Character Role Catalog
Introduction
In roleplaying games each character give the player a role or part to play. However, those character can have a number of roles of their own. In fact, characters can switch roles depending on the situations they find themselves in.
The Role Call section is a collection of possible character roles, grouped by what they focus on. The purpose of this list in to provide ideas for character or class design and well as provoking thought on what other roles a character could have that aren't seen as often.
The Theory section is an open area for breaking down the role system and reflection on how it can be used in designing game systems.
Defining Roles
Dictionary.com gives a good starting point for defining character roles (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/role):
- Role
- 1.a part or character played by an actor or actress.
- 2.proper or customary function: the teacher's role in society.
- 3.Sociology. the rights, obligations, and expected behavior patterns associated with a particular social status.
The first definition makes role synonymous with character. Since we're focusing on what roles a character can have, we'll be focusing on the later two definitions. As such, we'll define character roles as packages or templates that describe the character's function, abilities, duties, and/or expectations.
Role Call
This section is currently being filled out from discussion in the Game Design forums here (http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=501355).
The current topic being looked at is how the roles in the thread can be broken in groups.
Theory
This section is currently being filled out from discussion in the Game Design forums here (http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=501355).
The first topic to be move in will probably be a list of what kinds of questions roles may answer about a character.
