What is the most important attribute of a great video game, the graphics or the characters? If you look back through the years, the memory of the video games you cherished is likely to be reduced to the characters depicted in those games.
When you introspect on a game like Dragonball, do you think more of the graphics or about Vegeta or Goku?
The scope of video games has grown remarkably in the 21st century, and it now consists of PC games and console games. Nowadays, it is not uncommon for software developers to repose a measure of autonomy with the player. This is why the leading characters of games tend to be editable.
The top video game franchises are all defined by the strength of the characters that were depicted in the games. Great graphics accompanied with bland or uninspiring characters will produce a subpar gaming experience. Regardless of the year, a game was produced or released for commercial sale, which will define its popularity and acceptance rate in the long term is the characterization.
Characters such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Lara Croft, Pikachu, Master Chief, Ellie, Kratos, Solid Snake, Nathan Drake, etc. seem to retain the popularity long after the release of the video games they were depicted in. Three defining features are the most noticeable in every video game:
- Great characters
- Amazing themes
- Nice setting
Why Video Game Characters Are so Important
- Emotion: Video game is a form of entertainment, and one important feature of entertainment is the capacity to evoke emotions. Whether it is a book or movie, we are wired to connect with the characters. For any video game you love, you are likely to love or hate at least one of the characters within the game. The emotional connection to the characters increases passion for the game which can also translate to commercial success for the producers.
- Impression: Players live vicariously through the characters of their favourite games. This explains the massive following and revenue earning capacity of video games in today’s world. Characters of video games can have a big impression such that it may go on to be featured in magazines and the storyline of movies. The impression that has been built will provide the impetus for dedication to the game.
How to Develop a Video Game Character
The process of forging a memorable video game character goes through the following stages:
General Idea
A video game must have a concept or storyline that will determine the nature of the characters involved. You must figure out the game concept before generating the ideas of what the lead and supporting characters will be. Questions concerning what idea or theme the game will be centred upon will be answered at this stage.
One important decision must be made, and this is the decision pertaining to the point of the character’s view. A character might be fashioned from the perspective of the first-person point of view and third person. How much control the players will have in tweaking the attributes and features according to their own unique interests.
The characters of a video game don’t have to be human; where this is the case, the specific features will be drawn up. Since these characters could be fictional, the programmer is at liberty to apportion interesting abilities to the characters.
Story Arc
This simply refers to the progression of the character within the course of gameplay. A game character will go through some experiences and may also undergo some changes along the way. The developer will plan the different stages that will be involved in the game and the possible effects it will have on the character. The arc will also consist of how the protagonists and other characters in the game will influence the main character.
Think about different scenarios that can morph with the idea of the game theme and backstory and then determine how the character should act in such situations. There is a possibility of the character changing as the gaming round progresses. This is because the character might get bigger or smaller depending on the calibre of obstacles faced. However, the character must retain at least some part of its looks.
Character Traits
This is the stage where the unique features and mannerisms of the main character will be developed. Generally, issues pertaining to appearance are considered at this stage. The outlook of the main character should first be drawn before the services of a concept artist can be secured to conceptualize the sketched drawing.
This is an important stage because it will determine how the characters will be perceived by the audience. Will the character be polite or impulsive, soft or aggressive? It is best to develop the characters to be relatable to the average player. The more relatable the characters, the better the gaming experience.
The name of the characters will also have to be decided. Although the name could be funky, it should be compatible with the image and appearance of the character. For the sake of simplicity, the leading character in the game may be given the same name as the game itself.
Relationships
A video game, in most cases, will likely involve more than one character. The interaction of the main character with the other characters is very critical in the gaming experience. Will the main character be collaborative or hostile to the other characters? All of these will help in developing a great video game character.
A game character can be built on a lot of variables and reasons similar to how slots get inspired by games, movies, pets or just pure inspiration. It is the same as striking theme resemblance of “In the Dog House” video game and Dog House Megaways free slot no download from dogs as a pet and human companion.
Characters can make or mar the total outlook of a game. It sets the foundation for the other features of the game. Due to the importance of it, attention must be invested to ensure that the character is well developed. It could be time-consuming, but the reward of a generally accepted character could linger on for years. The beauty of a finely designed character should be complemented with a good aesthetic in the background.
