The World of Avlis

Hello all, I'm a soon to be new Avlis player (it's been over 48 hours ) and I have a few questions regarding character descriptions and the changelings.

1. What does a changeling in its normal form look like? Bald head and grey skin is what I see in my head, but I don't really know.

2. I assume the change shape feats is based upon SetAppearance function. That being the case, when you shift into another creature, you will always look like the same creature (or any other changeling in that shape). Is that correct?

3. How do other changling PCs write up their IG description? Do you write one for just your natural shape, one for just the main shape you intend to use, a big list of all the standard shapes you might use (elf, dwarf, human, dog etc.), or something completely different.

I've always been disapointed in the NWN shifter class and this changeling race is what has drawn me to Avlis. Thanks in advance for the help.

1. What does a changeling in its normal form look like? Bald head and grey skin is what I see in my head, but I don't really know.

Im thinking your going to be told to find out IG about that one

2. I assume the change shape feats is based upon SetAppearance function. That being the case, when you shift into another creature, you will always look like the same creature (or any other changeling in that shape). Is that correct?

From what i can tell its based on what you picked as the original chracter. I know my changling cant take two different elf forms, nor two different forms of any other race, they all show up the same. When you copy and elf it just saves it as elf, not say ghost elf, or elf with any specifics.

3. How do other changling PCs write up their IG description? Do you write one for just your natural shape, one for just the main shape you intend to use, a big list of all the standard shapes you might use (elf, dwarf, human, dog etc.), or something completely different.

and ahhh... huh?
I've always been disapointed in the NWN shifter class and this changeling race is what has drawn me to Avlis. Thanks in advance for the help.[/quote]

Im thinking your going to be told to find out IG about that one

*sighs* I'll guess I'll make my first character so I can find out what it looks like then make a new one so I write up a proper description. A waste of time, but if that is what I have to do...

and ahhh... huh?

I thought my question was rather direct...An 'IG description' is when you examine another player. I use it as a way to provide a physical traits, clothing, speach, etc about your character that any person would be able to see upon approaching your PC. I take it that it is not used very often in Avlis?

Have you read the changling description by orleron?

viewtopic.php?t=32816

Other than that, I cant help you.

The natural form looks like a static Bodak... but that would be a pretty odd thing to put in the description since they don't like being seen in that form.

Does that answer what you wanted?

For an in-game description I wouldn't put anything for a changling, because it is very unlikely you will be seen in an un-altered state.
Most changling players leave it blank.

*reads original thread more carefully*

2. I assume the change shape feats is based upon SetAppearance function. That being the case, when you shift into another creature, you will always look like the same creature (or any other changeling in that shape). Is that correct?

this one isn't really world info but... you'll look like that base creature, yes, with two caveats:

If it's static, you know exactly what you will look like.

If it's dynamic, you will be the sex you chose at character creation (even though icly the race is neither), with the head number corresponding to whatever you chose (hint... stick to a low numbered head so you don't have any forms that leave you headless). Not sure about skin colour, I believe that is always now very pale.

Draegloth wrote:Have you read the changling description by orleron?

viewtopic.php?t=32816

Other than that, I cant help you.

Yes I did but that doesn't really say anything about how it looks.

Gairus wrote:The natural form looks like a static Bodak... but that would be a pretty odd thing to put in the description since they don't like being seen in that form.

Does that answer what you wanted?

Yes it does, thanks.

Sickocrow wrote:For an in-game description I wouldn't put anything for a changling, because it is very unlikely you will be seen in an un-altered state.
Most changling players leave it blank.

I'd like to be able to give a description about what the character will look like in various standard form races (although that would make a long description!) but maybe I'll just leave it blank...it going to feel so wrong not writing a description.

Gairus wrote: this one isn't really world info but... you'll look like that base creature, yes, with two caveats:

If it's static, you know exactly what you will look like.

If it's dynamic, you will be the sex you chose at character creation (even though icly the race is neither), with the head number corresponding to whatever you chose (hint... stick to a low numbered head so you don't have any forms that leave you headless). Not sure about skin colour, I believe that is always now very pale.

Okay, thanks for the help.

Trust me...leave it blank...if you write a description for every race you will possibly take the form of, no one will read it. And nothing is weirder than seeing a fairy floating around, and then reading a description like "this 5'0 fat round dwarf loves ale, and smells llike it regularly". I put a very vague description for mine, but even that turned out to not work so well. The characters without a description are the most appealing from an RP standpoint, in my opinion.

Yeah, the description is OOC info anyway and you don't want to give away you're changeling immediately, even ooc. I actually hardly ever use the examine option, if I want to know something about you, I'll ask.

Li'll Divvil wrote:Yeah, the description is OOC info anyway and you don't want to give away you're changeling immediately, even ooc. I actually hardly ever use the examine option, if I want to know something about you, I'll ask.

The description is not OOC. If someone has a description that says they have one eye and is missing an ear - then that is something that you would be able to tell by looking at them.

Many people use the description as a way to flesh out the looks of their character in a way that the avatar can't reflect. This is the sort of information that you would get from looking at them - so I have no idea how it could be consider ooc.

Some people do put OOC information in their description but that doesn't mean the description itself is OOC.

