Minor Characters
It's all very well being a main character, but some people just don't like that constant attention. Here, we have a list of character types that mean you still get a part in the game, but don't actually have to do anything! However, please note that not all games will have all of these minor characters in.
Shop Owner
Have you always dreamed of owning a shop? Of course, you could just open a shop in the real world but shop owners in video games are cooler. Yes, they are.
Essentials
Just a few requirements to ensure you're a good shop owner...
1)You should say the same thing every time the hero enters your shop. Even if they go out and come straight back in again, just repeat what you said before. Of course, you could always record yourself saying something and then put it on a CD player on repeat so you don't have the boredom of saying the same thing over and over again.
2)OK, merchandise! You should sell stuff that is useful to the hero, but not to anyone else. For example, weapons that only the hero can use, or some totally random object that seems to serve no purpose to normal people but is of vital importance to the hero.
3)Your shop should be clearly labelled. Heroes can sometimes be a bit... silly... and not know where the shop is.
4)You should employ people in the village to say "have you been to _'s shop yet?" when the hero comes to the village. Advertising, it's of vital importance!
5)The hero should be (or at least appear to be) your only customer. However, you should somehow be in no danger of running out of money and closing down. I guess it's not too hard, heroes are usually rich from all the money they steal from dead monsters and will buy some goddamn expensive stuff!
6)Your prices should be either ridiculously low or ridiculously high.
Preferred
These will make you an even better shopkeeper.
1) Some shopkeepers have loads of identical twins (or clones) who run the local shop in each area. They look the same, act the same, and say exactly the same thing to the hero. Either that, or they have an uncanny knowledge of where the hero is going next and a teleport device.
2) The shop should be located in between lots of other buildings that (for some reason) the hero can't enter. Either that or it should be practically the only building in the villiage.
Definitely Not's
Shopkeepers are not allowed to be like this.
1)Umm... well... hey, guess what? There are no definitely not's for the shopkeeper! Anything goes! Lucky you!
It's a fun life being a shopkeeper, selling items to the hero and knowing that you're helping them complete their quest! Imagine the warm glow you'd get from that!
*Small print* Except for the fact that the hero will probably hardly ever be at your shop, and it will probably get a bit boring after a while.
Random Person
Want a role that you can put absolutely no effort into? You could just be yourself, wander round and be a random person! No expectation to do things, no pressure!
Essentials
It's not difficult to just be a random person, but there are some things you need to make sure of first.
1) You must stay in one place, and one place only, whenever the hero is around. Sure, you can walk around a little. But think like a monster and stay in your area. When the hero has left the area, fine. You can go where you want.
2) If the hero talks to you, you must say a) either a random piece of trivia about the world of your game, b) a piece of semi-useful information that the hero already knows or c) advertise your local shop or something else. Or I suppose you could say something completely irrelevant. Oh, and like the shopkeeper you've got to say the same thing every time the hero talks to you. Either that or you could have a set list of things to say and rotate them each time the hero talks to you.
Preferred
The extra little things that will get you there...
1) To be honest, there isn't much in the way of preferred traits for a random person. You're not really involved in the story at all, and don't actually affect the game much.
Definitely Not's
There are, however, one or two things you must not do.
1) Going back to essential #1, if the place you stay in is your house then this rule is important. Listening? Alright, you must not be surprised, angry or annoyed if the hero just randomly walks into your house without invitation. Seriously, heroes do it all the time. They just barge into people's houses without being asked. You've gotta be cool with this, OK?
2) Don't try and do anything to alter the storyline. That's very naughty, and I'm afraid that most random people who try to do something like that end up dead.
This is the job for you if you just want to mess around with your mates and be yourself without having to do any of that heroey villainy stuff!
*Small print* You don't actually do anything. To be honest, you're only really there as part of the scenery.
Guard
What could be a cooler job than guarding a crucial object to stop the hero getting at it? And the best thing is, you don't even get told off when if the hero somehow gets past you!
Essentials
Of course, there are a few things you need to have in order to be hired as a guard. It's an important job.
1) You must walk a set path, which MUST have a blind spot or be timed just right to allow the hero to get past you. You have to give them a chance, after all.
2) If you spot anyone trying to sneak past you, you must make it obvious you've seen them. This will make them either stop and wait for you to come and get them, or run the hell away (depending on whether or not you have a big scary weapon or something). If they stop, return them to the starting point of where you're going, and warn them not to try again. If they run... well, chase them of course! If you catch them, hurt them and then the same applies; just return them to the starting point.
3) Obviously, you must be guarding something that the hero wants, or be slap bang in the way of where the hero wants to get to.
Preferred
Proper guards are good at these, too.
1) You could have something that distracts or temporarily incapacitates you, allowing the hero to sneak past. Or you could stop to have a chat with your friend or something.
2) There should be areas that you can't see the hero in so they can stop and take a break. For example, there could be a tree which you don't look up in so the hero could climb up there and have a rest.
Definitely Not's
No no nooooo!
1)If you do catch the hero in the act, you should not increase security. Just take them back to the entrance and continue patrolling along your route. You're not even allowed to tell other guards to watch out for them. I mean, they're not going to be stupid enough to try again! Even if you do catch them multiple times, don't increase security.
See, being a guard is fun! You don't have to be tight about security, and you don't get sacked if the hero manages to get past you! It's amazing. Sound like the job for you?
*Small print*Of course, you may have to stand out in the rain rather a lot. And I only THINK that guards don't get fired if they let the hero in, I don't actually have any proof other than they all look the same. And you are pretty much guaranteed to let the hero in.
