Is
this character based on Sonic Team's or Archie's portrayal of
Sonic the Hedgehog? This is pretty self-explanatory.
Is your character based on Sonic Team's portrayal of Sonic the
Hedgehog or Archie's? If your character is Archie-inspired, the
guidelines are much more loose since Archie has done a whole lot
more with their characters and has jumped many boundaries unheard
of in the game continuity. However, if your character is inspired
by the games, which is what most are based off of, then you got
some strict guidelines to follow.
Character
Image (if available): An
image of your character can be critical in measuring their originality.
If your character's depiction does not conform to the anatomy,
size proportions, and overall feel of a Sonic character,
then it should be discarded and not included in your final profile
draft. Some people use human figure-esque anthropomorph pictures
for their Sonic characters. That's lame, see? Sonic characters
aren't shaped much like humans. Sonic characters have large heads,
feet, hands, no visible neck, wiry; spaghetti-like limbs (however,
the legs seem to have a more noticeable angular bend at the knees
than the arms do), and a generally small body (for the compact
ones like Sonic). Very, VERY general anatomy and the bipedal form
are the only things they have in common with humans. So if you
have a character image, make sure that it is not only very impressively-drawn,
but also make sure it conforms to the Sonic-style anatomy.
Name:
Picking
a name for your creation can sometimes be difficult. For others,
it just hits them out of nowhere. (I usually conjure up a name
during the initial 'imagination' phase of creating a fancharacter
when I'm still thinking them up.) But then there are those who
have trouble with it. First, you must take into account the names
of Sonic characters. Sonic characters' names seem to be no more
than actual words and nouns. Sonic, Knuckles, Tails, Blaze, Shadow,
Bean, Bark, Vector… there are no actual human names
like Daniel, Robert, William, Jerry, or anything like that. Amy
is the only exception, so your options might just be a little
more loose with girls. Just make sure not to make them too realistic
by naming your Sonic character Victoria or Joanne
or something. Changing those names to a much more simple, yet
cool shortened version works, however. Vicky and Jo. See? Pretty
good Sonic names with a hint of realism.
Back in the day, Sonic characters were named to somehow emphasize
their abilities. Sonic, since he runs fast. Tails, since he has
two tails. Knuckles to show his pointed knuckles. Even Eggman
was named to showcase his egg-shaped physique. Fancharacters are
notorious for having Sonic-like names that do not emphasize their
abilities at all. In fact, when Blaze first came out, many thought
she was just a stupid fancharacter gone in the spotlight because
of her name and fancharacter-ish appearance… even though
that doesn't make sense, since her appearance is actually original.
But then later, her name revealed to be true to her ability since
she can apparently control fire.
So remember, when naming your Sonic fancharacter, make sure to
use a real word or noun that fits their abilities
or personalities. If you insist on using real names, try to make
them as short and cool-sounding as you can. You can also make
up a totally original name, but it takes some thought since it
can end up sounding silly.
As for surnames, you can use them as well. And your boundaries
are unlimited with surnames. Just avoid making the surname the
same thing as the character's species. "Hedgehog" is
not Sonic's last name.
And then there are those fans who give their fancharacters Japanese
names. Look, for those of you who do that… I am sure you're
quite proud that you managed to Google up an archive of Japanese
names and surnames, but giving them to your Sonic character without
full knowledge of the culture you are obviously trying
perpetuate through him/her is basically an insult to the Japanese
culture. Not to mention, it is insanely cliché and unoriginal.
So unless your character is meant to express the culture inside
and out, don't give your character some badass Japanese name that
you don't even fully understand. It makes a fool out of you, and
everyone will hate you for it.
Nicknames:
Nicknames,
for the most part, are your call. Most nicknames can be morphed
versions of the character's real name, or can be totally different
names that express personality traits of the character or their
abilities. I.E., a character with electric elemental abilities
would have a nickname such as Sparky or Zap-head
or something along those lines. However, don't think I am encouraging
you to make an electric elemental character. Elemental adepts
are overused.
Age:
Age
is your call. Just make sure the age accomodates the characters
gimmick and personality.
Race:
Race
(AKA species for anthros) is extremely important to your
Sonic character. Try to think outside the box on this, even if
it means having to choose a species that doesn't happen to be
your favorite animal. My favorite animal before I made my character,
Teck, was a cheetah. But I instead made Teck a porcupine (he is
an ooold character, back when porcupines were actually rare in
the fancharacter base).
