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Something to say about child characters

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 2:58 am
by Olivia_Gales
About a year ago, maybe less, there were lots of child characters. A lot of people didn't like the idea so they went somewhat "extinct". My view on child characters thoughis that they actually made illarion a more pleasant experience. They brought some light-heartedness into the stressful world. I'm not saying people don't make child characters at all anymore. They do, but there are still very few, and not in a put-down meant way they are mostly not played entirely well. I'm making this post to suggest the bringing back of chld characters, and to give pointers, because being younger than most on this website I still remember what it's like to be one.
First of all child characters are usually underestimated. People act as though children are all the same, like their brains are hollow and void of any personality or thought beyond what they see in three-year-olds. When you're making a child character you shouldn't think about trying to make them act young. Every child has a different maturity level, so what you should be thinking about is their personality and background. It's just like making a regular character except for sometimes it's more fun. A main part of what makes every child is not being imature or annoying. It's making them eager and curious. When you are a child you want to be older, you want to know more, try to make that obvious. Also, children like to play games, if you want to play a child character just like an adult who just sits around talking at the shop wall than you should not play a child character. I honestly do not remember enjoying listening to my parents talk when I was younger, nor did I enjoy talking much myself. I played with my friends. Making a child character takes a lot of imagination. Never just think of them as kids, try to think of them as bright, curious little people, each with their own individuality and an eagerness with the world around them.
That will help a lot, but here's a problem. If you want to make a child character you are going to have to make the most amazing background you can think of. Since in being a child character most often you have to be an orphan you are going to have to make your story extremely complex along with their feelings. A child who has lost or been abandoned by their parents would not act the same as one whose parents are always there for them, put that in mind. Also, the "my parents beat me bla bla bla" was brilliant for Rhiannon, but since then it has been annoyingly overused. If you really can't think of something to make your child's background after, turn to a book. I've gotten billions of great ideas just from reading books.
Another thing that is important is what intention you make the character for. A lot of people make child characters just so they can say things to people and get away with it, or run around playing pranks. Some children do do this yes, but I don't really think it adds anything to illarion. A prank once or twice wont hurt a thing, but creating a character just for the point of playing pranks or making fun of orcs will not do much other than annoy people.
This is not in any way meant to be a complaint to anyone, just a suggestion for people to make some child-chars, and a few tips you don't have to follow. :) soooo uhhmm ^^ tooodles

Re: Something to say about child characters

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 2:59 am
by Capus
Olivia_Gales wrote:They brought some light-heartedness into the stressful world.
Um. No.

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 3:07 am
by Olivia_Gales
=) then I guess you've forgotten when they played apple ball and went adventuring, and planted trees, or when they used to convince Liles to play tag with them. I think you must have forgotten all the good things about child characters. When Olar and Emmie and Morty would hang out in the orchards, or when they played the game at the well with Zazo. Those are the moments that make child characters special. If you feel like only remembering the bad then don't waste my time. This thread was meant to be encouraging not grumpy ^^

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 3:11 am
by Grant
Ewwww....what kind of tag...? :shock:

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 3:13 am
by Olivia_Gales
tag, like tag you're it? The game? :P

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 3:13 am
by Ku 'Agor
Grant wrote:Ewwww....what kind of tag...? :shock:
The kind of tag not involving your state of perversion.

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 4:06 am
by J S
I play a child char.

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 4:11 am
by Azuros
as do I now, he needs to meet the other children

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 4:35 am
by Lance Thunnigan
I've ALWAYS had at least 1 child character. :wink:

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 4:36 am
by Arameh
There is a difference between child and teen character

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 4:37 am
by J S
14 is child. I believe.. Hmm.. maybe not.
Alright, a teen character.

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 4:37 am
by Lance Thunnigan
Arameh wrote:There is a difference between child and teen character
'

As I said, I've always had at least one child character.

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 4:38 am
by Arameh
J S wrote:14 is child. I believe.. Hmm.. maybe not.
Alright, a teen character.
I would count JS as a teen character

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 4:39 am
by Richard Cypher
alright lets spell out the word fourTEEN Emphasis on teen lol

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 5:46 am
by Poots
that was alot of reading... try pressing enter and tab once in a while, hard to kepp your place if you blink :?

I wouldn't mind kids, but since I haven't seen any, I'll just talk about my extreme hatered for teens...they suck. they're all the soon to be warriors who are barbarian adults in teenage bodies. I think it's because people want to make themselves as a warrior, I don't know. but a warrior teen shouldn't be that common, and it is. nough said.

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 5:47 am
by Ku 'Agor
Correction. Strong warriors.

Kids back in the day would learn and practice with a mentor with dulled blades.

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 5:49 am
by Poots
alright fine, strong warriors.

while I'm posting I would really want a put a big fat star on the point of you guys playing human barbarians in a teenage body. that's no exageration.

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 5:49 am
by Athian
way back then however you stopped being a child somewhere around 15-16 (actually probably sooner still) and were treated as an adult. a girls marrying age was often 13 and a boy might join the military ranks at the same age. there really wasn't much of the TEENS way back when, the teenage years themselves are a fairly new concept.

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 5:50 am
by Azuros
Ku 'Agor wrote:Correction. Strong warriors.

Kids back in the day would learn and practice with a mentor with dulled blades.
not all of them, not everyone was efficient with weapons, some took apprenticeships in certain crafts, traditionally that of their dad (for guys)

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 5:52 am
by Garett Gwenour
A child character always got involved in some overly elaborate kidnap, attempted murder, or theivery plot.

They did nothing to bring light heartedness to illarion.

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 5:52 am
by Ku 'Agor
Correct. Everoyne. Except Athian. You started to plow fields at 5 years of age. Life was rough then. I'm sure a noble boy would pick up a dagger at the age of 10.

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 5:53 am
by Garett Gwenour
Athian wrote:way back then however you stopped being a child somewhere around 15-16 (actually probably sooner still) and were treated as an adult. a girls marrying age was often 13 and a boy might join the military ranks at the same age. there really wasn't much of the TEENS way back when, the teenage years themselves are a fairly new concept.
That would be correct but average life expectancy back then was 30 years for humans. As humans in this game live to 70, modern age, we can assume that they mature at similiar rates as modern day.

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 5:54 am
by Athian
you can still work as a child Ku. ploying a field when your five, maybe but that wouldn't qaulfiy a child as an adult

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 5:54 am
by Garen
Ku has a piont, they did practise for being a knight at a young age, started around 5 i think.

oh, and i have a new child char. aslo, any more tips, sometimes its a bit hard with no other children around. everyones just an adult or a grumpy-*** teen.hehe

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 5:57 am
by Azuros
Not everyone trained to be a knight and how to fight Ku, yes times were rough but that doesn't mean everyone over the age of 10 was carrying weapons and was efficient with them. Regular peasents would focus on raising money for their family.

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 6:01 am
by Garen
i thiki he ment the p[eople who would be fighting when they got older, but you do have a very good piont.

who knows what the"Snakes" did for training in Irland?

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 6:02 am
by Ku 'Agor
Garen wrote:who knows what the"Snakes" did for training in Irland?
... hid in tall grass and bit passing by peasents?

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 6:04 am
by Grant
Actually. Nobles back then were required to learn the arts of combat ( direct line to the throne. Excluding cousins) Princes had to learn some type of self defence ( unless your Edward II).

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 6:07 am
by Poots
and thus came the prince of persia.

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 6:07 am
by Grant
Huh?