What makes characters tick? That is the subject of this week's symposium as we delve deeply into everything from Back Story to Psychology and Physiology. Until a character is fully realized (i.e., 'fleshed out') to its creator, it cannot be optimally transmitted to the audience.
Exam #1 is next week:
Next week will be the first course exam (30 points) on the terms, concepts, and principles from the material presented in Lessons 1 through 3 on The History of Storytelling and Characters. Be sure to study the Lesson Review Sheets handed out in class and make sure you've read all the Required Reading material found in each week's assignment links on the web site.
The link below is the homework assignment due at the beginning of the next class session.
These links feature the supplemental material that you are responsible for knowing before the second exam (that takes place at the beginning of Week 8). Be sure to click on every link in this section!
Article: It Builds Character: Character Development Techniques in Games by Rafael Chandler
Character development in and of itself isn't going to make your gameplay any better, but it will create a more satisfying experience because you're furnishing a more well-developed context, a more immersive world for the player to explore. Be sure to read up on the use of Tarot cards as a free-association tool for game character development!
These supplemental links are worth pursuing only if you wish to really learn the subject matter of game design in the broadest possible sense. This material will not be directly included in the exams, but if you're serious about being a game designer and delving deeply into the subject of game design art, craft, and science, here's some more lessons from others who have also "been there."
Sample
Book Chapter:
Character Traits (1.0MB) by Lee Sheldon
This was part of my research for this week's lesson. You may want to read this entire chapter from Lee Sheldon's wonder book, Character Development and Storytelling for Games, by Lee Sheldon, from Course Technology PTR. To find out more about this book or to order it, click here.
Article: Player Character Concepts by Harvey Smith
This extremely rich article explores the concept of character as it relates to a computer game, focusing on characters that represent the player (player-characters), rather than characters driven by AI or scripts (non-player-characters). It's a real treasure!
Bibliography: General Course References
