Guide on Novels and Games - VIDEOGAME CHARACTERS - PART 4

Hints on how use game features in stories varies depending on the type of characters and the features:

* True Videogame Character, make them keep their memories from when they where NPC, if the thing is not important for the story you can avoid to say the reason or make the reader think whatever you want, plus when they become real they develop skills related to their NPC's roles so a maid will be able to clean and a guard to fight using its weapon. Less background they have in the "game", more freedom of information the writer have when they become "real".
* Converted Character, usually they keep their avatar's current equipment and skills, if the "original game" used a class system where jobs are connected between each other (like for unlock magic archer ise need to level wizard to 7 and archer to 9) then the character will keep ALL the skills of the other classes and is free to use them at will.
* Current game characters, total freedom for what concern videogame features... personally I don't think there are any novel that use minigames so if someone know one that use them feel free to give me the name, comedy ones are more than welcome.
* Game Feature's User Character, make always a list of the features you want to use and exclude the ones that you are sure will never be used in your work, keep the other as reserve but if you plan of implement them then look for a good way and not something stupid like open a chest and obtain it.
* Stats, don't use numbers or, even better, make a list of skills without stats that are more easy to use and control especially if there is a mastery system involved but if you want to use them then use measurement units but more important AVOID THE USE OF LUCK AS STATS.
* Inventory, this feature have variations and is common that can't store living beings (but can store unanimated corpses), don't have time flow and things don't rot/rust or get cold/hot, instead pocket dimensions made via Space Magic have time flow, can store living beings and things can rot/rust or get cold/hot... the matter about the time flow can be managed via Time magic that can slow time BUT can't stop it so remember always this points.
* Party, in novels is a term used for indicates adventurer's teams and nothing more but in games it present more features like chat, the chance of see where the other members are, their status, etc. Personally I don't know works where the party features are used, the max I saw was a map like skills where the points become more small when the person is damaged and desappear when die.
* Chat, in novels is more used "telepathy" and I don't know a work that used the "chat" function.
* Windows, there are two "version" of it, the one that is see only by the user and one that can be see by anyone, the method for open them change based on the author.
* Skill List, the classic list of skills, depending on the lenght and the author this list is located in a different windows or is in the same of the one that show the stats... if the quantity of information that the window show is not much than use a single window I don't think is wrong.
* Level UP, there are formulas behind the level up mechanic and are nor just some simple "increase the stats of some random value" so I hint that whoever decide to use stats and level up then search for a "stat calculator" online or buy a program that is used for make games and use the eventual intern system, since I want to avoid unfair censorship for copyright violation I can't say the name of the program I legally purchased and use.
* Map, this function is quite nice in games and sometimes appear in novels too. A function can have is that of search thing in it but make it that can search anything without problem make it too OP especially if the map is dinamic and so show any movement anywhere and anytim.
* Warning Bell, it can be usefull in games but in novels with game features is better put the possibility of control it because if not then it become a pain to manage.
* Titles, in games I think is better that they give passive buffs but for what concern novels is better that they are just something used in society and dialogues, normally characters have already enough powers that make them strong for not say OP so use titles to would be like throw gasoline on fire. For better information about titles please read the section dedicated to titles. There are differences in growth between:
	+ Normal character (start with LV 1 with 1 or 2 skills or no skills).
	+ Boosted characters (start with a low LV and with various skills).
	+ OP character (start at MAX LV and can learn various skills).
	+ Omni potent/broken characters (start at MAX LV and can learn any type of skill without any problem). For this reason when you make one of this type keep in mind this.
* Make characters with the concept of "class" in mind, this way is more difficult give them skills that don't fit them like give a slow and armored tank a skill based on speed, if the character in question is an OP MC than ignore it since most of the times their class normally ignore any type of restriction.
* "Jack of all trade" characters are hard to deal especially if they are the MC for the main reason that if an author make him/her learn anything then any companion lost its function plus any "Jack of all trades" have the continue danger of become a "master of nothing" so for avoid it one need to make a detailed plan.
* Avoid numerical value for HP and MP and use colored bars with marks that show the percentage (25%, 50%, 75%, 100%), if you don't like this than use whatever you want.
* Perfection is hopelessness because there's nothing above it and for this reason don't exist, this mean that every character need at least a couple of weakness, even if they are stupid is not important and this work for both good and evil characters.
* DON'T MAKE THE MC OP FROM THE BEGINNING... any type of character that is OP from the beginning, if made wrong, will kill its own story since don't have any "power grow"... fails are part of our life, we learn from them and grow thanks to them, the same thing work for the characters of a novel or any type of project.