I'm just curious as to how important having a backstory for a character is to you and how much detail do you put into a backstory ?. For me I usually have one but its not particularly detailed and doesn't go far beyond giving them a reason to be in Skyrim and stick to particular self imposed role-play restrictions. A backstory for me might go like this Imperial likes alchemy (poisons) and killing no ability with any magic would like to be a assassin. He is from a wealthy family in Cyrodiil when two people living nr the family estate were found dead in suspicious circumstances possibly poisoned the finger was pointed. Nothing could be proven but people were talking and it put a dark smear on the family name. An out of the way house was purchased for him in Skyrim (mod added ) he was told to go there and instructed never to return or they would have him thrown in prison for the rest of his life.

I'm just curious as to how many enjoy roleplay with a backstory and how detailed that backstory is or weather you cant be bothered with all that stuff.

Backstories used to be vitally important to me. In my Morrowind days I used to spend a great deal of time coming up with extremely detailed backstories and character personalities. I could spend as much as two months at it. I would also make unique homes for each character before the games started. Designing a house for a particular character was an important part of the process of learning who that character was.

But over the years I have gradually become less controlling. These days I may start with an idea or two that fascinates me and "wing it" from there. I try to let my characters grow and develop naturally, they way they seem to want to develop. I don't micro-manage every detail as much as I used to. Instead of reloading every time I make a mistake I try to incorporate mistakes into my roleplaying, let them become part of the story.

I still come up with a few backstories. And I still outline some of my character's story arcs in advance. But I try to be more flexible about it these days. I try to "listen" to what my character wants. It feels more like co-operation to me than domination. I feel almost as though my characters and I are creating these games together, as we go along. We are an adventuring party of two.

Backstories are VERY important, as they shape my characters!

It's important for me to give a general backstory to my characters for flair but i don't go wild with it. To give you an example, my current dunmer was a mid ranking officer of house Redoran and his ancestors were members of the now disbanded buoyant armigers order. He was found guilty of smuggling moon sugar, they expelled him form the house and he left Vvanderfell to avoid prosecution. That's it.

Ok, i may gave you an oversimplified example to make my point, usually my stories are a little more involving but still nothing crazy. That being said i strongly support the ''clean slate'' type of character creation and i would be very disappointed if the next Tes game gives a predefined backstory to my character.

and I too.

Btw, loving the profile pic!

Very important, however I only start with the most basic of ideas as I play my character they start to grow and "tell" me more about themselves, letting their backstory simply come together organically.

That's nice!

When I first started playin Skyrim I didn't care about the back story at all, but after reading in forums about roleplaying I tried it out and enjoyed it ever since.

Hey, let me be the first to welcome you to the Bethesda Forums!

Nice to meet you, I'm King!

Roleplaying is my life - I even have a channel dedicated to it!

Depends, sometimes I have an idea for a story and as I think about the person who is in the story.. they become more and more detailed. As I "create" that character in C.C., they become more of a person to me... their personality start's shinning through.

But at other times, I have just started playing around in C.C. and... Their is this person staring back at me.. and telling me their life's story thus far... and off we go.

Some backstories are very detailed from the start, some fill in as I see their life unfold... even my Competition DiD characters have something of a back story...

It's important to me, but honestly, my main initial story isn't complicated. I have a Nord from Cyrodil who's been drifting during his young life and lived as a bandit. He's also his gang's resident smith (not that he's particularly good at it lol

). He got tired of their crap and grew a conscience when they kidnapped some women. Decided to find some roots in Skyrim and learn his craft. He got more than he bargained for.

But I agree with others too, the story evolves as I play. I don't feel like I'm "writing" anything in a sandboxy game, so much as just acting and improvising. I think RP is more like Theater.. all you need to drive it are some basic motivations.

I usually make up some idea about it in each TES game, but it doesn't matter too much to me. Not because I think backstories aren't important to characters, but because TES doesn't give you any significant ways of emphasising such things. Even classes in previous games doesn't give you a backstory, it just decides your starting skills.

