Evan Balster
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« Reply #41 on: December 24, 2012, 07:53:45 PM » |
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I was in love with the idea of no language barriers, maybe more than anything.
I did a little experiment last night, though, and I'm realizing total avoidance of language probably isn't forward thinking with what I want to do. I'd need to use symbolic representations a lot. It would be extremely difficult to animate it all, and a bit forced. A slightly more realistic goal would be extremely minimal use of language -- simple vocabulary applied with extreme terseness. This would permit the conveyance of simple concepts which would act as a sort of "scaffold" on which to build more complex, unspoken ideas.
The time I've spent thinking about the game having no language has been insightful though -- Robin Arnott uses the term "temporary belief system" to describe this sort of thing. I've found myself paying much greater attention to body language and facial expressions in film and animation and thinking about systems of mannerisms I could construct and convey.
The little script I've written details the mental/emotional state and consequent body language of two characters as they exchange five lines of dialogue. There's a lot going on behind the words said -- white lies, feelings, motives -- which motivates eye movements, postures, et cetera. A lot to work with, when I pair a great deal of subtext with a bare minimum of speech.
At this point I'm toying with the idea of having the game's text read like a crude translation of a foreign film, or a children's book. That's a reasonably "low" language barrier, and more than enough for me to convey complex ideas. I also feel as though words will have greater weight if few and far between.
As an example:
The protagonist stands at the base of a great tree, wearing a satchel on his back. Another like it sits against the trunk. Him arms are crossed, and he is looking upwards into its high branches. He shifts his weight from one leg to the other.
A leaf flutters into view from above and drifts to the ground beside him. Giving it no notice, he breathes deeply, and sighs.
Onscreen narration:
"To those who do not know her,
perhaps she does not seem frail."
The unspoken ideas here (which I expect I am entirely redundant in recounting) are that the protagonist is traveling with someone he is protective toward, she has elected to climb into the tree, and he is quietly worried and impatient for her to come back down.
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