Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
Before designing any type of characters you should think about its graphic look and
functionality. Try to create a list of the actions it would perform, starting with the ba-
sic ones: walking, jumping, shooting, and so on. This will help you to determine the
character's anatomy and dimensions. For example, if he has to collect some items
from the ground, he should have arms of a proper length and should be able to bend.
If there are going to be ladders in your game, the character should have a consti-
tution letting him climb up and not being stuck by the ladder. The world outside the
character must be proportional to him and vice versa.
To design the character right, you need some concept art or sketches to determine
its look. Of course, big game studios feature every breathtaking example of concept
art and real states of art; everyone wants to buy such images and put them on the
wall. But at the first step of development, they are not necessary at all. The sketches
can look like some doodles, more important are the ideas that can be written there.
Usually every interesting concept is born from a scrawl, sometimes made on a table
napkin. So, don't worry about the graphic quality for now; you will need it later, when
the working process on sprite or 3D models starts.
