Vanguard

While the questionnaire is very through, it doesn't need to be filled in completely. I like players to use it was a springboard for ideas. BTW the Lifepath that appeared in Champions New Millenium is also a great starting point for building backgrounds. 

One of my players is like that; he sets out to write this big epic novella, gets a page or two done, and then runs out of time/steam/whatever. Leaving me with more detail than I need in some areas while others are complete blanks. A list of bullet points hitting the highlights would be much more useful to me as a GM (and to the player I think), and can always be fleshed out more as you go.
 
This is great, but I have trouble getting some of my players to fill out my current questionnaire, and it's only 22 questions long!
 
 
Here's a thread from a few months ago where we talked more about getting background info out of the players' heads.

Yeah, I'm thinking that that may have been/may be my biggest problem. I think I need to write out a story so i wind up choking when all I need to really do is just the the bullet points. . . 

Yeah, I'm thinking that that may have been/may be my biggest problem. I think I need to write out a story so i wind up choking when all I need to really do is just the the bullet points. . . 

I think that most GM's would be VERY happy to just get the questionnaire with lots of the questions filled in. Most GM's don't expect people to be novel writers.

Because, as I recently came to realize in another thread regarding power costs from the very rule book I play by, none of us has perfect memory.
 
In the earliest days of play, it's nice for the GM to have a reference against which to judge who you say your character is versus who you play him as: a guideline for bonus "roleplaying" XP. It's also nice for a new player to have a sort of "bible" on his own idea upon which he can improve or change as the need of the character / his personal needs (the players) change.
 
Some campaigns go on for quite some time. In those instances, it's very handy to have a note or two on the early days of your character: there may be a plot hook or a story seed in there that has been completely forgotten about.
 
Some campaigns will occur in a "shared world" type environment: same players-- perhaps a few new ones-- but in the same world, possibly even concurrent to the events of a previous campaign. Not just a laziness thing, either: sometimes the players and the GM have crafted a world so thoroughly enjoyable that the group would like to revisit it. For whatever the reason, having notes-- even just a couple of sketchy sentences-- is an unparalleled boon to everyone involved.
 
As you noted above, not everyone can write stuff. That's why there's usually a Q&A-- usually short- about what's really important to the player before the game settles in. So long as you _have_ the information, someone else can record it. It's just important that you actually _have_ something.

If you have problems with writing a background. Here's a Document that can help. It's not always possible to answer ALL of the questions, but thinking about them can help you have a better picture of your character. This wasn't authored by me, but I really respect the authors.

-----
The 100 Most Important Things To Know About Your Character (revised)
 
by Beth Kinderman and Nikki Walker
 
This list came about when, one day while struggling to develop a character for an upcoming Hunter game, my lovely roommate Nikki looked at me and said something like, "Wouldn't it be cool to have a list of questions you could go through and answer while you were making characters, so you'd make sure to consider all sorts of different elements in their personality?"  I agreed, and that very evening we sat down over hot chocolate and ramen noodles to whip up a list of 100 appearance-, history-, and personality-related questions (which seemed like a nice even number) to answer as a relatively easy yet still in-depth character building exercise.  Later on, we went through the list again, took out the questions that sucked (because there were a lot of them) and replaced them with better ones.  What you see before you is the result of that second revision. 
 
In the more recent past, we've also found that answering those annoying online personality quizzes in-character can sometimes lead to interesting revelations.  When you find yourself sitting in front of your computer screen wondering, "Hmm, if my character was a pair of shoes, would she be stiletto heels, Nikes, Doc Martens, or Birkenstocks?" you know you're really getting to know her (or that you've become an even bigger geek than you were to begin with).  Emode.comand TheSpark.com are good places to start.
 
And, because I've gotten flames about it: No, we do not mean to imply that slavishly following this list is the only way you will ever truly develop your character.  If you think we're boring, obnoxious, or presumptuous, just think about the questions you like, and you don't even have to consider the rest (yeah, we know it's kind of a long list).  Or better yet, ignore us entirely and find your own ways to develop characters.  Just don't email us specifically to tell us how much we suck.  That only results in cranky gamerchicks.
 
