Describing your characters actions. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Describing your characters actions. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Bryan_0697
01-29-07, 06:23 PM I just have a general question about how everyone describes their characters actions; 3rd person or 1st person, along with your opinions on each (past experiances, etc.).

Personally I like to describe my character in third person, finding it disconcerting when somone goes completely into character.
Giant_Moth
01-29-07, 06:28 PM A mix I suppose. Sometime's it just sounds better to say either of the things, depending on the situation I guess.
LiefKarakse
01-29-07, 06:28 PM i am the same as you i speak in third person. most of my group gets annoyed at me for this but i don't see the big deal.
Loki5654
01-29-07, 06:47 PM Personally I like to describe my character in third person, finding it disconcerting when somone goes completely into character.Its all about context.

There is "getting into character" and "getting too far into character".

Saying "I attack the Ogre with my longsword" while moving your mini across the map is OK.

Saying "I attack the Ogre with my longsword" while dressed as your character, holding a longsword, and looking at the DM with bloodlust in your eyes and foam at your mouth is over the line.
Bruunwald
01-29-07, 07:29 PM I think most everybody I have ever played with crossed back and forth between as felt natural for the situation.

For instance, when approaching an NPC who is possibly romantically tied to the PC, it is usually more comfortable for the player to say, "Shannon will give Bob a little wink."

But a second later, when Bob sends a magic ring over via his raven familiar, nobody thinks twice if the player says, "I'll look closely at it."

Knowing the difference between player and character is great and all, but let's not get paranoid or frantic about it. Nobody's going to rip into you if you occasionally say "I'll do it."

More than likely, you sometimes slip and do so without knowing it.
Bryan_0697
01-29-07, 08:32 PM Guilty.

What I meant with some first person making me uncomfortable is when a player changes their voice and disposition and goes completely into character... all the time.

I was just wondering what everyone elses take on this was and if it is common or not.

My *other* gaming groups never did it and I play a lot online, where it is irrelivant.
Archangel_James
01-29-07, 09:02 PM As a player, first person all the time. I am my character; that's why it's called roleplaying. But as a DM, it's always third, even when playing an NPC in combat or acting out the exact mannerisms of a BBEG.
Board_Rider
01-29-07, 09:03 PM I introduce myself in the 3rd person. I sometimes speak in character in the first person...sometimes.
pukunui
01-29-07, 09:16 PM I prefer using second person ... :P

Seriously, though, I don't use either first or third person deliberately. I just use whatever comes out of my mouth at the time.

EDIT: Now that I think about it, I do tend to use first person more when declaring my character's actions ("I pick the lock") and third person when speaking for my character ("[Insert character's name here] says, 'Blah blah blah.'"). But it's definitely not premeditated.
Tyler Do'Urden
01-29-07, 09:22 PM Specific mechanical descriptions of the actions in 1st person followed by thematic descriptions of what it would look like in the 3rd person.

When talking about it later, I go back and forth between 1st and 3rd depending on whether the person I'm talking to understands the context.
hedgeknight
01-29-07, 10:31 PM Saying "I attack the Ogre with my longsword" while dressed as your character, holding a longsword, and looking at the DM with bloodlust in your eyes and foam at your mouth is over the line.

:rofl:

Been to cons/shows and was really creeped out about stuff like that. I use both 1st and 3rd person interchangeably - like was said by others already.

