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Poll: What makes a character awesome?


Whats most important for making a character awesome
Bravery
0.6% (1)
 0.6% (1)
Intelligence
6.3% (11)
 6.3% (11)
Power
2.9% (5)
 2.9% (5)
Motives
9.7% (17)
 9.7% (17)
Looks
2.3% (4)
 2.3% (4)
Accomplishments
1.7% (3)
 1.7% (3)
Badass-ness
22.9% (40)
 22.9% (40)
All of the above
32% (56)
 32% (56)
Other
21.7% (38)
 21.7% (38)
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 (Pages: 1, 2, 3, 4)
1)   2 Jan 2009 05:10

Everyone here has called a character awesome at one point or another, it seems. But what actually makes them so awesome? Is it what they could do, what they've done, how they did it, how they look, the one-liners they delivered afterwards, why they did what they did, a general attitude of badassery that surrounds them, or just all of the above?

Edit: You know, there are very few levels on which Kratos is not the most awesome character ever.

2)   2 Jan 2009 05:16

I voted "other" on the grounds that it's more of an "any of the above" than "all of the above." An awesome character is mostly a matter of presentation.

3)   2 Jan 2009 05:18

I'd like to think what makes a character awesome is the choices that he makes and the way he deals with those choices. Yes Kratos is awesome for being strong and crazy, along with a myriad of other reasons, but I liked how, much like a Greek tragedy, he kills his wife and daughter without knowing and spends his life making up for it.
The nameless character from Bioshock goes through something similar, while not as "awesome" as Kratos he still evokes the same kind of emotion for me.

I guess I'm a sucker for tragic hero figures :P

4)   2 Jan 2009 05:18

Their flaws.

5)   2 Jan 2009 05:19

Tatsumaru from Tenchu 2 and Wrath of Heaven.

His frontal stealth kill is a one hand lifting neck snap.

How can that not be awesome?

And in multiplayer combat, his combos just looked punishing.

6)   2 Jan 2009 05:20

Awesome characters in my opinion come from their presentation and dynamic nature. A badass gun-toting action hero can be just as awesome as a stick to the shadows cowardly rogue. Just so long as they react and learn from their journeys, and they're believable.

7)   2 Jan 2009 05:21

The immensive powers that they gain and then wield in either good or bad ways.

8)   2 Jan 2009 05:21

Persistance through tragedy and failure does it for me.

9)   2 Jan 2009 05:22

Depends on the character.

For example, Travis Touchdown is awesome because of his badass-ness. Or something. I can't really pin it.

10)   2 Jan 2009 05:25

Their Charisma is the main part of it.

A perfect example of this is Tidus from FFX. He was a powerful character but he was fucking irritating to no end and whined for the first 30 hours of the game.

Rikimaru from Tenchu, and Kakashi from Naruto are both awesome, as they both radiate charisma and have an enigmatic nature.

Final example is Marcus Fenix. He is probably one of the most badass video game characters yet I couldn't give a toss about him, and he could never beat Duke Nukem in terms of awesome.

11)   2 Jan 2009 05:27

Depth. People don't want a character to accompany you through a game if they never let you know about themselves.

12)   2 Jan 2009 05:28

Eggo:
Their flaws.

This.

*EDIT*

Indigo_Dingo:

4thegreatergood:
Depth. People don't want a character to accompany you through a game if they never let you know about themselves.

Explain Gordon Freeman, who has quite literally zero personality.

I was too busy being awed by the awesome of the game to care.

13)   2 Jan 2009 05:28

4thegreatergood:
Depth. People don't want a character to accompany you through a game if they never let you know about themselves.

Explain Gordon Freeman, who has quite literally zero personality.

14)   2 Jan 2009 05:29

I would say the means that they use to accomplish something.
Like Alucard from Hellsing. He'll let all the enemies empty their guns on him and then he'll laugh as he heals himself and guns them down.
Or he'll summon gigantic hell hounds and devour his opponent while mocking them.
That's what makes a character bad ass in my eyes.
Not that a bad ass character is alwayws like this. Alucard just came to mind.

15)   2 Jan 2009 05:38

I like Albert Wesker from Resident Evil simply because he wants to control the planet and the way he does it.

16)   2 Jan 2009 05:40

other, script, writing, and voice talent. unless you're Gordon Freeman

17)   2 Jan 2009 05:41

4thegreatergood:
Depth. People don't want a character to accompany you through a game if they never let you know about themselves.

Agreed

18)   2 Jan 2009 05:43

leugim789:
other, script, writing, and voice talent. unless you're Gordon Freeman

Agreed. Just don't forget to reload!

