CHARACTERS CHARACTERS Protagonist Usually hero Outer and inner

CHARACTERS

CHARACTERS � Protagonist � Usually hero � Outer and inner problems Servant � Pet � � Antagonist Sidekick � � NPCs Merchant � Trainer � Quest giver � Higher self �

CHARACTER ROLES � Higher self Ø � � Meant to aid the hero Shadow Ø Ultimate evil Threshold guardian Ø Progress delayer Teaches the hero Ally Ø Hero as he aspires to be Mentor Ø Trickster Ø Mischief maker Herald Ø Used to facilitate change in the story

CHARACTER GROWTH � Must include growth to have a meaningful story � Growth varies by genre � Must decide: � Which characters will grow � How they will grow � Implementation in game � Affect on gameplay � Representation to player

CHARACTER GROWTH

GOALS OF CHARACTER DESIGN � Enhance story � Emotional response � Characters to identify with and care about � Credible within the game style

GOALS OF CHARACTER DESIGN � Create characters that people … find intriguing (even if a villain) can believe in can identify with � Distinctive enough to be memorable

PLAYER-DESIGNED AVATARS � Flexibility differs by genre � Role-playing games usually greatest � Race, sex, hair, physical attributes, etc. � Typically no personality but what is created � Goal is tools for players to create themselves

NONSPECIFIC AVATARS � Designer doesn’t specify anything � Text-based adventure games � Allows very tight connection between player and avatar � Half-Life’s � Limiting Gordon Freeman for designer

SPECIFIC AVATARS � Goals � Personality of their own � Belong in the game � Begins with visual depiction � Player’s relationship more complex � Identify with, not become

SEMI-SPECIFIC AVATARS � Only partially characterized � Better to make cartoonish � Common with action game avatars � Mario � Lara Croft � “Beyond the bare facts of her biography, her perfect vacuity means we can make Lara Croft into whoever we want her to be. ” – Steven Pool, “Lara’s Story”

CONTROLLING AVATARS � Indirect (“point and click”) � Doesn’t steer avatar, points to where to go. Player as disembodied guide friend � More likely specific avatar � Direct � Player steers avatar through game world, doing a variety of actions as necessary � More likely nonspecific or semi-specific

DESIGNING THE AVATAR � Nonspecific, � Visual, � Direct � Goal: semi-specific or specific psychological, social or indirect control character the player can identify with qualities can appreciate

ART-DRIVEN CHARACTER DESIGN � Creating a character by first thinking about his visual appearance � Visual design � Character physical types � Physical design � Defining attributes � Sidekicks

VISUAL DESIGN � Realism doesn’t matter, selfconsistency does � Pac-Man � Lara Croft � Purely artistic characters tend to be more superficial and one-dimensional � Lets the player impose his own personality

CHARACTER PHYSICAL TYPES � Humanoids � Non-humanoids � Hybrids

PHYSICAL DESIGN � Methods to attract › › � Cartoonlike qualities › � Hypersexualization Cuteness Cool, tough, cute, goofy Culture differences in art styles › Japanese: large eyes and tiny/huge mouths � Cute › faces with sexually provocative women European: often ugly and strange to Americans

DEFINING ATTRIBUTES � Clothing, weapons, symbolic objects, name � Color palette reflects character’s attitudes or emotional temperament � Superman, upholder of “truth, justice, and the American way”: bright/cheery, American flag � Batman, Dark Knight of Gotham City (grittier, more run-down than Metropolis): somber

SIDEKICKS � Most prominent common element in game design � Combine qualities (e. g. , tough with cute) to provide variety and comic relief � Benefits � Give player additional moves and actions � Extend emotional range of game � Can give player information they couldn’t get otherwise

STORY-DRIVEN CHARACTER DESIGN � Starting with the story behind the character and developing his traits and personality before considering his appearance Character dimensionality � Language & accent � Developing believable characters � Character growth � Character archetypes �

CHARACTER DIMENSIONALITY � Zero-dimensional › � One-dimensional › � Have only a single variable to characterize a changing feeling or attitude Two-dimensional › � May display only discrete emotional states Have multiple non-conflicting variables that express their impulses Three-dimensional › Have multiple emotional states that can produce conflicting impulses

LANGUAGE & ACCENT � Key cue to character’s personality › › › � Vocabulary – age, social class, education Grammar and sentence construction – education and class Accent – place of origin and social class Delivery (speed and tone) – excitement, boredom, anxiety, suspicion, attitude or emotional state Vocal quirks – distinguishing Sound effects also tell about personality › › › Confirm player’s command Signal injury, damage, death Pitch describes

BELIEVABLE CHARACTERS � Major characters need rich personalities › Answer many questions about them � Where was he born? � What is his education? � What are his favorite activities? � What were his biggest triumphs in life? � What are his interesting or important possessions? � etc. › Show through appearance, language, and behavior

BELIEVABLE CHARACTERS � Attributes – location, health, relationships, etc. � Can change as the player plays the game � Status attributes: change frequently and by large amounts � Characterization attributes: change infrequently and only by small amounts or not at all

BELIEVABLE CHARACTERS � Three golden guidelines to developing effective, believable characters � Needs to intrigue the player � Needs to get the player to like him � Needs to change and grow according to experience