. Hobbies are activities that your character enjoys in their own free time. Some skill entries may double as hobbies, such as a specific sport like swimming, or some form of craft, like painting or woodworking. They can also enjoy simple indulgences like going out to eat, or going to the movies, but try to be creative and original here if you can. You need at least three hobbies!
Habits~
B10. Habits are little quirks or patterns in your character's behavior that set them apart. Things like cracking knuckles, tapping fingernails, or other idle things like this work, but you can also use things that pair with activities, such as having wine with every dinner, or reading every book several times before moving on to the next. Habits add another rung of depth to your character's personality, rounding them out with quirks that make them even more human. You need at least three!
Flaws~
B11. Flaws are tricky. They are frequently mistaken for a redundant request for Weaknesses, but that's not what they are. In fact, I'm so used to correcting people on flaws that I've got this down to a reflex, so to keep it simple: Flaws may include obvious physical imperfections, such as scars, and may also include addictions or dependencies, allergies, phobias, mental disorders, medical conditions... you get the idea. They are handicaps, drawbacks, not simple personality traits, so *do not* enter personality traits here, such as "not very social" or "trusts too easily". They will be shot down with extreme prejudice. Entries will resemble things such as Agoraphobia, Diabetes Type 1, Severe allergy to mold (keeps epee pen), etc. Avoid making silly entries like 'allergic to hay' or 'phobia of floods'. Your flaws should be usable in RP. You need at least three!
b o d y . . .
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(alternative character image - OPTIONAL)[/img][/center]
C1. Here you can place an additional character image. This is optional, but very encouraged, as it gives us a second look, and thus, an even better mental image of your character. I'm using the infamous trio of avatars instead for this section, personally, but as long as it meets the same standards as the first image, whatever you put here is fine.
Age~
C2. See A5 under Introduction.
Celebrity Claim~
C3. See A9 under Introduction.
Sexual Preference~
C4. Relationships can and will happen on VI (see the Site Ratings post for any necessary distinction on limitations of content). This is pretty self-explanitory. Is your character heterosexual, bisexual, or homosexual? Are they bi-curious or questioning? They might not even know, and this can even change in the course of RP if your character discovers more about themselves that they didn't previously realize.
Ethnicity~
C5. This is more specific than race, so please do not answer something general like "white" or "black". We want to know what countries and cultures your character is descended from. For example, rather than "Asian" you should tell whether your character is Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Laotian, etc. Many people, especially in America, are a diverse blend of ethnicities, and that's part of the beauty of the place, so don't be afraid to provide a laundry list of countries and cultures that define who your character is. If you need help, you can often Google your celebrity and find out his/her ethnic background, and use that as your starting place. Please note that because "Jewish" is a very broad term, you may want to be more specific (for example, Israelis are different than German or Polish Jews). Similarly, many very different tribes exist under the blanket name "Native American", so we prefer you tell which specific tribe, if possible. "African-American" will be an acceptable answer to this field, since it is often impossible (mostly due to the way records were kept in the days of slavery) for black Americans to find out where their ancestors originally came from. We are aware that many white Americans also have no idea where their ancestors came from. Staff seems to have no problem with "American Mutt" as a general description for that, but we know some people may be offended by that, so if you know a nice, non-offensive substitute, please let us know! (Crediting Olivia for the assist here! Thanks, Liv!)
Hair~
C6. The hair color of your character. You can also make note of things such as curly, wavy, straight, or any highlights or colorations they may have going on. People do not naturally have pink or purple hair. It's alright to have dyed hair, but it really helps if this is reflected in your CC's images. If your character's hair is dyed, tell us the natural color as well (you can be a diva and make it a spoiler if you like). Do not choose hair colors that are not natural and then claim that they are, i.e. "blood red".
Eyes~
C7. The color of your character's eyes. If they differ from what is normal for your ethnicity, there should be a good reason. Don't give your character an odd eye color just because they have an ability. If their ability actually has something to do with sight, then it may be okay, but if not, it's a good idea to refrain. Also, try to avoid nonchalantly choosing colors like 'purple' or 'silver' or anything else that's simply abnormal. Unusual eyes are okay, as long as they are realistic. Like name, some people try to 'define' their character through eyes, and it's another bad route when it takes a turn for the unrealistic. Contacts are always an accessory option.
/// APPEARANCE
Here is where you describe your character's appearance. You should not only describe how they look physically in terms of their features, hair, eyes, build, etc. but also talk about their various styles and attire. It's also good to cover anything you can think of in regards to the way they walk or their movements, such as being graceful, or fidgety, or clumsy. Are there specific facial expressions common to your character? This is also a good spot for that.
s p i r i t . . .
Faction~
D1. See A8 under Introduction.
Birthplace~
D2. Simply: this is the birthplace of your character, the city in which they were born. While it's a pretty simple thing to choose, it can be good to choose an uncommon city or something that will stand out a bit. Not everyone is born in the capitol of their state.
Mother~
D3. The name of your character's mother, age (or deceased, if deceased), and if applicable, their ability.
