Author Topic: Character Development Tools: 3x3x3 & 20 Questions  (Read 10264 times)

Offline Ren

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Character Development Tools: 3x3x3 & 20 Questions
« on: January 20, 2011, 01:23:16 AM »
I've been gaming for a long damn time and over the years I've developed a few useful tools to aid me as a GM and as a Player. As I was recently asked to share one of those tools I thought I might put up here in the Resource Collection for others to use as they see fit.
Both of these are tools to help players, and GM's develop characters.
The first item, the 3x3x3, is something I borrowed from a Serenity RPG board awhile back and I've used it in every campaign I've run since then. Its a list of 3 Friends/Allies, 3 Contacts and 3 Enemies/Rivals that the character knows. I am using this in addition to the regular character background generation as NPC's the GM and PC can use later on to help aid in immersion and if a player or GM needs a quickie contact for any reason. Players can go "Hey I have a friend who has some knowledge that could help us out" or the GM can pull out one of their enemies and when he shows up the player will get hooked in because suddenly here is someone that KNOW wants to hurt them. Adds to immersion that way and heck can even be used as a Compel to further advance the game as well as for plot hooks!
The second item is a list of 20 Questions that can be filled out to help add more to the development of the character. You'd be surprised how often filling out the 20 Questions can cause changes to how a character is built.
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3x3x3
Friends/Allies:
Name:    
Quirk/Personality:   
Ties / Background:         
Notes:   

[sadly the nifty table I had created doesn't translate to forumn format...but just make a 3x3x3 Grid and copy the template into each box and fill out from there.]

Twenty Questions and More;

How would you describe your character (Physical Appearance)?



What about family and childhood?
Mother:
Father:
Mother’s Mother:
Mother’s Father:
Father’s Mother:  
Father’s Father:
Siblings:

What is the character’s Main Motivation?


What is the character’s greatest strength?


What is the character’s Weakness?


Does your character have any prejudices?


Is your character married; if so, to whom?


To whom does your character owe the most loyalty?


Does your character have any recurring mannerisms?


How would you describe your character’s psychology & personality?


How would your character’s parents describe your character?


What are your character’s highest ambitions?


How religious is your character?


If you could, what advice would you give to your character?


What is the character’s secret, if any? And what will happen if it’s discovered?


What does your character think of the political climate?


What does the Character do to relax?


If the character were given a financial windfall, what would they do with it?


What is the characters view of the various social classes?


What reward would the character most want to receive?


What is your character’s favorite possession?


Who is your character’s closest friend?


What does the character Love, Hate and Fear the Most?


How will the character most likely die?
"Brain Makes My Math Hurt" - me

"Eeyore is my Totem Animal" - me

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Offline deathwombat

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Re: Character Development Tools: 3x3x3 & 20 Questions
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2011, 02:07:24 AM »
Cool
Thx!
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Offline sjksprocket

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Re: Character Development Tools: 3x3x3 & 20 Questions
« Reply #2 on: January 20, 2011, 04:08:47 PM »
Borrowed. One of my players has been having issues coming up with a decent high concept. the questionnaire might help.
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Offline devonapple

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Re: Character Development Tools: 3x3x3 & 20 Questions
« Reply #3 on: January 20, 2011, 07:11:42 PM »
[sadly the nifty table I had created doesn't translate to forumn format...but just make a 3x3x3 Grid and copy the template into each box and fill out from there.]

As an aside, if you are able to save a table in HTML format (exporting as HTML from Word, for example) then you can past the HTML code into this handy page and convert it. The setting you want is "SMF Code." I had to do it when I was compiling my Conjuration guidelines (no way was I coding that table by hand).
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That I’m positive are not even mine"

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Offline bibliophile20

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Re: Character Development Tools: 3x3x3 & 20 Questions
« Reply #4 on: January 20, 2011, 09:08:07 PM »
Put it together as a pdf for my PCs and general future use.  Fancied it up with some unusual fonts.  You can grab it here: http://ur-talarius.wikispaces.com/file/view/Character+Development+Tools.pdf/194794824/Character%20Development%20Tools.pdf
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Offline Mal_Luck

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Re: Character Development Tools: 3x3x3 & 20 Questions
« Reply #5 on: January 21, 2011, 08:15:53 AM »
I used your 20 questions to help one of my characters the other day.  :)
DV Mal_Luck v1.2 YR3 FR1 BK++++ RP++++ JB TH(+++) WG(-) CL SW(+) BC(++) MC(--) SH [Molly+++ Murphy++]

Offline Ren

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Re: Character Development Tools: 3x3x3 & 20 Questions
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2011, 01:30:32 AM »
VERY nice .pdf there Bibliophile, thank you for doing the work for me!

Glad folks are getting some mileage out of it!
"Brain Makes My Math Hurt" - me

"Eeyore is my Totem Animal" - me

"Pants are overrated!" - me

Offline bibliophile20

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Re: Character Development Tools: 3x3x3 & 20 Questions
« Reply #7 on: January 22, 2011, 05:15:54 AM »
VERY nice .pdf there Bibliophile, thank you for doing the work for me!

Glad folks are getting some mileage out of it!
No problem; so far as I'm concerned, you've already done the work; I just prettied it up. :)  Credit should go where credit is due.
« Last Edit: January 22, 2011, 06:07:37 AM by bibliophile20 »
Tips for the Evil Henchman:
#12. If the seemingly helpless person you have just cornered is confident and unafraid despite being outnumbered and surrounded, you have encountered a Hero in disguise. Run while you still can.

DFRPG Resources Wiki

Offline Ren

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Re: Character Development Tools: 3x3x3 & 20 Questions
« Reply #8 on: January 22, 2011, 01:31:31 PM »
I'm always willing to share the credit...especially when I don't actually know how to create .pdf's myself...8P
"Brain Makes My Math Hurt" - me

"Eeyore is my Totem Animal" - me

"Pants are overrated!" - me

Offline bibliophile20

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Re: Character Development Tools: 3x3x3 & 20 Questions
« Reply #9 on: January 22, 2011, 02:54:29 PM »
Well thank you.

As for creating pdfs, OpenOffice Writer has a pretty straightforward .doc-to-.pdf creator, which is what I used.
Tips for the Evil Henchman:
#12. If the seemingly helpless person you have just cornered is confident and unafraid despite being outnumbered and surrounded, you have encountered a Hero in disguise. Run while you still can.

DFRPG Resources Wiki

Offline samdague

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Re: Character Development Tools: 3x3x3 & 20 Questions
« Reply #10 on: February 09, 2011, 12:53:29 AM »
I made a program to keep track of Characters easier with a dice roller, putting it out for free download enjoy!!   http://www.4shared.com/file/SEuYTG6d/Character_program.html

Offline Mal_Luck

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Re: Character Development Tools: 3x3x3 & 20 Questions
« Reply #11 on: February 11, 2011, 02:19:54 AM »
I wanted to pop in and tell you I had all my players fill these questionnaires out for their characters, which more or less populated the world with 56ish NPCs / ideas I can use.  ;D

I plan to continue these for my games in the future.
DV Mal_Luck v1.2 YR3 FR1 BK++++ RP++++ JB TH(+++) WG(-) CL SW(+) BC(++) MC(--) SH [Molly+++ Murphy++]

Offline Ren

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Re: Character Development Tools: 3x3x3 & 20 Questions
« Reply #12 on: February 14, 2011, 06:21:37 PM »
Glad yer liking it...tis a great tool for character and campaign development...8)
"Brain Makes My Math Hurt" - me

"Eeyore is my Totem Animal" - me

"Pants are overrated!" - me