I'm curious as to the reasons that people prefer either the list or 100 words methods of character generation for HQ. I was a pretty firm adherent of the 100 words, but was recently given some food for thought on the subject.

I don't want to start defining the argument but jumping in with my reasons just yet---I'm hoping some others will tell of their preference, and any reasons they can think of as to why they prefer it, first. In other words, I want to start with a sort of open, information gathering stage, before getting into an examination of the arguments for or against.

Regards;

Bryan

In all games (and not just HQ, which I don't actually play) I prefer as many as necessary using a top-down approach.

The following is what I'd consider a bare minimum...

Culture, Region, Religion, Parent's Occupation, Name/Sex/Age, Demeanor, Allies, Enemies,Traits, Skills, Wealth

I prefer the list method, because I've seen a very wide range in the number of abilities that two players can squeeze out of the same 100 words. So, for me it's part of my (possibly unnecessary) desire for game balance--I don't like to see two characters in the same game start with a significantly different number of abilities.

When I'm a player I like the 100 word method. Of course this may have something to do with the fact that I'm a writer and can bang out 100 words with, say, 25 abilities in no time at all.

When I'm GMing I like it when players do the 100 word method because I like the writeups. There is often an element of spark, an insight into the character that I find in a good 100 word writeup that I don't often find in a list.

However, I often tell players just to go with the 10 word list because those who aren't writers, or comfortable coming up with a narrative, often pause out, stall, or have a very hard time with the 100 word method. So simply because it makes a lot of the players more comfortable, my players use the 10 word list more often than the 100 word narrative.

I prefer the narrative method because it brings the character to life. My point here, however, is that a side-effect I have found is that sometimes there are elements which simply won't fit into the style of the narrative.

An example is a lunar bureaucrat I am finishing off - there is no way I can get a suitable follower or interestingly named item in, if I want to keep it as a representation of the character.

I am now toying with the idea that this is for a reason, is a good thing, and helps keep the character consistent.

Sam.

Adrienne wrote: I prefer the list method, because I've seen a very wide range in the number of abilities that two players can squeeze out of the same 100 words. So, for me it's part of my (possibly unnecessary) desire for game balance ...

There are a few things that I like about the 100 word write up.

- 100 word descriptions tend to be more "effecient," in terms of packing in abilities, when they are somewhat focussed. That is, doing a couple drafts of a 100 word description to tighten it up is apt to result in the hero being more clearly defined. At the least, this has been my experience with playing with write ups. Like the example above, where followers just don't seem to fit into the bureaucrat's write-up. Sure they'd be useful, but the fact that he seems to have no room for subordinates suggests something about the character.

- Aside from the abillities drawn, it seems to me the nature of the write-up often gives some feel for the style of the hero, or at least the style that the player expects to play the hero in. Two entertainers with fairly similar abilities, but one written up in skaldic verse and one written-up as a tongue-in-cheek CV/resume imply quite a bit different things about how the player's see the hero. Now, I'm basing this mostly on having read various descriptions with only VERY limited play experience to corroborate it, and I realize that some times the player's writing skills aren't strong enough for this to shine through.

- The 100 words become the offical book on the hero. It makes it easy to say "don't go into a lot of backstory" or just "Your back story is welcome, but I don't promise to remember it all or never contradict it. Make sure that everything really important is in your 100 words." It seems to me that with the list method, it is pretty hard to say "you can't produce a more detailed story of the hero."

- Probably most importantly, it lets the non-key elements come through. A number of people have discussed on the hero quest yahoo groups, how they have found that when they give out MORE hero points, the heroes don't raise their best skills much faster, but instead raise more skills. Likewise, given more abiliites, I think there is more scope to go beyond the central elements to add interesting details--details which may later become key to the character. For example, in a PBEM game I'm playing a heortling farmer who was struck by lightning and called by the lightning god. The central aspects of the character are things on both sides of the resulting destruction/re-growth theme that he now embodies. But in the 100 words I was able to insert, at the "cost" of about two words, that his hands now emit sparks. This has shown up as an augment in most things he's done now, frequently negative (it freaks people out), and has given him a tentative nickname of "sparky." I think one of the side stories about him will be his effort to understand and control these sparks. In short, a whole aspect, which turns out not to be the least important about him, that would not have happened with the list method. Similarly in the write-up, for esthetic reasons, I finished up my last sentence with "...but Kami's feather and Elnor's promise more heavily weigh." with no idea of what those were or why they weighted upon him--but they may well also end up being critical to the hero.

