Playable Characters

[chairdriver]

Paj and I have this thing where we describe people who stand out as "Playable Characters", in reference to RPGs, where you can always tell as soon as they come onto the screen which characters will be playable, because they're always so much more disctinctive that the other characters in the game.

 

In my maths lectures, there's 5 or so people that I *always* notice, because they, in no fewer words, stun. The people that you can tell have personality just by looking at them, not necessarily because they wear in on their cuff, just because they have a presence. There's this girl who always sits on the third row, and always sits up really straight, with her back not resting on the backrest. There's this girl/guy who is obviously trans, who takes fashion inspiration from Russel Brand, but in a stunning way (ie. does it better than him). etc etc.

 

Anyway, point of the post? Today, there was a kerfuffle before the lecture (wrong room, but in the end it was right), so in the confusion where everyone was like "WTF is going on!?" (some of the maths people are so thrown by quakes in their routines that they get a bit over-dramatic), this guy comes down the stairs (the maths lecturehalls are underground, in this really cramped space), and obviously addressing me "What's going on?"

 

He's an obvious playable character. Possibly the most obvious one I have ever seen. [in first year I used to refer to him to my friend Wen as "high-tops", because he exclusively wears high-top shoes, and it seems like he has over 10 different pairs. And I fancied him, so I talked about him a lot :p]

 

So I explained, and made a self-aware-we're-mathematicians joke. He introduces himself. Wait... I know that name. Why do I know his name?

 

Turns out that he's the St. Peter's College JCR President, and I'd read an article in the student newspaper yesterday, how a motion was just passed to crown him "King of St. Peter's".

 

It's just so coincidental. One of the few people (out of 200+ people who do maths in my year) that stands out, introduces himself to me the day after I read an article about him (wouldn't have known his name otherwise). It feels like in an RPG, where you get a person on your team, and later find out they're royalty.

 

Things like this happen so often too. Enough so that Paj and I actually have a term/idea/school of thought dedicated to it. Makes me believe in fate.

[Paj!]

Yes.

 

It applies to every possible group of people in any format. Here on N-E for example (but harder to discern - some people are clearly DS exclusives...some are just different skins on the same basic character model of someone else etc).

[Dannyboy-the-Dane]

Yes.

 

It applies to every possible group of people in any format. Here on N-E for example (but harder to discern - some people are clearly DS exclusives...some are just different skins on the same basic character model of someone else etc).

 

Heh, reminds me of the N-E Pokémon cards that were once created by some members.

[Grazza]

What a funny concept - I like it!

 

I think I'm a playable character (in real life). Girls have, on occasion, said to me things like "I can't imagine what it'd be like without you here". There you go, I'm a Don Juan! No, seriously, it's probably just because I'm a weirdo!

 

It's not just about sexual attraction or being a "big" character either (I'm reasonably quiet). I guess we all get to experience this with our group of mates - it just brightens up your day when you're amongst your "characters".

[Paj!]

It's obvious if you're playable amongst a group of people, but I expect most people will think they are.

 

I wouldn't necessarily call myself playable amongst N-E...maybe unlockable. Other characters do a lot of what I can do so I'd be a bit pointless to begin with, but useful later on.

[chairdriver]

It's obvious if you're playable amongst a group of people, but I expect most people will think they are.

 

I wouldn't necessarily call myself playable amongst N-E...maybe unlockable. Other characters do a lot of what I can do so I'd be a bit pointless to begin with, but useful later on.

 

There'd probably be some mechanism where both of us are NPCs are the start, (there to tell jokes) and at one poignant moment in the game, you have to chose which one of us to save, then the other dies. The one you save becomes playable.

 

We have a similar, but different, attack set, so it's all a question of whether you prefer technical skills (which involve learning strings of buttons and inserting them when you initiate an attack) or coup-de-graces (whose power depends on more uncontrollable parameters, like number of battles fought, and number of members on your team with critical HP etc etc).

Edited January 27, 2011 by chairdriver

[Supergrunch]

I'm probably a plot-driving NPC with more dialogue than most people want to read.

 

I think this is a great concept though, but I don't find it as easy to apply to real life...

[Jonnas]

I've been described as the "Select Button" before. Because, whenever someone has a question for which I have the answer, I shall appear out of nowhere and elucidate them, before minding my own business again.

 

When playing football, I suppose my team feels like they're in an escort mission ("Don't let the ball near him! He'll just lose it to the other team in 2 seconds!")

 

As for what chair says... It happens a lot, just looking at a guy and knowing he'll be interesting. Except for that one guy who didn't look interesting, but I befriended him quickly, and not only was he interesting, he turned out to be the best student in my year. And since he also happens to know Karate, I suppose that makes him the protagonist (and me... I suppose I'm Navi )

[Gentleben]

I'm probably a plot-driving NPC with more dialogue than most people want to read.

 

I think this is a great concept though, but I don't find it as easy to apply to real life...

 

 

I think your more of a hidden boss in some forgotten dusty book vault. It's likely all your attacks/support moves would be grammar/verb/noun based and inflict confusion status with high damage.

 

When your beaten you can teach a playable character some powerful "forgotten word" that causes massive damage.

[The Bard]

I'm usually annoyed by such people. I think I'd be the dickhead tavern keeper that would charge you extra for a bed because of your funny hair.

[Ryuk]

I'm a bit confused on what the thread is actully about? are you talking about being sociable accaptable?

[dan-likes-trees]

Paj and I have this thing where we describe people who stand out as "Playable Characters", in reference to RPGs, where you can always tell as soon as they come onto the screen which characters will be playable, because they're always so much more disctinctive that the other characters in the game.