Some of these questions were stolen from the Character Questionnaire at www.roleplayingtips.com.  Check it out, it's a really great website.
 
- Beth
 
Part 1: The Basics
 
1.      What is your full name?
 
2.      Where and when were you born?
 
3.      Who are/were your parents?  (Know their names, occupations, personalities, etc.)
 
4.      Do you have any siblings?  What are/were they like?
 
5.      Where do you live now, and with whom?  Describe the place and the person/people.
 
6.      What is your occupation?
 
7.      Write a full physical description of yourself.  You might want to consider factors such as: height, weight, race, hair and eye color, style of dress, and any tattoos, scars, or distinguishing marks.
 
8.      To which social class do you belong?
 
9.      Do you have any allergies, diseases, or other physical weaknesses?
 
10. Are you right- or left-handed?
 
11. What does your voice sound like?
 
12. What words and/or phrases do you use very frequently?
 
13. What do you have in your pockets?
 
14. Do you have any quirks, strange mannerisms, annoying habits, or other defining characteristics?
 
 
 
Part 2: Growing Up
 
 
 
15. How would you describe your childhood in general?
 
16. What is your earliest memory?
 
17. How much schooling have you had?
 
18. Did you enjoy school?
 
19. Where did you learn most of your skills and other abilities?
 
20. While growing up, did you have any role models?  If so, describe them.
 
21. While growing up, how did you get along with the other members of your family?
 
22. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
 
23. As a child, what were your favorite activities?
 
24. As a child, what kinds of personality traits did you display?
 
25. As a child, were you popular?  Who were your friends, and what were they like?
 
26. When and with whom was your first kiss?
 
27. Are you a virgin?  If not, when and with whom did you lose your virginity?
 
28. If you are a supernatural being (i.e. mage, werewolf, vampire), tell the story of how you became what you are or first learned of your own abilities.  If you are just a normal human, describe any influences in your past that led you to do the things you do today.
 
 
 
Part 3: Past Influences
 
 
 
29. What do you consider the most important event of your life so far?
 
30. Who has had the most influence on you?
 
31. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
 
32. What is your greatest regret?
 
33. What is the most evil thing you have ever done?
 
34. Do you have a criminal record of any kind?
 
35. When was the time you were the most frightened?
 
36. What is the most embarrassing thing ever to happen to you?
 
37. If you could change one thing from your past, what would it be, and why?
 
38. What is your best memory?
 
39. What is your worst memory?
 
 
 
Part 4: Beliefs And Opinions
 
 
 
40. Are you basically optimistic or pessimistic?
 
41. What is your greatest fear?
 
42. What are your religious views?
 
43. What are your political views?
 
44. What are your views on sex?
 
45. Are you able to kill?  Under what circumstances do you find killing to be acceptable or unacceptable?
 
46. In your opinion, what is the most evil thing any human being could do?
 
47. Do you believe in the existence of soul mates and/or true love?
 
48. What do you believe makes a successful life?
 
49. How honest are you about your thoughts and feelings (i.e. do you hide your true self from others, and in what way)?
 
50. Do you have any biases or prejudices?
 
51. Is there anything you absolutely refuse to do under any circumstances?  Why do you refuse to do it?
 
52. Who or what, if anything, would you die for (or otherwise go to extremes for)?
 
 
 
Part 5: Relationships With Others
 
 
 
53. In general, how do you treat others (politely, rudely, by keeping them at a distance, etc.)?  Does your treatment of them change depending on how well you know them, and if so, how?
 
