Chapter 4: Making the Character Real by Creating a Character History

Chapters 1 through 3 were about coming up with ideas. This chapter expands on your ideas so you can actually design the character's look. By now you should have some basic ideas about your character and possibly a few sketches . The image of your character is becoming clearer, and for the most part you are feeling pretty good about your design. Now is the time to think about the history and look of the character.

This chapter is about making your character real and about communicating aspects of the character to others. Doing so allows you to help the modelers and animators see the character as real as possible. It will also help you, the designer, put the finishing touches on your character.

Creating the Character's History

You may be wondering what the point of having a character history is. The character you are designing is only for a video game, after all, and not an epic novel . Well, a character history helps you, the designer, truly get to know what you are going to be drawing. Having a history for your character helps you pose the small questions that will give you the insight needed to make a successful design.

The steps to creating a character's history are simple and involve no more than answering a few questions. Be sure to write the history down as either a list or simple, descriptive paragraphs.

The next few sections cover the things you should consider when thinking about what your character's history will be.

The Character's Past, Present, and Future

Just as your friends and acquaintances are much more interesting when you know something about them, your character will be more interesting to the audience when something more is known about it. Consider the following about your character:

The character's past. Where is your character from and what were the character's formative years or youth like? Has the character had a very mobile past, or was the character born and raised in one area? Your character may not always have a distant past; maybe your character is only a week old and the past is not an issue.

The character's present situation. What has been happening with and to your character within the past few days, weeks, or months? Where is the character currently living and why?

The character's future. Isn't it wonderful that you are psychic and can see the future of your character? Use this information to help you develop the character's present.

The Character's Everyday Environment

The question of environment is an important one. Quite often, the environment that a character lives in will to a large degree determine the general physical look of your creation. Consider the following:

• Where is the character from? What specific environment did your character originate in?

• Where does the character live now?

• Outer space? Will the character need a space suit to operate in our typical earth environment?

• Aquatic? Will the character be slimy and breathe through gills?

• Subterranean? Will the character have large digging claws and no eyes?

• Airborne? Will the character be light as a feather or winged?

• Surface dweller? Will the character resemble a human?

• Some exotic environment? Will the character be a methane breather that drinks ammonia?

• A combination? Will the character be some combination of the above?

Considering where your character is from will help you arrive at a general physical look very quickly. From that point, you can experiment to your heart's desire as far as the small touches.

The Character's Personality

If you answer the following questions, you will begin to get a good feel of what a character's personality will be based on. Once you have the reasons for the way a character should behave, you may then figure out how that character will actually act. Here are the questions to ask:

• What is your character's personality and how has your character's history affected that personality?

• What is the character's name ? This sounds obvious, but you would be surprised how many characters don't have a name.

• What is the character's family tree?

• Is the character based on legend or myth? If the character is based on one, will the audience know and understand the origin of the legend or myth?

• Is the character based on another's work? If so, is the author living or deceased? Will you have any licensing issues if the character is too recognizable?

• Was the character born, created, or hatched?

• What is the character's body language and how does that help define the personality? Subconsciously, we all read each other's body language. Make sure that your character's body language fits the character's personality, profession, or gender.

• Was the character's family life good, bad, neutral, or nonexistent?

• Is the character educated or illiterate? An educated caveman will behave entirely different than an uneducated caveman. Likewise, an educated caveman will be different than an educated astronaut. Make sure the education is appropriate to the character.

• What are the character's current living conditions? Is the character obsessively or compulsively neat, or is slob a more apt description? Are the character's living conditions advanced or primitive?

• Does the character have a job, trade, or commercial skill? Though this may not directly affect the look or feel of a character, it may. A lumberjack assassin will look different than a ballet dancer assassin .

• Does the character need a commercial skill? Again, this may or may not affect your character design.

• Does the character have or need a financial status? A rich character may be able to outfit itself better than a poor one. A rich character will possibly be able to hire others to do his bidding.

• What are the character's favorite foods ?

• Does the character have any favorite activities, hobbies, etc.?

The Character's Personality Traits

It is so very important to get to know your character. If you answer these simple questions when you are laying the foundation for your design, your design will be believable and living to the audience:

• Is the character slow to anger or constantly in a rage?

• Is the character shy or bold?

• Is the character greedy or generous?

• Is the character sneaky or gullible?

• Is the character superstitious?

• How romantic is the character?

• Does the character have any personality quirks such as twitches, psychoses, or phobias?

• What, if any, are the character's defining moments?

• Has the character had any triumphs or failures?

• How does the character treat others?

• What are the character's politics?

• Is the character religious?

• Does the character own property?

• Does the character have servants, pets, a harem, etc.?

• Does the character have any unusual mental or physical characteristics?

• What are the character's day-to-day activities?

• Is your character a couch potato or a soldier?

The Character's Look

Once you know your character's personality, it is just as important to know his or her look. Ask yourself the following questions to help refine your mental image of the character:

• How technically advanced is the character? Is he a caveman, space jockey, or bottom- dwelling scum sucker?

• What are the character's defensive capabilities?

• What are the character's offensive capabilities?

• Does the character wear clothing, armor , or costumes?

• Does the character have style and, if so, what is that style like?

• What are the audience's expectations for the character? What does the audience expect visually? How does the audience expect the character to act?