History

So I’m working on some changes to the character history command/system. The idea is to have different data fields filled in with an appropriate argument for the history command. For example,[i:257hy4kd] History Homeplanet Coruscant[/i:257hy4kd]. Bam, that data field is now set with whatever you set it to. This type of command would be used for all of the general information in your character history in an "[b:257hy4kd]Overview[/b:257hy4kd]" section.

Then if you type in [i:257hy4kd]History Background[/i:257hy4kd], it’ll open up the familiar buffer and allow you to write in some prose background information for your character. This is analogous to the "[b:257hy4kd]Misc.[/b:257hy4kd]" section of the current history templates. A benefit of this would be that you no longer need to deal with all the annoying color codes, separating bars, government names for the eras, etc. Instead, different biotemplates would be coded in according to whatever clan was the "galactic power" at the time and the information you input would be automatically formatted into this template.

The main reason for this post is so I can get you guys to let me know what sort of information/data fields should be included in the "Overview" section and any other general feedback/ideas you may have.

[b:257hy4kd]Please keep focused on this particular topic.[/b:257hy4kd]

I’d like to start off by saying that while these changes may make things easier for people who hate doing their histories, it makes them less fun for those of us who care about our histories and enjoy the freedom we have with them now. My Balosar (from Nar Shaddaa) had a Hutt databank file, back when Hutt Space was neutrally governed. My Togruta has a section in her history about "visa" information basically chronicling where she’s lived. My Lorrdian’s file contains "copies" of the records from the now unused format of the old Argazdan files… I like the amount of creativity I’m currently able to put into my history file. I know that the amount of people who have "bootleg generic histories" (in the words of Xylitol) are far larger than the amount of people who do creative ones, but I don’t think that should mean restricting the minority of us who like what we can do with them as they are.

I’m not sure if you wanted feedback about whether or not we like this idea in its totality or not, but there you have it. However, if this is something that is just [i:bq05764c]happening[/i:bq05764c], then I won’t bother arguing something that’s already been decided.

Obviously all the information that’s currently at the top of most datafile templates should be included.
[list:bq05764c][*:bq05764c]Name[/*:m:bq05764c]
[*:bq05764c]Race[/*:m:bq05764c]
[*:bq05764c]Age[/*:m:bq05764c]
[*:bq05764c]Birthplace[/*:m:bq05764c]
[*:bq05764c]Parents[/*:m:bq05764c]
[*:bq05764c]Siblings[/*:m:bq05764c]
[*:bq05764c]Spouse[/*:m:bq05764c]
[*:bq05764c]Children[/*:m:bq05764c][/list:u:bq05764c]
Being able to have a separate line for each sibling instead of cramming them all together would be nice. Especially for races like Lorrdians with fairly lengthy names or people who are RPing having a large number of siblings. The same goes for children. I don’t think any more information than that really needs to be put at the top. There are some other things that could be neat, but they’re race specific or sometimes even character specific and get back into the case-by-case-customization issue.

Oh, and printing the "WARNING: Non-human descent" message that was in the OLD Imperial template for all non-human characters would be cool. I liked that idea. Though if I recall correctly that was under their arrest record, not in the general section (because all aliens are criminals, of course).

Whether we’re considering education record/employment record/criminal record sections as their own fields or part of the overview, I think it’d be best to just have those as empty buffers that we can write what we want in. Otherwise, if they’re going to have sections like the age/race bit, here’s generally what I include in each section to get the ball rolling:

[b:bq05764c]Criminal Record[/b:bq05764c] (I usually actually do "arrest record")
[list:bq05764c][*:bq05764c]Name of the crime[/*:m:bq05764c]
[*:bq05764c]The planet it was committed on[/*:m:bq05764c]
[*:bq05764c]Sentence issued (I don’t always include this, it gets too long)[/*:m:bq05764c]
[*:bq05764c]The "resolution" ("Time served"/"Fine paid"/etc. Or "Released without charges" in one case where the character was arrested, questioned, and released, which is why I started doing an arrest record.)[/*:m:bq05764c][/list:u:bq05764c]

[b:bq05764c]Employment Record[/b:bq05764c]
[list:bq05764c][*:bq05764c]Name of the employer[/*:m:bq05764c]
[*:bq05764c]Age range while employed (Again, something I don’t always include)[/*:m:bq05764c]
[*:bq05764c]Highest position achieved with employer[/*:m:bq05764c]
[*:bq05764c]If no longer employed there either "Resigned" or "Terminated" …Or "Deserted" I guess.[/*:m:bq05764c][/list:u:bq05764c]
If this is just going to capture clans we’ve been a part of, please let us still add our own employment history to it at character generation, so people can still include waitressing or fry cook or the other random things I’ve seen people throw in.