Father~
D4. The name of your character's father, age (or deceased, if deceased), and if applicable, their ability.
Siblings~
D5. Siblings to your character are listed here, followed by their ages (or deceased, if deceased), and if applicable, their abilities. If your character has no siblings, feel free to delete this field.
Spouse~
D6. Your character's spouse, if applicable. You should know by now what information to enter. If your character has no spouse, enter "N/A".
Children~
D7. Your character's children, if applicable. You know what to enter, and if your character doesn't have any children, go ahead and enter "N/A".
Other Family~
D8. You don't need to list your family tree. Use the same format, but just name important people, such as any relevant uncle, grandparent, cousin, or anything like that. You can be detailed if you wish, but it's perfectly fine to only name those that are either player characters or NPC's on the site. If you make no entries here, enter "N/A".
/// HISTORY
D9. Your character history is another important entry. It's certainly the most important part of your Spirit section. Here you will cover ground on your character's past. This is one of the best areas to be detailed in. The things in your character's past should explain how they became who they are, explain personality traits, hobbies and habits, flaws, etc. If your character has manifested and discovered their ability prior to the point in time in which the Application was written, that should also be detailed. Here are some additional pointers:
/// ANYTHING ELSE?
D10. This is basically a miscellaneous for any other information you can think of that is relevant to your character that didn't quite fit into History or Personality or elsewhere. I don't use this often, and I believe the one time I did, I posted pictures of my character's pet snakes and lizard. Delete this field if you do not use it.
c r e d e n t i a l s . . .
/// PLAYER INFORMATION
Name or Alias~
E1. This is basically what you want us to call you, or any list of names you'll answer to by us. Typically, this will be in Cbox chat or private chat, which happens live. There's a lot of live chat on the site, and it's a great benefit to you if you make use of it, so by all means, be social.
CBox Name~
E2. This is the specific Cbox name you use on our site. You may own more than one, and if you do, please list them all. See that you are accurate, to be sure that there's no confusion.
Contact Info~
E3. You surely have an email, and you are likely to have an Instant Messenger or three as well. Whichever of the above you don't mind being reached by, feel free to list them here. If you prefer not to be reached by any of the above, then simply enter "Via PM".
Age~
E4. Your IRL Age. Please be honest. Mind you, we're not going to judge you based on your IRL age. It just gives us more information about you.
Years of RP Experience~
E5. How long have you been Rping? This doesn't necessarily mean online forum-based RP. Perhaps you've played play-by-email games, or you've gotten into some local table-top games. Think back to when you first started to RP and give us an idea of your level of experience.
How Did You Find Us?
E6. Pretty self-explanitory. This is a good way for us to see where our traffic is coming from. Some may find us through friends, others by ads, etc.
/// SAMPLE RP
E7. Sample RP is probably your most important 'Credentials' entry. While this will be an in-character piece of literature based on your character, this is your audition for playing the character as well, so it's all about you. We want to see how you write, how descriptive you are, etc. It's also a good way to break any bad habits on the way in, such as writing in first-person, or switching perspectives randomly. It also shows us spelling and grammatical issues that you may have, although those are also likely to be evident in your other paragraphical entries if they are a problem. Whatever you do, don't finish with "not my best work, blah". If you don't take your audition seriously, it doesn't paint a very pretty picture about how much of you you put into your RP. If your heart isn't in it, people aren't going to want to drag you along.
Did you read the rules:
E8. Not much to say here, except that yes means no. You had better read the rules, or we'll know that you didn't.
That's all for now! This may be updated later, but for now, it should hopefully be able to help anyone who needs it.
Remember that when all else fails, we are here for you. Find us in the Cbox and please, please, please, let us help you out. As long as you are cooperative and receptive to our advice, we will assist you in any way you need.
Thanks for reading, and have fun!
P.S. If you have any questions about the Walkthrough, just post them here, and I'll try to update the Walkthrough to see that it answers them.
If you've been directed here, don't worry. You haven't been sent to 'slow class' or anything. This is a valuable resource for explaining in detail the depth and content we seek in our applications, and is by no means an insult to your ability as an RP'er. Anyone can make use of this guide, and a vast many people will be pointed toward it. Most likely, you're simply here because this guide can help you understand what one or more of the template's fields truly asks of you.
Before I begin the walkthrough itself, I want to cover a few general rules for the application:
- Spelling and Grammar! VI is an intermediate-advanced RP site. You have a spell-checker built in to the posting window, and you can use it at any time. True, it likes to pick on bits of coding. That's when you hit 'ignore', but you are well within your power to see that you do not make spelling errors. As for grammar, we do not have a 'grammar checker', but you should take enough care for your work to proof-read it before submitting anyways. Please proof-read for grammar errors as well, and fix them as you see them. Also, please don't arrive on the scene asking to be excluded from grammatical expectations because you do not speak English. It's not on VI to pay the difference on your behalf. Writing with a lot of errors brings down the quality of RP in general, and we sort of expect that most anyone should be reasonable to understand this. Make sure you know how to use commas, too.
