What Age You Would Choose For your Characters on Your Maker Game?

[Frostorm]

It seems that no one has mentioned immortals. I'm not talking about "fake" immortals so prevelant in fanfics. By fake I refer to supposedly immortal elves or whatnot who act like they're teenagers. They're NOT immortals, they're teen characters with a cardboard immortal tag. If you think about it, a true immortal is really an old person, except they retain their physical youth and vitality.

Continuing with the kiss analogy, would a person who's thousands of years old even still like physical intimacy? (If going by Highlander mythos, YES.) Or would they be really zen-like and be spiritual and stuff? It's an interesting topic to think about.

Realistically, I think it would depend on the individual, aka a case by case basis. But yea, I like the idea of immortals, as in true immortals as you described. It could also go a couple of ways. For example, a thousand-year-old being might have a really bad case of Alzheimer's or could be the polar opposite and be truly zen and understand the true nature of existence. Or maybe they're actually pretty "normal" but just really bored w/ life since they've literally "been there, done that" lol.

 

[watermark]

Imagine if grumpy Grandpa Joe who always grumbles about everything and bores you to tears with same stories about the good ol days suddenly gets back a youthful Hemsworth-like body, along with a healthy dose of youth hormones...would he still be grumpy?

I think those older will agree with me that he might be quite appreciative and lose that grumpiness. Imagine you getting back your younger self, your aches and pains gone, your radiant good looks restored (okay, we can skip the pimples), your seemingly boundless energy returned?

I think those older will truly appreciate these things that we take for granted when young. Some perspectives change forever with age even if your physical youth is restored.

Which brings me to my point: I actually enjoy writing teen and kid characters because they experience things so INTENSELY. Adults can be more...sedated. More thoughtful, more careful, less stupid yes. But probably also less exciting at times. Sometimes this may not be a good thing.

 

[Testtubebaby]

Personally, I like to work with all different kinds of age groups in story telling, so the age doesn't have that big of a bearing on me. That being said, I prefer to be in control of an adult character in most cases. It really comes down to who I like most as a character, when I have the option to choose who I am in control of.

Different age groups introduce all sorts of different story telling dynamics. A young person will typically react to things quite differently and more dramatically than an older person. Youthful energy can bring life to an otherwise dry group. On the other hand, mature members can add a grounded element to party/character dynamics, and mellow things out (if that is who they are as a character, of course).

Many games will be based around the age group that they target, so teenage characters are very common, I've found. I've seen a slow rise in adult characters over the years, mind you, and that only seems natural as more and more of the gaming audience ages with time, as the dawn of gaming in general was not that long ago. Though I have played some games with a younger cast of characters that have played just fine as well. It all comes down to how things are handled that determines whether a game will be enjoyable or not.

I would also like to add that I agree with former posts talking about youth being able to "save the world" and take on armies of adults who have received military training is rather off-putting. If the events of the game that take place are realistically feasible for the age group of the cast, I find it much more enjoyable. While it is nice to break away from the realism of the real world and create a fantasy world where anything is feasible, my scientific and logical brain gets rubbed the wrong way by the 14 year old magical prodigy who is capable of taking out and thwarting the grizzled 38 year old veteran commander and his entire army, along with the nation they fight for.

 

[Gabriel-Chi]

i mean, i use kids/teens cuz i'm in this age, but usualy only with main character because they are the focus and i can give them more of myself, ( that's why i think the major votes were on and by adults)
But in most of the ways i try to get all ages, from little kids to cause funny moments or drama, teens for that part of revelation that the world is hard or that they actualy succ, itry not to get too deep with adults because, well, i'm not one, idk how a adults do stuff, but i have some real life examples, so i try to get them as side-characters, and use the traits that will affect they younger ones, like my parents, teachers and others do on me

in the end, most of rpg making you get from yourself, uh? (at least the original stuff)
i'm not pro on english don't blame me i'm trying

 

[Kokoro Hane]

It depends on the game I am making. My first released game followed a rather young adult. Although his age is never stated, I imagine the protagonist to be a young adult, so under 25, at youngest, around 18-19. My second RPG followed an adult. Again, I never mention what the age is, but he'd be over 25. My third RPG that I am still working on followed a girl who is 20 years old. And my one map challenge, the boy is 17. So generally I tend to make games with either adults or late teenagers. Although I love a diverse set of ages to be honest. Would be cool to make a game that had a party of kids, young adults, mature adults, and elderly. Whatever works for your story world, 'cause honestly, any age can have a fascinating adventure.

 

[ThreeSixNine]

Gotta consider all ages honestly. Look at Spartan warrior, they weren't allowed to retire from their army until 60. Like someone above mentioned, take Aang, you don't have to be any certain age to have the X-factor.

If you start looking at age as anything more than a random variable, you're going to start limiting yourself.

Final Fantasy 4, 5, and 6 are great examples of avoiding this. All 3 games had a cast that spanned generations and it didn't feel contrived or overly cliché. The kids were kids but held their own in battle, the old guys were strong and wise. The middle agr group was usually trying to find themselves or their place in the world.

I guess what I'm saying is that by trying too hard to avoid faling into certain "traps" when it comes to character development, can make it more likely to end up in them.

 

[Copywright]

Too many kids saving the world and useless adult npcs.

I used to use teen characters, but a solid adult cast and plot is what reels me in now.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon, for instance. Does it very well.

