Home » MODDING HQ 1.13 » Flugente's Magika Workshop » New feature: individual backgrounds
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| New feature: individual backgrounds[message #324677]
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Wed, 04 September 2013 00:15 
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| Flugente |
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Messages:3507
Registered:April 2009
Location: Germany |
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Backgrounds
In order to flesh out your characters more, you can now define their background. A background might be a previous profession the individual had before becoming a mercenary. Perhaps he was in law enforcement, or an arms dealer? A priest, or a hitman? Or even a member of a notable army formation... It can also expand an existing bio to your wishes, or form an backstory for your IMP. Background is a small piece of information that is displayed in the laptop, and it can give small boni/mali to various stats. Yes, I already released a preversion of this in http://www.bears-pit.com/board/ubbthreads.php/topics/321683/Features.html#Post321683, but nobody seems to play that :bawling: , and this time it is much more customizable and extensive.
This feature has to be selected on gamestart, and cannot be changed in an ongoing campaign. It has replaced the setting for Overheating weapons, which is now an ini option.
During the IMP generation process, this screen will show after selecting the traits. You can select one background from all viable ones. Some will be omitted due to your previous personality, disability and trait choices (for example, loners won't get access to backgrounds lowering leadership, nonswimmers cannot select backgrounds that speed up swimming, and marksman won't get access to backgrounds that lower marksmanship).
The bio says Raven was in SWAT, so now she is. She gets boni to AP combat and on the first turn of an attack. As a police officer, she is effective at interrogating/guarding prisoners. Even though she is a klutz concerning explosives, she has a very high success rate with door breaching charges, as SWAT people do that kind of stuff, I presume.
Lets have a bachelor party,
with chicks,
and booze,
and guns,
and firetrucks!
Backgrounds can also be negative. This merc will frequently take items from the sector an put them into her inventory... and also frequently use any drugs she can find. :yikes: You better have an eye on her.
Backgrounds are defined in Tabledata/Backgrounds.xml. They are defined like this:
Toggle Spoiler
0
Background name (128 letters)
short name (20)
Enter a description here. This will show up in the laptop and can be up to 256 letters long.
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Drill sergeant
Drill sergeant
A drill sergeant's job is to create armies and traumatise young men and women.
6
4
10
-6
You are free to design your own backgrounds as you wish, there is room for 100 (can easily be increased if demand exists). The above tags should give you quite a few possible combinations :viking:. You can add them to existing mercs by adding number of background to their Profile in TableData/MercProfiles.xml. I already added backgrounds to most mercs when I had an idea what it could be (see second post). Note that in order to change the profile a merc uses, you need to start a new game. You can, however, change what it does all the time.
As I foresee considerable conflict potential when filling in the stats of real-life military units (the special unit from my country is vastly superior to the special unit from your country! It's a known fact, says the Internet! :swordfight: ), I will not fill out those. Apart from those that are explicitly mentioned in the bios.
Note that this is not intended to be some sort of alternative trait system. The boni are mostly small and/or only apply at certain times. Sure, you can use this to beef up your mercs... but then, you can always cheat, no need to do it with this. This is intended for more RPGing.
This is in the trunk as of r6353 and GameDir r1748. A GameDir of at least this revision is required from no on, as the game will want to read the xml.
This does not break savegame compatibility. However, if you want to use this feature, you need to start a new game.
Edit: a few min/max values have been adjsuted in r6665 & GameDir r1886.
[Updated on: Fri, 29 November 2013 20:47] by Moderator Report message to a moderator
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| Re: New feature: individual backgrounds[message #324678]
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Wed, 04 September 2013 00:16 
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| Flugente |
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Messages:3507
Registered:April 2009
Location: Germany |
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Here I will explain what various background properties do in a little bit more detail than is listed in the xml. This will be updated whenever new properties are comitted.
- , , , , , , and are simple AP modifier. If your merc's background has that tag, and is in a fitting sector, he gets these extra APs each turn.
- , , , , , , , and are percentage modifiers to effective stats. As you might know,the game does not always use the pure stats - the effective value can be altered by carried weight, wounds, fatigue, drugs etc.. This is another modifier. A merc with 80 agility and 10 will be as agile as one with 88 agility.
