How to define an NPC

Taking the information from the previous post, we can see that an NPC is defined by the level of depth they are given which is dependent on the amount of contact and importance the NPC plays in the story. So how do you go about developing NPCs of different levels? And what needs to be decided before they successfully fit into each category? The good news is that each category is a linear progression from the previous one, which allows us to "upgrade" any NPC from one category to another simply by fleshing them out further. This in turn makes our job easier in the event that a "promotion" is required, or when someone needs to fill the place of an important NPC who is no longer part of the story.

The Extra

By starting from the most fundamental aspects of a being we are able to construct the extra from the ground up. This is done through a series of questions which allow us to slowly build up a picture of the entity to the point where we are able to actually create them for real in the game world.

Question 1: What are they?

The first and most obvious question is what the entity is. What race/sub-race are they, what is their basic creature type and what is their gender. All of this is considered genetic information which was passed to them at birth and which is considered immutable and unchangeable.

Question 2: Where did they grow up?

This question may not be so obvious, but it is the next most important question none the less. Where did this entity spend the majority of their time growing up. Initially this information describes the place of their birth and thus the culture that they were born into. This however may be different to where they spent the most of their time growing up, which would indicate their actual culture and thus may provide some differences to the underlying racial type. For our Extras this will generally correlate to the place of their birth as we don't usually want the background "filler" to be too diverse. It is after all there to capture the culture of the location.
Question 3: What is their name?

They have to be called something, and now that we know where they spent most of their time growing up, it only stands to reason that their name should generally come from that culture. The structure of the name, its style and form indicate a lot about a person. We are not just talking about a straight forward name here, but the connotations of what it implies as well. Even a name like "John Smith" implies that they have parents who share common ancestry, "John Smith III" indicates a lineage, "King John Smith" indicates royalty, "Jahhonn the Firewalker" indicates a cultural name, and "John Smith of Eagle Tribe" indicates their place in the world. Each culture may have a specific way in which names are generated and these bring with them connotations of relationships with other people. For our extras these will be common or generic names which may apply to that culture and to the social standing to which they belong.

Question 4: What do they do?

Their purpose in life. This basically sums up "who" they are. Everyone has to have some purpose in life, whether it is their profession, the function they perform for the tribe, the station to which they were born or even the simple fact that they are now a beggar on the street. This has a profound effect on how they are portrayed as different vocations imply different styles of living. What they wear, what they carry, how they speak, how they regard themselves and others around them stems from what their purpose in life is. In some cases this may bring with it character levels, whether their purpose is as an adventurer or whether they are simple professionals who have taken character levels which suit their job.

The Supporting Cast

With the 4 most important questions out of the way we now come to upgrading someone to the status of being a supporting cast member. These people are no longer faceless and they do not just blend into the crowd like everyone else. They now have a certain level of persistence and permanency as they are seen frequently. At this level other questions arise which need to be answered in order to make them more than just extras.

Question 5: Where do they work?

While previously we found out what they do, this was never given an actual place. As such the types of jobs they had were common jobs where the place is not fixed. One of the key factors that makes these people more than just extras is the place where they work. This is a permanent place which they will go to every day for the purpose of carrying out the tasks they have to perform. This position has been specifically coded for and fits into their daily lives.

Question 6: Where do they live?

As part of being part of the supporting cast they now gain a fixed address. This is what gives them permanency in the world and what makes them truly part. When they are not working and are not out doing things then this is where they will reside. Here they may have family or live with other people, all of which become supporting cast members as well. This fleshes out the entity and makes them more realistic because they do not just exist as a shallow figure, but instead have an actual life in the world. They can take partners, have children, grow old and retire, do everything.

Question 7: What are they like?

Now we start getting down to the nitty gritty. These people are real beings and thus they have their own characteristics which make them who they are. What are they like as people, what kind of personalities do they have? As only certain personality types are suited to specific jobs, this can only be established after the job has been decided in order to make it consistent and believable. The personality then comes to life when you interact with them and they will maintain a relationship with you which may change over time depending on how they are treated. Unlike the masses who react to you based on the overall societal view of who you are (based on rumour and reputation), these people may have differing opinions of you based on their own personal contact. They of course may start with the common belief, but slowly over time, the more you interact with them the more their view may change and they can even start influencing others based on their experience.

Question 8: What is their story?

They are still only supporting cast and thus while they must appear to be living they are still not fully fledged leading actors. They should have a story, a general background which provides enough detail to make it interesting but not enough to burden the system with information that isn't really necessary. They are not historical figures, or those of importance and thus will not be referenced in any history or major events, nor have any of these events in their passed unless they simply took part as one of the masses.

The Leading Actors

Up until now they have just been giving the perception of really existing. Enough information has been gathered to place them in the world at all times, and they have been given enough autonomy and personality to make them remember those they come across and function in the world. They are not however pivotal characters who form part of the fabric of the game world, or whole crucial positions or actually take part in events that happen. This is the realm of the leading actors. This is what sets them apart from everyone else and makes them truly woven into the fabric of the game world itself.

Question 9: What is their history?

These people have played a role in the shaping of the world. They are the heroes and villains, the key figures that not only took part in things that have happened, but are remembered and known by all to have played these parts. The exploits and actions of their passed contribute to the events of the world and as these events are defined, these people are named. Thus they build up a history of who they are and what they have accomplished. Some of this may be public knowledge which can be found in any good history book or by asking the local citizens, while other parts may be secret or hidden and only discovered through musty tomes or careful investigation.

Question 10: What is special about them?

These people are unique to the world and have things that no other NPCs may have. This could include their own clothes, armour, weapons or magic items, or it could mean personal effects like family jewelery, journals, books and the like. These things are what make them stand out from everyone else as it gives them a sense of ownership and uniqueness to the world.

Question 11: What do they have to say?

Being unique they also need a unique dialog, one that matches their personality and is tailored specifically to them. It makes them different to everyone else and enables the characters to learn information that only this person knows.