Week 2 - Survey Results

Unit 8

12 people

Have you played any games that use 8-Bit Graphics?
Yes 11	No 1

It seems that most people that are in my age range do know what an 8Bit game is and have played some.

Could you name your favorite and Why?

- Super Mario Bros - Undertale – Engaging story, unique battle system and amazing characters - Pixelated piracy – Good Mechanics - Zork – Amazing story - Metroid Fusion – Amazing Story - Legend of Zelda - Pac Man – Addictive Gameplay - Vampyre - Gauntlet - Bootleg Pokémon Games

This shows that people want to have an engaging story and unique gameplay, such as Undertale's unique take on a turn based combat system.

Did you like the design of the main/playable character?
Yes 11	No 1

Well I would hope you like the main character of a game you like... This would be because the main character needs to be enjoyable as you will be playing as them for most of the time you are playing the game.

Why?
- Fit with the world - Simple - Funny Appearance - Appeals to the player - Colourful - Clear

It appears that people like a character who fits with the theme of the game, and is not too over-complicated. Some people also said that they like a colorful character, which would be easy as I already planned to have a colorful game.

What do you think is important in the design of an 8-Bit character?

- Realistic - Making sure it is simple and not confusing - The size and colours - Have to fit with the world and theme - Be original - Be unique as people remember them - Defining traits are visible and clear - Not clustered

People like a character who is unique and original, this appears to be the most popular of opinions and I too believe these to be the most important as a bland character is boring to play as. Also people once again said that the character has to fit in with the world, this means that no differing art styles as well as a fitting design. As my game is in 8Bit making sure that any defining traits are clear would be very important, otherwise a lot of characters would look very similar.

Do you prefer a character who has a clear identity or one that’s left up to the player?
Clear identity 5	Up to the player 7

Out of the people that I asked, it was almost an even split, but it seems that people slightly prefer a character who's identity is up to the player...

Why?
- Gives a more personal experience to the character - Allows me to relate to a character and feel more engaged - More interesting - Can put yourself in someone else’s shoes - More developed	- Feel more involved with the character - Can connect to the character much more - Feel more in control - It’s fun to make your own character - It’s up to the player on how the character acts - Have more freedom to role play

There were good reasons for both having a set character and having one that is up to the player. If I was to make a character with a set identity then I could put more detail and flesh them out more. It would also allow the player to see the world through the eyes of someone else.

If I use a character that the player can be in charge of then the player will feel like they have more control, which appeals to most people. Also it would allow them to put themselves into the game, allowing the game to appeal to the players need for escapism.

Which of these styles of sprites do you prefer?
Black Outline 7	Coloured Outline 5

The majority of people seem to like the black outline more than coloured ones. This was close however, and I don't believe that picking the other one would impact the appeal of characters to a major extent...

Why?
- Stands out - Adds depth - Clearer - Adds a clear edge to the character - More visible	- Would fit into the world more - The black outline is too clustered - Clear and more professional

The main reason for liking a character with a black outline was due to it standing out more from the background, making it easier to see the character. It also adds a sense of depth, making the character not appear flat on the background.

People also believed that the black outline made the image too clustered and made the character not feel like part of the world. They also thought that the coloured one seems more professional than the black outlined one.



This has helped me in the design of not only my main character, but all the characters within my game. This was proving difficult as I was indecisive with how my characters would be, but from the information that I have gathered I can now progress with altering my main characters design.

I originally wanted to create a character that was fully fleshed out with a lot of detail, but this research has shown me that perhaps a design thats more simple would appeal to the audience more. It also helped as now I don't have to worry about all the detail and can create a character who simply fits the world and is distinctive from all the others...