- Other presentation errors include not spacing between your paragraphs properly (there should be one blank line between any adjacent paragraphs) or spacing after your colons (example:like this, in which you should see right away that "example:like" is not a word. Space after your colons. Pretty please. I get gray hairs if you don't.) Also, be consistent. If you indent half of your paragraphs, make sure you indent them all... or don't do it at all. Don't put periods at the end of all your likes and dislikes and strengths and weaknesses when they aren't even complete sentences. Things like this: "Good at Swimming.", "Operates Firearms." etc.
- Refer to this guide, other accepted applications, or the Cbox for guidance at any time. We are *happy* to help you. Also, if you need improvement, don't get a complex thinking that we are looking down on you. If you are willing to make any given effort to improve, we have no problem being patient and helping you out. We're actually quite a friendly bunch.
- Depth: A paragraph should have at least six-to-eight lines or sentences. Under Special Ability and Ability Limits, you should have two-three paragraphs each. Some powers require more detail than others. We'd like three paragraphs minimum for Personality. We'd like two paragraphs for Appearance, at least. Five paragraphs for History is good, but you can get away with four if they are chunky and/or your character is fairly young. Your Sample RP should be roughly half the size of your screen in length. In terms of traits, please do *not* create paragraphs to describe them. A few words is sufficient, and other accepted applications can give you a good idea of what we're looking for.
- If you're creating a VI version of another Heroes RPG character you've formerly played, bear in mind that VI is an alternate universe, and you can make an exciting alternative version of an old character. They could be really different, and I always find that fun myself. It's not a requirement that you make them vastly different, but it's worth pointing out that it is an option, as many people would enjoy doing so!
- Lastly, and this may be the most important thing of all. Be polite and cooperative with us. Don't try to fight against us if we ask you to change something. Also, don't ignore a request and expect us to not realize that you didn't comply with it. We *will* notice, and we will bring it up again... and again. Remember that your attitude is a big part of earning our trust in general, so the more cooperative, understanding, and enthusiastic you are, the more rewarding things will be for you.
i n t r o d u c i n g . . .
First Middle Last ///
[/size][/i]A1. Just above is a three-line body of code. This creates the "First Middle Last" that you may see on your application once it's posted, or on the template itself. Simply find the words "First", "Middle" and "Last" in the body of text, and replace these words with the first, middle, and last names of your character.
A2. This is where you place an image for your character. Here are a few points to consider:
- This needs to be fitting for your character's age and appearance. For example, if you use an actor who is in their forties, but list your age as 22, there's a problem, and you'll end up needing to find a pic that fits better. Also, if your actor happens to play an elven prince in some fantasy movie or something, that's not the right picture to use.
- Your CC, or the actor representing your character, needs to be a real person in a relatively modern time. Don't try to do something silly, like using a painting of a knight in silver armor, or a painting of someone from the 1800's, or something like that. You need a real person.
- Your CC does not have to be an actor IRL, but they do have to be a recognizable identity. There are known models, athletes, musicians, or other recognizable individuals who can be cast to play your character.
- As a request, please try to avoid the most over-used A-list celebs out there, or the people that *everyone* uses in RPs, if possible. You'll find that creative choices can be quite rewarding.
- Also, and this is very important, make sure your image isn't too big. It can't stretch the screen, and I highly prefer it doesn't even come close to doing so. Feel free to look at some of my applications for an idea for a good image size.
Full Name~
A3. This is the full name of your character, which should also be represented in A1. Here are some points to consider:
- Many people have middle names, and if you can be bothered for the extra creativity, it often sounds better to have one, and helps give the character more flesh to the background, but isn't really required.
- When thinking of a name for your character, you're at an important time to mind the setting of the RP. For example, there are several things you should *avoid* doing, such as creating a strange or fantasy-sounding name, or an alien-sounding name, or taking a normal name and giving it a bizarre deliberate mispelling so as to "make the character unique". In truth, your character *should* be unique, but you should accomplish this through RP, not with a bizarre name.
- Also avoid choosing a name that directly indicates core parts of who the character is, such as ability or occupation. Names are given to infants at birth, often before birth, and your parents do not know what kind of person you will be, let alone what kind of power you might happen to manifest, when they name you!
- True to realism, also make sure your names fit your character's background. Do not make a caucasian named Fuyuki Tsukioka. I will feed you to crows. If your character is Japanese, and has a Chinese name, we'll notice, too. Not all Asians are the same! This goes for all ethnical backgrounds. Basically, don't play something you know little about unless you are willing to do the research. If you decide to play something uncommon, like for example say, a Maori, do some research.
- Please, please, please... avoid using the same name or surname as your CC. In some cases, you may be allowed to slide by with it, but it counts against you in the overall (if intangible) 'grade' of the application.
- All in all, it's good to choose names that aren't too common or over-used, but also, are clearly real names that we've encountered somewhere in our lives. Names that can't be proven to be in use by more than a number of people I can count on one hand are likely to quickly catch our attention as something that subtracts from overall character realism. Try to be original! Take a look at our CC page as well, which will effectively list all of the names in use, and a simple ctrl+F will allow you to search for whatever you are thinking of, so you can easily avoid copying someone else's name. If all else fails, try baby namers such as THIS ONE, they are common resources for authors in general.
