Building Character: An Analysis of Character Creation by Steve Meretzky When we talk about creating a character in a game, we're usually talking about characterization, which is everything observable about a character: what they look like, sound like, how they move, how they dress, intelligence, attitude, career, and so forth. Character, on the other hand, refers to what's underneath — the human heart, the essential nature. Remember the two things you're trying to do with a character: make an enjoyable and interesting character that a player will want to adopt into his or her life for the next few weeks or months, and create a character that will be different and memorable enough to help you cut through the clutter of the several thousand other games that you'll be competing with for shelf, magazine, and player-awareness space. So at this point try to think, what's interesting? What's cool? What hasn't been done before?

Exorcising Satan's Rotoscope: Motion Capture from an Animator's Perspective by David Stripinis Motion capture. Perhaps no single technology frightens animators more. Whether it's the technical hurdles or the perception that it will put them out of a job, many animators have a fear and loathing of motion capture. The truth is animators have nothing to fear from mocap -- except avoiding it. That will definitely lead to putting you out of a job. Within the coming generation of video games, nearly every title will involve at least a modicum of captured motion. Animators will need to learn to embrace motion capture,to co-exist with it. Simple cycles baked out at 15 frames a second won't really do the job anymore. Animators must find a way to fulfill the desire of gamers to see motion as realistic as the character models being animated while satisfying the budget requirements of the project.

The Basics of Designing and Creating Low Polygon Models by Chad Walker Detail is an important part of creating loy poly models, but the main goal is to always be aware of the big picture. You may find yourself modeling a fingernail and forgetting that you only gave the character only three fingers. This could be a problem. Occasionally get up from your desk walk back about 4 or 5 feet and look at your model from a distance. Check to see if the character looks good, has shape; see if you can clearly make out what makes your character distinctive. Chad Walker takes you the basic steps used to design and create low polygon models.