Concept
From Thought Police Interactive Fiction
A concept is a statement, ranging from a few sentences to a couple of paragraphs, describing the PC that an actor portrays in a story. Ideally, it provides a brief explanation of the character's attitudes, motivations and general role in the story. The crew should provide feedback and assistance to ensure that the concept is appropriate to the story.
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Why require concepts?
A well-written concept in invaluable as a tool for both cast and crew. Concepts provide direction and inspiration for the cast. They help define the portrayal of a character and should have a heavy influence in the decisions they made. Concepts also are important for the crew as short summaries of the characters in the story. They are invaluable in providing guidance for storylines and plots that are likely to engage the actors and the characters they portray.
Solid concepts
Solid concepts are completely coherent with other defining characteristics and they provide a very good summary of the character. A completed character should reflect the concept. Elements and Forces should be chosen that reflect a knight's concept. The choice of House should also fit with the general concept. Professions, hobbies, connections and holdings should largely echo the character description. The more coherent the overall character is with the concept, the better.
In providing a good summary, the concept should naturally answer some basic questions. How does the character generally carry themselves and treat others? Why does the person do what they do and what do they really want? How are they generally useful to others and how do they fit into the world around them? What kind of quicks, habits, fetishes and pet peeves do they have?
Inappropriate concepts
Concepts that are inappropriate to the setting and/or to the production may be rejected by the production crew. The crew is responsible for the story and setting its tone, including determining if a character is just an ill-fit for the story. The crew should take care to ensure the production is fairly inclusive of a wide variety of themes and styles, but every production will have a focus and overall "feel". A character that is likely to be outcast or otherwise disposed of in short order by their superiors or peers may also be rejected. While such concepts can add character and flavor to a story and even propel a storyline, this should be a rare occurance and serve to add to the story. Some of these concepts may be rejected out of hand as completely inappropriate. For example, the crew will always reject a rebellious pagan concept for a knight of House Pendragon.