Gender~
A4. Typically, you're choices will be Male, or Female. Obviously, this needs to match that of your CC. Although these are the only choices I've seen in use, there's nothing stopping you from creating a M2F or F2M trans-gendered character if you wish, but like always, make sure you know what you're doing. If you know nothing about transgendered people, research.
Age~
A5. A pretty simple entry, but it can become an issue when it doesn't match correctly with your Date of Birth or the appearance of your CC. See that it does.
Birthdate~
A6. You are not required to put your character's birth year here. If you wish to do so, there's nothing stopping you, but all we really need is the month and day on which your character was born. If you wish to also include your zodiacal sign, please feel free. I'll personally encourage this, if only because I think zodiacal signs are neat. If you include Birth Year, make sure it's accurate. Mind the setting; our RPG starts in the year of 2010.
Location~
A7. This doesn't necessarily have to be where the character is at the time of the application's completion. You will likely have an idea of where you wish to start out RP'ing with the character, and in this case, opt to put down the name of the place you will be in, rather than, say, "On a ship bound for such and such, presently in the Pacific Ocean". Other than that, it's not a complicated entry. Just remember that your best bet is to set your location to where you will find RP, i.e. the populated 'main' cities. You're allowed to RP anywhere, but it will help you get started much more easily.
Faction~
A8. This is an entry that you need to think about along with history, background, and the kind of things you plan to do with your character. There is a page under resources, and I'll be nice and link it to you here, that describes all of our site's factions enough that you can get a feel for where your character can go. Our factions are designed so that they are described just enough that you can get a feel for the range of people that might find good plot there, but also vague enough that they can allow for a range of people, so you can most definitely find a place to put your character. One world-famous maneuver is to start neutral, hero, or villain, and 'find your way' into something later, but as we wish to especially encourage focus on plot on VI, and our factions are the heart of our plot, we encourage you to look into these factions and get involved from the start. There is nothing stopping you from plotting your character's position before you finish your application, and the Cbox is an excellent utility for this.
Celebrity Claim~
A9. Some points regarding the appropriate selection of a CC, or an actor to portray your character 'on screen', have been covered above. I'll review them here for the sake of being thorough. Your character's CC needs to be fitting to their appearance, age, background, etc. and should be someone recognizable. A known musician, athlete, model, or some such also works fine. They do not have to be an actual actor, but they do need to be a real person. Try to avoid the most famous people on earth if you can. Creative choices score points! That doesn't mean your CC has to be someone we've never seen before, either. If all else fails, the Cbox is always a great source of feedback.
As an extra measure to help you out, here is a site called Hollow-Art, which is an excellent place to browse for a possible CC. This site is pretty much a resource for the RP community, and they have been a great boon to many of us. I believe they run on donations, so if you can afford to, I'm sure they would appreciate it.
Lastly, although this doesn't pertain to actually choosing a CC, this may be the best place to say this. Please avoid copying the real life information of your CC, such as name, birth place, their history, etc. Your character is not the same person as the actor playing them.
Play anyone else?~
A10. Personally, I like to list my characters below the header line here, but I always play more than most people do. Needless to say, though, just make sure you list everyone you play and you'll be fine. For the sake of meshing reference, this can be updated later by staff to reflect other characters that you have created to play.
A word to the wise: We can see your IP on the site, so do not attempt to bypass the character capping limitations under false pretenses by creating multiple "player" identities. In other words, don't pretend to be several different players so you can play 12 characters! We don't expect it needs to be spelled out that there are definitely concequences for fraud on the site.
m i n d . . .
what's in my head?
/// SPECIAL ABILITY
B1. In this entry, you'll describe how your abilities work. Consider your ability from a scientific perspective. Describe how it works in this light, from scientific angles, and yes, some research will once again serve you well. Here are some other points to consider:
- "Ability" refers to what your character can do. This may include various applications, which may also be referred to as 'utilities', or 'faculties'. I want to avoid confusion on the site between ability applications, and the actual ability, so I encourage people to use these terms with correct distinction. I'll use Telepathy (canon to the show) as an example. Reading thoughts, Sending thoughts, Persuasion, and Illusion all seem to be possible through Telepathy. In this example, the "ability" is Telepathy, but all of the things listed that can be done with this ability (reading thoughts, sending thoughts, illusion, persuasion) are the applications of the ability, it's utilities, or faculties.
- You shouldn't need multiple *Abilities*. Multiple faculties are fine, but they need to be connected. For example, if you have Flight and Aerokinesis, this is fine, because they can be connected, but obviously, if you choose Flight and Terrakinesis, it's not going to work out. What I mean is, the powers you choose for your character should all be a part of the same ability. They should operate on one solid, unified principle, such as controlling air, controlling impact, etc. If you think of your powers as all being part of one ability, it'll be easier to make a connection.
