THE IMPORTANCE OF BODY

MODIFICATIONS AND ACCESSORIES

IN CHARACTER DESIGN
FOR VIDEOGAMES

Magdalena Węgiel
MA thesis
Supervisor: Miikka Junnila
Advisor: Petri Lankoski
Aalto University
School of Arts, Design and Architecture
Master’s Degree Programme in New Media / Game Design and Production
2021
Author Magdalena Węgiel
Title of thesis The Importance of Body Modifications and Accessories in Character Design for
Videogames
Department Media
Degree programme New Media Game Design and Production
Year 2021 Number of pages 68 Language English

Abstract
This thesis is a project-based study that explores the importance and influence of body
modifications and accessories on character design for videogames. It researches how small visual
details are able to change or improve the character. The research bases on knowledge about the
subject from existing movies, games, and animations as well as my own artistic study work. It
focuses on human characters including main and non-player ones. This area of research seems to
be understudied, therefore I decided to further explore it. The requirement for applying those
elements derives from the need of creating distinctive and engaging characters. The term body
modification applies to practices such as tattoos and scarification done to change one’s physical
appearance. Accessories are understood as any items that can be carried for aesthetic or practical
purposes, for example jewellery. The study also includes knowledge of other elements, such as
scars that might have impact on appearance.

The project done for the thesis consists of five illustrations of characters, each with two different
versions of body modifications and accessories. The goal of the study was to research the
possibilities of usage and influence of those details on design in practice. This study uses research
by design approach where own practical work, combined with theories and previous research, is
used to produce knowledge about character design. By creating two different versions of details of
an own character it was possible to compare their impact and ability to change the perception of
the design.

The research combined with artistic project allowed me to study the subject from the theoretical
and practical side. Understanding the meaning and history of body modifications, accessories and
symbols allows to improve visual storytelling and add depth to designs. If used properly small
details have a significant influence on the character design and are able to tell the story,
profession, wealth, interests and many other features of the hero through visuals. Included in non-
player characters’ design, they can convey information about the world, such as religion and
customs. Acquiring knowledge about body modifications, accessories and symbols enable
understanding their significant influence on every character, no matter the level of detail and
fantastic features of the appearance. This thesis can serve as guidance on how to improve the
design and visual storytelling for all individuals involved in character creation.

Keywords character design, game design, body modifications, accessories, symbols, concept art
 Acknowledgements

I would like to thank everyone who supported me during the time I was working on this
study: Petri Lankoski for the great advice and patience, Miikka Junnila for instructing me with
preparations for this thesis and overall help, and Kai Lappalainen for guidance. I would like
to thank all my friends, family, and my cat for the encouragement.
Table of contents:

1 Introduction
1.1 The reason for choosing the subject
1.2 The scope of the thesis
2. Literature Review
2.1 What forms a character
2.2 Meaning and function of body modifications, symbols and accessories
2.2.1 Symbols and signs
2.2.2 Scars, scarification, and skin conditions
2.2.3 Tattoos
2.3.4 Jewellery and accessories
2.3 Summary
3 Description of the project and creation process
4 Project description
4.1 Eliza
4.2 Joseph
4.3 Ichika
4.4 Luisa
4.5 Carina
5 Discussion
6 Conclusion

Reference list
Appendices
1 Introduction

The thesis is a project-based study, and its aim is to show how a small change, an addition
of a few small elements or even a single element, is able to change the whole design of
characters for videogames. This work also studies meaning of various symbols, body
modifications and accessories. There seems to be not enough information in the literature to
fully understand the subject, which was a reason for this thesis. This work may be useful for
concept and character artists as well as other individuals involved in creating characters and
may serve as a guide of character design for games.

The term of body modifications refers to practices performed on a body for aesthetic
reasons. It includes tattooing, scarification, piercings, hairstyles, and the like. They can be
permanent or temporary (Myers, 1992, p.267).

1.1 The reason for choosing the subject

A great number of people are attracted to videogames because of interesting characters. If

the design is appealing, players want to identify with heroes in games and therefore feel able
to be a part of the story. In the Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design by Dille
and Platten, the authors state “If people care about your characters, they will forgive a lot. In
most storytelling, characters are the main figures we follow through the narrative. What
makes games unique is that the player is the character“ (Dille, Platten, 2007, chapter 2).
They continue with the information that if the barrier between the player and game character
is broken, an amazing experience might be created (Dille, Platten, 2007, chapter 2). I agree
with the statement and I think that the narrative and the visual design of a character are
equally important in creating a successful game. Actually, the reason why I became
interested in games was a powerful-looking, strong, and popular female game character.

The character of Lara Croft, the heroine of the Tomb Raider series (Core Design, 1996), was
what drew me to games in the beginning. The image of this strong female character made
me feel powerful. Despite the engaging gameplay, the story of Lara and her changing
appearance seemed to me the most interesting of all. The new outfits, improved details of
her face, her silhouette that improved with time to look more realistic, and a refined back
story made the games more fascinating to me. Although I prefer complex character design,
which attracts people with many interesting additions and original forms, Lara remains
splendid despite her simplicity. Her design became iconic as she was one of the first
meaningful female game characters. It was a novelty to create a female character whose

1
design combined all female attributes with strength and power in her looks and behaviour
which defied stereotypes of that time. In an interview in 1998, Toby Gard, the creator of Lara
Croft states:

The idea was to create a female character who was a heroine, you know, cool,
collected, in control, that sort of thing. The problem with those other games is that the
female characters are actually there for purely exploitative purposes. I know you
could argue that Lara with her comic book style over-the top figure is exploitative, but
I don't agree. I think it's ridiculous to say that portraying stylised people is degrading.
You can represent an over the top hero figure by augmenting characteristics like a
jutting jaw, wide shoulders, thin waist etc. and that is not degrading to men. (Gard,
1998)

Those words explain very well that the image of a strong, intelligent female was something
the creators were aiming for, which can be seen both in the story and in the character’s
looks. Lara possesses very noticeable female features, but they are connected with two
guns and big shoes that present her strength and refer to it. Consequently, her looks,
despite the simplicity, became iconic. Therefore, even though more computer games are
constantly created, the new heroines are not as distinctive as she is.

Moreover, as the number of games is growing rapidly, creating a recognisable character

today is more difficult because of the competition and a large number of new interesting
designs. Consequently, today's design process to create distinctive heroes has to be much
longer and more complex. Apart from interesting designs of armour and dresses, that usually
work as a distinguishing feature, there are details such as specific tattoos, scars, pieces of
jewellery and other accessories. They are particularly important while designing characters
with simpler or casual looks, for example those that are placed in a contemporary
environment or near future. These details contribute to new recognisable features of the
heroes. They also tell their stories and identify their background, professions and personality
traits. As Pentina and Spears say, human body has a big influence on self-expression. It is
highly connected with culture and the need to feel more unique. The body is able to convey
an important message and information about an individual (Pentina, Spears, 2011, p.75).

The importance of the characters in a game is connected with storytelling and the emotions
that the game is to evoke:

2
 Characters drive the story. They create the conflicts. The only emotion in a game
experience without good characters is the emotion derived by the player from the
game play: frustration, anger, exhilaration, triumph . . . the thrill of victory, the agony
of defeat.... To create emotion through story we must start with character. (Sheldon,
2004, p.64)

The way characters’ personalities and their past are designed influences the perception of
the story in the game. "We rely on characters in stories to help us understand how we feel
about the events that are unfolding” (Sheldon, 2004, p.62). The way people in games look
like should emphasize their psychological traits, likings, problems and show the marks on
their body left after the important events of their past. The appearance is significant in case
of the main characters as well as the non-player ones, which are often forgotten:

Many games treat minor characters as functionaries only, assigning them a single
role to play, and shoving a line or two of “character” dialogue—or simple dialect—in
their mouths. This is not respecting the characters. This is ignoring all the many ways
they can support the story and the overall game experience. (Sheldon, p.67)

The side characters as Lee Sheldon claims allow one to point to certain parts of the story
and create a specific atmosphere and evoke desired emotions that the imagined world
should convey. If a player was to play The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Bethesda Game Studios,
2011), an open-world game with a cold, highland environment but lacking the NPCs (NPC
stands for Non-Player Character) that possess all the features underlining the harsh climate
and tough living conditions in the world it would be a completely different experience lacking
in many ways. Owing to the well-designed characters, dressed up in furs, that point out the
cold temperatures, muscular figures, which manifest physical strength vital to survive,
jewellery that is related to religion in the world and the power they derive from it, and body
modifications the atmosphere is easily understandable and the world of the game is more
believable.

The details have been chosen as the subject of this thesis because they are not only used to
show features such as professions, cultural background of the characters and
families/nations they come from but are also able to provide the player with some
information about the world in various ways. One of the games that provides examples of
NPCs which retain features that pass information about the surroundings is the game The
Sinking City (Frogwares, 2019). Certain characters have distinctive clothing and specific
tattoos, which gives the impression that there is some kind of important, mysterious cult in

3
the game. According to Philip Shenefelt and Debra Shenefelt the religion commonly
determines the number and types of tattoos, clothing and piercing as well as hair styles and
colours used. They have a spiritual meaning and frequently religious themes (Shenefelt,
Shenefelt, 2014, p. 207). The developers used this knowledge for the design of characters
and elements of the game. Due to it, the player is able to notice the presence of some kind
of a cult in the city before starting the first quest just by looking at people. In addition, the
majority of NPCs in the game have eyes with dark rings around them, poor, damaged
clothing and unhealthy, pale skin. Those traits show that some tragedy occurred, and the
citizens are suffering from famine. The environment definitely shows it as well, but anybody
who would look at the character design only would guess the characters' plight with ease.

Another example of the use of symbols connected with presenting the world is showing the
religion or customs of the inhabitants of a certain environment. For example, if everybody is
wearing a certain religious symbol, the player is capable of guessing that faith is very
important in the society. Incorporating a symbol for example the holy cross on the
character's neck is similar to character's saying “God bless you” while saying “goodbye”. The
advantage of adding that small symbol is that the information about that certain individual’s
beliefs is explained by the visual design. Good character design also allows the creators to
form a specific atmosphere. Certainly, there might be a very complex, skilfully designed
world, where the environment and light show the overall mood, but characters bring life into
the surroundings and enrich it. Adding specific details such as accessories or changing the
colours of clothing enables making the design of the characters more consistent. Similarly,
the details of character design may influence the atmosphere of the game. If the world is
hostile or dark, all the people can retain corners of the mouth slightly facing down or may
have an evil gaze. Those are not the types of enrichments I focus on in this work, but they
are going to be mentioned a couple of times.

When it comes to designing characters that are placed in modern environments body
modifications and accessories are significant for a variety of reasons. One of them is that
creators usually design main heroes who look casual. This desire is generally connected
with the opinion that it is easier for the recipients to relate to such characters, or the plot
requires a plain character. However, such heroes may lack variety in appearance. It seems
that the most common type of a typical main character is a Caucasian, slim, attractive man
with short dark hair. There is a large number of this kind of heroes appearing. The
characters look much alike, and because of that they become less recognisable, and hence
the player who sees a character so designed is not able to be quickly drawn to it, because
they might mistake it for a hero from another game or it may seem like run-of-the-mill.

4
However, thanks to introducing a small change such as glasses, a scar, piercing, a slight
change of hair style and colour or even a distinct print on a t-shirt, it is possible to create an
ordinary but original character that stands out from the crowd of other heroes.

1.2 The scope of the thesis

The aim of the thesis is to study the impact of body modifications and accessories as well as
other small elements on characters in videogames with focus on how those details combine
with the narrative side of the design. It researches how body modifications and accessories
can be used in different ways to improve character design and underline desired qualities of
a character as well as reveal the nature of the character. The research relies on knowledge
from existing games, movies, and animation as well as on scientific sources about chosen
body modifications and accessories and an artistic self-study project.

The subject of this thesis is the analysis of human characters (both main characters and
NPCs) with focus on how they are defined by body modifications and accessories (such as
glasses, jewellery) and religious, mythic, and cultural symbols. The thesis focuses mainly on
human characters. Monster or humanoid designs do not require such focus on details, since
their forms and fantastic looks already make them unique. Moreover, designing monsters
also requires thinking about the basic form, size, and shape of the creature which can help
them blend into the existing in-game world. Considering the amount of the information, it is a
subject for another study. The main idea of the thesis is to discuss the interdependence of
carefully chosen details by the game developers in order to show the personality and
different features of the characters which harmonise with the game world and have a
significant influence on immersion. Consequently, this study does not focus on the main
characters who are fully designed by the player at the start of the game, but on those who
have pre-designed visuals, personality and story by the developers and customization of the
hero does not influence their body. Beside videogames, examples from movies and
animations are also used since the only differences in designing characters for games and
films are related to technology constraints.

5
2 Literature Review

This section includes knowledge about characters, body modifications, accessories and
other elements gathered from different sources. It also provides interpretations of certain
elements applied to designs of different characters from games, movies, and animations.

