History
Some games have reincarnated characters and call for a history of the character's former lives. Some have reincarnation but don't want a history of the character's lives. Read over the game's site to see whether you should work on what your character was like in previous incarnations. If it doesn't say, don't bother with it- it's probably not important yet.
If you do have to provide some past life info, try to be creative. So many characters (especially in Sailormoon-based games) had past lives as royals livin' high on the hog. Unless this is required, try to think of other occupations your character could've had. Maybe she was a knight, or a bishop (or a rook... *gets mooshed by an anvil). Also, given the dicey nature of reincarnation, there's often nothing to keep your female character from having been a man in past lives, or vice-versa.
If the game you're applying for is set in the past, do a little research into the setting, and try to include mention of important events that would have been notable to your character.
The first thing you should mention in your character's history is her childhood. How did she feel about her parents/legal guardians? What friends did she have? If she went to school, how did she feel when she started? What did she like about it? What did she hate about it?
Another important aspect of history (if your character's old enough) is puberty. How'd she react to growth spurts? To her sudden interest in the opposite (or same) sex? If she dated, what was that like?
Be sure to mention experiences that stuck with your character all her life. Maybe she fell out of a tree and broke her arm, or stole some gum and felt so guilty about it that she got sick. Maybe she won second prize in the science fair and resolved to become a scientist. Also, mention how she started her hobbies and why she kept with them.
Some games involve the character being chosen as a magician or warrior. Check the page to see if you need to mention this in your history. If so, write how your character reacted to this change, and how she's adapted to it ever since.
As convenient as it may be, try to avoid killing off your character's parents. Reviewers tend to frown on that a LOT. If you must orphan her, keep in mind that in most places your character would be sent to live with relatives or a foster family rather than left alone, unless her parents died when she was a legal adult (18-21, in most places).
If you MUST give your character a history of tragedy and catastrophe, make sure to include the good points in her life. Nobody's sad ALL the time. Give your character an island or two of happy things in her sea of despair- a loved family member, a faithful pet, or a favorite hobby, for example.
Back to the List
Backward to Personality
Onward to NPCs