 

First of all I would like to compliment your sig. Good effort.

 

Anyway, I know what you mean. There's this guy on my course that always seems to be everywhere, has a ukulele, stuff, everyone know of him, even though they've never actually met him (I haven't spoken to him). It's almost too obvious though, trying too hard I feel. He probably wouldn't be playable, more like the whacha buying guy from Resi 4, as he seems to be always around.

 

Quite a common 'problem' when seeing playable character types, as they often seem to be far too aware / putting on their distinctive-ness to actually be interesting.

[Guy]

This idea is absolutely fantastic. Great thread too. I'm thinking about the playable characters in my life right now.

[Paj!]

I'm a bit confused on what the thread is actully about? are you talking about being sociable accaptable?

 

You aren't playable. Sorry.

[Frank]

Kinda reminds me of what me and a friend do at school.

But instead, we don't call them playable characters. Somehow we just notice a multitude of people who are just...interesting. Some can pull off as individuals. Others in groups.

We always wet ourselves laughing at these stories. We basically construct entire lives of them. It's great

 

Examples of nick-names would be Fancy Skirt, Fancy Pants, Smokey Joe, the NightRider, Skippy, et cetera. Groups include The Black and Tans and Meals on Wheels.

One groups of people all look like the cast of Harry Potter. simply amazing.

 

(I have no life :p)

[Oxigen_Waste]

I'm a bit confused on what the thread is actully about? are you talking about being sociable accaptable?

 

I almost believed that photo of "yourself" you posted on the photo thread was actually you, right now.

[Frank]

Also, I've absolutely no self-awareness to determine whether or not I'm a playable. Doubt it though.

 

Upon reflection, if I had to choose someone on N-E as a playable it'd probably be between Euneh and Pancake. I always notice/read+love there comments.

[Ganepark32]

I'd probably say I'm one of those NPCs that has one or two lines of dialogue, constantly on loop everytime you talk to me and bringing little to the overall conversation, tucked away in a corner. I'm seen, but after talking once, you don't bother going to again. Every now and then, someone'll look over and go "Oh yeah, there's that guy" And I'm happy with that :awesome:

[Cube]

Some people simply just stand out - it can be for any reason, too. It's not always a positive thing, either - some people are naturally dicks and stand out as such. In my year at school where was about 10-15 people who seemed to stand out.

 

I see myself as a non-interactive NPC, the kind where people will think "Hmm...strange" before moving on.

[Mr_Odwin]

Some of you guys are so modest. I immediately thought "I am so playable, obviously, I mean why wouldn't I be?"

I may have an inflated view of myself.

[Charlie]

I'm a player, does that count?

 

 

 

I think the term you could be looking for is "confident" people? The one thing all these people have in common is confidence. Pretty much everything in life can be looked at in terms of confidence; how much money you make, how good your job is, how hot your girlfriend is etc etc.

[Supergrunch]

Some of you guys are so modest. I immediately thought "I am so playable, obviously, I mean why wouldn't I be?"

I may have an inflated view of myself.

No, it's because you are a playable character.

[jayseven]

It's an interesting concept. We (should!) all think we are 'playable characters' by default. I remember when I was a lot younger I once wished upon a star to please, please, let me be that guy instead. Not once since then, aged 6, have I had that notion.

 

I intimately presume that underconfident people are stargazing too much. Many idiotic blonde teenagers wish they were britney spears, even though she'd probably talk them out of such a transformation if she could. Having said that, I think that the majority of 'celebrities' would fall under your umbrella for NPCs. The problem with playable characters, should we continue the gaming comparison, is that they're schitzophrenic and unrealised. NPCs can be fully formed pieces of art with a beginning, a propulsion and a climax. Most of these 'cool' characters you refer to in real life are probably just as subjected to mockery as they are to fandom.

 

I'm sure shorty would remember - there was a kid in one of his first-year classes that was all post-punk/metal; long-hair of a mullet, leather and studded jacket with patches hand-sewn on - he was projecting an image that we inferred a few lols with... Then the next year he was all striped tops, thick-rimmed glasses and skinny jeans. He was flushed immediately into the poseur category.

 

But then, you can have the eccentrics. I have a friend who pretty much wears nothing but purple. Our images are at least superficially our identities.

 

Also, sometimes there seems to be a pre-requisit character list that needs fulfilling. Stereotypes that can be found in any high-school post mortem. jocks, geeks, chavs, nerds, trendies. The acne kid. The fat kid. The new kid. The tall kid. The kid who still has a squeaky voice. The girl with big boobs. The bully, the spazz... And sometimes we may find ourselves playing a character that isn't really us. Maybe the role we fill ends up shaping us a little?

 

Anway. If you feel you are capable of withstanding streams of genuine bullshit whilst at the same time feeding their ego with profane adorations and compliments for prolongued periods of time then i wholeheartedly recommend making First Contact with the tri-hards. I'm-a stick to my corner-hugging better-than-thou baggle clothesdom.

 

(not really! But this isn't a character assimilation thread [really] so I won't go beyond the nexus.)

[chairdriver]

Well its more than looking strange/distinctive. It's like when you know someone would be a character in a TV show or something. It's just a case of how much someone stuns.

 

[/ambiguous]

[EddieColeslaw]

Well its more than looking strange/distinctive. It's like when you know someone would be a character in a TV show or something. It's just a case of how much someone stuns.

 

[/ambiguous]

 

Like a certain kind of aura?

 

But yes, this is an interesting (and entertaining) way of looking at people.