What makes Gordon Freeman such a great character?

Serious question. Why do some people adore him? He's a boring blank canvas, a whole load of nothing.

Rob-Belmont

Now that's a character to adore :P

His name was Dr. House before he changed it to Gordon.

I knew there wouldn't be any good answers, pathetic.

Also for those of you claiming I'm upset about that competition, I don't care about that competition, never did. I just wanted you Valve ass lickers to tell me what makes him SO great, I can see none of you were able to provide me with legitimate answers and it is therefore safe to assume that you're all just brainless Valve fanboys.

Gordon Freeman is supposed to be you. I am awesome. Therefore, if Gordon Freeman = Me, and, Me=Awesome, Gordon Freeman=Awesome. Simple logic TC.

Valve never intended Gordon Freeman to have a character or personality, they want the player to define Gordon Freeman. That's why you never actually see Gordon in any Half Life game, Valve didn't add mirrors for a reason. In the Half Life 2 saga Alyx Vance is closer to being the main character than Gordon is.

[QUOTE="Guppy507"]

He's whatever the player wants him to be.

So the characters I have in WRPGs are great characters right? How about platformers?

He epitomizes the silent protagonist simply by being whatever the player wants him to be. His motivation and personality are as deep as the imagination of the player, essentially. People like that, it makes him easier to relate to, thinking of him as an alternate self.Skittles_McGee

Just look at him he looks like a stereotype of a hermit. That's why he is so loved by the PC communinty. They can relate. EDITED, I forgot to put this :lol: in there.

Because he's the "underdog", and his character background is very easy for a lot of people to relate with.

He isn't an "everyman", but he's a scientist whose daily life consisted of crunching numbers as a theorist for a project that was probably never expected to do anything other than collect interesting scientific data. Then, he picks up some guns and starts slaughtering aliens and professional US soldiers like they were toddlers with dart guns. That, and the legend that was built around his figure that you learn about in the second game make him seem like some sort of impossible hero.

His name was Dr. House before he changed it to Gordon.

Blue-Sky

[QUOTE="Blue-Sky"]

His name was Dr. House before he changed it to Gordon.

WAIW

Because he's the "underdog", and his character background is very easy for a lot of people to relate with.-TheSecondSign-

Just look at him he looks like a stereotype of a hermit. That's why he is so loved by the PC communinty. They can relate.

dark-warmachine

[QUOTE="dark-warmachine"]

Just look at him he looks like a stereotype of a hermit. That's why he is so loved by the PC communinty. They can relate.

ferret-gamer

No, but like Freeman, they are the only ones with the technical know-how to enjoy PC gaming.

[QUOTE="dark-warmachine"]

Just look at him he looks like a stereotype of a hermit. That's why he is so loved by the PC communinty. They can relate.

ferret-gamer

I do. :|

[QUOTE="ferret-gamer"]

[QUOTE="dark-warmachine"]

Just look at him he looks like a stereotype of a hermit. That's why he is so loved by the PC communinty. They can relate.

psn8214

I do. :|

Be quiet. Back in the closet.:P

[QUOTE="psn8214"]

[QUOTE="ferret-gamer"] yes, pc gamers walk around in biohazard suites and wield crowbars.

789shadow

I do. :|

Be quiet. Back in the closet.:P

*crowbars 789shadow*

[QUOTE="ferret-gamer"]

[QUOTE="dark-warmachine"]

Just look at him he looks like a stereotype of a hermit. That's why he is so loved by the PC communinty. They can relate.

psn8214

I do. :|

[QUOTE="789shadow"]

[QUOTE="psn8214"]

I do. :|

psn8214

Be quiet. Back in the closet.:P

*crowbars 789shadow*

Hey look, an Asari!! *runs away*

[QUOTE="psn8214"]

[QUOTE="789shadow"]

Be quiet. Back in the closet.:P

789shadow

*crowbars 789shadow*

Hey look, an Asari!! *runs away*

LOL, you got me there... :P

Valve's Excuse: "It lets the player 'immerse' themselves within the game.
Or the lazy $^*&s didn't want to spend time. Hell, they even stole Hugh Laurie's body model!

I've said it before, but couldn't we say the same "immersion"factor about Nathan Hale? Master Chief? They're devoid and boring too!

BTW Master Chief is a badass just because of his name. Two grand titles, Master. Chief.

He isn't a traditional character.

He is almost transparent.

What he is, is a great piece of video game storytelling.

And as far as GameSpot is go by the 'greatest video game hero', I suppose being a bit of an icon among gamers - sure as hell didn't win it for his character.

I've said it before, but couldn't we say the same "immersion"factor about Nathan Hale? Master Chief? They're devoid and boring too!

muzik_mafia

Difference is both those respective developers try to give these characters their own personalities and try to flesh them out. Reality is they are boring as hell, and dont differentiate from the next shooter character.

As characters they suck.

Valve doesn't give Gordon a personality - he as no dialouge, and everytime he is exists in the game the player is in full control.

Reality is Gordon isn't like the other two at all, he doesn't even have half the traditional character they have. He is a silent protagonist done intelligently for storytelling purposes, not a character who the developers have tried to make compelling or for the player to care about.

Which is why what Valve have done is so much better.

Serious question. Why do some people adore him? He's a boring blank canvas, a whole load of nothing.

Rob-Belmont

He isn't a traditional character.

He is almost transparent.

What he is, is a great piece of video game storytelling.

And as far as GameSpot is go by the 'greatest video game hero', I suppose being a bit of an icon among gamers - sure as hell didn't win it for his character.

[QUOTE="muzik_mafia"]

I've said it before, but couldn't we say the same "immersion"factor about Nathan Hale? Master Chief? They're devoid and boring too!

skrat_01

Difference is both those respective developers try to give these characters their own personalities and try to flesh them out. Reality is they are boring as hell, and dont differentiate from the next shooter character.

As characters they suck.

Valve doesn't give Gordon a personality - he as no dialouge, and everytime he is exists in the game the player is in full control.

Reality is Gordon isn't like the other two at all, he doesn't even have half the traditional character they have. He is a silent protagonist done intelligently for storytelling purposes, not a character who the developers have tried to make compelling or for the player to care about.

Which is why what Valve have done is so much better.

Technically they did so much less.8)

[QUOTE="Yandere"]Yes, because character design is out of fashion, who needs a thought provoking protagonist anymore?Silent-Hal

Yeah, who needs good character development these days when you can just imagine them yourself? >_>

Half Life is just a great series with great stories and thus, even though he really isn't even a character at all, people like him simply b/c they are such big fans of the franchise.

Obviously the idea of saying he is a great character other than design is rather stupid. Considering how little he offers the storyline other than performing actions with no sense of soul, mind, or opinion...

Technically they did so much less.8)

muzik_mafia

Actually inventing a new method of storytelling in games (in Half Life) - using such a protagonist as an extension of this, only to have it become the gold standard and copied (pretty much universally unsuccessfully) is well beyond many characters in games that are used as storytelling devices.

I'd say a lot more work went into actually telling the story, and creating an engaging plot while *not* having traditional storytelling perks, that nearly every game relies on.

the fanboys makes him a great character, for the rest of us, we just find him boring

Nothing really. He's an iconic character. It's also very amusing how Valve makes use of increasingly clever tactics to get around the fact that he's mute during in-game conversations.

He is the only character I know with a PHD from MIT.

And, he has a crowbar...... a crowbar..... yea. He has guns too.

Nothing really. He's an iconic character. It's also very amusing how Valve makes use of increasingly clever tactics to get around the fact that he's mute during in-game conversations.

WTA2k5

Agreed.