Character Arcs (VERY COOL)

[Smarmy]

Okay, the purpose of this thread is simple. If we want a robust sandbox environment for HL2 we need to figure out some self sustaining roleplay loops. Please reply with any character arcs for HL2 city RP stuff you've enjoyed.

Every character through their progression has pivotal key events that shape and warp them. If we can create a server environment where there's a lot of self sustaining development plot hooks without admin involvement that'd be great. In a perfect implementation we could just let the player base populate all the factions and they'd do things to each other that would cause endless character development.

It would be highly helpful if you guys could write out pivotal points in HL2 characters you've had on a city sandbox style setting. The means and purpose of this is to try to find out commonality or novel parts of character progression we can encourage.

Any format or means you'd like to post works.

 

[Mickee]

I have quiiiiite a few characters imma work through here from TnB and elsewhere

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Eliza Brooks

This character start to finish was the most fun I've actually had roleplaying.

Starting out as a media CA's assistant and rapidly getting tangled up within the local Rebel cell along with several other cliques and groups. This character I played to have endless connections and I found one avenue of doing so to be the best.

A bar! Bar RP was certainly the best RP I could potentially offer towards the masses and I ended up growing the character on a massive scale due to it. I believe that it isnt hard to really nail BarRP however if we manage to NOT nail the mark we will almost instantly kill cityrp in general. This sort of situation needs to be handled and ensured that it can proceed.

tldr; BarRP is integral towards the success of day to day operations.

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Shoji Tsuyoshi

Scientist character also from TnB. Less than desirable ending to their story lol

Regardless of how it started or ended I do feel like a Scientist faction itself could actually HEIGHTEN the general CCA rp and give it a new aspect for the process of Transhumanization.

An incredibly good way to immerse people into a more bleak and dark approach of the setting by venturing into the relatively unexplained aspect of Overwatch biology.

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Kinslee Summers


An IdN character...For once.


This character start to finish I do believe is a great example of how going ROGUE as a CCA could work. With the CCA almost turning them into a villain and trying desperately to kill/capture them.

Being a rogue cop should be a gigantic deal and make you public enemy #1. Ontop of that my sliding into the survivors group was pretty rocky and I found myself totally immersed into the way people treated her.

tldr; Going rogue should be a gigantic thing and shouldn't ever really be forgotten by the CCA.

 

[pants]

Lucas isn't really a CityRP character, but he did have a slow PROGRESSION that I think is suitable in any environment.

Originally he started out as my joke character and he was supposed to die within a day or two as soon as I figured out a serious character-- likely due to his supernaturally bad luck. But then he got along well with Sam Waters and Karol Norin-Rudstrom and I was like "hmm maybe i'll keep this guy around"

So at first he served mostly just to help other characters who were getting left behind.

But then as Karol began planning the breakout, he evolved into a confidant role for Karol, and his friendship with Kairos became the defining Contrast between him and Karol: Karol would escape even if it meant killing Cody and Kairos to maintain operational security. His friendships with Sam Waters and Kairos Agon became a dominant personality trait-- he was committed to holding onto his humanity, and helping everyone, even when it costed him or others.

As the original fugitives from Worksite 14 slowly dropped dead one by one, Lucas also stepped up and took on a leadership role, which forced him to make hard decisions that tested his morals and his integrity.

Then, you know, the Peterovich stuff became a thing, and he (unintentionally i assume) served as a narrative foil to Lucas. Anyone that Peterovich got his hands on became less human, deadlier, even losing their own memories in the hopes of the Combine bestowing immortality upon them. At the same time, characters who spent more time around Lucas became more empathetic, merciful, and some of them came to terms with their past crimes, with some ultimately choosing to redeem themselves by laying down their lives for the freedom of humanity.

I think that's what made it a compelling character arc-- he didn't simply exist in the world, he acted on it, and it acted on him in return. Staying alive meant facing trials which made him seriously grapple with who he was, and forced him to adapt to survive.

A good character arc is personal. It involves the character's internal struggles and external struggles becoming one and the same. They might win, but they could also lose, or die. As long as they accomplish a goal, proving themselves or their beliefs, then even their overwhelming defeat can still be a satisfying climax.

Or, to summarize in terms that Joseph Campbell fans might be more familiar with--

A hero faces trials and challenges, and is meaningfully changed or transformed in the face of those challenges. Their growth as a person and their conquering of external obstacles go hand-in-hand. You can't just beat the enemy, you have to grow as a character in the process.

That's what makes a good character arc, to me. The world shaping you into who you become, and then you shaping the world right back.

In a word? CHANGE. Change makes a good arc.

A quiet character might learn to speak up.
A powerless victim might become a powerful tyrant.
A cold loner might learn to open up and care for those around him.
Or maybe, just maybe, the laughingstock of City 60 becomes a world-changing symbol of hope.