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guide:creating_a_character

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Creating a Character

This guide will help you create a character to play in the Star Army setting. It is focused on making a character page on the wiki for your character and getting that wiki page approved as part of the site's Canon. Note that characters do not have to be on the wiki to appear in Open Roleplaying Forum threads, but for elsewhere in Star Army RP, they do.

General Instructions

We recommend you start with the Character Template form open in a separate tab or window and fill it in as you go through the Character Creation Guide. The form automatically adds all the wiki code so you don't have to figure out the formatting syntax. Once you have the formatted code, you can paste it into a wiki page. Creating a page in the character: namespace will also cause a blank character template to automatically appear, so you can also use that method and in fill the details if you prefer.

Choose Your Faction

Check out the nations of the Star Army universe and find one that suits your character concept. In SARP, most of the playable factions try to avoid actual wars with other playable factions. Joining a faction is not required. If you want to blaze your own trail, see the Guide to Independent Characters. It's also possible to make your own faction (covered in Guide to Factions).

Major factions: Characters in the military in one of the major factions (eg star_army_of_yamatai or military) are usually easiest to play because they get the most resources and plots to be in (after all, it is a military themed RP).

Minor factions: There's also great variety of lovingly-crafted smaller factions in the SARP that are desperate for players. To experience Star Army better, consider making a second character in a different faction than the first and perhaps some of the less-common species a try. For smaller factions, it's a good idea to contact their faction manager for guidance. Note that SARP has been running for a long time, so factions' managers may have disappeared. If there is no obvious active person running a faction, you can get help with it from the site admin (Wes) instead.

Grab a Veteran?

It might help if you get the attention of one of the other Star Army members that can help you as you work on writing up your character. Why not find somebody in the chat room who can provide character advice and/or recommendations of RP threads to join? A faction manager or game master from your chosen faction can be a great resource to help you make your character because they're experts on Star Army lore. Doing this also helps you build a relationships with other community members.

Finding an RP

Try to figure out what plot you're aiming for and build a character that fits. Before you make your character, if possible, do a little background reading on the role-play and get an idea of which plot you want to join. A plot in this case refers to an ongoing role playing group. In the Star Army RP, these are often on starships. Since a plot has an existing GM, story, and characters, there will be people and characters immediately available to interact with. You can find ongoing roleplay plots using the List of Active Plots.

Tip: You don't have to join an existing RP. You can also make your own roleplay threads; just remember, it's up to you to find players for those!

It Doesn't Need To Be Perfect

Our goal is to help you get into the RP quickly and smoothly. Our wiki is very deep. Don't drown in it by getting overwhelmed by obscure details. Much of the background and history presented in this wiki is not strictly necessary for creating a character. Just focus on making a character you like.

It's okay to submit an imperfect biography; if adjustments are needed, other members will help you tweak your character to fit the setting during the character's review. The best way to avoid mistakes is to get another member to help. Make friends!

Character Templates

Specific Guides

These are creation guides written specifically for each species, giving you the all details you need when you make your character.

Main Species

These core species are recommended for new players because these races have a wide playerbase and a variety of plots to choose from.

Chibi Art Creation Guide Species Faction Description
Nekovalkyrja Create a Nekovalkyrja Nekovalkyrja:
NH-33
Flag of Yamatai
Yamatai Star Empire
Exclusive to Yamatai's military, the Nekovalkyrja (pronounced Nay-ko-wul-ku-ree) are an all-female race of bio-engineered cat-eared warriors that make up the bulk of the Star Army of Yamatai.

Being a Nekovalkyrja is an exploration of what it means to be a person, what it means to be a soldier, and following a woman's transition from a mass-produced killing machine to becoming a unique and whole individual.
Song Weizhi Create a Yamataian Yamataian:
Minkan
Flag of Yamatai
Yamatai Star Empire
Another artificial race (and cousins to the Nekovalkyrja), Yamataians make up most of the civilian populace but are also common in Yamatai's military.

They're like humans, but better, and with much more customization options.
Nepleslian Create a Nepleslian Nepleslian,
Human,
ID-SOL,
Jiyuuian,
Geshrin

Democratic Imperium of Nepleslia
Nepleslians are mostly human, but might have mutant, alien, or ID-SOL DNA mixed in, as well as cybernetics. Mostly male, Nepleslians are known for their love of guns, alcohol, and pretty much vice in general.
Qaktoro hidden_sun_clan Qaktoro
Tula
Hidden Sun Clan Flag
hidden_sun_clan
Feline aliens whom after centuries of hiding and salvaging have emerged to take their place in the sector.
Neshaten Create a Neshaten Shukaren
Myleke

kingdom_of_neshaten
After a terrible Civil War nearly causes their race to become extinct, the Neshaten have spent the past seven hundred years rebuilding their civilization, and are ready to see what is out there in the universe… knowing full well that races, both allies and foes, await them.
Lorath Create a Lorath Lorath Crest
lorath_matriarchy
A winged humanoid species, Lorath originate from their homeworld of Lor. Lorath society is known for adhering to a theocratic basis for order, a eugenically engineered caste system, a penchant for reckless technological advancement, and a Matriarchal authority structure. the Lorath Matriarchy functions as a whole for the purposes of advancing their society, adhering to worship, and furthering the agenda of their people through the guiding leadership of their clan elders, caste leaders, and royal caste placed at the forefront of the Matriarchy's ambitions to reclaim their sense of security which was shattered by their forced introduction into the interstellar stage at the hands of the Yamatai Empire.

