Project 1: Idea Characters

 

As Zork imagines himself within these new worlds he transforms himself into any hero that he wants to be. Any Hero he makes a connection with, relating to the theme of the world he is in. His personality is always reflected within these different characters, no matter how much his identity changes.With Zork's mannerisms in reality, he wants to be come an iconic and celebrated figure, that has strength, courage, ambition and luck. Everything in which he lacks within the 'real' world, it is a chance for Zork to be one with his imagination and become anything he has ever dreamed to be. Although aesthetically his character does change a lot within these different worlds. However, I have designed each one to replicate similar features that he originally has. Such as hair colour, his glasses and his beard. Using this method helps make each new character recognizable for the player, so that they will never feel alienated or confused as to who they are, within relevance to the story. The personality of Zork and those additional features, will be evident in each new character change. With these changes, the player begins to understand why Zork chooses to become certain characters, why he imagines himself in these ways. It is with that, the player can not only recognize his behavior, but also develop a personal connection to his feelings.

Here is an example of Zork as a Hero from the genre of Japanese Manga. You can identify with that theme due to the character's anatomy, proportions, facial expressions and hair. This particular style is that of the 'Chibi' form, in which a character becomes a miniature version of themselves. You can see  similar features that original Zork has, such as the tone of hair, beard and glasses. Although his figure has changed almost entirely, you can relate back to the original through those assets.

Here is another example of Zork as a Hero from the genre 'War/Military'. As with all characters Zork becomes, his iconic features are still represented here. Although his figure has changed dramatically, you can still feel the presence of him within. For the particular genre, you can see how the Hero has become relevant to that environment. The character's appeal is muscular, bold and strong, showing the nature of the Hero. Also the use of camouflaged clothing, facial scar additions and accessories show the character's background theme, making it relevant to the world in which Zork would be in.

Here is the final Hero concept for Zork at this time. This particular figure represents the theme of 'Western' as recognizable through the clothing and other assets. The colour palette, types of patterns and clothing also replicate that of similar items worn within that era. Yet again, the elements of the traditional Zork are still present. Keeping elements of the Original Zork within each new Hero, will give a base for players to connect to, no matter what world they encounter.