Stereotype and NPC Contribution!

  • 28 Replies
  • 12664 Views
*

Offline Nifflas

  • 1532
  • 61
    • View Profile
Stereotype and NPC Contribution!
« on: April 12, 2011, 18:05:11 »
Yes, you heard right!


The screenshot is not real, nor reflects a real scenario in the game, it's just a mockup I created in a few minutes. It'll look different in the real game, and you will chose a fairy and only see that dialogue, not both at the same time.
« Last Edit: April 12, 2011, 22:24:06 by Nifflas »

*

Offline SiamJai

  • 706
  • 31
    • View Profile
    • A gaming blog like no other.
Re: Stereotype and NPC Contribution!
« Reply #1 on: April 12, 2011, 18:34:37 »
Looks like it will be a deep game. :)
Spoiler: (click to show/hide)


« Last Edit: April 12, 2011, 20:25:41 by SiamJai »

*

Offline jetio4

  • 206
  • 3
  • :hug:
    • View Profile
Re: Stereotype and NPC Contribution!
« Reply #2 on: April 12, 2011, 18:47:27 »
Spoiler: (click to show/hide)
If you could tell a little about villages in it, technology, just what exists and doesn't compared to Earth, I could come up with more.
« Last Edit: April 12, 2011, 19:22:16 by jetio4 »
Hey there Delilah, what's it like in New York City, I'm a thousand miles away but girl tonight you look so pretty, yes you do~<br /><br />Time Square can't shine as bright as you, I swear it's true~

*

Offline Nifflas

  • 1532
  • 61
    • View Profile
Re: Stereotype and NPC Contribution!
« Reply #3 on: April 12, 2011, 19:17:36 »
I really like the freeing birds one :D

*

Offline Pick Yer Poison

  • 782
  • 3
  • One cool cat.
    • View Profile
Re: Stereotype and NPC Contribution!
« Reply #4 on: April 13, 2011, 16:26:38 »
How about these?

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

Re: Stereotype and NPC Contribution!
« Reply #5 on: April 14, 2011, 02:50:28 »
How about something like...

Spoiler: (click to show/hide)


*

Offline Nifflas

  • 1532
  • 61
    • View Profile
Re: Stereotype and NPC Contribution!
« Reply #7 on: April 14, 2011, 16:54:19 »
Nice ideas :D I might definitely use some of them!
« Last Edit: April 14, 2011, 16:55:50 by Nifflas »

*

Offline jetio4

  • 206
  • 3
  • :hug:
    • View Profile
Re: Stereotype and NPC Contribution!
« Reply #8 on: April 20, 2011, 18:46:16 »
A person (probably female) who is obsessed with turtles. You have to help them collect a rare black turtle! ;P
Optimist: Helps a person, the person will like you a lot, generally good to them.
Pessimist: helps them into their obsession more, rely on other people, that kind of thing.
Hey there Delilah, what's it like in New York City, I'm a thousand miles away but girl tonight you look so pretty, yes you do~<br /><br />Time Square can't shine as bright as you, I swear it's true~

*

Offline Nifflas

  • 1532
  • 61
    • View Profile
Re: Stereotype and NPC Contribution!
« Reply #9 on: April 24, 2011, 14:06:10 »
I'm facing a new, quite unexpected problem. When I'm writing the dialogue I find that Celia (or Cilia, haven't decided which variant yet) always become very likeable when she go all pessimist, cynic, or confrontional about all kind of random stuff. This is of course not the problem; what I find hard is to make the other fairy (the optimist) likeable and just not generic. It's usually quite boring when she agrees with people, and even when she does go confrontional because she thinks someone is wrong, it's hard to come up with really clever or funny responses. I'm going to have to figure out what personality quirks she may have that makes her more interesting.

This is all probably a result of that one of my best friends also happen to be the most ironic and cynical person I've met (I'm not where he is on the good-evil axis, but I know for sure he aligns as chaotic) and he's awesome! I need someone oppositely aligned I can take inspiration from too.
« Last Edit: April 24, 2011, 14:14:25 by Nifflas »

*

Offline mato

  • 21
  • 0
    • View Profile
Re: Stereotype and NPC Contribution!
« Reply #10 on: April 24, 2011, 23:44:18 »
Maybe she could have made a personal bet of some kind. Eg a promise to a dieing family member that she must stay strong and never give up. That could make her come across as a driven brave young woman and not just plain naive. The oath could also be a place she always wanted to visit as a child, or a famous woman explorer she admired and wanted to be like, or maybe an oath to solve the mystery of the loch ness monster, etc.

So instead of pesimistic vs optimistic it could instead be resigned(it's no use...I can't do it...) vs determined(I must keep on it!). A strong girl that doesn't cave when there's trouble (even though she might momentarily hesitate) is rather more likeable and admirable. Just my 2 cents.

*

Offline Nifflas

  • 1532
  • 61
    • View Profile
Re: Stereotype and NPC Contribution!
« Reply #11 on: April 25, 2011, 00:45:01 »
Hmm, that won't work. Both have to very likeable for this to work, and this game is specifically about the relationship and choice between cynism vs. optimism, though it never takes a standpoint. The game is way too much built around this to change. When the choice is between "I must keep on it!" and "it's no use, I can't do it!" I see a better and worse attitude. I really need to prevent that for the concept to work at all.

Generally, how it works is that the fairies represent the main character and her opinions. However, they will focus on different things. Whenever the main character is in doubt about something, the fairies will polarize between the two sides of the main character's doubt.

An approach I'm trying to do right now is to make the optimist a bit too optimistic and enthusiastic, it seems to work.
« Last Edit: April 25, 2011, 00:56:30 by Nifflas »

Re: Stereotype and NPC Contribution!
« Reply #12 on: April 25, 2011, 01:48:14 »
Nifflas, it sounds like you're writing the dialogue for the pessimist as funny and witty because you imagine your friend saying it, but you can't imagine anyone being optimistic in a witty way?  I wonder what would happen if you tried to imagine that you really disagree with the optimist view and find it cynical, and then try to imagine your cynical friend saying it the way they would usually say something cynically.  Does that make any sense?

I wonder if you would be willing to post an example of a dialogue you've already written where you find the cynical view more witty, and see if people could help give suggestions of how to say the optimistic side in a witty way as well.

(Also, what is this "good-evil" axis you speak of, with "alignments" such as "chaotic"?  I would like to hear more about that.)

*

Offline minmay

  • 654
  • 8
    • View Profile
    • Cow Muffins
Re: Stereotype and NPC Contribution!
« Reply #13 on: April 25, 2011, 02:20:51 »
Spoiler: (click to show/hide)

Re: Stereotype and NPC Contribution!
« Reply #14 on: April 25, 2011, 04:45:51 »
Maybe you could give the good fairy some additional personality trait so she's not just good all the time. Like maybe she's a super neat freak and is always commenting on the cleanliness of people's houses, etc. Like a kind but obsessive grandmother.