What makes a Hero?

ID:265175
 
Nov 17 2002, 7:58 pm
Im just wondering what everyone thinks that a good computer game Hero should be.
No specific genre.
-DogMan
Nov 17 2002, 8:05 pm
According to TV, the hero is always the guy who fights the best. And no matter how well the bad guys fight, the hero always fights better.
Nov 18 2002, 10:41 am
In response to Foomer
You probably haven't seen it, but Rob Roy was an excellent movie, and the protagonist certainly didn't fight better than the villain. I won't make any spoilers, in case anyone hasn't seen it.
Nov 18 2002, 1:20 pm
In response to Spuzzum
He beat the villain, didn't he? (I didn't like that movie.)
Nov 18 2002, 1:59 pm
A hero is someone who beats the odds when the odds are against him.
Nov 18 2002, 2:16 pm
It really depends on the game and story. A hero can be anything from a Superman-ish goody goddy to an egocentric Wario, who's almost at the other end of the morals spectrum. The hero in a game is most often recognised by the fact that the player controls them, meaning, if you're playing a guy who's goal is to outwit the cops and escape arrest, then you're the hero, and the cops are the villians.

If you're wondering what makes a hero in a general story: thier actions, their goals and by what they are willing to accomplish or endure to achieve these goals. Villians are generally selfish, egomaniacs with evil goals, willing to do anything to achieve them. The hero can be recognised by the fact that his goal is in opposition to that of the villian. It should be noted that the hero's goal should seem unobtainable by a normal person, but through sheer determination, skill, luck, or whatever, the protagonist (hero) endures, adapts, and succeeds.
Nov 18 2002, 2:40 pm (Edited on Nov 19 2002, 2:12 pm)
In response to Foomer
The hero is the character that the audience feels best towards. The gamer/audience that feels good towards the character and associates with said character will view that character as a hero.
Nov 18 2002, 2:44 pm
In response to Lord of Water
Well said!
Nov 18 2002, 3:09 pm
In response to Foomer
Yes, barely. The point was that he didn't fight better... he fought with more heart.
Nov 18 2002, 3:11 pm
In response to Spuzzum
Regardless of what motivated him, he fought better in the end because he won the fight.
Nov 18 2002, 3:14 pm
In response to Xooxer
The difference between the moral spectrums is called the hero and the anti-hero (or heroine/anti-heroine, I suppose). People will like and associate with either one if the game portrays them in a good light. For example, Tommy Vercetti -- he's bad to the bone and he's what everyone would call extremely close to being over the line of insanity. But he's the good guy at heart -- he wants to take out those vicious gangs with his own special brand of vigilante justice, thereby doing the world good, despite applying bad to do it.
Nov 18 2002, 3:14 pm
In response to Foomer
No he didn't. Technically speaking, he pulled a dirty trick. =P

(Sometimes a hero has to do something rather unheroic.)
Nov 18 2002, 3:15 pm
In response to Spuzzum
Whatever works. He still won the fight, and that makes him the better fighter :o)
Nov 18 2002, 3:16 pm
In response to Foomer
If I was fighting off vast hordes of goblins, and then you came up and stabbed me in the back, would that make you a better fighter? =P
Nov 18 2002, 3:18 pm
In response to Spuzzum
Of course not, it'd make you dead. The hero always wins, so you obviously weren't the hero, either.
Nov 18 2002, 5:08 pm
In response to Foomer
There are also movies where the protagonist dies, and through his/her death saves many lives.
Nov 18 2002, 6:39 pm
In response to Foomer
Foomer wrote:
According to TV, the hero is always the guy who fights the best. And no matter how well the bad guys fight, the hero always fights better.

In some 1980s and early 1990s movies, the heroes would get beat up by the villans, but would manage to win the war by placing first in a contest. (One could point out laywer shows where the hero merely argues. However, One Crazy Summer is more fun. ;) )