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Published byEgbert Garrison Modified over 8 years ago
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Protagonist Usually hero Outer and inner problems Antagonist Sidekick Servant Pet NPCs Merchant Trainer Quest giver Higher self
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Threshold guardian Progress delayer Trickster Mischief maker Herald Used to facilitate change in the story Higher self Hero as he aspires to be Mentor Teaches the hero Ally Meant to aid the hero Shadow Ultimate evil
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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
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Enhance story Emotional response Characters to identify with and care about Credible within the game style
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Create characters that people … find intriguing (even if a villain) can believe in can identify with Distinctive enough to be memorable
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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
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Designer doesn’t specify anything Text-based adventure games Allows very tight connection between player and avatar Half-Life’s Gordon Freeman Limiting for designer
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Goals Personality of their own Belong in the game Begins with visual depiction Player’s relationship more complex Identify with, not become
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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”
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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
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Nonspecific, semi-specific or specific Visual, psychological, social Direct or indirect control Goal: character the player can identify with qualities can appreciate
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Creating a character by first thinking about his visual appearance Visual design Character physical types Physical design Defining attributes Sidekicks
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Realism doesn’t matter, self-consistency does Pac-Man Lara Croft Purely artistic characters tend to be more superficial and one-dimensional Lets the player impose his own personality
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Humanoids Non-humanoids Hybrids
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Methods to attract › Hypersexualization › Cuteness Cartoonlike qualities › 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
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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
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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
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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
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Zero-dimensional › May display only discrete emotional states One-dimensional › Have only a single variable to characterize a changing feeling or attitude Two-dimensional › Have multiple non-conflicting variables that express their impulses Three-dimensional › Have multiple emotional states that can produce conflicting impulses
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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
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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
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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
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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
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