What makes a character not boring?

[chase02]

Just depth.

I've most enjoyed interacting with characters without cookie cutter personalities. Those with flaws, clear motivations, that act in a way their personality may dictate that may be opposite to achieving what that character wants. Jovial characters. People that RP things that are totally different. People that add drama in some unusual way (not the usual thievery/random stabbing).

[SumBum]

I think a lot of times people don't want to out their own char by mentioning someone on the forum. There are several I'd like to praise but don't for that reason.

I'm in the same boat, Doug. I can only recall one of mine being mentioned here. One of my goals this time around is to be more thoughtful of my emotes. I admire those who come up with unique emotes and are able to paint a vivid picture of what their chars are doing, etc.....without being too wordy about it.

[Snake_byte]

Oh and punctuation...

[Litchin_flip]

Oh and punctuation...

Yeah I personally need to work on that one.

[Mack]

Since I've been back, I've only had one mentioned....but that is fine. I know my chars tend to be fun. I try hard lol....but it really does depend on the others I'm rping with

[Zisrith]

What makes a character interesting to me is a lot of little details in their roleplaying, characters that need to learn how to read, write, or talk. Characters that can't write until they've received or roleplayed making paper and received or made a writing utensil. Also, insane characters tend to be the more interesting ones, though only the persistent ones, that spend a lot of time doing insane things. I try to make each of my characters unique now, but it can be difficult to keep it up myself if the environment I spawned in is full of boring characters - A character can normally only be interesting in an interesting environment . Also, a character tends to be interesting to players around it if the character's player finds the character interesting his/herself.
On one character I have, I keep a journal with all the information I am given or discover on my own. This, although it can be tedious to do, keeps me interested in that character because it's reminiscent of games with quest journals like Baldur's Gate. I also like the idea that someone will find it when she dies.

EDIT: Also I haven't been using the forum nearly as long as I've been playing, so I would have no idea if anybody mentions my characters, although I doubt they have.

[mojomuppet]

I play with some people try really hard to stump me....I like this. Sometimes I have to think 15 or 20 min, and have even pondered it overnight, just to come up with a good response. I assume they do the same. I also know these players try to make me a better player, I am thankful for that.


If I find someone boring I nudge them to try to do something different. Gave on man a flute and swore he would be famous if he learned to play it. *winks* Gave him a reason to show my charrie when he was awake. If he played his flute she reacted everytime with joy and excitement.


I have had several of my charries mentioned in the forums all for different reasons. Funny, whore comes to mind, and some just plain weird. My evil ones are never mentioned. But evil takes much more planning.

[Mack]

*Smacks Mojo up the back of the head with a Tambourine* Does that keep things interesting for you

[Doug R.]

Sometimes I have to think 15 or 20 min, and have even pondered it overnight, just to come up with a good response. I assume they do the same.

This is interesting. I personally "become" the character when I'm interacting, so my reactions are immediate, just as if I was there personally. Unfortunately, this "spontaneity" tends to happen so quickly that I emote less than I probably should.

One aspect of Cantr that confounds me is the prevailing wisdom that everything between ** needs to be commented on. If you see someone IRL shoot you a glance out of the corner of their eye, how many of you would stop them and call them on it? Almost none of you, yet this is common in Cantr. It's very hard to be subtle because every single action is analyzed to a high degree. I do play characters with depth, but the need to pry into every emote typically means that any show of depth is discussed and analyzed in a matter of days, leaving me with no cards left in my hand.

If people talked to each other in as much depth in real life as they do in Cantr, there wouldn't be any need for psychologists.

[HFrance]

A good audience! We created the character to be admired. And the more we, creators, have feedback, the better will be our creature. Praise the roleplay and make constructive criticism in the forums about the characters.

[Snake_byte]

I do play characters with depth, but the need to pry into every emote typically means that any show of depth is discussed and analyzed in a matter of days, leaving me with no cards left in my hand.

Sometimes it's best to play insecure when people ask you what's wrong and say :"Oh, uh... I was just, staring *he shrugs* I-it's nothing... Really. *he looks at the ground*"
Don't have to open up to everyone that asks... just like in RL. If someone asks me a question about my past I don't want to talk about, I'll avoid it by lieing or changing the subject. People also might get angry or frustrated when there is an obvious problem they don't want to talk about.
There are just too many people now to let everyone know everything about your character.

If people talked to each other in as much depth in real life as they do in Cantr, there wouldn't be any need for psychologists.

Too true!

[Zisrith]

A good way to practice emoting is to play mute characters every now and then. I find it a lot easier to have a creative, in-depth roleplay when I can't use spoken words to do it. I have the most fun with mute characters, or characters that need to learn their first language like a child does.

It's very hard to be subtle because every single action is analyzed to a high degree. I do play characters with depth, but the need to pry into every emote typically means that any show of depth is discussed and analyzed in a matter of days, leaving me with no cards left in my hand.

I haven't ever thought of this, but I now realize that I've been guilty of it on many accounts... I really agree with this, I often find myself paying more attention to the emoting of other characters than I do to their speech.

[Litchin_flip]

That's the reason I try and keep my emotes simple, but still there, unless the situation calls for it.

[toon]

I've never had a character metioned for my roleplay either. I probably need to read all of this so I can try to get better.

[DylPickle]

One aspect of Cantr that confounds me is the prevailing wisdom that everything between ** needs to be commented on. If you see someone IRL shoot you a glance out of the corner of their eye, how many of you would stop them and call them on it? Almost none of you, yet this is common in Cantr. It's very hard to be subtle because every single action is analyzed to a high degree. I do play characters with depth, but the need to pry into every emote typically means that any show of depth is discussed and analyzed in a matter of days, leaving me with no cards left in my hand.

I get bothered by this too, and it most likely comes from bored players wanting to get into something, something active and readily at hand, rather than set up an overall atmosphere for everyone. It's funny, because it's both frustrating yet completely understandable at the same time.

Like most here, I enjoy characters that appear whole. Characters that don't constantly need to be outside because they rely to heavily on simple events like newspawns and people coming into town, but can express their thoughts, feelings, and initiate random conversations that can lead to expression of ideas, good times, bad times (for the character, which can still be good times for a player).

I find variety is great too. It's easy to like the jovial, nice characters, but the blunt, grumpy old man in town, who likes to spurt out little snips once or twice a day can be just as enjoyable, or perhaps even more.
Players/characters that fit the atmosphere of their locality are impressive too. Even if you don't want to actively play the character, it's nice when they at least fit into the scene. Eg. Small fishing towns with nothing but mudhuts having more of a tribal mentality, or big cities (if they still exist) with the hustle and bustle that would be expected, showing off the wealth with flare, or the gritty little desert settlement struggling to get by. It's just a way in which "little" characters can be just as appreciated as the "big" characters in a town. It doesn't always have to take time.