2.1 What forms a character

Certain visual elements form a character. For example, gender, age, ethnic origins, height,
weight, and muscularity. Later come clothes, body modifications and accessories. All of
those are influenced and shaped by decisions such as the role of the character in the game
as well as their designed personal desires, purposes, profession, personality, likings, and
such. All characters in the game, especially the main hero should be unique and be an
active part of the design of the in-game world. It is well described by Tim Schafer:

If you’re going to drop the player into a world you’ve created for them, you should
make them the star of it! Not just “some dude.” There is a tendency to say, “Okay,
you are some dude, in this crazy world...”and that’s bad. (Schafer, 2004, cited in
Isbister 2006, p.262, 263)

Later he continues:

So who would be the star of that world? That’s your protagonist. And then who would
be a good foil for that character? Who, by standing in opposition to your hero, would
give that hero a chance to define him or herself, and demonstrate their heroic
qualities? That’s your antagonist. And so on. The rest of your characters fall out of
these first few, critical decisions. (Schafer, 2004, cited in Isbister 2006, p.263)

There is a belief that a main character should be bland and neutral both in its visuals and
personality, so it is easier for the player to identify with them and project their own selves on
it. Basing on Schafer’s view it is a misleading opinion and usually heroes designed with that
kind of attitude end up being not original, not recognizable or in the worst case boring. They
will not attract future player’s attention or might even discourage some people to play the
game, because of the lack of interest in the character. Tim Schafer addresses it and has a
very strong opinion about it. His dynamic quote illustrates those thoughts well. He says:

6
 Avoid “Bland Lead Character Syndrome,” no matter what anyone tells you. You hear
people saying all the time that having a blank, bland, boring main character is good
because that makes a “blank slate” that the player can project their own personality
onto. It’s a dirty lie! A lazy cop out! People just fall back on that because interesting
main characters are hard to write (mostly because you’re so afraid that people won’t
like them, you don’t put in any spice or risky qualities).If your main character is
EXCITING and COOL, then the player will still project themselves (or “ego-invest” as
someone more academic than me might say) into your hero. But they’ll think, “Hey,
I’m that cool guy. I’m awesome. (Schafer, 2004, cited in Isbister 2006, p.264, 265)

Schafer brings up that interesting characters are hard to write which is also influenced by the
fear of risk and failure. There are many non-casual looking game characters, who are
popular worldwide. Geralt, the main character of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (CD Projekt Red,
2015) does not resemble in any way an ordinary male hero, yet it is easy to reach immersion
in the game. As long as the design of a hero is well-done, it should be possible for the player
to be able to project themselves on them. It is impossible to create a “one-fits-all” character
that will be possible for everyone to identify with as each person who plays the game has
different looks, customs, background, and preferences. Therefore, it can be argued that
creating an overly casual looking hero, does not grant a better immersion.

It is important to first work on the personality and other internal qualities of a character since
they influence the looks. Visuals should always support those features and the other way
around. For example, if a character has a bland personality but a complex and fantastic
design, those two will collide. It might seem like the individuality is unfinished since the looks
point to for instance someone eccentric instead of ordinary. If a hero has casual visual side,
but a rich backstory full of dramatic events and is someone special, for example is a
powerful person with unique skills, the physical image could feel neglected because it does
not support the narrative side.

There are certain matters that a designer should focus on before designing a character.
They concern gender, age, personality, goals, expectations, and background for example,
wealth, education, occupation etc. Later, usually developers work on every other aspect of
the digital person basing on the mentioned traits. Those are visuals, animations, dialogues,
and voice acting. Consistency in the whole design is of a great significance because
otherwise the immersion and believability of it might be broken: “Even if personally is
assigned with very limited information, inconsistencies in the presentation can diminish purity
of the personality […]. Thus consistency of presentation is important in any type of game,

7
using any type of characters” (Lankoski, Heliö, Ekman, 2003). If the character is said to be
strong and confident, they have to move accordingly. For example, fighting (even if the
player is not yet experienced in the game and encounters difficulties) has to convince the
person playing the game that the protagonist is powerful.

While designing visually engaging, inspiring characters, whose physical side fits their role in
the game, there are certain points that should be kept in mind. One of them are stereotypes.
Kate Isbister describes a crucial role of stereotypes and attractiveness. She states that the
way someone is being thought of and reacted to greatly depends on how they look:

People cannot seem to help reacting to the surface of another person, in predictable
and suprisingly [sic] enduring ways, even in the face of contradictory information
emerging from ongoing interaction. The saying “beauty is only skin deep” would not
exist if we did not think it necessary to struggle past this bias. (Isbister, 2006, p.5)

Later the author describes, that as stated in studies, physically attractive people are
frequently perceived as individuals with positive features such as kindness, sensitivity, and
smartness and frequently have more privileges than others. It might be related to health and
choosing a fitting future partner for life. It is important to add that in various cultures,
attractiveness is perceived differently. Many characters in games are designed to be
attractive, so they are not only visually pleasing for the players, but also associated with the
qualities mentioned above (Isbister, 2006, p.7-9). Although stereotypes are a difficult topic,
they can be used in character design for video games in various ways.

Stereotypes are:

powerful social tools that guide unconscious decisions that can perpetuate an
inequitable situation. Once a stereotype has been “primed” in a person’s mind, he or
she tends to look for and mostly see the qualities in a person that support that
stereotype, overlooking qualities that do not fit. This happens below the level of
awareness. (Isbister, 2006, p.12)

Video games are frequently using stereotypes, because of the fact that they allow a person
to immediately recognize and associate certain features to various characters in games.
Therefore, the time spent on evaluation is much shorter and the designed traits will be
mostly perceived as the developers desired them to be. Occasionally, stereotypes are also
being broken to enrich a character and make the design remarkable (Isbister, 2005,
p.13,14). Placing opposite features can make characters shocking or less predictable. For

8
example, creating a powerful enemy looking like an innocent little girl is able to make the
player underestimate her powers or become careful: they might feel that something is wrong
as they have been expecting a terrifying-looking monster. In Souls series, which include
Demon’s Souls (From Software, 2009) and Dark Souls trilogy (From Software, 2011-2016)
as well as in Bloodborne (From Software, 2015) the enemies are almost always bigger than
the player and many of them are enormous. The size of an opponent does not condition its
difficulty or strength and it is frequently used to scare the player, because large creatures are
typically associated with powerful ones. Big opponents are usually heavy and slow, which
makes it easier to dodge their attacks, even if they deal more damage. On the contrary,
human-sized enemies are much more swift and powerful, therefore harder.

Stereotypes were frequently used in old games, where a typical main hero was a strong,
muscular male. As it was mentioned in the introduction, character of Lara Croft from Tomb
Raider series broke this stereotype which also contributed to her popularity. On the other
hand, because of her large breasts, slim silhouette and large lips Lara herself is a
stereotypically attractive female. It is important to add, that her oversexualized image was
changed in the later games starting in 2013 with Tomb Raider (Crystal Dynamics, 2013).
Since then, Lara has a realistic body, natural looking face, and less revealing clothing.

Stereotypes are still now and then used in games. The series Gears of War (2006–2019) are
full of muscled, macho men, who seem like their only attribute is strength. A change
appeared in Gears 5 (2019), where the first female protagonist of the series appears.

As for the visual side, a character consists of many elements such as forms and shapes,
outfit, body modifications, accessories and other details.

Forms and shapes are noticed first. They are influenced by factors such as gender, size, and
posture. Silhouette can be altered by adding clothing and hairstyle during the process of
designing a character. According to Dota 2 Workshop – Character Art Guide, working on
those allows to make a distinctive shape on which the rest of the elements can be based and
ensure, that the characters form will be recognized from afar and quickly read (Dota 2
Workshop - Character Art Guide - Steam Support, 2017). A character’s weight, size, and
posture can convey a lot of information about them. For example, weight can point out their
lifestyle, and posture can reveal their age, stamina, or character traits. Shapes and sizes of
characters are important when it comes to designing outfits, and those are one of the most
important pointers to one’s traits such as personality and profession.

9
Costume design is vital for a desired feel of the game and good characters. Monnet
describes significance of fashion in the game Dishonored 2 (Arkane Studios, 2016) and
explains that the amount of work put into designing outfits was equal with the effort put into
creating the environment. He claims that the outfits were intended to match the surroundings
and it was important for the garments to perfectly fit the atmosphere of the game (Monnet,
2016). Costumes are responsible for how societies and individuals in the fictional world are
perceived.

Clothes are the strongest message for the viewer about the person wearing them. They are
able to communicate everything from age to profession, culture, and likings. Their condition,
amount, colours, value, fabric, and patterns carry information. In the abstract of Simulation of
Clothing with Folds and Wrinkles the power of clothing is greatly described:

Clothing is a fundamental part of a character’s persona, a key storytelling tool used to

convey an intended impression to the audience. Draping, folding, wrinkling,
stretching, etc. all convey meaning, and thus each is carefully controlled when filming
live actors. (Bridson, Marino and Fedkiw, 2003)

Basing on the quote, while designing outfits for characters, one has to be mindful of the
possibilities and be aware that even a smallest change is able to destroy or improve the
garment.

There are many factors that affect an outfit, for example personality and background. Jean-
Luc Monnet explains that while working on Dishonored 2, before designing clothes, the main
focus was on the character and their traits: age, background, origins and functions as well as
position in the society and a faction (Monnet, 2016). Time period is also important and might
define differences in clothing between different social classes. Monnet mentions that the
creators of Dishonored 2, took care that rich individuals look noble no matter the weather
conditions. Workers in a hot day could be shirtless and have a tanned skin, which created a
contrast between classes. The makers of the game studied anatomy to be able to show the
game characters’ social status through the posture. They found it significant to have it
possible for the player to distinguish a worker from an aristocrat by their body even if they
both are wearing the same clothes. That was achieved by paying attention to the creation of
the silhouette. Body shape and thickness of the fabric conditions how an outfit behaves, so it
has to fit to a specific character with a certain figure to look good (Monnet, 2016).

10
Clothes and fashion are significant and are one of the most important parts of the design. It
is the strongest clue for the character’s personality, interests, and profession. In multiplayer
games outfits help players to express themselves and get certain benefits. Lisbeth Klastrup
and Susana Tosca basing on their study of World of Warcraft (Blizzard Entertainment, 2004)
state that players care about fashion and what their avatar is wearing. Except for need of
clothing that provides higher stats (enhancement of certain features of the character, such
as strength and health) it is important for them how their hero looks like (Klastrup, Tosca,
2009, p.4). In multiplayer games, a rare armor is a subject of pride and sign of an experience
in the game. Occasionally, World of Warcraft (Blizzard Entertainment, 2004) players change
clothes after entering a city, to an outfit with lesser stats but better looking (Klastrup, Tosca,
2009, p.7).

Hair is another significant part of character design. It is an element strongly connected to

one’s lifestyle, culture, individuality, emotions, and fashion preferences. As hair is strongly
connected to historical periods and certain societies it should be taken care of to present
them accordingly. Susan J. Vincent explains that hair has a special meaning in religions and
rituals, and it is strongly related to emotional states. Moreover, the author explains that most
people feel a strong connection to their hair and that it is combined with their perception of
self and losing it can lead to the crisis of identity. Through all centuries different hair colours
were associated with different personality types. Some of those stereotypes last up to this
day. One of them is perceiving people with red hair as evil or having negative character
traits, which frequently leads to bullying and discriminating individuals with this hair colour
(Vincent, 2018, p.8-15).

The last components of character design are body modifications such as scarification and
tattoos, other marks on the body like scars as well as jewellery and accessories. All of those
elements are described in a detailed way in section 2.2.

2.2 Meaning and function of body modifications, symbols and accessories

This section reviews usage of chosen body modifications (scars, tattoos, jewellery and
others), symbols, and accessories in character design and their connection to existing game
characters. It also includes information related to the meaning of those additions themselves
and while forming a significant shape. This section focuses as well on the description of how
differently people in certain cultures perceive the elements and how people who have or are
wearing them are perceived.

11
There are three main functions of body modifications and accessories: decorative,
storytelling and symbolic role.

2.2.1 Symbols and signs

The need for symbols comes from "the demand of having a visible explanation of that, what
is invisible” (Lurker, 2011, p.16, my translation). The symbols allow one to include various
meanings in a single image to remove the requirement of a long explanation. Symbols are
able to show hidden secrets and deliver powerful messages. (Lurker, 2011, p.16).

Symbols and signs have a significant role concerning body modifications and accessories,
since they frequently appear in the most of those elements. A tattoo can be an image which
is loaded with meaning, a scar can be formed in a specific way, and in case of jewellery, a
decorative piece itself usually forms some sort of a symbol. A decoration on a piece of
clothing or an armour can be a complex picture, but in case of character design, it is
essential that the representation of the desired matter is simple enough for the player to see
it from a distance. A simple sign or a symbol, which is loaded with meanings is the best
choice. Thus, the player does not have to struggle to decipher the message and the
developers can be sure, that most of their audience will not miss the important part of the
character design which is often vital for the story. Undoubtedly, a material on which a symbol
is shown, or formed of, the placement and the way of representation (whether it is a tattoo or
a scar, for example) is important and frequently has a significant influence on the information
that is conveyed by the design of the character.