So, at the end of the day, the player will always remain mostly blank for me. Eve if I decided to make one with a 300 page backstory, because it ultimately doesn't affect the game. I just decide an outline like "doesn't pray to Daedra" or something for my characters.

Thanks, nice to meet you too.

You're welcome!

So much this /\


My lady knows who she is now....she would be amused at the thought of a pretend background. Though confused at first as she came to' in Helgen with no prior memory....she has grown with me and taken my mentoring, though often goes her own way. I once asked her if she would have liked a history, a family, a childhood.

She replied that she did not miss those things she never had. Later, she began to question Lydia and others....Lydia simply pledges allegiance and has zero recall before first meeting my lady. This was greatly disturbing to her, but she has since come to realise many mistakes in her world and even notices now, those blackouts during carriage rides etc.


I have smoothed over the cracks for her, but she now knows its an illusion of sorts......soon......very soon, she will see the full truth of it....its a game....just a game....she suspects this deep down already, but has yet to face it consciously. It is a shock, but once understood, it can never be undone. The advantages once she accepts the greater truth, with be manyfold and we will walk Skyrim as equals.


So no....a backstory for my lady would be simply unapplicable....

Sometimes I have one in mind when I create the character. Sometimes, the character tells me their backstory as I play. I had one, an Imperial named Grayson, that I just created for no other reason than to do it. I later looked up the name Grayson and I found a definition that said it was the son of a steward.....or something similar. Perfect! The dude came from a well to do family serving some dignitary back home. He was bored and wanted to see the world. Off to Skyrim he went when he ended up in a trap by the Imperials by mistake.

All of that developed after I had begun playing him.

Another character, a Dunmer from Riften, had the backstory of being an orphan that took to the streets. He attempted to find a better life for himself by heading to Cyrodiil (the grass is always greener kind of thing) and was snagged at the border. After escaping that, he figured the devil he knew (Riften) was better than the devil he didn't. So back to the streets and joining the Guild for safety and income. That story was laid out prior to his creation. I think his name was Spyder. It was a name given to him as he didn't know his name or where he came from. He was, however, bound and determined to make sure everyone would know his name.

The one thing that keeps me playing the Elder Scrolls iterations over and over is the amazing lore to create complex characters. Especially after I′ve already done everything in the game at one point or another, the moment I start to think of something else while playing that′s not the role-play and the story in my head, I can no longer have fun. I just lost a DiD char to a bug at the end of the civil war, and it′s really more exciting for me to start another story in my head from the beginning of the game than re-playing the old story for days just to get past the bug.

Well it does affect the game IF you follow your characters personality... "doesn't pray to Deadra"... that to me mean's all of the Deadric quest's are consciously, not going to be done. You just effected the game or rather your perception of it. No it doesn't make a doodely diddle in the games mechanic's and the game it self will not respond to that...

But... stand in the middle of a crowd...and say to yourself, " I am going to pray to God today"... see if anyone notices and if it effects them, cause chances are... unless you are screaming it at the top of your lungs.. no one is going to take notice...ie it effected the real world not at all.. only you.

Ok now you officially creeping me out! Actually not only you Rick but Pseron as well. Maybe Berret too and every other member who can ''listen'' what their characters wants!

Is this a hidden power or something? Because to me it sounds like multiple personality type of....''power''

Telas,


Many Role Players who get into the mind set of their characters form a real kind of bond or relationship with them...especially really long term plays. Its not creepy if you get what's going on between your ears as you play them.


Its a really long complex thing...a vicarious transfer and a kind of personality growth in the player....if you let it.....and want it....


Its simply this....

As you adventure...you try to stay in character...like a method actor...you feel your own emotions as they would apply to the on screen build...for example if it rains hard...you may feel uncomfortable (not wet ha!) and want to move your char under cover. Now expand that idea and your feelings tell you if your char is happy doing this or that.


