Is a deep Character Creation system important to you?

[Kokayi005]

Well is it?

TBH, I love character creation.
Sometimes you hate the cast of the game so the only thing you can do is make you're own. You decide how cool they look. Or how they talk or what they do. I love that if I am forced to play a mute character or a Bioware game. At least then they voice what you pick.

<spoiler>It's a guilty pleasure of mine to make cool girl characters and imagine them as futa or as characters I used in other games now on a new world or dimension.

 

[Kesil]

I enjoy creating characters in RPGs and smut games (and websites that allow you to create your own). Other than that, I either bear with what I've been given or I stop playing if I hate the characters' guts.

 

[Stemwinder]

Same!

Nothing gives me a better first impression than a robust character creator. If it's particularly powerful I can spend an hour or more playing with it. Bonus points if it doesn't heavily (or at all) restrict how the character can look or gate certain hairstyles or accessories.

The Dark Souls/Bloodborne character creator is a personal favorite.

 

[Zavos]

Its more a matter of having a protagonist / main character the player is emotionally invested into. Customizable avatars are a simple way to accomplish this (and, in general, suits the role playing genre by definition). Customization and expression are the two fundamental limitations for this connection. The player expectations for either are subjective, varying from consumer to consumer. The alternate path is a fixed main character, which relies more strongly upon having a strong story the less the player can impress themselves into the main character. Also subjective, different customers react differently to different story types and defining traits.

 

[coldmonkey]

Not in the least. Well, there are games with truly meaningful character creation systems, like Might and Magic 6-7, but those are mainly about deciding classes for your permanent group of PCs.

 

[Kokayi005]

If a character is good you can see it coming. Few games start out generic with the lore and get better. Usually if the cast is bland it's because they wanted clichés. Or mute MCs.

I hate Souls games character creations B/C that always look like someone's face was curb stomped in them. I like sexy, cute, or if it's a guy lead, badass looking. Like Squall, or Soma, or Albel or Arumat (Star Ocean games, FFs, and God Eater). Not some bearded Paul Bunyon with a face full of scars and the pox.


The best character creation looks like Phantasy Star Universe or even the set up they do for they had for FF14.
But Bioware just lets you change the head and skin tone. Not much else. And MHW switches you characters bust size depending on gear. LAZY.

 

[Kokayi005]

Its more a matter of having a protagonist / main character the player is emotionally invested into. Customizable avatars are a simple way to accomplish this (and, in general, suits the role playing genre by definition). Customization and expression are the two fundamental limitations for this connection.

No I don't mean replace made characters with actually well written loved characters. No way a made up character from a character creation system would replace Cloud or Tifa or Barret in FF7. What I mean is, when the Character creation is there, an option, how deep do you get into it? Is it just slapped together and you're done cuz "fuck it"? Or is it, "man I've been doing this for an hour and I still want to get this face just right. DAMN IT!" Because that second one it me. I never get the face just right in games that aren't anime style art.

 

[coldmonkey]

I never get the face just right in games that aren't anime style art.

Because there's only one face to begin with?

 

[ScarletteKnight]

I have put down some games after realizing they don't have a character creator. I can deal with "Stern middle-aged white cishet man #9,007,812" if there's a good story, especially if they give him an actual fucking personality, but playing as a woman and especially as a created character is much more likely to attract me to a game.

I go pretty hard on creators, and get really in-depth. But you are right, there's no way I'd prefer an OC over Dart, Lavitz, Haschel, and especially Meru. Meru is so my favorite in Legend of Dragoon.

 

[ScarletteKnight]

I hate Souls games character creations B/C that always look like someone's face was curb stomped in them. I like sexy, cute, or if it's a guy lead, badass looking. Like Squall, or Soma, or Albel or Arumat (Star Ocean games, FFs, and God Eater). Not some bearded Paul Bunyon with a face full of scars and the pox.

*doublepost because I missed this earlier*

I actually made some really pretty ladies in Souls games. It does take a bit of work, but most non-anime creators do. I'm quite proud of my girls.

Now Warframe's Operator customization could use a lot of work, and be more friendly to poor people. The hassle of earning the alternate currency without real money can be ridiculous.

