Every campaign you have ever, or will ever, play has a very important component: NPCs. Non-player characters act as everything from vendors and quest givers to unexpected allies and newly made enemies. They may be the farmer you save, the villain you kill, or the barmaid you swindle. NPCs are an important thing that help makes the world feel real. Uncountable NPCs are nameless set drops, filling in the environment much like smells and sounds. However, there are many that need to have deeper backgrounds; NPCs with names, histories, feeling, and allegiances. There are countless ways in which to make such characters, and every system has its suggestions and random generation tables. Most of these stem from either not knowing a thing about a character or knowing exactly what kind of spot he needs to fill in the world.
Personally I have an alternative method, one that I have been using a lot recently to explore the NPCs that will appear in Brave New Worlds. Use video games, more specifically RPGs. The more customization the better and the more story driven the game is the better. It does not matter if you have played the game before either. If you have, you know the world and how to play the game and can focus on how the character you're developing reacts to the things going on around him. If you have never played the game before, you can take on the new setting from the eyes of the character, reacting to what happens as they would.
Do not limit yourself to games within similar genres to the RPG you need the NPC for. Nothing makes for a unique NPC like being something that shouldn't be real or seems like magic to some of the more magically powerful beings in the world. Doing this can create characters with abilities that don't stem from the game mechanically, but has no reason not to exist in that world. It adds an air of mystery and can draw players to want to know more, hooking them into the NPC rather than trying to hook them into what the NPC may represent.
Some of the best games to do this with are RPGs where dialogue is chosen by the player and effects the story and game play. The Obsidian Scrolls games, Dragon Age games, and Knights of the Old Republic Games are all great examples. These allow you to delve directly into decision making from the character's point of view and lets you get to know that character. Personally I suggest playing Star Wars The Old Republic. It is (now) a free to play MMO, but one of the best story driven games I have played in the genre. It is difficult for MMOs to grant you choice in side, and often factions are racially divided. The Old Republic is similar, but with money (or previously having played) you open up the racial locks on classes and factions. Additionally, you still have a "side" you get to pick as you make quest choices. This is, obviously, light vs dark side of the force, but creates great opportunities such as a light side sith inquisitor or a dark side jedi consular. You will really develop a mind set for the character in this game.
Game suggestions aside, how do you go about actually making this character an NPC? What you need to do is develop the character as you play. Think about how they think, react to what you see or ask how that character would react. You may not get choices in reaction, but think about it anyways. When you do get the choices make them from the character's mindset. As you get to know the character look at the NPCs and organizations in the video game and ask yourself what in your campaign mirrors those. This can give you a quick, rough guide of where the character already stands. Then begin to ask yourself how the character would react to the PCs, to events in game, etc.
Finally, once you have the role-play aspect figured out, you can decide how the character looks in the game world. It may do to have a jedi show up in a fantasy setting, or it may not. You must think about those ramifications. Trade out lightsaber for a magical sword or even a magical hammer, if that is the character's play style. Don't necessarily try to apply certain classes and levels to the character. Come up with abilities that the character needs to keep it true to form, and judge the bonuses, DCs, and other mechanical needs based on what level they would be. Fudge it. As long as the PCs are not fighting the NPC directly it can all be narrative anyways.
So, the next time you pick up an RPG or want to play one you haven't in a while, think about the character. The next time you need an NPC and find yourself looking for a game to play, think about doing both at the same time. You will always need NPCs, so why not try another method, and worst case scenario, you have new ideas in the back of your head and you've entertained yourself with a game!
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