The McFly Character Scale (v0.9.02)


Everyone wants a good original character right? But when is character design trying so hard to be original that it stops being pleasant to look at or draw? That's what the McFly Character Scale was designed to do. It's here so you can calculate how many attributes your character has that are based on visual distinction. It's nice to be able to see for yourself where your character is and also refer others to see theirs for themselves without you looking like a jerk. Every character need some points to be interesting, but too many is a clear sign your are overreaching and trading good quality design and simplicity for "originality".

First, let me start by saying that furries, bronies, and many other artistic fans who create their own characters are some of the most fun and lovable people on this planet and that their boundless creativity is part what makes our wonderful cultures so diverse and interesting. Second, know that I would never openly discourage creativity or personal free expression. Be who you are, do what you do, and don't let anyone stop you. It's also not my place to judge, it's yours. Your character(s) are your business. This is more of a way to see how your character stacks in comparison to similar designs. It might also help you figure out what to add to make your character stand out more, or what to remove to make them more pleasing to the eye.
(Read more of the preface at the bottom of this page)



Start here:
- A natural real life animal OR human with no distinct features or characteristics measures at level 0 on the Mcfly scale.

- Anthropomorphic (human) attributes in any quantity or variety/combination are +1 point (includes optional sexualization within normal parameters of the human body or chosen animal species).
- Additional animal/fictional species attributes may be applied in any quantity, variety, or combination for X x X (where X = the number species not including human. e.g. cat + dog, 2 x 2 = 4 points. Cat + Dog + Cow + Pig, 4x4 = 16 points)
- Applying an artistic stylization (beyond semi-realism) such as “Looney Tunes”, “Tim Burton”, “Dali”, “Don Bluth”, “Bruce Timm”, “Blotch”, “Power Puff Girls”, etc. are +1 points, +0 for additional similar styles and +2 for each additional clashing style.
- Sex (genitalia) is 0 points if it is male or female. Any combination of the two may be combined for +1 point. Additional occurrences of genitalia may be added for X x2
points (where X = the number of total genitals. e.g. 2 penises = 2 x2 = 4 points.
5 penises = 5 x2 = 10 points)
- Colorations naturally occurring for that species or close approximates are 0 points. Unnatural colors are +1 point to start . Once you already have an unnatural color applied, you can apply other unnatural colors that match the pallet for 0. Each color that clashed with any other applied color +2 points per color with a max of 7 points. This includes makeup like nail polish, eye shadow, hair etc. A rainbow anywhere is an automatic max of 7 points.
- Simple Unnatural markings such as simple birth marks, birth defects, scars, missing limbs, or special fur pattern(s) range from +1 to +3 each depending on the detail level.
- Complex Unnatural markings such as tattoos, cutie marks, elaborate fur patterns, etc. are judged by their own complexity as their own character and that total is added to the character with that mark. E.g. if you have a tattoo of a 7 point character on your body, that total now applies to you. If you have a cutie mark with a 3 clashing colors, that 6 points gets added to you.
- Naturally occurring markings for that species in no particular pattern are 0 points, otherwise (see Additional Species).
- Additional limbs/appendages/body parts beyond the normal appendages of any one species integrated in the character may be added for X x X per symmetrical pair of 2 or single limb with no mate. (Where X = the total number of additional limbs. E.g. 1 extra eye = 1 x 1 = 1point. 4 extra arms, 4 x 4 = 8points. Pair of wings in addition to arms on an anthro cat-bird 2 x 2 = 4points)
- Additional heads/torsos are X x X each (where X = each additional head beyond the first).
- Additional minor attributes like horns, sharp teeth, claws, poofy tail, or other minor attributes not normally found on that species can be added for +1 per symmetrical instance.
- Special abilities (e.g. superpowers or other characteristics that don’t effect the look of the character’s natural state) are 0 points unless they are always in effect. Like having hair made of fire, unnaturally glowing eyes, or fairy dust sparkling all around your body.
- Hairstyle/color which is not natural or is a style more elaborate thn something common and simple you would get at the barber/salon is +1 point per instance.
- Asymmetry is +1 per instance (E.g. when one half doesn't match the other, like a peg leg, one floppy ear, heterochromea, etc. See Nuances below)
- Fetishes Fetishes that are built into a character's default appearance (not related to the above mentioned) are X x X per instance (where X is the number of fetishes applied. e.g. always wears a diaper and stockings and is a pool toy 3 x 3 = 9)
- If it's not on this list, but it's also not commonly naturally occurring, +1 per instance of whatever that instance is.
(please comment if you want me to add something)

Nuances

These do not effect level unless they are purposefully done in an asymmetric fashion (e.g. claws on all but the left thumb, only one ear floppy, Heterochromatic Eyes, etc in which case they are +1 per instance):

- Naturally occurring features for that species may be withheld/adjusted (e.g. claws or no claws, floppy ears or perky ears, stripes or no stripes, shorter or longer tail)
- If you have chosen an artistic stylization, some features may be withheld (3 fingers and a thumb or 4, Nipples or none, dewclaws or none, big eyelashes or not.)
- Clothes for a character that don't require any points that are simple, common clothes for your type of character are 0 points.



Example characters

Bugs Bunny:
Looney Tunes style (+1), Anthro Rabbit (+1)
That’s all folks. 2 points.