A sign and symbol are different. According to Lurker, both differ from each other greatly and
it is important not to use them interchangeably. Signs are used to mark something, they
have one, specified meaning which is clear to everyone. Those are for example, road signs.
Symbols are needed to describe something. They do not carry simple information, but one
that cannot be defined with a word or straightforward explanation. They can also be
reminiscent of something essential. Signs can be designed and their meaning can be
planned. Symbols however are being created. Imagination and intuition have a significant
role in the process. Nonetheless, some symbols can be also signs, but not all signs can be
considered as symbols. Consequently, there can be typical signs and those with obtained
symbolic meaning (Lurker, 2011, p.25-29).

An example of signs that have additional symbolling meaning are two gangs appearing in
Assassin's Creed: Syndicate (Ubisoft Quebec, 2015). The group that is friendly to the player

12
and which can be controlled by the player is dressed up in green, which is a colour that is
commonly associated with something positive when placed next to red. The hostile gang in
the game has red clothes. Red colour is usually related to danger. It can be noticed in the
traffic lights, where green means go and red means stop. Except for being signals, the
colours carry symbolic meaning in culture. Kopaliński explains that red symbolizes among
others energy, bravery, and love, but also anger, crime, battle, revolution, and revenge
(Kopaliński, 2019 p.51). On the contrary, green is a symbol of things such as nature, life,
spring and youth, but also poison (Kopaliński, 2019 p.498,499). Therefore, the colours have
strong influence on the perception and game experience. A disadvantage is that players who
suffer from colour-blindness might experience more difficulties while playing the game.
Adding some signs or symbols on the outfits of the opposing gangs would be beneficial. The
two organizations do have signs, but they only help to tell the difference between their
territories. In the game paintings on the walls and flags with those images are placed
accordingly all over the city of London where the plot takes place.

Symbols can have more than one meaning. An example that Manfred Lurker uses to prove
that is the meaning of digit 7. In Christianity there are seven deadly sins, but also seven
sacraments (Lurker, 2011, p.32). Seven is just a number, but superstitious people consider it
often as a lucky one. Symbols can also gain new meanings with time, but they should never
lose their older interpretations (Lurker, 2011 p.36).

According to Lurker the lack of proper appreciation of symbols by some people results in
harming the proper meaning of those images (Lurker, 2011, p.25). In such cases, people
tend to forget the essential interpretations of symbols and might mostly associate those
images with the newly acquired different meanings and improper context. It happened with
svastika, which according to Kopaliński, in many cultures was considered as a positive
symbol of for example life, luck and the sun (Kopaliński, 2019 p.410), but in the early 20th
century, it started to be used by Nazis and became infamous. Respecting symbols is
important for many cultures as the same image frequently has a different and important, or
sacred meaning. Nowadays, young people tend to show less interest in their heritage.
Therefore, the old traditions stop being respected and symbols that derive from them are not
correctly recognized anymore. It is important for game designers to remember and take
caution while changing or adding a new in-game meaning for an existing real-life symbol
because of the reasons mentioned above and respecting the culture they derive from.

13
If one grows into some culture, they start to respect and learn the meaning of symbols
appearing in it (Lurker, 2011, p.38). Symbols of factions in World of Warcraft (Blizzard
Entertainment, 2004) are a simple example. They both have different images. Moreover,
each faction is associated with a specific colour, Horde has red and Alliance blue. The
territories are usually decorated mainly with the theme colours and flags with the symbols.
Those serve as a warning to the opposite faction, which is related to game design. Besides
that, they have an in-game meaning that is significant for the lore. Symbols of the two
factions as images do not have a meaning in real life and are relevant only in the in-game
world, but players associate with them quickly and treat the mark of their group as something
to be proud of, which relates to the competition in the game. The application of symbols in
games allows game developers to add depth to their works and create images that can carry
some information without a need for an explanation. It is also able to emphasize certain
meanings or importance of a situation in the game.

Summing up, symbols can be used in various ways and are frequently parts of body
modifications and accessories. They can represent many features as one visual element and
add depth to the character. While using symbols for games, developers should be mindful of
their meaning in different cultures.

2.2.2 Scars, scarification, and skin conditions

Scars are marks that are left on the body after an injury. They influence one's looks and their
perception of self-beauty. Every scar has a special origin and a story behind it. It is a special
sign of a past event and carries information about a character. “When we see a scarred face,
we instinctively find our eyes drawn to it, and our minds drawn to the story the scar may tell”
(Austin, 1999, p.82). Scars can point out that the individual is a warrior or survived some
tragedy such as fire or an accident. They are left after self-harm or stay as reminders of
violence and abuse from another person. More trivial things such as accidental finger cut in
the kitchen or experimenting with tools while crafting will leave certain marks. Some people
do an art called scarification, where they create scars in various shapes and forms on their
own body. All those factors can be successfully used in character design to tell one's
personality, past experiences or traumas. Moreover, they have a strong meaning in various
cultures and religions.

Elizabeth Austin states that "For many patients with self-inflicted wounds, the scars tell the
story of their illness and their attempts to heal themselves” (Austin, 1999, p.82). Scars and
skin carry a lot of information about an individual: “The body’s surface – its skin – is often

14
thought to reveal something about the invisible: personality, identity, interiority, psychology,
health” (Skelly, 2018, p.195). It can point out matters related to emotions, mental state and
spiritual subjects (Shenefelt P. D, Shenefelt D, A, 2014, p. 205). A significant number of
patients with scars have anxiety and avoid social situations. Marks on their body have a big
impact on their mental state and actions (Brown, Moss, McGrouther, Bayat, 2009). Skin
conditions have a significant influence on one's life and personality. Moreover, they reveal
past events from life. Scars and various skin modifications also play a role in perception of a
person by others.

In the Western world societies scars are perceived as unattractive marks and pure skin
surface is desired. In Elizabeth Austin’s article it is claimed that Americans do not consider
scars as a sexual element, but as a defect that needs to be covered or gotten rid of. One
hypothesis is that there was a conviction in the past that having a non-scarred body will
distinguish Christians and Jews from pagans, who practiced certain scarring rituals (Austin,
1999, p. 48,49). It was mentioned before that scars can cause anxiety and insecurities in
people having them, but there is another side of it. Remarkably, Elizabeth Austin writes that
Americans do consider scars intriguing (Austin, 1999, p.49). For example, “A scar on an
otherwise flawless face fills us with intense curiosity; we long to hear the sexy or sad story
behind it, and we feel slightly disappointed if the story is dull” (Austin, 1999, p.49). Those
claims should be able to get character designers' attention. Looking at Katherine Isbister's
guides related to game characters creation, one can learn that attractive game characters
are most desirable and evoke more positive feelings. The author adds that creating attractive
villains is beneficial as well for the same reason (Isbister, 2006, p.16). Connecting
knowledge about the influence of scars and other skin conditions on human psyche, an artist
can apply those aspects in character design. An attractive but intriguing fictional individual
can be created.

Maxwell Roth, a villain from Assassin's Creed: Syndicate (Ubisoft Quebec, 2015) is a gang
leader. He leads a luxurious life and being the head of an organization does not participate
in fights and events himself. He is a handsome, elegant, and charismatic character and has
a wide scar spread over his whole right cheek. This scar is much more mysterious for the
player, who never learns its origin, but can assume that Maxwell got it in the past, while
participating in many dangerous fights and life-threatening events, about which the player
can read in the character description in the game (it is not explained during the game). The
mark makes the design of his character not only much more interesting but also evokes the
player's interest in his past, especially that (despite the fact he is a villain), he is extremely
charismatic and likeable. Scars on bodies of characters who are warriors or swordsmen are

15
frequently encountered in games and important to make the heroes believable, but not as
intriguing as on other types of individuals, since it is very easy to assume the story of those
marks if the person who carries them is a warrior.

In Assassin's Creed II (Ubisoft Montreal, 2009), the main character, Ezio acquires his
characteristic lip scar during the game. A rock is thrown in his face and hurts him. From that
moment after visiting a doctor who takes care of the hero, there is a visible mark on his face.
It is an interesting enrichment of a character especially that the player participates in a
creation of such recognizable detail.

Ciri from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (CD Projekt Red, 2015) has a wide scar on her cheek.
She is an attractive character with a pretty face. Even though she is a skilled fencer so the
player can assume the scar's origins, combined with her nice-looking face the mark is
intriguing. Ciri's profession is not being a fighter, even though she is very skilled in fencing.
The origins of the mark are not clearly explained in the game, but players who have read the
series of Witcher books (Sapkowski, 2014) know that the story behind it is very much
complex and thrilling. Geralt, the main character of The Witcher series (CD Projekt Red,
2007–2015) who is generally considered as handsome, also has a visible scar on his face,
one that is crossing his eye. Since he is a witcher – a monster slayer – the scar as well as
many others all over his body, underline his profession and indicate that he went through
many hard and exhausting fights in his life. In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (CD Projekt Red,
2015), Geralt explains that he got the mark on his face from a monster called cockatrice. The
scars do not intrigue the player, since their origins are so clear, but if one would imagine
Geralt without those marks, he would seem much duller. Moreover, pure body of a character
whose profession is killing extremely dangerous creatures would not be believable at all.
Skin with no marks on it can be associated with noble knights and perfect, good characters,
while Geralt, even though has rather high moral standards, is by no means perfect and not
always noble, although he always tries to act in the best and most just way possible. Other
characters in the game have scars as well. That underlines the character of the world and
tough living conditions. Many NPCs have scars that indicate they have been involved in
many fights before or skin in a bad condition, that often points out their poverty. The Witcher
3: Wild Hunt (CD Projekt Red, 2015) has very good character design that uses little details in
one of the most successful ways. Other elements of it, are described in later sections.

In many cultures scars and scarification are something more than just a mark left after an
injury carrying some memory about it. In many African, Amazonian and Asian societies,

16
body scarification is an attractive aspect of a body. Presence of scarification for some
cultures means immunity and good health, which together combines into person’s
attractiveness. Other than that, this practise is frequently related to a coming of age rituals.
Some societies believe that children exposed to physical pain, will be stronger and more
able to withstand mental and physical stress in the future (Garve, et al, 2017, p. 709). In
some groups, scars are related to specific matters such as coming of age and sexuality.
Austin describes that in southeast Nuba women acquire special scars for example after
starting to menstruate or giving birth for the first time (Austin E, 1999, p.48). In East Africa,
hunters could acquire a scarification after a certain fortunate kill (Garve, et al, 2017, p. 710).
In specific Kenyan and Tanzanian Maasai societies, boys had brandings on their cheeks “as
a tribal identification marker and as a sign of the desire to become a brave man in the future”
(Garve, et al, 2017, p. 710). Elizabeth Austin describes that some young people living in the
Western world, do scarification to alienate themselves from the surroundings they live in and
want to reattach with people’s tribal history. It is also mentioned that many individuals
consider that body modifications give a feeling of control over own body (Austin, 1999, p.78).
Marks on skin are frequently related to a culture or are a statement, but a considerable
amount of them is acquired because of issues that are non-dependent on an individual such
as diseases, accidents, dangerous substances, or lack of hygiene.

In art design for games, it is vital to create most believable surroundings and with that,
characters who fit it. Game characters often get dirty skin after for example running and
climbing for a longer time. After getting into the water, they become clean again and wet
instead. Sometimes dirt is used to present certain conditions or the lifestyle of a person:
“dirty skin usually signifies poverty, but when combined with other signifiers – such as bottles
or drug paraphernalia – dirt on the skin can signify either alcoholism or drug addiction”
(Skelly, 2018, p. 196).

Some details of the design do not only improve the character’s looks and clarify their
personality or background, but often contribute to the creation of the hero’s portrait and are
vital for the story. A good example is Harry Potter – the main character of the book Harry
Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Rowling, 1999) which is the first volume of the series about
the title hero. The series were later made into movies and games. Harry has a detail on him -
a scar forming a symbol of a lighting. It is not only a symbol left by the main villain in the
series, but as well a link between him and Harry. This mark makes him recognizable to both
people inside the story and the fans of the series. In the book everybody knows who he is,
because of the scar, even strangers to Harry. It distinguishes him so well that when
somebody in real life draws a lighting on their own forehead, or has a scar in the same

17
place, people will right away connect it to Harry Potter. It is a small detail, it cannot be seen
from afar and it is not as conspicuous as a certain type of outfit, hair, mask etc. but it has a
huge influence on the plot, recognizability and can be later used in merchandise with
success. This is a good example of how powerful such small things can be. What can be
added is that the scar is in the shape of a lighting. It has a very strong meaning in many
cultures. Shaping a scar into a certain form can strengthen its meaning for the character or
provide additional information - like in this case. A lightning-shaped scar has a clear
message that it is not a regular mark and works on the recipient's imagination because in
every culture on earth this particular shape has a powerful meaning. Of course, there are
symbols, which in some cultures mean something positive while in others they have an
extremely negative meaning, so the designers should always be careful not to mislead future
players.

