How do characters develop in a video game? The characters in Fireside are a central part of the game. They shape the world, drive the plot, and are the anchor of the story. Here, we take a look at how some of them were created.
The team started with a rough idea of what the areas would be and what themes they would have. Ilona, as a narrative designer, and Linus, as a graphic designer, were mainly responsible for developing the characters of these areas together.
For some characters, they had a relatively clear idea from the start and did not change much. Owl, for example, was a character from the forest that remained the same throughout development. However, the plot did change a little. The central conflict that takes place in the second area was finalized later, and Owl became more involved.
On the left: the new Owl; on the right: an old version
Along with Owl, Buzzy the Bumblebee is one of Ilona’s favorites. But Buzzy is on the opposite side of the spectrum from Owl and has undergone the most changes. Buzzy wasn’t originally a bumblebee, but rather a moth. Ilona’s idea was that the moth is sad because it is not a butterfly, which is considered much more beautiful. The basic idea in Fireside is to foster togetherness and help each other. So, the player was going to help Buzzy learn that moths have the advantage of flying at night, and that night is much more beautiful than day. Also, the wings of a moth glimmer and shine, which makes them beautiful as well.
The theme of not belonging has remained with Buzzy. But, in the end, Buzzy became a bumblebee. The reason is simple. Linus had made some sketches in the beginning. These included a cute bee, which everyone liked so much that Ilona had to scrap her idea and rewrite the moth story. An insecure moth became a freezing bumblebee which has grown too big for its hive and now has to make it on its own and grow up.
As with some of the other characters, Ilona would have had much more story material for Buzzy. However, the quests had to be of a certain length, so Ilona had to cut some of the story content.