I choose a concept that fits the setting/genre and premise, and is of interest to me. Then I bend the chargen system to fit (which is why I have no time whatsoever for random chargen, I make my characters, I do not simply take whatever the system hands to me).

Quote from: RPGPundit;603479It helps, for starters, to avoid the problem you get from an important percentage of players in non-randomized games, where they basically keep making the same one or two characters over and over again.  

Is that really a problem? If they're having fun, they're having fun, right?

At any rate if they swap back and forth between two alternatives what's the issue?

I mean, you could have a 10-year campaign with the same characters... so why not ten 1-year campaigns in each of which players A, B and C play versions of characters X, Y and Z? And even more so why not ten 1-year campaigns in each of which players A, B and C play versions of characters X (and M), Y (and N) and Z (and O) respectively? [Depending on how narrowly drawn and distinctive those character concepts are I suppose.] I mean if you had a 10-year campaign, you'd be getting more or less the same roleplay from each player for 10 whole years, subject to character development over time, if that happens...

So I'm not accepting that there's necessarily an issue, or as significant an issue as you perhaps imply.

But...

Say I'm wrong. If anything is an issue it's surely that players A, B and C keep playing characters with different versions of personalities X, Y and Z, and not that they keep playing characters with different versions of stat-sets X, Y and Z. Why should it matter that Andy B. always plays a dwarven fighter, if only each dwarven fighter could have a different and interesting personality? And how can you "fix" the players' preference for a certain personality or tendency to play that personality - without storygamey personality mechanics?

Quote from: RPGPundit;603479The randomness fuels everyone's creativity.

Ooh... "creativity"... I wonder what your views are on the "importance" of "creativity" in a roleplaying game...

Quote from: ZWEIHÄNDER;602594I've seen several threads over the months here, which seems to divide the community into two separate groups. Some players prefer to define their character's personality strengths and moral flaws first, whereas others prefer to create their attributes, select a race and class and then determine their personality.

... Which do you consider first and foremost in the character creation process?

IMHO, YMMV, it's not really a question of splitting your character sheet into (1) stats and (2) personality/morals and doing one first and then the other. The two may be in many ways interlinked, depending on the logic of the setting and the aims of the game experience. You have to split them each into chunks and do a bit of one, then a bit of the other, then back to doing a bit more of the one, then a bit more of the other, and sometimes a bit of both at the same time. [Even if you try to leave one of them till play starts, the other one may have some implications for it.]

Some things may include elements of both stats and personality/morals at the same time, e.g. the choice to play...

--- a paladin (thus righteous, noble-spirited, goodly, honourable - but also a warrior-type with holy magic)

--- a wizard (thus a bookish type who is at least willing to put up with having to spend long hours studying for the sake of magic, power and/or knowledge - and obviously having magical powers)

--- a priest/cleric (thus someone who is a fervent-enough believer in a faith to spend their life dedicated to religious practices, but also, in many systems, someone who has priestly magic, and also in any system someone who is likely to have theological knowledge, be literate, etc. - in the modern world priests are taught about psychology etc.)

--- a thief (thus, if the name of the class/archetype be taken literally, someone who is at least interested in the techniques of larceny - and probably has had to have experience of thieving in order to build up a larcenous skill-set)

--- a druid (see priest/cleric, and a love of nature and perhaps skills related to nature)

So let's not be pretending that these things are completely separate.

In my own forthcoming system Soul's Calling, the first choices you make concern your fundamental spiritual identity and religion, which have minor stat-related implications, then you make a bunch of stat-related choices (or random rolls), some of which have minor personality implications, then one of the last things you do is decide a fundamental motivation / burning drive for your character.

I hate saying this sort of thing but I was not able to vote on your poll.

Concept First.  

That may include both personality and mechanics/attributes, at least in a general way.  I prefer character generation that allows placement of rolled stats.  If I must 'roll in order', there's not much point in developing a concept that won't work - in that case I'll roll and work with what I have.

But as far as concept, it usually includes something of class/race/personality.  For example, I might decide that I want to play a magic-user with an emphasis on spells of both fire and cold/ice.  Once I have my concept I work out the personality and attributes around it.  

Likewise, I might decide to play a tough-as-nails mercenary.  Once I take my concept, I build a personality and attributes around it.  

But sometimes the personality comes near the end - it can be derived from the concept, but doesn't always take the driver's seat.  

For example, in the wizard example, I might end up deciding that the reason he likes the two is that he tends to be bi-polar.  He might be cold, aloof, and standoffish, but prone to sudden fits of violent rage.  If that personality fits everything else and seems fun to play, that's what I'll go with.

I like rolling random characters and I build the character based on the dice throws.

In WHFRP 1e, I enjoyed rolling for careers after picking the race. I rarely allowed non-humans in my games to keep them more exotic.

In D&D 4e, I just pick whatever role is needed in the group and then figure out which class option among that role would be most fun to play.

Quote from: Omnifray;603531Ooh... "creativity"... I wonder what your views are on the "importance" of "creativity" in a roleplaying game...

Well, since the point of RPGs is to create a realistic persona (that is, a character you can Immerse into) existing in a virtual world, I'd say that being able to develop creativity in terms of the kinds of characters you can play.

RPGPundit