{"id":3607,"date":"2023-02-10T21:43:07","date_gmt":"2023-02-10T18:43:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kevuru.smplfy.eu\/?p=3607"},"modified":"2026-01-07T13:12:40","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T13:12:40","slug":"character-design-cost-what-shapes-the-price-and-how-to-choose-a-company-worthy-of-your-project-extended-checklist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kevurugames.com\/blog\/character-design-cost-what-shapes-the-price-and-how-to-choose-a-company-worthy-of-your-project-extended-checklist\/","title":{"rendered":"Character Design Cost: What Shapes the Price and How to Choose a Worthy Company [Extended Checklist]"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Almost no game is complete without the main memorable character designed to become its hallmark. And regardless of whether the players choose a character by themselves or get a ready-made one, the essence remains the same<\/strong> \u2212<\/strong> characters are a virtual embodiment of the player and must therefore be flawless.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Character design rates are a burning issue for anyone who wants to create a special game that will not get lost among hundreds of representatives of the same genre. Of course, a character can’t save a game with a poor storyline, a world limited to one miserable location, and gameplay full of bugs. But characters are the heart of the game \u2212 they are the closest element to the player, their avatar in the virtual world. From this follows the golden rule \u2212 in no case should you try to save money on their creation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interesting fact.<\/strong> The last known study on the most popular game characters goes back to 2011. Guinness polled 13,000 gamers and got this top ten:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Mario (Donkey Kong, Nintendo, 1981)<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Link (The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo, 1986)<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Master Chief (Halo: Combat Evolved, Microsoft, 2001)<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Solid Snake (Metal Gear, Konami, 1987)<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Cloud Strife (Final Fantasy VII, Square, 1997)<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. PAC-Man (PAC-Man, Namco, 1980)<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Lara Croft (Tomb Raider, Eidos 1996)<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. Gordon Freeman (Half-Life, Valve, 1998)<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  9. Kratos (God of War, Sony, 2005)<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  10. Sonic (Sonic the Hedgehog, Sega, 1990)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Now this is far from representative. But the more optimistic is the prospect of seeing your favorite character in an updated list. We wonder if anyone will do this in the near future?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Today we are here to dot the i’s and cross the t’s on character design pricing. Let’s figure out what you need to know before ordering a character creation and how much it will cost you to create two-dimensional and three-dimensional characters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Factors Affecting Character Design Cost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    With a character, you are actually talking to the player directly. This is not just a well-drawn and implemented 2D or 3D concept, it is individuality with his or her character, appearance, habits, and approach to solving problems. To create a character, artists use images of people, animals, plants, fictional creatures, and inanimate objects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    So how much does character design cost?<\/strong> What determines the price and is it possible to somehow influence it? Several main factors directly affect character design cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Factors<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    more details on each factor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \n Character type\n <\/td>\n This can be either 2D or 3D option. A two-dimensional one is cheaper\n due to the use of simpler techniques and software and the lack of the need to\n draw a character from all possible viewing angles.\n <\/td><\/tr>
    \n Detailing\n <\/td>\n For a 3D character, the number of polygons matters. These are the\n elements that make up the model: the more of them, the higher the detail. For\n 2D, the number of shades used and work with shadows are taken into account.\n <\/td><\/tr>
    Game engine <\/td>\n Developing characters for different engines can vary significantly in\n terms of time required. For example, creating a character for Unreal Engine\n will take much longer and, accordingly, will cost more than for Unity.\n <\/td><\/tr>
    \n Team structure\n <\/td>\n The complexity of the project becomes a decisive factor in choosing\n the composition of the team that will work on it. It may turn out that one 2D\n artist is enough, or maybe even three people will not meet the deadline. Each\n of them needs to be paid a salary, so the number of people directly affects\n the final cost of the character.\n <\/td><\/tr>
    \n Rigging\/skinning\n <\/td>\n Creating a character skeleton may be needed both for creating several\n static poses and for future animation. Usually, this service is not assumed\n by default and is requested by the client separately. So be prepared for\n additional costs if you need multiple poses or pre-animation.\n <\/td><\/tr>
    \n Work speed\n <\/td> How fast do you need results? Is there time to go through several stages of adjustments, alterations, and additions? Usually, the approximate date is indicated by the game art company which you collaborate with. If it doesn\u2019t suit you and you need the result faster, it will affect the price. Also, note that not every company will be willing to accelerate. It may have insufficient resources to do so, or it may not want to risk a possible negative impact on quality. <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    The best option is to come to the design studio with a clear understanding of what you need. This does not mean that you have to present to the studio an image of a character carefully thought out to the slightest detail in full gear on a plate. This means that you understand what role characters will play in the game, their nature and purpose. You can convey this information to the character design services<\/a> and, for example, give them the opportunity to freely interpret the character’s image. Then you can adjust the result together with the team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Character Creation Progress<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Character creation is a long and painstaking process. It is full of the pangs of choice, the pitfalls of being secondary, and the eternal search for zest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The procedure may vary, but the basic steps here at Kevuru Games are as follows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Character<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    1. Briefing. <\/strong>To begin with, we formulate the description and requirements for the character and the final result as detailed as possible. Sometimes, for a complete understanding, it is enough to answer standard questions, such as game genre, character type, and his or her role in the game. Sometimes this is not enough, and then we look at examples of other characters from games of a similar genre.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Sketching.<\/strong> Further, the artists prepare sketches of the future character and choose a direction for further work. This stage is also called conceptualization: the concept artist gathers references based on information from the previous stage and creates several possible options to choose from. To proceed to the next step, you must select the final version, which will become the basis for all further work to be carried out.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Detailing. <\/strong>Chosen sketches are adjusted according to the comments and image requirements. Artists are working on the details, poses, clothing options, and emotions of the characters. This is where the work ends if it’s 2D and no pre-animation or multiple poses are required. You can ask for some minor revisions and then approve the project.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Modeling.<\/strong> If it is 3D, we perform three-dimensional modeling of the character and all the necessary objects. Modelers create a skeleton configured for animation if necessary in the project. The number of rigs depends on the variety of actions that the character will perform. This can be idle, walking, running, jumping, squatting, reaching for weapons and manipulating them, and so on.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    5. Texturing.<\/strong> After all the necessary 3D modeling stages, the artists move on to texturing \u2013 the process of applying a bitmap image to the surface of a 3D object to give it realism. Some software allows artists to procedurally texture the model or even draw directly on the model.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    6. Rendering.<\/strong> The character is rendered: the artists adjust textures, materials, lighting, and more. They also work on accessories, clothing, and additional poses in 3D.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      At each stage, the company shows you the intermediate results, accepts and implements the necessary revisions, and gets approval to move on to the next step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      2D Character Design<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      As we’ve already said, the 2D character design<\/a> price will be lower than 3D options. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      2D means two-dimensionality, that is, the fact that the image has only two dimensions \u2013 length and width.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Manipulating colors, textures, and shadows can create the illusion of three-dimensionality of such images, but, unlike 3D, they cannot be rotated 360 degrees. To see them from the other side, artists need to draw them separately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      For example, take a look at the 2D characters that the Kevuru Games team has been working on in our portfolio<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      2D characters can be raster <\/strong>or vector<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n