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Post by Sithies Manager on Oct 6, 2013 7:02:49 GMT -8
What are the things that you think makes someone stand out for Best NPC? What criteria do you think the Sithies judges should be looking for in nominations?
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Lord Jud'dayus: The Debase
Retired High Councilor 
Posts: 749 
Affiliation: To only a meager few, his motives are his own.
Traffic Light: Yellow
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Post by Lord Jud'dayus: The Debase on Oct 10, 2013 11:19:15 GMT -8
Ok I'll start this one off.
When I hear the term NPC, I think of "cannon fodder"/ "no names". Of droves and droves of mindless stormtroopers or whatnots marching off to die in a Fleet or Group incursion. So, lets delve into what 'Best NPC' really should say:
Best Supporting/Secondary Character:
What is a secondary character? How do I use a secondary character? Does my secondary character look big in this dress? Well, I’m glad you asked. All these questions and more will hopefully answer your most pressing questions on this matter.
What is a secondary character?
A secondary character is an NPC that plays a main role, an intrinsic part, or somehow co-exists with your Main Character/PC on a very personal level. In essence they are actually more of a character; having feelings, motives, and back stories alongside your Main/PC. Unlike what their NPC moniker would normally allot them. Secondary characters are NPC’s, but they're privie to being more fleshed-out; due to their purpose in their author’s Main storyline.
How to determine a secondary character?
I would like to say: “Let commonsense be your guide.”… But sometimes that small thing gets overlooked. So this example will be from my bank of characters.
Jud’dayus: Is my main character, he has been my main account since 2007, and he will continue to be my main until I get sick of him, this site, or I allow him to die.
Louie: Louie has been my NPC since early 2008, while the site was still based on FB. He became such a loved staple character on Tatooine that I (and others) actually RPed him as his own character; in his own bar until the crash. Now, with the new site and the ability to swap between accounts Louie has become a true secondary character. Not constrained to my single account, under Jud’dayus’ name.
Now, this is not to say that you have to make a separate account to have a secondary character. What it is stating is that if you choose an NPC as a secondary character. Be sure that they are as important to you as a writer, as they are to your Main’s storyline; i.e. – don’t promote a “no name” NPC to secondary character status. That’s just asinine. Instead make sure to go through your NPC list to find which ones have contributed to your RP/PC most. It shouldn’t be hard to pick a handful of NPC’s out, that you or others enjoy writing and interacting with.
So, you've picked out a couple of NPCs that have developed with your Main/PC over the course of your writing.
Now what?
Just continue writing with them, knowing that your newly appointed secondary character(s) can no longer be lumped into the "no names" category, and thus are eligible for said award.
Long story short: The best NPC is a supporting character that adds riveting dialog, questions a PC's decisions and all around is a foil to a PC. Giving the RP the ability to go down very different avenues in interactions.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 13, 2013 13:33:31 GMT -8
Simply put, a good NPC is one that, after reading a bit of their stuff, makes me want to smack the author across the face with a bit of fetid seal meat for not making them a primary character. There are NPCs out there that are as well developed, or even more developed than the author's mains.
They don't necessarily steal the show; I'd argue that doing so takes something away from the character. Rather, they should feel like a natural and integral part of the story they're in.
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