Chargen to fit the setting

[Jamie]

First 'New Topic'. Be gentle...

This question has arisen as I ponder the chargen system in a game I'm working on. I have basically opted for a twist on the 'choose and buy traits with points approach'.
However, I really like the descriptive prose approach from games such as Over The Edge, The Pool and Hero Wars etc. My concern is that players who don't have the initial time or inclination to read the setting information will struggle to create characters that really 'belong' in the world.

How far do more structured Chargen systems assist in the creation of more 'integrated' characters? Do the choices presented help get the players 'into' the game?

I'm just concerned that constantly going back to the player and asking him to rework his character concept because he hasn't grasped the tone or setting might be a bit irksome.

Or am I worrying needlessly? I'd be interested to hear any experiences that people have had with regards to this.


Maximum respect

Jamie

[szilard]

Jamie,

You may want to take a look at the recent (and probably still active) thread http://www.indie-rpgs.com/viewtopic.php?t=5015">Rethinking Simulationist character creation. This talks a bit about variations on structured "life-path" character creation systems, which are probably pretty good for people who aren't incredibly familiar with the setting.

This doesn't (I know) directly answer your question, but I thought it might be useful if you hadn't seen it.

Stuart

[Ron Edwards]

Hi Jamie,

Welcome! One thing to consider is really how much this issue constitutes a problem. A lot of us are so used to very heavy-Setting games, that we forget that not all games really need such a thing. And even some of those that have them don't need to be so Setting-heavy right away (Hero Wars is a great example).

I've generally found that a casual group discussion, sometimes passing around the rulebook, and a single page of orientation material are entirely sufficient for character creation to be completely on-track for the setting involved.

It's important to remember as well that text is not the act of role-playing, by which I mean that its first priority should be to act as a springboard into play rather than as an absorbing read for one person. A lot of game texts fall into the trap of simply being huge absorbing reads that could not possibly be transferred to others for purposes of play (Feng Shui is probably the most glaring example I can think of). Fvlminata, on the other hand, is an excellent example of a game with an extremely distinctive, locked-on setting that is nonetheless very easy to pick up and get into without much stress. That's partly because the authors are so clear in the early chapters about the values of Romans, but also because they organized the setting material so well throughout the book, so it's easy to chit-chat about it in an hour and know what you're all up to.

Hope that helps! Please tell us more about your game in development.

Best,
Ron

[Bankuei]

A lot of game texts fall into the trap of simply being huge absorbing reads that could not possibly be transferred to others for purposes of play (Feng Shui is probably the most glaring example I can think of).

Funny you mention that Ron, I felt that the archetypes generally provided a good deal of information to the players as far as a "basic understanding" of their role in the game, if not all the crazy backstory.  I generally have found that good splats define roles(ala octaNe), while bad ones...well, just are splats for splats sake.

Chris

[Comte]

What I found to be a useful tactic is have thier charecters be totaly liqued for the first three game sessions.  What I mean by this is that for a limited time they can change their charecter in any way shape or form to suit thier style of play and your stlye of game mastering.  Also three game sessions is pleanty of time for you to introduce oodles of setting information and it gives them time to go over the source material.  This also helps ensures that the players are happy with their charecters and they end up with someone who they can enjoy roleplaying.  I have used this stradigy to great effect several times and it has always worked to everyone's advantage.

[Jamie]

Thanks for your comments guys. I guess I was getting over absorbed in the way in which Char Gen processes might reinforce the tone of the setting. In reality, tone will be better communicated through discussion and the first few sessions of play, as you all seem to be suggesting.

I'm writing up my notes at the moment, Ron, in the small amount of spare time that I have. I'll hopefully have a HTML / PDf version up asap. But in brief, its a fantasy game, with (hopefully) some interesting twists in the system and setting. I guess my ultimate goal would be to release it commercially, either in print or electronic form. However at the moment, I'm just doing my research and trying to find out as much as I can about the business.

Thanks for the input

Jamie