54. Who is the most important person in your life, and why?
 
55. Who is the person you respect the most, and why?
 
56. Who are your friends?  Do you have a best friend?  Describe these people.
 
57. Do you have a spouse or significant other?  If so, describe this person.
 
58. Have you ever been in love?  If so, describe what happened.
 
59. What do you look for in a potential lover?
 
60. How close are you to your family?
 
61. Have you started your own family?  If so, describe them.  If not, do you want to?  Why or why not?
 
62. Who would you turn to if you were in desperate need of help?
 
63. Do you trust anyone to protect you?  Who, and why?
 
64. If you died or went missing, who would miss you?
 
65. Who is the person you despise the most, and why?
 
66. Do you tend to argue with people, or avoid conflict?
 
67. Do you tend to take on leadership roles in social situations?
 
68. Do you like interacting with large groups of people?  Why or why not?
 
69. Do you care what others think of you?
 
 
 
Part 6: Likes And Dislikes
 
 
 
70. What is/are your favorite hobbies and pastimes?
 
71. What is your most treasured possession?
 
72. What is your favorite color?
 
73. What is your favorite food?
 
74. What, if anything, do you like to read?
 
75. What is your idea of good entertainment (consider music, movies, art, etc.)?
 
76. Do you smoke, drink, or use drugs?  If so, why?  Do you want to quit?
 
77. How do you spend a typical Saturday night?
 
78. What makes you laugh?
 
79. What, if anything, shocks or offends you?
 
80. What would you do if you had insomnia and had to find something to do to amuse yourself?
 
81. How do you deal with stress?
 
82. Are you spontaneous, or do you always need to have a plan?
 
83. What are your pet peeves?
 
 
 
Part 7: Self Images And Etc.
 
 
 
84. Describe the routine of a normal day for you.  How do you feel when this routine is disrupted?
 
85. What is your greatest strength as a person?
 
86. What is your greatest weakness?
 
87. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
 
88. Are you generally introverted or extroverted?
 
89. Are you generally organized or messy?
 
90. Name three things you consider yourself to be very good at, and three things you consider yourself to be very bad at.
 
91. Do you like yourself?
 
92. What are your reasons for being an adventurer (or doing the strange and heroic things that RPG characters do)? Are your real reasons for doing this different than the ones you tell people in public?  (If so, detail both sets of reasons...)
 
93. What goal do you most want to accomplish in your lifetime?
 
94. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
 
95. If you could choose, how would you want to die?
 
96. If you knew you were going to die in 24 hours, name three things you would do in the time you had left.
 
97. What is the one thing for which you would most like to be remembered after your death?
 
98. What three words best describe your personality?
 
99. What three words would others probably use to describe you?
 
100. If you could, what advice would you, the player, give to your character?  (You might even want to speak as if he or she were sitting right here in front of you, and use proper tone so he or she might heed your advice...)
 
 

They change to a monetization model that's less predatory and safer for site visitors maybe?
 
The concept of advertising isn't the problem, it's the douchey way it's implemented on the Internet that is.

Huh?
 
<-- Do you mean this PG?
 
If you mean this PG, don't sweat it. It's a thread about MMOs, so by definition nothing meaningful happens in here anyway.

Voice acting is where I found my happy spot with this game. It is a trivial detail to some, but Jennifer Hale is the voice actress for the female Republic Trooper. Hands down, she is my favorite video game voice actress ever. Her highlights include the female Commander Shepherd from Mass Effect and Bastila Shan from Knights of the Old Republic. I absolutely love how much venom she can inflect in an insult. I ended up deleting all of my characters from my pre-absence period, save for my first Jedi Knight (Guardian). While I was testing out character gender, I discovered Jennifer Hale's voice and knew where I was going to be putting all of my effort at. I started her less than 48 hours ago and got her up to level 22. I've killed a lot of time crafting, now that I've figured out the process. So, for the moment, I am happily grinding through levels.
 
I just wish I could have less "-420-Darth Butterballz-69-" and more lore friendly (or at least neutral) names running past me.

