http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhzyOzItDnc

This video pretty much sums what I think about Modern Character Design.

Just discovered Game Overthinker, eh? Make sure to see his other stuff too. Some of it's quite interesting.

Rob Le Field?

I was listening until he said that.

Man, that video is so awesome. My thoughts exactly.

hahaha masterchimp

I agree with this. Probably why I easily loved Sackboy.

"He will take them all down with a magical whip... yeah, a fucking whip."

I agree and disagree with a few of his points.

I think that the macho-unshaven-muscle head protagonist has been done do death....but.... I don't see how slapping together crazy and unusual character aspects = good character design

Like he gives the example of Castlevania (I believe) where you've got a barbarian looking guy in a loin cloth with a whip.... I get that its different and original but that doesn't necesarily mean its good design

y'know, I bet that's how Super Mario Bros came into being. It started with Donkey Kong and went like this:

Hey, there's a big monkey who's kidnapped a girl and climbed up to the top of a building. Who's gonna save her?

hey, shouldn't we call teh national guard or something?

naw, they'd use helicopters or something and get blown up. our guy should start at the bottom and work his way up.

Spiderman?

Who? Let's be serious now, we need some guy who can deal with tall buildings.

how about a carpenter?

A carpenter? hey, I think you've got it there. a carpenter makes houses, and I know a carpenter, he keeps saying "quit the monkey business, guys" alright, lets run with that.


Super Mario Bros:

Hey guys, new scenario; a princess is being attacked by evil mushrooms and turtles, who's our hero?

Well, where is this taking place?

I dunno, some place with turtles and mushrooms, i guess.

Sounds like they're in a sewer.

hey, that works, we'll go with that, lots of turtles and mushrooms down there, but what about the hero?

well, she's a princess, right? lets make it a prince.

a prince? in the sewers? Why would a prince go down there? we need a guy who can deal with sewers.

Oh, what about a plumber?

a plumber? don't we have one of those already?

We've got a carpenter, he fought a big gorilla.

carpenters and plumbers are kinda close, and he's already fought a monkey, sounds like mushrooms and turtles would be right up his alley, lets use him.

And that is how mario became a household name.