[[toc]] + Getting Started First you will need to create a character from the welcome screen, if you haven't already. Your name can be your first name, last name, or nickname. Avoid using callsigns as your mush name. You can technically access the character creation commands from anywhere - see 'help chargen' for more information. But there are a series of chargen tutorial rooms that will guide you through step by step. + Demographics Demographics are basic pieces of information about your character. Most are fairly straightforward - name, age, description, etc. > **TODO** Insert any game-specific demographic instructions. + Background The most important part of a character is their background. We are not looking for a novel, just a couple paragraphs describing the character’s backstory. In particular, your background should cover: * Who is your character? * Why are they here? * Anything noteworthy about your character, particularly things that could serve as RP hooks. + Abilities This MUSH uses the [[[FS3|FS3 Skills & Combat system]]], which was designed to be a roleplay-friendly conflict resolution system for MUSHes. In FS3, you choose Abilities to reflect things that your character is able to do. Running, shooting guns, flying spaceships, talking your way out of a tense situation – these are all things that could be covered by Abilities. ++ Ability Costs > **TODO** Update these costs if you have changed the chargen point values. * You get 60 ability points to spend. * Attributes cost 1 point per rating. * Action and Background Skills cost 1 point per rating. * Language Skills cost 2 points per language. **Note**: Chargen will start you off with recommended attributes, skills and languages automatically, but those come out of your pool of chargen points. You don't get anything for free. ++ Ability Limits There are certain restrictions on what abilities you can purchase. > **TODO** Update these costs if you have changed the chargen point limits. * You must take at least one language. * You must take at least 2 background skills. * You can't spend more than 12 points on attributes * All attributes must be at least level 1. * You can't spend more than 32 points on action skills. * You can't have more than 3 abilities above level 7. + Attributes Attributes reflect a character’s natural talents. Attributes influence related skills, giving an advantage (or disadvantage) compared to someone with equivalent training. You can also use them when no particular skill applies to a given situation. Barring disability or genetic mutation, Attributes never change; they are set in stone when you are born. For example, you may overcome an academic challenge through hard work and study, but you will not change your underlying mind aptitude. * **Mind** - Mental fitness - Intelligence and Creativity * **Body** - Physical fitness - Strength, Constitution and Agility * **Reaction** - Reflexes - Dexterity, Hand-Eye Coordination and Wits * **Presence** - Personality - Charisma and Will Attributes are rated on a 1-4 scale. The attributes are deliberately broad for simplicity, and do not allow the sort of fine-tuning that you might find in other systems. Take a rating that corresponds to what you're best at, and leave the rest to RP. || Rating || Attribute Meaning || ||1||Poor|| ||2||Average|| ||3||Good|| ||4||Exceptional|| ++ Ruling Attributes Each skill is tied to a particular attribute. The attribute's level is added to the skill level when you roll. For action skills this is set by the game admin, but for background skills you can pick which attribute is associated with the skill (the default is "Mind"). See 'help rulingattr' for details. + Skills Skills reflect a character’s knowledge and training. Skills are fluid, changing over time. You choose an initial set of skills during character creation, and may improve them or learn new skills during the course of the game. ++ Action Skills Action skills are related to the game's central "action". If you think your character would know one of these, you should definitely take some points in it, because they are likely to come up in RP. > **TODO** Update this list with game-specific action skills. ||Alertness||Noticing things and being aware of your surroundings|| ||Comms||Ship sensors, countermeasures and communications (ECO and CIC type duties).|| ||Demolitions||Blowing stuff up.|| ||Firearms||Shooting guns.|| ||First Aid||Basic first aid/paramedic medicine. Doctors do not necessarily have First Aid, depending on their specialty. They should have a background skill (or skills) related to their specialty, like Psychiatry or Surgery.