Then again for a Maker game, I would find it weird to have adults as 32x32 or 48x48 chibi style sprites... guess that's why I prefer tall sprites.

 

[tiabuni]

There are no humans in the cast of my game. I don't feel like stating their ages is necessary in any way or shape. If there were humans, they would definitely be adults. Not because I want "adult themes" (which are usually not very adult at all), but because I find it more interesting to play as adults.

 

[misterdovah]

Well, I can say about my main project: kids. I thought it nice to create some emotional context for them the away I wished to.

 

[Stimulantwasfound]

The Lady Rosé, is 124.5 years old . . . because Hydrargyrum, her world, is tidally locked to an event horizon in a 3:2 spin-orbit resonance. However, she is also playable at 53.9 years old during certain parts of the project, currently. This means that she is playable as both an adult, and early teen. I voted for adult, since she's an adult for the majority of the project, at this time.

 

[TheGentlemanLoser]

This poll needs more options! "Adults" is really broad, and outside of anime where everyone over 20 is "old" (eyeroll dawt gee eye eff), there's a big difference between adults in their 20s, adults in their 40s, and adults in their 60s!

Not to mention in some of my past games, I'd have had answers along the lines of "um, looks 13 but really like A THOUSAND?"...surely we can divide adults at least into "under 100 y.o." and "immortals". (I'm only teasing, I know it's probably not possible to change poll options once a poll has started.)

In my current game (the one in the sig) the main character is probably somewhere in his or her mid-20s, midway through a life of crime. The other main protagonists, the higher ups of the Sons of Liberty (named after the IRL terrorists/freedom fighters, thank you, although I too love MGS2) are mainly older, in their 30s and 40s, but their eventual leader and the game's co-protagonist, Aisha (sig/current avi), is only 19, and many of their rank and file members are between the ages of 15 and 25. The deuteragonists/antagonists (it's debatable and I mean for it to be debatable upon release but right now I'm still debating it in my head) by contrast are professional mercenaries in their 30s or 40s.

In my other project, MDC, the MCs are three random schlubs in their 20s, 30s, and/or 40s. As their actual identity isn't revealed until the very end of the game.

e: @Stimulantwasfound that is a VERY um...precise...answer lol. But her name is the Lady Rosé? Like the pinkish sparkling wine I detest that rappers are always on about in their songs?

 

[Tai_MT]

Personally, I prefer to write adults. The only aspect of "being a kid" that I ever identified with... even as a child... is how intense "love" feels and how "important" the young among us think it is. I didn't watch Sailor Moon for the fanservice or because the cast was relatable (they weren't, and not because they were the opposite gender). I was watching it because I wanted to see Serena get together with Darian. I didn't watch Digimon because I related to the characters (okay, I related to Tai as an ideal to aspire towards), but I wanted to see all the cool monsters, unravel the mystery of the world, and see if Tai and Sora would get together or if Joe and Mimi would end up together.

As a child, I found it difficult to relate to children. I found it much easier to relate to adults. Or even, children who acted like adults. As a child, I never thought of things in the same way children in shows are portrayed as doing.

I think the most meaningful media I ever interacted with about children was "Ender's Game", in which the children in that story pretty much acted exactly as me and my friends did... and behaved the same way we had as children.

Children, by and large, don't "act like children". Children try their best to imitate adults. They try their best to imitate adult ideals, ideas, and responsibilities.

So, I'd rather write adults. I don't want to write someone who is hopelessly stupid like Spongebob in the delusion that "this is what children are like" (they're not, and they only act this way if they've been taught to or have some sort of mental deficiency) or someone who is doing their best to pretend to be an adult.

I'd rather just write adults. People with real problems that are spurred into action and out of their everyday mundane lives that they DESPERATELY want to get back to. I find that more interesting. As an adult, do they embrace the adventure and freedom of the situation... or do they just want to get back to what they're doing because... look... I got bills to pay... I got children to take care of... I'm putting my life at risk for something that is someone else's problem. Can't I just go home, make supper, and go to bed? I got work tomorrow and a mortgage to pay.

 

[Stimulantwasfound]

@TheGentlemanLoser The Lady is a class. I'm not familiar with hip hop culture. Royalty in Effervesce Fallacy™ is named after French wines because inspiration was drawn from Castello del Valentino. Other inspirations include haruspex, and the faint young sun paradox.

You gave me an idea to create an attract mode.

 

[Zelgadis85]

Most of the main cast in my current major project are adults (varying from 18 to, I don't know, 40?) but there is a single late teenager (16 year old girl) mixed in. Well, age doesn't mean as much when you have elves and humans mixed together.

Definitely nothing wrong with young protagonists, in my opinion. Heck, I'm currently playing Grandia again for the umpteenth time and the main cast includes characters from eight to fifteen year olds. There are some adults, as well, but the three first characters are from that age group, and I'm enjoying their adventures again.

 

[Kristina]

The poll needs more options as adults is so broad.

In my game it's mixed, but mostly late teens and young adults.

 

[Kirri]

Since my game (and probably my future games too) are school-based, the main characters are teenagers from 16 year old to late teens.

 

[Tiamat-86]

usually go mid 20s. always 18+
anything younger then that would only appear in a short prelude chapter,
and maybe in a paralog cutsceen.

 

[Hyouryuu-Na]

I prefer my protagonists to be in their late teens to early 20s because that's around my own age. But side characters could be anything ranging from little kids to really old people lol