That's right! I've got a new one for you that recently came to mind when discussing with Beff.

We all know the traditional view about the skill of PCs to NPCs, and other implementation there-in. But then we began to discuss what's the difference between a PC and a NPC. And I would really want to know what the community would think on it.

What is the difference between a PC and NPC?

When does a NPC begin to be counted as a PC?

Like, I myself have largely viewed Chao and Wu as NPCs but Beff made the case that they've been pretty developed on their own and that there could be a case that they'd be PCs. But what makes the difference? Does a PC come into existance with the creation of an account? The declaration of them being PCs? Or just the generally acceptance of the community of them being PCs now rather than NPCs?

How quickly does a PC come into creation? After all, we know how in fleeting encounters we say the PC wins against the NPC so if a PC is easy to whip up, what keeps someone from pulling out a fresh PC for every encounter?

And yes. These are the type of philosophical debates that keep me up at night. Kinda like the ol' Alliance or Horde debate. But that's for another thread. >_>

When you start taunting other players with the 'You can't kill him argument'

This is something that should easily be in white and black. It hardly matters how much you've developed them, the NPC and PC has been clearly defined for years.

Quick everyone! A million credits for the first to Kill Wu!

:P

*kills Wu*

credits now?

I agree with Logan in that the difference is well-defined. However, the problem comes when you get into individual cases. For example, some of my SS guys are becoming pretty well-developed. Cases to consider are Racen Selere, Captain Typton, and Myec Lomax. However, while I have the intention of eventually developing them to character level, I would not consider them at that level yet.

On the other hand, if your developed NPC is fighting a newb PC, who actually wins? If the NPC is much more experienced/developed than the PC, what actually happens?

IMO, I think that the storyline wins. Let me explain. If TRF were still based on the old system, I can see the use of such rules as PC always beats NPC because it actually mattered. Now, though, since TRF has evolved into what I would consider (again, imo) a semi-realistic collaborative writing project/game, whether or not one individual or group wins should be subject to the needs of the storyline. Does a loss or victory help or hinder TRF as a community? That should be the question asked. At least IMO.

Really, unless you plan to have the story as a 'let's wait and see', then you should probably already have it planned out roughly as to what is to happen, and who is to win, etc.

*makes every campaign into a Mortality argument*

With one or two exceptions (such as the guy I'm using in the Bothan Space thread) I always upgrade my experienced and well developed NPCs into PCs when they reach that point. Say, if I've used them in nine or ten threads, or have done storyline arcs involving their background, etc.

For me a NPC becomes a PC when I actually come up with a background for them beyond what was written in the RP itself (may or may not be revealed in RP itself) and/or when I start developing side stories/plots with them. I had to convert a few NPCs into PCs due to this. I'll give some examples.

Sillis, a K'Satikur warrior was originally just supposed to be a named warrior. Then I come up with his relation to (now) Vice Admiral Tiosk and his auto-immune diesase among other things. He's a full PC now.

Tiskus, a Trandoshan cyborg, was created to help along one of the plot lines. Ideas about his background started cropping up in my head and plus he's just an interesting concept I really want to keep around. So right now he's considered a borderline PC.

Konik, Tiosk's second-command, is still a full NPC as I haven't thought up anything for his background or centered elements of a plotline around him. He's a guy I would to keep around, but I won't cry if I desided to kill him off during a story.