Trying to add some more personality into my characters. I'm toying with an emoticon system at the moment, but also wanting to keep buttons to a minimum I'm making the characters emote automatically to the events in game. My intend was just to keep the buttons low, but I feel it adds much more, it's like the character is communicating to the player, saying "thanks for not getting me killed! You did great!" or "Jesus! I nearly died!".
Appologies for the video quality, it's easier to see in game.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAIVTqWykMsI don't want to go overboard with little heart icons every time you complete a puzzle or took a step, but I was thinking at the end of each level (every level is 4 rooms long and the end of a theme of puzzles). Exclimation marks scripted in places of danger. Thumbs down when a team mate dies.
Some audio ques to go with would be great but I have no idea what my TV's should sound like, I was thinking something like the characters in VVVVVV who communicate so much through just two tones.
Emotes that I have currently;



Any more I should add?I also have one that displays the button to press to pick up boxes, I haven't tested this one out on anyone so I'm not sure if people will get it.
Please let me know what you think of the system and any other ideas about the game, I'd love to hear it all.