Soo, I finished my new character's background and it got me thinking. Hardly anyone has a background! I checked numerous people, mostly people I knew to RP heavily and found only one with a background(*cheer Sardaug*). I even checked some Mhaldorian's famous for their RP. So, do you have a background? If not, do you plan on implementing one?

Most people prefer to write their background in their journal, for a few reasons. The background you can read is permanent, so you can't change it no matter what. That in itself is why most people just don't bother. It's also a little too public for a lot of people. No one would really know your character's background unless told about it, but I suppose that's just like the honours command. Lastly, there's a lot of people who simply don't know it exists. It's not something you automatically run into, and you'll miss it quite easily. I've mostly not used it for the first reason, because of what Semfir's actual history is.

It's mostly the permanent nature of backgrounds that's kept me from creating one. Makes it harder to retcon and such.

Edit: For a while, for example, I told people I was from Nimick. I had to change that story rather quick when Sarapis deemed the reference a years-old "oops."

I definately have a background, a well-defined one. It's just not public, I don't see the need for that.

I have a five chapter background

Have a public one. Had to get one when I was a novice, it's a fairly average one, but it's as public as Kat's ever going to get about her past.

If you really think about it that form of a background is not really good RP either, people you just met arent going to know all about you just by reading a background without you actually verbally communicating or discussing it. I have a 1500 word background personally, which I have gone over several times and found nothing wrong with, mostly I descided against making it permanant is that I do not want that finality about it so I can change and add at whim to reflect my Character at that point. (The story is told in 1st person)

I have a background. I thought I was clever enough to make it vague that it wouldn't restrict my roleplaying or anything I do.

Who knows, though...

I have a background, one I wrote out using the system in place and it's a history I stick with.

But I find that generally -noone- asks you about your past. I've only been asked about it once since I had returned to the game and it was during my guild novice interview, to which I pointed out that they could read it through the correct command and the interviewer didn't even -know- that you could use that system.

*shrug* so its just up to you if you use it or not. I like it cause I'll never lose it and I can stay true to it.

I don't write my background because there are things I'd rather people not know. lots of big and little secrets. I dunno if you consider the background written there available as IC or OOC I'd rather not have random people popping up at me and telling me they know what I've done or did when they shouldn't or wouldn't just because they can 'read my background'.

I have one--I was surprised when I found out about backgrounds the first time, it seems like hardly anybody uses the system. Mine is pretty short, and just about my first 18 years, so I'm not too worried about wanting to change it later. It isn't there for other people to read so much as to give me something concrete to build roleplay on, something that I couldn't change even if I wanted to.

My background is pretty short, and my history is mostly just a factual record. I actually started it for two reasons: one of my kids I'm unable to bloodline, and another either suicided or was deleted (I don't know ), and since neither will ever be on my bloodline I thought this would be a good permanent way to show it. Even if nobody reads it, heh. I should probably write up a couple more chapters now.

Now that you mention it, I should probably write one of those. I've always had a background, just never bothered to write it all prettily.

I'm a little intimidated by the permanency of backgrounds (I know unequivocally what mine is, but just watch me mess up), but the issue of secrecy concerns me. So I don't have one yet, and if I do it will be rather short.

A case could be made, I think, for not-too-detailed backgrounds being quite IC, especially if the person in question is prominent in some way. Some information would be sure to get around, whether through rumor or investigation.

I've been asked quite a few times. I just give 'em my journal then they complain that I haven't updated it in 70 years.

Thanks for the feedback! I can understand some people not wanting everyone to know about their background, especially people they've never met. As for those that don't like the permanent nature of backgrounds, I understand a little but not totally. I guess I just had a very detailed plan when starting my new character. It all fell into place nicely, especially after doing some research. I was just curious about it, and no, Clover does not have a background. She is my main, but I guess I've never really had a good idea of where she came from, her history, etc. Of course, her parents are/were two Churchies so I'd kind of have to talk to them before writing anything in depth and both are inactive now.

The past is really the most important part of RP, because it affects how you act in the present. Some poor kid who got beaten to death by a couple of priests for no apparent reason probably isn't going to grow up and want join the Empyreal Assembly. For example, I'll give you Ankara's in a nutshell

1. Born to Alastra(Raja priest) and Azazello (Horkie Monk)
2. Left in the wilderness to learn to fend for himself
3. Taken in my Mhaldorian passerby
4. Grew up in Mhaldor as a magi, and then as an infernal
5. Started to see flaws in the seven truths, as from his perspective
6. Left Mhaldor, and in order to get a better sense of the world and time to reflect, he became a monk and joined the Ashura.
7. Reunited with his parents in Ashtan in a chance meeting

Now, he's Student of the Raven. He has shunned his former life for a life of meditation and knowledge-seeking, but deep down, he still supports Shaitan and Apollyon. Does he act on this? No, because he believes that things will change, and that when the time is right, he can return to his former home.

i'll rather write my memoirs when I leave than write my history when I come!

I as well have a public, viewable background. Don't be afraid to commit a background to your character, it just helps solidify it and keep you centered.

To me a "background" is just that - some general information about where my character was born, a few details about childhood if it's relevant, and motives. A background doesn't have to be some definitive historical essay, a lot of people seem to confuse "background" with "History". All that anectodal stuff about the time you were a little kid and got beat up by other kids in the village and then you cried and summoned a demon to kill everyone goes in Histories, not background.

If you're over 100, you should have a background. If you're a prominent figure, you should have a background. I don't know why people shy away from it like it's the plague.