NPCs

[crossmlk]

Has anyone come up with a fast system for creating NPCs? Templetes or anything like that. Does anyone know if there's an electronic character/NPC generater in the works.

I have the old MegaTraveller computer games (1&2) which if I remember correctly did a good job of quickly generating characters. But they would have been MegaTravelle characters so I'm not sure how useful they'd be. To make matters worse the first one is actually on the old 5 1/4" floppies. I'd have to buy a new drive to use those now!

Any thoughts on NPC creation? Thanks.

Mike Cross
Terra/Sol Games

 

[CosmicGamer]

For me, NPC's typically have a purpose. Cargo Inspector, hired mechanic, sales person/store clerk, security guard, or whatever and they need to have specific skills that suit their function and sometimes the proper attributes as well. So random character generation, done manually or through some automated means does not suit me since a randomly generated 4 term Citizen worker can end up with no mechanic skill.

I tend to just 'wing it'. Some NPC's just get all characteristics at 7, others have rolled characteristics arranged to fit the NPC. For skills, I select pertinent skills and determine character age based on # of skills I assigned. Approx 4 years per skill point.

Yes, I know that characters often get more than one skill per term but I am only picking specific skills I need the NPC to have and other skills the NPC may have are not important to the task at hand.

Many NPC's have a short life span so a great deal of detail is not needed. No, I don't mean that the NPC's get killed off (not unless they are wearing a red shirt), they have a small part to play and the characters only interact for a brief, specific reason.

Some NPCs may play a more important role. In these cases, it is even more important that the NPC has the skills needed for the storyline but they also need to have more detail because you never know how the characters will interact with the NPC or what will be required of the NPC over the long term. For these NPC's, I might use the point buy system or the select skills method.

 

[Dave Chase]

...
Any thoughts on NPC creation? Thanks.

Mike Cross
Terra/Sol Games

PM sent with some information

Dave Chase

 

[IanBruntlett]

Any thoughts on NPC creation? Thanks.

I bought some books about creative writing to help me run RPGs. In particular Traveller (OTU at the moment, Babylon 5 in the future, Hammer's Slammers as a Limited Edition).

There is a publisher called "Writer's Digest Books" and I've bought some of their books. One that I hope to read soon, "Dynamic Characters" by Nancy Kress might be worth borrowing from a library.

I can't comment on how good they are because I have only used them to give me rough ideas on what to do.

 

[CosmicGamer]

...
Any thoughts on NPC creation? Thanks.

PM sent with some information

Dave Chase

Hey, why are you keeping all your best tips a secret? Don't you like the rest of us?