- is an AP modifier you receive each turn whenever you are on a roof.
- alters the AP cost for swimming (percentage).
- alters the AP cost for building fortifications (percentage).
- alters the AP cost for firing mortars (percentage).
- alters the AP cost for moving stuff in inventory (percentage).
- gives an AP bonus on the first turn after we airdropped into combat. Additionally, your merc will look into a random direction when enterin the sector. Airdrops are dangerous because all mercs look in the same direction when entering the sector, and are thus easily interrupted... this eases this a bit.
- gives an AP bonus on the first turn of combat if the merc entered a sector - thus you get a bonus whenever you are attacking.
- , , and are percentage modifiers to the travel time, similar to the ranger trait bonus.
We have no boats, but this would totally work if we had.  - , , , and alter the extent of certain negative effects. They stack with other resistances of the same kind, should those exist (so stacks with the similar bodybuilding trait property).
- alters effectiveness of interrogation assignment.
- alters your prison guard value.
- alters the price to which you buy/sell guns and ammo. This is the 'Flo'-bonus. Note that if this feature is off, Flo still gets that bonus (10%).
- is the same as above, but for LBE, armour, blade eapons, kits and misc. items.
- modifies your entire team strength value during capitulation calculation (when you ask the enemy for surrender). Note that it only applies if the merc asking for surrender has this property.
- modifies running speed, but not its AP cost.
- alters bandaging speed.
- alters the amount of breath regenerated by drinking.
- alters your effective strength only with regard to calculating inventory weight.
- and alter how much food your merc consumes each hour.
- alters how much sleep you need.
- alters melee damage (percentage).
- modifies your cth with blades.
- alters the effectiveness of camo, but does not give you camo.
- alters the effectiveness of stealth, but does not give you stealth.
- modifies the maximum cth you can reach, even over the ini cth maximum
- and modify (in tiles) how far you can hear.
- alters how good a character is at disarming traps.
- , , and alter how effective your merc uses talk options.
- alters the chance of successfully using door brach charges. Note that -100 will cause you to always fail, no matter your stats.
- gives a cth bonus whenever you aim at creatures with guns. Creatures are cows, crows, bloodcats, crepitus and zombies.
- alters the cost of insuring a merc.
- alters how good a merc is at being a spotter
- causes merc to sometimes consume drugs from his inventory. This is Larry's old, behaviour, if this feature is off, he will still do this. For obvious reasons, he's the only one that will also switch his personality.
- will lower your mercs opinion of everyone who does not have the same background by -2.
- : +1 effective exp level if underground.
- causes your merc to occasionally pick up valuable items from the sector inventory into his own inventory, without ever telling you so.
- : bombs you plant receive +1 difficulty level.
- is not used in the trunk an here simply for compatibility reasons with JA2 WH40K
- and forbid a background to show up during IMP generation depending on gender. Backgrounds that should not be selectable by the player (like being part of Miguel's rebels) receive both tags and thus never show up.
- causes a huge global loyalty loss if this merc dies.
I added backgrounds to many existing mercs and NPCs in Arulco. While many of them cannot be recruited at the moment, there are mods that can change that... so why not.
If you suggest new backgrounds, please be reasonable. Magic shouldz get all AP bonus because hez the MAN!!!!!111elf is not considered reasonable.
Update 1: r6359 and GameDir r1754 add lots of new backgrounds, most of them taken from suggestions in this thread. Thanks, people!
Update 2: r6360 and GameDir r1755 add modifier.
Update 3: Updated a few property descriptions. Thanks to a few posters (especially anv!), we now have new, reworked backgrounds for almost everybody. I removed the old list, as its was outdated anyway.
[Updated on: Fri, 02 May 2014 03:25] by Moderator Report message to a moderator
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| Re: New feature: individual backgrounds[message #324689]
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Wed, 04 September 2013 03:32
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 Faalagorn |
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Messages:153
Registered:February 2012
Location: Poland |
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Flugente
[*] Dr. Q - Gang member
You forgot to list Nails at all and seems that you get HIM the gang member background instead of Q. Also, Barry is the only merc with explicitly set to 0. Does it means anything or is it the same as with mercs with no set property?
