About Backgrounds

Sometimes chargen can come to a grinding halt. The background. No, The Background. It can sometimes appear to be a boogeyman, or a confusing morass of letters and numbers. This page is aimed at clarifying just what one is, and how they could be approached.

So What is a Background?

Writing backgrounds can seem intimidating at first. If this seems to be the case, and it can be for many people, it may be helpful to take a step back and look at just what they are. When broken down, backgrounds tend to "look alike" in many ways. No matter the game, backgrounds typically cover:

1. This is me as a kid, with my family.
2. This is me as a young teenager, beginning to grow and develop specific interests.
3. This is me as a young adult at the beginning of my new life. There is some event that propels me forward.

What this means is, we now have a basic structure for creating a background. This isn't any different than any other form of writing. For example, most grade school essays consist of an opening paragraph, some intermediary paragraphs, and a conclusion. Most newspaper articles follow a specific format--and then expand creatively within it. Few of any of these look alike, despite their similiarities. Most backgrounds--have a kid section, a young teenager section, and a "moving on into the world" section.

Backgrounds expand on this simple formula in creative ways. They may be written as journals in the first person, or even from the view of a family member. Note that none of this is to imply that a background "must" use the above formula, it's just that they typically do. A

A background also serves some specific purposes in game. Backgrounds:

1. Lay out an 'outline' for a character. What their basic interests are, for instance, and where they came from. Even Clark Kent had a past; he came from somewhere.
2. Provide potential plot hooks. Staff may bring an available hook into a storyline, although plot hook use isn't just limited to staff. Open hooks create areas for development or 'filling in' through RP later on in the character's life.
3. Aid the writer in working out their thoughts. Characters are more than their attack rating. Spend some time in reflection, and ask 'who is this person'? A character should be able to stand up through months of roleplay.

What backgrounds are not is a complete picture. A character fresh from creation will be fleshed out, but not fully developed. What this means is that the background lays the groundwork and bare essentials. To look at it another way, what happens to a child during their early years influences who they are as an adult, but does not define them. The rest--is up to you.

Overall, backgrounds tend to (but not always) follow a specific trend. They serve specific, useful functions ingame. This is why most games ask for them. And, hopefully understanding their patterns and intent will ease the confusion that can sometimes accompany their writing.