Character design within type-based creature characters; codifying conventions
polycounter lvl 4
Hello Polycount,
I am currently doing a dissertation on character design within video games, specifically creatures/monsters of elemental and magical types, trying to distinguish patterns within each type. I am trying to formalise type-based character design, allowing players to initially recognise character abilities.
This dissertation involves creating a formula that designers can refer to, which will demonstrate the conventions of type-based characters, making sure the semantics of the designer's designs are readable by the player.
I perceive that the formula will be used to create generic and standardised characters. To eliminate the creation of unoriginal characters, designers may also use the formula as a table of reference, going against the conventions I have demonstrated in order to make something unique.
I have used Pok
I am currently doing a dissertation on character design within video games, specifically creatures/monsters of elemental and magical types, trying to distinguish patterns within each type. I am trying to formalise type-based character design, allowing players to initially recognise character abilities.
This dissertation involves creating a formula that designers can refer to, which will demonstrate the conventions of type-based characters, making sure the semantics of the designer's designs are readable by the player.
I perceive that the formula will be used to create generic and standardised characters. To eliminate the creation of unoriginal characters, designers may also use the formula as a table of reference, going against the conventions I have demonstrated in order to make something unique.
I have used Pok
Replies
Regarding your questions;
1) Sure, if there are a lot of characters, like in a game like Pokemon.
2) It's a possibility, but this system could also be used to create on-model characters that look like they are all part of the same world.
3) That's a toughie. I guess, colour palette, shape reference (for instance, how do we draw mouths, hair, hands?), and maybe a stylisation guide?
To an extent yes, it becomes a lot easier for a player to recognise what type of character is what just based on something as simple as colour
"Do you think creating a formula for type-based characters will lead to the creation of generic and simplified character designs?"
It depends on how far you go with the formula, personally I think a formula already exists when it comes to colour scheme, but adding on other fixed features would limit what an artist could do.
"If you could ask for a formula for character design, what features would you ask for?"
That is a tough one, I don't know if you could formulate general character design, there are some many factor that need to be considered before the actual designing part.
A lot of these characters are specifically designed that if I had never in my life encountered Pokemon/Skylanders/Video games that I would be able to:
A) tell them all apart from each other
C) understand which ones relate to each other
I have begun collecting key characters from Ni No Kuni, Skylanders and Pok
Having a formula would be useful as it will help designers follow and create multiple characters but after a few creations, they might start losing their feel and start becoming generic like you said. But it would benefit in some way as you can always go back and refer to it.
I don't know tbh. Many silhouettes would be appreciated like you have done, so people can get a rough idea, and create a design around it. I think you have covered all the basics but overall, you just have to make sure they correlate with each other.
I decided to do a doodle of the Rock and Undead design and follow the colour palette.
From drawing it, I noticed I already had in mind what colours I would use for the Rock and Undead character. The Undead character, I straight away wanted to use dark and light purple colours. The colour palette did help, but I knew what colours I wanted to do for both.
It shows you have done research, and thought this out well. Be interesting to see what you find. Good luck!
yeah its kinda good idea at some point ,
you also can get some research material related to this from manga matrix and super manga matrix books
example pages from manga matrix :
http://browseinside.harpercollins.ca/index.aspx?isbn13=9780060893415
some example pages from super manga matrix :
http://www.harpercollinscatalogs.com/TR/other/9780061149900_0_Extra_spread_1.pdf
the problem is , some character will feel unnatural ,it might work for some cartoony characters. but not always work for realism.
like when we try to scotchtape horn, extra wing and leg on duck,it wont feel natural.
@BRADDERS64 Thanks! It's noteworthy that you have also used texture (the rock cracks) and expression to convey the character type.
@dustinbrown Thank you. This article was extremely useful and highlighted some points to really help cement my research.
@xvampire Thank you. The Manga Matrix is perfect reference for my formula. And thanks for bringing up realism, I'll be sure to make it apparent that the formula is designed for more stylised works.
