How Is Your Character Like Your You?

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How Is Your Character Like Your You?

Postby Rhys Blodwen on November 10th, 2013, 8:23 pm

I've heard that your characters, whether in game or not, tend to mirror your own behavior, habits, personality traits, the like. With a bit of research and psychology studying, I found it checked out, and now I'm curious; how does/do your PC(s) mirror yourself?

I'll start off.

Like I've said, Rhys is a nincompoop. He knows nothing of social protocol. I wonder where that came from...
Where I live, my name is notoriously linked to either music, a novella I wrote when I was ten, or my inept knowledge of social practice or protocol. As such, both him and I tend to be very stony-faced and serious in social situations, when really we have not idea what the petch is going on. I never really got the point of stuff like fads or crushes, and most of the stuff on a need-to-know basis wasn't really need-to-know for me. After years of that, I found Miz, and made a character that knows even less about the world he lives in than the now slightly socially-oriented person that created him. Although, Rhys has it a little worse off than I did.

But what about you guys? I'm curious. How does your PC mirror you?
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How Is Your Character Like Your You?

Postby Sashisaxani on November 10th, 2013, 9:18 pm

I like the thread idea and your initiative. I also like your own reflection; no guts no glory. :) I've heard this little bit on reflection too. I think it stems from us writing what we know about. So even if the character is not a reflection of us, it's definitely reflective of our experiences and people we know, but out personal traits, being much familiar, might come out in the first person especially. We're just so used to say "I feel..." you know?

Saxani is tricky, because I can't imagine being under the same social pressure she is in game, or to that extreme. I do sympathize with being under pressure of others though, and being able to motivate myself from that, and aspire to the expectations of others in my life. Like Saxani though, there's also a personal dissonance, and while she is living up to the social demands set before her, she has and is acting upon a personal agenda too.

One thing I try to characterize in Saxani is restraint, frustration, and discipline. We have been well trained in our own specialties, and it can be frustrating when you want to follow them, but are challenge not to. We remain adamant in our behaviors and decisions though. This doesn't mean we don't adapt of course. Today I actually posted something like this in my thread with Aka, "Red Viper, Black Constrictor". Aka, like m younger brother, pushes my buttons, and it came to a point once where I just had him in my hands so tempted to just beat him up (sibling love to the absolute extreme), and it was very uncomfortable for me because I knew I could, I wanted to, but I knew it's not something I wanted, it was out of character, and I would not do it. So then there's this frustration that Saxani and I feel toward our youngers, and end up needed to bring ourselves back to center and let out or energies. Saxani is a hunter and killer Dhani... I write. I love how I can still mirror traits like this, but uniquely so, that Saxani and I sublimate in different forms. I take it as proof that we are all related in ways we might not see up front.

These are definitely the most prominent things I've picked up on so far. I'm still modeling Saxani to herself from the Dhani matriarch archetype, but she's making some very deep progressions. They're thrilling, and I'm confident those I play with find themselves moved by her character as much as I am theirs. I cite Aka's playfulness and Mamoru's aloofness, for example.

I enjoy the honest in Rhys being so out of touch with his setting too. I bet making his perspective of the world is much less restrained as well that way. His imagination is sure to take off!

Who's next? :)
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How Is Your Character Like Your You?

Postby Vyvian on November 11th, 2013, 6:18 pm

My character is actually disturbingly like myself.. he's certainly based on me.

*shrugs* well I guess in essential he's how I wish I could be. Normally this would mean just "super me" but I guess I made it "interesting me". I still have my flaws, but I guess I just have better luck..

I don't know... it's a difficult questino to ask me.. Myself and Vyvian are almost the same person.
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How Is Your Character Like Your You?

Postby Lauralyn on November 13th, 2013, 1:50 pm

one main thing I’ve noticed when roleplaying is that I usually cannot put myself into the shoes of a character who is morally bad. I’m unable to play a truly evil, or even insane character convincingly. One who is good, but not a complete goodie goodie is my cup of tea.

