Project #2 - PART 1 - Finalising a Design

Even though I had done some loose sketches, I played around with silhouettes. 

 

It was difficult to try and stay within the parameters of the existing soldier's designs. The danger with designing a unique character within a generic group of other characters is that you can either create something too generic or one that out-stretches the boundaries and sticks out like a sore thumb. The last thing you want is for them to look disjointed from the rest and potentially take the player out of the experience as they wonder what on earth that character is meant to be. SO, I tried to design him so that he would be identifiable as Hyrulean soldier, but one that is obvious enough to be a character you'd notice amongst the rest of the soldiers.

Not only that, but I also considered that he could potentially be a higher ranking soldier than the others. Perhaps mid-rank, as to avoid overly ornate armour in a game like OoT. This is a good foundation for giving him a slightly different, more unique design.

 

The same went for his colour palette. Although at this point I feel that he didn't stand out enough as a significant character since his colour palette is almost the same as the other Hyrulean Soldiers. 

 

To make him stand out from the generic guards, I designed a more unique helm, and ultimately added pauldrons as a status symbol. These helped to establish that he could be of a higher rank than the other soldiers. This was my first result:

Project #2 - PART 1 - Initial Sketching

From looking at those case studies, it became apparent that many games in which the main character has a sibling, involves said siblings needing to be saved. Of course, this is a good motivator for the character and the player since, as already stated, family is a common thread amongst many people, however in my brief I wanted to try and investigate other ways in which a sibling could be significant without that cliche.

Part 1 of this project involved designing a big brother for Link, the Ocarina of Time iteration to be specific.
Since I already know the back story - how and why Link ended up in Kokiri forest in the first place, I found it unnecessary to try shoehorn in a 'damsel-in-distress' situation for a sibling, especially since Link is indicated to have been an only child. So, imagining that he wasn't an only child was a challenge given his situation.

The best way I determined that Link's brother could exist smoothly was that if he did not reside in Kokiri Forest with him, but rather had remained in Hyrule during the time Link's mother ran away to the forest with him.

So, I considered what Link's brother would do for a living.

 

I considered that he could be an ordinary merchant or a farmhand at the Lon-Lon ranch, however these kinds of roles would prove to be insignificant in the grand scheme of things. He would play no particular role or have any sort of impact on the game space, Link himself and thus the player. 

 With this in mind, my brainstorming took me to that of the Hyrulean Soldiers. The Soldiers feature in several of the installments, making the concept of Link's brother potentially transferable. They are also recognizable and have the potential to be more important on a more central scale. So I played on this idea.

As initial design work goes, I'm happy with the concept. Link's brother could easily have remained in Castle town. Older than Link, his age could indicate that he would remember his mother running away, and as such could have decided to join the military in hope that it might be able to help him seek out his missing family.
The idea is plausible since we know nothing else of Link's family in OoT other than that Link was brought to Kokiri forest by his mother, who then passed away.

Project #2 - Case Study 4

Another example of siblings is Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands.
Spoilers ahoy, since explaining the story is necessary to explain the characters.

In a way, this is a slightly different scenario to those which I had already looked at, while on the other hand it could be argued that it comes down to the same thing.

At any rate, Forgotten Sands begins with the Prince on his way to visit his brother Malik and his kingdom in order to learn from him, to find that the city has come under siege. Malik is a capable man, but he welcomes the Prince's arrival and enlists his help in defending the city. He is central to the plot of the game, since *spoilers* it is Malik who insists on releasing Solomon's Army which doesn't turn out the way he intends it. Because of the Prince's brother, the player is hurled into a battle against raging sand monsters. 

The relationship between the two seems to be a strong one, enough that the Prince begins to notice the changes in Malik as the game progresses. A strong character though Malik is, initially leading them all, he beings to lose his way and the player experiences the Prince's dismay. There is a familiarity in this discord, as it can represent real life situations. Again, it is the topic of family that creates a strong link between the character and the player. The Prince's concern is reflected on us.

Another point is that Malik is likeable character, as is the Prince, and the player feels the rift forming between them as Malik is consistently separated from his brother by a hair's breadth representing the differences in their morals in a way. Then, when Malik is eventually consumed by Ratash, the Prince is burdened with the task of having to attack his own brother.

