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randomtask

Inspiration - Where do you get your ideas.

Hi all!

Mainly as a sop to my intense boredom at work. I thought I'd post on the board a bit and chat to you all!

Basically I'm wondering where you guys find your inspiration. I and a few friends (*potentially* My Crew, Bwa ha ha! Who hopefully be joining up to the forums) Were discussing character concepts. And I realised that my concept (completely not passed by the refs at this point in time) is essentially a darker version of Moist Von Lipwig, of Terry Pratchett fame!

Be it magazines, films, books, or even the desire to create something that you have never seen before that drives your creation process?

Also, for anyone who I haven't had the fortune to chat to, Hi!

AlexT.
BrazenRogue

Hey everyone.

My names Gaf, one of RandomTask's potential crewmen. I've been having a look around, and I'm really liking the look of everything! So I figured I'd best introduce myself, as with any luck come the next event I'll be sharing a few brews with you all.

And so as not to go completely off Alex's topic, I haven't much of a clue where my inspiration is comming from, not least because I haven't settled on any one of the fifteen thousand concepts I've got buzzing around my head.

But I would advise anyone to check out the TV series Deadwood for some inspiration. Granted, its a hell of a lot darker than firefly, but its got some amazing visuals, and it pretty much kicks butt on its own.
randomtask

Damn straight you better keep on topic *Waves fist* Its not too late to start ruling by fear y'know!
Jeff Milhaven

My inspiration was kit driven.
I knew the equipment I wanted to build (actual-rotating-barrelled minigun for the win) and the armour I wanted to wear.
Which reminds me, I must finish my how-to...

Beyond that, it came down to a group discussion on the direction of the crew.

Next character is more concept driven, but my captain has forbidden me from getting killed  Twisted Evil
BrazenRogue

Hasn't even finalised the crew roster and already he's bossing me about...

I do kit driven as well. Sometimes you get an image in your head, or you see some kit somewhere, and you just know you'll look awesome. Its not usually too hard to figure out a blinding character to go with it.

And I saw the how to on that mini gun of yours. Looks amazing. I might have to have a crack at one, reckon it'd look amazing on my mantlepiece...
randomtask

See, this is why I need to build a rocket launcher. I shall call it 'The Stompin' Boot' and lo, it shalt be glorious!

Hi Jeff, Gotta say, love your work on the floorplans and 3d ship pictures. I've done floorplans myself (for the RPG) and yours blow mine out of the water!

One question though, are the floorplans done in Photoshop?
JennyScott

I got my character idea for Serenity by joining the crew before I played my first game.  That way I got to see the game in its entirety and play several characters who had widely different purposes and personalities.  After a really good first game, I asked the refs if I could keep my favourite crew role when I came back as a player, and they very kindly said that I could.
That way I got to leap feet first into the game with a whole bunch of friends and deadly enemies all prepared Smile
randomtask

Sounds good. I'd like to crew potentially at my second event. Once I've managed to chuck myself in whilst playing.

I'm sure Gaf and I will acumilate lots of deadly enemies - er - I mean friends Very Happy as well!
Jeff Milhaven

randomtask wrote:
Hi Jeff, Gotta say, love your work on the floorplans and 3d ship pictures. I've done floorplans myself (for the RPG) and yours blow mine out of the water!

Very Happy
Always nice to get praise.
randomtask wrote:
One question though, are the floorplans done in Photoshop?

Paintshop Pro. All based off the firefly one, which i found on the 'net.

Ship line drawings are chopped up versions of ship blueprints i also found on the net, with most ships being a composite of two or three different designs.

3d images are photoshopped versions of, again, stuff i found on the net, with the exception of the Chariots, for which I butchered a couple of 3d models i downloaded and stuck into Bryce, with paintshop touchup.
randomtask

Jeff Milhaven wrote:
Paintshop Pro. All based off the firefly one, which i found on the 'net.

Ship line drawings are chopped up versions of ship blueprints i also found on the net, with most ships being a composite of two or three different designs.


Nyah! Wish I'd thought of that. I just adapted my old dungeon making techniques (best summed up here) with GIMP. Just grabbing any old ship pictures to use as the base, most of the ships were based on eve ships actually.

Good stuff on the 3d ones. I've got no idea where to even start with those!
Lee Shaw

Quote:
Basically I'm wondering where you guys find your inspiration.


