Character Bio, and background story space.

[DestinationX]

One thing I loved and hated about CoH was the option for background stories. While very glad that the option was there, I was quote frustrated at the limited amount of space you had to try and fit your characters bio into. While some of us only need a few lines, others, like me, tend to get wordy and write small novels. I was having to chop up and shorten the story just so those that wanted to read it, could make sense of it. And now, that so many of us may be re-creating out main toons from CoH over here, it would be nice to have the extra room to explain the "switch over". You know, for those of us that like to have a little story with our characters. = )

I know it's to early to be expecting an answer about this subject, but I guess it can't hurt to get my opinion out there.

~ Destination X ~

[Nexus]

One thing I loved and hated about CoH was the option for background stories. While very glad that the option was there, I was quote frustrated at the limited amount of space you had to try and fit your characters bio into. While some of us only need a few lines, others, like me, tend to get wordy and write small novels. I was having to chop up and shorten the story just so those that wanted to read it, could make sense of it. And now, that so many of us may be re-creating out main toons from CoH over here, it would be nice to have the extra room to explain the "switch over". You know, for those of us that like to have a little story with our characters. = )

I know it's to early to be expecting an answer about this subject, but I guess it can't hurt to get my opinion out there.

~ Destination X ~

I agree. It Bugged me when I only needed about 2 or4 more lines to get my origin just right and I ran out of space.

[Lord_Abrasion]

Yeah. While I didn't write background stories for all my characters, on those occasions where I did I always ran out of space. It always bugged me that I had to exclude a lot of details in order to fit the story in there.

[Air_Commander]

My gripe was for the most part, no noe really did a bio of their characters. Most of the time I just saw crap like "No blind invites" or siimilar

[Certified]

Okay, so my hope is at least enough room for a short story or flash fiction, about 2000 words maybe 12 - 15,000 characters. Something tells me that ideal is a bunch of not happening but I can hope...

[Aceldama]

My gripe was for the most part, no noe really did a bio of their characters. Most of the time I just saw crap like "No blind invites" or siimilar

That or some terrible lyrics from an angsty teenie-bopper band about how their lives are shrouded in cold darkness....

I've even seen people list all of their in-game friends in their bio....

But I'm sure that bio's will make a return in CO and hopefully, with the level of customization everything else will be receiving, with much more space.

[NewAgeKnight]

This has to be a part of the Character. Atleast for some of us I can throw together some powers sets and be a <insert random character type> like anyone else but for me I need to give a bit of what makes my character who they are.

[Genosaurer]

I actually thought the limited bio space in City of Heroes was a good thing - it forced me to take my long rambling origins and condense them into a single readable paragraph. If I wanted to go into more detail, I could do it on Crey Industries/Hero Corps.

[Sybexi]

I actually hade an awesome story for my main in CoH...and then I found out there was a cap to what you could put. I was one papagraph away. Butchering it upset me but I did and it sucked.

I never understood why they wouldn't let you just upload it as like a notepad file or something. Cap the file at like 25 KB or something and even if there are 300,000 subcribers who all have 25kb bios it would amout to something like 750 megs...or is it 75 (i suck at math...)...I'm sure they could find a flash drive for that somewhere.

[The_Padre]

It would seem though that when you create your character and their arch-nemesis you also create their back story or history as well, that's what I'm reading into it anyway.

[Sylph_Knight]

I have a marvelous idea!

Page/Tabbed Bios, each tab representing a chapter.

The first tab would be your default "origin summary". Then, every tab you decide to tack on after that is a sort of mini-chapter where you can elect of flesh out your character's background. A bit excessive, but certainly an entertaining thought. Of course, we could put a hard-cap of about 11 tabs or so (1 = Summary, last ten being your fleshed-out biography).

[Aceldama]

/signed

I like that idea.

Which also lead me to another idea.

In a lot of the bios from CoX, they list what other players they're associated with. Some listed who their player mentors were or that other players inspired them to be heroes.

LotRO has a family tree feature that I always thought was unnecessary, but a very cool idea that gave characters depth.

Such a thing exists in the comic book world, after all. Why not in this MMO?

I wouldn't be disappointed if something like this didn't make it in, but it works to take the background of a hero one step further than the bio.

[captainzap]

Right off the bat, I always RP-Judged those I grouped with by whether or not they had bothered to put an origin in there.

And yes, I would love the ability to write more.

Heck, I'd like to be able to add chapters from time to time, such as almost on par with a "recent news".

