Gathering Qualitative Feedback: My Own Thoughts

As a way to reflect on my work and to possibly gauge some of the feedback I'll receive from the people who are taking my questionnaire, I have taken the questionnaire myself. Below is the questionnaire I created and the answers I provided to the questions. It was informative to think about these questions myself as it allowed me to notice some of the subconscious decisions I make when I buy a product or play a game featuring a mascot character.

Mascot character questionnaire 
(A mascot is a symbol for a company or organisation that is supposed to bring good luck. In terms of video games, mascots are also the face of a game franchise, like Super Mario)

Q1. What is your gender?

Male []
Female [x]
Other / Prefer not to say []

Q2. How old are you?

Less than 15 []
15 – 24 [x]
25 – 34 []
35 – 44 []
45+ []

Q3. How often do you play video games?

Every day [x]
A few times a week []
A few times a month []
Less often than this []
Never (skip to Q5) []

Q4. Of the following game genres, which do you most enjoy?
(Pick as many or few as you like)
Platform games (eg. Super Mario Bros., Crash Bandicoot) [x]
Fighting games (eg. Street Fighter, Tekken) []
Action/adventure games (eg. The Legend of Zelda, Devil May Cry) [x]
Role-playing games (eg. Final Fantasy, The Elder Scrolls) [x]
Puzzle games (eg. Tetris, Portal) []
Casual/mobile games (eg. Candy Crush Saga, Clash of Clans) []

Q5. Of the characters shown above, which would you buy a product or play a game based around? Why?

I would buy a product or play a game about characters 1, 6, 8 and 13. I can imagine each of these as the protagonist of their own games, when I look at them I feel like they would have plenty of moves/mechanics at their disposal. 1, for example, might be able to stomp and cause an earthquake because of his big feet. 6 might be able to use their aviator hat as a glider. 8 could ram into weak rock forms with his horns. 13, being a clown, might have a variety of ‘party tricks’, like a flower that squirts water or pies, he might also tackle obstacles in a funny way which could be fun to play as. I also imagine characters 9 and 10 to be non-player characters within a game.

Q6. Which of the above characters are you most likely to remember? Why?

I am most likely to remember characters 1, 7, 8 and 13. 1 has a very distinct shape to his body, which is easy to remember even when I can’t see it. Character 7 reminds me of cute Japanese characters like Hello Kitty, whose features are simple but memorable (such as, in this case, the polka-dot dress and the long ears). 8 feels like he fits in with a lot of cartoon characters and game characters from earlier decades, I could imagine him in a TV show as well as a game, I feel like he has signature features like his horns and his Converse-style shoes. As for 13, he also has some unique/memorable shapes to him (like his long hair or his nose).

Q7. Do you prefer anthropomorphic (animal or creature with human traits) or human characters? Why?

I prefer anthropomorphic characters; this is because I play games to escape reality a bit. Anthro characters are often seen doing things in unique ways since they are only loosely based on real-world things/creatures etc.

Q8. Do you think a mascot character needs to have a mouth/should be able to talk? Why?

I don’t think a mascot needs to have a mouth as such, think about characters like Hello Kitty and a few other Sanrio characters: they don’t have mouths or the ability to speak and they are equally successful as other mascot characters. I’m not sure if a mascot character should have too much to say, however, because they might become unlikable if they say too much.

Q9. Should a mascot character always be happy/have a simple or predictable personality? Why?

I think many mascot characters are happy and easy to understand, this is good when they are aimed towards a big audience that includes kids. If a character is angry all the time or they act unpredictably, that could be unlikable or possibly even a bad influence.

Q10. Should a mascot character’s face always be visible? Why?

I feel like being able to see things like the eyes on a mascot could be important, a lot of a character’s personality comes through when you can see how their eyes/eyebrows (where appropriate) react to a situation.

Q11. What features do you first notice on a mascot?
(Appearance, clothes/accessories, anything) Why?