|| ||Gunnery||Ship and vehicle weapons.|| ||Melee||Fighting with fists, knives, and hand-to-hand weapons.|| ||Piloting||Flying planes and other airborne vehicles. Colonial pilot school cross-trains in both Raptors and Vipers, so one piloting skill covers both.|| ||Stealth||Being sneaky|| ||Technician||General mechanics/electronics and fixing things.|| Action Skills are rated on a 0-12 scale. If you really care, there are [[[fs3:Detailed Skill Ratings]]] with more fine-tuned descriptions, but seriously, don't stress over whether you should have a 4 or a 5 or whatnot. It's all subjective based on talent and experience. || Rating || Attribute Meaning || ||0||Untrained|| ||1-3||Novice|| ||4-6||Proficient|| ||7-9||Veteran|| ||10-12||Master|| > **Note:** Even rating 1 in FS3 represents a fair amount of training and practice in a skill, and gives you a roughly 57% chance of success on a routine roll. Ratings 4 and higher indicate professional level of competence, meaning you could conceivably do it for a living. It would be rare for someone to have a hobby at higher than rating 3 unless he is a really serious hobbyist! ++ Background Skills There is no fixed list for Background Skills; you can have anything from //Underwater Basket Weaving// to //Soap Opera Trivia//. Choose Background Skills that are **important** to your character. Just because you played “catch” as a child doesn’t mean you need to take the Baseball skill (unless you went on to play it in college or something). Take Background Skills to reflect hobbies, interests, education (college major, perhaps), or professional skills not reflected by Action Skills. ||A science||astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, mathematics, physics, etc.|| ||A humanity||history, literature, psychology, philosophy, poetry, etc.|| ||A profession or trade||cook, waitress, bartender, accountant, programmer, carpenter, brewer, blacksmith, etc.|| ||A game||chess, roleplaying, poker, etc.|| ||An art||sculpting, painting, sketching, photography, etc.|| ||A form of expression||acting, singing, dancing, playing an instrument, writing|| ||A sport||baseball, football, gymnastics, etc.|| ||A craft or hobby||gardening, basketweaving, knitting, etc.|| ||An unusual interest||detective novels, game show hosts, etc.|| Background Skills are rated on the same 0-12 scale as Action Skills. Social skills like leadership, seduction and con are all fair game for background skills. BUT, be aware that people tend to be sensitive when poses and social skill rolls are out of sync. Also, social skill rolls are not a form of mind control. The 'target' of your roll still has free will to determine their own reaction. ++ Language Skills > **TODO** Update with a game-specific language list. Language Skills don’t have a rating. If you have a language skill, it is assumed you are proficient in speaking, reading and writing. If you want to RP a lesser degree of proficiency, feel free. + Quirks Quirks are **little** things that make your character unique and colorful. They can be physical, social, virtues, vices, or other interesting traits. Quirks have no specific game effect. They could provide modifiers to rolls at the Storyteller’s discretion, but mostly they are just there to spur roleplay. Be creative! Quirks are meant to be personality traits or //trivial// advantages. They are not for power gaming. “Photographic Memory” and “God’s Gift To Women” are too powerful to be quirks, but “Never Forgets a Face” and “Girl In Every Port” are legitimate alternatives. Why would you want to pick "negative" quirks? Well, first of all - it's fun to play flawed characters. You can get a lot of roleplay mileage out of them. Also keep in mind that many quirks are two-edged swords, and can work for you or against you depending on the situation. ++ Choosing Quirks > **TODO** Update these numbers if you have changed any of the quirk limits. * Quirks are free; they do not cost ability points. * You must have at least 2 and no more than 4 quirks. * There is no list of quirks; you can choose whatever you want. Quirks just reflect **notable** qualities of your character. What's notable for one character may not be notable for another. Just because someone picks 'Honest' as a quirk does not mean you have to have that quirk to be honest. ++ Quirk Lists Good resources for choosing quirks: * [http://www.darkworldrpg.com/lore/flaws.php Darkworld RPG Flaws List] * [http://ideonomy.mit.edu/essays/traits.html Big List of Personality Traits] * [http://rpg.ashami.com/ Ash's Guide to Personality and Background] * [http://www.personalitypage.com/html/portraits.html Meyers Briggs Personality Types]