Judges
The judging panel will consist of a group with diverse tastes and ideas of what makes a cool character. Each judge has written a short summary of what they look for in characters.
Politically Correct ABC Order!
Alienarose
I'm Alienarose, though I usually go simply by Aliena here and there. I also enjoy reading about people's original characters, especially when they're presented in such a way as to really bring them alive to me. My hobbies include drawing, reading, playing piano and composing, singing, and writing.
For reading, I'm into all genres pretty much without discrimination. I can't read all of one type of book for a very long time or I get bored, so I usually mix it up by reading a little of each interchangeably...a little fantasy, suspense, drama, mystery, romance, sci-fi, humor, classics, etc. With RPing, I've tradtionally done it mainly in an fantasy setting because those seem the ones with the least amount of boundaries.
What I like:
First of all, multidimensional characters. Ones who have different facets of their personalities. I like characters who have obvious flaws and weaknesses and I like these traits to really get in the way sometimes. While there are characters out there who really have people-personalities and seem to do no wrong, the ones much more interesting to me are the ones who get irritated easily or who annoy the heck out of others and whatnot. I'm also a HUGE sucker for tragedy. No, not everyone has to die, but I do love situations that become very trying and impossible for characters. Yet, at the same time, I love humor to be sprinkled in among all the heaviness.
Hakubaikou
For me, the most fascinating characters are ones who are complex and unpredictable, yet consistent and true to their own natures.
If I think of good and evil as two opposite ends of a spectrum, then I tend to like characters that are somewhere inbetween. I like good characters with a little badness to them and evil characters with a little goodness to them. Just enough of the opposite traits to keep me on my toes as I read about them. Just enough so that I can't always guess exactly what they're going to do. I like an element of surprise, of mystery, of complication.
But all this has to still remain true to the character's central being. I have to find their actions and reactions believable and true despite the surprise.
I also look very much at a character's environment. Where did they grow up? How were they cared for (or not cared for) as children? What kind of world did they grow up in, and how did that shape them? How did other people's perceptions of them shape them? And is this all consistent and believable with their ultimate personality?
As long as a characters remain true to themselves, I don't care whether they're super skilled at anything or whether they're the Greatest Hero Ever or the Most Evil Villain Ever or the Most Tragic Heroine Ever. If written well, the most seemingly ordinary of characters can be fascinating, especially when placed in extraordinary circumstances. I love watching such characters deal with the unknown, seeing how their personalities grow from (or are crushed by) their experiences.
I suppose, then, I consider a character's surroundings as much as I consider the characters themselves. After all, the world in which a person lives has a great effect in how they develop. I look at the whole package. No matter what genre, no matter how good or bad the character is, if the whole package is unpredictable/original yet believable and grounded in its own truths, then I'm all for it.
Unpredictability and verisimilitude, all wrapped up in one.
Kimaya
Hi! I am your hostess and I am a character lover. I am pretty easy to please character wise but I also love a well made character. I enjoy meeting people's make believe personas and learning how they went about making them what they are. My hobbies are all sort of central/connected: I like to write, do art, game, read and roleplay.
For reading and roleplay, I enjoy almost everything. And I do mean everything! While I favor high fantasy, I also enjoy suspense, horror, mystery,sci-fi and more. I have a soft spot for children's stories, and comic, whimsical characters (I love annoying characters). If I had to choose genres which I avoid, I can only really think of one (ok maybe two): modern war. I get very bored of modern war stories concerning subs, tanks, nuclear warheads and military decisions. I will read romance, but I am not drawn to it in particular.
What I like:
I enjoy characters who are aware of their own morality in some way: good, bad, or an internal struggle. For character roles and setting... I like charismatic, political, corrupt and noble character roles. If I had to choose a character type I've noticed I prefer, it would be the characters you love to hate. The ones who are so awful but still manage to draw you. I love it when you find yourself cheering for the "bad guys" without realizing it.
"Cliche" stuff is ok by me. Vampires, fairies, dragons, demons, angels, . What interests me in characters has a lot less to do with the settings/race and more to do with what is done with them - their personalities, internal makeup, and how developed they are and the stories they are a part of.