Try your best to avoid species commonly seen in the games, ESPECIALLY
hedgehogs. You can bet your left leg that 75% of Sonic fancharacters
are hedgehogs. They are easy to design, variable, and quite hardy…
but in the end, very unoriginal. They are too common. Foxes are
also becoming progressively common because of the increasing number
of Tails fans, so stay away from those too. And unless your fancharacter
is based off of Archie, do not make it an echidna. Knuckles is
the last of his race in the game continuity, and you should make
it stay that way.
Other commonly used species include cats, wolves, hybrids, and
porcupines. A note on porcupines: don't make your character a
porcupine just so you have an excuse to give your character quills
and look like a hedgehog without actually being a hedgehog.
That's how most porcupines are used. Porcupines are NOT hedgehogs.
They aren't even in the same animal kingdom order. Hedgehogs are
not rodents like porcupines are. If you want to use a porcupine,
make the character LOOK the part, instead of like a hedgehog or
echidna with more quills. THINK.
Gender:
The gender is your call. Male or female, or neither (in case your
character is asexual or is a robot). Just try to make the gender
fit the race and personality. Female characters should be smaller
and petite animals. It's kind of weird to imagine a female crocodile
character, although it is possible and original. I've seen it
done. Also, there is no need to secure your sexuality by staying
away from creating a fancharacter that happens to be the opposite
sex. Don't let that stop you from making an original character,
even if it is a boy and you're a girl or vice versa. Nobody really
cares. In fact, my female character, Zenith, is probably my most
popular one.
Height:
The
height depends entirely on the race and age. If your character
is a compact animal that is no taller than a foot and is no longer
than two feet tops (i.e. foxes, house cats, small dogs, porcupines,
shrews, hedgehogs, mice, rabbits, etc., etc), then your character's
height should not exceed 4 and a half feet if they are over 20
years of age. 20 and under would be even shorter. But for much
larger animals like crocodiles (ala Vector), elephants, giraffes,
rhinos, dinosaurs, komodo dragons, livestock, etc., etc., then
the character's height should be no taller than 7 feet. Remember,
just use the official characters for reference. Sonic characters
are naturally SHORT.
Weight:
Weight
is very diverse with Sonic characters. If they are big, they should
weigh a lot. Vector is obviously not fat, but he is nearly 6 feet
tall, and he weighs 200 kilograms. That's a lot of weight. But
Sonic only weighs a mere 77 lbs, which is still kinda heavy for
something as slim and compact as him. Just make sure to make the
weight fit in with the height, age, and race. Since weight is
such a variable statistic, NEVER copy from official characters
unless there is no other alternative.
IQ: The
IQ here is one of the unusual fields in this template. I'm sure
an IQ is something you never thought you'd have to decide for
your fancharacter. But here is a rule of thumb: the more information,
the BETTER. The IQ is pretty much your call, but make sure not
to go overboard. 300 or above is unfair: Eggman is supposed to
be the smartest. If you want your character to be intelligent,
make him intelligent in other things not commonly seen in the
games.
ALWAYS make sure you have the intelligence and knowledge
to back your character's expertise up. It would just be plain
dumb for some illiterate idiot to make a fancharacter with a knack
for physics, right? Especially when he uses that fancharacter
in fanfics/comics/RPGs a lot, and has the character use his 'expertise'
in physics. Because most of the time, the creator doesn't know
WTF he is talking about, making both him and his/her fancharacter
look stupid.
Always try to make your fancharacter as about as intelligent as
you are. Your intellect should cap your fancharacter's. Because
if your fancharacter is real intelligent, others will expect him
to be that way, thus you'd need to be real intelligent as well.
Here is a good scale of realistic IQs that I lazily googled up.
Remember, Eggman's is unique: 300 is literally impossible, except
for him.