But when I'm writing PC and NPC actions in my online games, I like to use first person.
-g-
marcel_deathbringer
01-30-07, 09:48 AM Yep, Like most, I interchange between 1st and 3rd. To be honest I don't really even pay much attention to when I switch, its pretty natural by now.
Seghan
01-30-07, 10:30 AM I switch, just like everyone else. I think I use first person more often, though, especially when doing my in town kind of charisma stat duties. But I never use funny voices, accents, or any real play acting. And while we don't have any actual longswords or armor lying about, I do resist the tempation to start brandishing random pieces of sports equipment and "making pretend"
Rogue Elendae
02-02-07, 03:11 AM Huh. Guess I'm at odds with the lot of you. I'll admit I describe my characters actual actions (for example, "I try to pick the lock") in first person, but I don't go to third for my speaking in-character. I just tend to go right into the conversation, particularly as our DM does the same. In fact, most of our group tends to just speak as if we were carrying on a conversation, rather than bothering to switch over and say "Kesshira asks whomever blah blah." It feels more natural that way, without having to pause repeatedly in order to say that my PC is first going to speak to someone, then that she is going to say something. I just say I'm going to the person, then I'll go ahead and say what I want. No "she says" about it.

At that, I'm perfectly happy using voices and accents. My current character has a somewhat Irish lilt, while my last had a haughty tone and spoke with a somewhat aristocratic air. It helps differentiate between characters, as much as anything--especially since my group doesn't use visuals such as miniatures. We tend to carry a lot of things out through interactions with NPCs, and as a player and DM, I have found that different voice characteristics and mannerisms help define that difference between PCs and NPCs, just as much as their appearance. After all, each person is different, why not each NPC? It helps suspend disbelief a lot more (in my humble opinion) if Marrah, the rough-and-tumble tavern keeper from the Smoking Skull (with her +5 Skillet o' Whupass), doesn't sound a thing like Arissiea, the spoiled princess, y'know?

Of course, I'm a writer/artist, and our DM is a theatre major, and most of our group has had some hand in theatre of some sort. So I might be biased.
KILLBOT9000
02-02-07, 03:35 AM I'm first person all the way!!!!

I even change the way i talk to suit my characters background.
I no longer say yes during a game. I say "aye!"
Sometimes I even get a little carried away in battle and start swinging an imaginary sword or something. Its freaky.....