Also, a bit nitpicking, but may be easy to fix while the feature is fresh and already tampered with anyway - I already see on your screenshots that you sometimes use Sentence case and sometimes you use Title Case - would be cool if you could use one consistently (I think Title Case is what is used in JA2 in most places like this). Keep up the good work Flugente anyway  .
EDIT: Sorry for double post, forgot I already wrote something above  . Guess I should go sleep soon.
EDIT2: With so many options unique to each merc (trait, disability, background and few minor stats carried over original JA2 (need for sleep, dialogue approaches, buddies...) it would at least be nice to be able to train skills ingame
[Updated on: Wed, 04 September 2013 04:11] by Moderator Report message to a moderator
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Staff Sergeant
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| Re: New feature: individual backgrounds[message #324694]
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Wed, 04 September 2013 05:11
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| anv |
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Messages:258
Registered:March 2013 |
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Fantastic feature, Flugente!
Some propositions, from the top of the hat:
For Carp and Postie.
Toggle Spoiler
43
Office Worker
Office Worker
Air conditioning, watered down coffee and some papers to push - what else can you expect from life?
5
-10
2
-5
-5
-5
John & Mary, so they actually acted as scared as they should.
Toggle Spoiler
44
Tourist
Tourist
Could you take a picture, please?
-20
-20
-30
Pacos
Toggle Spoiler
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Child
Child
And there goes Geneva convention...
-20
-20
-20
-20
-20
-20
-50
-50
2
Joey
Static - he was described as lead sound technician for Grateful Dead in JA1.
Toggle Spoiler
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Backstage crew
Backstage crew
Blasting sounds, fireworks, screaming people - isn't it odd how similar stage is to the battlefield?
3
10
-3
-3
Trevor and Speck
Toggle Spoiler
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Technical wizard
Tech whiz
No matter if it's a thirty years old junk or latest electronic gadget, tech whiz can rewire, reassemble and reconfigure it with eyes closed.
5
-10
MD and possibly Barry
Toggle Spoiler
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Graduate
Graduate
Fresh outta school, with diploma still warm in a hand, it's time to finally make yourself a living.
-10
Special version of law enforcement for Turtle 
Toggle Spoiler
50
Law enforcement
Law enforcement
Hey detective, did you manage to solve the case of the disappearing donuts yet?
150
50
50
Special version of convict for Elroy
Toggle Spoiler
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Watergate burglar
Watergate
Well, that didn't go as planned.
-10
1
5
5
2
Some questions and suggestions:
1. Would it be possible to add addditional property to specify if background can be selected for IMP or not? For example nurse/shooter, made specially for Buns, seems oddly specific when choosing for IMP, and Rebel background mentions Miguel, so probably should be limited to RPCs.
2. Should backgrounds be more general (same for several mercs) or more specified and fine tuned to specific ones? For example currently convict cover three mercs - one ax-crazy murderer on the run, one criminal/locksmith on the run and one inept special services burglar who already finished his sentence.
3. More properties - experience gain, different skills learning tempo (ala "Hopeless shot" in JA), efficiencies with different weapon classes (like in traits, could be used in interesting combinations), maybe efficiency with repairing different things - so we could get a designated gunsmith, car mechanic, armourer etc. Bonus to different camos - Tuareg could be better and blending in a desert, etc. BTW is there a way to differentiate pistols and revolvers? Tex should be better with the latter ;P
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| Re: New feature: individual backgrounds[message #324726]
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Wed, 04 September 2013 16:03
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| Off_Topic |
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Messages:997
Registered:January 2009 |
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Self Learner isn't really a background,it's a trait. I think the same applies to Redneck/Hillbilly, he maybe a redneck mechanic, or even racist, but if someone asked you what your background was, would you say i'm a redneck self-learner?
Lynx JA BIO "His favorite pastime, as he gleefully explains, is to track down endangered species and finish them off!"
Ice has that street edge about him, not sure how that fits into 80's culture, but they must have had a core idea for his character. I inferred a relationship with Magic based on the fact he got him reinstated to AIM. That could simply be read as a friendship developed while working together at AIM or earlier, they're just guesses/fun background stories.
Hmmn..A Guerilla Fighter is a bit vague, it doesn't really attach any real history. Like saying Fidel uses only matches to smoke; instead of saying: he is a long time cigar smoker.