My characters don’t REALLY mirror myself… they usually mirror aspects of myself or my past experiences and exaggerate or focus on them.

For example Lauralyn is derived from issues I’ve had with people not accepting me and my sexuality, namely people close to me, so, me being acceptant of that now made me want to go back a couple of steps with my character. From there I tried to figure out what I would feel about my environment in her situation. I dislike the Sym Harvest, therefore my character dislikes it.

I’m introverted, and I like quite and alone time, however Lyn is much more exaggerated of an introvert. I think I’m a lot more confident and comfortable in my own skin, that my character is. But as I said, there was a time where I was a lot like her, rather quiet and confused, and very uncomfortable in my own skin
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How Is Your Character Like Your You?

Postby Sashisaxani on November 15th, 2013, 2:57 am

Vyvian, I love how you're all "This is how it is. Deal with it." I hope writing through your PC with other personalities that might be mirrors of the walking world proves insightful for you.

Lauralyn, I wanted to respond on the idea of exaggeration, because I think that's a great way to give a character some starting aspects that are definitive to build off of. You have your static beginning, and can now say distinctly how you want to change your PC, and guide them through that process, and just create a fully round and dynamic character that way.

We're all low on post count, so there's definitely room to expand.

Lots of views and so few responses! Don't be chicken. :)
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Re: How Is Your Character Like Your You?

Postby Sosicly Magnolia on November 15th, 2013, 3:09 am

Hm. Lots of Syms here :D. But this is all pretty interesting considering everyone's responses are different.

Moving right along, Nkosi is too new for me to say because he sometimes goes odd in his posts. But he is actually close to my own personality. A bit arrogant, chatty, friendly, short-tempered. All of it but he is a he. But he is more comfortable with himself and more mature than me! :D As for Sosicly she has some of my quirks. She loves sweets as I do and is ridiculously messy but for the nost the rest of her is all, well, her. She is a lot like my opposite. She is manipulative, judgmental, a brat, and her moral compass can be skewed a worst. And for a mute girl she uses less body language than I do when I speak T_T
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How Is Your Character Like Your You?

Postby Sinoa on November 15th, 2013, 9:44 pm

Sinoa


I guess my character is mostly an exaggeration of my dorky, quirky, and childish side. I tend to be a shy introverted person but can become hyper and crazy when the mood strikes me. Despite being 6'2 person with perma stubble I'm kind of a man child and enjoy dressing up, playing video games, eating candy and collecting dolls and action figures. While I like to collect dolls one of my hobbies is making dolls out of crochet and giving them personalities and back stories, Sinoa is kind of like a doll that I would make and create a story for.

I think I also like experience new things in the same way Sinoa does although sadly I don't grow horns or an extra arm because of it.
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How Is Your Character Like Your You?

Postby Brandon Blackwing on November 18th, 2013, 9:22 pm



Brandon was, like Vyvian's Pc a reflection based on myself. He was. Until I made a few posts in the first thread with another Pc and he started developing weird characteristics. He became a –to my feeling- creepy guy (honestly, he gave me the creeps during the first posts in ‘Pinched!’) and/but I discovered that I liked it. He became a dare devilish, adrenaline addict and fear loving guy.

But the way he islike me…Erm, he likes to tease and make witty remarks, and he does stupid stuff. Although Bran is a bit more extreme than I am. He also likes dramatics and mysteriousness, cloaks and black clothing, just like me. He likes to spout theatrical lines from time to time and doesn’t like it when a lot of people are watching him all at the same time. He doesn’t like spending, crowds and sometimes gets paranoid and thinks in worst case scenarios. Just like me.

Uhm, I think that’s it…
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How Is Your Character Like Your You?

Postby Quint Caravel on November 20th, 2013, 7:14 am

I think Quint and I share the following in common: we are both slackers who are only skilled at a '5' in just about everything, we're both a Jacks of all Trades, masters of none.

We're both rather ignorant of much of the cities of Mizahar, and neither one of us knows much about the gods, races, provinces or anything else. We're both just here to get along and have fun.
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