Video Game Industry Analysis

Nintendo History, Development, and Growth In 1989, Fusajiro Yamauchi launched a small company called Marufuku Corporation in Kyoto Japan. The founded corporation later on turned to be Nintendo Company. Before turning into the renowned Nintendo, Marufuku was popular for the playing cards the firm produced to be used when participating in the Hanafuda, the Japanese game.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Video Game Industry Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The company solidified its playing card business position between 1907 and WWII. Marufuku started to supply the Japanese communities with Hanafuda cards in 1925. The Japanese amusement market was greatly devastated by WWII, though Marufuku and the playing card industry advanced more than any other corporations. Whereas the manufacturing plant for Marufuku was damaged during the war, the corporation succeeded to forge ahead in the following periods. In 1950, Yamauchi assumed the position of the president in the firm and got on a variety of strategies with the purpose of rationalizing and modernizing the way the firm was controlled. Marufuku factories were consolidated by Yamauchi who then altered its name to Nintendo in 1951. In the postwar era when Yamauchi realized that the playing cards business boomed and there were shortages, he reacted by inspiring the corporation to produce quality plastic playing cards. While challenges were encountered in the preliminary plastic cards production, the firm began its mass assembly in 1953. Nintendo was able to sell playing cards that had the imprints of animation characters after completing a business agreement with Disney in 1959 whereby the firm had to share some profits acquired from selling the advanced cards. Nintendo opted to become public in 1962 when the company realized that the business was remarkably successful. 1960s to 1980s diversifications Nintendo pursued its drive to innov ate and diversify in 1960s and this helped the company to become common name in 1980s. The glowing company developed most of its new product lines in 1963. The game department was successful and in 1969, it built a unique game manufacturing plant in Uji Town. The first electronic technology was introduced by Nintendo in 1970.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More An example of the Beam Gun Series technology produced by Nintendo was the shooting system called laser-clay pigeon. This company expanded its business of projection based games to the western markets. The arcade game technologies prospered in the subsequent periods and Nintendo was in the frontline. For instance, Nintendo cooperated with Mitsubishi Electric in 1975 to develop filmed game systems via the use of video player technology. The technology emerged as the first artless home video game in 1977. Nintendo also started to feature some of its high-tech amusement arcade games. In 1978, the company produced and used microcomputers to sell coin operated video games. Such innovations led to the emergence of Donkey Kong in 1981 giving the video games (arcade) its stereo sound and complex graphics. Nintendo similarly sold watch line and game products including football with digital quartz micro hardware in 1980s. The company was able to expand its markets to the US in 1982 as it focused on the marketing and developing household video technologies. Nintendo built new production plants in 1983 to meet Famicom production requirements in Uji town. Despite the reported losses in the video game industry in the late 1985, Nintendo used the swift selling Famicom to enter the US market. It however seized the US market by redesigning the Famicom to produce Nintendo Entertainment System. Nintendo Company became widely recognized for the numerous Pokemon pocket monster, Luigi, Zelda, Mario and other characte rs. The firm’s handheld gaming system also known as Game Boy has dominated the market from the time when it made its first debut. In fact, the Game Boy advanced to give the cutting-edge play station version while the Game Cube which materialized as its gaming console overhauled the Xbox. The latter product was deemed as the most prevalent and succeeding console to the PlayStation 2 that Sony tendered to the market. Although the console market has been ruled by Sony, the novel Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance have continuously steered the market for the handhelds despite the introduction of the PlayStation Portable (PSP) by Sony.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Video Game Industry Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As Nintendo’s consoles gained a bigger market share, the firm has maintained to be the most interactive market game pioneer as a result of its continuous innovations, Silicon graphics and animated characters presently designed by Shigeru Miyamoto. After the stepping down of Hiroshi Yamauchi in 2002, Nintendo appeared to have taken a new turn. The corporation assumed business as usual but offered low priced GameCube version to the Chinese market. Besides, Nintendo purchased 3% stake of the toy producer Bandai Corporation and Japanese software developer. Internal strengths Human resources capabilities Nintendo is capable of hiring employees with rare talents in building both software and hardware that supports video games. Moreover, the company has one of the few talents that can design and develop rare video games that attract large clientele not only in Japan, but also in other parts of the world. Having such rare talents within the workforce provides the firm with internal capability and increased competitive advantage. Investment in human capital has enabled the company to be more competitive through the value