For these reasons, I was pretty strongly on the side of 100 words.

However, recently I've had an interesting discussion with Mike about "playing before you play." Which is to say, why should you make all these interesting decisions about your hero before you play? Why not start with only a rough sketch, keywords and a list of ten abilities, or maybe not even a full ten, and then discover what they all mean in play.

That is a REALLY powerful argument. Why not take all that interesting, getting to know your hero stuff, and do it in the group? The drama will be heightened, everyone else will be part of it, and the character will probably be better adapted to the story.

That one argument I find gives a fair balance to all of the others.

So of course, what I really want is to find a way of getting the best of both worlds.......

So, any suggestions?

--Bryan

However, recently I've had an interesting discussion with Mike about "playing before you play." Which is to say, why should you make all these interesting decisions about your hero before you play? Why not start with only a rough sketch, keywords and a list of ten abilities, or maybe not even a full ten, and then discover what they all mean in play.

That is a REALLY powerful argument. Why not take all that interesting, getting to know your hero stuff, and do it in the group? The drama will be heightened, everyone else will be part of it, and the character will probably be better adapted to the story.

I don't worry about "fairness" and number of abilities. First off, those "extra" abilities are probably going to be at 13, so big deal.*

Secondly, I work very hard with my players to tune their character description to eliminate wasteful writing at the very least. In fact, working this process with my players and with fellow players in PBeM games has led me to submit an essay called "Writing Strong Descriptions" to Issaries. Hopefully they'll publish it on their site soon.

In the mean time, you can see some of the pains I go to go help non-writers polish their descriptions into something that helps them have a colorful and unique character. Check the URL below.

But how about a couple of examples? I just wrung the life out of 100 words to create Big Varu for the play by email Unified Children game.

If he had been created by list, he'd be like this:

Heortling Warrior Initiate of Hedkoranth
Big, Strong, Pony the Horse, Loves Kids, Known to Vogarth, Hates Vampires, Other Side Punch Feat, Charm Animals, Innocent Heart, Punch. Then 3 flaws: Slow Witted, Head Injury, Bad Dreams.

Once a bright and serious child, Big Varu’s mind has been wrong since a head injury. His clansmen in the Princeros of Dragon Pass rely on his impressive warrior’s strength. He uses Hedkoranth’s magic rather than hurt himself with sharp weapons. But Vogarth the Strong Man cheers him, promising to end the bad dreams. When he remembers, Varu hates vampires very much, and then he throws Vogarth's Other Side Punch, but the memories make him cry. Guileless and trusting, only hurting his friends or children makes him mad. Varu's innocent heart shames miscreants and charms animals. He knows how to scratch Yinkini just right. His bestest friend is Pony the Horse.

Used to be Bright, Guileless, Trusting, Loyal to Friends, Never Stops vs. those who hurt kids or his friends, Impressive Physique, Clumsy with Sharp Things, Cheered by Vogarth, Forgetful, Cries after remembering Vampires, Please Yinkini, Friendly with Yinkini, Innocent Heart.

Bryan_T wrote: However, recently I've had an interesting discussion with Mike about "playing before you play." Which is to say, why should you make all these interesting decisions about your hero before you play? Why not start with only a rough sketch, keywords and a list of ten abilities, or maybe not even a full ten, and then discover what they all mean in play.

I'm very much a partisan of the 100-word approach (although I agree that should be 100ish words). Just to make two quick points:

1. You don't need to use all 100 words at once. You can cater for the 'shaping the 100-words in play' approach by holding a sentence or two both if you want.

2. You're encouraged in the HQ rulebook to add to the 100-words as the hero develops, so you already are creating these longer narratives, but through the mechanisms of play: gaining new abilities, relationships, etc through their adventures.

All the best

Mark

Hi,

I've found folks who tend to "play before you play" usually come up with at least a page or two of written backstory- sometimes several. 100 words almost always makes them cry, because they aren't allowed to front load everything into their happy backstory.

