Positive vs Negative value of character barks/quips in combat focused game

[SwiftIllusion]

I'd like to ask/see how more people feel about the character barks/quips in combat focused games.

If these exist, and were based on a characters designed personality as in some 'fighter' games,
could this limit the characters you would want to play with-or enhance the experience regardless?

Personally I see these as a possibly enjoyable splash of personality added to the experience.
However while working on my project I can't help but be concerned that people may end up
avoiding a possibly enjoyable combat archetype to play with, because of the characters personality.

If there's not enough personality for a 'story', would a limited personality/vocabulary be wasted effort,
or even negative to the combat focused experience?

 

[Poryg]

Personality is good for story, but unless the game is personality driven, I find it rather irrelevant in combat. I prefer a fast paced combat in combat based games, so I don't pay much attention to personality quirks, battle cries, small story chunks or whatever. Doesn't mean that I'd rather jave them no personality... I just don't bother much. So I'm voting the 3rd option.

 

[Wavelength]

I'm of the belief that adding "character" and personality is invaluable and irreplaceable to immersing the player in your game. The player can develop a connection to the characters they're controlling, become invested in their success, and feel more like a part of the world you're presenting. Even a little bit goes a long way.

That's why most of the Hearthstone impersonators will never reach the heights that Hearthstone has. They built personality - situational sound stingers, interactive tables, themed missions, lore, UI special effects, enemy dialogue, and more into every aspect of Hearthstone. Taken as a straight-up CCG, it's actually a pretty poor game. But all of its personality makes it an enjoyable experience, especially in your first few months. It's also why Six Flags theme parks will never be able to touch Disney World - the former has some really intense (and fun) coasters, but the latter creates an unparalleled sense of personality, place, and immersion with its incredible theming.

Slowing things down could be a problem but only if speed is one of the core dynamics of your game (i.e. if speed is part of what makes your experience different from other games in its genre). And even then, as long as it doesn't slow things down much, and doesn't get repetitive, I think it's still worthwhile.

With that being said, a lot of people try to use Yanfly's "Win Quotes"/Victory Screen script, and because it lacks context and intelligence in what it shows, it ends up coming across as stupid and artificial. Create your own system for displaying/projecting "quips", and you'll be fine.

 

[TheoAllen]

If the character is auto generated or we can make our own character / party member, then I don't care if it doesn't quip because I already have my own generated character. But if the character is predefined, how they looks and stuff (for example, you make a game with custom party member where you can pick the composition between mage, warrior, archer, etc...), then you put some bland characters to fit these roles because you think your focus is on the combat. These characters feels like a cannon fodder, but they aren't. You might as well as creating a game where you can hire soldier to die for you like war games. It's not really wrong, it just doesn't feel right.

But what about this, you created tens of characters with their own personality, with the same function. Isn't that interesting?

However while working on my project I can't help but be concerned that people may end up avoiding a possibly enjoyable combat archetype to play with, because of the characters personality.

Things like this happens, especially on some japanese mobile games where some people just refuse to play certain character because they don't like it. Is it bad? maybe, or maybe not. With a character personality, some people can strive to work toward a character the character they love, max level it like no one business. It's because playing game sometimes is not merely because of the combat / gameplay, but also the aesthetic within it.

Now how about the characters some people ignored? (I was about to write "don't like", but "ignored" seems suit better because they may have fave character when looked around at the available characters, thus some were ignored), it may also hinder of some people to try new thing. But this where the good side is. It creates a community to talk about their character they like and how they use it. I believe the player is not required to try everything u throw into the game. Let other people try it and talk about it. And how knows if some people make a doujin out of nowhere

So my final words are
If you create a "character", then put personality. Else, what you're creating is a "unit"
Now, you want to create a character or a unit? Either way, it shouldn't slow down the battle.

P.S: I still have no idea what is the context of combat focused game we're talking about here. A fighting game? A dungeon crawler? strategy? action?
P.P.S: Im kinda sleepy, so some of my words might not makes sense _:3

 

[SwiftIllusion]

Thanks a lot for the responses.