2.2.3 Tattoos

According to Żukowska-Gardzińska, the history of tattoos brings us back to as far as 5,300

years BC. In the past they had not only a decorative role, but also a magical meaning. Some
tattoos showed tribal position, identified to which army a person belonged to or pictured
experiences from life. Tattoos were common in Africa, Oceania, North America and parts of
Asia. In some environments, for example in Judaism, tattoos are forbidden, because they
are associated with believing in other, pagan gods and magic as well as considered as an
interference in the body, which is a gift from God and belongs to Him. In some cultures, this
type of art is related to protecting a person from spirits, therefore the judaistic prohibition is
also a kind of protection from binding oneself with the world of ghosts. (Żukowska-
Gardzińska, 2017, p.235). On the other hand, even though it was forbidden by the Church,
some Christians in the past did decorate their bodies with religious elements and numerous
Crusaders and individuals visiting Jerusalem tattooed themselves as a confirmation of being
in that place (Ankirskiy, 2014, p. 20,21).

Not only tattooing but also makeup and applying paint was related to spirituality. Red paint
was especially meaningful. Philip Shenefelt and Debrah Shenefelt state that “Examples of
the spiritual and social value of applying red paint on the skin have been present in many
cultures from ancient times to the present day” (Shenefelt, Shenefelt, 2014, p. 205). Then
they continue: “Pict warriors in Scotland painted themselves with red ochre as did Chumash
Indians in California and the Moche in Peru” (Shenefelt, Shenefelt, 2014, p. 205). The
authors also mention that painting bodies with different colours was meaningful for
aborigines in Australia and add that applying red colour on skin is still done by Maasai. In

18
both cases, it is strongly connected to spirituality (Shenefelt, Shenefelt, 2014, p. 205). The
special meaning of red paint was noticed by game developers and used in God of War
series (SIE Santa Monica Studio, 2005-2018). The main character Kratos is unique because
of his white skin and red tattoos. Those are his recognizable features that are connected to
the tragic events. When he was young, his brother was taken away by gods Ares and
Athena. Kratos trying to save him, was hit in the face by the god of war. The injury left a scar
running over his eye. In memory of his kidnapped brother, Kratos got red tattoos in the same
places as his sibling's birthmark. His skin became white later, after he got a great power
from Ares and in his rage killed his family. As a punishment his whole body became white by
being covered with their ashes to be a constant reminder of what Kratos has done.

In Europe tattoos were not socially accepted for centuries. They became fashionable in 20th
century. Before, sailors and criminals were the only ones whose bodies were decorated with
this kind of art. (Sadowski, Borowska-Solonynko, 2017, p.282, 283). Tattoos were and still
are an important part of the “prison kites” subculture.

There are various reasons for prisoners tattooing themselves. Snopek states that tattoos are
mostly done for communication, they state the position of one among others, or exclude
them. Other, more artistic pictures are done to show prisoner’s personality, emotions, and
the story of their crimes. Some tattoo themselves also to impress other convicts or women.
Some take tattoos out of fear of being excluded from prison society. One of the popular
reasons for tattooing is as simple as it being a form of spending time (Snopek, 2015, p.75).
Prison tattoos always have a specific meaning. In addition, their placement is also important.
The same pattern can mean two separate things if placed in a different spot (Snopek, 2015,
p.72). Game developers often use knowledge about prison tattoos in character design.

One of the characters with many examples of typical prison tattoos is Whoreson Junior from
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (CD Projekt Red, 2015). He is one of the four bosses of the
criminal world of the city of Novigrad in the game. The game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a
Polish game and tattoo designs presented on the characters resemble Polish criminal
culture tattoos. Therefore, I described their meaning accordingly.

Whoreson Junior’s whole upper body is covered with various tattoos. One of the more
curious ones are two tears under his left eye. Mariusz Snopek explains their meaning:

tears - tattooed around the eyes (from the outside or the inside) or also on other parts
of body (in that case together with the image of an eye), are classified to a category

19
 of tattoos defining prison martyrdom; tears symbolize a cry after lost freedom or
suggest that a man never cries (it can be noticed, that both meanings are
contradictory). As mentioned before, if motifs have a multifold meaning, convicts
interpret them in their own way. A tear is also interpreted as a longing for mother, a
cry after a dead father, etc. (Snopek, 2015, p. 83,85, my translation)

Another tattoo is a naked woman on the left side of the character's back. It is a typical erotic
image in the prison culture. “They comprise a form of entertainment as well as a discharge of
sexual tension” (Sadowski, Borowska-Solonynko, 2017, p.282, 283). Mariusz Snopek claims
that men in penitentiaries often tattoo images that can show their masculinity and other
features such as strength. “Ex: monsters, devils, athletes, Grim Reapers, aggressive animals
etc” (Snopek, 2015, p.79, my translation). On Whoreson Junior’s body such pictures can be
noticed. First what is very conspicuous is a large Leviathan Cross or Satan's Cross on his
chest. There is a crowned skull on the right side of his back and a large, spreading over
almost the entire back, portrait of some kind of a devil.

The tattoos are clearly intended to show Whoreson Junior’s criminal background. In the
game typical citizens rarely have any tattoos, so it emphasizes the fact that those pictures
are related to prison or gang culture. Not many people know the actual meaning of “prison
kites” subculture’s signs but basing on the look of those images (monochromatic, simple in
form with only an outline or simple filling), most of players can tell that those are tattoos from
penitentiary. If Whoreson Junior was designed without the tattoos, he would be lacking in
any clues about his background and past. Especially, that when the player encounters this
character for the first time, Junior is almost completely naked, so prints on garments or
jewellery cannot provide any feedback in this case. Showing a character without clothes
might be a design choice, to reveal the tattoos and through them present the personality or
other traits. Whoreson Junior is a very good example of enriching a character with tattoos.

Tattoos were perceived and presented differently through centuries, so they can be
successfully used in games in which plot takes place in the past. Edward Kenway from
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (Ubisoft Montreal, 2013), has typical sailor tattoos with
marine motifs. As it was mentioned before, sailors were acquiring different tattoos during
their travels. Big number of tattoos on his chest and arms can point out that not only he was
travelling significant amount of times, but that he was visiting all the places on a ship. Of
course, the game is pirate themed, so it is obvious for the player that the main character is
bonded to the marine culture, but his tattoos accentuate it and make the design much more
interesting and believable.

20
In the past, except for sailors and criminals, tattoos were also acquired by Victorian women.
The tattoos were used as a statement or mark of resistance among people from the working
class as well as something that allowed females to represent themself in a different fashion.
Tattooing was also granting exploration of themselves and showing independence (Kang,
Jones, 2007, p.44). In the modern times, popularity of tattoo art is rapidly growing among
young people and has various reasons. C. Csesznek and D.Stemate found that to many a
tattoo is a form of self-expression, an original, unique element or even a statement of
independence. A tattoo can also serve as a token of remembrance or a sign of affection to
someone or something. Later the authors describe that some individuals tattoo their bodies
to be differently perceived by others. They can be perceived as more physically attractive,
mature, or strong. In some cases, they might be taken more seriously. In addition, some
social groups grant easier access to those who have a tattoo (Csesznek, Stemate, 2019, p.
67). Because of those factors, people with tattoos are habitually considered more confident
or bold. Hence, game developers decorate characters with tattoos to grant that player will
perceive them like so. Consequently, adding those elements to shy and delicate individuals
is usually avoided, unless there is a specific reason connected to the narrative.

Although attitude to tattoos among younger generations is mostly positive or neutral, they
still are stereotyped in the Western world, because of the connection to the criminal
environment (Ankirskiy, 2014, p.30, 31). Historically tattoos were also often used as means
of a protest or a manifest. They are still a taboo in some circles such as a workplace
(Pentina, Spears, 2011, p. 75). Tattoos are especially negatively perceived in Japan where
they are associated with criminal organizations known as yakuza. This type of body art and
its connection to yakuza is also recognized by people from outside of Japan (Ankirskiy,
2014, p.17). It is used by game developers to signify that a certain character is a member of
such organization. Characters such as Shogo Takamoto from Tomb Raider: Legend (Crystal
Dynamics, 2006) or Kazuma Kiryu, the protagonist of Yakuza series (Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio,
2015-2020) wear tattoos that indicate their connections to yakuza. This type of art also
carries symbolism that is significant to the organization (Ankirskiy, 2014, p.18). Because of
those aspects Japanese avoid having tattoos and frequently react negatively toward tattooed
individuals, unless they are foreigners as people from outside of Japan will not seem to be
associated with Japanese criminal organizations (Ankirskiy, 2014, p.28). Nowadays the bias
is slowly fading out and younger generations have neutral or positive attitude towards that
body art and sometimes get small tattoos themselves which commonly are cute patterns or
western style ones (Ankirskiy, 2014, p.18).

21
Summing up, tattoos have different meanings and are perceived in many ways depending
on the culture that they come from. A tattoo can be done because of cultural or religious
reasons, it can point out a social status or be done because of personal history or as a
reminder of a specific event. It can show owner's character and statements, decorate the
body, cover scars, be a kind of protest or sign of independence. Every tattoo can be a
symbol and point out something different. A person with a tattoo, despite the popularity of
this art in the modern world, attracts attention from many people. It can be positive or
negative interest. Tattoos are still stigmatized in many societies and environments. In others,
where such art is popular a tattooed image can indicate a social status.

Considering all previously mentioned factors why people get tattoos and what they can
symbolize or mean, this type of body art can be successfully used in creating characters for
video games. A tattoo can show the environment from which the individual comes from, their
religion and beliefs, their statements, personality and can be related to a personal story,
event, or likings. This form of art allows to add a distinctive element to a character which will
enrich their design and significantly change it giving new clues to who the person is.
Symbols and pictures presented on character's skin, that have a meaning which is not
commonly known or are fictional symbols, can be simply explained during the game.
Countless number of individuals in games have a tattoo used as an indicator of who the
person is, such as Whoreson Junior from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (CD Projekt Red, 2015).
His tattoos are in a simple style typical for criminal environment, so for most of the society it
is clear what his background is. Tattoo art can be represented in many ways, so it can be
style, colour or shape of it, which will present information. For example, a character can have
a tattoo of an ice cream cone, which in a casual style contains as simple message as that
the person likes sweet food. If the ice cream cone is tattooed with a non-professional
equipment and a pen ink, it can point that it was made at school and the individual is a
young rebel.

A tattoo can enrich character's design and add a lot of information. An individual with an
image that shows something significant gains a certain type of individuality and originality to
its design. From the other point of view, existing characters in games who would be deprived
of those pictures, would lose their character, connection to the story in design and brilliance.
One tattoo is frequently enough to add many features and significant information to a hero.

22
2.2.4 Jewellery and accessories

Jewellery and accessories are the most common decorations. They do not require
interference in the body (except for piercing), can be changed or taken off. In other words,
they are little elements, objects that can be attached to the body or outfit, to decorate it or
serve a purpose (for example, glasses can improve vision).

Jewellery, depending on the type, frequently carries information that is meant to be read by
others. It can show social status, religion and beliefs, relationship status, culture, interests
and likings, subculture, or merits. It can simply be a decoration and addition for an outfit.
Jewellery can be changed or put on for special events. It might be one of the most valuable
objects one possesses or is wearing at a given moment. Jewellery is considered a generous
gift and it can have a sentimental value of being a reminder of a certain event, a memory of
someone, or be an expression and a symbol of love. Considering jewellery not only the form
and number of materials matters, but also their quality and type. Using artificial and cheap
parts can make a piece considered kitsch. Sometimes it is done on purpose to achieve a
specific style while matching with a certain outfit. If a jewellery is made of cheap materials
and common metals by a skilful craftsman it might be difficult to differentiate from a more
expensive version, therefore it is able to still provide a noble look and have a lower price.
Still, a piece made of valuable ore is usually more cherished than its cheaper equivalent.
Minerals and gems have a symbolic and cultural value as well as metals. For example, in
western cultures an engagement ring is preferably decorated with diamonds rather than
colourful gems.

An amulet might be a piece of jewellery. It protects the person wearing it from diseases,
poisons, and bad luck. Gonzalez-Wippler says

An amulet can be anything, a small seashell, a coloured stone, a root, a diamond

ring, or an old horseshoe. Its most important quality is its alleged power to safeguard
its owner from harm and to bring him or her happiness and good luck. (Gonzalez-
Wippler, 1991, p.1)

Although they might be associated with non-Christian cultures, in the old European
paintings, children can be spotted wearing red coral. Nowacki and Piwocka mention that
because of a resemblance to a tree, it was compared to a “tree of life”. It was used to protect
children from diseases and early death. Illustrations of holy Mary with a baby Jesus
frequently include the amulet presented on his neck (Nowacki, Piwocka, 2011, p.9).

