Character design is a fundamental aspect of video game development, playing a crucial role in how players interact with and perceive the game world. Well-designed characters can enhance the storytelling, gameplay, and overall player experience. This lesson will cover the principles of character design, including the types of characters, their roles, and how to create engaging and memorable characters for your game.

Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

1. Understand the different types of characters in video games and their roles.
2. Design characters with depth, including both primary and secondary characters.
3. Develop character briefs to guide the design process.
4. Create characters that enhance the game’s narrative and player engagement.

Key Concepts

1. Types of Characters
   • Player Character (PC): The character controlled by the player. This is often the protagonist of the game.
   • Non-Player Character (NPC): Characters controlled by the game’s AI. These can include:
     • Villains: The antagonists that oppose the player.
     • Townspeople: Background characters that populate the game world.
     • Adventurers: Allies or other characters with their own agendas.
     • Friends: Characters that support and assist the player.
     • Monsters: Creatures that the player may need to battle or overcome.
     • Traitors: Characters that may deceive or betray the player, adding plot twists.
2. Designing Balanced Characters for Multiplayer Games
   • Equal Abilities: Ensure each player starts with equal abilities to maintain balance.
   • Diverse Strengths and Weaknesses: Characters can have different strengths and weaknesses (e.g., strong but slow vs. weak but fast) to create variety without guaranteeing victory.
   • Close Competition: Games should be designed so that players feel like they have a chance to win until the very end, making the experience more exciting and engaging.
3. Character Goals and Motivation
   • Immediate Goals: Short-term objectives that the character is actively pursuing.
   • Wider Character Goals: Long-term desires that drive the character’s actions and development throughout the game, such as personal redemption or finding true love.
4. Secondary Characters
   • Plot Points and Twists: Secondary characters help drive the story forward and introduce new challenges or surprises.
   • Character Brief: A detailed description that includes the character’s appearance, personality, relationships, strengths, weaknesses, and goals.
5. Creating Character Briefs
   • Character List: Categorise characters into primary and secondary roles.
   • Detailed Descriptions: Provide thorough descriptions for primary characters, including their motivations and relationships.
   • Simplified Descriptions: Offer concise summaries for secondary characters to keep the focus on the main narrative.
6. Character Depth and Engagement
   • Personality and Backstory: Develop rich backstories and distinct personalities to make characters more relatable and engaging.
   • Relatability: Characters should have relatable traits or experiences that connect with the player.
   • Motivating Actions: Ensure characters’ actions are driven by their goals and motivations, making them more believable and consistent.

Practical Applications

1. Character Design Process
   • Brainstorming: Start with brainstorming sessions to come up with character ideas and concepts.
   • Sketching and Prototyping: Create initial sketches or prototypes of characters to visualise their design.
   • Iteration: Continuously refine and adjust the character designs based on feedback and playtesting.
2. Using Character Briefs
   • Guidance for Artists and Writers: Character briefs serve as a reference for artists and writers, ensuring consistency in the character’s design and behaviour.
   • Maintaining Consistency: Use briefs to keep track of character development and ensure they remain true to their intended roles and personalities.
3. Testing and Feedback
   • Playtesting: Test how characters are perceived and interacted with by players.
   • Feedback Collection: Gather feedback from players to identify areas for improvement in character design.
   • Adjustments: Make necessary adjustments to enhance character engagement and relevance to the game’s story.

Conclusion

Character design is a critical component of creating an immersive and engaging video game. By understanding the different types of characters, their roles, and how to create detailed character briefs, you can design characters that enhance the narrative and player experience. Use this lesson as a guide to develop characters that are memorable, relatable, and integral to your game’s success.