What I don't like:
I don't like characters that make no sense or are only an effort to make something that no one else thought of just for the sake of being able to say your character is 'unique', Striving for non cliche or unique characters is great as long as you do the rest of it. I want to be able to say: "Oh, I get it!" Eventually.
Pink
My main impression of a character is usually very visceral. Characters that come to grow on me appeal to this, too. When we meet characters in stories, sometimes we don't get their entire backstory up front but we still have to "interact" with them; it's like dealing with real people. My philosophy is that theoretically any character can be argued to be awesome, so arguing about it doesn't do much-- It only works if I'm already swayed on a gut level. When reading books or watching movies, most people don't stop to reflect on why they like characters. They usually know that they just -do-. Creators can't chase their audience down the street and say, "But why don't you like XXX? I spent so much time researching Amazon jungle society just so I could get her just right..."
It doesn't matter to me that characters are simple or complex because of this. Are we watching an innocent bystander whose house constantly gets smashed by superheroes? Are we watching someone who controls the fate of the universe? doesn't matter to me. :3 A good combination of concept, execution, and a character's relatability keeps these things in check.
Setting is a bit of a second-class citizen to me. I'm not talking about events in a character's life that drives them to do whatever it is that they do (because it's often tied into a specific world), I'm talking about the actual, physical place where they exist. It may be a really interesting world that I've never seen before, but that doesn't necessarily mean it'll endear me to a character. For example one of my favorite comics is set in a really unique universe, but when pressed to name my favorite character I can't do it.
What I dislike is pretty simple: lack of insight. Often enough this is where cliché and predictability come from.
Tsukiyono
My name on Gaia is Tsukiyono, and most of my other internet aliases are either the same name or a variation of it. Anyone is welcome to call me Tsuki for short though. My artistic loves are working on my webcomic "Patches", screenprinting, writing, and crafting. Hobby wise I enjoy reading copious amounts of shoujo manga/comics, playing video games, watching movies and exploring classic literature to name a few.
For reading genres I like reading a lot of Austen-esque romances, fantasy, and a little suspense filled horror every now and again. RP-wise though I'll play most anything, sci-fi, fantasy, modern, detective, horror, and etc... granted that the story is good.
wink
Character-wise, I enjoy multifaceted characters with rich backgrounds and interesting goals. I'd like to know what their strengths and weaknesses are, what their true nature is in comparison to their everyday demeanor, what do they love or hate, any weird habits they have and so on...
Characters with history are also a plus for me. I want to know where they are from, who their family was, how was family life, what were important turning points in their lives and so on. I feel a character's history shapes who they are currently and gives an idea of where they might go next.
I also like to know that they have personal goals, and to see them working towards their goals and finally accomplishing them. I think goals give a character an aim or focus and keeps them moving forward and developing. I also think character goals can really enrich a storyline and take it in new and exciting directions.
The only things I dislike in regards to characters are Mary Sues, or characters that people have tried to make so unique, that the character is so weighed down by this "uniquness" that the true character gets lost behind all of the jewelry. I think it's ok to be a little cliche once in a while.....but just a little. My final pet peeve is illogical race mixing.
Woefulinfinity
My name on Gaia is WoefulInfinity, but everywhere else that's not real-life, I go by MingYun. It's my real Chinese name, so don't think I'm one of those Asian -wannabe types who names themselves after something they think is cool (or some sort of anime character). But if you're really interested, it means "always growing" "good growth" or something along those lines.
I do a lot of art, mostly in pencil, and I'll be giving away some art prizes for you dogs lucky enough to please me. But that's not all I do - I wouldn't be here giving away free art if I didn't like OCs. I've done a decent bit of writing, mostly fantasy and modern fiction. I actually got into art because I wanted to draw my novel characters. But now, I'll always be doing art, not so sure of the writing side anymore.
I don't like characters just made to look cool or be a better version of yourself. I prefer characters with stories whom are shaped by those stories whom aren't afraid to mess up once in awhile but are still good people deep down. My pet peeve is characters with absolutely set outfits - especially super detailed ones with a million scars, tattoos, and piercings that have to be in very specific places. I lean towards realism and things that aren't over the top.
I'm critical and nitpicky, but I will reward effort. Even if I do like you, I can be terribly blunt. So if you're afraid of callous words, you probably shouldn't talk to me. But I'm not that mean! It's not always intentional - I swear.
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