1st Edition

Virtual Character Design for Games and Interactive Media

By Robin James Stuart Sloan Copyright 2015
    256 Pages 21 B/W Illustrations
    by A K Peters/CRC Press

    256 Pages
    by A K Peters/CRC Press

    While the earliest character representations in video games were rudimentary in terms of their presentation and performance, the virtual characters that appear in games today can be extremely complex and lifelike. These are characters that have the potential to make a powerful and emotional connection with gamers. As virtual characters become more intricate and varied, there is a growing need to examine the theory and practice of virtual character design. This book seeks to develop a series of critical frameworks to support the analysis and design of virtual characters.

    Virtual Character Design for Games and Interactive Media covers a breadth of topics to establish a relationship between pertinent artistic and scientific theories and good character design practice. Targeted at students, researchers, and professionals, the book aims to show how both character presentation and character performance can be enhanced through careful consideration of underlying theory.

    The book begins with a focus on virtual character presentation, underpinned by a discussion of biological, artistic, and sociological principles. Next it looks at the performance of virtual characters, encompassing the psychology of emotion and personality, narrative and game design theories, animation, and acting. The book concludes with a series of applied virtual character design examples. These examples examine the aesthetics of player characters, the design and performance of the wider cast of game characters, and the performance of characters within complex, hyperreal worlds.

    Acknowledgments
    About the Author
    Introduction

    PRESENTATION

    Anatomy and Physical Cues
    Anatomy
    Body Proportions
    Body Type
    Sex Differences
    Physical Cues
    Attraction
    Health
    Age
    Summary and Activity
    References

    Visual and Audio Design Principles
    Line and Shape
    Silhouette
    Color
    Visual Style
    Sound Design for Virtual Characters
    Diegetic, Synchronous, and Empathetic Sound
    Sound Motifs
    Summary and Activity
    References

    Representation, Customization, and Transformation
    Identity
    Representation
    Gender and Sexuality
    Ethnicity, Religion, and Nationality
    Age and Social Class
    Customization
    Transformation
    Summary and Activity
    References

    PERFORMANCE

    Personality, Emotion, and Expression
    Personality
    Personality Traits and the Five-Factor
    Model
    Individual Attitudes
    Political Views
    Balancing Personality Design for Virtual Characters
    Emotional States
    Emotions as Adaptive Behaviors
    Emotion and Virtual Character Performance
    Expression
    Posture and Proximity
    Facial Expression
    Voice and Emotional State
    Summary and Activity
    References

    Context, Story, and Gameplay
    Core and Shell
    Narrative Shell
    Setting and Backstory
    Archetypes and Stereotypes
    Interactive Plot
    Narrative Mode
    Thematic Statements
    Gameplay Core
    Video Game Genres
    Gameplay Design
    Mechanics, Dynamics, and Aesthetics
    Flow
    Summary and Activity
    References

    Acting, Movement, and Animation
    Thinking and Acting
    Stanislavski’s System
    Movement
    Animation Principles
    Animation Methods
    Mixed-Methods
    Animation
    Summary and Activity
    References

    PRACTICE

    Control: The Aesthetics of Playable Characters
    Role Embodiment
    Role Fulfillment
    Role Projection
    Character Flow
    Summary

    Cast: The Aesthetics of the Virtual Ensemble
    Character Appeal
    Dependency
    Co-Protagonism
    Summary

    Complexity: The Aesthetics of Hyperreal Characters
    The Uncanny
    The Turing Test
    Virtual Knowledge
    Conclusion
    References

    Glossary
    Ludography
    Index

    Biography

    Dr. Robin J.S. Sloan is a lecturer at Abertay University in Dundee, Scotland. Robin attained a first degree in computer arts and worked in the Scottish games industry before researching for a PhD in character animation. His doctoral research focused on the development of emotional animation for interactive characters, with emphasis on both the psychological principles of facial expressions and the creative principles of animated performance. Robin currently teaches Game Art and Game Design to students studying for degrees within the School of Arts, Media and Computer Games, which houses the UK's first Centre for Excellence in Computer Games Education. Besides character design, his research interests include game-design processes, games nostalgia and culture, and games education.