- When you choose your ability, bear in mind that we have rules against god-moding. It's okay to choose an ability that can control other people (such as persuasion) but there are things you need to do to ensure that other players still ultimately have a choice. In terms of overall power, avoid comparing yourself with other players if you aren't getting the amount of power you want. Different people are trusted with different things, but there are reasons for this. It may not *seem* fair, but actually, it is. As staff, we need to use our discretion to feel out our players and monitor their achievements and growth, and so we also need for you as the player to be understanding of this. Being overly covetous for power as a player is generally a red flag anyways. In other words, don't expect to start on the top of the world with your first character. Our trust in you to properly use a powerful ability is earned, not granted, and there are very good reasons for this. Showing an understanding for this is a good first step at gaining that trust.
- If this is your first character, they are a new manifest. There are some exceptions taken with those with previous experience with our team on other sites, and we ask you not to mind them in comparison. If you are truly a creative and able roleplayer, you will be fully capable of playing a new manifest and working your way up, and a good roleplayer typically welcomes this kind of a challenge.
- Try to keep to the setting and the overall realism of Heroes. Try to avoid going for powers that are too surreal or cartoony, such as animating furniature, or making your body stretch like Mr. Fantastic. The Heroes version of Elasticity is obviously not going to be that outlandish. In general, if your ability is surreal and cartoony, expect to make changes and face limitations. Remember that these abilities are based on scientific ideas. If you can't create a scientific backing, you may need help.
- Mind the Character Evolution system that is now in place. You do not need to create every ability faculty right off the bat. In fact, you're expected not to go overboard with your character unless they are a veteran character, which you won't be trusted with most likely until you are at your 4th or 5th slot or so. Ideally, try not to aim too high. You're best off going with two faculties to start with. Remember, you can always earn more, as long as they make sense for the ability!
- Most importantly, I'll once again point you toward the Cbox, which is a valuable resource for help and feedback. Your character ability may be one of the trickiest things for you to figure out for your character. It very often is! There's nothing wrong with needing some help, and even if you are a brilliant writer, other members of the site can help you out a great deal. Don't be afraid to ask!
- One more thing! Don't think that you must have an ability in order to be an important character to the plot. Many characters on the show do not have abilities, and many of them still manage to be awesome and even dangerous without them. We definitely encourage you to play characters that have no ability as well. If you welcome challenge as an RPer, you may find it to be a fun change of pace.
[/i]
/// ABILITY LIMITS
In this section, you should describe your ability further by covering what kinds of limitations the ability has. Here are a few questions that you will likely need to answer, that can help you in fleshing this information out:
- Range -- What is the reach of your ability? How far away can you use it from? Is there an area of effect? Or does it work within a specific radius of your character?
- Counter-measures -- What can others do to protect themselves against this ability if they know about it? For example, if you can use persuasion through eye contact, even a Civ could guard against the ability by wearing shades.
- Counter-elements -- What kind of conditions, either natural or brought about by another ability, can hinder and combat your ability, or even amplify it? If you have electrokinesis, rain may amplify the blast, but it may also cause a backlash! If you have Pyrokinesis, the same rain will likely weaken the strength of your blasts.
- Endurance -- How long can your character remain in focus before they tire of using their ability? Naturally, no matter what the ability may be, your character *will* use energy in using the ability, but what if your ability is automatic, such as Psycholocation (think: radar)? Does the ability shut off if the character is jarred or stunned? What if they are knocked unconscious? If your ability grants you knowledge, how long does it stick? Will they forget it over time?
- Duration -- If your ability grants you an effect over someone or something, how long does it last on it's own? Under steady concentration?
- Focus -- How much concentration is necessary to use the ability in the first place? What happens if your concentration is broken? How does your character's ability perform under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or the effects of a mind-altering ability?
Now, bear in mind what was said above (under Special Ability) about how powerful your ability can be. Limitations are used to balance and off-set powerful abilities. The more powerful an ability is, the more limitations are necessary in order to make it fair. Keep balance in mind as you proceed, and you may be fine. If you need help, we'll be happy to help you out in any available channel.
[/i]
/// PERSONALITY
B3. This is where you will cover the character's personality. There is a great deal that you can describe here, but many don't realize just how much depth they can go into, so here is some advice:
- First of all, be creative and original. Avoid cliches and especially stereotypes as they can even be offensive. Be original and creative. We have some very helpful members who can help you spot and avoid these pitfalls. Also avoid building your character around a character concept from the show. I've had to review my share of Patt Markmans.
- Give us depth. Your character should be complex enough to be human. People are complex beings, and a one-dimensional character will need to be built upon to be accepted. This means describing various aspects of their personality. We should see more than one side to your character, more than one facet of their personal identity.
- Are you having trouble filling it all in? You can talk about your character's motivations and goals, hopes and dreams, fears, the things and people they hate and love, how they interact with others socially and what kind of stance they tend to assume in social settings or direct relationships. You can also talk about actual relationships and how your character handles them, and has in the past. Tell us how they react to different forms of stress, different situations. How do they handle extreme emotions, such as anger, or sadness? The depth you can reach here is far deeper than most people initially realize.
