tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24434266.post2893835131150300136..comments2024-02-26T21:38:35.761+11:00Comments on The Dust Forms Words: Two FaithsGreg Tannahillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00823898295759037081noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24434266.post-60528094703396323492008-12-16T14:06:00.000+11:002008-12-16T14:06:00.000+11:00Well, see, the Asian descent thing shows that they...Well, see, the Asian descent thing shows that they HAVE understood a completely different lesson about facial design, which is that studies show people on average think faces of blended ethnicity are more attractive than "pure" faces. You can see this philosophy most clearly in the character designs for Disney films, or in the Afro-Polynesio-Latino-Caucasian protagonist of Heavenly Sword. Blended features not only maximise your cross-market penetration but make for a measurably more eye-pleasing character.<BR/><BR/>So after going that yard to get a West-meets-East character it baffles me all the more that they got the rest wrong. <BR/><BR/>Ultimately there are different tastes, and this was a deliberately provocative post, but I'd still stand by assertion that by following some basic laws of design they would have on average pleased more people, sold more copies of the game, and done it all without compromising any key artistic element of the game or giving up their idea of an strong independent female character.<BR/><BR/>Actually I could do a whole post about facial make-up. Every sort of face make-up signifies something, whether intended or not, and that kind of eye marking would generally match up to either a status insignia (eye markings would probably mean a lower caste or outside precisely because of the "alienising" effect) or war-paint (again because it makes the face look inhuman). Scars that cross the eye socket are used to denote villains so commonly that they've become a cliche, and it's again because of that way that it breaks the icon of the face.<BR/><BR/>When it's used for a protagonist they're universally an anti-hero. It works for a character like God of War's Kratos, where the question of his humanity is front and centre of the plot, but Mirror's Edge is trying for more of an "us against the world" feel and it's essential that Faith be someone who doesn't shut the player out.Greg Tannahillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00823898295759037081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24434266.post-63130252622610437272008-12-16T12:53:00.000+11:002008-12-16T12:53:00.000+11:00While I agree with your comments about faces in ge...While I agree with your comments about faces in general, I mostly disagree on the comparison of Faiths, and prefer the original version.<BR/><BR/>I don't see her as either sneering of squinting - the narrow, slanted eyes just make me think she's of Asian descent. The look is a little unusual, but I don't see anything wrong with it.<BR/><BR/>The only obvious makeup is the pointy bits around her right eye. I see that as just another quirk of the character, like the tattoo on her arm.<BR/><BR/>I can't comment on the appearance of her face in the game. I've only played the tutorial and prologue so far.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com