23
Amulets and jewellery in general are of popular use in games. They usually serve as an
accessory that grants better stats for the player and frequently in many digital experiences
such as World of Warcraft (Blizzard Entertainment, 2004) do not change the visuals of the
character. In case of that game, the fact that the equipped jewellery is not visible is
explained by the low level of detail of the actors. In The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Bethesda
Game Studios, 2011) equipped jewellery is visible on the character and amulets that the
player is not able to craft themselves have names that relate to the religion of the world and
therefore point that it is important. For example, the Amulet of Mara, who is a goddess of
love. Except for granting the one who is wearing it additional benefits, it is a sign for NPCs
that the character is looking for a partner for marriage. If the player and NPC get married in
the game, they get a ring called The Bond of Matrimony which also grants specific benefits
and is a symbol of their relationship. In Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (CD Projekt Red, 2015) the
witchers are wearing amulets that are signs of a craft. It is an important part of the character
design since it is something unique and only worn by the witchers.

Accessories are a common way of variegating clothes. In addition to decorative jewellery

adding belts, buckles and breastpins create desired look. According to Nowacki and Piwocka
in Europe, about 16th century stiff corsets for females became fashionable as they could hold
large amounts of heavy jewellery pieces made of different types of metal and gems.
Monarchs owned different types of outfits – some more decorative and other ones humble
looking which included less gems and valuables in decoration. Clothes were chosen
according to an occasion and how the person should be presented to their people to evoke
certain feelings (Nowacki, Piwocka, 2011, p.95). What a character designer can learn from
this information is that outfits are a way of communication. An individual can manipulate
others by dressing up in certain ways, intimidate them with rich accessories and fabrics or
seem to be likeable or relatable by wearing clothes that are similar to the group they are
going to meet or join.

Character design is conveying information and individuality of the actor, but it has to
matching certain situations to be believable. For example, heroine Lara Croft in Tomb
Raider: Legend (Crystal Dynamics, 2006) while attending a party in Japan, looked like she
left her action-personality behind and was wearing an elegant evening dress. Only when
danger appeared, she ripped her clothes, took out hidden guns and revealed typical for
herself useful in such situation accessories. It might seem obvious, but it is significant to
remember that if a character is supposed to blend in, their typical visual traits should be
changed. A hero who is recognizable for wearing a colourful, heavy face-paint should not

24
appear at a royal dinner with anything else that a natural looking light make-up if the goal of
the mission is not to attract attention. A good way of emphasizing personality if the visual
side is temporary changed is using a dialog. Evie Frye from Assassin's Creed: Syndicate
(Ubisoft Quebec, 2015), who is usually wearing clothes that are suitable for parkour and
stealth kills, was constantly complaining about how her moves are limited in a dress during a
royal ball, and how uncomfortable she is.

While discussing decorative jewellery and accessories a related topic is the look of the base
costume. Valuable decorations should be presented on rather smooth, pattern less fabrics. If
the designer wants to add ornaments on the outfits, they should be mindful of the places
where the accessories are supposed to be and their colours, so every element is well visible.
(An exception is if developers want to have some part blended in the clothes for a specific
reason, like placing an “easter egg” or some kind of lore information that would be available
only for very curios players etc.) Accessories, depending on the type, are able to
communicate class and wealth.

Accessories frequently have functions such as keeping clothes together or making one’s life
easier. Belts and suspenders hold trousers and buckles, safety pins and brooches are
supposed to keep separate parts of clothing in place. Ben Hubbard describes that brooches
were the most popular pieces of jewellery in Viking society and worn by all women. They
were decorated and made of various metals: golden or silver for rich people and made of
common ones for the poorer. They were used to hold pieces of different clothes in place.
Vikings also wore necklaces – little pieces made of glass or religious symbols like Mjöllnir -
Thor’s hammer. Rings and bracelets were also popular. One of the benefits of wearing
jewellery was that it could serve as a payment. A person wearing many rings was
considered wealthy, so accessories were a sign of status (Hubbard, 2015, p.61-63).

Different functions of accessories are for example, correction of vision. Glasses are
responsible for that and due to the stereotypes assigned to them they can be used in certain
ways. Sunglasses in addition to protection from too bright light can cover one’s face and
make them seem like they do not want to be easily spotted or remembered.

An unusual accessory is one carried by one of The Crones of Velen from Witcher 3: Wild
Hunt (CD Projekt Red, 2015). It is a necklace-resembling element made of many hanging
human ears which relates to her magic as it grants her power of hearing everything on the
swamps of Velen. The ears can be also noticed hanging from trees and during the gameplay
the player learns that those ears come as a payment for The Crones. Accessories are able

25
to point out a profession. For example, a character who is a traveller will carry a backpack
and have attached useful items to their belt. Although those are usually considered as
objects or luggage, in character design they can be used as accessories to emphasize
character, purpose and profession of the one who carries or wears them.

Jewellery has a sentimental function. Matching or similar to each other pieces of jewellery
worn by two people typically symbolize their bond. For example, two pieces of necklace
forming one full object, usually a heart, underline friendship or love between two individuals.
Partners in marriage wear wedding rings and if one of them takes it off for a while it is
considered as a sign of neglect or weakened love. As a piece of jewellery is frequently a gift,
it might remind of the one who gifted it. A distinctive piece of jewellery which is worn by
someone every day, might become associated with that person or even become their
symbol or a mark of recognition. In Bloodborne: The Old Hunters (From Software, 2015)
which is an expansion for Bloodborne (From Software, 2015) appears a boss called Lady
Maria. She is wearing a big brooch as an accessory. The interesting fact about it, is that The
Doll, which is an NPC appearing in “The Hunter’s Dream”, a location that is a safe place for
the player, wears the exact same jewellery piece. There is a speculation that the maker of
the doll, Gehrman made her based on Lady Maria. Another intriguing fact is that both The
Doll and Lady Maria have the same voice actress.

In Bloodborne (From Software, 2015) the player can experience a few quests which are
related to sentimental accessories. For example, they are asked by a little girl in a window to
find and bring home her mother. They are supposed to recognize her by a big red brooch. It
appears she is dead, and player collects the accessory. They are able to give it to her
daughter or keep the information. After a while the girl is not in her original place anymore,
but it is possible to find her ribbon covered in blood in a sewer. Later her older sister appears
in the window. She can be given the ribbon. If the player pays attention, they can hear her
crying over her sibling but also being happy with the ribbon and describing it as a white one.
Unfortunately, after a while she also leaves home, and player finds her corpse and is able to
collect the white ribbon. This questline is an incredible example of using accessories as
symbols of the characters. Although it seems like there is only one ribbon, it appears in two
versions: one covered in blood as younger sibling’s attribute and the clean, white one as
older sister’s accessory. Meeting every family member (the father of the family is a boss)
makes this questline incredibly thrilling, and the possibility of keeping some (or all) of the
accessories - sorrowful. This storyline, as many other quests in the game show that the time
is passing and needs to pass for specific actions to be enabled (the player cannot meet
every family member and collect all elements at once). It creates a feeling of a living-

26
breathing world where player’s actions can influence certain events. In addition, some
quests are impossible to go back to or be done later in the game as the night of the hunt
progresses. Bloodborne (From Software, 2015) has a very subtle way of storytelling, the
story will not be easily noticed by not interested or non-curious players, but treatments such
as passing time described above, magnificent character and creature design as well as all
collectibles makes the experience extremely immersive.

Sometimes jewellery is able to leave markings on the body. For example, piercing leaves
scars indicating that it once was there. A long-worn wedding ring that has just been taken
off, can leave a mark on the finger for a short amount of time, but long enough for others to
see it is lacking. In the end of the movie The Lord of the Ring: The Return of the King
(Jackson, 2003), the One Ring is getting heavier and the rubbing of the chain that holds the
ring causes painful, deep wounds on Frodo’s neck. It is a great metaphor and illustration of
the weight of the object and the protagonist’s struggle.

Another use of jewellery is that it can be a significant element for the plot. For example, in
the movie Titanic (Cameron, 1997), a necklace – the Heart of the Ocean – is an object that is
responsible for the turn of events and the reason why Rose, the main character tells the
story of the cruise on the first place.

Dante - the main character from the game Dante's Inferno (Behavior Interactive, Visceral
Games, 2010) – is an example of a Crusader with a body modification related to religion and
crusades. On his chest he has sown a cross made of a piece of cloth with pictures each
representing sins he has committed. Through the game the player deals with every one of
those bad deeds. The cross is a certain artistic and symbolic representation that can be
correlated with tattoo art. It is a significant element of the character design, which not only
makes Dante distinctive and original, but also is strongly connected to the story of the game
as well as the gameplay.

Accessories are able to serve as attributes. Including those in character design might be a
simple solution to convey information such as profession. They are usually used as objects
or parts of the outfit. Dionysus and Nyx from Hades (Supergiant Games, 2018) are one of
the examples with such use of attributes.

Dionysus is a Greek god of wine, so in the game his character is decorated with many
bunches of grapes and is holding a glass of alcohol, from which comes out a thick violet

27
steam or smoke. This might emphasize that he is also a god of madness and add dynamism
to the visuals.

Nyx is a Greek personification of night; therefore, her appearance relates to it. Her shoulders
are decorated with moons and there are stars around her head. Nyx’s visuals are in dark
colours which resembles the night.

Frequently weapons serve as an attribute, or a trademark and might be considered as

accessories. For example, in the Tomb Raider series (Core Design, 1996-2018), Lara Croft’s
recognition sign are two guns, each a Beretta 9mm.

To sum up, jewellery can be used in character design in a variety of ways, from showing
wealth to religion. Accessories grant infinite possibilities with their ability to be attached or
carried by a character as their attribute, decoration or item that benefits them and has a
certain function. Jewellery and accessories change the way individuals wearing them are
perceived in most cases without interfering with their bodies or being permanent.

2.3 Summary

Enriching the design with a significant element can bind the story of the game to the
character.

Combining a few elements helps to achieve a desired result. Different body modifications
and accessories are able to convey various information. An example of a combination of
those is Graham Carpenter from The Sinking City (Frogwares, 2019), who wears a realistic
looking mask imitating half of his face. Manfred Lurker mentions that covering appearance
with a mask results from not wanting to show own face and it is frequently related to
misfortune of the owner (Lurker, 2011, p.335). With progression of the game, it occurs that
Graham is a war veteran and covers his enormous scars. Before this fact is revealed, the
mask itself forms a mystery around the character which makes the player being more
curious about him. Moreover, the mask looks uncanny as it tries to imitate a real face and
therefore, it triggers a thought that maybe the owner wished to reconstruct his own body
part.

Body modifications and accessories are able to be or carry symbols, which are powerful
images and can signalize certain things to the player and have a strong meaning in the lore.
While applying them developers should be aware of their meaning in different cultures.

28
3 Description of the project and creation process

For this thesis, a self-learning project was made to research how body modifications and
accessories affect character design. Its aim is to study and show different possibilities of
decorating characters and therefore changing their characteristics and to research how
powerful implementation of those elements can be.

The project consists of five characters. Each of them has a base design, the first and the
second version of added elements. Details were gathered to fit the character and its mood
but represent different features. Each version is thoroughly described with focus on the
meaning and intention of including body modifications, accessories, and other features. The
explanation of every element is explained based on knowledge from literature and existing
characters from games, movies and animations.

Base design of a character presents fully created face, body shape and outfit. It conveys the
fundamental information of who the person is by showing their gender, age, clothes, and
silhouette. The “base character” was designed to look rather neutral and not convey too
much information, so the story can be read from the small additions.

First version is the base design but with addition of certain body modifications and
accessories. It allows to study how those elements change the base design and add
information such as profession, hobby, beliefs, and story of the hero.

Second version is like the first version, except that all or some of the elements added to the
base design are switched to something else. In some cases, second version consists of the
first version with addition of one body modification/accessory. Second version serves a
purpose to research how other additions can change the base design. It adds same type of
information to base design as the first version.

Each character version has a short, predesigned backstory and is made to research how
chosen elements are able to emphasize their traits.

All of the characters were designed basing on the knowledge covered in section 2 and own
observation and experience. Since each character is connected to an idea of a short story,
all the elements of the design are created to support it. The details that are chosen to
emphasize certain traits were chosen basing on knowledge from literature and existing
games, movies, animations, and art. The description of each character contains explanation

29
why a specific body modification or accessory was introduced and reference to similar
designs to prove and explain how a type of an element can influence character design. In
the text part, besides description of own characters, designs from existing games and
movies are described and compared as an element relevant for research. Possible iterations
of body modifications or accessories for own characters are mentioned to compare with the
existing ones and explain the choice.

For each character, an illustration board was created to provide the viewer with an easy
visual comparison.

30
4 Project description

This section contains illustrations and descriptions of the characters created as a self-study
project. It also includes explanation how certain elements might influence character design
basing on own experience, description of applied features from literature and comparison
with examples from games and movies.