The significance of Malik being his bother here is that the Prince is forced to turn on him, which puts him in a moral dilemma - as well as the player in his shoes. Malik is a constant presence in the game, and the Prince battles to preserve his brother's moral judgement. In other words, Malik is of great significance in Forgotten Sands and plays a particular role, so much so because he IS the brother of the Prince. In this case, it would be far weaker a plot should it be any other character. In Forgotten Sands, Malik is an integral part of the game space, since he is the reason for the Prince's coming to the Kingdom and the ruler of it.

Project #2 - Case Study 3

Luigi's Mansion is an interesting example, since in almost every other Mario Bros game, Mario is the principle character. Here we see a role reversal. For once, Luigi becomes the hero. 

 

On the whole, Luigi has always received the sympathy votes from players, since he always seems to be in Mario's shadow despite being a playable character in most games in which he features alongside his brother. So when the time came for Luigi to step into the limelight in his own title, a large number of players were drawn to it because of this. There is a lot of support for Luigi out there, and no doubt people wanted to finally see Luigi succeed. 

 

(On a side note, there is even a comic strip that parodies poor Luigi's misfortunes etc) ----->

-ahem- I diverge.
The point is, Luigi's Mansion also follows the pattern of protecting a loved one, really. When you begin the game, it is unknown why Luigi has managed to win this mysterious mansion. He simply thinks he has actually struck gold, figuratively speaking. 

Of course, poor old Luigi only discovers it's a haunted mansion, and that Mario is trapped inside. The circumstances are all fitting. The place is infested with Boos, the mischievous ghosts which Mario has previously had altercations with in other games. So it is fitting that Mario plays a part in the game, since he is Luigi's brother too. 

Given that Mario and Luigi have almost always appeared side-by-side, it is in keeping with the entire game space. Not only that, but players often relate to Luigi and his circumstances. Honestly, how many younger siblings have felt that they are in the shadow of their older brother or sister? I certainly have, at one time or another. So, I can understand Luigi. I wanted to see him succeed and prove his capabilities when it was his turn to save Mario. 

Mario trapped in painting

 

There's a pattern here though. It appears that siblings often exist in games to be a catalyst - to prompt the character into a journey/mission/dangerous task in order to save said sibling.

This makes me consider how a main character's sibling might exist under another circumstance....

Project #2 - Case Study 2

As poor a game as I think Final Fantasy XIII is, in terms of game-play at least, it is an ideal case study in terms of discussing whether the sibling was relevant and/or significant in the game. 

Ultimately, Serah Farron clearly had enough significance to become the protagonist of the following installment, XIII-2, however the general view on her as a character in Final Fantasy XIII isn't one of high regard - mainly because she spends a great deal of the game 'dead'.

In other words, a lot of players feel she was unnecessary because they barely see her for the best part of a very large, long game. The last thing players want is to have to care about a character that plays no significant part, if that player is supposed to carry some importance, that is.

When you look a little more closely, however, it seems that Serah Farron's situation isn't ENTIRELY different to that of Aryll's in Wind Waker. Lightning is looking for her, trying to save the little sister she basically raised herself. In that regard, that common-yet-cliched plot-line of family is there. Though Serah isn't all that present, apart from being a crystal for the most of it, this isn't far removed from Wind Waker wherein you don't actually see a great deal of Aryll since you are spending the time looking for her. With this in mind, the argument that Serah isn't prominent enough in the game is a little weak in my opinion. 

Serah is rather significant, actually.  In fact, her whole fate is a key plot point in the entire game. That's not where the issue lies, I feel. I think it is the apparent relationship between Serah and Farron. When Serah becomes crystallised, Lightning seems to readily accept that her sister is dead - an attitude that probably doesn't come all so naturally to a lot of people. It is Snow who is most adamant that Serah is still alive. Players feel cheated by the wooden relationship that is portrayed here between two supposedly close siblings.

As a result, though Serah is paramount to the central plot of Final Fantasy XIII, clearly existing seamlessly in the game world down to her striking resemblance to her older sister, all of this seems to be overlooked since players feel she isn't central enough - ironically.

Again, one of the drives of the game is the theme of family and trying to protect them, as it is in Wind Waker. This is perhaps a common theme, a frequently used situation since it is an innate instinct to want to try and protect your family, and many players can relate to this. This compliments the argument that it is often a character's background and circumstances which help a player to relate and thus engage with a game space.

