Multiple Characters

[AlexSilverX]

Do you RP multiple characters?


I want to discuss - to be specific - people who RP more than one character at a time and, if you do so personally, how do you go about it? Do you blend them all together in a post, or do you separate them like they were all played by a different individual via divides or something like that.


What are some pluses and minuses you've noticed about having multiples characters in the same story?


Are you a fan of it or are you against it? Why?


This is the kind of discussion I would like to have here.


Of course, feel free to discuss personal instances where you were faced with a multi-chara user or used multiple characters yourself. Did it work out? Did it not? Could it have been handled better? Did it cause confusion and - if so - how?

 

[Riddle78]

I rarely run multiple character simultaneously in an RP. If I do,it's largely because I have a specific dynamic in mind,or I need to for the sake of plot. And whenever I run multiple characters,in order to keep things from bleeding together,I ALWAYS use different colours for the character's spoken dialogue,as well as putting it in bold. It has its place.

 

[tsundere]

I prefer not to. It's a lot easier to just RP one character because I can put all my time and effort into developing that one and not have to worry about giving other characters the same treatment. However, if the other character is more minor I'm okay with it, I just don't like RPing two important characters.


I'm fine with RPing with people who have multiple characters. Some people do it really well and can handle it, unlike me. Although I often notice that a lot of people tend to favor one of their characters over their others.

 

[BigHippo8]

Avoid like the plague!


Unlike books, many, many Roleplayers, writers, type their poses in one go, instead of given weeks and such. There is not simply viable enough a further stretch of already strained mind power, unless the hourglass is tipped thrice, nay four times.


My point is, it takes a long time to do, and I would like to believe by this Roleplayers may justify individuality.

 

[Honey Bee]

My preference for doubling is usually combining multiple characters into one post unless they are spread out in the world somehow. In that case, I will separate by groups. Otherwise, I don't see the point of writing the same "scene" from two (or more) POVs.


Personally, I don't mind having multiple characters at all if the plot calls for that. I have, however, been involved in a onexone rp where the NPCs ended up getting their own "spin-off" of the main roleplay due to the fact that the NPCs ended up having their own story outside of the main characters. While my partner and I didn't mind that happening with our characters, I can imagine that most people would get annoyed by something like that. NPCs outshining the "main characters" enough to warrant their own roleplay is pretty unheard of I think. Lol

 

[amdreams]

It really depends on the type of roleplay it is, my role in it and what sort of stories I want to do. There are some times where I feel a single character would be best, like with small group roleplays that are heavily story driven. But for more freeform, I like to have multiple ones.


When I have multiple ones, I tend to separate each one's posts with subheaders and such. Most of the time, my characters are separate so that works fine. But when I have 2 or more interacting with the same person or area, I only choose one to write the perspective of. And regardless of what I do, I make sure each character, aside from npcs, gets their own text color. You can also generally tell them apart by their vocabulary or speech patterns. Like in the roleplay I'm in now, I have multiple characters. One tends to swear quite easily. Another refuses to cuss. And the last tends to use simpler words than the other 2.


Multiple characters could have its advantages, or at least they seem so for me. You get to see the roleplay through different points of view. But mainly, I see it as a good way to have certain scenes, reactions and stuff that can't be naturally brought forth through the interactions of the other characters you're roleplaying with. Not that I'm saying everyone else is uncooperative, but sometimes you need a character to act a specific way to get things going and the others just aren't doing it (Like you need someone to say something mean but everyone is nice). That's where another character could come in handy, as long as they don't exist purely for this.


But there are disadvantages as well. If you have too many, you can spread yourself too thin and posting could get rather difficult. But there's also the risk that you only have your characters really interact with each other, which can easily isolate yourself from the rest of the roleplay. This also tends to piss off others, especially when they were trying to interact with you.


Things also tend to go sour rather quickly if you mass produce characters without giving them their own person. I remember this one person who had like 16 characters, so many that they didn't bother to bring them in unless they wished to. But part I didn't like was that most of them were created purely to either be a love interest for a character the rper liked or to glorify her main character. Due to this, they were rather shallow characters who didn't really even need their own character sheets, in my opinion, and often times they weren't even given that. Often times, multiple characters were laced in the same sheet, with their information separated with a /.


Ex:


Name: Girl A/Girl B


Age: Number/ Number


Race: Thingy/ Thingy


Etc.


As for if I'm a fan on people who do multiple characters, it honestly depends on how they do it. If they do it well, I'm fine with them. If done wrong, I'm . . . not so fine with them.

 

[AlexSilverX]

Thank you all for your inputs ^^ I was very curious on the matter.


I was asking because I've just recently given multiple characters a shot (well, another shot, since I joined RPNation following a 2 year hiatus) and wanted to know the perspectives of people on the matter and - in the event it ended up working out - if this was a popular concept.

 

[Lil Shirou]

I have played multiple character but i prefer to stay under three. I write complex back stories for each.


It depends on the roleplay I do. Small groups I tend to do 2 characters. Large group rp I only do 1 cause so much goes on I just want to make sure I dont lose track of my character

 

[call me rae]

I don't really have a preference one way or another. If it suits the plot to have more than one character ( or more typically I just have more than one person I want to play ) then I'll go ahead and play two characters. If one protagonist keeps the story going then I'll just play that one person.


I think the easiest way to go about this is just pick a main protagonist and play side characters as just NPCs that are added in as necessary to keep the story going. As people say - there are more than two people in the world - but that doesn't necessarily mean you need to take the time to flesh out every person in said world.


I think of it as writing a book - typically a book will have one protagonist whose point of view the reader follows. In this case all side characters will just be described by the main protagonist.