Or howabout this. I know not everyone cares for such things. As you gain reputation, let other people be able to analyze you and find out what they know about you from word on the street. And this is based on a "free" skill you can level up by spending time checking out other people's bios or perhaps simple fluff missions unrelated to advancing your character. Kind of a knowledge skill based on both how well known your target is, and how much superhero knowledge you have.

And more... as you accomplish certain important milestones, and/or important missions (task forces/quests/raids/whatever) have it add a new tab for that, that you can then go and write up what happened in your accomplishment of said task.

[Sylph_Knight]

/signed

I like that idea.

Which also lead me to another idea.

In a lot of the bios from CoX, they list what other players they're associated with. Some listed who their player mentors were or that other players inspired them to be heroes.

LotRO has a family tree feature that I always thought was unnecessary, but a very cool idea that gave characters depth.

Such a thing exists in the comic book world, after all. Why not in this MMO?

I wouldn't be disappointed if something like this didn't make it in, but it works to take the background of a hero one step further than the bio.

I love this idea as well. An "Affiliates" tab connected to your bio, that links you to information about their teammates' biographies as well.

Heck, I'd like to be able to add chapters from time to time, such as almost on par with a "recent news".

Or howabout this. I know not everyone cares for such things. As you gain reputation, let other people be able to analyze you and find out what they know about you from word on the street. And this is based on a "free" skill you can level up by spending time checking out other people's bios or perhaps simple fluff missions unrelated to advancing your character. Kind of a knowledge skill based on both how well known your target is, and how much superhero knowledge you have.

I love this too! It'd be great if there was an off-game (something supported by the Forum / Community Portal) where you could write all this information and the game pulls the information from that. That way you'd have near-infinite and expanded story development potential accessable via in-game and outside of it. It'd also be less bulky than managing these features in the game client itself.

[Hythian]

I have a marvelous idea!

Page/Tabbed Bios, each tab representing a chapter.

The first tab would be your default "origin summary". Then, every tab you decide to tack on after that is a sort of mini-chapter where you can elect of flesh out your character's background. A bit excessive, but certainly an entertaining thought. Of course, we could put a hard-cap of about 11 tabs or so (1 = Summary, last ten being your fleshed-out biography).

That would be a wonderful idea. Personally, I am all for their being a web-based community site to go with the game for stuff like player journals and screenshots and the like, but the idea of being able to have a lot of that in-game as long descriptive character bios would be wonderful.

I helped organize and run a coalition of RP SGs on the Champion server back when I was still active in CoX, one of our admission requirements was that characters had a bio written out on their in-game ID card. I always remember hating writing mine, not because I didn't enjoy writing it but because I knew I was going to have to edit and edit and edit and edit it down until it was short enough to finally fit.

[Sylph_Knight]

That would be a wonderful idea. Personally, I am all for their being a web-based community site to go with the game for stuff like player journals and screenshots and the like, but the idea of being able to have a lot of that in-game as long descriptive character bios would be wonderful.

I helped organize and run a coalition of RP SGs on the Champion server back when I was still active in CoX, one of our admission requirements was that characters had a bio written out on their in-game ID card. I always remember hating writing mine, not because I didn't enjoy writing it but because I knew I was going to have to edit and edit and edit and edit it down until it was short enough to finally fit.

I hadn't thought about whole SGs.

Tie in a Super Group origin tab to that list. :)

[Bad_Luck]

I have a marvelous idea!

Page/Tabbed Bios, each tab representing a chapter.

The first tab would be your default "origin summary". Then, every tab you decide to tack on after that is a sort of mini-chapter where you can elect of flesh out your character's background. A bit excessive, but certainly an entertaining thought. Of course, we could put a hard-cap of about 11 tabs or so (1 = Summary, last ten being your fleshed-out biography).

Perhaps updated by in-game achievements that you can edit to fit?

[Gold-Rush]

Page Tabs for Bios is an EXCELLENT idea, Sylph_Knight!!!

Now, I am gonna stray from the norm; while I do like long Bios, I think most people prefer short-summaries, especially in an action game. Yes, sometimes I ran outta type space but it just reminded of that that saying "Keep it simple, stupid".

The reason being is that when I post in my casual forum, I tend to notice the longer my post is, the more eyes glaze over. The short one-liner posts get paid attention to while my well thought-out arguement with examples tends to be forgotten. Now, people are people. I don't begrudge people for not reading every line I write. Sometimes they get tired, busy, and heck, even I am guilty of glossing over things. :)

I think Page Tabs would solve this. Basically, your first Tab is a summary : About the length of what is currently in CoH/V (I forget how many words per text in that). You can then add at that more info can be had on the next tab (or just let them tab you; a good curious RP/Player would do so anyhow).

So, short summary first, then the details. :)

Page Tabs FTW !!