that the workforce creates for its custome rs. Financial resources capabilities With increased sales, Nintendo has accumulated enough financial resources that enable it to expand and finance its operations effectively. These financial resources have also enabled the company to enhance its research and development activities. As a result, the company has remained ahead in developing new products that are oriented to the market. Introduction of new products in the market has led to increased sales and revenue adding to the benefits of the firm. Besides, increased financial capability is the strength behind hiring highly talented and experienced workforce which has generally contributed to the value addition. Organization structure of the company The way the company is organized and managed has also increased its efficiency and effectiveness. The company has adopted the less bureaucratic structure that leads to efficiency in decision making. Even though the company has been divided into various branches, the line between the ma nagement and the bottom employees is extremely thin.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This has increased employee attachment not only to the business, but also to their working environment. Such a structure leads to effective and efficient management processes. Ultimately, the internal structural organization and effective management processes enhance the competitive advantage of the company and keeps it ahead of other firms in the industry. Technological capabilities Nintendo has technological capabilities that enable it to develop new game consoles. These technological capabilities have made the firm to lead in the video game market by introducing new products as soon as the popularity of one game diminishes. Besides developing new software and hardware, Nintendo is capable of developing security codes for its consoles and avoids counterfeit products. This internal technological capability has enabled the company to monopolize the Japanese and US markets for a very long time. Internal weaknesses Top Management Nintendo top management comprises of individuals from o ne family. Although the family is the founder of the company and the major decision maker, some individuals might lack the ability to manage the company effectively. As a result, the company performance may decrease leading to the loss in revenue and market share. Nintendo has not moved away from the old Japanese business models where the company is managed by family members despite incompetence. Such incompetence in the management may destroy the company reputation resulting into a profound reduction in the market performance. Distribution channels Although distribution channels that Nintendo uses to sell its products may be seen as strength, they may also be disadvantageous in terms of management. Managing such fragmented distribution channels may be cumbersome especially in a wide geographical location of US. Moreover, some of the channels may be less productive thereby increasing the cost of operations. Besides difficulties in managing distribution channels, the company also fac es difficulties in expanding to newer markets. This is primarily due to cultural differences. Most of its products are designed according to Japanese cultural aspects which might not fit well in other cultures. Porter’s five force analysis Rival sellers Nintendo has been a very strong player in the game console industry. The company competed with Sony in terms of unit sales of game consoles from 1995 to 2000. The GameCube released about the same time as Xbox cost $199 which was approximately $100 below Playstation 2 and Xbox’s prices (Sterman, Jekarl and Reavis, 13). Such a big difference in price permits the company to target at the low segment of the market; young people from 7 to 20 years of age who cannot afford to buy more expensive consoles and do not require more features as compared to mature age groups. Microsoft is also one of the leaders in game console market. The company’s Xbox has taken a big share of the market. This makes Microsoft a household na me in the industry. Xbox with its sequel is on top of the wave and has been competing with Sonny fiercely. The firm’s strong brand name in home electronics, software and game consoles makes it a big threat in the market, especially for future game consoles (all-in-one electronic devices supporting home entertainment, gaming and web browsing). The Xbox is Microsoft’s first entry into the market but aggressive marketing by the company has resulted in much awareness of the product among the gamers. Xbox attempts to beat Playstation in almost every feature, hoping to compensate for its late arrival and grab some market share. Moreover, Microsoft is notorious for overusing hardware resources for its operating systems and this leads to gamers suspecting that the use of more advanced hardware enhances the features of Xbox. Buyer bargaining power Since the game console is a consumer product, it is good to depend highly on sales. Thus, the consumer has a high bargaining power o n the Nintendo gaming consoles. The market according to the case has increased heavily because of Nintendo’s sport and fun games. Sales also increased after lowering the price of the game consoles. Suppliers bargaining power There is high bargaining power of suppliers in regard to hardware. Therefore, it becomes necessary to calculate the product prices regarding to the price of the hardware units used. Prices for preceding game consoles were high because the output of microprocessors was generally lower than expected. Again, there were shortages of inputs like blue Light Emitting Diodes required for the BruRay Drives. Game publishers and developers provide the games for Nintendo’s consoles thus the company has to listen to their demands and needs. The company is therefore compelled to have more games developed for the newer consoles than for the earlier version because of the complicated architecture. Threat of new entrants There is a very low risk of new entrants bec ause of the development phase which has to be completed to successfully release a new gaming console. That is, a lot of money is required to enter the gaming market. Already, market saturation has been reached with only three key console providers. Moreover, the key problem is that those who develop games would not create games for a new, unpopular and inexperienced platform when they are not sure how the new platform will sell. However, PC and home electronics manufacturers, software developers and handset makers may decide to enter the gaming market as they have the full potential in terms of resources and coverage. Substitutes The very threatening substitute is the upcoming Cloud Gaming Service commonly referred to as OnLive.com. There is a big potential that this expectation is not measurable yet because it is still in beta status. Other substitutes include PCs, calculators, game machines and cellular phones all of which have built-in games. SWOT analysis Strengths Establish ed and give a competitive advantage Robust revenue growth provides greater stability Weaknesses Dependence on suppliers Declining cash position Opportunities Positive outlook for entertainment industry Changing and positive trends in consumption patterns Threats Short product lifecycle Shift in consumer preference Currency exchange fluctuation Evaluation of Nintendo’s corporate strategy Nintendo Corporation created a strong brand name through innovation and licensing, although, this legend seems to fall apart as profits decline. The reasons for this decline are affected by crucial strategic issues which become the main disadvantage to the company. The first issue is associated with the company’s inefficient manufacturing structures that decrease the quality of products which affects the reputation badly and decrease the product competitiveness. The heart of most distinct management practice in Japan is their productivity improvement, quality control (QC) circles, total quality control (TQM) activities or the labor relation-collectively termed as â€Å"Kaizen† (DeWit and Meyer 156). It is argued that the implication of companywide quality control or TQC have been that the concepts have assisted Japanese organizations to build a way of thinking that is process-oriented and come up with strategies that ensure continuous improvement. In Nintendo however, the company failed to perform well or make improvement in Kaizen or develop an efficient manufacturing structure to ensure high quality products thus causing an enormous damage to the business. Nintendo’s failure to sustain an efficient manufacturing structure or implement Kaizen effectively to ensure high quality products damaged their reputation and incredible brand name causing them to lose their competitive advantage in the market. In building competitive advantage, an organization must meet the expectations and needs of its customers. The failure for Nintendo’s product qualities to meet the expectations and needs of customers completely swiped away the company’s reputation and decreased the confidence in the market. It is also pointed that, good reputation is what all businesses would wish to have, yet it is more valuable in some cases than in others. Good reputation is among the intangible resources for Nintendo which differentiates the firm from other competitors, enabling them to charge their excellent quality and product a premium price. Hence, the diminishing reputation of Nintendo weakens core competencies and creates a negative prejudice which affects its competitive advantage directly and thus becomes a significant threat to the business. Besides the reputation and quality issues, Nintendo is not swift in responding to market shift in demand and thus weakens its competitive advantage. For instance, the delays in launching of many consoles in Europe due to problems in manufacturing caused the company failure in fulfilling the market demands. This increasingly put Nintendo at stake since other strong competitors like Sony and Microsoft were swift in gaining a share in those markets. It enabled them to enjoy the first-mover advantages. First-movers may gain competitive advantages in creating distribution channels, gaining the consumer attention or linking with the specialized suppliers. Any product of class advertised first tends to impress more strongly in the minds of consumers than the ones that follow. As a result, Nintendo lost a large share of the market and its competitive advantage in the gaming industry; they did not benefit from first mover advantages leaving them behind other competitors in markets outside US and Japan. Business level strategy Since Nintendo’s conception, the business strategy was based on developing video game machines. The company focused all its strengths in innovating gaming consoles progressively. As the pioneer in the industry, the company developed a coin-operated video g ame machine called Famicom in the 80s which surpassed other competing products in terms of technology. The company focused on developing gaming machines that could support several games unlike the machines offered by competitors. Through licensing, the company was able to expand in Japan and the United States. As time went by, the company enhanced its innovation to capture the differing needs of consumers. For the United States, the firm redesigned the Fomicom to develop Nintendo Entertainment System that could fit and compete in the market. The company also opened new channels that would be more close to consumers. Through retailers, the business was able to expand to all major cities of the United States. This expansion and business monotony was also enhanced by the strategy of securing their gaming machines such that other games could not be played in them. With increasing competition, Nintendo’s business strategy focused more on innovation. The company led competitors in terms of product research and development. It was the first to introduce the 8-bit systems, 16-bit systems and 64-bit systems. These in particular made the company to succeed year after year and by 1992, the firm had acquired 60% of the market share. The company was already established well in Japan and US thus dropped licensing as the supportive business strategy. When Sony and other competitors penetrated the market with new products, Nintendo’s market share and profitability dropped significantly. The company responded by changing its business strategy and focusing on developing gaming machines using plug-in cartridges in conjunction with Silicon Graphics. This product which was targeted to children and young teenagers boosted sales until Sony introduced the Playstation. Nintendo could no longer compete effectively as more competitors such as Microsoft introduced more advanced technology in the market. As a result, the company’s GamaCube was not successful as expect ed. However, the company reinvented its business strategy and developed Wii. The strategy was to use off-the-shelf components to assemble a much cheaper gaming machine that could be offered at a cheaper price. The product was also targeted to a much wider audience through innovation that enabled motion sensitivity, wireless control that gave way to interactive games. This new innovation became the core competitive strength and brought back Nintendo to the leading position in the industry. Nintendo structure and control systems The strategic organizational structure of Nintendo is such that the decisions stems from the higher levels of management and flows down the ladder. It is a kind of centralized structure in which strategic decisions are closely held by middle and lower level managers. While the licensing and merging decisions are made solely by the management, product development decisions are a combined effort of both the managers and the developing teams. The managers trigger the product strategy when competition becomes too stiff and sales decline. The design and development ideas are the ingenuity of the research and development teams. Notably, strategy achievement and decisions incorporation are assessed through two mechanisms. First, the managers consider the operation measures in which they measure customer satisfaction and retention levels. The reason is that the major objective of the strategic decision is to capture a larger market and eventually increase sales. Therefore, customer perspective becomes a major control system. Secondly, the company is sales-driven. Competitive pressure is determined by the company sales as compared to other competitors. Therefore, innovation and learning are also control systems used in the company where sales growth is the measure. Throughout, the company has referred its success to sales growth of each product launched. Recommendations For the company to succeed in the future, it must invest in technological adv ancement. Technology will enable the company to remain at the elevated competitive edge. Also, the company will continue to use its technological advancement to introduce new products into the market ahead of its competitors. This capability will provide the company with a stronger competitive advantage. In addition, the company must produce games or items portraying the global outlook to attract as many markets as possible. The future of Nintendo does not necessarily depend on innovation alone. There are other elements to consider in order for the firm to capture a royal market share and drive sales. Target markets should comprise of consumers with the ability to sustain a high financial status, not just young kids. After all, the success of the business depends on the ability of the customers to make repeated purchases. As other competitors focus on innovation, Nintendo should differentiate by aiming to market its products in the untapped markets such as the emerging economies. It s financial position and brand name can act as the effective marketing strengths for this expansion. Given the level of competition in the gaming industry, Nintendo needs to offer unlimited interactive entertainment to all the consumers at average prices to enable it capture dominant market share. To realize this, the company must focus in the production of a product that it feels to have higher competitive advantage over other market rivals such as Sony and Microsoft. Works Cited DeWit, Bob and R. Meyer. Strategy: Process, Content, Context. New York, NY: Thomson International Business Press, 2004. Print. Sterman, John, Jekarl Kahn and Reavis Cate. 2008. Sony’s Battle for Video Game Supremacy. 2008. Web. This case study on Video Game Industry Analysis was written and submitted by user Samiyah Suarez to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Dynamic Character vs. Static Character How Are They Different

Dynamic Character vs. Static Character How Are They Different Dynamic Character vs. Static Character: How Are They Different? A common piece of criticism you'll hear in fiction is that characters are "too static." Modern audiences can tell when a character isn’t interesting or realistic, based on their own lack of emotional investment in that character’s journey. As a result, authors feel compelled to ensure that their protagonist is a dynamic character - and that many of their other characters are, too.And we want to help them out! Which is why in this article, we'll take a look at the different types of dynamic characters and how authors can write them into their books. We'll also examine static characters and why authors should avoid them most (but not all) of the time.As a fun bonus, we've created an exciting new infographic that illustrates three common narratives associated with these characters. To jump straight to the infographic, click on Infographic: "The Book Deal" in the table of contents to your left! You can also watch our video on how to create dynamic characters below. Otherwi se, let's dive in. What is a dynamic character?A dynamic character  is a character who undergoes substantial internal change - in personality, attitude, or worldview - over the course of the narrative. This change usually happens gradually, though sometimes a character will have a revelation that changes everything about them very suddenly.Most well-developed characters are naturally dynamic. After all, characters who don't change at all typically don't have book-worthy adventures. And no matter what the story, readers almost always prefer reading about dynamic characters over static ones. That's why some of the most classic tales of all time feature distinctively dynamic protagonists: Ebenezer Scrooge, Elizabeth Bennet, Don Quixote, the list goes on and on.Keep in mind that protagonists, antagonists, and minor characters can all be dynamic. For the sake of focus, this article deals with main characters. However, everything we cover re: how to write a dynamic protagonist can also apply to supportin g characters. Ebenezer Scrooge - one of the most famous dynamic protagonists ever. (Image: Walt Disney Studios)The difference between "dynamic" and "well-rounded"Many people mistakenly believe that a dynamic character is exactly the same as a well-rounded character. But "dynamic" simply means that the character changes, while "well-rounded" means that they're fleshed out with a backstory, motivations, strengths, weaknesses, etc.There's a great deal of overlap, and most well-written protagonists are both dynamic and well-rounded. However, it's possible to have a character that changes throughout the story, but otherwise lacks substantial development (though this is a pretty unusual occurrence).You'll more commonly see well-rounded characters who change very little (if at all) in a story - usually to serve as a constant for another character. For example, in To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch is clearly well-rounded. But that doesn't mean he's dynamic; indeed, his attitude and views remain the s ame through the story. His steadfast morality serves to teach his daughter, Scout, about right and wrong. Consequently, she is the dynamic protagonist, while he facilitates that change. Dynamic character = well-rounded character: true or false? Find out here! What is a static character?As you might expect, a static character does not develop or change throughout a narrative. Their beliefs do not evolve, their personalities remain the same, and their worldview does not expand or adapt whatsoever.So why do static characters even exist? The answer is twofold. Firstly, static characters exist because not all authors know how to write a good character arc. Particularly in shorter pieces of fiction, you'll often see a character who seems  like they should undergo some kind of development or change, but ultimately doesn't.But secondly, sometimes static characters are written that way intentionally, to make a point or poke fun at a certain type of person. For example, Mr Collins in Pride and Prejudice is a static character. However, he acts as an example of a silly society man, and his foolishness and pomposity contrast humorously with Lizzy's perceptive wit.Static characters may be used as foils or even enemies to the dynamic protagonist, such as the Dursleys in Harry Potter, or just about every Disney villain ever. Finally, static characters can sometimes be positively symbolic or instructive, as in the TKAM example above. But this is relatively rare compared to the other types of static characters, who tend to be stupid and/or malevolent.The important thing to remember about static characters is that they should almost always be accompanied by dynamic characters. Dynamic characters give static characters purpose; without them, our static friends would just be languishing in a plotless wasteland. The sole exception to this rule is satire - if the entire story functions as a critique, all the characters may be unchanging in order to demonstrate their unintelligence or weakness. The wicked stepsisters are static character "foils" to the sweet, kind Cinderella. (Image: RKO Radio Pictures)How to write a dynamic characterIn a creative writing course, you could spend weeks learning different approaches for writing dynamic characters. This guide won't provide you with "the key" to creating a dynamic protagonist, but it will offer questions and considerations to guide you toward that goal.We also won't talk about how to write static characters, as you want to avoid them most of the time. However, if you're hoping to create a static character to serve some significant purpose in your story, know that most of the steps are basically the same - you'll just stop short of actually setting them on a journey.We recommend downloading this free character profile template before you start. Then read on for some helpful tips!Character creationThe first step to writing  any  character, but especially a dynamic one, is to get their essentials down first. For this, many au thors find it useful to create a character sheet. This is  a little dossier that answers some basic questions about each individual in your story, both physically and personality-wise.So let's say your protagonist is a doctor. Her character sheet might answer these questions:What kind of medical school did she go to, and what kind of student was she?How is her relationship with her family? Does she currently have a partner?What is her religious faith and how does it affect her work (if at all)?Does she have any bad habits  or strange quirks?How self-conscious or confident is she?How frugal is she with her money?And so on. The answers to these questions might not always make it onto the page, but knowing even seemingly inconsequential details about your characters can have a big impact on your story. These kinds of character development exercises really help build believable people to populate your book - characters who readers want to follow, even before they begin to change.Ch aracter motivationAnother critical component of dynamic character creation is  motivation.  In order for a protagonist to go on a journey of self-discovery, they have to pursue something that they want, need, or are otherwise compelled toward.For instance, your main character might be a jet-setting career man who wants romance and a family; an army medic who wants to survive the war; or a retired gunslinger who wants to be left alone. This desire don’t have to be grand and philosophical! There have been great stories told about no more than a young boy who wants a new pair of shoes. There's that retired gunslinger. (Image: Warner Bros)A protagonist’s desires will become a driving force in the story. How close or far a character comes to achieving a goal creates tension and moves their journey along. Typically, in order to change, a character must either A) reach their goal, or B) fail to do so, but realize something greater in the process.Here are a few questions to help you determine your characters' motivations and trajectories:Will the character get what they  want, but at a dear cost?What personal obstacle(s) must they overcome before the desire is reached/obtained?How will securing this goal - or failing to do so - alter them as a character?What if your protagonist’s greatest desire is simply impossible?Internal character conflictWhile conflict is often interpreted as "protagonist vs. antagonist," it’s far more important to consider a character’s internal conflict. When telling the story of your character’s personal jo urney, it's important for them to encounter conflict, as they  themselves  hinder their own success. Here are a few examples of dynamic characters' inner conflicts to show you what we mean:Dumbo is a story about fighting fears and self-doubt. Dumbo’s buddy, Timothy Mouse, gives him a "magic feather" to help him fly. He loses this feather in the final scene, and must overcome his internal fear and self-doubt to save the circus.In Great Expectations, it is only when Pip realizes his worldview has been wrong - that Miss Havisham is not his benefactor, that Estella has not been promised to him, and that he has treated his closest friends and family terribly in order to "become a gentleman" - that he can start to make things right.Elizabeth Bennet has feelings for Darcy, but before she can find happiness, she must overcome her own wounded pride. Likewise, Darcy must grapple with his class-bred prejudices before he can successfully woo Ms. Bennet. These internal conflicts are the essence of Pride and Prejudice.Before you write your first draft, consider how your protagonist’s flaws or specific worldview will work as an obstacle between them and their goal. Likewise, consider how the resolution of these issues will bring your protagonist closer to their desires - and ultimately to a different state of being.Use external conflict to show internal strugglesMost novels can’t unfold in an entirely internal, psychic landscape. Authors need to find ways to move their protagonists through time and space as they undergo internal changes. In other words, you have to show character development via external conflict, instead of just letting characters sit around thinking about self-improvement 24/7.Jay Gatsby’s extravagant parties and upper-class affectations show his desire to rewrite his history and transcend the American class system. If Gatsby’s fatal flaw is his refusal to accept that the past is past, the external conflict that re flects plays out in his pursuit of and affair with Daisy, and the fatal repercussions it has.Fitzgerald more extensively shows this conflict by putting Gatsby at odds with Tom Buchanan. A cruel, unlikable figure, Tom is nonetheless everything Gatsby aspires to: an old-money WASP married to Daisy, Gatsby’s childhood crush. But because Gatsby cannot turn this desire into a change he can actually make - i.e., he can't go back in time and change the circumstances of his birth - he becomes increasingly desperate, careless, and ultimately meets his karmic maker. Jay Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan, and Tom Buchanan from The Great Gatsby (Image: Warner Bros)Can they change for the worse?Growth is subjective, as is morality. Characters sometimes fall to the "dark side" over the course of a story, like Walter White in TV’s Breaking Bad. Walter White is a family man and high school chemistry teacher with terminal cancer. To make money before his death, he starts manufacturing drugs and becomes involved with the criminal underworld.Over the course of the series, Walter White's morality is put to the test in ever more extreme ways. Each external conflict Walter faces has an internal result, and throughout the series we watch him toe the line between good and evil. His original intentions - to protect his family even after his death - are noble, but his means to this end are nefarious. As a result, Walter must â€Å"break bad† in what has become a modern exemplar of character evolution.But what if the protagonist doesn’t really change ?If the mark of an interesting lead character is their personal growth, then their story will chart a journey from the person they were in chapter one to the person they are on the final page. But surely there are plenty of compelling characters who encounter conflict, yet do not change all that much over the course of a narrative?As we've discussed previously, it's definitely possible for a character to be well-rounded without changing very much. But what about a main character? Let's look at a few examples here.From the outside, Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games wouldn’t be your first example of a dynamic character. She starts out courageous, resourceful, and principled, and stays that way throughout the story. Even after the Games put her ideals to the ultimate test, it's only through her selflessness and resourcefulness can she beat the system and leave with them intact.In Andy Weir’s The Martian, supremely chill botanist Mark Watney is trapped on Mars. He quick ly realizes that only his ingenuity and knowledge of science can save him. He encounters a chain of disasters that threaten to break his resolve. Instead of finding some internal flaw that needs resolving, it’s only by maintaining his trademark cool and returning time and again to science, that Watney is able to escape the Red Planet. Matt Damon as Mark Watney in The Martian (20th Century Fox)Don't worry: they're still dynamicBoth Katniss and Mark Watney find the strength to survive by sticking to their guns and having faith in their beliefs. But this doesn't mean they haven't changed at all - it's just that the primary change they've undergone is a strengthening of their core beliefs, rather than a fundamental alteration. They also experience smaller, more subtle changes, such as becoming more hardened to their surroundings and wary of danger.In other words, Katniss and Watney aren't what you'd call "exemplary" dynamic characters, but they're not static characters either. And clearly their journeys were compelling enough to engage readers, since both The Hunger Games  and  The Martian  became mega-hit bestsellers and blockbuster movies!Speaking of which, let's take a look at this awesome infographic (featuring some of your favorite characters) to really nail down the arc of a dynamic character.Infographic: "The Book Deal" Infographic: What does a dynamic character's arc look like? To see how a protagonist's wants, strengths, and flaws will  influence  how a story plays out, we took three familiar characters and placed them in an unfamiliar setting. Let's see how they develop over the course of a  narrative: Failure to change results in tragedyWhen your protagonist grapples with inner and outer conflict,  but fails to adapt, they are almost always punished - by themselves, another person, or the universe. This is what we call  tragedy.In Cyrano de Bergerac,  the titular character is in love with Roxane. However, his self-doubt prevents him from revealing that he has written the words that have won her heart. Cyrano does not overcome this doubt in time, and becomes mortally injured before Roxane realizes that she loves him.And in an example we've already covered, Jay Gatsby learns too late that â€Å"there are no second acts in American lives.† He wants to force his way into the upper classes, but he’s unable to see that this world will not allow him in. He refuses to divert his course so, in the end, we find him bleeding out, alone, in his swimming pool.Both of these characters encounter conflict and grapple with their flaws in a fascinating way. But in the end, thei r failure to change themselves results in their tragic deaths.How much change is too much?Assuming you want your book to remain within the realm of believability, your character’s change should be relatively small. Human beings are capable of great change, but only a bit a time.Again, Ebenezer Scrooge is perhaps the most classic example of a dynamic protagonist. But if we’re being honest, the man at the end who buys 300-pound turkeys for the poor does not remotely resemble the penny-pinching miser in the first scene. However, nobody questions the psychological truth of Scrooge’s overnight transformation because A Christmas Carol is a moralist fable. It's not meant to be realistic, only to instruct.That said, if you’re writing a modern series, you should also be conscious of changing your characters too quickly or drastically. Let’s say that your breakout character is an irreverent, womanizing highwayman. You can have him confronted by a victim of h is crime or philandering - something that forces him to reassess his lifestyle choices.Yet you don’t want him to learn too much. Otherwise you run the risk of turning your series into the ongoing narrative of a former highwayman, who now very much respects property rights and does not flirt with women quite so aggressively. The key is balance: don't stray too far from your character's original personality, but allow them to change in an organic way, at a reasonable pace.Remember: there's no formula for great charactersShould your story not follow one of these common patterns, you may find it’s harder to nail down exactly how internal flaws and external conflicts play out over the course of your book. But even in unconventional narratives, always remember to think of the basics: What does your character want? What’s stopping them from getting it? And will they find the strength to change? These questions will help you - and your characters - find the right way .If you have any questions, thoughts or observations, please share them in the comments below.