[b:bq05764c]Education Record[/b:bq05764c]
[list:bq05764c][*:bq05764c]Name of school[/*:m:bq05764c]
[*:bq05764c]Location of school (usually City, Planet. Sometimes just Planet.)[/*:m:bq05764c]
[*:bq05764c]Age range while enrolled[/*:m:bq05764c]
[*:bq05764c]Degree achieved, if any[/*:m:bq05764c][/list:u:bq05764c]

I get the need for something like this, but could it possibly just be made an option..? That way people who don’t want to go all out can just use the templates that you make for us but if we’re feeling creative we can still customize our files to the extent that we can now. I like the "annoying color codes" :p

(I also am still firmly against the way the "misc" section is currently used, but that is neither here nor there, so I won’t rant about it.)

All Kora said is Xylitol approved.

-sagenod-

While that’s all well and good wanting a detailed history, like I was saying in another post, do you really think people walk around with their entire history about them posted up for anyone with the ability to look to them up? More than likely no. I like this idea as your background should be a simplified version for governments and other organizations to get just a simple feel for your character. The rest is up to RPing it out and finding out what kind of character you are. Having it all written it all out kind of takes away the fun. All I have to do now is just look you up and I know everything about your character.

What reason do I need to RP with you anymore? I know what you like, you don’t like. I know what kind of upbringing you had. I know you came from, where you worked before. What kind of person you are.

All that jazz should be kept in the think long for RPC to look at when you perm someone or start doing something to confirm if it’s within the character you created or if you’re doing something that doesn’t seem reasonable for what you originally wrote.

That’s just me though.

That makes sense. Miscellaneous remarks about relevant history that could impact rp/employment should definitely be included.

I’m guilty of including a long detailed history, but that was a long while ago. Now a days, I just include what I think to be relevant data and I think that’s what everyone should stick too. If you want a detailed history about your character for reference during RP and what have you, notepad is your friend.

Could customizable field names be an option? In the least, have room for one section to be open ended?

What I was thinking was for the background section, which tosses you into a buffer to be the open ended section but I suppose we could look into having two of those with one dedicated to your background information, and one dedicated to misc information containing custom data that you feel is relevant.

Kora brings up a good point about not everyone wanting a simple and basic history system like this and wanting more customization and whatnot. If I can manage it, I’ll try to have both the old and new history system available to the players. But the general idea behind the standardized system is that this is your history entry that the primary government of the era has on file for you. You may be a citizen of another local government or jurisdiction, but this would be what’s in the Republic/Empire database on you.

I’ll keep checking up on this thread while I keep notes on how this new system should go.

The entire lookup thing makes no sense on today’s MUD. I’ve never understood how or why a government would chronicle a citizen’s eventdul tenth birthday party which inevitably inspired him to become a BHer, etc.

Maybe make two sections for history. Section one, which is information that a government would possess, ie. Name, Race, Birthplace, Age, Family, Criminal Record, Education, and Employment. The second section of history could be an RP history or the storyline of your character. Kinda like how the old history used to be before the templates. Maybe make a new skill for that too. Put it in diplomacy or slicing and call it Historian or something like that. Those that do extra research IRL can usually find this information anyway.

Basically what I really want is the Template to remain, but a separate buffer for my character’s actual RP history. Because seeing that the current one isn’t large enough for both sucks sometimes.

Yeah, having your RP history in your lookup file is precisely what I object to, along with the other people in this thread who have been saying the same thing.

In my mind, history files shouldn’t be much more than a general background of your character. If people want a more in-depth background check on someone, they should be willing to do some legwork to find out what they can instead of just plopping a datapad in front of someone and saying "Oooh he wants to bomb the Senate hall."

Your histories are as detailed or as vague as you want them to be. The bread and butter of your roleplay lies in your character sheet and think logs, not your history files.

In my opinion, think logs are exactly what it sounds like: your character’s thoughts. I never put more in my think log then what my character is currently thinking to form a basic reasoning as to why he does major things: ie. quit a clan, kill someone, marry someone, etc. I do not use them for RP because no one can even see it other than Imms and RPC. And your character sheet has nothing to do with previous RP. Straight off of the help file, the character sheet is motivation, strength, weakness, quirks. These are things to flesh out your character’s personality based off of previous events, yes. But it isn’t a history. It is to give your character a reason for RP, but it isn’t RP.

I actually enjoyed the old system of history where looking someone up gave you a history and not some rubber stamped generic template. Because people tended to have complicated story lines for all their characters as well as back stories. But when the template was added in, why bother with any of that? I can just put down a few key words in about two seconds and poof! I have a history that doesn’t give any history! But whatever. I seem to be in a minority with enjoying complex histories. I’ll just fall in the category of having extremely detailed histories and annoying everyone!