Week II - Research Survey [cont.]

As I first recieved the survey data from my chosen candidates I began to consider ways to collate it. I decided I would take case studies of the highest-ranked and lowest-ranked character. As of posting, those characters are Alistair Theirin (scoring an average score of 7.5/8.0) and Oghren (1.8/8.0). However, as the common reason for disapproval of Oghren was that he is simply the one-dimensional stereotype of the 'drunken dwarf'. With this in mind, I have decided to write the case study of the next-ranked character; Teryn Loghain Mac Tir (2.6/8.0)- as a character who starts the game as the player's enemy, how did players respond to him in the later stages of the game? Is his writing as a villain responsible for players' disapproval?

Another interesting facet of this stage in the research is the responses I have received are predominantenly-female. Thus, is Alistair's high position a matter of the game mechanic which allows him to be seduced by the player, or simply otherwise engaging writing? This will become clearer with more in-depth reading of the results. The female players also responded in unexpected ways to the female characters, and this was due to their considering the 'Catholic schoolgirl' character Leliana unrealistic compared to the snarky witch Morrigan and the wise mentor figure Wynne.