全球數位內容產業之龐大商機成為新一波的產業發展趨勢，其中動漫產業更成為引領流行的龍頭。虛擬角色設計是造就動漫成功的重要因素之一，虛擬角色不僅擁有超越語言、文化、國界的圖像能量，更可任意於全球數位場景中存在與傳輸，成為世界共通的認知語言而無隔閡。然而，設計者要如何將看不見摸不著的思想情感，用具體的感性形態表現在虛擬角色外形與個性當中？要如何設計出令消費者認同的虛擬角色？這樣的議題自然成為動畫傳播與視覺傳達的重要課題。本研究以「情感模式」層面來進行虛擬角色的設計探討，以往「情感模式」多被應用於網頁設計與工業設計…等層面，較少應用於虛擬角色的設計。本研究發現消費者與虛擬角色間的情感交流，能強化消費者對虛擬角色的認同感與說服力。量化研究結果顯示：進行虛擬角色設計時，若能以觸動人心的事物意象來打造虛擬角色的鮮明個性，較易獲得消費者的注意。換言之，虛擬角色本身是否能與消費者產生情感上的連結，是決定角色成功與否的關鍵。此外，若消費者能親自參與角色設計的部分操作控制，依自己想像來改變虛擬角色的造型，更容易引起其情感共鳴。透過本研究結果能明瞭情感模式對虛擬角色設計的相關影響，期望未來台灣所設計的虛擬角色也能在國際的舞台中發光發熱。

The vast business opportunities of the global digital content industry have become the new trend of industry development, among which, the animation industry plays the leading role. The design of virtual characters is one of the important factors causing the success of animation. Virtual characters not only possess image energy without the boundary of languages, cultures and nations, but also exist and can be transmitted randomly in global digital settings, becoming a common perceived language in the world without any barriers. However, how will a designer specify such invisible and untouchable ideas and feelings with perceptual forms to demonstrate them from the outer appearances and personalities of virtual characters? How will a designer design virtual characters to be identified by consumers? These issues have naturally become an important topic for visual communication. The research analyzed the design of virtual characters through the aspect of “emotional patterns,” which were mostly applied to website design and industrial design rather than the design of virtual characters. The research found that the emotional communication between consumers and virtual characters enhanced consumers’ perception with and persuasion toward virtual characters. The results of the quantitative research show that during the design of virtual characters, it was easier to attract consumers’ attention by creating distinctive personalities of virtual characters with touching images of matters and objects. In other words, whether virtual characters themselves could create emotional connections with consumers was the key to the success of characters. Moreover, it would be easier to trigger their emotional resonances if consumers could personally participate in the partial operational control for the design of virtual characters and change the shapes of virtual characters according to their imagination. Through the results of the research, people can understand related influence emotional patterns have on the design of virtual characters. It is hoped that virtual characters designed in Taiwan can become famous on the international stage in the future.