TELL ME ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER - A regular column of gamer interviews on The Escapist (www.theescapist.com) version date – Feb 06 2006 Tell Me About Your Character (TMAYC) is a new column I am adding to the site that I hope will help illustrate how gamers come from all walks of life and transcend the boundaries of sex, color, creed, class, and geography. If you're reading this, and you play tabletop role-playing games, I'd like to interview you. Here's how it works - There are several questions in the first section. I would like you to answer 20 of them. I ask that everyone answer the first four - after that, you choose which 16 questions you want to answer the most. Pick questions that will inspire you to elaborate on the subject. We want to have a peek into your real-world character, and two or three word answers aren't going to make for an interesting read. The questions you choose will also give us some insight about you, since they will reflect the subjects that are the most important to you. The second section is all about gaming. Please answer all of the questions in that section. Elaborate on any topic in either section that you like, but the entire column will have a limit of around 1200-1500 words, so try to balance your responses if possible. The last stipulation - you must include a picture of yourself, to put a face on all of this information. It must be an actual picture of you (not a drawing), in focus, and at least 150x150 pixels (just to keep the columns consistent). Bear in mind that my site is mostly a family-friendly site, and choose your picture with that in mind. I reserve the right to reject any submission that does not include an appropriate picture. I reserve the right to pitch your submission completely if the text does not meet with the family-friendly standards of the site. I also reserve the right to edit your entry for brevity and taste - but in this latter case, I'll email you first to make sure you approve. It should go without saying, but it doesn't, that by submitting your information and picture, you are giving me the authority to publish them on my website, The Escapist. If at a later time you wish to have some information, or even your entire submission removed from the site, contact me (rpgadvocate@gmail.com) and I will do so. One more thing - the questions in the general section may change without notice. I'm expecting to see suggestions and ideas for better questions once I start getting responses, and I'll add the best ones to the interview form as I get them. Check the version date at the top - if you think you might have an older copy of this interview, email me at rpgadvocate@gmail.com and request the latest set. SECTION 1 Personal info - (Remember, I'd like everyone to answer the first four. After that, choose any remaining 16 questions that you like. Also remember to elaborate when you can.) * Your name or preferred alias: * Location (be general, please): * Age: * Sex: - Family: (parents, siblings, spouse/partner, kids?) - Pets: - Religion: (be polite, please) - Political party/affiliation: (ditto) - Education: (high school and college stories can go here) - Hobbies/Activities: (besides gaming, of course) - Community service: (homeless shelters, animal rescue, etc) General personality questions - Just to test the stereotype - Have you ever lived, or are you currently living, in your parents' basement? - What is your favorite way to spend a weekend? - What is the most frightening thing you've ever done? - Which of your accomplishments are you the most happy with? - What was your first word? - What is your favorite word? - How many languages do you speak? - What is your favorite time of year, and why? - What is your most prized physical possession? - If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? - Did you have any embarassing nicknames as a kid? (Let's hear 'em, and tell us how you got them!) - What was your favorite toy as a child? - What makes you cry? - What is your favorite section of the newspaper? - Do you have a useless talent that no one else that you know can do? What is it? - What are three things you can't live without? (Yeah, we know about food, water, air, and shelter. Don't be so literal!) - If you could have one superpower - or be one superhero - which power would you pick, or which hero would you be? - What did you want to be when you grew up? - What is your favorite mode of transportation? - If you could pick any other time period to live in - including the future - which would it be, and why? - What is one thing that you regret that you would go back and change if you could? - What is the one thing you want to do before you die? - You've just purchased a small island off the coast of any continent of your choosing, and you are preparing to start your own country there. What does your flag look like? - Write your own question! Ask yourself any question that you want (remember the rules - keep it clean and tasteful!), and then answer it. Please, only do this once. SECTION 2 - Please answer all of these. They do not count against the question limit listed above. Tell us about your favorite RPG character that you've ever played. (Make sure to mention what RPG you played that character in, and for the sticklers out there, tell us the edition, if appropriate. Then, regale us with a story of his/her greatest (or worst!) exploits.) What are your favorite RPGs? What was your first RPG session like? What game did you play, and where did you play it? What was your WORST RPG session like? What made it so bad? Who is your all-time favorite person to game with? (Ties are perfectly okay - we don't want any hurt feelings.) Lastly - and this question is optional - Do you have anything gaming-related to plug? If you're looking for gamers in your area, or you're a game designer trying to get your creation known, or you have a game shop or a convention or club or product or service or whatever, feel free to plug it here, and I'll make sure it gets added to the end. When completed, send the whole shebang to rpgadvocate@gmail.com (plain text format preferred) along with your picture, and put CHARACTER QUESTIONS in the subject line. I'll drop you an email back when (and if) I post your interview. Thanks for participating!