Moving along...after many interactions....you feel what you char wants and would do under any particular circumstances....the feelings are in you....but you vicariously transfer those emotions to the onscreen char when you see them.....this is at its most basic..your character now communicating with you......its not crazy....its a natural process...almost inevitable to many.


Push it some more then.....visualising your char in mind...they can give an opinion on any subject as an emotional response in your own mind...YOU can translate those emotions and feelings into words for them. Get good at it and your char is literally speaking in your mind....with the home grown personality that YOU created for them.


Most people draw the line at simply feeling what their char likes....but you don't have to.....a few people...PUSH those boundaries...ENCOURAGING the growth of an independent character personality.....and believe me they are often quite different in their desires to what the player thinks.


If you asked me something and I put it to her persona.....she would likely answer...if I type that answer here for you to read....then you are now communicating....with my character directly. Weird....but yet natural.


Edit.....it does not work for everyone....especially if you play in first person and think of yourself as being in the game world instead of your character. Many writers experience this internal personality creation....thry call it "getting into the characters mind". Its really the other way around of course...chuckle.


Do not be concerned though....this is not a personality disorder....nor Jekyll and Hyde. I hope my explanation has shed some light on something many of us role players accept as quite usual.


If you do want to encourage this 'idea' there are helpful techniques that improve the player / character bond...no..not illicit substances ha! But ways of play that aid the char growth.

Absolutely none, I have no interest in any of that stuff, but then I'm more of a regular gamer than a RPG-er.

When you draw... how do you draw? Is it a mechanical thing or organic...do you "see" the final picture or just know as you are drawing that something will come out?

My Characters are the same as those in a good book... the reader should see their lives, feel their emotions, know what it is they are going through. Each back story contain's that characters personality, who they are... the story is what they are doing, going through.

What I see and hear from my characters is what I write in my stories... To me they are the same kind of real as Frodo, Vanyel, Sherlock Holmes, Han Solo or any character in a book or on screen... they talk to me in the same way... which is not the same way my Husband talk's to me or people at work ( who I sometimes wish wouldn't)....

Sometimes the words are in my head and have to be written, sometimes it's just pictures... When I say "my characters talk to me" I do not mean we have a full fledged conversation.. I let my conscious mind go and my imagination run wild...that is how my stories form... the game is just a way to express it... written ( or typed) words another.. Clay a different one.

Some backstory is important, as it increases my immersion in the game.

I don't go all out making up a incredibly intricate backstory, but just enough so my character feels right to me.

Quests with stories that have choices and consequences and severe consequences, with multiple branching paths to complete is very important to me.

It can be done with also having the freedom that Bethesda Game Studios gives us when they develop the The Elder Scrolls video games.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim lacks a lot of choices and consequences in the quests,

Or even lacks some unfinished quest related stuff, like a High King being elected or a High Queen being elected or both being elected after the Moot after you complete the Civil War quests lines story.

A back story is also important for my Player characters (PC's) as well, it depends though on the situations and what's happening in the world.

Sometimes, I see the story of my char as the story of a book. The back-story does not need to contain anything, what would not be mentioned in the book. Otherwise, it has to contain anything that would be written to explain the character.

It is really important, how the voice of the char would sound. And then of course, what are the goals and motivation. That's just make the requirement of an explanation, where this behavior comes from.

As a re-starter, the first thing is a basic idea for the character. On that depends the decision about hair-style, scars and war-paint.

Actually, I'm using the unbound-mod and let the char start at a random place. Then I start thinking how it could be, that the char did come to that place. Sometimes, I just start over if I'm failing to find a story for that.

For me, that is the great thing of the game!

The back-story may be, that Skyrim is just a part of the Matrix, and you are hunted from agents. Or you are a Sith who's space-ship crashed. The game just does not contain anything that would speak against it!

I can't speak for them. For me, it is first to imagine how they would sound if they could speak. Second, it is to imagine how they would comment what they are doing.

You could say, that I send my chars to the College. But it just makes more fun to imagine how they would explain you, why they would go to the College.