Characters
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This document discusses character design for computer games. It covers developing characters around the story and gameplay, different types of avatars from non-defined to specific, controlling avatars both indirectly and directly, common stereotypes in gender-specific design, and using archetypes or a story-driven approach. Key aspects of design include concept art, model sheets, background papers, attributes, and audio design. The mission is to design a game character with sketches, attributes, and details.
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Characters
- 1. Character Design Design of Computer Games Martin Sillaots Aug 8 2019 # 9 Character Design
- 2. Character Development • Center point of the story • Emotional aspects • Visual look • Selling point
- 3. Avatar Characteristics • Player identify with character • Make player think • Special • Credible • Gameplay structured around the character
- 4. Avatar Types • No avatar • Semi-specific avatar • Specific avatar
- 5. Not Defined Avatar • Designer don't specify anything about them • Avatar is not visible • Avatar don't speak Gordon Freeman
- 6. Semi-Specific Avatar • Representatives of the player • Balance between not defined and specific avatars
- 7. Specific Avatar • Centre point of the story • Identifying with the hero • Player controls avatar to certain limit April Ryan – Longest Journey
- 8. Avatar Controlling • Indirect - point and click • Direct control
- 9. Gender-Specific Character Design • Male avatars • Female Avatars • Stereotypes
- 10. Male Avatars • Main characters mostly male • Players are male • Some exemptions • Males don't identify with character
- 11. Heather - Silent Hill Female Avatars • Female characters • Females identify with character • Customization is important
- 12. Hypersexualized Characters • Exaggerating sexual attributes • Most common stereotype • Not strong advantage for selling • Big breasts don't sell bad game
- 13. Archetypes Male archetypes • King • Warrior • Magician • Lover Female archetypes • Queen • Mother • Wise woman • Lover
- 15. Male archetypes
- 16. What is your archetype? www.archetypes.com
- 17. Art-Driven Character Design Design starts from visuals
- 18. Physical Types • Human • Non-human • Hybrid
- 19. Visual Look • Cool • Tough • Cute • Goofy Ratchet & Clank Ryu - Street Fighter
- 20. Visual Elements • Clothes • Weapons • Symbols • Names • Colors • Partners
- 21. Design Methods • Concept art • Model sheets • Character background paper
- 22. Concept Art • Early drawings • Different versions • How the character should look like • Everybody is involved
- 23. Model Sheets • Animations • Different poses • Different emotions
- 24. Character Background Paper • Place of birth • Education • Current situation • Job • Finances • Favorite book, movie, … • Clothing stile • Favorite food, drink • Favorite activity • Hobbies • Personality – shy – outgoing – greedy – giving • Funny sides • Superstitions • Phobias • Traumatic moments • Triumphs • Past romances • Current relations • Religion • Treating friends, lovers, … • Political beliefs • Possessions • Pets • Talents • Best things to happen • Worst thing to happen
- 25. Story-Driven Character Design Design starts from behavior
- 26. Story-Driven Character Design • Role • Attitudes • Values • Personality • Behavior
- 27. Character Attributes • Characterization attributes – Appearance – Nature – Activity – Temper • Status attributes – Location – Health – Inventory – Emotions – Relationships
- 28. e.g. SIMS Character Attributes Characterization attributes • Neat • Outgoing • Active • Playful • Nice Status attributes • Hunger • Comfort • Hygiene • Bladder • Energy • Fun • Happiness
- 29. Character Dimensions • Emotional sophistication • Character growth • Fundamental characteristics *
- 30. Roles
- 31. Character Audio Design • Vocabulary • Grammar • Accent • Speed and tone • Specialties
- 32. Source
- 33. Mission # 9 Design your Game Avatar or NPC’s if relevant
- 34. Characters Design Mission Details • Sketch concept art of an character – Face – Appearance • List character attributes – Characterization – Status • Name • Items
Editor's Notes
- heroes, villains, … Business consideration - game name = character name (+ other stuff: books, …) Emotions: - getting emotional responses - emotional debt of the back story
- Main character Player designed [e.g. in role playing games] Designer designed Identify- heroes men not so deeply – men usually chose default avatars very important to ladies – customization is important Think - complex characters Special - unique Credible - consistent
- No avatar Designer don't specify anything about them avatar is not visible First person view player Semi-specific avatar Representatives of the player Player has a direct control - Puppet or doll (action, platform) Specific avatar Centre point of the story Identifying with the hero Player controls avatar to certain limit – person Indirect control - point and click Like "Personas" in software development Player is not avatar but plays with it e.g. adventure game avatars – specific avatars
- No avatar – player E.g. Gordon Freeman - Half-Life - avatar is not visible - 1st wp - don't speak e.g. text based games
- Mario, Lara Puppet or doll
- Like "Personas" in software development Player is not avatar but plays with it If the character is realistic also actions should be realistic E.G: April Ryan – Longest Journey
- Indirect - (adventure, role-play) - like personalities Direct - (action, platform) - like puppets
- Lara Croft - masculine action Man choose mostly default character
- Identification - extension of personality Customization - selling point for females
- Avoid Mainstream today Mostly used in industry Sell well to boys e.g. Space Bunnies Must Die e.g. Kratos - God of War e.g Lara Croft
- Fundamental characteristics Hero's Journey (by Joseph Campbell)
- ALT: Behavior - Story-driven character design - design starts from behavior
- Human – Humanoid (Marvin - hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy, animal like humanoids - star wars) - Non-humanoid - vehicles, machines (e.g. R2-D2) - animals - monsters - asymmetric, extreme proportions - Hybrid - mermaid - human-machines (Davros, Cylons - Battlestar Galactica)
- Not original proportions Not photorealistic Exaggerations - like comic books - Cool - never upset, sunglasses, smooth body language, cleaver, fast, focused (e.g. Ratchet - Ratchet & Clank) - Tough - physical aggression, large gestures (e.g. Ryu - Street Fighter) - Cute - large eyes and head, rounded, light, innocent (e.g. Mario) Goofy - funny, odd, not upset (e.g. Goofy – Disney) Style different in different continents: - Europe - Japan - USA
- Body shaping not enough e.g. Indiana Jones - Clothes - Weapons (ax vs sward) - Symbols - hair style – don’t change - jewelry - magic, meaning, or mysticism - Names - can reflect the nature (e.g. Rocky) - avoid stereotypes Colors e.g. Superman - cheery, Batman - dark, Spiderman Partners - sidekick e.g. Robin - balancing main character e.g. Don Quijote and Sancho Panco e.g. in action games (Jak and Daxter, Ratchet & Clank) e.g. same avatar - Banjo-Kazooie
- Software GIMP - raster Inkscape - vector Blender - 3D
- Takes minutes to draw (not hours) Versions - different qualities Involved: programmers - how to model it? marketing - how to sell it? …
- body language facial experience one page
- List of characteristics
- ALT: Visual - Art-driven character design - design starts from visuals
- Symbolic or numerical variables Characterization - change with small amounts (constitution) Appearance = neat Nature = Outgoing Activity = active Temper =mostly calm Status - change frequently and with big amount Location Health Inventory Emotions Relationships Energy Physical conditions Hunger Comfort Hygiene
- Emotions - How the behavior changes when emotion changes - Zero dimensions - one state (e.g. orcs - hate and fear e.g. shooter games) - One dimension - graduate change from one state to other (e.g. Gimly towards elves) - Two dimensions - multiple warbles (e.g. Denethor – Father of Boromir and Faramir) - Three dimensions - (e.g. Gollum) Growth e.g. new moves Characteristics - archetypes
- Fundamental characters – story structure
- Specialties – e.g. stuttering