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[PoV]

So sure, everybody's got their own crazy ways for coming up with character concepts.  Myself, I have a tendency to just draw random crap, and keep a personal collection of concepts I feel has merit.

So in my usual random ways, I was doodling in Sketchbook Pro.  That is until I had a holy sh*t moment, and quickly copied a doodle to my sketchbook, to help preserve it. 



I don't know what most people's reactions to something like that are.  Probably "too simple" or "crap" comes to mind, but I saw that and thought, "dude, that could totally be something".  Some wacky character with either a box on their head, rectangular space helmet.  Neat.

So a half hour of further development later, we end up with TV head alien "Toob".



Great.

The thing is though, this design/concept seems way to obvious to me.  An alien'ish creature, with a head in a "TV", with antennae on the TV itself.

As I see it, there totally has to be a game/tv/cartoon character out there like it.  That's where I need your help.  Who/what have I telepathically ripped off?

[Melly]

I don't remember anyone EXACTLY like that.

By the way, I LOVE that character. I'd totally play a game with it. It kicks great ammounts of ass (fan of clean-style amusing characters. Plus it's adorable).

[rey-o]

off the top of my head - i can't think of anything else like it. Its a great idea, maybe even one of those 'i can't believe no one else has thought of it' kinda ideas.

even if someone else do it before, i'd say just run with it and keep on exploring.

[Melly]

Also want to mention the name, though predictable, fits perfectly, and is even more adorable.

[Guert]

I don't remeber any characters who wear tvs on their heads. The teletubbies jammed their in their guts but that's another story.

The concept of a tv head is very popular when artists try to illustrate our modern society but hasn't found it's way into cute lovable mascots I'm pretty sure you'll be able to find artists that used the concpet before in other context but I can honestly say that I've never seen this one used before.

I say work on the concept and then copyright it so that if it's ever used in a big cartoon show, you'll be able to get some credits

Good work, the character looks great!
Good job!

[Derek]

The only thing I can think of would be the robot from FLCL, but it's really not very similar:



I like it!

[PoV]

Thanks for the positive feedback everyone. 

I totally forgot about FLCL and even the Teletubbies (we all try to forget them).

Thus far, the only thing I've been able to think of was an Andrew Bell toy I've run in to a few times, where the face is a sort of TV screen.



And yeah, I think I remember some cheesy film/TV commercial stuff involving TV heads, but that's hardly an issue as far as game character design is concerned.  Still, I swear I must have seen the TV head thing more places.  *shrug*

Thanks everyone for their help so far.

[fish]

alien hominid/gir

[handCraftedRadio]

Is the tv attached to his head, or does he wear it like a hat?

[Xion]

I have never seen anything like this.
This is genius.

I mean, TVs as heads sure...
But never heads in TVs.

It would be cool if he could like, change the channel of his head.

[Madgarden]

You totally ripped off my TV-headed character, TEEV!



How could you!

Oh OK, fine... you go ahead and use your little TOOB character. I don't mind.

[Robotacon]

There are a massive amount of characters that has a TV for a head. I wouldn't call it a rip. However, I was also thinking Alien Hominid more than anything else.

[Melly]

Alien Hominid does not possess a TV on his head.

...or does he? 

[AdamAtomic]

looks new to me.  also looks awesome.  do want!

[remouk]

Looks like Bomberman. It also reminds me a character (called TiVi) I drew a long time ago... People told me it was a Bomberman ripp-off too.

Lovely!

[mike]

Hmmm... It kind of, sort of, reminds me of Katamari character designs:



But I still think your character(s) are the cutest!

-Mike

[papamook]

closest I can think of is evil edna

I say go for it! Are you keeping the pencilled art style with white backdrops for the game? I'm a sucka for traditional media styles

[Tr00jg]

It reminds me of Invader Zim's Gir.



It is not the "TV" but the feel I got from it.

[PoV]

Are you keeping the pencilled art style with white backdrops for the game? I'm a sucka for traditional media styles

Unlikely, but I agree it's cool direction.

You totally ripped off my TV-headed character, TEEV!

Nooooooooooooooo! 

It would be cool if he could like, change the channel of his head.

Yeah, I was toying with that idea myself.  You could change your channel as a disguise.  Obviously, only the head would be different, but it's a fun idea in a cartoon sort of way.  Another option would be to change the channel around him, causing the level to instantly change.

Or go even further with the TV idea.  Scramble the signal (i.e. screen distorts all weird) as a temporary invincibility, buying/generating tools or weapons from the shopping channel, or various "creative editing" features, but that's starting to get in to Braid territory if we start talking pausing, rewinding and fast forwarding.

Katamari, Zim/Gir, Bomberman, Hominid

It is not the "TV" but the feel I got from it.

Yep, that's pretty much what I try to do.  That cartoon/minimalist sort of stuff.

[Tr00jg]

Changing the channels to change the level is an awesome idea! It could make for some cool Zelda-esque puzzles!