Hydaelyn Role-Players
Are Character Journals TMI? - Printable Version

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Are Character Journals TMI? - Knight Kat - 01-27-2014

NOTE: I went a little overboard, so if the post is too much to read for you, please skip to the summary at the bottom which has the most essential information and questions. Thanks.

To clarify, I ask if in everyone's individual opinion, do character journals potentially diminish in-game RP with the characters in any way?

Earlier on, before I had done much RP, I started a character journal. I did about three entries, but then stopped. Now that I have participated in a lot more RP, I notice that my character often gets asked about her journeys and past events. I get the pleasure of telling people information they don't already know (because it hadn't been put in my journal yet).

Another time, a friend of mine said that he was afraid to put too much information in his wiki because he didn't want people to think they already knew everything about his character, and not want to RP with him. He is a more experienced RPer than I, so it got me thinking.

I just recently started revising my journal off-site, and I started to realize that the newer, more succinct style with the addition of a lot more screenshots, is a much more enjoyable read IMO. I give less minute character and event details, but note and describe the most important aspects of the event or story. It is shorter, easier to read, and has more "eye-candy" in the form of screenshots.

However, I am now torn about whether I should post the journal at all. I deleted my old one, and left the thread as a temporary place-holder. In the next day or so, I am going to do one of three things:

1: I will post the revised Journal as is.

2: I will post a Journal with very few words and descriptions, but share my screenshots in an episodic order that shows my character's journeys.

3: Not post a journal at all, and ask the forum admin to delete my old journal thread.

I am honestly torn between three options here.

Summary:

Do character journals give away too much information about a character; thus, making them less enjoyable to RP with because you OOCly know about them already?
Perhaps it just needs to be done right?

Would a journal of episodic screenshots with contextual descriptions be enjoyable to anyone?

I am torn because it's part of my character's story to take IC expeditions to various parts of Eorzea. I have my character actually go to these places; regardless of level. It is fun narrowly avoiding dangers that would otherwise kill my character. The game mechanics allow me to sneak by enemies if they are not facing me. The FATEs add random obstacles that pop up suddenly. I take beautiful screenshots of the environment and creatures, and like to write IC descriptions about what she would think and how she would feel. I want to share this with people, but don't want to give away too much that would diminish in-game RP. Thoughts?

RE: Are Character Journals TMI? - Almil - 01-27-2014

It's a tricky business... giving others information to read about your character that they shouldn't know IC before your character tells about it. Not all RPers always seem to understand where the line goes to using the information they gain OOC when they meet you IC.
In a way it makes it easier for some people to make friends with you when they know if your character has something in common with their own characters, how to maybe approach them and what to talk about. But yea, then there is those that come to you like. "I heard your mother died, I'm sorry." And you're like: "What the.... I've never mention my family to anyone and I don't even use same name." 

I'm planning to write wiki for Almil, but mostly just about her appearance and personality, stuff that you can mostly see if you meet her.
Not going to include a lot of her story, if at all.
If I feel inspired I may write some journal entries to her, but they wouldn't be on any public and easy to find pages for anyone to read. Maybe just giving link to the ones I know won't use the information wrong. Or who might have access to the actual journal IC.

So, no, not going to share everything about her with -everyone-. Those interested may try get to know her better IC Wink


EDIT: But I want to point out that I occasionally enjoy reading IC journals and short stories about other characters. I haven't even meet half of those characters in game, but they're still nice read.

RE: Are Character Journals TMI? - Ilwe'ran - 01-27-2014

Maybe there is a way to say enough things to attract people attention and willing to RP with you without sharing too many informations at the same time ? I'm not the right one to ask here as I like writing stories about my characters and I end to share everything, but maybe, on a wiki or a journal, you can give the "just enought to be attractive and interesting part", letting you having some things to share and letting an opening to others for RP Smile ?

RE: Are Character Journals TMI? - No Longer Exists - 01-27-2014

Well!

Here's the thing about character journals and biographies in general, as experienced through ten plus years of roleplaying online and offline. And I can sum it up simply.

To the world around you, less is more. For your own enjoyment, do what you like.

The reason I say this is because folks can become bogged down by constantly chronicling their character and it can make the character less enjoyable. Imagine, if you will, writing a journal entry of pure fiction where your character experiences a particular hardship and a week later, that same sort of emotional issue comes up in game RP. He or She is already prepared for the sensation and you come away from that RP feeling a bit less enthused about it. Some folks like to Tabula Rasa (blank slate) their characters for this reason. 

On the other hand, I find that a good journal and background flesh out a character just right. Do I post every nuance I've written for everyone to see? Nah. A little mystery goes a long way. For example, Galen's currently writing letters to Saachi and instead of talk about the weather, he's telling her his own history through the medium of a tragic tale. Some of the pieces are fiction, some of them are fact. Telling the story is his way of getting it off his chest and it leaves the reader wondering just what is real and not while imparting some key clues about the character himself. -I- have written pages about Galen, which I keep for myself. However, his wiki is threadbare and any time I've been asked to post something about him, I write a paragraph or two. 