Below 30: Illiterate; basically retarded
30-50: Pretty stupid; education level is about 1st or 2nd grade
50-60: Capable of executing only simple tasks
60-74: Forest Gump's IQ was 75, so you get the picture
75-89: Below average; 8th-12th grade education level
90-100: RIGHT below average: high school graduation education
level
100-115: Average intelligence
111-125: Slightly above average intellect, easily capable of a
Master's Degree
126-132: Above average intelligence: capable of being a college
professor
133-140: Quite intelligent, no limitations on career potentiality
141- 150: Highly intelligent: capable of being a gifted physics/math
professor
151 -160: Extremely intelligent: Nicolaus Copernicus' IQ was around
this area
160-220: Maximized intelligence statistic: Einstein, Shakespeare,
Newton. These are 1 in a million
Again, make sure your character's IQ matches your literacy and
knowledge on things. That way, if you express your character's
intellect a lot, whether it be through an RPG, his role in a fanfic
or comic, or by other means, you won't come off like a complete
dumbass since your character will be knowledgeable in things you
can relate to.
Marital
Status: Is
your character married, or perhaps hooked up with a girl/guy,
or single?
DOB:
Date
of Birth… since the year in the games is unknown, do not
list the year the character was born. Month and day do fine. But
if your character is Archie-inspired, look into what year it is
in the comic books and then do the math.
Birth
Place: Where
was your character born? If you insist on making up a location,
try to be as creative as you can. Otherwise, use an official location
such as South Island, Westside Island, Capital City, Station Square
(unless you believe Sonic X is canon and your character isn't
human), or a zone.
Residence:
The
residence is where your character currently resides. Doesn't have
to be the birthplace. Try to think of an actual place instead
of making your character a wanderer or some mysterious shadowy
figure. That's lame and stupid.
Occupation:
An
occupation is not a 'wanderer' or 'loner.' Unless your character
gets paid for wandering and being alone, then it isn't
a freakin' occupation. An occupation is an actual JOB where the
character seeks revenue.
Social
Class: Another
definition for social class is what type of clique your character
fits into. Prep, goth, wasp, yuppie, hardcore vigilante, loner,
average joe? You decide.
Economic
Class: Economic
class comes in three sects: the lower class, the middle class,
and the upper class. You can divide them a bit more to assert
technicality by saying upper-lower class, or mid-upper class,
but you get the point. If your character has no money and is financially-challenged,
he/she is lower class. If your character has enough to get by,
he/she is middle-class. By now, you should know that upper class
is self-explanatory.
Alignment:
Does
your character exhibit a righteous, vigilant state of mind, an
immoral, power-driven state of mind, or is he unconcerned and
indifferent? Escape the trend and try making a baddie or at least
an anti-hero or indifferent character.
Top
Speed: Top
speed is a subject of debate for anthro Sonic fancharacters. Whatever
you do, never make your character as fast as or faster than Sonic/Shadow.
Sonic/Shadow are the fastest Sonic characters, and it shall STAY
that way. Making your character faster than Sonic is
totally unoriginal and takes away from Sonic's fame and thunder.
"But in the games, all the characters are very fast and
can run through loops and mobius strip obstacles!" Yes,
I'm sure you're saying that to yourself. But does that mean they
can zoom way over 760 MPH like Sonic? No, it doesn't.
The thing with most fans, including myself at one point, is that
they underestimate the power of speed. A roller coaster can pull
off loops and mobius strip-like turns at a mere (in comparison
to the 400+ MPH commonly associated with Sonic characters) 120
MPH. Who's to say Knuckles, Amy, Espio, etc., etc. aren't running
at 120 MPH? You have no proof that Knuckles or Rouge can blast
up to 700 MPH. Take into account all of the speed-increasing things
in Sonic games such as slopes and speed boosters, which can so
much as double to quadruple the character speed, making it SEEM
like they come off as naturally fast when they're really not.
So I've made an update to the original speed scale to display
your speed options for your fancharacter if you want them to be
original…
- Slow Runner (10-40 MPH) (i.e. Fang,
Bark, Big, Storm)
- Below Average Runner (45-80 MPH) (i.e.
Tails [when running on feet], Vector)
- Average Runner (85-130 MPH) (i.e. Rouge,
Knuckles, Wave)
- Above Average Runner (135-155 MPH) (i.e.
Cream, Jet, Tails [when tails spin], Charmy, Mighty)
- High Speed Runner (160-175 MPH) (i.e.
Espio, Amy)
- Gifted Runner (180 MPH and beyond) (i.e.
