ABSTRACT
In the previous chapter, we considered the aesthetic qualities of play-able characters (PCs), with particular emphasis on the ways in which players can take on virtual roles. Although we were focused on the PC, we did touch on the contribution of nonplayable characters (NPCs) to the player’s experience of a game. In this chapter, we turn our attention to the wider cast of playable and nonplayable characters and consider the aesthetic qualities of the virtual ensemble. Even some of the earliest video games (such as those identied in the Introduction) included virtual character casts that were pivotal to the atmosphere and narrative of the product. e threat and sense of panic in Space Invaders {Taito 1978} is in large part due to the fact that the player is under attack from a relentless swarm of extraterrestrials rather than a singular enemy. Pac-Man {Namco 1980} may feature a memorable PC, but the arcade game that he is famous for would be incomplete without the distinctive cast of NPCs that he sought to evade. Over time, video game developers have added increasingly complex protagonists, antagonists, henchmen, sidekicks, and companions to their products. Today the games with the biggest budgets can contain casts of hundreds of unique virtual characters. But even games with relatively small budgets demonstrate expert use of carefully designed character ensembles.
