RpNation
I didn't want to go swimming anyway, baka!
RPDOM Contest
Character Creation
Characters are a vital component to any story or roleplay. It is the character that guides a group of players or members of an audience through a setting, a plot or an overall work. This is why for our first contest ever on the site, we want to capture the true creativity and art behind character creation.
To get involved is pretty simple, all you have to do is what roleplayers are always expected to do: make a character. We have provided a setting below, you must create your character as if this was the roleplay you wanted to join. The setting however you will notice is both unique from any roleplay on the site and is purposely vague.
Now I know what you might be thinking, why make a setting vague? Well that’s where the fun comes in. In this contest you are expected to fill in the rest of the details with your character bio. But as long as you follow the basic guidelines what type of game your character plays in is up to you. You can make it a sci-fi adventure with marines and cybernetics, a high fantasy game with pyromancers and dragons, or you can even make it an abstract metaphor about consumerism. The freedom is to you and your imagination.
The Setting: In the middle of a frozen tundra, surrounded by snow and ice rests a colossal black tower. The inside of the tower is a massive metropolis. Well, it once was. The entire place is a ghost town with no one in sight. All parts of the once massive city appear as if everyone inside dropped everything at once and vanished. There appears to be no trace of any remains of former citizens in the tower or outside.
The Character Bio:
This bio should be taken as a minimum! Its only a basic skeleton. You can add as much to the bio as you like, but you can never take a field away. Each section can be filled in a much or as little as you wish! Write a page on just the characters gender if it will actually add to the character as a whole. Remember, length does not equate quality - it does however, usually lend itself better to it.
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Appearance:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Personality:
Additional Details:
History:
Judging & Grading:
All contestants must submit their character through PM to this account (RPDOM). Then it will be sent to the Judges (Miz and Pineapple)after the submissions have concluded with each submission’s author being removed. This is so that all contest entries are safe from bias, and everyone is on the same level while being judged. You should not post your character on the forums until the contest is completed, else the judges will know which character is yours. Once the contest is over and judged though, it’s free game to post it, share it or even play it! Entries that have been posted are not allowed to be submitted and will not be judged.
All submissions will be judged on the criteria below:
Character’s originality:
25 points
This is all about how new your character concept is, it sounds simple enough doesn’t it? Anyone can make a character that borrows heavily from already existing content. Make a new Aragorn, or a new Darth Vader. For this contest, we really want to see some creativity, so it’s important that all entries be entirely original creations. No one should be able to read it and say ‘So, it’s basically a [ARCHTYPE]?’.
How interesting the character is:
20 points
This is another simple, very very important point. How interesting is your character? Did you make a bland John Doe or Mary Sue? No one wants to read a boring character, nor does anyone want to play with a boring character. Make someone who others want to talk with and interact with. A characters others will love as much as you.
How well written the character bio is:
15 points
This can be broken down into a few key things. firstly the obvious, it is full of grammar and spelling mistakes? A few are alright, but if it takes away from the experience, thats bad. Secondly, how you structure your sentences, using proper diction and in general, turning ‘the rock was red and rough’ into ‘the eroded surface of the crimson stone’.
How developed the character is:
30 points
After reading through your character, does it feel like it is a real person? Does this feel like a person who has lived a life, and has a story to tell. Do they feel like a person you might meet in real life? If someone can answer questions about your character without having the answer on the sheet, it’s a great sign. An example might be: ‘Well, I think he would love dogs - you said he values loyalty and love, which a dog provides.’ yet no where did you mention him liking dogs.
How related the character is to the setting:
10 points
There is a defined setting, does your character feel like they would belong here? It wouldn’t make much sense to have a powerful mage, capable of shooting powerful lightning aboard a spaceship fighting pirates. Make sure the character fits into the setting and feels like it’s natural progression for them to be there.
Bonus:
How visually pleasing it it:
5 points
Make the bio pretty and nice to look at! Use formatting, color, and other things. People need to read this, no one wants to read a block of type!
Total - /100
Deadline: November 30, 2012
The winner will receive a trophy that appears under their username
(much like the donator trophy).
Ideas are already brewing 
.