Character creation in this setting, no matter which system it is run in, will follow the four basic steps laid out here on the following pages:
- Step 1 – Motivation*
This step is often referred to as a character’s backstory. For this setting, an involved backstory is completely unnecessary. However, we do want you to pick, and stick, with at least a simple outline of why your character has come to Planet O-oot. This can be a one-sentence concept, or a one word concept, but it’s important to settle on this early on in the game so that both you and the Gamemaster have some potential story hooks to work with.
*Game Design Note: Step 1 (Motivation) and 2 (Tribe or Species) can be done in reverse order if that feels better for the player’s creative thinking process. - Step 2 – Tribe or Species*
Now it’s time to make some serious decisions; choosing your character’s faction within humanity, or their species of Alien, will determine many of their physical attributes and their potential skills. At present time, there are more factions and species in the world then there are playable. The exact final number of what is playable and what will remain non-playable will be more clear in the future, but for now there are Three Human Factions and Four Aliens. - Step 3 – “Adjustments”
Currently, because we are between systems, this step is very vague; though eventually it will be the phase in which you decide on aspects about your character often called abilities, skills or powers. This step will probably take up the majority of most player’s time to complete (as it always does, regardless of the game system) and will perhaps be made easier by having already gone through step 1 and step 2. - Step 4 – Equipment
In this last part of character creation you will be determining the starting equipment and inventory of your character. Like in all games of this genre, there will probably be opportunities to buy additional items and change out your equipment later on if you want to go for a different strategy.
Once you’ve finished Step 4, it’s safe to say you now have a complete player character to start playing the game with.
Good Luck!
Character Creation FAQ
Q: Why are you presenting character creation in a list of steps?
A: Traditionally in most table top games character creation is presented as a collection of decisions you need to make, along with some math, to then end up with a completed character sheet. However, through my own personal observation I’ve found that it can sometimes be difficult to keep track of what to do in what order and when a character sheet is filled out just enough to start the game. For this reason, we’re going to try to present character creation as a series of steps, or general phases, to help keep players on track. Of course, if you choose to play Planet O-oot, we cannot enforce this suggested method, so you can always choose to simply carry out character creation in your own preferred order of things.
Q: Can I withhold my character’s backstory from the Gamemaster?
A: Yes. In fact we highly encourage you, the player, to decide if the Gamemaster is allowed to know your character’s backstory. If you choose to keep it secret, this does mean you will have to at least hint at your character’s backstory a little to help the GM in certain situations. This is a unique dynamic you will have to sort out with your GM, but from us we say you never have to give full disclosure.
Q: If I am running my own game in O-oot, and I think the step order should be different or completely changed, is there a reason I should not homebrew this part of it?
A: Go for it! Part of the logic behind the steps had to do with play testing; it’s very easy to get bogged down with trying to introduce something new to people. If you believe there is someway to improve this, please try it out! And if it works, please share it so we can all learn from your efforts!
