Character Creation Method

ID:30023
 
Apr 27 2007, 2:12 am
Keywords: article, poll

Poll: Character Creation

Input 21% (10)
HTML Popup 36% (17)
Map/Hud 38% (18)
External Website 2% (1)
Other (comment) 2% (1)

Login to vote.

There are many ways the average BYOND game handles character creation. The most common (and annoying) one is the use of thirty or so alert and input prompts. Most of the time, they don't even contain cancel buttons either.

This, as stated, is the most annoying possible way to create a character handling system. But, it is also the most simple to create. I believe, programmers are trying too hard to promote their awesome icons and "way cool" battle systems, instead of taking care of one of the most important systems in game creation.

So now, this leaves people to wonder; what is the best form of character creation system? Well, as far as I know with BYOND. You have three perhaps four options:
  • The aforementioned prompt system
  • An HTML Popup system
  • Using the map or a HUD character creation system
  • A website to create the character, which will save it into the games database, giving you access to it upon login to the game

The last option is why I said perhaps. Because not all games will have the resources or programmers the knowledge for such a system.

A prompt system is a straight line method. src.name = input(); src.age = input(). Nothing difficult there. If you're sneeky and good with data-validation. You can use loops and procs to make sure users give complete accurate information. But this is irritating to the players eager to get on with it.

An HTML Popup is simple enough to use, but slightly harder to make code-wise. Even so, it's not really that difficult, if you know your way around. This is, by my belief, the most user friendly approach. There's no confusion of what's what, and any forgotten or misplaced information on the popup is as easy to add as editing a variable.

A hud/map system would probably be the most difficult to construct. But it's not without it's not without it's charm. This, if done well, is probably the most beautiful method of character creation. Not to mention the most professional looking. It also has the added bonus of being just as quick to absorb as the HTML Popup, but that said, it's very hard to correct misplaced information.

So I ask you, the loyal RPG community, what is the best method of use for a character creation system?
Apr 27 2007, 2:20 am
HTML + Flash. That gives you all the visual features of a HUD/Map system (and more) while eliminating some of the downsides.
With a HUD/Map system it's very hard to display written information. With Flash it's extremely easy. Visually there is no competition. This method wins hands down in that department.

Of course it's even harder than the other methods. Definitely not for beginners. =P
Apr 27 2007, 2:21 am
That's what we call, a double-edged knife. =P

Good suggestion, though. =P
Apr 27 2007, 2:50 am
Meh, someone needs to make a library for that kind of stuff.
I wonder how easy it would be to make a kind of generalised flash applet that can be designed in DM?

The only hard bit I imagine would be any graphics displayed in flash- defining that in DM would be ruddy hard. Although, uh, not infact impossible... actually, if the library was designed well, not hard at all. Images could be stored in the rsc and loaded into the flash applet when needed.

... I'll consider making something like this. I'm not sure if I can be entirely bothered yet.
Apr 27 2007, 4:31 am
Hmm.. I'm not sure which one to pick. I like the idea of a HTML Pop up and the Hud. I seen many that had these in it. Pretty cool. But I'm pretty much used to any technique used in the game.
Apr 27 2007, 5:31 am
DarkView wrote:
HTML + Flash. That gives you all the visual features of a HUD/Map system (and more) while eliminating some of the downsides.

I've yet to see a game that uses a system like this. Are there any that you know of?
Apr 27 2007, 9:48 am
I toyed around with a Flash based character creator for OpenRPG. I decided not to use it because OpenRPG was supposed to be open sourced, but using flash would close part of it off for people. You could, however, use javascript to make a "AJAX"ish character creator.

Flash actually wouldn't be that hard. Sending information to DS from flash is pretty simple. It's the other way around that can be a little tougher(Although it can be done, it isn't nearly as easy).

The great thing about flash is real time and super dynamic graphics. It is nothing to allow you to edit pretty much every color on the character, or choose from 50 hair styles, and it all can be updated instantly and smoothly.
Apr 27 2007, 9:59 am
I don't really care about the method so long as it is user friendly. Much like any interface.

Endless streams of non-cancellable popups are not friendly....
Apr 27 2007, 10:16 am
Go with HUD, though if you do, you have to go all-out. I remember Seika II's character creation and it looked really nice. Another one I like is Dream Forge's. If you go with HUD/map then do something to the effect of those two.
Apr 27 2007, 11:21 am
If you put in enough hours I imagine you could make a flash interface that was fully programmable from DM. Maybe even for creating a character model on the flash-side of things!
Apr 27 2007, 12:36 pm
@Gakumerasara: None that I know of. I think I've got something in my projects folder that does it, but if I remember right it's incomplete and very ugly.


Castle of the Winds Online appeared to have a very good character creation system. It used a lot of slide scales which were pretty neat.