Character Creation

[Martel]

What is your opinion on character creation? Are you the kind of person who enjoys designing their own character from the ground up so that you can feel like you're more actively involved in the game, or do you prefer to take control of an already made character?

Personally...much as I like the customization options that come with character creation, I still prefer to take control of an already existing character, particularly in RPGs...to me, it just feels like the designers couldn't be bothered to come up with a main character much of the time when I'm making my own character to take the place of main character.

Whilst series like Mass Effect and Dragon Age do a reasonably good job in incorporating your character into the gameplay and manage to have a good story without them, dialogue options are limited, at times very one-dimensional - as fun as it is choosing between good and evil options, it shouldn't be so clear-cut - and they don't impact the game in any real way; it'll still end the same, just perhaps with slight differences in what happens to the characters, so it seems rather pointless to me.

Character creation should be an optional thing, I think. Much like it is in White Knight Chronicles, where your avatar is only really used for multiplayer games; you can use it in the game if you want to, but there is a clearly defined set of characters and story.

 

[Gabe]

I like character creation, but I'll have to say Mass Effect does the best job to make a custom character interesting... :\ Games like Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Dragon Age didn't really seem that seamless, though. The characters never spoke and your character only had the appearance you made, just as a placeholder.

Fortunately, I'm really glad Mass Effect had a character creation system so I didn't have to play as the frickin' male John Shepard who has a horrible voice actor...

 

[Tmoo]

Giving personality to an existing character model is much easier than fitting one onto an AFGNCAAP. Even the ones that talk I find hard to suspend my disbelief, because I know that it's a character that I molded. It's a matter of preference in the end; many people love char. creation and prefer it to set protagonists.

 

[Hades]

I like character creation because in a way it allows you to further immerse yourself into the game be it fighting or RPG. Just wish there were as many options in game as their are in life, Super custom!

 

[Rydia]

I like character creation for RPGs and prefer it to having a set character. More often than not, the main character of a game is my least favorite. And I find it hard to take on the role of a character that I can not relate to. That's probably why I like main characters like Link and Crono.

I also like choosing the gender of the character so I am not playing as a male 95% of the time.

 

[ShadowStar Mila]

Yes Im the kind of person that loves creating before i do anything. If theirs any game that allows create mode or more specifically creating a character, before I do any game mode,exhibition,etc the firs tthing I do is create. I guess the visual artist that used to be in me back when I was in high school was responsble for this. Sometimes I create cameos but not alot, I like original creations and any game i play i always make a creation of myself and sometimes I compare to other games ive created myself in. I can have multiple characters and each give them their own personality,looks,etc Ive created over 50 characters in 1 game before and since the game had its own story designer I gave them all their own unige stories but its very tme consuming if you want them to be perfect.

 

[vyxsin.]

I love character creation. Mostly looks (most fun). And I keep the same character/ design for all RPGS (as close as possible). I find that character creation is the most fun part of some games. It gets better as long as the development is fun too.

 

[Ayumi Hamasaki]

I love creating my own characters if the system is implemented right.

I hate what it (usually) does to the story though. Very few games manage to have both custom characters and a tight story line. I'd say Mass Effect and Morrowind managed it okay, but Oblivion was a giant let down story wise to me.

So I like it, but more so if the story works with it.

 

[Gingerbread Lesbian]

I don't really have a preference either way in all honesty, the only thing I care about in the character creation is that I don't have a character that I'm going to run around for hours on end that looks like a complete bell end. I prefer character creation in WRPGs over JRPGs though simply because I'm not a massive fan of Japanese designs, although I do think Resonance of Fate balanced it really well in that you have pre-set character but you can change their clothing and shizz, it felt like a nice touch.

 

[Mitsuki]

I hate what it (usually) does to the story though. Very few games manage to have both custom characters and a tight story line.

This.

I'm okay with character creation. I don't mind it in Dragon Age, but that's because the storyline didn't pull me in as much in the first place. So it wasn't too much of a loss there. Generally, my thoughts about character creation is that the world setting is made, but not exactly to fit the mold of your character in terms of a detailed backstory. It's not very personalized, and I think that's what I mainly look for when playing RPG games. I want an engrossing story, and typically I find that this can be fully experienced through an already existing character model, in which the developers have spent time to build / explore and then have them intertwine with the story, internally.

I still do enjoy creating my own characters, but when it comes to dropping them into the storyline, it's okay, I guess. Gameplay experience? There's nothing more exciting than watching your very own character duke it out with monsters and customizing weapons / armors to fit your character's class. This can be very addicting.

 

[Lirael]

I enjoy creating a character at first - when I first played Morrowind, I found the ability to do so incredible - but if that character isn't woven into the story very well, I tend to lose interest in the game very quickly. For me, the most important thing is a good host of characters. If the developers can provide that through the characters you engage with then that's great.

However, I do think I prefer a pre-made character who fits into the story and whom you learn about. It's very difficult to give gamers a character they can create without neglecting to provide their character with a solid backstory.

 

[Sir Fratley]

Character customization is my bag baby! I love it, so long as it's done right. The best examples of character customization are from the D&D games, primarilly Baldur's Gate series and Neverwinter Nights series. Not only can you choose your character appearance (avatar), class, stats, feats and so on, but there are a number of voices you can choose from as well. And you can even create your own avatars and your own voices as well if you know how to. And your character is given a background and story that follows him/her (At least in the Baldur's Gate series).

A great example of really poor character customization is White Knight Chronicles. Why bother letting me create a character if my character is nothing more than a side-kick to the game's main character?