But I love it.:cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool:
Lunar_Shadow
02-02-07, 01:48 PM I am always in first person. I somtimes even do some of the actions, like when I flips sombody off or do something while talking (Like smiling when I talk to show that I am showing off pointed teeth)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Bryan_0697 01-29-07, 06:23 PM	I just have a general question about how everyone describes their characters actions; 3rd person or 1st person, along with your opinions on each (past experiances, etc.). Personally I like to describe my character in third person, finding it disconcerting when somone goes completely into character.
Giant_Moth 01-29-07, 06:28 PM	A mix I suppose. Sometime's it just sounds better to say either of the things, depending on the situation I guess.
LiefKarakse 01-29-07, 06:28 PM	i am the same as you i speak in third person. most of my group gets annoyed at me for this but i don't see the big deal.
Loki5654 01-29-07, 06:47 PM	Personally I like to describe my character in third person, finding it disconcerting when somone goes completely into character.Its all about context. There is "getting into character" and "getting too far into character". Saying "I attack the Ogre with my longsword" while moving your mini across the map is OK. Saying "I attack the Ogre with my longsword" while dressed as your character, holding a longsword, and looking at the DM with bloodlust in your eyes and foam at your mouth is over the line.
Bruunwald 01-29-07, 07:29 PM	I think most everybody I have ever played with crossed back and forth between as felt natural for the situation. For instance, when approaching an NPC who is possibly romantically tied to the PC, it is usually more comfortable for the player to say, "Shannon will give Bob a little wink." But a second later, when Bob sends a magic ring over via his raven familiar, nobody thinks twice if the player says, "I'll look closely at it." Knowing the difference between player and character is great and all, but let's not get paranoid or frantic about it. Nobody's going to rip into you if you occasionally say "I'll do it." More than likely, you sometimes slip and do so without knowing it.
Bryan_0697 01-29-07, 08:32 PM	Guilty. What I meant with some first person making me uncomfortable is when a player changes their voice and disposition and goes completely into character... all the time. I was just wondering what everyone elses take on this was and if it is common or not. My other gaming groups never did it and I play a lot online, where it is irrelivant.
Archangel_James 01-29-07, 09:02 PM	As a player, first person all the time. I am my character; that's why it's called roleplaying. But as a DM, it's always third, even when playing an NPC in combat or acting out the exact mannerisms of a BBEG.
Board_Rider 01-29-07, 09:03 PM	I introduce myself in the 3rd person. I sometimes speak in character in the first person...sometimes.
pukunui 01-29-07, 09:16 PM	I prefer using second person ... :P Seriously, though, I don't use either first or third person deliberately. I just use whatever comes out of my mouth at the time. EDIT: Now that I think about it, I do tend to use first person more when declaring my character's actions ("I pick the lock") and third person when speaking for my character ("[Insert character's name here] says, 'Blah blah blah.'"). But it's definitely not premeditated.
Tyler Do'Urden 01-29-07, 09:22 PM	Specific mechanical descriptions of the actions in 1st person followed by thematic descriptions of what it would look like in the 3rd person. When talking about it later, I go back and forth between 1st and 3rd depending on whether the person I'm talking to understands the context.
hedgeknight 01-29-07, 10:31 PM	Saying "I attack the Ogre with my longsword" while dressed as your character, holding a longsword, and looking at the DM with bloodlust in your eyes and foam at your mouth is over the line. :rofl: Been to cons/shows and was really creeped out about stuff like that. I use both 1st and 3rd person interchangeably - like was said by others already. But when I'm writing PC and NPC actions in my online games, I like to use first person. -g-
marcel_deathbringer 01-30-07, 09:48 AM	Yep, Like most, I interchange between 1st and 3rd. To be honest I don't really even pay much attention to when I switch, its pretty natural by now.
Seghan 01-30-07, 10:30 AM	I switch, just like everyone else. I think I use first person more often, though, especially when doing my in town kind of charisma stat duties. But I never use funny voices, accents, or any real play acting. And while we don't have any actual longswords or armor lying about, I do resist the tempation to start brandishing random pieces of sports equipment and "making pretend"
Rogue Elendae 02-02-07, 03:11 AM	Huh. Guess I'm at odds with the lot of you. I'll admit I describe my characters actual actions (for example, "I try to pick the lock") in first person, but I don't go to third for my speaking in-character. I just tend to go right into the conversation, particularly as our DM does the same. In fact, most of our group tends to just speak as if we were carrying on a conversation, rather than bothering to switch over and say "Kesshira asks whomever blah blah." It feels more natural that way, without having to pause repeatedly in order to say that my PC is first going to speak to someone, then that she is going to say something. I just say I'm going to the person, then I'll go ahead and say what I want. No "she says" about it. At that, I'm perfectly happy using voices and accents. My current character has a somewhat Irish lilt, while my last had a haughty tone and spoke with a somewhat aristocratic air. It helps differentiate between characters, as much as anything--especially since my group doesn't use visuals such as miniatures. We tend to carry a lot of things out through interactions with NPCs, and as a player and DM, I have found that different voice characteristics and mannerisms help define that difference between PCs and NPCs, just as much as their appearance. After all, each person is different, why not each NPC? It helps suspend disbelief a lot more (in my humble opinion) if Marrah, the rough-and-tumble tavern keeper from the Smoking Skull (with her +5 Skillet o' Whupass), doesn't sound a thing like Arissiea, the spoiled princess, y'know? Of course, I'm a writer/artist, and our DM is a theatre major, and most of our group has had some hand in theatre of some sort. So I might be biased.
KILLBOT9000 02-02-07, 03:35 AM	I'm first person all the way!!!! I even change the way i talk to suit my characters background. I no longer say yes during a game. I say "aye!" Sometimes I even get a little carried away in battle and start swinging an imaginary sword or something. Its freaky..... But I love it.:cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool:
Lunar_Shadow 02-02-07, 01:48 PM	I am always in first person. I somtimes even do some of the actions, like when I flips sombody off or do something while talking (Like smiling when I talk to show that I am showing off pointed teeth)