Tasha

Some watchdog group went and compiled a list of all the violent acts in each series. It turned out that WWW had a lot. The acts weren't that violent, mostly punches the show had a lot of fist fights, but they were high in number.
 
But let's be honest, it was an action series. You can't have an action series without action.

Fixed in my post. I should have known better. I did get spelled Artie right. persnick away!

Without standing up and going to look, I am pretty sure that both characters were Stated out in Western Hero. Probably renamed to prevent lawsuits.

Without standing up and going to look, I am pretty sure that both characters were Stated out in Western Hero. Probably renamed to prevent lawsuits.

The Show was a genre mashup of the very popular Super Spy which was ruling TV at the time and of course Westerns which had always been popular. It was a very well done show with great characters and good writing. It would have stayed on the air longer, but IIRC Ross Martin (Artemus Gordon) had a heart attack and couldn't continue.

It's great RPG fodder esp if the players are into the Wild West and are looking for something different than the regular Western Storylines. As an RPG it could be fun doing a mashup between this show and Mission Impossible(Tv Show over the Movies). Where the players are "Secret Service" agents who unravel plots put there by enemies of the US Government. Give it all a slight Steampunk veneer with some fantastic critters tossed in to keep it interesting. You have the Gun Fighter, the Disguise expert, Demolitions expert, Faceperson, Technician. etc. Keep the character types spy feeling, but give it a western spin/flavoring
 
 
 
edited to Fix spelling on Artie's name.

The Show was a genre mashup of the very popular Super Spy which was ruling TV at the time and of course Westerns which had always been popular. It was a very well done show with great characters and good writing. It would have stayed on the air longer, but IIRC Ross Martin (Artemus Gordon) had a heart attack and couldn't continue.

It's great RPG fodder esp if the players are into the Wild West and are looking for something different than the regular Western Storylines. As an RPG it could be fun doing a mashup between this show and Mission Impossible(Tv Show over the Movies). Where the players are "Secret Service" agents who unravel plots put there by enemies of the US Government. Give it all a slight Steampunk veneer with some fantastic critters tossed in to keep it interesting. You have the Gun Fighter, the Disguise expert, Demolitions expert, Faceperson, Technician. etc. Keep the character types spy feeling, but give it a western spin/flavoring
 
 
 
edited to Fix spelling on Artie's name.

I have the box set of "Wild Wild West' (the T V series) and it is fun. As far as I am concerned the movie version was an absolute travesty, done by people with no taste or appreciation of the source material that they were bastardising !

As I've been slapped on the wrist recently myself on this very issue, they're called "templates" now and yes we have a bunch of them. dw

Well, thanks much!

You're thinking of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Theodore had a very active lifestyle.

And I know of.martial artists that.can.throw you while.being in a wheel chair. I learned to do a back fall from one.

Theodore Roosevelt started an interest in Jiu-Jitsu when he was President.
 
Nellie Gray, a character in "The Avengers" pulp novels by Kenneth Robeson was a Judo expert.

Whoa Sterica how did you get to Wuxia from Eastern Martial Arts? Im just wondering if its ok to have Capt. Japan to have karate. Or would it really break the game to have one PC who when fists with his fists, he uses a strange fighting style from the mysterious East.

I believe that the Eastrrn Art of Judo/Jujitsu should be available.to a PC. Cyclone and.Black Cat used it though it should be awfully rare! : )

Bulletproof went through a lot before an encounter with a mysterious cosmic being in 1947 hurled him into the year 3000. He started out as just a tough but normal brawler wearing a protective costume of experimental materials. It wasn't until 1944 that he was accidentally exposed to an experiment by Der Totenkopf which gave him true superhuman invulnerability.
 
And yes, I realize you were making a joke. But you raise the issue, yer gonna get an answer whether you like it or not.

Aah, I think I get you now. (You really need more complete sentences, if you're going to go around calling yourself QuestionMan!) Golden Age is a "Low-Powered Supers" setting according to the standards set in 6e1. It doesn't use NCM. Most of the characters have 50-60 AP for their main power, but there's a wide variety there depending on their roles. 
 
And there's a ridiculously-complete list of archetypes and sub-archetypes. I'm not including any definitions here (buy the dang book!) but here's the complete list of archetypes discussed:
 
I. Bricks
Flying Bricks
Indestructible Bricks
Strange Visitors
Perfected Bricks
Exploding Bricks
Chemically Improved Bricks
Mechanically Improved Bricks
 
II. Energy Projectors
Elementalists
Focus Wielders
 
III. Mystics
Inheritors of Ancient Magic
Stage Performers
Occult Detectives
Ghosts
 
IV. Speedsters
Traditional Speedsters
Flyers
Swimmers
 
V. Weaponmasters
Archers
Anachronistic Lawmen
Vehicle Masters
 
VI. Mystery Men (replaces Martial Artist)
Costumed Detective
Femme Fatale
Frustrated Lawman
Great White Hunter
Mystery Man of Science
Trained Fighter
Wild Man or Woman
 
VII. Others
Gadgeteers
Mentalists
Metamorphs
Powered Armor
Patriots
 
VIII.Sidekicks
Derivative Kid
Female Counterpart
Comic Relief
Boy In Charge

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...)
 
 

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. 

With supers games, because you often have the whole dual identity thing, there's also variation between what I think of as the DC-vs-Marvel approach. I.e. some players are better than others at envisioning their characters as people who have powers, whereas other players see their characters as a set of powers first and any SID or personal life tends to get tacked on as an afterthought.

That questionnaire is amazing, actually. I've got a ten-point list I give to players having trouble fleshing in their character, but I'm going to be completely honest here and openly admit that I'm stealing that list and using it instead.
 
Wonderful find, Tasha.
 
(and no; I don't expect all the questions to be answered. I'd like the ones _important to the player_ to be answered.)
 

That's not falling down at all. It's just another way to do things. But sure there are a few things you already have visualized for the character. Perhaps not everyone thinks about it overtly, but the fact is that this is HERO: you _have_ to already have _something_ in mind, because characters aren't generated randomly. There's no roll for Stats; no class-assigned skills; no roll to see if you died before you were done making your character.
 
Perhaps it was _only_ a set of powers or even just a theme for a character. But there was _something_. It's not too much to ask for you to share it with the GM so that he can try to help you get the most of your game, is it?
 

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...)
 
 

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...)