Worldbuilding Lessons from Florida
Classic Combos
Image from Knights of the Round included under fair use for purposes of education and commentary.
I discovered Knights of the Round as a kid during a family trip to Disney World. In between the rides and breakfasts of waffles shaped like Mickey Mouse drenched in syrup, my brother and I spent a fair amount of time playing this game. Along with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and X-Men, it’s one of my all-time favorite arcade games.
From one point of view, Knights of the Round is just another pulp, side-scrolling, brawler game, but the medieval motif captured and held my attention.
My brother usually played as Lancelot, occasionally as Arthur, but Perceval was my go-to character. The depiction of Perceval in this game was one of the earliest inspirations to what decades later became the Dronor character in my medieval fantasy setting.
The Arthurian legends have been told, re-told, and re-fashioned for more than a thousand years, so the game designers had many options for playable characters. Arthur is the must-have character. For American audiences, Lancelot is the best known knight so he’s an easy #2 pick. Why Perceval? — and why this particular depiction? It would have been interesting to hear the discussions amongst the game designers as to what other knights were considered for the third spot. (Merlin appears in the game but not as a playable character.)
Trios are classic combos. Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn. Han, Luke, and Chewie off to rescue the princess — Obi-Wan serving as their Merlin along the way. How about Mike Haggar, Cody, and Guy from Final Fight? Another staple arcade and video game while I was growing up.
What character design and storytelling tips can we take from these examples?
Each character is distinct in several ways — clothing, weapon choice, and stat block in the case of Knights of the Round. A simple stat block: speed and strength. And within this framework, each character is different. Fast, balanced, or strong.
Balanced or jack-of-all-trades is a benefit in its own right, but the master of none part of the phrase highlights the situational deficiency.
These differences create opportunities for drama. Perceval can shine when strength and brute force are needed, but he is less adept or maybe even vulnerable when speed is required. Lancelot is the opposite.
Considering the contrast of these strengths and weaknesses helps the central trio (or whatever number you choose) take shape and can provide your readers with the twists and turns of a good story. A character is dominant in one moment, in need of help in the next.
How do you create contrast to highlight the traits of your central characters?
Has your worldbuilding been inspired by the Arthurian legend?
Leave a comment and share your thoughts.