To reiterate my point that this formula is not designed as a ruleset, more, a guideline, I would like to quote Chris Solarski on his The Shape Spectrum of Emotions (http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/185676/the_aesthetics_of_game_art_and_.php)
"The shape spectrum of emotions should NOT be used as a design formula -- but as a conceptual tool to assess artwork and identify problem areas."
I have been given many good external points of reference to consider, so before I continue with my formula, I am going to focus of the philosophy of design in the hope it will greater my understanding of this project.
To begin with, I have looked into colour theory, and how the secondary colour wheel can portray all the elemental types I am trying to examine. As undead is a magical type and not elemental, its primary colour palette will not be found within the colour wheel. Using Goethe's Secondary Colour Wheel as reference, I have made a chart displaying where the elemental types fit into the wheel. What's interesting about the chart I've created is that elements with a strength/weakness to each other are found directly opposite one another within the colour wheel. Logically, this makes sense, as the colour wheel was designed harmoniously. Therefore, colours directly opposite one another have the highest amount of contrast.
What is even more interesting, is that there are two other patterns within the chart which relate to strengths and weaknesses. This is complicated to explain, so bare with me. Air is incredibly susceptible to fire and electric elements. On the chart, these three elements leave a one colour gap between one another. Grass is incredibly powerful against water and earth (earth, in this instance, covers rock based creatures) elements. On the chart, these three elements leave a one colour gap between one another. Furthermore, water is resistant to fire, earth is resistant to electric and air is resistant to grass. This creates another pattern, where two elements based next to one another on the colour wheel nullify their neighbour's attack. It is difficult to say whether these patterns were intentional, but is interesting to see how the harmony of colours are taking a direct impact on elemental strengths and weaknesses.
To help demonstrate the patterns within the colour wheel, I have created a basic diagram.
There is a direct bond between colours found in nature and colours found in type-based creatures. The keyword here being elements. From our understanding of elements within reality, we project that knowledge onto character's to interpret their function. Colours connote meaning, red being hot, blue being cool etc. And these connotations have been developed from how those colours are formed within nature. Fire being (in a basic sense) red, it is hot. Water being blue, it is cool (unless heated). From the six elements I have defined, all of them are based on real elements, and those colours can all be found within nature. Though I am using undead within this study, it still holds value. To justify its black and purple colour palette, I have concluded that, as purple is the least common colour found within nature, it conveys magical properties. Therefore, it makes sense that it would reflect the undead as it is unnatural. Using various images from the internet, the reference sheet below demonstrates where elemental colour palettes are found within nature.
It has now become apparent that elemental characters now need a colour scheme that relates to their element in order to make them even remotely plausible or understandable. Video games characters aren't defined by video game predecessors, but by nature. To gain an understand of the value of colour within character design, I have taken several elemental type characters and recoloured them. In theory, viewers should become confused by the messages portrayed from the images.
The six characters now all convey conflicting messages about their abilities. Ignitor looks like an undead blue magic type, Tree Rex a high level boss, Whirlwind a fire/dragon type, Wartortle is the garish offspring of The Mask, Geodude looks ill and Jolteon has an ice-queen appearance. They no longer represent their element, making it difficult to interpret their type. Though it isn't impossible. I still recognise that Ignitor is aflame, meaning he must be a fire type. Tree Rex has a bark texture (grass), Whirlwind has feathers (air), Wartortle looks like a turtle (water), Geodude has a rocky texture (earth) and Jolteon looks like it's been electrocuted (electric). But we are getting ahead of ourselves here. We want to descope and narrow down further to the basic shapes that compose these elements. So, if I was to extract all colour, features and elements from the characters we would have the following diagram.
This diagram demonstrates some of the core shapes which are prominent within each of the characters. From the shapes defined within this characters, I will need to study how they correlate across other elemental characters and how and if these shapes appear within their elements within reality.
I will continue my research into shapes and iconography to gain a greater understand of how these forms function and why. I plan to have a second draft of the formula at some point this week, and greatly appreciate any guidance, feedback or help I receive from the community.
Lucy