In character design, I didn’t start out thinking about backgrounds or personalities regarding characters, but rather the question: what should a character look like in a game that emphasises intuition?
ROOM-9 is not a game centred on character narrative. The player deals more with the environment and time, and doesn’t spend too much time focusing on the characters themselves. Therefore I don’t think the main character needs to be portrayed and moulded in a focused way in this game.
The first image is more for exploring the overall feel of the character and will not be taken as the final version. The looks in this version are all rather restrained, dressed on the everyday side, with no obvious identifiers or exaggerated designs. This is because I wanted the protagonist to look like an ordinary person let into a strange space, which could be anyone, without the need for a protagonist with a defined background.
In terms of the colour palette, looking at the overall darkness and not much detail. It reflects the character’s looks from different angles.
After setting the direction, I transformed the character into a pixel style template that could be used for the game. In terms of proportions, I chose the more common pixel character structure, with a slightly larger head proportion, a simplified body, and direct limb movements. This design will be more practical in production and play, allowing the character to be seen clearly from different angles.
In terms of movement design, the character has different orientations, including front, side and back, and corresponding stationary and walking states. Almost all of the basic movements that the character will use in the game are included, and other movements will be expanded if necessary.
In terms of colours, the previously established painting style is also continued. Characters are darker overall, but there will be enough contrast with the environment to ensure that the player can find their place. Clothing details have also been kept to a minimum, with some dark and shadow contrast added to make the overall look more coherent.
Character Design Research
As for the research on character design, I have also referred to some games with pixel characters at their core, and one of the more helpful ones for me is The Escapists.
Gameplay footage on the web
The Escapists’ character design is very simple, built from clear pixel blocks, with a larger head proportion and not too much decoration. This design doesn’t confuse the player even if there is a lot of information on the screen.
In addition, the game’s characters barely express their emotions through their facial expressions, and instead show their state of being entirely through their movements. The player focuses more on the behaviour, which is also very much in line with my characterisation of ROOM-9.
This game does a good job of reducing the visual complexity of the characters and allowing the player to focus more on the environment and props. Because I’ve adopted a similar mindset, keeping the character’s look in a simple style better supports intuitive judgement in the game.