In general there’s alot of different types of characters but my question is focused on Main characters.
In fact, what is the perspective on using an MC with a disability of sorts? Like a physical or mental illness.
I for one think it humanizes a character and it also seems to add a bit of creative flare its not out of a cruelty but rather creating sympathy and opportunity to overcome adversity. Although some disablitities would prove a challenge to write especially if the MC is the one ‘with’ said handi-caps.
Feel free to speak your opinion on the matter I’d really love to hear your thoughts readers and writers alike.
My opinion on the matter is that I really enjoy creating flawed characters even in MC’s and it provides a very fun challenge in and of itself.
Would you enjoy playing as a character that had such a challenge to overcome?
yes
no
depends
0voters
In my case I’ve been working on three projects but ‘two’ of them feature and MC with a disability or illness.
The one that brought up this line of thought was where the MC is a ‘mute’. How would you feel about playing a character that doesn’t speak?
I think a MC that is mute would be far easier to play than ones with some other disabilities or illnesses. Many stories tend to have characters that say little to nothing at all, and some people choose those options all the time. A mute character probably wouldn’t be all that different from one of those, except it’d the main thing of the MC.
Hmmm well that does help in my decision to keep running with the idea.
its a different take on the comic craze I’m doing as a little side between the long hours my main story, the mute is a physical powerhouse but is playing the ‘fish’ out of water seeing the world for the first time
My opinion on the matter is that It would be very interesting to play as someone with a mental disability, me thinking that it would let some people step back and be like ‘Whoa’ and it would really make the reader see how difficult life can be with disabilities, making people from more fortunate upbringings see how good they really how life compared to others and all.
(sry for sentence structure lol I kinda jumped around)
I might be thinking to far into this but its…
-Just a few thoughts from your friendly forum poster Ryse
It’s really interesting if the MC is mute, “less talk and more thinking” I’d like to experience the point of view of someone like that, definitely interaction with other characters will be a challenge since not everyone knows sign language and writing on paper is a hassle.
The question is how are you going to execute this? What’s the plot and what’s the connection with the MC being mute in the story?
How about someone with Multiple personality disorder?
@Ryseabove , well I tend to lean toward characters like this. Mainly because I can relate personally to the disadvantaged. So it’s nice to know that others are willing to enjoy a story with these kinds of characters.
@Faviasc yeah a character that sorta lives life in their head so-to-speak. Not to mention their actions speak more for them. The idea of communicating who you are without words is kinda what inspired this. Imagine how RO’s would play out.
@Obsidian well is a fish outta water kind of thing. A quiet life away from the world until one day he/she/they crash into the world outside that safe little bubble. I’d be more specific but I wouldn’t want to spoil it before I have something workable to show.
It’ll be slower going because my focus is on My Imaginary. But one can go a little nuts staring at the same thing every day so to keep creativity fresh I take breaks to work on this one.
Am happy to discuss in Pm if you’re REALLY interested. Talking about it often breeds better ideas.
All of the above. And more. But that gets into parts I’m reluctant to reveal. There will be relationships mostly unspoken. So the writing will have to be very descriptive in lieu of spoken words. Though I’m confident I can accomplish this.
I have a couple of mute OCs, myself, so it would be cool if I could insert them into the MC role. They’re normally impossible to play in games like this, given the emphasis on dialogue, so it would be interesting to have that opportunity for once.
Of course, that would depend on how customizable the MC would be. If it’s playing as a specific character, I’d be a lot less interested in playing, but if you can build aspects of the character outside of their disability, that would be pretty cool.
Sounds good. Gender and personality are the main things I was wondering about, but appearance is a nice bonus. Definitely will be interested in seeing where this goes.
The appeal for me would lie in seeing things from a perspective I don’t normally have. If the author has the disability in question, that makes it easy to get this perspective across. Otherwise, they had better do some good research.
For example: I’ve been told that people who are deaf don’t typically think of themselves as disabled, but are sometimes tempted to think of hearing people that way. Describing a deaf person as “hearing impaired” can be insulting. However, a friend of a friend has admitted to using the term “robots” as a pejorative against the hearing, because hearing people are so reserved in their facial expressions and gestures. Sometimes we come across as emotionless. (Watch someone sign, and you’ll see what I mean.)
There’s the language barrier, too. If you have to talk to a hearing person, chances are they don’t know sign language, or they are very, very slow. Some people (again, so I’m told) find it annoying. You have hands and you can’t sign? I’m deaf. What’s your excuse?
Get the details and the perspective right, and I’m all for it. But writing from the perspective of a character with a disability is risky if you don’t have that disability yourself. You have to understand the disability very well.
I agree one should understand the subject matter of which they’re writing. Fortunately and unfortunately I’ve some experience in this area hearing loss running in the family I’m used to having to get my words across without speaking. Basic sign and a little improvised gesture. Expression and reading body language I’ve studied in art as well as going on a mild reading tirade of everything I could get my hands on.
Hopefully all that adds up to a solid understanding of what I need.
We have the silent protangonists ala Link of course, but everyone just sort of pretend to understand him anyways. I suppose the choices would be more physical if the protagonist is mute. A lot of CS games already make the mistake of taking away the choices from us, by assuming that we will react a certain way, with a limited reportoire of expressing oneself I’m sure that could happen all the more in such a game. I’m not really sure what I’m trying to arrive at but I’m sure it would work just fine.
Could be tricky to get it all right though, do you hug and pull them closer, give them a light shove, do you touch their arm, touch their hand, do you just sit there, do you look at them, do you look away… Gestures are expressive but the subtle nuances and the many ways of interpretation, now that’s an interesting challenge.
If you’re giving them a disability just to make them a bit more special, then I’d have to wonder if they were anything special to begin with.
My verdict: Do not give the character a disability just for the lulz. When poorly done, the disability will come to define them. It will become the most interesting thing about them.
And especially in main characters, you would want a bit more depth than “this dude is blind” or “this gal be craycray”.
I no better than to pointlessly add something for kicks. It’s a bigger plot device in the grand scheme of things. As well as a means of balancing out the character.
A very brief taste of what I’ve done. Wont open an official WIP thread till the story clarifies itself. I left it vague for a reason but all the pieces are there to figure out.
Shhhhh its all on the down low. (had some spare time to work on all my projects)
