Non-threaded

Forums » Writing Workshop » Read Thread

Find proofreaders here, useful resources, and share opinions and advice on story crafting.

Interesting Characters

9 years ago

While I know that the title might be a bit misleading, where it's me asking for help on trying to create interesting characters, but it's not. I would actually like some input from you fellow CYSers about some characters that I think are pretty interesting in my developing story game, and like to know what you think, although I feel like this could go down a two way road.

So the characters themselves are based around (drum roll please)...math and science. Yup, you read that right. Math and science. Now, when I say that the characters are based around math and science, I mean a bit more than that. They're a bunch of "nerds"  in their time period who know almost everything about their respective field. They relate their powers to mathematical and scientific concepts, and take things way too literally. I plan on using them as a sort of comical relief in the story, making a situation sort of funny by making it more complicated than it has to be. And when I say powers, lets say, for example, I utilize the math-based character in the story when I am facing an opponent. If I use him, then he explains to his foe about how he is going to beat him by using his knowledge of roots to quadratic equations. At that point, he then summons forth a transcendental whip and whips the baddie to oblivion!

(oh, and p.s., I only want to use three characters to have this kind of "power" available to them. There is no way in the nine hells that I would make every single character in my story game related to a math or science field of study. WAY too much info to try and process, let alone try and crack a joke out of.)

Interesting Characters

9 years ago

Superpowers do not an interesting personality make, and purposefully creating a Mr. Exposition just puts tentanus-flavored icing on a cake that was empty on the inside to begin with.

Only three people are allowed to go to great lengths to verbosely explain how they're going to kick your ass before they kick your ass,

One, torturers, because explaining your methods verbosely is an actual torture method.

Two, Yugioh Characters, because they are fictional characters and thus it is physically impossible to slap them in the face and yell "GET ON WITH IT!"

Three, your opponent in a game of Magic The Gathering, because not only do you need to hear it in order to know how the game is going to progress, but it is socially unacceptable to slap them in the face and yell "GET ON WITH IT!"

Not to mention, when the character takes all that time to explain it, it just comes off as fucking smug and unlikable, even and especially if they explain it as they do it like a pedantic shit. These details are best explained/heavily implied over narration, when they actually become important, and not a moment sooner.

Interesting Characters

9 years ago

Ahh, anime protagonist speeches, always so wonderfully stuffed with ham. Yami, smug s.o.b. that he was, delivered some pretty great ones...

Interesting Characters

9 years ago

1) You're literally making your main characters have the most boring personalities ever.

2) If you don't understand math and science as well as an expert, you're going to get stuff wrong when trying to write experts.

3) There are dozens of possible Science based superpowers.

4) Roots of a quadratic equation are literally plain numbers.

Interesting Characters

9 years ago

Thank you all very much for the input. I see now how these characters really aren't that applicable to the story anymore, and it just wouldn't make sense to have them in the game being what they are. Thanks again for the input!

Interesting Characters

9 years ago

No, that's not what I'm saying. I think it's a good concept, but your need to add personality and depth to the characters.

Interesting Characters

9 years ago

Okay, I see where you're coming. So, instead of them just being a "robot" and reciting a bunch of facts whenever someone talks to them, they have emotions and "character" to themselves. Is that what you're saying, I think?

Interesting Characters

9 years ago

Yes.

Interesting Characters

9 years ago

Alright, thanks!