With that being said, a lot of people try to use Yanfly's "Win Quotes"/Victory Screen script, and because it lacks context and intelligence in what it shows, it ends up coming across as stupid and artificial. Create your own system for displaying/projecting "quips", and you'll be fine.

Yeah, when I was considering the positive/negative value they might have, I definitely thought of more personal means.
E.G. In fighting games where certain events could trigger a characters quote. Or in Hearthstone as you mention-
sometimes classes/enemies bicker based on lore, or when they equip a weapon they'll comment on that, etc.

P.S: I still have no idea what is the context of combat focused game we're talking about here. A fighting game? A dungeon crawler? strategy? action?

The closest context I could point to would be something like a fighting game-when comparing personality value.
Though choosing, often 1 character from a roster, is different to needing a party composition of 3.
But basically a game that doesn't necessarily have a story or significant 'character progression'.

 

[TheoAllen]

If fighting games, either way, it doesn't matter. You can have a human character personality, or a robot doing fighting. Does it matter? No I guess. Although, adding some personality could add some flavour, but it's not really mandatory.

 

[Kes]

I use in-battle comments a lot for character development and for commenting on the enemy. I have a variable counting the battles for that dungeon, and each troop has a (sometimes rather long!) series of nested conditionals, so that at battle 1 it will be "Blah blah", at battle 3 it will be "Blad de blah", and battle 5 it will be ... you get the idea. Every comment is unique. I have played games where comments are drawn from a random list, and frankly I'm bored out of my brains by the 10th time I've heard the same inane remark, and after I'm done being bored, I'm irritated.

 

[SwiftIllusion]

@Kes I'm referring to more non-intrusive comments,
like imagine inside a fighting game the character has a short bark after countering into a special move.
In an RPG Maker sense, imagine Yanfly's Gab system/a method that allows a character to comment without forcing a dialog/pause.
Certainly I can see an interjection of the same comment by characters becoming annoying after hearing/skipping it many times.
However my question is more like, is the effort put into developing unique personalities for each character in a 'roster', worth it.
Or could it cause more harm by putting some players off characters with unappealing barks, even though they'd enjoy their skills.
I don't have enough of a broad enough experience, and I couldn't find many informative comments on it, so hoped to ask people here.

 

[Kes]

I am maybe the wrong person to ask, as I find the sort of grunts, squeaks, yelps etc. that are commonly used merely an irritation.

As is probably clear from my first reply, I do think that putting time and effort into building up unique personalities is worth it. What I think it boils down to, though, is how big the roster is and how confident one is in writing pithy comments.

I am curious, though, about this.

concerned that people may end up
avoiding a possibly enjoyable combat archetype to play with, because of the characters personality

If the character's personality is so obnoxious/irritating/unappealing/whatever, that it would put players off, that would surely be evident in more places than just in battle.

 

[SwiftIllusion]

If the character's personality is so obnoxious/irritating/unappealing/whatever, that it would put players off, that would surely be evident in more places than just in battle.

The context I'm discussing is within a game that is 'only battle'.
E.G. The various fighting games available on steam (though some of those include a 'story' if only for stringing along a set of battles).
That's why I'm unsure of the value of creating personalities just for that. If there was a story they should have a personality anyway.
But when it's a combat game, in this case turn based, do people still value seeing 'character' in the party they've chosen, beyond mechanics.

 

[Aesica]

Put me down for option #3, but with an asterisk and several conditions:

1) Go ahead and try them out, but make sure to get feedback from people on whether or not they find these "barks" annoying, or if they find them interesting.

2) If this refers to party banter, try not to overkill with it. The party doesn't need to make the same comments every time they fight a common slime.

3) If it's voice effects, take great care to make sure they aren't shrill, annoying, or otherwise distracting in a way that actually takes away from your game instead of adding to it.

Your concern is warranted, because I'm among those who would avoid a particular character/class/archetype if they were too annoying to listen to. That, or I'd play the game muted, which trivializes any effort you may have put into music and sound effects.

 

[Sauteed_Onion]

Don't do like Nash in Silver Star Story for the PS1 and say Check this out! over and over again. Oy.