I would leave the description blank. You can not possibly know now in advance how your character will develop, which form he/she will normally take, etc. And a changeling definitely does not like to be seen in their natural form, so you wouldn't put that either.

My advice: leave blank

Xerah wrote:I'd like to be able to give a description about what the character will look like in various standard form races (although that would make a long description!) but maybe I'll just leave it blank...it going to feel so wrong not writing a description.

If you really feel the need to wrote about your character, then maybe you could create an entry in the Character Journals section (viewforum.php?f=159). This would give you a space to let your descriptive side loose

Maybe you could make a new entry in your character's journal for each new form you take. Describe what he looks like, how the form feels, etc.

Be warned though that the Character Journals Section is public domain, it is not private. It's like you are writing a diary and leave it lying around for everyone to read. So, to avoid declaring yourself as a changling don't sign it, or give too much away.

Xerah wrote:I thought my question was rather direct...An 'IG description' is when you examine another player. I use it as a way to provide a physical traits, clothing, speach, etc about your character that any person would be able to see upon approaching your PC. I take it that it is not used very often in Avlis?

The problem is that clothes change, some people even change the way they talk, and of course a changeling can change everything

I personally don't like to put things like, "brown hair, 5'6", a stoop and dirty shoes". I find it unispired and doesn't add to the game particularly. Hair colour is shown in NWN, heights are all the same for each race/gender in NWN, and I might have cleaned my shoes today

In my experience the description is not widely used in Avlis, it is usually left to the good role-player to describe themselves with emotes, e.g. *Sam runs his fingers through his greasy brown hair*, *Sam tries to tidy-up by rubbing some of the mud off his old shoes*.

Dirk Cutlass wrote:In my experience the description is not widely used in Avlis, it is usually left to the good role-player to describe themselves with emotes, e.g. *Sam runs his fingers through his greasy brown hair*, *Sam tries to tidy-up by rubbing some of the mud off his old shoes*.

Personally, I use the description a lot. Although, if someone uses there description to tell their life story I suaully read it but can do nothing with it IC.

I would have to disagree that good roleplayers are the ones who give very detailed emotes. As I know some players who give very detailed emotes when they are decide to try and roleplay and the rest of the time they barely rp at all. With some I get the impression that they are trying to overcompensate when they are in rp mode.

On the other hand I know some great roleplayers who don't feel the need to write an essay everytime they decide to emote.

IMO the description field has it's place. It allows you to get a visual feel for the person that you would get in rl by just looking at them. I use it everytime I meet a new character, just to see if there is anything I should pick up on. If I look at someone and his description states he has "Elves must die" tattooed on his chest... it would be silly of me to approach him in a friendly manner as my main is an elf.

Kareth wrote:

Dirk Cutlass wrote:In my experience the description is not widely used in Avlis, it is usually left to the good role-player to describe themselves with emotes, e.g. *Sam runs his fingers through his greasy brown hair*, *Sam tries to tidy-up by rubbing some of the mud off his old shoes*.

I would have to disagree that good roleplayers are the ones who give very detailed emotes. As I know some players who give very detailed emotes when they are decide to try and roleplay and the rest of the time they barely rp at all. With some I get the impression that they are trying to overcompensate when they are in rp mode.

On the other hand I know some great roleplayers who don't feel the need to write an essay everytime they decide to emote.

Sure. I wasn't trying to say "that good roleplayers are the ones who give very detailed emotes", not at all. The converse if often true.

I was simply trying to say, that my experience of Avlis is that I learn about people from the interaction with them (actions, emotes, what they say) rather than reading the description. In fact, I hardly ever read a description, so the interaction is my only source of information.

Some people have obviously put a lot of work into describing their look, and it really helps generate a solid mental picture of what you see when you meet the character.

Others use the description field to tell their characters lifestory, their characters outlook on life, maybe even to try and sell their car.

There are a lot of bad desciptions out there, but there are a lot of good ones.

Kareth wrote:Some people have obviously put a lot of work into describing their look, and it really helps generate a solid mental picture of what you see when you meet the character.

Others use the description field to tell their characters lifestory, their characters outlook on life, maybe even to try and sell their car.

There are a lot of bad desciptions out there, but there are a lot of good ones.

*makes mental note to start reading some more of these*

* still angry about being a complete newb and letting the generic description*

But after all its so neutral.... at least it should state sex and race (where it aplies) for the most, to avoid painful (often OOC in the midle of an event) situations like:

*Me is being beaten badly*

*a friend* -let the poor human down!
*me* - *spitting out some teeth* Halth-Elth pleathse!

the above is fictional, not personal and has as an aim education....

Leaving the generic description is worse when you have a custom race. As it uses the one for the base class. So you assume that they are a half-elf from their description but they turn out be a half-nymph.

The description has its place for some generic information, like race (obviously not a concern for a changeling). Dwarves are easy to identify at a glance, but lots of times I have a hard time distinguishing between humans and elves (let alone half-elves, half-nymphs, etc.), because I usually can't get my camera in position to get a good look at the ears, and the portraits aren't always much help either. I have the same problems distinguishing between halflings and gnomes. That wouldn't necessarily be an issue for most people, but since my character prefers to refer to folks by the name of their race in conversation, I really appreciate it when people go to the trouble of furnishing a cursory description.