Post by Sol on Apr 17, 2014 19:43:11 GMT
Strive for originality
When you are an innovator in your field, it is your duty to be.... innovative. Use familiar archetypes, but implement them in original ways. We sure have lots of undead, but if you are looking for Twilight themed vampires, or overly cliche anime archetypes, you have come to the wrong place.
Believable characters
This is a fantasy world, so you are allowed, and expected to make characters that are not believable as far as we as normal humans would see them, but the key in making a believable character is conveying him or her in a way that is believable. Your character may be a god-slaying warlord from the planes of Hell, but that does not make him immortal, or devoid of feelings. Give that character a true personality. Give him a true agenda. We want to read more than a detailed massacre every day. We want to see that character in all his shining moments, and his dullest days. We want to see him fall in love, get scorned, be cursed by another character, or defeated and thrown in a prison where he is forced to use more than his brawn to escape. Make us Believe that character, not read him.
Well rounded characters
The best characters are arguably the ones with flaws and strengths. Or if they do not have any "true" weaknesses, then they are still far from all-powerful, or perfect. Make your character shine where he excels, and make him have to work to get better in the areas he does not. This does not mean characters cannot be powerful, nor does it mean we only want to see boring shopkeepers everywhere. The key word is moderation. Practice it. There is no fun in a character that is powerful, and masterful in so many areas that literally nothing could surprise him, or no character could use something he doesn't know how to use as well. Make a character super proficient in magic theory, and by extention multiple other metaphysical theories, but maybe a bit crippled in close quarter combat, or complex science. A character should not be able to know all and do all, but maybe know a bit, and learn the rest.
Make your contribution memorable
We would rather have 10 memorable monsters that people use all the time, than 100 bland monsters with no identity. It is the quality that matters. Length does not imply quality, quality does not imply length. A memorable contribution is not the "ultimate" creature, concept or magic discipline. A memorable contribution is thought-provoking and add depth to roleplay.
Respect the overarching rules of the world
It is stated that magic, the basic principle of everything, cannot be created or destroyed, just transformed. You will see this concept enforced everywhere, from the idea of reincarnation to gods breaking into Fragments when slain. Magic is the main source of gaining power in the world, and while we allow you to come with your own original system, it will probably just work on some level like a part of our already existing system. Work with the system, do not try to make "the one exception" to it. Internal consistency is crucial to a game world.
Don not warp the genre's
It is stated that there is no central genre or theme in Guardia, -and that is true- but do not try and bend the genre to levels that wouldn't make sense in our living world. We have technology, but it is heavily inspired and ran by magic, and we have magic. Familiar concepts like power armor, and maybe even a lightsaber or two are not uncommon in the world, but don't come in here with advanced fictional science like spaceships, particle splitting beam weapons, and other equally sci-fi-only material. Science is welcomed, just believable, understandable science.
When you are an innovator in your field, it is your duty to be.... innovative. Use familiar archetypes, but implement them in original ways. We sure have lots of undead, but if you are looking for Twilight themed vampires, or overly cliche anime archetypes, you have come to the wrong place.
Believable characters
This is a fantasy world, so you are allowed, and expected to make characters that are not believable as far as we as normal humans would see them, but the key in making a believable character is conveying him or her in a way that is believable. Your character may be a god-slaying warlord from the planes of Hell, but that does not make him immortal, or devoid of feelings. Give that character a true personality. Give him a true agenda. We want to read more than a detailed massacre every day. We want to see that character in all his shining moments, and his dullest days. We want to see him fall in love, get scorned, be cursed by another character, or defeated and thrown in a prison where he is forced to use more than his brawn to escape. Make us Believe that character, not read him.
Well rounded characters
The best characters are arguably the ones with flaws and strengths. Or if they do not have any "true" weaknesses, then they are still far from all-powerful, or perfect. Make your character shine where he excels, and make him have to work to get better in the areas he does not. This does not mean characters cannot be powerful, nor does it mean we only want to see boring shopkeepers everywhere. The key word is moderation. Practice it. There is no fun in a character that is powerful, and masterful in so many areas that literally nothing could surprise him, or no character could use something he doesn't know how to use as well. Make a character super proficient in magic theory, and by extention multiple other metaphysical theories, but maybe a bit crippled in close quarter combat, or complex science. A character should not be able to know all and do all, but maybe know a bit, and learn the rest.
Make your contribution memorable
We would rather have 10 memorable monsters that people use all the time, than 100 bland monsters with no identity. It is the quality that matters. Length does not imply quality, quality does not imply length. A memorable contribution is not the "ultimate" creature, concept or magic discipline. A memorable contribution is thought-provoking and add depth to roleplay.
Respect the overarching rules of the world
It is stated that magic, the basic principle of everything, cannot be created or destroyed, just transformed. You will see this concept enforced everywhere, from the idea of reincarnation to gods breaking into Fragments when slain. Magic is the main source of gaining power in the world, and while we allow you to come with your own original system, it will probably just work on some level like a part of our already existing system. Work with the system, do not try to make "the one exception" to it. Internal consistency is crucial to a game world.
Don not warp the genre's
It is stated that there is no central genre or theme in Guardia, -and that is true- but do not try and bend the genre to levels that wouldn't make sense in our living world. We have technology, but it is heavily inspired and ran by magic, and we have magic. Familiar concepts like power armor, and maybe even a lightsaber or two are not uncommon in the world, but don't come in here with advanced fictional science like spaceships, particle splitting beam weapons, and other equally sci-fi-only material. Science is welcomed, just believable, understandable science.