Does anyone know of a good character design program where students who can't draw can just sort of collage something together, add color and background and save the image? I have checked out Hero Machine but it is sort of weak.

I think that character design is the thing that happens in your head, there is no program which should help. Your head and hands is all that you need for the basic design, the rest are details and there is a big variety of software to apply them. But none of the programs will not create the character instead of you.

I think that character design is the thing that happens in your head, there is no program which should help. Your head and hands is all that you need for the basic design, the rest are details and there is a big variety of software to apply them. But none of the programs will not create the character instead of you.

That's not true. Take a look at Hero Machine.

That's not true. Take a look at Hero Machine.

I took a look. It only made me laugh. Lame surrogate which could be useful only for very lazy or very talentless people. What it can really give? A chance to make fake portfolio? "Look! I can draw! Give me a job in your project!" )))

I have checked out Hero Machine but it is sort of weak.

That is the truth)

Can anyone help? Again, this is for students! Who can't draw.

I don't know of any programs like that, but if I were in your position I would consider adding a couple of lessons on how come up with a character concept, collect reference and draw a character that fits that concept, based on the reference.

They don't need to draw like pros (everyone can doodle, by the way), it just needs to give them an experience of what it's about. The process.

You won't grade them based on what they make, but how hard they tried.

Creating characters for games is a multi-disciplinary activity.

The designer invents the character - who they are, what they will be like, general appearance, that kind of stuff.

Artists give it a visual form.

Writers give it dialog, and a style of talking.

voice actors give it a voice, tone, and emotions.

and animators breath moving life into your still art.

For what you're talking about, design brain storming and "concept art" (hand drawn pencil sketches) are the typical tools.

I don't know of any programs that can auto-complete a drawing for you.

While looking at other things I came accross this:
https://www.garagegames.com/products/rpg_engine_toolkit

Has some sort of character creation tool.

What is the purpose of this question?

1) You are programming a game and need character art for an university assignment.

-> Why not go for stock or free art? You probably could find resources that are cheap or free and use them in your project. ESPECIALLY if its just a university assignment for a programmer, having beatiful art is not a requirement, even less to have custom art. Just go with whatever suits your needs.

-> if that doesn't work for you, how about teaming up with an art student? I think many interdisciplinary schools nowadays actually team programming and art students together for such assignments anyway. Maybe you could make that happen on your own?

2) You are hacking together your own game and need art (why even mention the student bit then?).

-> Again, stock or free art. As long as you don't violate any copyright, and double check the license, you will be much faster up and ready this way.

For 3D characters there is MakeHuman, and Fuse, which give you a tool to create a character with some sliders, and in case of fuse also use a clothing tool to actually dress up the characters.

At some point though you will run out of options unless you spend money on clothing and options created by other in Fuse.

No idea about 2D though, I went the traditional hardcore route and learned drawing, the hard way.