4.1 Eliza

Knights and armoured characters enjoy popularity in games. They are frequently
encountered in fantasy, sci-fi and historically themed games. Since armour is a type of outfit
that usually provides protection and
additional stats, in many RPG games
(Role-Playing Games) it is frequently
changed during the gameplay. It
results in the player being interested
in the looks of it and in the benefits
the outfit provides. Changeable
outfits are able to tell a story. In
Bloodborne (From Software, 2015),
after obtaining a piece of clothing it is
possible to read about its origin and
meaning in the inventory. The
difference is that Eliza’s armour in the
first and the second version is
designed to convey information
specific to her and not anyone else.
Therefore, this kind of character
would be a preferable choice in a

narrative driven game. Figure 1 Eliza's base design (Figure by Węgiel).

Armours come in different shapes, colours, and styles. In games with stylized graphics such
as World of Warcraft (Blizzard Entertainment, 2004) they are especially imaginative. If one of
the outfits existed in real world it could look impractical, too big, and extremely heavy.
Thanks to the art style, however, developers can come up with many creative and original
ideas and have them look incredible in the game environment.

31
Eliza, the first character of the project, is a knight (see Appendix A). Her design is leaning
towards realism; therefore, her armour fits her size and is based on historical gothic
armours. The base design of Eliza (Figure 1) does not uncover much more than the fact that
she is a knight and has a rather serious personality – inferring from her face expression.
Eliza has a red cloak and according to Kopaliński, this colour symbolizes among other things
courage, energy, and vigour. (Kopaliński, 2019 p.51) Bland armour without any decorations
carries information about time period and historical accuracy of the game. Eliza’s armour is
inspired by real armours so for history enthusiasts it will provide information that the world
she exists in is based on European Middle-Ages.

The base picture of Eliza - the knight is pleasant and understandable for players. They can
read from it the character’s profession and the time period she comes from. With only a still
picture like this, which does not show her personality by means of animation, face
expressions and voice acting, not much more than previously mentioned, can be guessed.

Figure 2 Eliza's first version (Figure by Węgiel).

32
The first version (Figure 2) aims to present a wealthy and much more noble-looking variation
of Eliza, who is a knight-errant and a strong independent female, who was disregarded and
laughed at by males accompanying her when she was growing up. She is wealthy thanks to
her hard work and has been sent on a secret quest of a great importance. The jewellery she
is wearing is expensive-looking and her armour is decorated with engravings of keys. The
cape is enriched with golden embroidery on the edges and an image of a flower.

The image on her cape is a violet flower and engravings on the chest piece and pauldrons
present keys. Her earrings are jadeite and one of them has fallen and is hanging of the piece
of armour that protects the neck. Her necklace is a big, valuable piece of ruby with a golden
frame. All pieces together give the character a more elegant, delicate, and feminine look,
and create the feeling that the knight’s backstory and looks relate to the plot of the game.

The violet flower is placed on character’s back, which in a third-person game is the place
which the player constantly sees. It is also the biggest element. Therefore, it is the most
memorable one and has the biggest influence on the player’s perception of the character. As
the image is placed on the cape, it is associated with a mark of the kingdom she belongs to,
or her own lineage. It shows that the character is not a random knight or warrior, but that she
comes from a certain group or wants to be recognized by the specific picture. Flowers and
their colours have specific meaning in culture. Kopaliński states that a flower symbolizes
among others, a female and female beauty as well as a mystical centre, virtue, virginity,
grace, logic and harmony (Kopaliński, 2019, p.181). Hence the image of the flower provides
the hero with a more feminine character. The flower is a violet, which is a species that by
itself is a symbol. Kopaliński writes that a violet symbolizes features such as virtue, what
relates to symbolism of a flower, innocence, humility, and modesty. It signifies truth and
mystery but also rather negative or sad traits like evanescence, brevity, and grief
(Kopaliński, 2019, p.90). Although symbolism of a flower and a violet is not widely known,
the narrative part of the game can relate to those and explain the meaning to the player, so
they can associate the knowledge with the image on the cape. As Eliza is a female knight-
errand and a feminist who desires equality of men and women, symbols that referring to
females, beauty, and virtue but also sadness and suffering fit her perfectly. The gold
embroidery on the edges of the cloak adds a noble and rich note to it.

The armour is decorated with key engravings. In Kopaliński’s book it is explained that a key
symbolizes authority, care, mystery, and knowledge (Kopaliński, 2019, p.141). The images
of keys make the plain armour more interesting, refer to her secret quest and emphasize the
fact that she holds a mystery.

33
Eliza’s wealth is suggested by her jewellery – a big red and gold necklace and jade earrings.
One of the earrings has slipped from her ear and is hanging only on her neck armour, which
aims to show that she is exceptionally active and therefore she is likely to lose an accessory
during a fight or another kind of fast movement. Eliza earned her money and status with hard
work despite the odds and lack of support. Her struggle is visible on her hands and face as
scars, which are marks left after many exhausting fights.

Eliza’s first version of details is strongly connected with her story and although their meaning
would be mostly unfolded during the gameplay, her design is created to make it look like she
is a noble and wealthy person who does not avoid fighting.

Figure 3 Eliza's second version (Figure by Węgiel).

The second version (Figure 3) of Eliza is a warrior. She used to be a knight who served the
kingdom but after many battles and cruelty she experienced, she decided to stay out of her
duty and joined a small but strong and barbaric organization fighting against the king and his
politics. The members of the new group she serves now are recognized by their appearance.

34
Eliza’s brutality and defiance are indicated by messy paint on her armour, a necklace made
of a small skull, tattoos on her face and hand, and the coat of arms on her cape.

The image on the cape is an unofficial coat of arms of the group. It is their trademark as they
are not accepted by the king and royals. Therefore, it is painted directly on the coat with a
thick paintbrush. The image is simple to be easily readable and recognizable by the player
and the enemies of the group in the game world. The image presents a dragon, which
symbolizes different things in many cultures. According to Kopaliński, it is among others
associated with chaos, truth, authority, evil, power, enemy and murder. In the Far East
dragons have a positive meaning (Kopaliński, 2019, p.394,395). Eliza’s character and her
world are based on European Middle Ages, so the dragon symbol carries rather dangerous
and negative meaning. The sharp forms, such as the horns and spikes as well as the sharp
angles that create the image aim to create a feeling of danger and unfriendliness.

The paint on the armour is a detail that aims at making the outfit more interesting and
emphasizing the barbaric character of the design. The paint is applied in a messy and not
thought through way which gives the impression that the warriors do not care about the
looks but want to create a certain mood with the decoration and use it as a symbol of the
empowerment for themselves. The red colour resembles blood which gives an idea to others
that the people of the group do not hesitate to kill. Armour paint was used in a similar way in
the screen adaptation of The Lord of The Rings trilogy (Jackson, 2001-2003), where Uruk-
hai had their faces and armours decorated with an image of a hand made by pressing hands
with white paint. It served as their symbol and because the picture is as simple as a white
hand it conveyed their barbaric and ruthless character.

The necklace made of skulls refers to death and therefore underlines how often the warrior
deals with it. The top of the biggest skull is covered with a golden layer, which informs the
player that the group cares about riches or that Eliza is someone important. This jewellery
made of bone is frequently used as a decoration for characters who are accustomed to
killing. For example, giants in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Bethesda Game Studios, 2011),
who are hostile to the hero and other inhabitants of the world have their clothes decorated
with bones, which might point to their aggressive nature. Wearing those elements might
indicate pride and intend to show off victory over enemies and serve as a warning to others.

The scars on the face and hands were replaced with tattoos. They are inspired by Viking
patterns and resemble flames, which create a unique design. Flames are associated with

35
power and danger and stereotypically Vikings are considered to be ruthless barbarians, so
the combination suits the character. To this day facial tattoos are controversial therefore,
they present Eliza as a confident and bold person.

Frequently, typical barbaric warriors such as Conan from the film Conan the Barbarian
(Milius, 1982) are presented in leather and fur outfits. All the added details and their
combination with the armour aim to show that Eliza is a former knight, who turned to a
barbarian later. Moreover, her facial expression makes her look savage and fierce rather
than serious and calm like in the base design and the first version of details on account of
the changes. In this case the element that carries information and tells the story are not only
the body modifications and accessories, but their combination with the base design.

Summarizing, the two versions of Eliza present her as complete opposites and both
variations of body modifications and accessories have a bigger impact on the design
specifically combined with the armour. In this character’s case, all the options can be both
involved in the same game, where the hero changes from a plain, meaningless knight to a
noble, hopeful fighter who strongly believes in equality and later to a ruthless outlaw.

4.2 Joseph

One of the designed characters is Joseph (see Appendix B). He is an example of a casually
looking hero for a game where the plot takes place in present times. Joseph was designed to
research possibilities of making interesting ordinary-looking protagonists while conveying
personality traits and a story with visuals. There is a tendency among many game studios to
create similar looking main male characters. The main and title heroes of Alan Wake
(Remedy Entertainment, 2010) Max Payne Series (Remedy Entertainment, 2001-2012) Sam
Fisher, the protagonist of Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Series (Ubisoft 2002-2013), the main
character of The Last of Us (Naughty Dog, 2013) and many others are slim, good-looking
Caucasian males with a stubble and short, dark hair. They are all fairly casually dressed and
lack distinctive features. The reasons why it is important to avoid creating a bland hero and
instead filling a game with recognizable and imaginative ones are covered in section 2.1.

36
There are various ways to form a design that coneys personality, goals and a story of a
character as well as to make them distinctive. The change of hair colour could benefit the
hero. Creating hair of a different length, styled, or braided can make the individual full of
character and more distinctive than others without changing other features. Facial hair can
be styled in various ways and every form can be associated with a different epoque, interest
and personality. For example, in The Sinking City (Frogwares, 2019), Johannes van der
Berg, who is a Dutch intellectual has a moustache combined with a sharp beard and shaved
cheeks. It recalls Dutch painters from
17th century, who frequently styled
their facial hair in that specific way
and portrayed other men who were
groomed in this way. Following this
trait, Johannes’ specific looks point to
his eccentricity and nationality. In
addition, he is wearing round glasses,
typical of the 1920s, which is the time
where the plot of the game takes
place. Glasses are stereotypically
associated with intellectuals (group to
which Johannes belongs), writers and
students. There are not many game
protagonists wearing glasses, even
though a variety of shapes is able to
grant a designer an interesting way to
underline specific traits of personality
and the epoque the character lives in
or is interested in.
Figure 4 Joseph's base design (Figure by Węgiel).

Joseph’s base design (Figure 4) is very simple. The outfit is very casual and consists only of
a sweatshirt, trousers, and shoes in rather neutral colours. This type of a design does not
convey any specific information about the character.

Joseph’s first version (Figure 5) presents him as a chemist. He has a scar after an accident
at work, glasses – an accessory stereotypically associated with scholars, a little notebook in
a pocket for quick ideas and a stylized picture of Maria Skłodowska-Curie on the sweatshirt.
Every small element of his looks is designed to underline his profession and character.
Joseph is an eccentric person and is very passionate about his profession. When he was 12,

37
he was already interested in chemistry and recklessly started to experiment with dangerous
substances. It led to third degree burns on the skin of his left hand. It is a subtle detail but
combined with the character’s passion for science and the fact he is not covering his scars
can be a sign for the player that the injury is not connected with a traumatic event but rather
an accident during chemical experiments. The sweatshirt with an image of a famous chemist
– Maria Skłodowska-Curie is a clear information that the character admires her and science
in general. Scientists’ characters frequently have outfits with some symbols related to their
passion. For example Senkuu, the main character of Japanese anime Dr.Stone (Takahashi
et al., 2019) has a self-made outfit that resembles a lab coat. To emphasize his love for
science, he has little “E=mc2“ equation pictured on his clothing. Joseph is wearing everyday
clothes instead of a lab coat to avoid portraying him as a chemist in a too obvious way.

Figure 5 Joseph's first version (Figure by Węgiel).

One of the characters from Genshin Impact (MiHoYo, 2020) is an example of a subtle way of
conveying information about the character’s profession. Sucrose is a young alchemist, who
is passionate about gaining knowledge and interested in her surroundings. Her outfit does
not strongly indicate those features contrary to her idle animation and dialogs. After a
moment of standing still a test-tube and a conical flask appear in her hands and she starts to

38
pour some liquid from one container to another. It ends with a small explosion. During the
gameplay she frequently says: “I just need a moment to quickly take down some notes” and
while fighting one of her voice lines is: “Absorption test!”. While taking damage the player
can hear: “Don’t break my glasses!”. From those it can be deduced that Sucrose is
constantly engaged in her research and rather than being worried about injures, she is
concerned about her glasses, which are the object that allows her to proceed with her work.
Besides those her name is related to chemistry.

Joseph’s glasses are corrective glasses, but they are shaped as lab glasses which refers to
his work, which he is so passionate about it. It also makes him seem like he is ready to start
working any time. The notebook that the hero is carrying around can be used as an element
related to the gameplay – for example, a place where new clues for the objectives in the
game appear. The item is also an indication of the character’s constant need to write down
his observations. The cover has elements from the periodic table: Nitrogen (N), Oxygen (O)
and Tellurium (Te) that create the word “note” which shows the purpose of the object and
relates to chemistry.

