In a message dated 97-06-04 07:37:19 EDT, you write:

michael.h.chen@yale.edu wrote:
 > 
 > Hmmm, if I can't be productive, I might as well come up with new
 > ideas to write. :)
 > 
 > Ok, here's the question.  Suppose Ranma never really had his "big
 > bad" father and spent his childhood wandering around Japan, alone?
 > How would you suppose he would be like?  Would he be better mannered?
 >  Be more like Ryoga?  Be a practical person? Be more emotional?  I
 > think this is going to be a major part of my next Alternative
 > Reality, Ranma doesn't have parents and he doesn't have a place to
 > call home, until of course, a sweet girl takes pity on him and takes
 > him in.....
 > 
 > Well, that's what I have on my mind right now, but I just have a
 > problem how to characterize Ranma the right way...
 > 
 > Michael Chen
 
 	I would say that Ranma would be either more quiet and introspective or
 a regular tough boy depending on the upbringing. in any case, play him
 as a slightly less cocky boy although without high martial arts and
 you're fine. 
 ie give him a brown belt in the skill rather than a double dun.(two
 higher than black)
 	ps, he should be more practical and willing to admit his mistakes. he
 also should have mother complex having never had one before. ie wants
 security or likes to extend protection to others. He could have some
 brawling skills to augument the protection but he wouldn't have the
 execptional martial arts skills he got from the training. 
 	PSS. allot of his skills and knowledge would be in relation to how old
 he was when his parents died. 
 

However, Ranma *would* have a lot of potential... He would have to have had
it to get as good as he did under Genma, and that wouldn't have changed.  I
can easily see him learning from someone after he arrives in Nerima, possibly
Akane, and getting pretty good (still not as good as the *real* Ranma, but
pretty close).