Getting the band together
Posted by
Nechrol
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Every hero needs a friend, a shoulder to cry on, or a verbal/literal punching bag for a scene where they must deal with their inner demons in a heart-rending cut-scene. Other characters open up the plot, make it interesting, and lend gravitas to the proceedings.
Putting over twenty-plus hours into a game nowadays without having other characters to interact with seems unthinkable. This however, mostly applies to mainstream games, people expect it, and they would not be wrong. If the protagonist spent the whole game only interacting with their right hand which had a crudely drawn face on it, it’d either be Vampire Hunter D all over again, or a more realistic portrayal of a hentai game.
When creating other characters for your protagonist to interact with, you want not only a difference in the way each one appears, but also, how they act, they require differing personalities. Said personalities usually fit in with the trope known as ‘The Five Man Band’.
Simply put, ‘The Five Man Band’ is a loose archetype used when devising how your characters will act and the role in the game that they will play. When considering each character and his or her purpose you want someone/something that will complement your protagonist.
Creating other members of the band that all act like a snarky douche makes the player want to repeatedly drive them over a cliff and laugh manically as the game over screen appears like some finally fulfilled Bond villain.
This little list is one of the most basic forms to use when starting to assemble your group of heroes.
The Hero
The focus of the work, the one that is going to lead the band through the game’s hardships. Perhaps he will dole out advice (if he’s not mute) and manage to squeeze in resolving some age-old dispute between another character and his estranged mother before going off to save the world. The most important quality is that he is driven towards the cause that propels you all onwards.
Examples: The ‘Hero’ from Dragon Age, Marcus Fenix, Captain Shepherd, every protagonist ever… ever
The Lancer
Perhaps the most important character save for the hero themselves. They usually contrast the hero in some way, be that snarky or uttering a catchphrase after they’ve launched someone out of building while the protagonist nods approvingly. Statistically, the Lancer is the one most likely to receive a high-five during the course of the game or be the only person the hero confides in.
Examples: Morte (Planescape Torment), Garrus Vakarian (ME), Roman ‘Let’s go bowling’ Bellic (GTAIV)
The Smart Guy
Noted for being physically weak in most cases but they balance this with proficiency in magic/technologies/knowing how to Macguyver the band out of a sticky situation with only a hairpin. They are quite likely to be the one behind the wheel of a vehicle or camp out at base while the protagonist is off killing space zombies.
Examples: Otacon (MGS), Arcade (Fall Out 3), ‘Skill’ (Fable), Edgar (FFVI)
The Big Guy
One of the most recognisable of the band due to the fact he is over seven foot tall with a neck as thick as the protagonists calf. Out of everyone in the group, they are the most likely to be the angriest and probably from a warrior clan/merciless group of killers. They are most notoriously portrayed as quite dumb in most universes and being the main damage dealer aside from the protagonist. However, the protagonist usually has the opportunity to enlighten them, telling them in a heartfelt scene that perhaps instead of blowing the enemies brains across the wall, they could maybe ‘hug it out’ next time.
Examples: Ward (FFVIII), Clank (R&C), Lu Bu (DW), Joachim (Shadow Hearts: Covenant)
The Chick
Perhaps the most token member of the band. If they’re affiliated with white magic then they are usually quite timid and thoughtful, if however they deal in black magic they are usually clinically insane. Sometimes they are there to be peacekeepers or the voice of reason in the band. They are not always a woman however; they can well be a guy or some sickeningly cute variation of Japanese teddy bear. The most probable character to harp on about the virtues of love and justice, perhaps getting themselves killed in the process.
Examples: One in every Final Fantasy game(no exceptions), Princess Peach, The Pyro (TF2)
The Mentor
Somewhat outside of the normal ‘Five Man Band’ trope, think of him as the manager, guiding our hero and possibly berating him for the idiot he’s just been, like if he accidently destroys a planet of pacifist space amoeba. As a rule of thumb, they are always older than the protagonist, preferably with a face that is so creased it gathers dust, creating the look of a haunted mannequin. They are also the most likely to screw the hero over at the end, revealing that it was all part of their master plan. This becomes most annoying when you’ve spent a large chunk of the game levelling them up to godly heights only for them to be taken away leaving you with an underpowered character still on their first weapon.
Examples: Kriea (KOTOR:2), Mac Tavish (MW2), Auron (FFX)
This collection of loveable rogues not only applies to the good guys, and more often than not, it is quite prominent within the main antagonists of the game. There’s always a mad scientist or dumb man mountain who couldn’t find his junk without an instruction manual.
These tropes are not restricted to games, they can be applied to almost any form of media out there, and their earliest appearance in videogames would probably be Role Playing Games. By default, each of these personas slot nicely into specific character ability; white mage, barbarian etc.
The most important factor is that your characters have distinct personalities and by its inherent nature, the trope plays up to the different personalities we encounter in games. When used effectively it adds an important factor to the ‘experience’ and is played particularly strongly in the next generation of consoles.
So, ‘The Five Man Band’ is probably one of the most easily definable tropes pertaining to characterisation and it has good reason to be. Just imagine a whole game where everyone acted like Jar-Jar Binks, it would be enough incentive for you to take a drill to your temple and perform an overly violent act. Because video games made you do it, apparently.