How to Make a Detailed Computer Game Character

Specify the physical attributes governing how the character will move. At this stage, limit the physical attributes of your character to size, shape and interaction with elements. The "X" axis of movement is the horizontal, the "Y" is the vertical, and the "Z" is the third dimension. Enter the command (for example, "int" in a c++ based game development studio) to tell the computer to recognize an input. Then specify a key that will make the character move in a certain direction. Then enter the number of spaces per second at which the character will travel when the direction button is pressed.

Develop the skeleton structure of your character. Make sure that the skeletal structure has the same basic shape as the dimensions you outlined in your movement specifications. Open your vector graphics program, draw a line for the torso, a circle for the head, one line for both arms and two lines for two legs.

Draw basic three-dimensional shapes on top of the two-dimensional skeleton you have drawn. Draw these 3D shapes by putting together multiple 2D shapes (e.g. two circles and a square for a cylinder, several squares and rectangles for a cube). Use narrow cylinders for arms and legs, thick cylinders for torsos, boxes for feet, circles for hands and ovals for heads.

Add some basic physical details to the character. Divide the arms and legs into three sections: upper, lower, and joint (kneecap/elbow). To do this, simply select the middle portion of each cylinder using the highlight or select tool, cut that portion out, and move the three portions apart from each other.

Use the topology options in your graphics editor to add very precise graphics. From the topology toolbox, choose pixels. Click on individual objects to map out sections of your character's body in pixel squares, and adjust the size and density of squares to change the shape of the object. Each change in pixel shape or concentration changes the shape of the object. Make these subtle changes until you have the details you want on your characters. Repeat the process (from step 3) to build accessories to add onto your character.

Save your 3D, detailed sprite as an image. Return to your code for the character, and specify "img = (insert image name here).jpg." This sets it so that the image movement attributes you outlined now apply to the image you developed.