[/i]
Likes~
B4. Your likes and dislikes are meant to further flesh out your character's personality and give us a better feel for who they are. For likes, consider your character's favorite foods or beverages, music, reading, the kinds of people they get along well with, or pretty much anything else. Activities? That works. Sports? You get the idea. Avoid being vague with entries like "Reading" or "Music". If your character likes break-dancing, don't just put "Dancing". Be specific. You need at least five likes!
Dislikes~
B5. This is much like your Likes, although you can afford to be a bit more general with them. You need at least five dislikes!
Strengths~
B6. Strengths are traits that give you an edge. Is your character athletic? Are they good with computers? Are they innovative or cunning? Do not list skills here, but traits that aid in skills are okay. For example, saying you're good at mathematics is okay, because that covers a wide range of ground, but don't say your "Strength" is "dancing" or "playing videogames". These are more like hobbies. They don't truly give you an edge and are better listed under skills as they are specifically, well... skills! Remember: traits that give them an edge. You need at least five strengths!
Weaknesses~
B7. Weaknesses are the opposite of Strengths. These are traits that act as drawbacks, things that could be used against you, or things that can hold you back or get in your way. Don't confuse these with flaws. Weaknesses are traits, such as being stubborn, narrowminded, having no ability to plan ahead, jealousy, etc. These are negative traits that significantly affect your character. They may hinder them socially, intellectually, or in some other way. Don't list something cheesy like "not physically strong". The absence of a strength does not count as a weakness, just as I would not list "unable to operate a space shuttle" as a weakness. You need at least as many Weaknesses as Strengths! More Weaknesses than Strengths is okay. More Strengths than Weaknesses is not.
Skills~
B8. Skills are learned proficiencies. Do not confuse Skills with strengths, and list things such as "good problem solver" or "intelligent". Learned proficiencies mean specific tasks that require learning in order to perform, such as woodworking, locksmithing, picking locks, operating heavy machinery, working with pharmaceuticals, etc. Think of your character's profession, as well as any extra-curricular or personal interests and activities they may have grown up with. Things such as swimming and debate count as well, but an entry such as 'athletic' is more general, and is a trait rather than a learned skill. You need at least five skills! Don't be discouraged, the average person knows how to do a large number of things. Many may seem menial, but if it's a learned proficiency, it goes here. Also, please avoid making silly entries like "pops bubble gum loudly" or "can read", "driving", "running" etc. Things that most anyone can be assumed to be able to do will not work here.
Oh, one more thing! If allowed to, 90% of RPG players will have a black belt in "martial arts". First of all, there's no 'martial art' with the official name "martial arts". It's a good idea to avoid this bandwagon with your first character, because people tend to try to use this as a substitute power. That's one of the reasons I advise against reaching this high for your first character, who is a new manifest. We also don't want 90% of our civilian (no ability) characters to have a black belt in something either. So, some notes on 'martial arts'.
- Be specific in naming your art.
- Research! For example, not all martial arts are from Eastern Asia.
- Be mindful that reaching a high belt takes years. If you don't explain it in your history, and beleivably, don't expect to get it.
- Please avoid trying to use 'martial arts' as a substitute asskickery for a new manifest or civilian. That can get very cliche, very fast. We also don't want to defeat the purpose of making a new manifest or a civilian by making a character who can just Bruce lee all over the place.
- Also be mindful that "black belt" doesn't say much. Again, Research! There are varying degrees of black belts to be earned.
- Lastly, don't assume you will be allowed to have a martial art. For the sake of RP quality, we simply have to keep this realistic, so we can only allow so many people to have 'martial arts' and will therefore, have to allow it to those who can justify it the best in their applications through good writing, research, and realism.
Hobbies~
B9. Hobbies are activities that your character enjoys in their own free time. Some skill entries may double as hobbies, such as a specific sport like swimming, or some form of craft, like painting or woodworking. They can also enjoy simple indulgences like going out to eat, or going to the movies, but try to be creative and original here if you can. You need at least three hobbies!
Habits~
B10. Habits are little quirks or patterns in your character's behavior that set them apart. Things like cracking knuckles, tapping fingernails, or other idle things like this work, but you can also use things that pair with activities, such as having wine with every dinner, or reading every book several times before moving on to the next. Habits add another rung of depth to your character's personality, rounding them out with quirks that make them even more human. You need at least three!
Flaws~
B11. Flaws are tricky. They are frequently mistaken for a redundant request for Weaknesses, but that's not what they are. In fact, I'm so used to correcting people on flaws that I've got this down to a reflex, so to keep it simple: Flaws may include obvious physical imperfections, such as scars, and may also include addictions or dependencies, allergies, phobias, mental disorders, medical conditions... you get the idea. They are handicaps, drawbacks, not simple personality traits, so *do not* enter personality traits here, such as "not very social" or "trusts too easily". They will be shot down with extreme prejudice. Entries will resemble things such as Agoraphobia, Diabetes Type 1, Severe allergy to mold (keeps epee pen), etc. Avoid making silly entries like 'allergic to hay' or 'phobia of floods'. Your flaws should be usable in RP. You need at least three!
b o d y . . .
caught in your sights . . .