 

[Trace]

I tend to prefer to play multiple characters, though it started out as necessity. There were often characters who needed to be filled and I would generally step up if I had the time. When I did more group roleplays, I always wrote separate posts for them--even when I had them interacting with each other.


That changed after I switched exclusively to 1x1s for a good deal of time. I would write in third person and use any characters that were in the scene. More often than not, that particular reply would follow one character's POV more closely than the other. However, not all characters are equal in priority. When I begin a 1x1 I start with a main character and there will generally be side characters that I will use as needed in order to flesh out or move the plot along. Some of these characters become more developed than the others.


I remember in one roleplay, my partner enjoyed one of my side characters so much that I made him into a main character and used him accordingly. Also, when my character has to, say, go get something from aisle 2 I can always use a side character to continue conversation. Personally, only having two characters really interact makes things a little like roleplaying in a fishbowl for me.


All in all, I think they are definitely necessary to develop a more intricate plotline. In a 1x1 especially, I find there's more responsibilities you have to undertake. I find it hard to write with exclusively one character, nowadays, but I also tend to write a lot in a given reply so I guess that gives me the luxury to do so!

 

[ganymede]

I prefer playing one - I like putting a lot of energy into who I'm rping. It's easier with just one.


I like smaller rps, but I don't mind when other people do it, as long as it doesn't bloat the rp.

 

[Jaye]

If it's 1x1 then... well unless you require more than two characters (and I can think of many reasons why) aside from NPCs I wouldn't prefer playing multiples.


I sometimes like playing multiple characters in a group RP, just because I overflow with ideas that I can't fit into just one character. I use the Fieldset tag on these boards, labelling each Fieldset with the character's name to differentiate them. I usually rewrite the post for each of their POV so as to not just push the plot along but give it the unique flavour of each character.


But I only really play multiple characters when I get too many chara ideas for a single character.


I think as long as both/all characters remain fleshed out and they're not stressing hte player, then they're fine.

 

[Tipster]

So, I haven't had experience playing multiple characters in forum, but I have in LRP.


The big issue is remembering precisely what each character knows and for other characters distinguishing between the two (or more) characters. If you do plan on playing multiple characters, here are a few things I can recommend:

• Take notes of important plot points that each character has been in/ contributed to and their relations and feelings to other characters
  
• Use different fonts for each character - this seriously will help for both you and the GM
  
• NEVER play multiple characters with multiple disguises or personalities (seriously, that becomes a complete flustercluck)
  
• Make the characters significantly different from each other, not polar opposites, but far enough apart that no-one could ever get confused between the two (unless of course that is your intention)
  
• There may be points at which your characters will be on opposite sides of a conflict, for the sake of your own sanity, and everyone elses; DO NOT make the conflict between your 2 or more characters the focal point of a scene, the situation that causes the conflict should be
  

Other than that, be incredibly careful with how your characters interact, they have separate interests, goals and agendas; so treat them that way; they shouldn't just be an extension of your other character

 

[Sycophant]

when i GM, i control multiple characters as plot devices, though if i have a main character, they are almost always there to help guide the plot into the direction I desire.


if i'm just a participant in a group role-play, i create at most two characters at a time only when i have two ideas for characters that i'd like to try, yet can't decide on who makes the final cut in the character creation process, so i work them both in in order for me to experience the story in two different paradigms. its fun to create characters whom are thus at odds for each other or are of assistance, though the best benefit for me is that if things get a little slow relying on other players to be timely, i can just pair my characters up momentarily and advance at my own pace.


in 1x1, depending on the plot, multiple character control just expands the world beyond the focus of two main characters, and i can get creative with scenarios and direction.

 

[ArcaneUnit]

U got a lot of answers here. But mine is short and simple;


I prefer multiple Characters,


1.) This not only allows me to continue the RP when it is dead


2.) I can develop more plot when the RP is active


3.) as well as asure my personal plot continues forwards when I go off with my co-pilots on their adventures.


4.) I like to RP multiple people to control interaction, and share multiple views with the c-authors.


This is fun because they can really understand who I am, what my vision is, and where I am going with my ideas, without imposing my own plot assertively.


5.) But perhaps most importantly: I simply get to create multiple characters. And character creation is primarily why we RP.


*** I always put each character in An entirely separate Post ***

 

[Kylesar1]

If I do multiple characters, I'll blend them into the same post unless they're in separate places


Differing perspectives on the same exact thing is a pain to type about, and is frankly unnecessary


I try to avoid making 2 of my characters converse with each other..........at least at length. If I do decide to make them have a conversation, it'll usually be put in spoilers as unimportant

 

[Do You Know]

Strongly depends on the roleplay, though I typically prefer a maximum of two in a group roleplay. Private one-on-ones and game mastering usually call for multiple minor characters.

 

[Sunbather]

Personally, I absolutely detest it. I only even find any purpose in it when there's very distinct role differences. Like, if you control two very different characters that have different species, different alliances etc. Such things. But in MOST RPs, I really dislike it.

 

[razorrabbit]

Sometimes though it's usually mains and side characters, always feel weird about rping as both of them though since they seem to take over and just go on forever when I need to cut my reply down on my side or mix as well as oil and water. Though having the other characters as sides makes it much easier most of the time on me. It gets a lot harder when both characters have a larger role in the rp I'm doing and one of them almost always gets neglected. For example I have two characters that are like brother and sister, they live together, work together and have a strong bond between one another but I tend to focus more on one than the other and sadly it's gotten to the point where that other character feels like they have nearly no reason to be around at times. On the other hand when I can get the two interacting together and go wild with it they still mix very well and the relationship is still very strong, it's just a problem of making them both part of the plot with my rp partner at times.