Got Your Descriptions Done?

[Rob Maule]

I just finished all mine today and I wondered how other people are getting theirs done, too, before they all go live. I went straight from none to all completed.

I think it's kind of hard to picture what these people look like when all I've done is think about their motives and preferences. I've hardly ever emoted their physical characteristics, either. So to help me figure things out, I created an Excel spreadsheet. Maybe you other guys might find it helpful, if you're as stuck as I was.

I've got columns for names, ages, strengths, major activities, clothing worn, height, build, eyes, hair, and additional info. Just a basic overview of what they might look like. If they were sort of old, I added a few things like wrinkles or graying hair. If they were much stronger than average, they got prominent muscles. Much weaker characters were traditionally thinner. Their jobs or activities they participated in got some say as to how they appeared (maybe someone who picked vegetables might have a hunched back). I wrote about how their clothing fit on them. Some were tall or short, fat or thin, but mostly just average. Different eye colors and hair colors. I also described the length of their hair and its texture. Maybe they had a certain face shape. Having them all right next too each other kept them from all having the same features.

Basically, I took the most general things about them and asked myself for more details. You could have red hair, but what about making it wavy. Maybe it reaches the lower back. Pull it into a ponytail. The bangs could reach down over the eyes. With just red hair, the descriptions grew until it started to look like an actual person.

[EchoMan]

I've only made one (maybe two), and just for testing. I'll probably get them done the coming weekend... hopefully.

[Cdls]

Only have one done, and that one was for testing purposes.

Great idea with using a spreadsheet, I have used them for various other activities in Cantr, but never really considered it for this, thanks!

[Indigo]

I've got totally stuck with this. I have the descriptions in my mind, but writing them in english are going me mad... Internet translators are really horrible for sentences with more than one word, and I'm trying to find the right words to say what I wanna say about my chars. It's not easy at all...

I'm going on trying

[the_antisocial_hermit]

I just did one because I'd already had an idea of the character before. I'd even already written down the key features so I could RP them when necessary. None of my other characters right now have any notable physical traits that need emoting. It was just chance on this one.

I usually get to a point on my characters where I do assess their physical traits to get a better idea of them overall, but it's only happened on the one so far this time around. One of the others I used to have a good idea of, but now I have to factor age in with what I used to see for her. Any of my others that I ever had an idea of are long gone by now.

[Rebma]

Are you kidding? I had these done before they even implemented it, waiting to be pasted from notepad xD

[Rob Maule]

Are you kidding? I had these done before they even implemented it, waiting to be pasted from notepad xD

Indigo, if you'd like, you can PM me the translations and I can try and make them more English-like.

[Indigo]

I'll do

**Sits down, cross-legged, and starts writing something on a note**

[SekoETC]

I was wondering about that, Rebma, at least I assume it was you who got one submitted before the system was even announced. (I wanted to get first so I only posted the announcement after writing one and it was very close, two descriptions submitted on the same Cantr minute, but I got first.)

And I gotta envy anyone who get to write a bunch of descriptions and pick different traits for their characters so that they're all unique. I've generally thought of the appearance in advance, and I also adjust it based on which region they spawn on. But I have less clear of an image of my newer characters than my old ones. I'm also a bit worried that I may have emoted something in the past and then forgotten about it, for example I tend to forget the eye colors of my characters. I have pictures of the older ones so I can check, but with newer ones I might not even remember what their hair looks like. I decided to make my youngest character look like an aboriginal, although I don't remember if I've described her differently in the past, bu the only person who would've possibly seen it is dead and even if she managed to spawn another character around my character, I doubt she would remember what she used to look like. But in the past I was struggling with deciding should one of my middle-aged characters have light or dark hair so he's still lacking a description...

Edit: Posts: 10000. Just to prove I have no life.

[SumBum]

Hair style is turning out to be the most difficult for me to describe. I've gotten a few chars finished - the ones that I have had a very clear idea of from the moment they spawned. Others I've never even considered how they look before so they are going to be challenging, but I also think it will make me dig a little deeper into those chars and get to know them better.

It's a little odd, but I noticed the way I have written the descriptions coincides with the personalities of the chars. One description is very brief ("just the facts") and another is more eloquent; both styles in tune with the chars' mannerisms, etc.

[SekoETC]

That sounds cool, probably makes people less likely to figure out it's the same writer.

[Dudel]

Mine were finished the day of the announcement though I tweak them every so often when issues with continuity, spelling or grammar are seen.

[Rebma]

I was wondering about that, Rebma, at least I assume it was you who got one submitted before the system was even announced. (I wanted to get first so I only posted the announcement after writing one and it was very close, two descriptions submitted on the same Cantr minute, but I got first.)

It probably was, if it was a fairly long one, but I can't remember if I posted beforehand... At least you got first I'd feel like a bitch if I beat you out

[Misato]

Haven't even started yet. ^_^; lol

[MartialAngel]

Neither have I, Misa...hehe