However the "Generic" background will never get unique quests, NPCs, locations, or intrigue.
And the "Generic" Background is the only background that allows you to make your own character.
Of course the generic background will never get unique quests, NPCs, locations, or intrigue. Those things require specifics. How do you imagine that a generic could get specific dialogue written for them?
Yet lets just say "Child of Merchant" was an origin and it was what I was referring to. What would it mean?
1) The merchant would exist, you could see him in game and you could talk to him
2) There would be people who know you who would have names and influence, you would have connections based on being a merchant
3) You could visit the trading post, shop, or what have you that would have to exist according to that origin.
4) There would be specific quests, optional goals, and rewards based on this origin.
In fact there would likely be some reason why this detail is important. There would likely be some reason why you start the game the way you do even as "The son of a merchant". You didn't just appear or travel to the plot some day. Your character might talk about how they were part of a caravan, delivering some goods, kidnapped by a competitor, or something before the plot started.
So what you're asking for is more fully-fleshed out origins. More origins sounds like a good idea, although that does require time, energy and resources.
If you want "child of a merchant", but unrestricted by race (you want to visit the shop), then that means that you don't just have to create just one set of parents, but five - at least one for each race. But wait, there's more. You could be of a different race if you were adopted, but then the dialogue would have to take that into account too. And then there's the Undead. What if you are Undead but your parents are not? And then being Undead means you could be Undead for one of 4 races.
So that can lead to an origin like "Adopted Undead Dwarf Child of Elf Merchants".
Or "Adopted Undead Dwarf Child of Undead Lizard Merchants".
And that's just one f***ing possibility. Each and every possibility needs someone to write the dialogue, put that in the database, program in the different responses, and bug-test it. And we're not even getting into the "Unique Special Snowflake Quests and Locations" you want.
Do you really think that there's enough time and money to make each and every option for "Child of a Merchant" as deep and well-written as a preset character?
Sorry, but the Holodeck is on Deck 10.
