Flesh Out Your Profiles, Please! [MUST READ]

[Sanada Tomo]

Alright. I've noticed that we've had new characters on the RPG--even not-so-new characters that are just not being put to use--and I want everyone to understand that I accepted all of those characters for a reason, but...

Know when you need to flesh out your profiles, please!

I try not to be too strict with the things that I accept, so long as they're within the guidelines of whatever creature your character is supposed to be, and I don't think you're being unfair.

But, that doesn't mean that when I accept your character I don't expect you to periodically add things to your character.

Again, I'm sympathetic to "non-writer" types who establish characters without intricate detail so that they can fill in those things while RPing. I don't mind that.

But if you are going to wait until you get something going with your character to build on the profile, then actually do it when there's something going on with your character. Especially when your character is the pioneer of a species/in their own "category" of character, so to speak. If you're going to make a character like that, then you need to take responsibility for it. I didn't force you to make the character that you did.

There are quite a few characters who have very small "Abilities" sections or "History" sections, and they aren't updating them with their thread progression. If you only listed general abilities because you weren't sure what extent they were going to reach until you decided to RP or come up with a a feasible plot, then you need to list those abilities in your profile as you use them.

I shouldn't have to read with a character doing something extensively amazing, asking myself "Hm, I wonder how he/she was trained? Does he/she have any techniques? What else can he/she do? Let me check their Profile," and then finding a description like:

"Well, he/she's very skilled with dark magic and swords. He/she is better at defensive work and is stealthy, quick as a ninja..." etc, etc.

I don't mind these descriptions so long as your character is still a "newbie" of sorts, or isn't a main character and hasn't done anything. I also don't mind characters whose already "full" history has some gaps and you're using references in threads to fill that in. However, when you get to the point where you're scaling walls in complete silence, stealing things from one place without getting caught multiple times, and killing everyone who could possible see you before they even know you're there, that's just ridiculous. It's unrealistic, and I feel that it's cheating. There's more than one member whose done this, so I'm just talking to everyone in general. Child prodigy or not, magic whizz, or not, new species or not, everyone who exists on the RPG who isn't played by a member [NPC's] are not all stupid, and it's unlikely that you character will never get caught doing anything.

If you have a character doing some of the above things I've mentioned, and you're not abusing their powers--I'll give some of you the benefit of the doubt on that--then you need to add to your abilities as to how you, for example, can kill without going near someone, or how you were trained to/can use magic to scale walls without a sound. List in your character's history how you're so familiar with a place that you can revisit it to steal things without getting caught, and that you do it frequently.

I need that information there! It's so disappointing to think "What this character can do is kinda cool! What else can he/she do?" and then find nothing explanatory in a profile. If you're doing basic things, only a basic explanation is require, but for specialized feats, you need a special description. I know that you all are very intelligent, and you know what's feasible to do on the boards and what isn't. You know how real life works--just write your posts that way.

For an example of what an appropriate description of abilities matching a characters current doing would be, here's an excerpt from member Kouzetsu Gin's profile, which can be found here:

Special Abilities: Very influential speaker, can spin nearly any argument in his favor, well versed and well read (uses abilities with the Element of Law to enhance his speaking skills)

An Avid Swordsman and martial artist, very proficient at talking opponents out of their game (also amplified by his passive use of the Element of Law)

Currently, Kouzetsu has done no fighting on the boards, but has held several meetings in Heaven and posted several threads there about his new Heavenly policies. Thus, this description is good. Were he to get into a fight, I would expect a little more detail about his martial arts. What type, weaknesses, etc., etc.

For an example of a "fighter"'s profile whose abilities adequate represent their postings, here's an excerpt from the profile of member Kanjin Taiyou, which can be found here:

Special Abilities: An adept of fire, Taiyou uses the elements with much skill and precision, it was once commented by a comrade that the gods created the element with him in mind, noting his proficiency with fire.

