The Protagonist is a Jerk

[Zechnophobe]

They key to making a good jerk character, is to have the player empathize on some deeper level. Think about the 'jerk' comedian's you've listened to. The types that tend to say things other people are thinking. Yeah, they cross the line sometime, but you put up with it because you sort of 'get' where they are coming from.

Another way is to have the character's flaws be a major part of the story. Consider Mad Men. This is a show solidly devoted to the flaws of its characters. Goodie two-shoes characters on the show just aren't as interestesting. Cultivate drama by making people do bad things, and you can get pretty far!

 

[IncredibleJourney]

I wouldn't mind this at all! The protagonist of my game is a mindless kleptomaniac, and while not exactly a 'jerk' in

her interactions with others (she's an everyman/heroic mime, so she doesn't have any dialogue anyway), she has a tendency to grab first and think later. Her stealing a plot device is actually part of what gets the story rolling so without it there wouldn't be a game to play. =P