Yet Another Article

[The Creator]

Creating Compelling Characters

 

In Blades, there tends to be a strong emphasis placed on story. And without strong characters, a story is nothing but a sequence of events. It's the characters that make us care about those events, and that give those events power.

 

So, how do you create a good character? I've previously written an article on giving depth to background figures like shopkeepers and guards, but what about those focal, important characters? How do you make your characters the kind that players will love (or love to hate)?

 

What I advance here is not the only way to develop characters. It may well not be the best way. It's just my way.

 

Whenever I create a character, I start by deciding what the one most important thing in the world is to this person. What is it that he values more than anything? Maybe it's honour? Maybe freedom? Peace? All these are noble motives, though not all your characters need to be noble. Money, power or their own safety could as easily be their greatest desire. Whatever it is, be sure that this is what drives their every action in your scenario.

 

Then, I take that driving a desire and find a situation for that character to be in. Something that brings out the best (or worst) in his particular personality.

 

For example, Stalker (in A Small Rebellion) wants nothing more than freedom from the Empire. It's a noble ideal, but he wants it so much, that he'll do anything to get it - even become a monster himself. Similarily, Commander Groul (in Nephil's Gambit) wants control - so he manufactures a war for himself to win, just so he can be a hero and get more power.

 

It's important to note here that in a good story, plot is inseperable from character. You couldn't replace Commander Groul with any other character - the story wouldn't work. No other character would do what Groul does.

 

In my scenario Revenge, the villain Bur-Denn is motivated by just that - revenge. If he wanted, he could probably escape the island and flee to safety, and the scenario would never happen. But his safety is not the most important thing to him, so he stays. Similarily, if the "hero" Kassand were not also motivated by revenge, he wouldn't be there in the first place. They're almost mirror images of each other, and neither character could be changed without ruining the story.

 

It doesn't really matter whether you come up with a great character and build a story for him to be in, or if you come up with a great story and find the right characters to play the parts, or if you develop both at once. The end result should be that you have a tightly woven, compelling story with characters that intrigue us.

[Lilith]

Your article reads to me as if you're discouraging designers from attempting to create complex characters with multiple motivations, instead suggesting that all of a character's actions in a scenario should be based around a single goal. Was that your intention?

[demonslay3r]

I can't say I gathered that. I felt as if he was trying to (and accomplished) push his view on why characters are there. This, of course, all going back to the Why? article. But... that's my opinion.

 

I will have to agree on Creator's point. Even if it is somewhat... obvious? But perhaps that's just because I do have experience with such creations. If any of you know me, or my design style, you'll know I, too, favor strong characters and a plot woven tightly with them. I hardly ever use "filler" NPCs, just to make the world seem populated. Everyone has a purpose. Yay for characters!

[Drakefyre]

I agree with Thuryl. It seems like you're encouraging one-dimensional characters, which I always hated as a player.

[The Creator]

Hmm.

 

I do think that every character in a scenario should have one central goal. I don't believe that makes them one-dimensional. The Wickerman has one goal, and I'd hardly call him a weak character.

 

Simplest character: "I sell weapons."

 

Next stage up: Much the same, but with some added "characteristics" - sneaky grin, glass eye, bad temper, whatever.

 

Next stage up: Character actively pursuing something. He's not just sitting there waiting for you to talk to him - he's living his own life. Might be a small thing, might be a big thing.

 

Next stage up: Fantastic, memorable character. Has X factor. I have no idea how to produce X factor. Let me know if you do.

[Drakefyre]

When you have someone like Commander Groul, control is not his only motivation. There's also prestige and pride in it, and the thrill of getting away with something you shouldn't be doing that keeps him going.

 

And this also means that I have to write some more articles now, but preferably on some more BoA specific stuff.

[The Creator]

I'd disagree re: Groul. I very much doubt he gets a thrill out of being naughty, he just takes the most logical path to get what he wants, unfettered by normal moral standards.

 

But I DO agree there's more to him than just the desire for control. How to repeatedly reproduce that sort of depth other characters? No idea, but this method at least puts me in striking distance.

[demonslay3r]

I think it's clearly lying the state of the player's gathering of facts. It's much like famous poems or novels; we all get what we see out of it. Chances are, most characters aren't specifically designed for what we think. There are just made, and our human minds conduct all of the tying in. Perhaps they were subconciously meant to have these strings, but then again who are we to draw this conclusion?