Pre-gen character sheets - picture, or no?

[Kalzazz]

I think of this guy when I hear that name
http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb2...Rangers%29.jpg

[Bruno]

Regardless, you all clearly get the point :)

If the pre-gen PC is a slightly sketchy action archaeologist in the brown fedora and brown leather jacket (and probably with a whip), a picture of someone dressed as Indiana Jones - whether it be actually Ford, an actor playing an expy or homage, or someone cosplaying or in a halloween costume - communicates the character concept rapidly.

I don't think anyone here is advocating using a bad or wrong picture for the pre-gen portraits - if it's supposed to be Indiana Jones-y and instead you use a picture of a samurai, that's going to just confuse the issue.

[Gollum]

Yes. And atmosphere is important too. The different pictures of "Indian Jones" above show different atmospheres, from the most "realistic" one to the most heroic and crazy one. So, choose your pictures (and modify them) to get the atmosphere which really correspond to your adventure.

[CeeDub]

Y'all are absolutely correct, of course.

What I meant was, in the unlikely event that you generated an Adventure Archaeologist that is (despite the concept itself) an original character and not Indiana Jones with the serial numbers filed off, using any of the above pictures to illustrate the character would be counterproductive.

To conclude: Original character, original picture; expy, existing picture of the underlying character.

[Celjabba]

As an aside, if you don't put picture and don't know the players, there is the risk that one of them will grab a pencil and spent the whole game sketching his character, distractedly following the action ...

Celjabba

[Noctifer]

For a convention game, I'd say absolutely. Some folks don't need the visuals to get into character quickly, but for most folks, it's a helpful way to find their character's 'voice'.

For my tabletop game, after a session or two, I asked the players to find a picture online somewhere to represent their character and put that on the character sheet for them. In that situation, it helped _me_ get a firm grasp of what they thought of their characters.

[Phil Masters]

I like to find pictures for demo game PCs, if only because it makes the character sheets (which can look rather dense and heavy for GURPS characters) look a heck of a lot prettier, and demo games are about impressing people. The other reasons already stated here by others also apply, of course.

However, I tend to think that no picture is better than a bad picture. If I can't find images that won't compromise or confuse the portrayal of the characters, I do without. This means that some settings are more likely to get character pics than others. Also, finding 4-6 good pictures can be a lot of work, and sometimes I just don't have the time or the energy.

Still, Google Image Search (and a decent feel for keywords) can be a good friend. Personally, I tend to avoid pictures of well-known characters, because they'll only work for close expy characters (which I tend to avoid, because I think that the external references are too distracting), but I may occasionally use a picture of a well-known actor, if I think that they'd be perfect casting for the character.

[Gollum]

Something else which is very important, to my mind, is how things are written down.

If characters are written down like that, it makes newcomers flee away:

Katsaya
189 points

Early 40s; Flashing black eyes, dark curly hair; 5’1”, 120 lbs.
Attributes: ST 10 [0], DX 13 [60], IQ 13 [60], HT 12 [20].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 1d-2/1d, BL 20, HP 10, Will 13, Per 13, FP 12, Basic Speed 6.25, Basic Move 6, Dodge 9, Parry 10.
Advantages: Very Wealthy [30]; Status (+4 on reactions, Catho or Lantara) [20].
Disadvantages: Bad Temper (12) [-10]; Bully (12) [-10]; Jealousy [-10]; Stubbornness [-5].
Quirks: Angry about aging and lost beauty; Dislikes Lantara; Loyal to Catho when it suits her interest; Resents being married to non-hereditary noble; Stingy and generous by turns, unpredictably [-5].
Skills: Dancing (A) DX-1 [1]-12; Fast-Draw (Knife) (E) DX+1 [2]-14; Knife (E) DX+1 [2]-14; Leadership (A) IQ+2 [8]-15; Politics (A) IQ+3 [12]-16; Savoir-Faire (Catho) (E) IQ+2 [4]-15; Savoir-Faire (Lantara) (E) IQ [1]-13; Stealth (A) DX-2 [1]-11.
Languages: Cathan-Native [0]; Lantrai-Accented [4]; Shandassa-Accented [4].
Total reaction roll: +0 (+4 in Catho and Lantara).
Weapons: Small Knife: 1d-3 cut, 1d-3 imp.

Why? Because there are too many abbreviations and these horrible square brackets which make this character sheet looks like a complex mathematical formula... Which is not at all attractive for newcomers.

So, something like that would be more easy to read for non GURPS specialists...

Katsaya
189 points

Early 40s; Flashing black eyes, dark curly hair; 5’1”, 120 lbs.
Attributes: Strength 10 [0], Dexterity 13 [60], Intelligence 13 [60], Health 12 [20].
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-2/1d, Basic Lift 20, Hit Points 10, Will 13, Perception 13, Fatigue Points 12, Basic Speed 6.25, Basic Move 6, Dodge 9, Parry 10.
Advantages: Very Wealthy [30]; Status (+4 on reactions, Catho or Lantara) [20].
Disadvantages: Bad Temper (12) [-10]; Bully (12) [-10]; Jealousy [-10]; Stubbornness [-5].
Quirks: Angry about aging and lost beauty; Dislikes Lantara; Loyal to Catho when it suits her interest; Resents being married to non-hereditary noble; Stingy and generous by turns, unpredictably. [-5].
Skills: Dancing (Average) Dexterity-1, 12 [1]; Fast-Draw (Knife) (Easy) Dexterity+1, 14 [2]; Knife (Easy) Dexterity+1, 14 [2]; Leadership (Average) Intelligence+2, 15 [8]; Politics (Average) Intelligence+3, 16 [12]; Savoir-Faire (Catho) (Easy) Inteligence+2, 15 [4]; Savoir-Faire (Lantara) (Easy) Intelligence, 13 [1]; Stealth (Average) Dexterity-2, 11 [1].
Languages: Cathan-Native [0]; Lantrai-Accented [4]; Shandassa-Accented [4].
Total reaction roll: +0 (+4 in Catho and Lantara).
Weapons: Small Knife: 1d-3 cutting, 1d-3 impaling.

Writing down the bracket squares in little and with another color makes them appear less conspicuous which is fine because they are not important during the game (and they are still there if you have some GURPS experts among your players).