C1. Here you can place an additional character image. This is optional, but very encouraged, as it gives us a second look, and thus, an even better mental image of your character. I'm using the infamous trio of avatars instead for this section, personally, but as long as it meets the same standards as the first image, whatever you put here is fine.
Age~
C2. See A5 under Introduction.
Celebrity Claim~
C3. See A9 under Introduction.
Sexual Preference~
C4. Relationships can and will happen on VI (see the Site Ratings post for any necessary distinction on limitations of content). This is pretty self-explanitory. Is your character heterosexual, bisexual, or homosexual? Are they bi-curious or questioning? They might not even know, and this can even change in the course of RP if your character discovers more about themselves that they didn't previously realize.
Ethnicity~
C5. This is more specific than race, so please do not answer something general like "white" or "black". We want to know what countries and cultures your character is descended from. For example, rather than "Asian" you should tell whether your character is Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Laotian, etc. Many people, especially in America, are a diverse blend of ethnicities, and that's part of the beauty of the place, so don't be afraid to provide a laundry list of countries and cultures that define who your character is. If you need help, you can often Google your celebrity and find out his/her ethnic background, and use that as your starting place. Please note that because "Jewish" is a very broad term, you may want to be more specific (for example, Israelis are different than German or Polish Jews). Similarly, many very different tribes exist under the blanket name "Native American", so we prefer you tell which specific tribe, if possible. "African-American" will be an acceptable answer to this field, since it is often impossible (mostly due to the way records were kept in the days of slavery) for black Americans to find out where their ancestors originally came from. We are aware that many white Americans also have no idea where their ancestors came from. Staff seems to have no problem with "American Mutt" as a general description for that, but we know some people may be offended by that, so if you know a nice, non-offensive substitute, please let us know! (Crediting Olivia for the assist here! Thanks, Liv!)
Hair~
C6. The hair color of your character. You can also make note of things such as curly, wavy, straight, or any highlights or colorations they may have going on. People do not naturally have pink or purple hair. It's alright to have dyed hair, but it really helps if this is reflected in your CC's images. If your character's hair is dyed, tell us the natural color as well (you can be a diva and make it a spoiler if you like). Do not choose hair colors that are not natural and then claim that they are, i.e. "blood red".
Eyes~
C7. The color of your character's eyes. If they differ from what is normal for your ethnicity, there should be a good reason. Don't give your character an odd eye color just because they have an ability. If their ability actually has something to do with sight, then it may be okay, but if not, it's a good idea to refrain. Also, try to avoid nonchalantly choosing colors like 'purple' or 'silver' or anything else that's simply abnormal. Unusual eyes are okay, as long as they are realistic. Like name, some people try to 'define' their character through eyes, and it's another bad route when it takes a turn for the unrealistic. Contacts are always an accessory option.
/// APPEARANCE
Here is where you describe your character's appearance. You should not only describe how they look physically in terms of their features, hair, eyes, build, etc. but also talk about their various styles and attire. It's also good to cover anything you can think of in regards to the way they walk or their movements, such as being graceful, or fidgety, or clumsy. Are there specific facial expressions common to your character? This is also a good spot for that.
s p i r i t . . .
this is where i come from . . .
Faction~
D1. See A8 under Introduction.
Birthplace~
D2. Simply: this is the birthplace of your character, the city in which they were born. While it's a pretty simple thing to choose, it can be good to choose an uncommon city or something that will stand out a bit. Not everyone is born in the capitol of their state.
Mother~
D3. The name of your character's mother, age (or deceased, if deceased), and if applicable, their ability.
Father~
D4. The name of your character's father, age (or deceased, if deceased), and if applicable, their ability.
Siblings~
D5. Siblings to your character are listed here, followed by their ages (or deceased, if deceased), and if applicable, their abilities. If your character has no siblings, feel free to delete this field.
Spouse~
D6. Your character's spouse, if applicable. You should know by now what information to enter. If your character has no spouse, enter "N/A".
Children~
D7. Your character's children, if applicable. You know what to enter, and if your character doesn't have any children, go ahead and enter "N/A".
Other Family~
D8. You don't need to list your family tree. Use the same format, but just name important people, such as any relevant uncle, grandparent, cousin, or anything like that. You can be detailed if you wish, but it's perfectly fine to only name those that are either player characters or NPC's on the site. If you make no entries here, enter "N/A".
/// HISTORY
D9. Your character history is another important entry. It's certainly the most important part of your Spirit section. Here you will cover ground on your character's past. This is one of the best areas to be detailed in. The things in your character's past should explain how they became who they are, explain personality traits, hobbies and habits, flaws, etc. If your character has manifested and discovered their ability prior to the point in time in which the Application was written, that should also be detailed. Here are some additional pointers:
- This is another section to be careful of cliches and over-used ideas. Try to avoid played out archetypes of writing and movies, like the inexplicably over-providing super-fearless male character, or the dancing, singing, super-beautiful and irresistible princess. Important aspects of your character's personality and traits need to be explained here, and in general, remember the phrase, 'ordinary people, extraordinary abilities'. Your character may have a special ability, but they are still a human being in a world that resembles our own in terms of realism, etc. Try to make your character one that people can relate to, someone you could meet in the real world. This means avoiding a personal history that is difficult to believe, or full of holes or inexplicable occurances and changes. In general, I like to look more to the people I know in the real world for inspiration than people I've seen on TV or in movies.