On Balmung, Lukas Valenwood kept a journal on his person which he wrote in when the mood struck him. It was written in first person and I noted at the top of the thread on his FC forum that the information in that journal was not common knowledge, but available IF someone happened to gain access to the diary itself. This offered an opportunity for a unique way to tell his story and develop his personality, by forcing the character to self-evaluate.

In the end, it's really dealer's choice. Do what makes YOU happiest. I have found that most people enjoy a teaser now and then, but don't often skip to the last page of the book. 

And on the touchy subject of metagaming, that's a very real concern for some. Certain RPers don't see that taking journal information is metagaming, which is why I've found it best to be very clear about the information when it's presented. 

And finally, if you're looking for feedback of a personal nature: I'm interested in seeing how a screenshot journal would appear so if that's your favorite option then I say GO FOR IT! ^_^ And when you do, point me to the link so I can check it out. 

Cheers!

-Black Hat

RE: Are Character Journals TMI? - Rosekitten - 01-27-2014

Generally I don't go out and read other character journals but I do post my own here and there on the lodestone (give it some form of a use.. besides that I would never log into it). I don't worry too much on the fine details like date or whatever or really say too much about my character that isn't common knowledge. Though my journals so to speak are set up more as inner thoughts as I don't really have a character type that would be willing to write a journal or care to bother with it.

That being said I do tend to fall behind on my entries but I'll spend a few hours at some point and catch up on 2-3 of them and call it a day and finish the rest later. This way its not a chore to me like I don't hope off rp'ing and go write the entry. I like letting the events sit in m head a while so I can mull over what my character really thought during it. Granted most of the time she's more complaining that some of the others she deals with gets into too much trouble and why they have to drag her into it.

These entries can give out a bit too much information I can admit that by skimming over entries of others... but its all in the person who reads it to be honest. As a rp'er you should be able to read something and not act like you know such information IC'ly. If anything maybe it gives you a reason to seek out the said character and try to tip toe about to get that conversation to strike up.

Though I normally go by the motto if you are enjoying what you are doing then keep doing it and to heck with what others say or think.

RE: Are Character Journals TMI? - Steel Wolf - 01-27-2014

As somebody who's working on his character's wiki -RITE NAO-, this brings up a very solid point.

See, I read people's wikis and journals and bios as a primer, but the things that come up in conversation are volunteered through normal interaction, never with information loaded up from said wiki.  I just, personally, like to read journals.  A lot.  And wikis.  I love 'em.  I love reading 'em, I love writing 'em, I just enjoy it.

Journals for me have been a means to an end.  When I was on Behemoth, journal writing was a way to display my character as a character instead of "herd tank omg usuk".  Now that I'm on an honest-to-the-Twelve RP community and these-people-exist roleplay server....

....dammit....now I might have to ball the whole bloody thing up.  >.<

Honestly, though, thank you for the food for thought.

RE: Are Character Journals TMI? - Roen - 01-27-2014

I will second (third?) what people have already said.  Do what you enjoy.

I personally love to read a character's wiki, journal, IC posts, what have you.  I sometimes use it in RP as a hook of sorts, if another character and mine tend to share the same background, I may bring up my own character's background in a conversation to see if the other character takes that hook.  Or my character's current affairs just happen to touch on something about the other character's past.  What I do NOT like to see though is metagaming.  I would put me off if people actually knew personal information that was put into someone's journal or posts, like their father dying or something. Or if another character knew everything about my character's past.  I did include a comment regarding what can be used in public RP though at the end of Roen's wiki, hoping that it would help me avoid those situations. So far, I've been lucky in that regard.

I would like to think that journals and wikis are more conducive to interesting RP than metagaming though.  One character commented off hand that he thought he'd seen someone that resembled my character at the battle of Carteneau. Or another character casually mentioning that they are hunting down Garlean defectors.  I like those little mentions because that makes the conversation interesting!  And they are possible hooks!

So write what you like, but maybe put a disclaimer somewhere obvious to avoid metagaming.  It may or may not work, but at least it is there.  I have never done journals myself, but I would think it is a great exercise to flesh out a character in one's own mind.

RE: Are Character Journals TMI? - Naunet - 01-27-2014

I don't really do "journals", but I do post up pretty much all roleplay that I do, unless it's some super casual pointless tavern stuff, but even then I might end up posting it if the content turned out to be significant enough. I see posting up my rp as basically writing a story and the content of the posts is meant for 1) later reference by those involved and 2) entertainment by anyone who might be interested in following the story, just as they might read a book. I doubt many people actually do the latter, but... hey. ^^;

I don't really worry much at all about meta-gaming. If I see it happen, I call it out and try to correct for it.

RE: Are Character Journals TMI? - Almil - 01-27-2014

(01-27-2014, 01:32 PM)Brynn Wrote: What I do NOT like to see though is metagaming.  I would put me off if people actually knew personal information that was put into someone's journal or posts, like their father dying or something. 

