Trooper Personae

[jethroskull[501st]]

How deeply do people go on their character development? Just a nickname or a whole backstory?

 

I'm an old RPG type and building a backstory was always a big part of the draw. It was even more fun running a campaign and inventing entire worlds.

 

So confess, how far do you go?

[CableGuy[TK]]

How deeply do people go on their character development? Just a nickname or a whole backstory?  

I'm an old RPG type and building a backstory was always a big part of the draw. It was even more fun running a campaign and inventing entire worlds.

 

So confess, how far do you go?

 

  Hi JC,

 

I’ve not officially trooped yet, so I’m sure more experienced troopers will give more info than I can. 

So far,  I’ve learned some of the lines from the films, such as “how long have you had those droids” etc. I’ve read that that’s a good one to use when parents approach with children. 

I’ve tried to keep my vocal pattern and phrasing close to those that we hear in ANH. To me, they always sound quite laid back. 

In my mind, the back story is based on what we know from the films. And I’ve a read a few tips from my Garrison; such as, if someone asks where your armour is from, “it’s Imperial issue” etc., etc. 

The main thing I’ve noticed that is out of character, and I’ll be more than happy to do this in the right circumstances, is hi-fives for children. That’s not a bad thing. My kids LOVE to high five daddy trooper!! :-)

I hoping to pick up a lot more tips and tricks when I start trooping. 

Cheers,

Dan

 

 

 

[themaninthesuitcase[Admin]]

1 hour ago, CableGuy said:

The main thing I’ve noticed that is out of character, and I’ll be more than happy to do this in the right circumstances, is hi-fives for children. :-)

For me roughly its this: Kids get high fives and fist bumps, adults get the full Imperial treatment.  There's exceptions but that's the gist of it.  I've also acted as an interface to Lord Vader a few times with shy kids.  They won't go near him, but a TK can bridge that gap and help reduce the fear of standing next to him for a photo, just make sure you know when to stop pushing, upsetting children is not what this is about.

[jethroskull[501st]]

Thanks, Dan and Chris, trooping etiquette will definitely be a learned experience. I've been walking around the apartment with a nerf gun, remembering how to safe carry (the real thing was a long time ago).

 

But I was thinking more about character development; who is that stormtrooper, what planet are they from?

Maybe I'm the only one who writes a novella in their head when they start a project like this...

[iRegretNothing]

This is something that I've been thinking of too recently. I'm still yet to officially troop but have been wearing it around the house and talking to my better half with my TRamp. Ive always though that stromtroopers had a bad rep. They fail so much and arent really equipped to be crack troops so I think I play on that a bit more. Once my TK number comes in I imagine I'll dig a little deeper but I like the TK421 style of being a bit useless

If you get the chance check out the star wars days at Disney skits, those guys are pretty hilarious

Sent from my HTC One M8s using Tapatalk

[AngryEwok[501st]]

I know of one guy that assumes a totally different persona in his armor but it isn't so much a canon-friendly character as it is like a WWE wrestler.

[Harbinger[IPM]]

I mostly assume the 'faceless soldier' persona. AKA I don't do much talking... anyone who's met me in person will see the irony.

[magni[TK]]

I have created a backstory for myself after my first hospital troop. Most events there's not much time for Q&A. More like can I get a picture? I have it all played out that I'm from the same planet as Han and that lights them right up! I keep it kind of simple and vague. You don't want to tell different stories to different kids so simple helps there. You would be surprised with some of the questions kids can ask. And they will. Shoot, if I didn't know us I'd be made of questions!

Now when it comes to official LFL events it's all tall quiet and Intimidating.

Move along....

[Timberwoof[TK]]

Personas are fun to set up. I have two main ones for when I'm fur suiting as a wolf. ("Timberwoof," right?) I have cop armor with signs "Police Dog: Do Not Pet" which is a magnet for real cops and people who want to pet me. At sci fi conventions I ask people for their IDs; they show me their con badge. When they show me it I'll say something silly like "Oh, okay. You're free to go." I also have a space suit meta-costume; then I'm a woof space cadet. At a furry convention where the hotel had a lot of airline pilots staying overnight, I saluted them as they walked by.  (Do I have to show my Space Cadet Cred Photo?)