Sonic, Tails [when in flight], Shadow)
The last one (Gifted Runner) should be off
limits to your fancharacter. 180 MPH tops is plenty for
your fancharacter to run through any basic Sonic game zone entirely
without a problem. Most importantly, it makes Sonic's speed ability
stand out all the more.
Basic
Stats: 1 - lowest, 10 - highest (added numbers cannot exceed 40)
Agility -
Speed -
Strength -
Defense -
Evasiveness -
Dexterity -
Intelligence -
Battle skill -
The basic stats are pretty self-explanatory
and are more of a utility field to define what the character can
and cannot do efficiently in battle. Make sure the Speed stat
accomodates your character's top speed. Slow runner would
be around 1-2, below average would be 2-3, average
would be 4-6, above average would be 7-8, and a high
speed runner would be a 9 or 10. Otherwise, just list the
stats accordingly and make sure they match your character's strengths
and weaknesses. Even everything out, and make sure the added numbers
do not exceed 40.
Special Attacks: Special
attacks are simple. Basically, you just list your character's
attacks. For example, Shadow's special attacks include the roll,
spinball jump, spin dash, light speed dash, Chaos Spear, Chaos
Control, Chaos Blast, etc., etc.
DEFAULT special attacks for pretty much any Sonic character
include the roll and spinball jump. There aren't a lot of Sonic
characters that can't do those two skills, so you can
give your character the roll and spinball jump by default. The
spindash is also a pretty common attack that is very learnable
as well, but not as much as the spinball jump. I'd say the spindash
is usable for your fancharacter if he/she is around Vector's top
speed or faster.
The homing attack is also negotiable for VERY fast characters,
since the speedsters in Sonic Heroes used it. Amy is the only
exception. So, I'd say if your character is a High Speed Runner,
you can use the homing attack too. Light Dash and Chaos Control
are off limits. Your character using Chaos Control is basically
ripping off of Shadow. In fact, using a bunch of Chaos Emerald-fueled
abilities as a whole is basically ripping off of Shadow and is
just your attempt to make your character look like some cheap
and godly piece o' crap.
If you want to have some kind of power source fuel your character's
REAL special attacks, keep to the damn tradition and make it power
rings. Do not involve the Chaos Emeralds, time stones, Chaos rings
or any of those things with your character's special attacks.
Not even official characters use Chaos Emeralds to fuel their
special attacks. Only Shadow does, and we all know Shadow is enough
of a power trip as it is.
Abilities
& Aptitude: Abilities
and aptitude is where you list the special things your character
can do naturally: what they were gifted with. Like, if your character
has the power to control fire, or is abnormally powerful or has
keen hearing/smelling/vision instincts, is a very good swimmer,
etc., etc, this is where they would go. Basically, this is where
Sonic's amazing speed ability would be listed.
If Sonic Team-inspired, try not to go Harry Potter here and use
a bunch of magic or elemental abilities. Blaze introduced elemental
powers (control over fire) into the world of Sonic, but you gotta
remember, she comes from an alternate world. So there is no proof
there are any elemental characters on Sonic's world. Nobody is
going to be impressed with your character's goofy ice/electric/fire/earth/wind
or water powers. It's overused. So don't bother.
I f you are completely clueless as to what original abilities
to give your character and you're desperate, never forget to look
at your character's species. If you are using a spider character,
there are a ton of abilities and aptitude right there: web-shooting,
high agility, awesome climbing, etc., etc. The species can bestow
upon the character quite a few abilities. However, don't go too
crazy. Even though Sonic characters may be animals, they seem
to be lacking of many of their species-given traits. Last time
I checked, echidnas can't glide and climb. They can, however,
dig very well. Also, remember not to borrow abilities and aptitude
from official characters. Not only does that show laziness, but
it is also unoriginal.
On a very important note, don't forget the realism of your character's
abilities. Realism is applied to special attacks as well, so listen
up. If your character has unrealistic abilities, they also take
away from originality. If your character is a fire or electric
adept, at least try to come up with a plausible scientific
model on how they acquired those powers and how those powers work.
Making your character use supernatural abilities is already a
huge kill on realism in the first place, but you can save the
realism a bit and completely save the originality if you give
a very accurate solution on how the ability works and how it is
scientifically sensible. Think with science and abide to the laws
of physics, or else your character is unoriginal AND unrealistic.
The Sonic universe may be quite surreal, but physics is still
applied.
