Say it with Objects
Compelling characters grow and change. How do we show their interiority? Dialog is the obvious way. Another way is through the use and exchange of objects.
In The Year After, instead of the father or mother telling their daughter to be careful, they insist she carry a crossbow for protection. The new crossbow shows how the surviving parent has been molded by tragedy. The daughter neglects to carry the crossbow: she doesn't take their worry seriously. When the daughter leaves home to explore the world, the mother or father does not need to say: “Please be careful. I can’t be there to protect you. You need to take care of yourself now.” They give the crossbow to her. She leaves and carries a piece of them with her.
In film, we often see objects used to carry symbolic or emotional meaning. When an important decision or emotional exchange between characters takes place, there's often some sort of physical contact or object exchanged. Ben Kenobi gives Luke his father's lightsaber.
Even if an object is ordinary and has no symbolic meaning, the physical act of passing it over already adds an extra layer of heft. Is a character angry? Don’t just have them say something snarky. Have them shove a pile of papers in the face of their coworker.
In The Year After, I tried to use objects whenever possible to express emotion and character. The mother obsesses over the tree, the father obsesses over the squirrels. The rooms of the house and the objects in them reflect the character's minds. Much of it isn't clear to players at first but slowly they make the connections. When it comes to spending time poring over objects, video games have an advantage over film. Players control the pace. They can examine, pause and think. They move when they are ready. Film moves us when it wants. Sometimes too slow or too fast.
In story-focused games, dialog can be powerful. Dialog can also become a crutch. So it's worth it to ask: "how can I say this with objects instead of with words?"
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Thanks! Incube8 are doing a good job with promo.
Been seein' the news of the collectors edition popping up a bit on news sites, including what I'm pretty sure was Nintendo Life. Good work and good luck with it all too, done a great job.