I often look for shapes on a mascot, like Sonic’s quills, Mickey Mouse’s ears, Mario’s nose etc. I feel like an overall shape or a major feature on a character helps to make them memorable, like an icon, symbol or emblem.

Q12. Think about some of your favourite mascot characters, or those you find most memorable. Are they usually male, female, or is their gender not specified? Why do you think this is?

A lot of characters that come to mind are male or their gender isn’t really of importance (ambiguous). I feel like this is because female characters are seen as “girly” and thus miss a large portion of audience since it’s not really “cool” to like something that is “girly”. Male characters seem more universally acceptable in that sense, but this is why I feel that neutral characters could be a better direction: they aren’t inherently feminine but they’re also more inclusive for people in the demographic who might not relate so well to a male character.

Q13. Is a younger or an older character more appealing to you? Why?

In my opinion there is appeal in a younger and an older character, it all depends on what their role is. A younger character might be more nimble and exciting but an older character with experience and history has their appeal too.

Q14. Do you prefer a tall or short character? Why?

I personally like shorter characters, I think they’re cuter and that’s something I look out for in a mascot.

Q15. Do you like it when a character’s proportions are unrealistic?

To further my previous point on short characters, I also think some unrealistic proportions can add cuteness to a character; a large head with big eyes are an example of this.

Q16. With your answer from Q15 in mind, what does the size and style of a character’s eyes mean to you?

I like eyes that are big so they’re a focal point for the character, but I don’t really like anime eyes on mascots generally speaking; there isn’t much reason to this aside it just being a personal preference. I prefer cartoon eyes - especially compared to more realistic ones - because I think they can get a lot of expression and personality across.

Q17. Looking at how mascot characters are drawn, with the above as an example, do you think the thickness of the pen strokes or the sharpness of a character's features affect how their personality comes across? Why?

I think characters drawn with thinner pen lines and with sharper features (like Sonic’s quills and the shape of his eyes on the left) make them seem less friendly. Pairing the thin lines with smoother shapes (like Sonic’s quills and the shape of his eyes in the middle) makes them seem less threatening and more friendly. Looking at the art on the right, I get less of a cute and friendly vibe. Though the features are sharper, the inclusion of thicker line art aids the design meaning that he doesn’t come across as threatening or unfriendly, just kinda cool and edgy.

Q18. Animatronics (primarily found at chain restaurants in America, theme parks like Disneyland or seasonally in store windows) are a type of mascot specifically aimed at a younger audience. They are supposed to be lovable and friendly but are often seen as creepy or scary. Why do you think this is?

I feel like a lot of the reason animatronics are seen as scary is a result of how and when they were manufactured. The robotics in older models might not work so well and the materials used could be cheaper or worn down. Animatronics often have dead, soul-piercing eyes too. This is probably a flaw with the whole concept of an animatronic rather than how they are produced though.

Q19. Considering gaming mascots (or any character who is the star of their own game franchise), do you think they have any common personality traits or motives? Are personality and motive important for a mascot?

I feel like gaming mascots (like Super Mario, Sonic and so on) usually have a common interest to do good deeds, even when they have different approaches to it. I think a positive motive is important for a mascot character in gaming since you want the player to 1. Enjoy playing as them and 2. There is satisfaction, in the eyes of most people, to do the ‘right’ thing, or something heroic, like saving a princess from an evil monster or thwarting the plans of a menace. I think personalities can be varied but generally they are happy characters.

Q20. In terms of gaming mascots/game protagonists, do you think their design should reflect their abilities? (eg. Having a noticeable weapon that they use, the changing of colours in certain situations to reflect temporary abilities, an over-all shape that implies how they might move etc.)

I don’t feel like it is too important for a character’s design to reflect what they can do but it often helps. Like Sonic’s quills are rounded which implies his ability to curl up into a ball, or the Inklings in Splatoon are different colours based on what ink they can swim through. Character designs don’t always reflect abilities though, like looking at Crash Bandicoot doesn’t necessarily show that he has the ability to spin, or Mario’s design doesn’t necessarily show his ability to jump lots.