Project #2 - Case Study 1

My first case study was, naturally, a Legend of Zelda installment.

For those who haven't played the game, Link actually has a sibling in The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker - a younger sister in fact.
Although she is just a supporting character really, she plays a significant role in that she essentially prompts Link into beginning in his journey, not through any fault of her own of course. 

 

Aryll

 *Spoiler* Aryll is a blonde, pointy eared girl who just happens to look like someone that a certain antagonist is on the prowl for. So, unsurprisingly, she ends up getting kidnapped. Even more predictably, Link goes chasing after her, drawing him into the adventure that follows. Of course he'd go to save her, she is his sister after all, family. Family is a subject almost everyone can relate to, and as much as siblings argue, few people would leave their brother or sister to their fate. 

In Wind Waker, I would see very little reason, other than Aryll being taken, for Link to feel obligated to leave his peaceful little island. In this regard Aryll is a significant character in the entire game space. Link meets pirates and infiltrates a fortress in search of her, things he likely wouldn't have done otherwise. Not knowing where she is helps the player to try and understand the main character here as well, putting us in the shoes of someone who is trying to save a family member.
Of course, most of us wouldn't go sailing across oceans. 

What is important to notice is that Aryll isn't taken for no good reason. She is tied in with the entire game space and its story; the fact that she looks similar to our favourite blonde-haired, pointy eared princess who Ganondorf seeks is the reason behind her being snatched away by a giant bird. Ganondorf clearly doesn't know where Zelda is, and to him any girl of Aryll's ilk could be the Princess. Of course, this development comes later on. Aryll is a motivator, a reason for Link to have to traverse a pretty barren ocean. 

In the case of Wind Waker, a sibling to the main character is pretty paramount in driving the story - at least until the larger secrets begin to unfold. Aryll isn't just some side character who is seen once in the game and then forgotten. She also doesn't take away from the game experience - she is a part of it. As cliche as having to rescue a family member might seem, it's a situation that the large majority of people can relate to.

Project #2 - The Brief

My second project followed thus: 

The Brief

To investigate the significance of a character's role and or presence in a game space and its culture. How do I create a unique character that blends into an existing world? Could it possibly add to or disjoint the player from experiencing that game space? 

It was decided that I design a big brother for Link. I also chose to design a big brother for another game character, since more explorations/results are more reliable. As such, I chose to design a sibling for Vyse of Skies of Arcadia. 

So:-

Part 1: Create an original character, in this case a hypothetical big brother for Link. 

Part 2: Adapt that unique 'big brother' to explore how the idea could be transferable to different iterations of Link. 

Part 3: Create a unique hypothetical sibling for Vyse. 

Through doing this, I would be able to further understand the significance of particular characters within certain game spaces, and how players might be able to relate to a character's situation - especially one so familiar as family. 

Of course, I looked at a few case studies wherein siblings already existed to understand their significance. 

Backlog!

Okay, so it's been a while since I have updated my blog.
To be honest, 2015 had a bit of a rocky start - mostly due to the fact that I spent most of January with a bacterial infection that left me unable to leave the house for quite some time. After that... well, I very nearly forgot about my blog :3

So I've got a lot of backlog and a lot of things to reflect on.

Since the last update I have completed two briefs and am currently working on a third. I will further discuss my conclusions thus far when I come to reflecting upon those projects individually. For now I'll be to the point:

1. The first of the two completed projects involved designing a big brother for Link. This challenged me to consider the role of a character and his/her/its significance, and how this might affect the player's engagement. It also challenged me to create a unique character that would exist seamlessly within the culture in that game. 
2. The second of these projects was to redesign an existing character into another existing world. Josh suggested Link and Borderlands which, as it turns out, was a very good idea considering how different the game worlds are and the cultures within them. I chose to redesign Wind Waker Link. That was far more difficult than I anticipated, the main difficulties lying in trying to maintain the essence of the character whilst making him appropriately exist in the world of borderlands, which has a much grittier culture.

In the meantime, other aspects have cropped up, including questioning RPG's and why people make particular choices based on how well they fit a character's shoes, and even how peripherals can affect a player's engagement.
Of course, I am looking into further researching these.