This week focused on how character design, visual language, and player experience intersect, particularly through colour, shape, narrative, and symbolism. The session reinforced the idea that character design should not exist in isolation, but instead function as a visual extension of the game’s mechanics, themes, and emotional tone.
For my project, Week 8 directly informed how I approach masked characters, shadow-based aesthetics, and characters designed around running, hiding, and survival, all of which are central to my game’s identity and GDD.
A core principle introduced this week was that strong character design sits at the intersection of colour, shape, and narrative. In my project, these three elements are intentionally aligned to reinforce the experience of vulnerability and tension.
The characters in my game are designed with a restricted, muted colour palette, with darker tones dominating their appearance. This choice reflects the world’s emotional state and supports the gameplay loop, within which characters often navigate danger, avoid threats, and remain unseen.
From a semiotic perspective, dark colours communicate:
- Secrecy and fear
- Uncertainty and threat
- Emotional suppression
This reinforces the GDD’s focus on atmosphere and ensures that character visuals do not contradict the intended player experience.
Masks play a central role in my character designs, serving as a narrative device rather than a purely aesthetic feature. By obscuring faces, the masks remove individuality and emotional clarity, forcing the player to interpret characters through movement, posture, and silhouette instead.
This reflects Week 8’s emphasis on visual communication, where meaning should be conveyed without relying on dialogue or exposition. The masks symbolise:
- Identity being hidden or fragmented
- Fear of exposure
- Survival through anonymity
These ideas align with the game’s themes and strengthen narrative cohesion across the project.
The use of shadow-styled characters further supports the game’s focus on hiding and evasion. Characters are designed with strong, readable silhouettes, often defined by cloaks, masks, or elongated forms. This ensures they remain visually legible during movement while maintaining a sense of unease.
Shape language in the project leans toward:
- Sharp and angular forms to suggest danger
- Simplified shapes to improve readability
- Minimal surface detail to keep focus on motion
This approach directly reflects Week 8 discussions around how shape influences player perception and reinforces earlier weeks that focused on clarity and player interaction.
Because my game centres on characters who constantly run, hide, or avoid confrontation, visual design is closely tied to their behaviour, characters are depicted in tense or forward-leaning postures, reinforcing a sense of urgency and vulnerability.
This ensures that character design supports the gameplay loop outlined in the GDD, where tension is sustained through movement and environmental interaction rather than direct combat.
Week 8 helped me refine how character design functions as a storytelling system within my project. By aligning colour, shape, and narrative with the core themes of survival and concealment, my characters convey meaning visually and emotionally without resorting to explicit explanation.
This week strengthened the connection between my character designs, the game’s mechanics, and the overall player experience, ensuring that visual decisions actively support the intentions outlined in my GDD rather than existing as isolated stylistic choices.
