A scout as a polo? What?

Hey Lemon8 fam! So, you've seen my recent post about Noah Gambini, my Team Fortress 2 Original Character (OC), re-imagined as an Incredibox 'polo' style character. I wanted to dive a bit deeper into what inspired this creation and why I love making TF2 OCs! Creating an OC for a game like Team Fortress 2 is such a fun process. There's so much lore, character personality, and visual style to draw from. For Noah, I really wanted to capture the mischievous, fast-paced energy of the Scout class, but give him my own unique twist. I envision him as someone who's always got a wisecrack ready, maybe a bit overconfident, but with a surprising amount of heart when it counts. His 'ORG scout' nickname hints at his origins – perhaps he's an original member of a smaller, lesser-known mercenary group, or maybe it's just a personal tag he came up with! The "Incredibox polo" concept came to me because I just love the simple, iconic art style of Incredibox. It's so clean and expressive, and I thought, "What if a TF2 character was designed with that kind of visual simplicity?" It was a cool challenge to translate the detailed TF2 aesthetic into something more minimalist, while still keeping him recognizable as a Scout. Thinking about how his signature baseball cap or even his trusty Scattergun would look in that style was a blast. It makes you think differently about character design! If you're thinking about creating your own TF2 OC, I totally recommend it! Here are a few tips that helped me: Pick a Class: Which class do you resonate with most? What kind of personality would you give a new member of that class? Backstory Brainstorm: Where do they come from? Why are they fighting? Do they have any unique quirks or rivalries? Even small details make a character feel alive. Visual Hooks: What makes them stand out visually? Is it a unique hat, a specific weapon skin, or a pose? For Noah, it was the Incredibox style that became his visual hook. Don't Be Afraid to Experiment: Your first idea might not be your best, and that's okay! Try different concepts, art styles, or backstories until something clicks. It's really rewarding to see your ideas come to life, even if it's just a sketch or a simple concept. And don't worry if your first post doesn't get a ton of traction – every creator starts somewhere! The TF2 community is full of amazing artists and writers, and sharing your work is part of the fun. I'm always curious to see what other people come up with. What kind of TF2 OCs have you created, or what are your favorite classes to imagine new characters for? Let me know below!