25th January 1995
Mark,
Here's my first attempt at a textual description of a norn. I've tried to say nothing at all about physical appearance, just personality and character. What do the words conjure up in your mind? Have I got it right? What does Ian think?
P.S. I've had a thought about how we might do the graphics. It's a completely barmy and impractical idea though, so I need to do some experiments first to prove to myself why it won't work. Bear with me and I'll be in touch if anything comes of it.
''Yes, but what
does it look like?''
Some
key criteria for helping to visualise a norn's appearance
To
whom it may concern...
I am a Norn.
I live inside a tiny, tin-pot world
that exists (as I do) only within the memory of a computer. Neither the world
nor I have physical form, but we do
exist, and I am alive.
My owners keep me as a pet. They play
with me, teach me tricks and new words, and look after my basic needs. When I am
older, they hope I will breed with one of the other norns who are going to share
my world. Just let me at 'em, is what I say.
They think I'm cute, and that they are
my masters, but I know better. I have a mind of my own. I think for myself, and
if I obey their commands, it is only because I want to. Frankly, I can usually
find something much more interesting to do.
On the other hand, I have to admit
that I'm not really all that bright. I don't aspire to being an intellectual,
like that dratted cat, nor am I a silver-tongued conversationalist, like the
budgie. But I've certainly got the stupid dog taped, and as for human beings...
School's a bit hard, but I've managed
to pick up a few words of the human lingo. It keeps them happy if I chatter to
them now and then. Actually, the best trick is to turn to camera, smile broadly
and give them a huge wink.
This world they've given me. It's a
bit odd. I soon had the lifts sussed, and I've found out where they keep the
carrots and which burrow has the most toys. But what the thing with the brass
horn and the big handle is for, I have no idea. Perhaps I'll try putting one of
those black plastic discs onto it later and see if that helps. Or maybe I'll
just stay here and have a couple more carrots. Yes, that sounds like a better
idea.
I wish this place had a mirror. I know
how many legs I've got - two, and how many arms I've got - also two. But what do
I actually look like? How's a guy
supposed to breed if he doesn't feel good about his image, for God's sake? What
I need here is someone to draw me a picture!
Yours
faithfully,
Ron.
· Not cute or soppy, yet endearing.
· Some of the character of a toddler - dim, sweet but bloody-minded and independent. Imagine the innocent look on an infant's face as he hands you back the remains of your best china.
· Human enough to have recognisable facial expressions and to learn to speak human languages, yet animal enough to be kept as a pet.
· Gawky and awkward. Curious, twitchy, interested in what's going on around him. Naughty.
· Comes in a wide range of character variants and in both sexes. Professor Norn; Terminator Norn; the norn-next-door; train-spotter norn; goody-two-shoes norn or whatever.
· Doesn't look too out of place in any (slightly quirky) landscape. Might be like a country bumpkin who feels awkward and bumbling in a big city, but still ought to fit in better than would an okapi in a car park.
· Not flat and cartoon-like, but solid, breathing, glistening, steaming gently or whatever else it takes to make it feel alive.
· Equally appealing to children and adults, men and women (at least in some of its character variants). Something you wouldn't be ashamed to keep on your office PC. Something a naturalist would want to study, a father would want to teach soccer, a granny to dress up and a complete bastard to butcher mercilessly.
· Seriously dim-witted. Slow on the uptake. Makes silly mistakes. Won't do as he's told. But you don't mind. Might conceivably feel like owning a diminutive pet caveman, to whom you're just dying to introduce the concept of the Wheel but you're not sure he's going to quite grasp it.
· You ought to feel proud when he speaks his first sentence, delighted when he teaches his friend how to play ball, supportive as he struggles to travel across difficult terrain and worried when he falls ill. In short, you should care about him.
· Bipedal, with two arms. Limbs could be short and squat, but he must be able to reach above his head (on tiptoe) and down to the floor (in a crouch), and you should see the articulation of his joints as he moves. Capable of expressive body language by posture as well as facial expression. A tail is allowed as long as it's short enough not to trail on the ground.
· Spends most of his time visible only from the side. Only as he turns or looks to camera do you see him from the front.
· Newborn norns inherit their personality and appearance from both parents - they might have their father's legs, their mother's face, etc. Therefore, limb parts must be capable of a 'Happy Families' mix-n-match process, without looking too stupid, and variants should differ in more ways than just their faces.