Pikachu:
Cute Anime Style (+1). Pikachu is based on an exaggerated mouse/rodent design.
Yellow/red are not usually rodent colors (+1). Lightning bolt tail (+1). The cheeks could be overlooked as “blush marks” in this style, and a lot of rodents do have emphasis on their cheeks, so that can be overlooked. 3 point character.

Ariel, (Disney’s) The Little Mermaid:
Ariel is drawn in Disney’s semi-toony style (+1), she a fish/girl (+1). That’s About it.
Her hair is bright red, but that’s part of the bright toon color pallet used no other color design issues. Just a solid 2 point character.

A realistically drawn, traditional Centaur.
It’s a horse/human (+1) and has an additional extra torso (+1) and 2 extra limbs (+4). That makes it a 6 point character.

Gabumon (Digimon)
Cute Anime Style (+1) Anthro-Dino (+1)
This is a complex one to dissect. His colors are a little hard to look at, but are almost a set of primaries, so I can’t quite say they clash. However, that “tattoo” (+3). Also, the closest real thing to what he’s wearing is a tiger or similar creature, which has no horn (+1). No mammal has blue fur (+1) or Pink claws (+1). He wears part of it like gloves/hat, but that adds an extra set of claws not attached to his fingers (+1) and a whole additional 2 arms hanging behind him (+4). 13 points in all. That’s a lot of overreaching for something this professional. Compare that to Agumon from the same series who is a 3 point character, and his rookie level friends who are 3-6 at highest. That’s shameful. A lot of the more evolved digimon get way past his score. well beyond anything a professional animation studio should be designing.

Nick Wilde 3points, Spongebob 3points, Scooby-Doo 2points, Pinkie Pie 3points.
Detecting the pattern? If your character is recognizable to everyone and is between 2-4points, you’re probably a professional. If you’re just a regular joe trying to make an original character, try to keep it below 10. Unless you specifically want to be a "Gabumon", I wouldn't reach that far.






Preface - The comment response I made that lead me to create this scale


I'm probably going to put my foot in my mouth on this, so please don't be upset with me if I sound crass.

First, let me start by saying that furries, bronies, and many other artistic fans who create their own characters are some of the most fun and lovable people on this planet and that their boundless creativity is part what makes our wonder cultures so diverse and interesting. Second, know that I would never openly discourage creativity or personal free expression. Be who you are, do what you do, and don't let anyone stop you.

That said, being an artist who gets paid to draw kinky adult things I've seen a LOT of things. Things that range from "Aww, that's cute" to "I'm not sure if I'm uncomfortable or turned on" to "Oh sweet lord, why!?". Even just in passing, I sometimes want to un-see some of the art I've seen. This character is tame by my standards... anthro dragon herm girl with an equine penis and a dolphin tail? Nothing weird about that when you've seen what I have over the years. The rest of the vanilla internet looses their mind to things as simple as this https://youtu.be/-pYOrHU8gcI . LOL

The term "Sparkledog" is a joke among artists and an insult among young character creators, but it derives from unusual circumstances. Back in the old cartoon days, when anthro animals in multimedia were new and fresh, it wasn't hard to create "original characters" with Felix the Cat, Mickey Mouse, and Oswald the rabbit... even though they're all the same body and head with slightly different faces. All you had to do was pick an animal like a dog or a fox, doodle it, and copyright it. These days, EVERYONE online has their own "original character(s)", but how am I supposed to tell one cat, dog, or dragon from the next? By grasping at straws to make them not feel like everyone else. And that's not easy!
My Little Pony is the perfect example (I'm a fan of MLP myself). For 95% of MLP foreground and background characters: Start with a blank adult pony body and paint it a solid color. Now pick a hairdo and hair color(s) and eye color. Choose sex (different face shape for male/female). Now put a one-of-a-kind logo on their flank and optionally add a horn or wings. Rinse, repeat. It actually works really well. You'd think they'd run out of color combos eventually.

Furries and other fans do the same thing, but while most MLP characters try to keep it to the base color and hairdo formula, furries and other original character creators sometimes overreach in trying to make sure that their fox or panda or whatever is distinguishable from every other.
For furries, choose an animal species and combine it with a human body (optionally choose one or more other additional unrelated species to mix with those 2). Now choose a sex (or combine them in any way or just make up a whole new sex/gender with genitals optionally from an additional species). Choose a color to replace the colors of your animal's original colors (or choose multiple colors that may or may not clash and additional patterns like stripes, spots, rainbows, tattoos, cutie marks, etc). And that's before giving it original clothes/jewlery/scars/hairdo/etc. and then optionally putting that character into a fetish drawing combining any multitude of other fetishes on top of the ones for just that character alone...
Now imagine being the artist being told to draw it, with or without a pre-existing reference sheet. Calling it daunting would be an understatement.

That's not an attack on you or your character(s). The truth is, some of my favorite characters exist because someone had the guts to jumble up a munch of odd visual ideas, that just happen to work.
So have at it... Be creative, be interesting, try to be original even though it's harder every day, and enjoy it!
Just be aware that with every additional color, stripe, extra nipple, tattoo, and rainbow tail you add, that originality gained might take a toll on other aspects of what makes a character memorable, lovable, and interesting.