thread: 2006-01-17 : More Character Co-ownership
On 2006-01-17, Piers wrote:
It is not only important, but necessary—particularly the 'in the head' bit.
In the head backstory is like something on the character sheet you never use, with the added complication that it's where no-one else can see it, such that one of the main times it gets invoked is when someone contradicts it. All backstory has to be linked to a cue which is available to others, otherwise you are just heading for dysfunction.
I suppose the real question is, 'what's the effect of not being allowed to make backstory, aside from as part of a way of organizing how it is made such that the backstory is functional?' To which, I guess I'd say, it makes you immerse differently: you have to play in a way which jettisons the idea that you make choices because of the way the character is. Rather, you make choices you want as a player.
