Writing for New IP - Professional Techniques for Video Game Writing - page 153

run properly no matter whether they are good or evil. She dislikes sloppiness and
bad management wherever it might appear.
Rose could be a great asset to either side, should she actually make the choice be-
tween good and evil once and for all, but Rose prefers to go where she sees the work,
regardless of alignment. Rose acknowledges killing as a necessity (just a necessity for
other people), and if there's to be evil in the world (and Rose understands the need
for balance) then it should at least be done properly.
Although Rose is attractive, she does not use that to get what she wants, as com-
pared to the gushing and flirting of her sister Velvet. Rose does have a soft spot for
the Overlord's Minions, though, and speaks about them in a much more kindly way
than she ever does about the player.
Rose's Vocal Requirements
Rose has a pleasant but somewhat “teacherish� voice, like a slightly twisted Marry
Poppins. She is quite well spoken (think English Rose) although not to the extent of
sounding too posh, as that is likely to be off-putting. Her tone goes slightly cutesy
when she's talking about/to the Minions.
Example lines to the player:
ROSE
“Sire,thatgirlthatWilliamthePaladinwasgoingtomarry.Well...she's
my sister, Velvet.
We don't speak. Speaking usually means she's got herself into some kind
of trouble. . . again .
Judging by this place, Velvet's in it up to her silly little neck.�
Example lines to Velvet:
ROSE
“SirWilliam summoned an over-sexed demon, started a city-wide plague,
and now he's dead. I can see why you might be emotional !Butstayout
of my business!�
Rose Postmortem
Rose's character was quite a hard one to voice, as we wanted to make sure that her
character traits came off as amusing, rather than annoying, and that her voice was
stillpleasanttolistento.Wehadtogothroughacoupleofvoiceactressestogetthe
right tone and performance.
Lots of players seemed to think that Rose was the “good� sister, rather than the
“less evil� one. I think this is in part because players are used to thinking in quite
black-and-white terms when it comes to the representation of evil in games. Rose
would actually make one hell of a dictator, given half a chance. However, unless