Kids love to high-five me … unless they're scared to death of my teeth. A friend of mine is a dragon. At the beach one day a kid pointed at him and screamed, "El Diablo! El Diablo!"  Yeah, kids. One kid is the reason I wear a cup when I go fur suiting in public. 

 

So. Stormtrooper persona. Clearly I'm not a clone. Did we volunteer or did we get drafted? "I wanted to see the galaxy, meet aliens, and shoot them" would probably not be a nice thing to say.  Magni, I like that idea of same planet as Han. "I'm from Tattooine. Yeah, I knew Luke. Nice kid. I wonder what happened to him…" 

[Harbinger[IPM]]

1 hour ago, Timberwoof said:

"I'm from Tattooine. Yeah, I knew Luke. Nice kid. I wonder what happened to him…" 

“Hey, anyone remember that whiny slave kid from Watto’s junkyard?”

[Timberwoof[TK]]

10 minutes ago, Harbinger said:

“Hey, anyone remember that whiny slave kid from Watto’s junkyard?”

Watto was an incompetent slave owner. That kid had enough time on is hands to refurbish a protocol droid and build a pod racer. No wonder he was so undisciplined.  What? That was who? Uhoh. 

[Daetrin[Admin]]

10 hours ago, Timberwoof said:

Watto was an incompetent slave owner. That kid had enough time on is hands to refurbish a protocol droid and build a pod racer. No wonder he was so undisciplined.  What? That was who? Uhoh. 

QFT.  There are many such strange anomalies esp in TPM.  You could edit down to about 30 minutes the scenes worth watching and get a decent film out of it.

[Tolo[TK]]

I don't really go into character development. I know some members of the MMCC do that too. 

 

[Pretzel]

I am just a Pretzel. No backstory. Just a nickname that Garrison mates gave me. 

 

I am either Salty or Sweet

[Timberwoof[TK]]

13 minutes ago, Pretzel said:

I am just a Pretzel. No backstory. Just a nickname that Garrison mates gave me. 

 

I am either Salty or Sweet

That's twisted. 

[Shanester[TK]]

Around kids, I try to be the real deal which means acting and talking like an Imperial Stormtrooper.  If kids get scared, I will ease off and even take my helmet off if I think it will help. It almost always does.

 

Around adults, it depends on the situation.  If I am asked my name in either situation, I use my TK#.

[Timberwoof[TK]]

How much does taking off the helmet break the magic? 
Fur-suiters take that very seriously, especially with kids, and we hate being photographed with head off. I once gave a photographer such a crusty look that he put down his camera. 
But everybody knows that Strormtroopers are human people, and for a scared kid, that's okay. We just can't eat while in uniform. 

[Harbinger[IPM]]

You aren't supposed to be helmet-off around cameras on official troops unless you have a good reason (interview, emergencies, etcetera). Unofficial troops, 501st group photos and the like don't count of course.

[Shanester[TK]]

It really takes a lot for me to remove the helmet. I've had issues where I really wanted to remove it and did not.  However, if I am terrifying a child, I will show them I am a person under that helmet.  Only as a last resort.  At the last con I went to, a service dog was very upset by me. The owner asked me to let the animal see me and I complied.  The dog realized I was not a threat and was not intimidated by the rest of the troops.

 

I don't remove my helmet easily, but sometimes it is necessary.  Real life sometimes calls for it.

[Harbinger[IPM]]

That is true.

[jethroskull[501st]]

On 1/16/2018 at 7:02 PM, Timberwoof said:

Stormtrooper persona. Clearly I'm not a clone. Did we volunteer or did we get drafted? "I wanted to see the galaxy, meet aliens, and shoot them" would probably not be a nice thing to say.

That's kind of where I'm coming from... why am I a Stormtrooper? Obviously I'm more skilled than the average soldier/sailor at taking out the enemies of the Empire. Grunt or Officer? Planet? family? They all come in to play if you go down the womp rat hole...

[Thumpy~[501st]]

  

On 12/7/2017 at 10:53 PM, jethroskull said:

How deeply do people go on their character development? Just a nickname or a whole backstory?

 

I'm an old RPG type and building a backstory was always a big part of the draw. It was even more fun running a campaign and inventing entire worlds.

 

So confess, how far do you go?

i sweat, therefore I am.   Don't get into any character per say.  I just do what the client and patrons want of me.

 

For me, Just standing next to the trooper(s) beside me, i.e. a charity event, there's espirit de corps there.  That's enough for me.