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Character Development

5/25/2013

3 Comments

 
That's what I've been doing and currently am working on.

One thing most EVN lack is character development. One reason may be that most EVN are short stories, often ranging from 5 to 30 minutes, in which there is hardly time to develop a character. However, a more prominent reason may simply be that most EVN writers don't know HOW to develop characters.

It's a bit confusing, I think, but let me explain it like this: when you have a character concept, it always makes sense in your head. But developing the character is a matter of getting those thoughts onto paper. The human brain fills in mental gaps of information, and so a developed character in your head may not be a developed character in your story. Sure, you can know everything from their zodiac sign to bust size, but as long as your reader doesn't, then your story has a problem.

The easiest remedy is to have the characters face conflict in the story. Infodumps are awful; please avoid if possible (and it's ALWAYS possible!). Another remedy is second-guessing yourself. "Should the plot go in this direction? Alright, sure -- no wait, what if the opposite happened? Would that be more interesting to see? Yeah, I think it would!"

I'm not doubting that developers have fleshed out their characters. On the contrary; all that I'm saying is most fail to convey it in their writing. Stereotypes can and should serve as nice templates for character personalities (after all, tropes can't be avoided). However, a common pitfall is to keep yourself locked in that stereotype's box of tricks. "How would that character react? ...Well, how would that stereotype react?" That kind of thinking is wrong. Your character has a unique backstory in a unique time and place, and those factors should influence your character's reaction -- not a stereotype!

Of course, I must also remind you that I'm far from an expert in writing. But I've found that this technique helps me write a better story and better characters. Previously, I approached writing from a fanfiction perspective -- each character already had a (stereotypical) personality, and I was confined to write within those boundaries. No, as a writer of original content, those boundaries are yours to set. Please don't waste that power by assuming you have no control -- the truth is just the opposite.

-Kinjo
3 Comments
 

Website Stuff

5/15/2013

0 Comments

 
Not much worth reporting, but I figured out how to set up a poll.
Should be interesting to see people's responses. Have fun with it.

We also have a Twitter now. Check it out at the top-right along with Facebook!

Oh, and the comment colors should be fixed. I think the issue was that the color no longer exists as a choice so it reverted to black, or whatever. Weird.

-Kinjo
0 Comments
 

No Reason to Post

5/7/2013

1 Comment

 
But I will anyway.

Really happy to say that VN progress is going well. Managed to reprogram a few neat functions and finished writing the main story. Just need to touch up some things here and there and we're all set! (although that takes far longer than what one might think...)

One thing I was discussing in some previous posts was interactivity. Ultimately, after taking into consideration everything that was said, Detective Butler won't be having any interactive parts. Trying to implement them only interrupted the flow of the story, which also gave me unnecessary writer's block. That said, I'm quite proud of the story that I have. The first draft of one year ago is nothing compared to the VN of today!

Two years without releasing anything (does Repercussion count?) is far too long. Believe me, I'm excited to finally get the game out this summer, especially with all of the skills I've learned. I also want to work on some special projects I thought up but had no time to actually dedicate. Of course, those will come after Detective Butler is released, so worry not about those getting in the way.

People love release dates, so I'll tease you all with "Summer 2013".
How's that sound?~

-Kinjo
1 Comment
 

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