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[Smithy]

Just remember he can still think and you should find a way.

[Aquin]

Heh, I can't actually "get into people's heads" either.

The story is told from the point of view of the narrator.  The narrator is the player and these characters are reacting to the narration.  It's kinda hard to describe.

But no thought bubbles. 

[Lynx]

Emotion and gestures can do a lot.  I think having him use sign language or writing notes would weaken the strength of the 'character can't talk' thing.

Simple things like having him catch and gift a butterfly or small animal to someone could make him more enigmatic.  He wants to communicate, to express himself and connect to others, but he no longer has the means to do so.  He might turn to giving gifts, or trying to perform heroic feats to impress others, or he might reject others if he senses their hostility.

[Aquin]

Yeah exactly!  I don't want him writing notes or doing things like that.  You bring up a good point.  We're so used to characters defined by their dialog, but I really want this guy to speak with his actions.  I think I know what I want to do.  You'll notice Totoro doesn't have any dialog either... that's sorta what I'd like from this guy.

Thanks, you really made me feel better with that post! 

[Lynx]

No problem!

He could be defined also by how the other characters feel about him.  Maybe someone knew him before he lost his voice, or senses something special beneath his apparently silent demeanor.

Ideally though, the player should want to keep him around because they're interested in unraveling that mystery as well.  Maybe he seems really powerful when he leaps in to help the player, and yet the local villagers treat him like dirt because they heard stories about how he was a coward back somewhere, or think that he's a criminal and a thug...  And he can't exactly testify in his own defense now, can he?

[Aquin]

Well, the point of the game is that all 6 main characters are complete strangers to each other.  They end up helping one another out mainly due to circumstance and convenience.  It's kind of an odd RPG, because there isn't a central storyline... but rather 6 inter-woven (and somewhat related) little plots.

I think I should consider that sort of 'duality' to the way people perceive him.  Is he just a bum on the streets or is he a thief or what exactly is he?  I'd like to keep that a secret as long as possible.

[Lynx]

There you go!  Give each of them a different opinion about who he is, and about each other as well.   That might help give you a better idea of how the characters would act and think as well.

Character A: F is a thief!  Why are we taking him along?
Character B: If F has stolen, it is only because he is in such desperate needs.  He seems like a decent sort.
Character C: Oh, the poor man!  It must be so terrible not to be able to speak.  What choice does he have, when he can't even offer to work for what he needs?
Character D: Rubbish, you're mollycoddling the dolt.  He was probably dropped on his head as a baby.  Grew up strong though.
Character E: I sense a strong power within him.  We cannot truly judge him without knowing the full truth of the matter.
Character F: ...

Though I wrote that up for amusement value, don't take it seriously. 

[CrushBR]

Uh, that's a great tip there !
and some characters could have the same opnion too and discuss about it, or for some action during the game by the player some characters could change their opnion for good or bad..
well, you can think a lot of this, very nice !

[Aaron G.]

Some of the greatest "stories" I've experienced in video games were the result of emergent player interaction in multiplayer games that didn't involve any words.  Obviously they weren't character-driven epics, and it's debatable that the emergent nature of the event is what makes it so novel in the first place, but I still find it sort of interesting to the topic at hand.

Think about your average, online FPS match.  It doesn't take long for someone to identify the player(s) on the opposite team that always seem to kill them (the villain?) or to find the best player on their team and stay close to him (the hero?) with or without any form of communication.  (I guess in the example the player in question is the sidekick?) 

Also consider how passionate players can get about defeating who they view to be their rival (the antagonist) in any particular match. (Teabagging!?  Good heavens!  )

Maybe it's not a traditional story but the amount of emotion a multiplayer match can evoke from a player without the use of words might offer clues to how single player games can use gameplay, instead of twenty minute cut scenes, to affect a player.  Or maybe I'm full of it, I don't know.

[FatHat]

Some of the greatest "stories" I've experienced in video games were the result of emergent player interaction in multiplayer games that didn't involve any words.  Obviously they weren't character-driven epics, and it's debatable that the emergent nature of the event is what makes it so novel in the first place, but I still find it sort of interesting to the topic at hand.

Think about your average, online FPS match.  It doesn't take long for someone to identify the player(s) on the opposite team that always seem to kill them (the villain?) or to find the best player on their team and stay close to him (the hero?) with or without any form of communication.  (I guess in the example the player in question is the sidekick?) 

Also consider how passionate players can get about defeating who they view to be their rival (the antagonist) in any particular match. (Teabagging!?  Good heavens!  )

Maybe it's not a traditional story but the amount of emotion a multiplayer match can evoke from a player without the use of words might offer clues to how single player games can use gameplay, instead of twenty minute cut scenes, to affect a player.  Or maybe I'm full of it, I don't know.

That is a good point -- a lot of my favorite gaming stories are from multiplayer games where a story wasn't even supposed to be part of it. On the other hand, I think most of those stories arose from being a complete dick to other players.. 

[Aquin]

There is certainly an emotional reaction.  The first time I ran into PvP in WoW (on a PvP server), I completely freaked.   

I also won.  Field PvP was amazing (you know, back before the honor system and everyone was still trying to level instead of roaming around for a gank.)  I was so excited, I couldn't play any more, because my hands were trembling.  I thought I was gonna have a heart attack. 

It took a long time for me to grow numb to the inherent fright of world PvP.  Then the honor system came and completely changed the scales.  I think that's when I gave up on the game.  I wish I could find another multiplayer game like that.  There's something to be said for 'unexpected' PvP.