Proficient fighter, having been a soilder in both Heaven and Hell's armies respectively

Taiyou possess incredible strength, even for an a Archangel or Demiangel, and uses this great strength to wield Fuuenken, an incredibly heavy weapon, weighing tons, that acts as a conduit for his Fire Abilities, as he can channel magic through he sword itself, as well as enhancing his physical prowess

Tyrant Transformation: Also has a pact with a Void sprite that appeared to him after his family was killed allows his to
harness a portion of the element of Void in conjecture with his Fire element, this boost in ability is denoted by a black
aura that surrounds him, as well as minor physical enhancements, granting him more strength and power, prolonged exposure to this form though has been known to cause him berserker, losing control over his powers.

He also includes three image of what three attacks of Taiyou's look like. This is again added onto by his weaknesses:

Weaknesses: Not very fast, cold and callous nature prevents him from seeing the better outcome and various situations, stability of Void magic can weary fast in fights sometimes, He become a drunkard (has to consume copious amounts alcohol to become intoxicated because of his Celestial nature)

Again, Taiyou has put up several threads about training to strengthen abilities that he's already had, although he hasn't been in an official fight as of yet. Thusly, this description is good until that status of fighting changes.

And if you aren't sure, per se, about how difficult if would be to sneak into another character's secret hideaway, or if, for example, how many people actually guard the Devil Saints Headquarter [random location choice, Shadow, don't be upset], then PM the member who owns/gave the place it's description, and ask how difficult it would be.

If they don't have a description of what it looks like up on the RPG Archives, or as a separate post in the sub-board, or in ANY of the threads so far, bring it to their attention. If they tell you that there's a description in one of the threads that they were in, ask the name and whatnot. Tell them it would be a good idea to put the description up on the board for the location to make it easier for other people after you. We're all generally nice to each other here--I don't think it would raise that much protest.

And if you're the person running the location, and someone asks you for a description--be fair. You can't just tell a member that they would "never make it in" when you haven't even put up the description for how the place looks or how it's guarded. It's your fault that it isn't up there, and thus if someone wants to break in, you have to let them. Sure, it may be a blow to your character's pride, but you'll live.

And don't be ashamed to tell me if a member is not cooperating, or just letting me know that you're talking to a member about it in general. I'm in contact with most, if not all the member here who actually post. If your schedule isn't condusive to speaking with someone quickly and efficiently, then ask me. I might be able to save you some time. Also, please tell me if YOU find something incomplete in someone's profile.

Now, finally, to the consequences: if I see a thread that doesn't meet what I deemed to be my requirements, I will be PMing you about and locking your thread until you speak to me about how we're going to resolve the matter. Again, you need to PM me. Don't just get angry, modify it, and then yell at me when your post isn't unlocked. Modifications don't turn up as update alerts on the forum, so you NEED to PM me when you think you've modified it correctly.

I don't like locking threads, but I've had members, especially on the boards for Kiseki before this one--so I'm not talking about the majority of you--actually argue with me about whether or not something is fair while still updating the thread in question. So I lock threads now. But I am glad to say that when I ask you guys to change something, you usually do it right after I tell you, so locking threads isn't necessary sometimes. However, if a thread needs a lot of modification, I can't just let it sit there open for you to update and possibly ignore me--not that I think you guys would.

Okay. I'm done with my rant. The Moral of this story is: Please substantiate what you write in your profile; you never know who's going to read it. And please, don't think that I'm angry at anybody--I just want everyone to function together happily ;D

Questions? Comments?

[Mishiranu Arashi]

Honestly I don't see the issue... If anyone has suggested you're too harsh then I'm sure it was in a moment of agitation.

Of course.. I'm a kiss-ass so my opinion shouldn't really count.

And it would be nice to see more history and explaination in the profiles, it's fun to read and gives people a better understanding on how everything works and how many ways things can be done.

[Hatulan]

Sounds pretty sensible to me, though I'm sure for a lot of us, we forget to update simply because we have more pressing issues to deal with; not because we don't care about Kiseki or anything like that.

[Ongaku Migoto]

Been meaning to get to that for a while. I only want to do the updates after a major event.