Joseph has the second version of his design (Figure 6). All the elements from the first
version remain the same, but one thing was added. The character is now having a small
tentacle coming out of his hand. Because Joseph’s clothes are so casual, the addition of
otherworldly detail was implemented to introduce an intriguing mood to the design and
convince a player that the hero is not completely human or could be infected with some kind
of an alien’s disease or a parasite. Looking at the expression of his hand, it can be deduced
that the tentacle is not something that he is in need to get rid of, but he uses it for his own
goals. Positioning it close to the scar makes it seem like they are connected and that it is
possible that the tentacle is an outcome of the same experiment that resulted in Joseph
burning his skin. The combination of casual clothes and fantasy detail is important for the
contrast as stereotypically, a person who is dressed in a casual way leads an ordinary, calm
life. Adding an otherworldly element to this kind of individual might evoke more interest or
shock than if it was added to a character dressed in a more complex and imaginary way.
The way how stereotypes can be used to create specific results is covered in section 2.1.

39
 Figure 6 Joseph's second version (Figure by Węgiel).

Summary. Joseph’s character design includes small indications of his profession that can be
easily understood and noticed by the player. The additions make him more interesting and
believable. His scars tell his story and dedication to his work. Adding an otherworldly detail
creates a specific mood and mystery to a casual looking character.

40
4.3 Ichika

The next character designed for the project is Ichika (see Appendix C). She is a traveller
who lives in the near future. Her base design (Figure 7) does not convey much information
except that she might be perceived as a traveller or courier. Ichika’s design has been
created in two versions to research how the changes of details of her appearance change
her characteristics.

Figure 7 Ichika's base design (Figure by Węgiel).

The first version of Ichika (Figure 8) aims at presenting her as a cheerful globetrotter who
loves cute things and cats. She has a lot of cheerful and adorable accessories, which recall
kawaii fashion. As Megan Rose states,

The term ‘kawaii’, which is rendered variously in Japanese script as ‘かわいい’, ‘カ ワ

イイ ’ and ‘可愛い’, has been defined by scholars as ‘adorable’ or ‘cute’ and is
primarily recognised as a gendered mode of expression for women and girls.[…]
‘Kawaii fashion’ is a broad term which refers to fashion informed by the concept and
aesthetic of kawaii. (Rose, 2020, p.81)

41
It gives the character more light-hearted style. Ichika also has prints on her clothes that
picture sweets. The backpack is closed, but many items sticking out of it can be noticed. She
seems to be carrying clothes, sweets, cups, and various souvenirs from different places.

Figure 8 Ichika's first design (Figure by Węgiel).

At first Ichika was supposed to have a mask with a cat print as an accessory which would
relate to kawaii fashion (Figure 9). It aimed at creating a warm and cheerful mood of the
character - the mask would show her expression instead of her face.

The time of writing this thesis was mostly year 2020 and 2021 - the time of the global
pandemic caused by virus COVID-19. Since most of the people were obligated to cover their
nose and mouth to prevent the spread of the disease, medical and cloth masks started to be
associated with the pandemic instead of, as it was before, medical staff or a style choice.
Therefore, nowadays creating a character with a face mask to introduce mystery, horror or a
certain mood related to fashion might be at first glance associated with COVID-19 instead.
This is an example of how meaning of certain elements changes with time and how
designers should always be mindful of them. Paying attention to constantly changing visual
trends, fashion, world situations and problems might help to create games with elements
which are more relatable and understandable for the players and avoid misunderstandings
or misinterpretation.

42
Instead of the mask, to introduce more positive and cute features, Ichika has got a pair of
pink hair pins: one simple and one decorated with a little ribbon as well as a pink choker with
a small bell. Since the mask could not be used, another element had to be introduced as a
representation of her love for cats, so part of her decolletage was decorated with a tattoo of
a cat courageously walking against the wind.

Figure 9 Ichika with a mask (Figure by Węgiel).

The second version of Ichika (Figure 10) is a criminal. There are weapons sticking out of her
backpack, and her mask serves a purpose of hiding her face and creating a terrifying image.

The mask does not seem to be a cheerful accessory as the one planned for the first version
but seems to be an item that serves the purpose of hiding her real face and identity and
evoking unpleasant feelings in others. Lurker explains that a mask is an object used solely
by humans and is related to customs associated with superstition and with cultural or
religious customs. Masks and other elements of disguise make it possible for people to
become something else, which is related to the claim that humans frequently wish to expand
their existence. Wearing this accessory also has the purpose of scaring away demons. Most
importantly an individual in a mask hides behind it and becomes anonymous as well as tries
to become someone stronger (Lurker, 2011, p.319-336). Being frightening and

43
unrecognizable is Ichika’s aim. The mask speaks for itself and emotions she keeps behind it
do not matter to the outside world.

Figure 10 Ichika's second version (Figure by Węgiel).

Weapons sticking out of the backpack signalize that the hero needs more than one of them
or distributes them. It shows how dangerous Ichika is and her awareness of the conditions
as well as her self-confidence. The lack of decorations was chosen to convince the player,
that the hero does not care about aesthetics but focuses only on her mission.

Comparing the two versions of Ichika, although her base design stays the same, choosing
different accessories – in this case a mask and her different backpack contents allowed to
present the same character but as if she lived in two alternative realities, having two different
goals and lives.

44
4.4 Luisa

Luisa is the next character (see Appendix D). She is designed in two versions. Her base
design (Figure 11) is of a woman placed in a world that is inspired by the 19th century.
Luisa’s clothing is very feminine
and bold as for the times she
lives in. The dress is lifted to be
shorter on the front which grants
her more movement but also
shows her legs, which is
considered as very inappropriate
for the time she lives in. Long,
leather shoes do not meet
fashion standards but protect her
legs and allow her to walk freely
no matter the weather conditions.
The outfit emphasizes her strong
personality and independence
which is also highlighted by her
confident face expression.
Luisa’s first version has details
chosen to visualise her as a
medic. The second version Figure 11 Luisa's base design (Figure by Węgiel).
presents her as a necromancer.

The first version presents Luisa as a medic (Figure 12). Her bags have symbols on them,
which are the strongest indicators of her profession. The smaller bag has an image of the
rod of Asclepius, which is the symbol of medicine (Lurker, 2011, p.295). It gives an idea that
the bags contain medicines. The bigger bag has a big red cross on it, which is also a symbol
of medicine and help. Apart from the bags, she has a scarification of a cross with little leaves
on her decolletage. The cross is another version of the red cross. It emphasizes her love of
medicine and will to help. The reason for choosing a scarification is to show that Luisa
wanted her work for others to be a part of her body. The thick scars which form a
scarification are almost impossible to get rid of. Scarification does not require any
substances to be formed. For example, a tattoo requires ink, and jewellery needs some
materials. The leaves on both sides of the cross are little decorative elements, which add a
feminine and delicate tone.

45
Figure 12 Luisa's first version (Figure by Węgiel).

The second version, the necromancer is much grimmer and has many elements that relate
to death, black magic, and some kind of a cult (Figure 13). Luisa’s bags are decorated with
remains of animals: bones, and a leg of a bird. It is much harder to guess what is inside the
bags, than in the first version, but the new decorations add a grim mood. A person who
carries accessories made of real bones and skulls might be understood as someone who is
familiar with death motifs and is not afraid or uncomfortable keeping them close.

Luisa has a big tattoo on the left side of her decolletage. The tattoo spreads from the upper
part of her breasts to her chick bone. It represents unknown patterns that might be
associated with magic circles or some kind of a ritual. In The Sinking City (Frogwares, 2019)
while exploring the world the player can frequently encounter on the streets NPCs who are
cultists. They are strange looking folk; they wear clothes that do not match the epoque and
do not resemble usual outfits that other inhabitants wear. They have big tattoos stretching all
over their chests and back which suggest that they are cultists. Luisa’s tattoo is designed to
make the player think her necromancy is connected to a cult or a higher force and is so

46
significant in the character’s life, that made her tattoo the symbols and patterns on her own
body.

Figure 13 Luisa's second version (Figure by Węgiel).

Luisa’s two versions create two different stories of professions of the same character. The
details on the bags allow to change the perception of their contents. Two different body
modifications have different purposes and moods.

47
4.5 Carina

The last character is Carina (see

Appendix E), a young girl who fancies
comfortable yet fashionable clothes.
Her base design (Figure 14) points
out to her interest in sport through her
outfit but does not convey much more
information. Carina has two versions,
where the second differs with only
one element.

The first version (Figure 15) has

added 3 elements: shiny marks on
her skin, light rings that float around
her legs and a light above her head
that resembles a crown. All those
details exist to define an ethereal
look. Because the shiny marks on her

skin resemble scars, it indicates that Figure 14 Carina's base design (Figure by Węgiel).
some kind of power or magic flows
through her body. This type of detail can be frequently seen in many character designs. A
good example is Deku, the main character of anime Boku no Hero Academia (Takahashi et
al., 2016-2020). When he uses his special power, parts of his body start shining with red
flickering lights and bolt like elements appear around him. It emphasizes how strong he gets
and allows to separate his normal state from the one when he is charged with strength.
Another example is game Dark Souls III (From Software, 2016), where the body of the main
character looks like it is filled with hot embers after defeating each boss. It is connected to
the story of the game and provides the player with specific benefits. Carina’s light rings are
made to emphasize the feeling of her being in possession of power or magic just like in case
of bolts that appear around Deku. The “crown” floating above her head is a sign that she is
no regular magic user, but someone of a big importance as a crown is an attribute of kings.
All of the additions transform Carina from a casual person dressed in sports clothing to an
ethereal powerful being.

48
Figure 15 Carina's first version (Figure by Węgiel).

The second version of the character has one added element, which is a cross (Figure 16). It
is a small change, that is usually used to create an impression that the character is a
religious person. In Carina’s case, the cross together with all of her magical elements was
designed to make her perceived as an angel or someone send to Earth by a higher force.

Figure 16 Carina's second version (Figure by Węgiel).

49
To sum up, Carina is an example of creating a magical version of a casual person. Her
second version was created to explore how a little piece, in this case a piece of jewellery can
add context and explanation to where her power comes from. Carina’s pose on the
illustration is purposeful for two reasons. Firstly, to make her look like she is just standing on
her tiptoes in her basic design and give her more dynamic feel. Secondly, to present her as if
she is flying in her first and second version.

50
5 Discussion

The intention of this study was the explore the possibilities and impact of body modifications,
accessories, and other elements, such as scars on character design. The goal of the artistic
project was to utilize the theoretical knowledge in practice and further research possibilities
of use of body modifications and accessories in character design.

My work includes five characters who have a combination of different body modifications,
accessories, prints on clothing, and scars, which as a self-study is a good method to try the
theoretical knowledge in practice and is able to further explain the subject basing on
examples. Although it includes differently looking characters from different time periods, it is
not enough to test the relation between clothes, body, and details. It does not test the
perception of small details on different groups of people or include a survey, so it should not
be considered as a sociological study but an example of a method to search for possibilities
basing on theoretical knowledge from existing sources and own experience. As the project
was not analysed by different groups people, I cannot state that my intents were conveyed
correctly. The meaning of each added detail is only supported by knowledge from existing
sources.

The artistic project was a personal self-study done by one person. Therefore, it needs further
research. As factors such as gender and silhouette have a significant influence on the
perception of a character to properly test influence of a small element, a different type of
study should be conducted additionally. For full validity, it would require testing each detail
separately including a different placement; a tattoo - involving different type of execution and
style; a scar, scarification, different types of prints for clothes etc. The same element should
be placed on couple of different looking individuals. Moreover, combinations of those
elements, for example a scar and a tattoo or a print and a tattoo create different stories,
which requires even further research. The section including theoretical knowledge already
partially covers the question of how people perceive different elements but considering the
age-range of players and widening group of audience of videogames, it would need a
research of how people belonging to those groups perceive those elements. As it was
mentioned in the previous sections, outfits are one of the strongest carriers of information
about the character, so consequently, different types of garments combined with same body
modifications and accessories will provide new view on the hero.

While working on the artistic project, I met many difficulties. One of them was to fit the
accessory or an image to the design so that it is understandable and readable for the viewer.

51
Consequently, the details could not be too small or have too thin edges. The chosen
symbols, unless they were supposed to be related to the story of the character or their
surroundings, had to have a meaning understandable for the majority of people. Therefore, it
took time to find a fitting element. Since the details tell different stories when combined with
each other, it sometimes required changing or removing an existing one included in the
same design. While making two versions of details for each character, researching how
details change the base design and the versions vary from each other, the outfit of the
character had to be fitting for different variations of additions. The accessories and body
modifications are able to give a strong support for achieving a desired result, but depending
on the clothing, which can be compared to a background on a painting, the meaning of the
character might be slightly different that the one the designer was aiming for. Consequently,
the outfits had to be also well-designed.