Hobbies
& Talents: This
is easy. What are your character's hobbies and what is he/she
talented at? Music? Math? Singing? Mechanics? Painting? Cooking?
It could be anything. Things that would go in here also include
some unique personal traits such as your character's talent to
always point out strange things to a compulsive extreme, observe
things and gather information, or have a very good knack at memorization.
Weaknesses:
These do no include weaknesses already mention in Basic Stats
Weaknesses
are critical to even your character out if they are very powerful.
Try to give them some very severe battle-oriented and physical
weaknesses. Don't make everything mental such as how they are
too egotistical. And for the love of God, don't make their friends,
loved-ones, or family one of their weaknesses. EVERYONE has a
weakness for their friends, loved-ones and family. That doesn't
count.
Personal
facts
Friends: Just
list your character's friends. If you insist that your character
has a friendship with an official character, don't make it too
intimate. The most it could be is an average friendship.
Rivals: A rival defines someone who
can stand up against your character with equal fortitude and strengths.
Try not to make an official character a rival of your character
unless a plausible reason is presented, because all that says
about your fancharacter is, "OMG, MY CHARACTER IS BETTER
THAN SONIC, TAILS, KNUCKLES AND SHADOW PUT TOGETHER HAHAHAHAA
LOLERZ!"
Enemies: Enemies
are self-explanatory. Eggman would only fit in here because he
plays out his schemes on a monumental, sometimes global scale
and EVERYONE knows and dislikes him. Otherwise, list your character's
personal enemies.
Known relatives: Naming your character's
relatives is a BIG up in originality, and shows you put a lot
more effort in the character and went that extra mile. Whatever
you do, avoid two things: do not biologically relate your fancharacter
to official characters. All that is is some lame-ass, pathetic
attempt of yours to make your fancharacter stand out and seem
more special than others. And for the love of God, escape the
cliché of making your character's parents and relatives
all dead. You can still make your character an angstball without
having to kill his poor parents.
Likes/Favorite activities: List the
things your character likes to engage in or any odd personal habits
he has that he enjoys doing. Cooking, cleaning, dating, taking
walks, adventuring, eating, meditating, going out to enjoy the
city life… all of those are good examples of what'd go here.
Dislikes/Least favorite activities: Same
as the above, except you instead list what your character dislikes.
And don't list obvious things such as seeing his relatives or
friends hurt. We all hate that.
Gourmet of choice: Obviously, you just
list your character's favorite foods here. Describing little trivial
facts like this up originality. If your character is compact and
fit, just make sure that he doesn't eat too much high fat foods
in case he has a low activity level. Because if he did, then he
wouldn't be fit or compact.
Beverages of choice: Same as the foods,
except with drinks.
Favorite color(s): Self-explanatory:
your character's favorite color or colors.
Miscellaneous trivia: List
any other random facts and bits of trivia here.
Personality:
The personality of your character
can affect their originality to a high extent. You should always
avoid giving your character an overused and cliché conduct
and mannerisms. So far, the most commonly used personalities in
Sonic fancharacters are complete opposites: one, try to avoid
making your character a heroic, laid back, perfectly courteous,
upstanding and confident individual with a knack for doing good
(copying off Sonic, basically). And on the other side of the scale,
avoid making your character a dark, dreary, and sad angstball.
You can adopt aspects of the aforementioned personalities, but
always try to describe any redeeming or degrading qualities of
the personality. Even the most noble heroes have pet peeves or
downsides. Mostly, it takes describing details. Because in the
long run, everybody has a similar personality… it's just
the small details that influence our matter of opinion and perspective
on things that makes us all different. So for the personality,
be as in depth and idealistic
as you possibly can.
Physical
Appearance
Color:
Skin Color (i.e. muzzle, arms):
Eye Color:
Hair/Quill Style:
Nose:
Ears:
Tail:
Other bodily features:
Appearance is one of the biggies that
influence character originality. Think outside the box. If you
are using a unique species, try to use as much assets from the
real-life appearance of the animal as you can, but try to avoid
taking away the Sonicized basis you are trying to accomplish
in the first place. Make them contrast from official characters
as much as you can. Give them different shaped eyes, muzzle, tummy,
chest, physique, ears, head-dressing (hair, quills, and horns),
and all other kinds of stuff. It takes a lot of thought, but if
you dedicate enough concentration, you can make something hot.