19)   2 Jan 2009 05:45

realateability yea a char can be the most powerfull sexy beast in existance wont help him/her in my books if hes a prat

20)   2 Jan 2009 05:46

Indigo_Dingo:

4thegreatergood:
Depth. People don't want a character to accompany you through a game if they never let you know about themselves.

Explain Gordon Freeman, who has quite literally zero personality.

Well, players give Gordon his personality, I think. Haven't you ever watched Mind of Freeman on Youtube?

21)   2 Jan 2009 05:47

[Gavo]:
Depends on the character.

For example, Travis Touchdown is awesome because of his badass-ness. Or something. I can't really pin it.

He's awesome for his cheesiness and over-the-top-ness.

22)   2 Jan 2009 05:48

EvilJester1214:
I'd like to think what makes a character awesome is the choices that he makes and the way he deals with those choices. Yes Kratos is awesome for being strong and crazy, along with a myriad of other reasons, but I liked how, much like a Greek tragedy, he kills his wife and daughter without knowing and spends his life making up for it.
The nameless character from Bioshock goes through something similar, while not as "awesome" as Kratos he still evokes the same kind of emotion for me.

I guess I'm a sucker for tragic hero figures :P

You sir are the most intelligent man ever. for the record, almost all the characters in tales of Symphonia fit one or more of those qualities; Collete is easily the bravest of them all, Raine, Kratos, and Genis are all hyper intelligent, Kratos, Zelos, and Regal are immensely powerful, all the characters have the best motive for them to face the final boss, Zelos is supposed to be extremely handsome, Kratos and Regal are two of the most accomplished people in the game world, and Kratos is basically just an all around bad ass. Well its decided, A character is awesome if they were in Tales of Symphonia, that clears that up.

23)   2 Jan 2009 05:49

Flaws, depth, and a talented voice actor.

24)   2 Jan 2009 05:50

silentsentinel:

[Gavo]:
Depends on the character.

For example, Travis Touchdown is awesome because of his badass-ness. Or something. I can't really pin it.

He's awesome for his cheesiness and over-the-top-ness.

That's it. Over-the-topness.

25)   2 Jan 2009 05:51

geldonyetich:
I voted "other" on the grounds that it's more of an "any of the above" than "all of the above." An awesome character is mostly a matter of presentation.

I agree, charater and have all of those traites listed but one one would liek them unless they were presented well.

how else did i end up with five snuggies

26)   2 Jan 2009 05:51

black lincon:
 Well its decided, A character is awesome if they were in Tales of Symphonia, that clears that up.

Best answer ever.

27)   2 Jan 2009 05:54

TorturedHylianSoul:

black lincon:
 Well its decided, A character is awesome if they were in Tales of Symphonia, that clears that up.

Best answer ever.

wait, let me amend that, they are awesome if they were in the first tales, if you try to make Marta or Emil awesome by themselves they just fail miserably.

28)   2 Jan 2009 05:57

black lincon:

TorturedHylianSoul:

black lincon:
 Well its decided, A character is awesome if they were in Tales of Symphonia, that clears that up.

Best answer ever.

wait, let me amend that, they are awesome if they were in the first tales, if you try to make Marta or Emil awesome by themselves they just fail miserably.

True, true.

29)   2 Jan 2009 06:45

A beard and a terrible habit of getting lost in cleavage.

30)   2 Jan 2009 06:50

A multidimensional character (and not like, from many dimensions), someone with depth who is, even if distantly, relatable on some level.

31)   2 Jan 2009 07:38

I think Snake from the MGS series is awesome! He's so awesome that they had to use a clone of him to kill him! That's bad ass. Plus he smokes and is manly. So I'm going to go with badassness.

32)   2 Jan 2009 07:47

An awesome character is this:
Take Cole from Gears of War,combine that with Gordon Freeman,now Cross bread that spawn with Duke Nukem, throw in some Chuck Norris, and then feed it some PC from Fallout 3, and you get,basically the awesomest, character, ever.

33)   2 Jan 2009 07:55

JimmyBassatti:
An awesome character is this:
Take Cole from Gears of War,combine that with Gordon Freeman,now Cross bread that spawn with Duke Nukem, throw in some Chuck Norris, and then feed it some PC from Fallout 3, and you get,basically the awesomest, character, ever.

Like I said - Kratos.

34)   2 Jan 2009 08:04

something original

i don't know something that can survive if necessary more than 3 squeals hmmm crap it'll/he'll/she'll never exist...

35)   2 Jan 2009 09:03

Indigo_Dingo:

4thegreatergood:
Depth. People don't want a character to accompany you through a game if they never let you know about themselves.

Explain Gordon Freeman, who has quite literally zero personality.

Never played Half Life.

 (Pages: 1, 2, 3, 4)
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