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| Re: New feature: individual backgrounds[message #324727]
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Wed, 04 September 2013 16:16
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| anv |
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Messages:258
Registered:March 2013 |
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Some more propositions:
Toggle Spoiler
52
Mascot
Mascot
Nobody takes you seriously, because you used to walk around in a silly costume? Well, a children's smile is an enough compensation!
10
-10
-20
10
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Mime
Mime
...
-50
-50
-50
10
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B-Movie Star
B-Movie Star
Target of thrown popcorn in cinemas around the world, scoffed by critics yet adored by loyal fans.
20
10
5
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Pyrotechnician
Pyrotechnician
When you want to break enemy morale by blowing up his privy, it's time to get yourself a qualified pyrotechnician.
5
50
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Sapper
Sapper
Sapper can make only two mistakes in his life. The first one is a career choice.
5
57
Hypochondriac
Hypochondriac
When you enter a ward, all medical personnel tries to look overly busy or hides around corners in a futile attempt to avoid you. List of your possible afflictions just keeps getting bigger and bigger!
3
10
-10
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Redneck
Redneck
Overalls, straw sticking out of boots and inseparable blade of grass in the mouth. Not exactly a proud image, but hey, life on the farm isn't easy.
3
3
-5
-5
10
10
59
Momma's Boy
Momma's Boy
Your childhood left you with significant personal issues that have yet to be solved.
-10
-20
-20
-20
60
Academic
Academic
Most of your knowledge comes from the books and secondhand reports - and it didn't prepare you for a grim reality of a war zone as well as you thought.
-5
-15
-5
61
Mental Patient
Mental Patient
There are different accounts of how you've managed to leave the confinement, but everyone agrees - you should go back.
-5
20
-50
50
-50
62
Wrestler
Wrestler
It might be more of a spectacle than actual fight, but getting thrown around a ring without breaking a neck still takes a lot of skill.
10
25
5
63
General Practitioner
GP
Versatile and educated doctor can save a human life no matter what his patient caught - a virus or a bullet.
10
10
64
Veteran Physician
Veteran Physician
Several years of evaluating human lives ironically left yoru own health in disrepair - cheap cigarrettes flushed down with strong coffee took their toll. Object-like way you started to treat your patients also doesn't make you very popular.
10
10
-10
-10
50
20
65
Surgeon
Surgeon
Everyone can cut human flesh - but sewing it back is a quest for the best!
10
5
5
10
66
Mercenary
Merc
While others may keep to their pasts and its labels, you've chosen the life of a gun for hire - and embraced it. This is who you really are.
5
5
10
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Veteran Mercenary
Veteran
You were already famous in this business before those youngsters were even born. After years of battles, there's hardly anything that can shake you up.
5
10
10
-5
68
DFK Annihilator
DFK Annihilator
Your exploits earned you respect and recognition you deserve.
5
5
5
-10
-10
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Prisoner
Prisoner
Being held and tortured in regime prison left you scarred for the rest of your life. You're not afraid of death anymore - but there are other things to be afraid of.
-20
10
10
-10
-10
-1
3
70
Butt Monkey
Butt Monkey
One would expect a constant abuse and ridicule you withstand to finally lead you to reconsidering your life choices. Nope.
20
10
-10
-50
-50
Fidel could get Bomber background + maybe something with handling grenades, I always got this vibe from him.
[Updated on: Wed, 04 September 2013 16:23] by Moderator Report message to a moderator
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| Re: New feature: individual backgrounds[message #324728]
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Wed, 04 September 2013 16:16
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| dzidek1983 |
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Messages:92
Registered:June 2009 |
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Lynx JA BIO "His favorite pastime, as he gleefully explains, is to track down endangered species and finish them off!"
doesnt it mean he is more of a poacher then a hunter?
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Corporal 1st Class
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| Re: New feature: individual backgrounds[message #324763]
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Thu, 05 September 2013 01:36
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| Flugente |
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Messages:3507
Registered:April 2009
Location: Germany |
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@Faalagorn: fixed Dr.Q and Title Case.
@silversurfer: fixed.
I added many of your suggestions in r6360 and GameDir r1755. Thank you for that! I also added new properties:
- One can now define gender-specific backgrounds (Ostrogen brigade? No Maam veteran?).
