Storytelling in games...

Interview with a character

ARCHER TURNBOLT

What is your name? Gender? Race? Religion? Age?

Hey, first of all! It’s nice to meet you. I’m Archer, 19-years-old and a Caucasian male. I don’t really follow a religion but I like to think that there’s got to be someone up there figuring things out for me. There’s no way I would’ve made it out of the situations I’ve been in if there wasn’t (chuckles).

Where were you born? What about your parents? Where are they, and are they alive? When you were growing up, did you struggle, and if so, in what way?

Woah! That’s a lot of questions at the same time. Let me see if I can answer all of them in order. I was born on the coast of Vancouver, British Columbia, the son of Joseph and Carrie Turnbolt. I’ve had a pretty great childhood, well both me and my older sister, Isabelle. Our parents have always been more than parents, they’ve been my friends and I’ve always confided in them for as long as I can remember. Growing up in Vancouver was easy living and my parents have always tried to make our lives easier than theirs ever were. At the same time, my mum and dad have always encouraged me to be my own man and make a name for myself. So, to answer your question, I can’t remember a time when we’ve had to struggle growing up. Probably because my parents were so great at working through their difficulties without letting it show.

What year is it now?

Ummm…I believe today is the 20^th of March, 2012, if that’s what you were asking.

How would someone stereotype you at a glance?

People would probably think I’m a typical teenager, unsure about life and what I want out of it; just another kid trying to grow up and discover life. It couldn’t be further from the truth.

I’m pretty certain about where I want to go and who I want to be in life. My dad’s a detective; I don’t think I mentioned that. When I was young I never wanted to be like him – unreal hours and little time for his family. As I grew older, I learned to accept his lifestyle and I also realized that the sacrifices he made were ultimately for us. I began to further understand his work and it intrigued me. I grew to admire my father as I got older and once I became old enough to understand what his job encompassed, I was hooked. I was fascinated with what he did on a daily basis and quiz him non-stop trying to learn more and more about his job until I finally decided that I would go to university to become a police officer, working my way up to the ranks of a detective. My parents want me to pursue my dream without their help, which is proving to be harder than I had initially anticipated. So, I had to get a job as a bike messenger and you don’t hear me complaining. I love it! I get to travel through the city delivering packages, and the exercise isn’t bad either. It’s a great job and it’s also getting me closer to my goal. Wow, I got way off track there, sorry about that, I get really carried away when talking about my goals in life.

Do you have a romantic partner? If so, whom?

Hahaha! Well that’s pretty direct, don’t you think? I do have a major crush on Laura, the girl next door who’s been my neighbour for sixteen years. Unfortunately, I still haven’t mustered up enough courage to ask her out. I do realize that it can’t be anything serious if I plan on pursuing a career in criminal justice. But, I mean, I’m entitled to have a little fun while I’m young, right?

Who is your best friend and what is he/she/it like? How would your friend describe you?

Well, you could ask him to describe me for yourself, but he’s locked outside. Weird, huh? Let me explain. Ever since I’ve been old enough to walk, I’ve been riding. Schwinn was a gift from my sister on my 15^th birthday. Ever since he’s been my faithful companion getting me out of some tight situations, fast. Over the years I’ve made a few modifications here and there but Schwinn’s been the same old loyal friend for the past 4 years. He gets me to where I need to be, when I need to be there. He’s reliable, comfortable and durable and I wouldn’t rather have any other bike in the world.

I’m sure he’d have a whole lot of mean things to say about the times I ride him through dirt roads and in rain, as well as those times I leave mud caked on his wheels for weeks on end. But I know he loves it when I wash him down and scrub him real good, making the tough trips worth it.

What is your economic situation? What have you done for work?

Well, like I explained briefly earlier, I’m trying to make enough money to pay my way through university and use my degree in criminal justice to make detective one day.

My dad is good friends with Laurence Jones, the owner of Vancouver Parcel Service and managed to get me a job delivering packages all over the city. The hours vary quite a bit but I do quite enjoy what I do, especially because I get to travel all over the city learning new routes and paths just to get a package from point A to point B. My boss is a great guy and never fails to challenge me because he knows I’m capable of a whole lot more.

Would you steal? How do you feel about lying? Can you be trusted by your friends? Do you have any other vices?

Wow, you’re really uncovering the deep dark secrets, huh? When I was a kid, I once borrowed money from my sister’s dresser, figuring since I didn’t earn money it would be alright to do so. I wasted it all on Bubble Gum and Candy and got busted that evening. Having to face the disappointment in my parents’ eyes was probably the most disheartening feeling in the world. I was hoping with all my heart that the floor would open up and swallow me whole. Sufficed to say, I’ve never even entertained the idea of stealing ever since.

Lying, on the other hand, well, I lie all the time. There are two types of people in the world, those that lie and those who don’t admit it. A little white lie here and there can often prevent you hurting someone’s feelings. Sometimes I do this funny thing where I don’t lie but I don’t exactly reveal all the information I have. I alter the phrasing of a statement to make sure I tell the person what they want to hear without giving them the whole story, you know? It’s got me out of a lot of trouble throughout my life.

I like to think I’m a pretty morale guy. I mean, I have a certain set of values and a code that conducts the way I live my life. I mean without that kind of moral structure, I could fall to the wayside. My parents taught me a lot when it comes to trust and being a reliable friend. My closest friends have been with me since kindergarten and I must be doing something right for them to want to stick around for so long. When I receive responsibility, I take care to make sure I allow the person to place their trust in my abilities.

Hmmm…vices? Well, I bite my nails when I’m nervous and I tend to push my limits when it comes to physical strain and I take a lot of risks because I’d rather regret what I’ve done than what I haven’t.

What makes you happy? What makes you sad?

A few things make me happy. When things go exactly according to plan or when I work really hard to an ultimatum that pays off, I get really happy and my faith in hard work is restored. I find it really tough to always work hard and that often makes me hate my situation and blame the world for my problems. But I always get back to working my butt off and gaining a lot of knowledge by doing so. There’s another thing! Whenever I learn a lesson after working really hard, or I learn something new by experimenting with an unfamiliar idea, I feel really proud of myself for taking the time to learn.

It makes me sad to think that one day I’m going to be moving out of my home and away from my parents and sister. I’m excited at the prospect of getting myself out there and travelling the world but I can’t bare to think about leaving my family and friends behind but I do realize that moving on is a natural part of life.

What is the one secret that no one must know about you?

Wow, well, if it’s a secret what makes you think I’ll tell you? Better yet, how would you know I’m not lying? Maybe I’ll tell you something most people don’t know about me.

I’m colorblind. Yea, surprise, surprise! I see the world in monotone. In fact, it makes me quite sad sometimes that I can’t appreciate the world on the same scale as most people. At the same time, however, my other senses are significantly stronger, especially my sense of smell.

Are you afraid to die?

Now THAT is an interesting question. Well, I’ve never really thought about it, but I suppose that I’m a firm believer in the idea that people die when it is their time to die. I say that because I haven’t really experienced the emotions associated with the death of someone close to you, but I hope that whenever it’s my time to go that I’ll go peacefully in my sleep or really fast with a fraction of pain. Weird, but that’s as far as I’ve thought about death. I think every person thinks about how they’d want to die at some point in their life, usually when writing their will I’m sure.

Do you have any phobias?

I have a bit of a fear of heights but it isn’t as bad as most people’s. I used to be afraid of the dark when I was younger, but I got over that when I was old enough to go camping with friends and family. I’m afraid of drowning because I can’t swim too well and don’t know how to tread water. I’m afraid of roller coasters, but I ride them anyways because of the rush I feel whenever I’m on them. I’m also afraid of injections which is why I try to remain healthy so I don’t have to visit the doctor and risk having to take a shot.

Are you quick tempered or patient?

I’m quick tempered whenever the topic lands on an idea I’m passionate about, let alone something I’m fiercely passionate about, but most of the time I’m quite patient with people. The only thing I’m not very patient with is people who stuff their beliefs down throats. I don’t agree with discrimination and prejudice judgement of minorities. My parents have always taught me to be inclusive of everybody and I’ve always believed in this strongly.