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Let us choose your last-minute Halloween costume.
Mario and Luigi (Super Mario Bros.) Jotaro Kujo (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)
“Character design—like all design—is an answer to a question… How do we express a fictional personality as a real person?” – Super Eyepatch Wolf
When I am making a new game, my main character (as well as most game objects) starts out as a simple box or rectangle. Progressing past the rectangle stage of development can be pretty tricky, especially when it comes to designing your main character.
If you have a visual arts background or are working with a game artist, then this phase might be a little easier for you. If neither relate, then Jox Digital has you covered! Here are a few tips for designing an iconic protagonist:
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Think About Your Game: It is important to take a long look in the mirror before you start designing your main character. What is the story of your game? What is your game world like? Who is your character, and how does he/she interact with the world around?
The player should be able to interpret the answers to these questions from the visual identification of your character’s design traits. If your character is a badass, like Jotaro Kujo from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, then the player should be able to tell instantly just by looking at them.
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Think About Your Audience: Who is your audience, and how will the character appeal to them? If you are designing a game for a younger audience, maybe your character should be cute. Your audience should always be a factor in any design decision you make.
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Iconography: Give your character recognizable traits so that they stand out and are memorable. Color and accessories are a great way to accomplish this. Mario's and Jotaro’s hats are both iconic and recognizable. Sonic the Hedgehog’s spiky hair and blue coloring make him easy to picture with the mind’s eye.
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Recognizability: Mario’s red hat and mustache are instantly recognizable because this ties with his iconography. Even more, a well-designed character is usually recognizable from their silhouette alone. If you have never seen Star Wars or Looney Tunes, it is very likely that you know who Darth Vader and Bugs Bunny are, and this is due to the iconography in their designs as well as their high recognizability.
🧜♀️🤴🧝♀️👨🔧👩🎤 Relatability: Anthropomorphized animals, cute creatures, and characters with masks or vague features all make it easy for the player to insert themselves in the character. A relatable character allows the player to immerse themselves in the game more fully. Think hard about the story you want to tell and how relatable you want the audience to find your character.
Whether it's getting your game started with someone you can follow and appreciate or getting a Halloween costume ready with someone who wouldn't have to ask what your costume is, being a recognizable character is the "aha" moment we strive for.
Game on,
PBJ, Jox Digital Educator
info@jox.digital
A Jox Thought: If you made it this far, then you deserve another Halloween idea: Among Us. Here's a spooky one since red is a bit sus:
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