On the other hand, if you run with what they do get into the 100 words, at some point they wipe away the tears and realize all that stuff they wanted to write is given a chance to happen in play. Then they get really excited, its as if they were freed from 10 years in prison- "You mean I can actually protagonize my character?!?!?"

Whereas if you give the 10 word list to these folks, they go ahead and write up a background anyway, and its often hard to get a feel for the story themes they wanted.

But that's a specific sort of case. For folks who are good at developing characters in play, the word list is a wonderful option.

Personally, I like and use both interchangably based on the player and the situation. The 100 word narrative allows people to create and develop characters, while giving me thematic ideas to work with in play, while the 10 word list gives folks the opportunity to adapt and fit into whatever situation arises.

Chris

Bankuei wrote: Hi,

I've found folks who tend to "play before you play" usually come up with at least a page or two of written backstory- sometimes several. 100 words almost always makes them cry, because they aren't allowed to front load everything into their happy backstory.

Hi Mike,

Even if you decide to let them write backstory as well, you can still do things that will blow their minds. First, you don't have to wade through pages of the backstory trying to figure out what's important and what isn't, and second, all these things get ratings.

What's that mean?

You can bring them up and apply them in conflicts in play, repeatedly, and show folks what it means to actually have their character get to do the things they(the player) want to do, instead of having a story unrelated to the character crammed down their throat by someone else, and trying to fit the actual protagonism into backstory.

But me- I'm hardcore about the 100 word narrative- You don't get no more, and if its in your head and you want it to exist- then you can play some flashbacks during play, spend some Hero Points and give us more traits. Just like anything else- if it don't show up in play, then it don't exist.

chris

My preference is 100words. This is partly because I think it creates more hooks than the list method - but mostly because I actually like the process of writing 100word - tightening up some verbiage, polishing up the stuff to squeeze in extra meaning from fewer words. I also like the ability to take other text, song lyrics, decriptions from other sources and turning them into 100words exceprts. I have done this for the tribes of Prax - effectively making them a character, with some of the people form old Runequest supplements - check the word count for some of the broo leaders in Big Rubble for example. The Shah Nama is a good source of exotic character descriptions.

I did wonder if I could make a house rule to get rid of keywords (which I dislike) and replacing them with a 100word chunk, with some highlighted/underlined words.

When I gave out Hero Point "certificates" in my FTF game, if these were used for character advancement then the player filled in a sentence to add to his 100+ word description, adding to their summary.

One more point - they fit in nicely to write ups of games - the character turns up in the story and his 100words instantly introduce him to the reader.

I have some sympathy with the play the story rather than wirte it first approach. In some ways I think 100words works in a similar way to the list method - it only gives the bare bones leaving, if anything, more stuff to be filled in in play.

Keith Nellist
PS. I also agree with Mike Dawson about HW method - much preferred IMO.

OK, I have to clarify my position. I thought that Bryan might mangle it somewhat in it's presentation - which is probably my fault in how I presented it to him originally.

I think that most of us would agree about the playing before you play. So do I think that the 100 words constitutes this? Actually, no, I don't. As some have pointed out, 100 words just isn't enough for this. What I find happens is that the 100 words just ends up being a list anyhow. Oh, sure the writer ends up making complete sentences per the requirement, etc, but when it all comes down to it, each sentence is there to support one or more abilities. "Bob was a soldier, and the hardships he faced made him quite courageous." Once can sense the underlines even before they're put on paper.

By the time you put in the supporting words, you just have a fancy list more or less. There's very little additional information in the 100 words. So, functionally, I don't think that the player has the "time" to actually play before they play.

Like I said to you, Bryan, I think that the 100 word limit for that method is a brilliant idea. It's so few, that people just can't go off on backstory.

Like Chris says, it takes a couple of pages to get a backstory. So what am I on about? Well, I think that what happens is that the 100 words, being too short for the amature writer, says to him to keep on writing. Especially doing chargen in the electronic medium, what I found was that players would be like, "here's my 100 words, and here's another 2000 in backstory." The notion that they were to write about their character was saying to them that it was time to play before we played.

So, I really don't have a particular problem with the 100 word method. I do think that it's completely unneccessary - there's no advantage to play in my opinion in doing it this way. But if the player has fun doing it, or it makes it easier for them to come up with abilities, or whatever, sure, go for it. I always allow players who want to do so to do so. I just suggest the list first.

