- To support this principle, I avoid making teenage beauty queens as my characters (no offense, guys, probably appeals more to you than I). Take Note: I am not saying everyone does this. In fact, many people don't. I try to use real faces for my faces. Naturally, I'm not aiming for ugly, but I try to base my faces on real people who are 20-30 years old (about my age). I do occassionally play guys - who tend to be older, for some reason - but I find it harder to get into the character.
Y'know, it's funny, I'm the same way. I honest cannot remember EVER making a female character, in either Oblivion or Morowind. They've always been guys. Hm.
Usually I don't worry much about his appearance, just as long as he isn't repulsive. Only time I've ever worked to make a Prince Charming kinda guy was when I decided to try the MQ for the first time. I'd played several characters without ever doing it, and figured a handsome Sir Galahad would be appropriate. To be honest, the whole experience was quite unforgettable :laugh:
In the beginning, I generally have little if any idea of what those quirks and fears and doubts and desires might be-- that all just unfolds as I get to know the character. Sometimes they're established relatively early and then just built upon-- other times it takes a long time before a character demonstrates any really notable uniqueness. Sooner or later though, they all develop personalities of their own, and then I can just sort of sit back and watch as they live their own lives in Cyrodiil-- I just push the buttons necessary to get them to "play" the "role" they've fallen into.
Aw, poor Bogmok

This is what I do as well. Like, I'll know I want to play a Khajiit thief, but that's about it -- I've found I really enjoy using the prison section for observing the new character in action. By the time he leaves, I have a better idea of who he is, and what he's liable to do. My usual playstyle is a mix of playing in the character's head, and just following the character, because I try to think like him, but now and then he goes off and does something that surprises me.
Best example of that was when I tried the playable dremora mod. I had no idea who Kyraz was or what he'd do, but when he ended up in Anvil, the whole mess in the chapel really hit him hard -- he didn't like mortals or know much about them, but this figure who embodied Love and Beauty had been defiled, and to him, that was inexcusable.
I once roleplayed myself too, because I tend to play as the character in RPG's, and just inject myself a little here and there. One day though, I thought, "What if *I* woke up one day in that cell? What would *I* do in that situation?" Turned out really interesting, because it was like I saw Cyrodiil again for the first time. Normally my characters will just barge into any ol' dungeon and have their way with the occupants, but me? Oh hell no. I'm not going in there, too dark, and no telling what'll want to kill me, everything else I've met has wanted to kill me, what makes you think I won't run into more thugs and monsters that just want to rip out my guts? No thank you, I'll just stick to the road and follow this guard for a while.
After I joined the Mages Guild, I toughened up real quick :laugh:
But, having said that, I like to slow down the timescale, add mods that affect hunger and fatigue and such, and do stuff like wash my clothes in a lake or duck out of a bad storm. For me, it's not so much trying to imitate real life, as it is reacting to a lifelike environment.