One of my favorite aspects of game design is creating characters, if the game calls for them. With our original game there were no real characters involved because it was a learning experience for the players; however, with a racing game I was able to add characters each with different abilities and personalities in order for there to be someone that anybody would want to use. Like I said, this is my favorite part of game design because I love granting powers and abilities to different persons that reflect their personalities and explain more abou them.
Drippy is the main character, and can be classified as the "young heroic male" archetype. Adventurous and optimistic, he is on his way to the factory because he has been told legend of a mystical purification system being used there. With this technology he could rid his hometown of Skyvale of any Toxins that have plagued his community.
His younger sister, Kate, (but goes by the superhero pseudonym of Precipa Kate) follows along without Drippy's permission since he thinks the task is too dangerous. Kate won't take no for an answer, so she tirelessly follows Drippy to his destination (though due to her quick speed, Drippy does most of the following). Her loud, confident and boisterous nature leads her to believe that her and her brother would be known as true heroes if they were to discover the secret on their own. Unfortunately, her loud mouth has alerted some other rather mischievous individuals of the secrets that lie within the factory.
Viskus could be seen as the main antagonist of the game, though he is a playable character just like everyone else. Born from toxified groundwater that has been dormant for hundreds of years, Viskus has finally seen sunlight for the first time - and hates it. He wants nothing more than to reach the factory on his own and shut down the purification system in order to drown the world in toxins, just like himself.
The other characters don't have any relation to these three, as they are motivated by their own goals of reaching the factory. I use this strategy when creating characters because I find it too "convenient" when every character knows each other. Who is to say that random persons from all over the sky would not hear about the factory's secret? Because of this, the rest of these characters are all strangers to one another until you reach the later stages where it is implied that they recognize each other from racing. The voice acting in this game would include more of the characters reacting to one another the further the game progresses.
Next up is Slushie, a drop of freezing rain that is from the Slush Tribe located far north. Because members of the Slush Tribe speak to one another through shivers, his speech is next to unintelligible. The gradually warming conditions of the Earth's atmosphere is causing his tribe to weaken, so he is sent off to find the secret of the factory by his elder.
Plop is a rare species of "Big Drips", one that only appears during the heaviest of rains. His big and burly nature may make him seem intimidating, but one glance at his big grin and beady eyes will be enough to put anyone's worries to rest. A rather slow individual (in both speed and thoughts), but he is well aware that his life as a Big Drip is not a long one. He makes up for this by always having fun and finding enjoyment in the little things - like rolling down hills.
Sir Seltz is the head knight of the royal L'Aqua Raining Guard, specializing in protecting the royal family. When the princess goes missing, Sir Seltz springs into action immediately, rushing to the princess's aid while following clues as to her whereabouts. Quite the ladies man, his updo and shimmering smile are enough to swoon even the grumpiest of women in the kingdom. Little does he know that the princess may have more to do with the secret of the factory than he and her royal family may realize. Still, if the princess is missing, nothing will stand in his way of finding her - even if it means risking his own life.
Princess L'Aqua XVII is the final member of the roster, but certainly not the least. Her lineage traces back to the most ancient pools of groundwater that have been untouched and pure since time began. Her royal blood allows her to deflect all toxins, which one would think would make her safe from peril. Unfortunately this just seems to lead to more problems, as villains such as Viskus (who has actually heard of her family, being groundwater himself) want to use her blood for evil and personal gain. Along the way she also meets Drippy and Precipa Kate, and becomes allies with them quickly. Drippy's new mission becomes both reaching the factory and protecting the princess while Sir Seltz searches for her. Once the four of them all meet up, they then head as a group into the factory, where Viskus is waiting. Everyone soon discovers that the secret to the factory is High Priestess L'Aqua XV, L'Aqua's grandmother. The princess learns that the eldest member of the L'Aqua family (on her mother's side) becomes the new catalyst for the factory's purification system. This is a painless process that is renowned for its importance and generosity - the members of the royal family actually use their own pure blood to purify others.
L'Aqua could serve as a potential love interest for Drippy if the player receives nothing lower than 2nd place on every race, and 1st place during the factory level. If these conditions are not met, she simply returns to her kingdom with Sir Seltz, not before thanking Drippy and his sister for their tireless efforts and help in keeping the factory secure.
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