I've always marveled how, if you complete a character using the list method, that you can get pretty much just as detailed a "background" for the character looking at the character sheet as looking at the 100 words. In fact, might be because I'm a statistician, but when I finally see where the 20 points ended up, that's when I really get a feel for what's important to the player. Much moreso than looking at any 100 words could.

By the way, when doing the 100 word method, here's what I do. I say, OK, go back now, and find the keywords, and then underline 10 other things. Why? Well, I've been the first to say that power balance isn't important in HQ. But "interest" balance is important, I think. I think that one extra ability at 13 is actually more unbalancing this way than having one ability pumped way up. In fact, because power balance is so irellevant to play. It's all about how many augments the player finds on his character sheet. And there's simply no real difference between a Big Smile +1, and Big Smile +2 in these terms.

Further, every word here that's pointed out how the constraints of 100 words has created better, tighter, more focused characters goes doubly so for the list method. Because I've never seen anyone using the uninhibited 100 word method come up with less than 15 extra abilities. By limiting the character to only ten abilities selected from the 100 words, you actually give the player incentive to "spread out the words." Rather, without this limit, what happens is that players drift towards shorter sentences, and trying to jam more stuff in one sentence, etc. They have an incentive to do so, depsite the method saying that they shouldn't. Well, why not just take that incnetive away? Why not balance all starting PCs out by having them end up with the same number of abilities?

So, given that this seems sensible to me, and that I see no a priori advantage to the actual act of writing, and that I feel that it sometimes sends a message to folks to write up a ton of backstory...I think promoting the list method as the default is a sensible thing to do. Again, if somebody wants to the 100 words for whatever reason, fine, I don't say no. I just offer the list method as the default.

And it's always worked for me. I've never seen anyone not be able to come up with what they needed. Because here's my other secret. Actually all characters are "as you go." That is, my rule is that nothing that's on the character sheet is set in stone until it gets shown in play. So, really, to me, what's on the character sheet is just a list of suggested ideas. And if it's not "complete?" No problem. In fact, I'm pretty enamored with starting with less rather than with more. So if a player doesn't have all of those abilities worked out using the list method? Then it's time to start play and discover the rest.

So, really, my chargen is a gestalt of all three methods.
1. You're limited to the normal keyword selections, and ten abilities outside of keywords that you get for "free." Everything else costs HP.
2. Use whatever methods you like to come up with the abilities. Just write them down in a list, write 100 words, sing a song, stand on your head, I don't really care. Just don't play before we play.
3. We start play as soon as you're out of ideas for abilities. If you haven't spent your limit, then you can spend these freebies at any time you want during play as long as their inclusion doesn't contradict continuity.

Make sense? One big method for everyone that's completely flexible, yet balanced.

Mike

Hi

Its got to be the 100 words for my money.  However, it is difficult for some, so I get them to choose 10 abilities.  For one guy that was a stretch - 10 abilities and it didn't matter what they were, what a conundrum!!

Once they have 10 abilities I draft up a narrative for them.  I find that they then find it much easier to finish the narrative, or amend it to suit their desires.  I guess they then become sort of inspired. 

Just for the record, I do it as 100-ish words as well.  I am more strict with people that write a very economical narrative to those who write an almost backstory-ish narrative.  I may suggest changes toward economy, but I leave it to the player as the final arbiter.

The comments on balance are related to GNS issues that are discussed elsewhere on this site.  I would refer those people to the essay section on GNS so that they can discover, as I did, what a red herring 'game balance' is when we talk about Heroquest the game.

Regards
Rob

Regards
Rob

It seems to me, that the declarative 10-Point-List method just suits you more than the descriptive 100-Words method. And that you apply the list method behind-the-scenes when you write a 100-Words description. What you describe is someone who does a declarative 100-Words description. If you froce such a player to write a description, he will just deliver you a declaration hidden inside the description.
Thus if I see one of my players doing this, then I tell him "maybe you should just do a 10-Point-List, that might suit you better".

That's the nice thing about HQ: it supports different styles of thinking and perception. Some ppl, as you, prefer to declare their character while others, like me for example, prefer to describe their character. It's true, finally, both end up with "equal" characters, thats not a failure of the system but a feature. The two methods are not meant to yield different characters, but as two different ways to reach the same goal.