- It is also possible to forbid backgrounds from showing up for IMPs, thereby allowing 'unique' backgrounds.
- Added wisdom stat modifier, we can thereby modify learning speed.
- gives extra cth against creatures, thus allowing Lynx to become a Big game Hunter.
- modifies insurance cost.
Also updated the list of used backgrounds in second post, and explained what tags do in more detail.
[Updated on: Thu, 05 September 2013 02:51] by Moderator Report message to a moderator
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| Re: New feature: individual backgrounds[message #324765]
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Thu, 05 September 2013 03:21
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| Sam Hotte |
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Messages:1965
Registered:March 2009
Location: Middle of Germany |
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"mass murderer" (e.g. MoM)
description: Chemical Weapons Convention? My ass! Your slogan's always been: get Lost!
description: Cutting throats and letting them bleed to death: doesn't matter much if pig or enemy, does it?
properties: +, +, + (? + as butcher knows where many creatures are most vulnerable ?)
"homosexual" (e.g. Brenda, Kyle)
description: Walking tall on Christopher Street ...
properties: -, -, +, -, +, .
Edit
"prostitute" (e.g. Maria)
description: Why should the oldest profession in the world not also be found on the battlefield?
properties: +, +, +, +, + (? , ?)
[Updated on: Thu, 05 September 2013 16:54] by Moderator Report message to a moderator
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Sergeant Major
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| Re: New feature: individual backgrounds[message #324768]
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Thu, 05 September 2013 04:18
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| Faalagorn |
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Messages:153
Registered:February 2012
Location: Poland |
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Flugente@Faalagorn: fixed Dr.Q and Title Case.
While Title Case is indeed fixed, I don't see any change regarding to Dr Q and/or Nails nor in XML and your original post o.o
PS. There's also one correction I'm suggesting:
Construction Work -> Construction Worker
Sam_Hotte"homosexual" (e.g. Brenda, Kyle)
description: Walking tall on Christopher Street ...
properties: -, -, +, -, +, .
While I agree on the rest, and this one would indeed fit to Brenda and Kyle - orientation isn't a thing you do for living, and it doesn't grant you bonuses per se 
P.S. According to my spreasheet, currently only the following recruitable mercs don't have a backgorund set. I'm throwing some loose ideas:
- Grizzly
- Grunty
- Fidel
- Ice
- Hitman
- Buzz
- Scully
- Dr. Q
- Thor
- Haywire
- Razor
- Cougar
- Robot - "Robot"
- RPC65 (eskimo)
- Vince
- RPC71 (duh)
- Maddog
- Deidranna - dictator
- Auntie
- Enrico - el presidente, but well, he's not actually met...
- Carmen
- Steve
- Rat
- Annie
- Chris
- Bob
- Brenda
- Maria
- Pablo - works at airport
- Sal - also works at airport
- Fatima - housewive?
- Yanni - priest... kinda
- Martha - housewive?
- Charlie
- Skipper - homeless
- General - army
- Sergeant - ditto
- Armand
- Lora
- Eldin
- Brewster
- Derek
- Oliver
- Waldo
- Doreen - was she working at the sweatshop for a longer while already?
- Stogie
- Biggins
- Lucky
- Laura
- Grace
- Weasel
- Lance
- Raffi
- Wink
- John
- Gary
- Sparky
- Doc
- Spike
- Needle
- Screw
- Hector
- Ears
[Updated on: Thu, 05 September 2013 04:29] by Moderator Report message to a moderator
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Staff Sergeant
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| Re: New feature: individual backgrounds[message #324769]
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Thu, 05 September 2013 04:31
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| Sam Hotte |
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Messages:1965
Registered:March 2009
Location: Middle of Germany |
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FaalagornSam_Hotte"homosexual" (e.g. Brenda, Kyle)
description: Walking tall on Christopher Street ...
properties: -, -, +, -, +, .
While I agree on the rest, and this one would indeed fit to Brenda and Kyle - orientation isn't a thing you do for living, and it doesn't grant you bonuses per se
... just like Momma's Boy, Nobility or Redneck, IMHO. So it may still fit in ...
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Sergeant Major
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you mad - thank you very much Flugente :cheerleader:
