Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER 6
Character Development
It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.
—J. K. R OWLING , H ARRY P OTTER AND THE C HAMBER OF S ECRETS
Character design is an important aspect of telling stories and evoking an emotional
response in both stories and games. Whether it's based on the visual look of the
character or the emotional depth of the back story, the character we play and
those we interact with help make the game world believable to us. Heroes, villains,
innocents in distress, and bystanders: Without these characters to carry us forward,
the game would be an empty shell.
This chapter looks at how to design compelling and believable characters. We'll
start by examining the characteristics of the avatar character, both player-designed
and built-in. Next we'll look at the issues inherent in gender-specific character
design, paying attention to the common game stereotypes you should avoid. We'll
also look at the attributes associated with characters—visual, behavioral, and audi-
ble—and how you can use them to design your own characters. We'll also talk
about the difference between art-driven character design and story-driven character
design and why you might prefer one over the other. A section on the importance
of good audio design for your characters concludes the chapter.
The Goals of Character Design
In many genres, games structure gameplay around characters. Action games (espe-
cially the fighting and platform subgenres), adventure games, action-adventure
hybrids, and role-playing games all use characters extensively to entertain. Players
need well-designed characters to identify with and care about—heroes to cheer and
villains to boo. The best games also include complex characters who aren't heroes
or villains but fall somewhere in between, characters designed to intrigue the
player or make the player think. If characters aren't interesting or appealing, the
game is less enjoyable.
Many factors combine to determine the degree to which a character appeals to peo-
ple. A character need not be attractive in the conventional sense of being pleasant
to look at, but he must be competently constructed—well drawn or well described.
His various attributes should work together harmoniously; his body, clothing,
voice, animations, facial expressions, and other characteristics should all join to
express him and his role clearly to the player. (Disharmonious elements can be
introduced for humor's sake, however, as with the cute but foul-mouthed squirrel
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