Freebie Pts. I Should . . .

Hello, I am thinking of running a "Mage: the Ascension" Game & I want the players to back-story their "PC's!"  I need advice.  If I say that I want 1-page
to 13-page "History Essay/Origin Stories" I want to give a fair amt. of "Freebie Points" for the effort.  How much would the GM's out there give?!  How much do you players think they are fair to you "to get!!"  Thanks.

None. Making a backstory is for the player to flesh out his/her character, not to get extra dots on sheet.

Sharp_one:

None. Making a backstory is for the player to flesh out his/her character, not to get extra dots on sheet.

Thanks for the advice!!

I totally agree with Sharp.

Unless you are dealing with young gamers (say, 13-16), who might need a game-related impetus to focus on character (i.e. do your "homework" and I'll give you extra points), backstory should be part and parcel to the game.

......

With that said, and given that I provided an exception even within my dissenting opinion in the matter, I would say treat the "essay" as a form of Flaw points for the players, worth 1-3 points, depending on relative length and quality of writing/presentation (those who are good writers can earn the 2-3 range, while those who aren't as expressive can compensate by writing more).

How's that for ya'?

JustJohn...again:

I totally agree with Sharp.

Unless you are dealing with young gamers (say, 13-16), who might need a game-related impetus to focus on character (i.e. do your "homework" and I'll give you extra points), backstory should be part and parcel to the game.

......

With that said, and given that I provided an exception even within my dissenting opinion in the matter, I would say treat the "essay" as a form of Flaw points for the players, worth 1-3 points, depending on relative length and quality of writing/presentation (those who are good writers can earn the 2-3 range, while those who aren't as expressive can compensate by writing more).

How's that for ya'?

Thanks for your advice as well!!

Point and call the backstory is just as if not more then the sheet. Now you don't give out point for someone filling out there sheet now do you.

I actually do give out freebie points for good Background stories. Sometimes it justifies the little bit extra my players want to pad out some character traits that didn't fall under their main concept. For example, a Toreador character who majored in art may have also been a history buff as well, but his/her majority dots are located in the skills section and not knowledges.
I like background stories but I don't want them to be too long (13 pages!) because the game is the story I want focused on. I give 1 freebie for every 500 words to a maximum of 5 freebie points for a vampire game and 1 freebie for every 250 words in a Werewolf or Mage game (I figure young Garou and apprentice Mages are likely younger and less interesting that "young" vampires).
I sometimes don't care as much about the word length if the story is particularly good, but that doesn't happen often. By "good" I also mean "what I was looking for". I think it's very important to specify what you want from a background story (lists of loved ones, popular hang outs, personality traits). I usually do the Character Creation a while before I start a chronicle so that I can incorperate things from the backgrounds into the stories. If the effort that the players put forth in game gets them experience points then why shouldn't the effort spent by players before the game earn them some freebies?

My ST tends to give out additional background points for backgrounds (not generation or any other unbalancing ones...), but only in the 1-3 range generally.

I'll take a written background and then go over the character sheet and edit it in ways I feel are appropriate. It usually gives the players a couple extra dots here and there- nothing particularly gamebreaking but a few things that give some mechanical support to being the character they presented in the history. Maybe I think the character from the backstory should have a little more subterfuge or a high-school diploma level of academics, maybe they didn't really buff their combat stats quite to the place I thought they should be from growing up in a rough neighborhood or that stint of military service.

They write a story for a character they like, a background and a personality that they think would be fun to play. They fill out their sheet as best they can to represent it. I go along after them and fill in the gaps.

I'm a science major who aced all my literature courses through a method of "Say one thing... then say it four or five more times using synonyms until the 'X word essay' requirements were met. Do it artfully and it will look like additional arguments rather than the same point repeated over and over." So there is no way in hell I'd reward word counts. I might reward better writing, more detailed character examination, the inclusion of unresolved plot that I can tap during the game (making my planning a bit easier)... but word counts? I wish James Fenimore Cooper was alive today so I could give him the finger and spit in his eye.

Loxosceles:

. but word counts? I wish James Fenimore Cooper was alive today so I could give him the finger and spit in his eye.

Can I add James Rigney Jr to thats list? (Pen name Robert Jordan)

I also agree with the no extra freebies.  In WW games, Mage and Vampire in particular, back ground is very important to the character.  In vampire, are you a few years old as a Vamp, then why were you embraced, are you still “under” your sire, how free are you and have you been released yet.

 

In Mage, background is vital to how you do and view your magic.  You have to develop your character to a larger extent than in other games, this might be just me as I run a lot more Mage then vamp, but I think it’s more true than not.

Yeah, unless you're in something like an all-Order of Hermes game (boring...), magery isn't just MAGIC MISSILE, and potions and powders...In a mixed-kin/werewoof game I'm running, one of the kin was a former social engineer/robber, who assumed a bartender identity after his team went MIA. We decided he was a Sorcerer, so we ended up rationalizing his Alchemy and Fascination Paths as "Bartending" and "Social Engineering", so that with proper ritual preparation (rehearsal/grooming for the occasion) he can organize a Bavarian Fire Drill, or mix extra-potent Molotovs, among other abilities. The other player who is interested in a sorc might do a martial artist type (Path of Ki, Hellfire, and Conveyance)