- This is really an addendum to the previous point, but some of the over-used Mary Sue cliches that people use in writing/movies, and painfully so, in RPG's include dead parents. Please don't wipe out your parents just because this is an RPG. The simple saying "It really sucks to be a parent in an RPG" surely rings true. A close second is abusive parents. Not saying they can't be, but make it realistic. Also, you *do* have parents. You may not know who they are, but yes, you do. Another point to consider is that you shouldn't jump on the orphan bandwagon, unless you can write it up well. Basically, there's a number of histories that aren't original that are used all too often in RPG's. If you can make it somewhat original thorugh exceptional writing and additional, redeeming creativity, you may win the exception, but some people jump to these cliches as simple 'quick-roll' maneuvers because they don't feel inclined to think up something new.
- Is your character connected to another character on the site? Several? One of the site's factions? All of this information should be covered in history. It should explain how they got to where they are in the present day.
- No illegitimate whammies from the past! Don't come up in RP with some event that you never mentioned in your history if it's something big that had an impact on your character.
- Remember that there is no connection to be made between your character and the canon characters on the show. No relatives or friends of canon characters. The canon characters are not involved in VI in any way. This allows us to create an entirely independent story. Sites that use canon characters invariably have their own challenges to face, such as canon-character favoritism, etc. There are definite benefits to an all-original RPG, so we hope you'll come to appreciate them. Also, don't create a connection to someone else's character without their permission. There is no time limit on the completion of your application, so there is no reason that you can't take the time to approach someone and talk your ideas out with them. That brainstorming typically leads to a lot of really good ideas, so it's definitely worthwhile, so we encourage this.
- Remember the spoilers! History is one spot where many players will not want to show all of their cards right away. Use spoilers to your heart's content if necessary. People can open them as they please, true, but the only ones who are sure to are the staff who are reviewing your application. Players are already aware not to metagame or reveal other people's spoilers in public channels as per our rules, so we have your interests in mind in this regard. The system exists for you to use, so feel free.
/// ANYTHING ELSE?
D10. This is basically a miscellaneous for any other information you can think of that is relevant to your character that didn't quite fit into History or Personality or elsewhere. I don't use this often, and I believe the one time I did, I posted pictures of my character's pet snakes and lizard. Delete this field if you do not use it.
c r e d e n t i a l s . . .
what do you bring to the party ?
/// PLAYER INFORMATION
Name or Alias~
E1. This is basically what you want us to call you, or any list of names you'll answer to by us. Typically, this will be in Cbox chat or private chat, which happens live. There's a lot of live chat on the site, and it's a great benefit to you if you make use of it, so by all means, be social.
CBox Name~
E2. This is the specific Cbox name you use on our site. You may own more than one, and if you do, please list them all. See that you are accurate, to be sure that there's no confusion.
Contact Info~
E3. You surely have an email, and you are likely to have an Instant Messenger or three as well. Whichever of the above you don't mind being reached by, feel free to list them here. If you prefer not to be reached by any of the above, then simply enter "Via PM".
Age~
E4. Your IRL Age. Please be honest. Mind you, we're not going to judge you based on your IRL age. It just gives us more information about you.
Years of RP Experience~
E5. How long have you been Rping? This doesn't necessarily mean online forum-based RP. Perhaps you've played play-by-email games, or you've gotten into some local table-top games. Think back to when you first started to RP and give us an idea of your level of experience.
How Did You Find Us?
E6. Pretty self-explanitory. This is a good way for us to see where our traffic is coming from. Some may find us through friends, others by ads, etc.
/// SAMPLE RP
E7. Sample RP is probably your most important 'Credentials' entry. While this will be an in-character piece of literature based on your character, this is your audition for playing the character as well, so it's all about you. We want to see how you write, how descriptive you are, etc. It's also a good way to break any bad habits on the way in, such as writing in first-person, or switching perspectives randomly. It also shows us spelling and grammatical issues that you may have, although those are also likely to be evident in your other paragraphical entries if they are a problem. Whatever you do, don't finish with "not my best work, blah". If you don't take your audition seriously, it doesn't paint a very pretty picture about how much of you you put into your RP. If your heart isn't in it, people aren't going to want to drag you along.
Did you read the rules:
E8. Not much to say here, except that yes means no. You had better read the rules, or we'll know that you didn't.
That's all for now! This may be updated later, but for now, it should hopefully be able to help anyone who needs it.
Remember that when all else fails, we are here for you. Find us in the Cbox and please, please, please, let us help you out. As long as you are cooperative and receptive to our advice, we will assist you in any way you need.
Thanks for reading, and have fun!
P.S. If you have any questions about the Walkthrough, just post them here, and I'll try to update the Walkthrough to see that it answers them.