Body modifications, accessories and other elements are able to carry a lot of information
about the individual and allow to create more interesting and unique designs, but they
should not be used as the only tools to create engaging characters. Other elements that
form a character such as gender, ethnic origin, silhouette, age, hair, and clothes are vital.
They serve as a basis for a good character design. An important thing for the developers to
keep in mind is exploring numerous possibilities to design a hero of a different race, gender,
age, and silhouette, which allows to create more various and relatable characters. Body
modifications and accessories are elements that carry information and improve the design
but do not form a character.

The theoretical part of the thesis allowed me to acquire more knowledge about the subject,
which in a great manner contributed to the project. Reviewing history, meanings in different
cultures, use in games and other media of tattoos, scarification, scars, symbols, jewellery
and accessories, provided me with better understanding of those elements. Searching for
information in the literature is beneficial since every element of any design is based on a real
life. The perception differs basing on human biases, interests, stereotypes, and culture. It is
significant to explore meanings of the same element to discover how understandable they
are and if they signify the same thing to every person in the world or everyone belonging to
the group of interest to avoid misunderstandings. Reviewing literature broadens horizons
and provides ideas for possibilities of designs. It also encourages to conduct a small
research before creating any project, character, and object to fully understand their purpose
and meaning.

52
The artistic project allowed me to test the gathered knowledge in practice and combine it
with my existing knowledge of character creation. It ensured me that every single element of
a design is meaningful and made me see beyond my former limits. Small details are a
powerful tool that is not to be underestimated and is able to tell a story to the player about
the past, present life, and future of the created hero. Understanding the ways of use of body
modifications, symbols and accessories opened the door to endless possibilities.

6 Conclusion

Body modifications, accessories and symbols can be considered as powerful and influential
elements of the character design, which present many possibilities of storytelling, conveying
information through visuals and decorating characters. It allows to provide the player with
information that is not yet explained in the plot and reveal the nature of the character at first
glance. Body modifications, accessories, and other small elements of the design are able to
significantly change or improve the design, but little changes might as well break the desired
result. The way of matching elements together, their placement, execution, and size is
essential. Body modifications and accessories should not be overused, used without
consideration, or treated as the only important part of the character design. The silhouette of
the hero, style and colour of the outfit are the base for the smaller elements; therefore, they
should be planned before adding accessories and body modification. Reviewing the
theoretical knowledge before starting to work with body modifications, accessories, symbols,
and other elements is essential for a good character design and avoiding misunderstanding.
Combining the theoretical part of the thesis with the project was essential for the better
understanding of the subject and finding possibilities for future designs.

This study might be useful for individuals involved in character creation. The theoretical part
of the thesis can serve as a small summary of knowledge about different body modifications
and accessories, which is able to provide inspiration and further understanding of their
purpose. The project provides examples of use of combinations of those elements basing on
the theoretical part. As the project includes a base design (a version of character without any
added body modifications, accessories etc.) and two versions of added details, it enables the
reader to compare them and draw own conclusions. The research aims to broaden reader’s
view on possibilities of character design and tackle the topic of significance of making
relatable and immersive characters, whose design is able to convey information about their
background.

53
7 Reference list

Ankirskiy, A. (2014). Perceptions of Tattoos: Now and Then Japan vs. The Western World.
https://skemman.is/handle/1946/17199

Austin E. (1999). Marks of Mystery. Psychology Today, 32(4)

Brown, B., & Moss, T., & McGrouther, D.A., & Bayat, A. (2009). Skin scar preconceptions
must be challenged: Importance of self-perception in skin scarring. Journal of Plastic
Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery 63(6). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bjps.2009.03.019

Bridson, R., & Marino, S., & Fedkiw, R. (2003). Simulation of Clothing with Folds and
Wrinkles. ACM SIGGRAPH/Eurographics Symposium on Computer Animation.
https://doi.org/10.1145/1198555.1198573

Csesznek, C., & Stemate, D. (2019). TATTOOS AS A FORM OF EXPRESSING IDENTITY

AND PERCEPTIONS OF THE HEALTH RISKS OF GETTING TATTOOED. SERIES VII -
SOCIAL SCIENCES AND LAW. 61(12). https://doi.org/10.31926/but.ssl.2019.12.61.1.6

Dille, F., & Platten, Z. J. (2007). The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design.
Lone Eagle.

Dota 2 Workshop - Character Art Guide - Steam Support. (2017). Steam.

https://support.steampowered.com/kb/9334-YDXV-8590/dota-2-workshop-character-art-
guide
Accessed: 24.02.2021

González-Wippler, M. (1991). The Complete Book of Amulets & Talismans (Llewellyn’s

Sourcebook) (1st ed.). Llewellyn Publications.

Hubbard B. (2015). Wikingowie Prawdziwa Historia Nordyckich Najeźdźców. Belladona.

Interview with Toby Gard. (1998). Gamasutra.

https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131700/interview_with_toby_gard.php
Accessed: 10.02.2021

54
Isbister, K. (2006). Better Game Characters by Design, A Psychological Approach. San
Francisco, CA: Elsevier Inc.

Kang, M., & Jones, K. (2007). Why do People get Tattoos? Contexts, 6(1), 42–47.
https://doi.org/10.1525/ctx.2007.6.1.42

Klastrup, K. and Tosca, S. (2009). “Because it just looks cool!” Fashion as character
performance: The Case of WoW. Journal of Virtual Worlds Research. 1 (3).

Kopaliński W. (2019). Słownik Symboli. Oficyna Wydawnicza RYTM.

Lankoski, P., & Heliö, S. & Ekman, I. (2003). Characters in Computer Games: Toward
Understanding Interpretation and Design.

Lurker M. (2011). Przesłanie symboli w mitach, kulturach i religiach. Wydawnictwo Aletheia.

Monnet, J. (2016, November 10). Dishonored 2 – Fashion Gallery. Bethesda.

https://bethesda.net/en/article/782pltbO6cQgYwYumOMAmQ/dishonored-2-fashion-gallery
Accessed: 03.01.2021

MYERS, J. (1992). NONMAINSTREAM BODY MODIFICATION: Genital Piercing, Branding,

Burning, and Cutting. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 21(3), 267–
306. https://doi.org/10.1177/089124192021003001

Nowacki D., & Piwocka M, (2011). Klejnoty w dawnej Polsce. Carta blanca.

Pentina, I., & Spears, N. (2011). Reasons behind body art adoption: what motivates young
adults to acquire tattoos? Journal of Customer Behaviour. 10(1).
https://doi.org/10.1362/147539211X570528

Garve, R., & Garve, M., & Türp, J., & Fobil, J., & Meyer, C. (2017). Scarification in sub-
Saharan Africa: Social skin, remedy and medical import. Tropical medicine & international
health, 22(6). https://doi.org/10.1111/tmi.12878

Rose, M. C. (2020). Child’s Play? Exploring the Significance of Kawaii for Decora and Fairy-
Kei Fashion Practitioners in Harajuku through a Case-Focused Analysis. New Voices in
Japanese Studies, 12, 80–102. https://doi.org/10.21159/nvjs.12.05

55
Rowling, J. K. (1999). Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Harry Potters) by Rowling, J.K.
(1999) Paperback (Cover Torn, Noted Back Cover ed.). Scholastic.

Sadowski, W. A., & Borowska-Solonynko, A. B. (2017). Znaczenie i klasyfikacja tatuaży w

kontekście ich przydatności do identyfikacji zwłok o nieznanej tożsamości. (Polish). Archiwum
Medycyny Sadowej i Kryminologii, 67(4), 281-295. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5114/amsik.2017.75059

Sapkowski, A. (2014). Wiedźmin (Vols.1-7). SuperNowa.

Sheldon, L. (2004). Character Development and Storytelling for Games. Thomson Course
Technology.

Shenefelt, P., & Shenefelt, D. (2014). Spiritual and religious aspects of skin and skin
disorders. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 201-212.
https://doi.org/10.2147/prbm.s65578

Skelly, J. (2018). Skin and Scars: Probing the Visual Culture of Addiction. Body & Society, 24(1–
2), 193–209. https://doi.org/10.1177/1357034X18767098

Snopek M. (2015). Nowa moda, nowe trendy – współczesne oblicze tatuaży w więziennej
twórczości. Resocjalizacja Polska (Polish Journal of Social Rehabilitation), (9), 69-95

Vincent, S. J. (2018). Hair: An Illustrated History. Bloomsbury Visual Arts.

Games:
Frogwares. (2019). The Sinking City [Game]. Frogwares, Big Ben Interactive.
Core Design. (1996-2018). Tomb Raider series. [Game]. Eidos Interactive, Square Enix.
CD Projekt Red. (2015). The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. [Game]. CD Projekt
CD Projekt Red. (2007-2015). The Witcher series. [Game]. CD Projekt, Atari.
Ubisoft Quebec. (2015). Assassin's Creed: Syndicate. [Game]. Ubisoft.
Ubisoft Montreal. (2009). Assassin's Creed II. [Game]. Ubisoft.
Ubisoft Montreal. (2013). Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag [Game]. Ubisoft.
Behaviour Interactive, Visceral Games. (2010). Dante's Inferno. [Game]. Electronic Arts.

56
SIE Santa Monica Studio. (2005-2018). God of War series. [Game]. Sony Interactive
Entertainment, Capcom
Crystal Dynamics. (2006). Tomb Raider: Legend. [Game]. Eidos Interactive.
Crystal Dynamics, Eidos-Montreal, Feral Interactive. (2013). Tomb Raider. [Game]. Square
Enix, Feral Interactive.
Epic Games, The Coalition. (2006-2019). Gears of War. [Game]. Xbox Game Studios.
The Coalition. (2019). Gears 5. [Game]. Xbox Game Studios.
Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. (2015-2020). Yakuza series. [Game]. SEGA.
Remedy Entertainment. (2010). Alan Wake. [Game]. Microsoft Game Studios, Remedy
Entertainment.
Remedy Entertainment. (2001-2012). Max Payne series. [Game]. Gathering of Developers,
Rockstar Studios.
Ubisoft. (2002-2013). Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell series. [Game]. Ubisoft, Gameloft, Aspyr
Media.
Naughty Dog. (2013). The Last of Us. [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment.
From Software. (2009). Demon’s Souls. [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment, Atlus USA,
Bandai Namco Entertainment.
From Software. (2011-2016). Dark Souls trilogy. [Game]. Bandai Namco Entertainment,
FromSoftware.
From Software. (2016). Dark Souls III. [Game]. Bandai Namco Entertainment,
FromSoftware.
From Software. (2015). Bloodborne. [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment.
From Software. (2015). Bloodborne: The Old Hunters. [Game]. Sony Computer
Entertainment.
Arcane Studios. (2016). Dishonored 2. [Game]. Bethesda Softworks.
Blizzard Entertainment. (2004). World of Warcraft. [Game]. Blizzard Entertainment.
Bethesda Game Studios. (2011). The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. [Game]. Bethesda Softworks.
MiHoYo. (2020). Genshin Impact. [Game]. MiHoYo.
Supergiant Games. (2020). Hades. [Game]. Supergiant Games.

Movies:

Takahashi, A., Shinohara, H., Ooyoshi, M. (Executive Producers). (2019). Dr. Stone [TV
Series]. TMS/8PAN.

57
Takahashi, A., Yamanaka, K., Kananiwa, K., Hieda, S., Matsumoto, T., Endo, T. (Executive
Producers). (2016-2020). Boku no Hero Academia Series [TV Series]. Bones.

Jackson, P. (Director). (2001-2003). The Lord of The Rings trilogy [Film]. New Line Cinema
WingNut Films.

Jackson, P. (Director). (2003). The Lord of The Rings: The Return of the King [Film]. New
Line Cinema, WingNut Films.

Cameron, J. (Director). (1997). Titanic [Film]. Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox,
Lightstorm Entertainment.

Milius, J. (Director). (1982). Conan the Barbarian [Film]. Dino De Laurentiis Corporation.

Figures:

Figure 1
Figure by Węgiel. Eliza’s base design.

Figure 2
Figure by Węgiel. Eliza’s first version.

Figure 3
Figure by Węgiel. Eliza’s second version.

Figure 4
Figure by Węgiel. Joseph’s base design.

Figure 5
Figure by Węgiel. Joseph’s first version.

Figure 6
Figure by Węgiel. Joseph’s second version.

Figure 7
Figure by Węgiel. Ichika’s base design.

58
Figure 8
Figure by Węgiel. Ichika’s first version.

Figure 9
Figure by Węgiel. Ichika with a mask.

Figure 10
Figure by Węgiel. Ichika’s second version.

Figure 11
Figure by Węgiel. Luisa’s base design.

Figure 12
Figure by Węgiel. Luisa’s first version.

Figure 13
Figure by Węgiel. Luisa’s second version.

Figure 14
Figure by Węgiel. Carina’s base design.

Figure 15
Figure by Węgiel. Carina’s first version.

Figure 16
Figure by Węgiel. Carina’s second version.

59
60
61
62
63
64