Ah, 'metagaming' , the word I couldn't remember when I was writing my own reply.

RE: Are Character Journals TMI? - Steel Wolf - 01-27-2014

Welp, I've tried (and I think succeeded) at keeping information that would likely be public domain or otherwise known with a bit of digging/familiarity of locations and situations.  Overall, personal things are listed as descriptive....overall I think I'm happy with my Wiki page.  :3

...well, save for the lack of screenshot, but I'll fix that soon enough.

As for my journal, well....that's more a closed thing to flesh out character, as well as hopefully a good read as I said before.

...okay, so I'm repeating myself.  >.>;

Sorreh... <.<;

RE: Are Character Journals TMI? - Ildur - 01-27-2014

While I understand the worry, I don't think it's a problem. A journal can give insight on a character's psychology and also work as a record of sorts for their adventures. If that OOC information is used ICly, it should be dealt like plain old metagaming.
I also don't know anyone whose character suffered for keeping a personal journal around. Characters evolve as long as the player plays them, so no matter how much detail your journal (or wiki page) reveals, there's no saying how or what the character will do until the interaction actually happens.

On the matter of too much information on the wiki pages, which is related, I'd say you shouldn't worry either. Though I have found myself more eager to read the shorter pages while avoiding the larger ones (or just read a small part of them), unless I have some kind of interest with the character. The same happens with journals, really. The only people who will surely bother reading your journal are those players you roleplay with already.

Journals and wiki pages are a personal excersise of character building. Specifically speaking, journals force you to meditate on how they personally take the events around them on how they affect them. In a way, it's a form of character development. It is a handy reference guide about your character's actions, which is in itself useful for future reference.

In short: if you enjoy writting it, do it. There are no real downsides to it.

RE: Are Character Journals TMI? - Tiergan - 01-27-2014

My two cents:

I) I make it a point not to RP with people who are going to metagame and have their characters magically know information that they could only have learned through OOC means. (Unless of course, they asked me for permission first and we worked out how they could've learned everything IC.)

2) I personally LOVE reading people's wikis. The more fleshed out and detailed your wiki is, the better. I like learning about people's characters because it gives me the opportunity to hunt down potential 'hooks' and character connections between someone else's character and mine that could potentially lead us to cultivating awesome RP together.

That said - I do purposefully leave out a few details here and there from my own wiki that I want people to find out only through RPing with me, because as someone mentioned - mysteries are fun.

RE: Are Character Journals TMI? - Eliane Dufresne - 01-27-2014

(01-27-2014, 09:31 PM)Tiergan Wrote: I like learning about people's characters because it gives me the opportunity to hunt down potential 'hooks' and character connections between someone else's character and mine that could potentially lead us to cultivating awesome RP together.

That said - I do purposefully leave out a few details here and there from my own wiki that I want people to find out only through RPing with me, because as someone mentioned - mysteries are fun.

This is kind of the angle I go at as well. Before, my wiki was pretty bare-bones, and I only included information a character might conceivably know about Oak either because it's obvious, or because it's likely to be public knowledge. And as such, I was pretty much invisible...there were no character hooks.

When a friend (with a muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch more detailed wiki) told me that she'd actually gotten a lot of RP through people who had checked her wiki page, I decided to add a lot more information about Oak that *wouldn't* necessarily be public knowledge, in the hope of creating more hooks. That said, the absolute juiciest things are still missing from there for the above reason. You don't want to give *everything* away.

So I'd say the same applies to journals as well. Give a little bit of the good stuff so we can see the inner workings of your character. Just don't give it all. Wink

RE: Are Character Journals TMI? - John Spiegel - 01-28-2014

I make it a point to only really seriously journal when I am on my gas rig as I'm not able to play XIV, I also take notes for stuff for Alex to mention that have happened over a series of days in game.

Some characters keep journals, some don't. Some people meta game, a lot don't. JJ, on the other hand, is a very private person and there are times where I really wanna share all the awesome that I've put into him so I've done story blurbs in a narration sort of scheme (narrated by the narrator from Bastion or The Stanley Parable) of things going though JJ's mind as he's doing something. To date, I've done only three of them, which barely scratch the surface.

Short story long: Excessive journaling (actually you doing the journaling) is a bit much, but a character may journal everyday (which doesn't get typed down or anything just because of time consumption!)

Someone that journals EVERYTHING rather than RPs is as absurd as the character you meet at a tavern that tells you all their secrets (bonus points if they say they're some sort of master criminal too).

Happy balance~

RE: Are Character Journals TMI? - McBeefâ„¢ - 01-28-2014

I haven't been RPing that long, but I've written a few journals. I feel like they are good for establishing backround events that would be hard to RP. For example my main character plays a Sultansworn, and part of the job is doing research, filling out paperwork, dealing with the Flames, and other such things. I feel like journals are a good place to describe such things, since I don't know any players who would want to be all those minor characters who only show up once.