Most species also have the option of joining origin_industries or being independent.

Alternate Species

These are less-frequently-used species that are available to play, but are less supported due to low faction activity or other issues.

Chibi Art Creation Guide Species Faction Description
Gartagen Create a Gartagen gartagen Gartagen Union
government
The Gartagens are a proud tribal/warrior race from the uncharted regions of the sector.
Hetzer Johannes Thalberg Abwehrans Abwehrans abwehran_flag2.jpg
abwehran_star_empire
A humanoid, heavy-gravity species with a long history of warfare. Males have four arms. :!: Note: Currently under revision, red links maybe found. :!:
Elysian Create an Elysian Elysian Flag of Yamatai
Yamatai Star Empire
Winged and cultured, Elysians live within Yamatai and its neighbors. Elysians can join the Star Army of Yamatai or Nepleslian military.
Iromakuanhe Create an Iromakuanhe people
iromakuanhe_astral_commonwealth
The people are a race of humanoids with advanced biotechnology who join their bodies to living machines, including great organic starships and the powerful VANDR biomecha. Newcomers to the galactic scene, they find themselves splintered and fractious compared to the great empires of the Core Systems. Created by Exhack.
Freespacer freespacers freespacers freestate.jpg
the_free_state or

Democratic Imperium of Nepleslia
A race of nomadic space people.
Separa'Shan separa_shan Separa'Shan Flag of Yamatai
Yamatai Star Empire
These Lamia-like people come from one of Yamatai's many member worlds.

Additional Minor Species

General Guides

These are general guides. Please use the species-specific guides above instead if possible.

Create Your Character's Wiki Page

Add your bio to the wiki. If you're not sure how, see the steps below:

  1. Go the the Character Directories section of the page Characters Guide, follow the link to your faction
  2. On the faction's character list, “Edit this page” and add a link to your your character. If you're not sure about the formatting, just copy the formatting from some existing link.
  3. Save the page so the link is added.
  4. Click the red link you just made. It'll take you to a page that says “This page hasn't been created.”
  5. Click “Create This Page” and insert your character biography code you made using the Character Template.
    1. Make any final adjustments needed and then save your Wiki bio.

Submitting Your Character

In order to keep Star Army's setting original, consistent, and high-quality, we ask that new characters, setting elements, and technologies are submitted and approved before they appear in canon roleplay. Over 90% of characters submitted are approved, and most within a day or two.

How to submit: Go to the Character Applications and create a topic containing a link to the bio page you just created.

Who Can Approve My Character?

Almost all characters on Star Army are approved by Game Masters of the plots they are headed toward.

In the case where a character needs to be approved and there is no applicable GM, a site staff member or relevant faction manager (e.g. Kyle for a Neshaten character) can approve the character.

Non-player characters are also approved by their respective faction manager.

All players are allowed to give suggestions and advice to fellow players. You are not required to follow any particular piece of advice but ignoring the suggestions of the person who approves the character may result in the character being rejected for that RP.

Review and Approval

Your plot's game master or a character forum moderator will post comments and/or approval of your character in the forum thread you posted. The topic will then be moved to Approved Characters (so if your character thread seems missing, check there!).

We encourage you to also send your own private message to the plot GM introducing yourself and/or post in your intended plot's OOC thread to alert the plot GM that your character is awaiting approval for the plot.

If there are no problems, approval will usually be quick and painless. If there are issues with your biography, the game master will do his best to help you adjust it so that it makes sense or fits in the role-play. The most common sources of problems are overpowered, glorious histories and skills, story continuity issues (things that wouldn't make sense, like joining the Star Army before it was founded), and lack of detail.

NOTE: If you update/edit your bio, post a reply to its thread so the reviewers will know to look at it again!

What If My Character Isn't Accepted?

In the unlikely event your character is approved but cannot be accepted (For example, if a plot becomes full or closed), the plot's GM (or if he is not available, the Faction Manager or Setting Manager) will post a notice in the approved character thread and then contact your second choice plot GM on your behalf.

After Approval

Once you're accepted into the plot, edit the plot's page so your character is on their crew roster (or ask your GM to). Start roleplaying as soon as the plot allows. Talk to your GM in the OOC thread if you're unsure.

If your character is in the military, you will also get an orders thread in the appropriate communications forum. It will tell your character where to go and serves as a record of his/her military service including transfers, awards, and promotions.

You are responsible for keeping your character page up-to-date. Keep track of changes your character's history, skills, inventory, and finances (including pay) and edit your character article accordingly.


Quality:
guide/creating_a_character.1454678811.txt.gz · Last modified: 2023/12/20 15:48 (external edit)