Concept for RPG - swordmaster girl

[monochrome]

Hallo, I'd like to know your opinion on this concept of a character for a RPG. We recieved very negative reaction from our potencional publisher (which I can post here later, right now I only want to know what do you thing about it)

She is one of the characters in your party- not a main character, but rather important. She is swordmaster, not a girl you fal in love with, but more like "good friend", or so... :)

So please, any critics will be welcome.
And sorry for my poor english:)



http://www.e-motion-gfx.com/tom/swordmaster.jpg

[tyboogie]

Nice drawing! one thought--does she have to wrap heself up in that black strap every morning before leaving the house?--because that may be a little impractical. keep it up--ty

[Yaseck]

I think she sleeps in it. Or maybe she doesn't sleep at all? Warriors don't sleep at houses. :-)
Anyway, nice drawing. I don't understand why it was rejected..

[Fipse]

I personally can´t see any problems with the drawing itself. She seems o.k. so far. I just can imagine that the publishers have another idea about the RPG in mind. I suppose it´s a computer RPG (yes, I belong since 20 years to the P&P-Gamers ;)).

I just can imagine that the type of character maybe won´t fit into the atmosphere or the setting of the game. For me she doesn´t look very medieval, her clothes seem more postapocalyptic or Cyberpunk-like. I think the information what kind of RPG it is and what atmosphere it should have fails so I can´t judge, why the publishers (beside personal opinions) have got anything against it. E.g. if the game would be a RPG like "Planescape torment" the character wouldn´t morbid enough or for a game like "Fallout" she simply would be too "clean".

@ tyboogie
Better don´t judge Fantasy-Drawings on their realism - than you could throw away 95% of the stuff ;).

Fipse

[ChadTHX1138]

This may or may not help...But I am trying to look at this from the angle of the publisher, As I myself have had to go through this recently.

From a marketing standpoint you have to ask "does this character have the appeal to put her on T-shirts Posters and make action figures from". Be honest with yourself.

Now there is nothing wrong with the drawing, they could just want a female that is more more appealing to the eyes so it sells product. It has to grab the attention of the viewer in a split second in order to make that viewer look it over in more detail so He/She will buy it.

You can look at characters like Lara Croft for instance. It's the Glasses and big lips that made her stand out, then the pony tail, BOOBS etc. You might then say "well my character looks good..." yes she does I agree. But...Can she sell it to everyone else.

GREAT DRAWING, sometimes you just have to keep developing and push yourself further so everyone is happy. even if it makes you crazy! doing it over and over and over...

take it easy bro.

[Cryo]

What i'd say is that the drawing is fine.
However is the lead character? Or is she a 2ndry character.

Looking at the pic I'c say she looks like a background character as she does not realy have any personality, apart from being being a bit sassy. She is just a girl with a couple of swords on her back- possibly an assasin or thief?

If she is your main character I feel she needs to have more presence. A trade mark. She is more stereotype than architype. As Chad says she needs a hook like Laras Glasses and Big boobs. What does she look like in silloetee? Not a lot.
But if you look at laras silloetee then you know its Lara.

[azjohnl]

I think I sort of agree that she isnt fully developed as a concept yet, she could definately be pushed further. Good start though.

[Happeh]

I think the publisher rejected becuase the character looks like a female impersonator.

The face and hands say man too me. The lips and boobs don't cover it up. Female Impersonators stuff the bra about that size.

[monochrome]

Thanks everybody for critics, it helped me to sort my thoughts. Maybe I haven't realized difference between "drawing" and "concept art" - that drawing which seems satisfying to me does'nt mean good concept.

Chad: Yes, you've got the point, now I think this is exactly why the publisher didn't agree with this concept. The problem is, that the main characters aren't designed yet, so this is only "one of the 2nd characters"

Cryo: the same as Chad, I like the idea with the silloetee, thanks :)

Flipse: yes, but the idea of the game, the whole atmosphere etc. isn't fully developed yet - I have discussions with the lead designer (and author) about this almost every day, he only wants it to be "classical fantasy, but not too generic, not too extravagant, you know..." That's why we haven't the main character yet :)

Tyboogie, Yaseck: Only the greatest of the warriors know how to wrap themselves into this! :)

Happeh: hm, ... I don't know ...? :)

Anyway, thanks everybody, I'll post here some new concepts soon.

[Cryo]

Sounds like a typical designer to me! They never know what they want until someone shows them what they want.