I flipped through the skill list until something triggered synapses.  Not so much in terms of stats, but plenty of the 'Seasoned/Virtuoso' skills (in the character advancement section) have nice evocative names Very Happy
randomtask

Lee Shaw wrote:
Quote:
Basically I'm wondering where you guys find your inspiration.


I flipped through the skill list until something triggered synapses.  Not so much in terms of stats, but plenty of the 'Seasoned/Virtuoso' skills (in the character advancement section) have nice evocative names Very Happy


Ha ha, Yeah, I get that as well... Although for me it was the idea of running about with a rocket launcher.

Now all I need is a section of drainpipe, some other misc bits and a load of gray paint and I'll be laughing. Quite literally, along the lines of...

BWA HA HA Ha ha haaa!
BrazenRogue

Knowing you personally buddy, I have to say I'm not entirely comfortable with the idea of you and long-ranged explosive weapons...
randomtask

You'll be fine as long as you are behind me...

...well, probably fine...

...a bit better off...

...only slightly chargrilled...

...Well. You get the picture anyway.  Razz
Xian Fei Kalavati

I just wanted to be a companion and wear pretties! Im not really into the big guns anyway,prefering the knife in your back approach, so it works.
randomtask

Hee hee, Thats cool. Companions are the poshest ladies in the Galaxy. And (according to the Firefly wiki) the most politically dangerous!
BrazenRogue

Yep. Thats the first thing that comes to mind when I think of companions. Political danger.

Out of interest, and completely unrelated of course, does the investment skill absolutely have to be spent on things like boats?
randomtask

BrazenRogue wrote:
Yep. Thats the first thing that comes to mind when I think of companions. Political danger.


Watch it Gaf, remember. You haven't got a reputation with these guys yet!  Very Happy
Coben Dane

My merit and flaw were pretty much what helped to define my character - I knew I wanted Coben to be a good brawler, so I took Mean Left Hook so he'd be laying out Double Strikes, and then chose an interesting flaw.  I also wanted him to be a doctor (though not up to surgeon level).  From those I wrote up a background that could lead to said merit and flaw, chose skills accordingly, and that was pretty much that.  Except then I changed his role from medic to captain, so changed half of his skills and the flaw, while keeping most of the background and adding a bit more.

Quite an organic process really - hardest part was naming him!  That said, I still don't know which of two flaws to give him.  I might take both, even though I'll only get the bonus points for one.  Laughing
BrazenRogue

I hate naming characters as well. I'll spend as much time as possible agonising over the name, change it a thousand times, and then usually change it in the car on the way to site...

The merit and flaws system in this rulebook are pretty damn cool, actually. Normally I pick a concept, then add skills and stuff to fit. But most of the rules here are so character driven, after a few flicks through the book and I had about twenty thousand character concepts!

Which is great, because it means I won't get too disapointed if I get killed within ten seconds of landing!
randomtask

I think my Character name was the first thing I came up with!
XavierYu

Living in China for seven months was probably quite influential in choosing Sihnon as my homeworld...
BrazenRogue

I hope thats not too much the case. I'm about to move to Ireland, and the last thing anyone wants is me playing a traditional Irish pikey stereotype.

Is there a merit that makes you better at everything the more you drink?
Coben Dane

If not, can I suggest the name "Drunken Master"?  Laughing
BrazenRogue

Ah, the Irish put such a decent spin on the old drunken master concept.

Regardless of the final character concept, drunken will likely be in there somewhere. Maybe not so much Drunken Master as Drunken Bastard, but who knows!
randomtask

BrazenRogue wrote:
Ah, the Irish put such a decent spin on the old drunken master concept.

Regardless of the final character concept, drunken will likely be in there somewhere. Maybe not so much Drunken Master as Drunken Bastard, but who knows!


Ho ho!

{Insert 'at least you'll be playing to your strongest attributes' joke here}

Twisted Evil
Xian Fei Kalavati

XavierYu wrote:
Living in China for seven months was probably quite influential in choosing Sihnon as my homeworld...


What were you doin in China?
XavierYu

Xian Fei Kalavati wrote:
What were you doin in China?


Teaching English. It was brilliant fun, and I heartily recommend it to people. But not for more than 6 months. It's great when it's new and interesting, and you need time to experience it all. But it does get a bit wearing... I was meant to be on a 12 month contract, and hit the wall so came home early!

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