Also, there is no problem using the official characters for very
light and vague reference. Just don't base that much off of them.
And for those of you who insist on using your beloved
hedgehogs, at least try to make your hedgehog look unique. There
is no problem in giving them a furry muzzle (afterall, we all
thought echidnas have skin muzzles, but Pachacamac clearly revealed
a very furry muzzle) to express ruggedness. It would also do you
a world of good to give them larger ears, different shaped eyes,
or, God forbid, a totally different set of quills and chest fixture
instead of just modifying Sonic's. Basically, the objective is
to make your fancharacter's appearance as distinctive as possible,
but still cool enough so YOU are comfortable with him/her.
Attire:
Attire is pretty much your call.
Just make sure to think outside the box, as always. For male Sonic
characters, clothing isn't even necessary, but you're welcome
to give them outfits if you like. Just, if you would like to make
your fancharacter look more official, the best thing to do would
be to not go nuts: a shirt/jacket or a pair of pants alone is
all they'd need. Also, here is a rule of thumb on realism: if
your character is real fast and agile, either don't give them
a pair of pants or make them wear a fitted pair of runner's shorts.
Because your precious hedgehog or wolf isn't going to be able
to run at 175 miles an hour in a pair of Lee Dungarees.
Items
& Weapons: Items and weapons
are your call as well. Just make sure you have some good knowledge
of the weapon/firearm, gadget, or doodad your character is using
so you don't come off as a dumbass when having them use it in
a fanfic, comic, or RPG. Also, stick to weapons that conform to
the technological age seen in the Sonic games, which itself, is
pretty diverse and extensive. So you should do fine. And by NO
means should you give your character a Chaos Emerald. That is
freakin' stupid and is only some stupid attempt to make your character
more powerful. Not even official characters walk around with Chaos
Emeralds. Your fancharacter should have to go out and try to collect
them just like everyone else.
Vehicles: This
is easy. Does your character own a vehicle? Try to provide an
indepth description of the vehicle and maybe even its engine specs.
Try not to go overboard on the technology of the vehicle. A vehicle
is a good alternative for very slow fancharacters, and if you
give them the right set of wheels, it can also give them a real
cool image. Envision a tough, wild and tenacious bear character
unfortunately given very low running speed cruising around in
a rugged, roaring muscle car or truck. Pretty original and at
the same time helpful to the fancharacter not only since it fixes
his speed problem, but also adds to his robust image.
Themesong:
Giving your character a themesong is an
important decision and if your character is very unique and technical,
then it would be difficult to find one for them. If you do want
to give your character a themesong, try to make sure the themesong
expresses how your fancharacter acts or maybe even his abilities,
talents, views of the world, or his facet. This expression should
be achieved through the tone, beat, and lyrics of the themesong.
(Yes, the song should preferably have lyrics to comply to the
style of the video games.)
Back
Story: And finally, the backstory.
The history of your fancharacter. Believe it or not, this doesn't
affect their originality as much as you think. But it will still
do you a world of good to try to make a very interesting and engaging
back story for your character. If your character is Sonic Team-based,
try your best to not involve the official characters too much
with your character's back story. A brief encounter and subtle
friendship is okay, but don't make them too intimate. Your fancharacter
is your OWN innovation. You shouldn't rely on official characters
to somehow make him/her look more special.
Many people tend to have their fancharacters have some horrible
past event with Eggman. Like, let's say Eggman captured him or
his parents and turned them all into robots and/or killed them
or something. Even though having your character have a past with
Eggman is more sensible than another official character (since,
hey, Eggman does his stuff on a global scale, perhaps he DID run
into your fancharacter once), try to avoid it anyway. And do NOT
make Eggman come off as ridiculously diabolical and vile if your
character is Sonic Team-based. Eggman really isn't all that evil.
Refer to his profile on the Real Character Profiles sub-section
and get'cho learn on.
Otherwise, your job is to escape the cliché. Make your
character's backstory vibrant, interesting, and eventful. Not
too casual and simplified, but not too stereotypical either. It's
all too common if your fancharacter is some renegade do-gooder
with a sense of justice because his loved ones were killed or
some stupid crap like that. You can do better than that. In the
end, it all just takes thought. |