I really wish they'd stop just abandoning everything that went before every expansion.  Why  not go back to your garrison, and have portals from there to the new content?  Why not have a portal to the farm in Pandaria from your garrison and grow herbs there?  It seems like they put so much work into an expansion then just pretend it never existed when the new one comes out.  Why not use previous metals in the new recipes, and add a few new things?  You could put follower missions into the garrison to let them go find you supplies.  Go get me iron, go get me dreamfoil...

I enjoyed when I played DDO, its "dungeons" felt much more like dungeons should, instead of artificial and clearly computer game-oriented arenas.  But its a game you really cannot play long without friends and its not easy to get a group.

That's a shame. I thought it had a lot of potential. Then again, wasted potential is par for the course with MMOs.

How did you come up with your 'handle' (forum name)?  
First Champions character I created and played.  It's also the oldest character I've played.
 
What was the first tabletop RPG you played?  
Star Frontier
 
What was the first tabletop RPG you GMed?  
Star Frontier
 
What are you currently playing/GMing?  
Nothing at the moment. The one game I was playing in was put on hiatus (probably permanently).
 

I'm making a case that his real name is John.

I have watched the film at least half a dozen times the last month on HBO and it sure seems like he used a double-tap, triple-tap and even what looked like a quadruple-tap with his pistol on one occasion.  I know the Power I added to the build (Quick Fire: Naked Autofire with a Pistol of Opportunity) is not absolutely necessary with the Multiple Attack rules in 6e.  However, it sure seemed appropriate* in the way that he would rattle off so many pistol shots in a smooth and extremely fast rhythm that didn't seem to break even when he chose different targets during the shot sequence.
 
*I think the number of required attack rolls would be reduced with its use as well.

It's a good thing this isn't exactly a news thread, because as usual, I find things a day or more (way more, usually) after the fact, but . . .
 
Wildstar now has a free to play date set: September 29th.
 
http://www.wildstar-online.com/en/news/2015-09-02-wildstar-free-to-play-launches-september-29/
 
In the process of going free to play, they're also making a lot of what seem to be positive changes to the game. (Some are mentioned in the article, some by YouTubers, but I'm not posting those since most of them can't keep from using profanity every three seconds.) It looks like it'll be worth checking out. I liked the last round of changes they'd done when I poked my head in the door during the free trial I did a while back. Hopefully, the new changes will be as good.

Also remember that he's been "retired" for a while.
 
It would explain why he's not as "scary" as the hype portrayed him.
 
As for the write-up. 
 
Nicely done Hyper.

The only change I would make to this excellent write up would be to add pistols to Wick's jiujitsu. He has the most impressive gun kata since Equilibrium.

Inspired by a thread on RPG.net (How would you stat out John Wick?).
 

 
Enjoy!
 
Click button to view character
 
 
Click button to view updated Chapter 2 character
 

While not a true MMO in the sense of a RPG, I tried out War Thunder today. Good for a few laughs but I will not be going back in. The controls just don't do it for me.
 
Watched the trailer for the new SW:ToR expansion. Like always, the trailer is (likely) much better than the game itself.

Yeah the designers have made noises that they regret ever adding flight into the game.  Their complaint?  Well aside from most of them being PVP'ers and hating having someone fly in suddenly from above to attack them on PVP servers - something only a small minority of idiots players play on - it allows players to bypass the hard, slow slog through hordes of monsters on the ground and annoying terrain designed to slow down your play time.
 
If there's one thing game designers hate, from the very beginning of MMOG's (you used to get banned in EverQuest for doing it), its "bypassing content."  Bypassing content means "not fighting your way through mile after mile of crap to get to where you want to be."
 
Now, honestly, I don't mind going through that once, with one character.  You see the story, learn about the territory, etc.  Its okay.  But when you have multiple, sometimes dozens of alts... yeah, not real fond of it.

Not really. In a heroic game, We generally figure that a character gets knocked down when they are tripped (or at least the equivalent effect), and when they are put down below 0 stun. We rule that being lightly below 0 stun (such that they'll recover in a turn) means that they are extra staggered, and will fall down and drop what's in their hands, but still be concious.