 

[Kokayi005]

@coldmonkey
Nah. It's just like that art style so much I don't have to worry about wrinkles and blemishes or mouth being oddly angled. Phantasy Star universe let you do so much and few let you have that kind of freedom. I could even mach fat super tall girls. God Eater games have a decent customization but even thy don't allow much character creation from start. But Code Vein was gonna change all that. SMH

@ScarletteKnight

That's good. I tried for a super long time, then gave up and played a male. Disgusting.
I would love to see some of you characters if you have screen shots. Not just the souls ones either.
As an artist, CCs are like drawing in a RPG to me.

 

[ScarletteKnight]

I only have a PS4 screenshot of my DS3 and BB character, but I can try to lift them off it sometime. DS3 is obviously the best in facial quality. I tend to forget to take screenshots, my friend takes a ton and really likes to see mine, so he gets upset that I have so few.

 

[Kokayi005]

I'm def gonna screen shot the characters I make in all my games I play from now on. If nothing else to see how my tastes change each time I replay a game.

To me in a world or gender role evaluation and sex changes and people getting more open with want to rework themselves despite the stigma of "tampering with the way god made you" or whatever, I think CCs help with that.

I never wanted to switch my gender. But I know how hateful and cruel people can be. Especially when there's no consequences like on the net. So I can grasp that a people trying with the idea of bring someone else would fall in love with CCs as a surrogate to raises the money for a sex change. Now what does that tell us?

Humans can think themselves yo death. They will obsess over anything. Even if it's not real. That's why people had to be forced to go sleep and eat when they got too deep into WoW way back. So if a person feels their real self is the one they made in a Character Creator they might place that game on a pedestal . Maybe even neglect their real body's appearance out of lack of interest in their real life and self.

It's sad. But as I read thru the games here like COC COC2 and TITS I can feel some of those issues may have been placed in the game . Either by compassionate submitting fans or by the developers. Which gives me hope for both even when they usually take a more in your face edgy or just mean spirited tone.

 

[Savin]

Is a deep Character Creation system important to you?

No.

 

[Gigas_Magus]

Character creation is a pretty big plus but not mandatory for me to enjoy a game. I do enjoy creating my own characters, but sometimes I can find great characters in role-playing games. I have the tendency to like the more niche things, unfortunately, meaning that many of my truly favorite games (not included in the lists below) will never see another sequel. In fact, I've had some pretty humorous conversations with one of my buddies where the games he likes generally gets milked to death, and the ones I like usually just die off. "Would you rather see your favorite games live long enough to become a villain, or to die a hero?" Heh, but I digress.

Some of my favorite games that include character creation are: Armored Core (Series), Dark Souls (Series), The Elder Scrolls Skyrim, Soul Calibur (Series), Monster Hunter (Series), Final Fantasy XIV, Champions of Norrath, and more.

Some of the ones I've played that did not have character creation include: Brave Fencer Musashi, Team Buddies, Final Fantasy (Series), The Legend of Dragoon, Mega Man X (Series), Guilty Gear (Series), Breath of Fire IV, and more.

When comparing these two lists, I can not say that I enjoyed one more than the other. However, I do think that it is generally easier for me to enjoy the qualities of a character creator moreso than a premade character.

 

[Kokayi005]

I respect that. I like CCs buy if the cast is cool on their own and you need one, then I don't bother worrying about I'm I just like a good CC when the cast is weak or boring but the game is fun. Like Ni no Kuni 2.

 

[HeroicSpirit]

Hello, I’m new here and this will be my first post.

I like Character Creation, and enjoy creating characters from things I like (regardless of how well it fits, I usually make at least one Homestuck character because I’m trash like that), and also because I like creating characters. That said, it isn’t necessary, as I’m a fan of games like Undertale, Hollow Knight, and Bayonetta.

I ALSO like character creation systems in games because it means Monster Factory exists, which I’ll introduce to you all just in case you need context:

To watch more, here’s a playlist.

(And yes I know Polygon is probably not something a lot of people are fond of here, but I enjoy their content all the same.)

 

[Grimoire]

I'd say, no, unless it falls under one extremely difficult condition: it has a purpose.

If I'm creating something, there's gotta have some kind of impact in some way. In KOTOR with Darth Revan, you can be whoever and the face reveal is still the same either way and one love interest is swap with another pair determined by binary gender. To me, it feels empty to have.

In Mass Effect, Cmder Shepard can be the ugliest bastard in the game and still get laid if played right (or not a complete dummkopf!) but the 2nd game added Facial Scarring whenever you played a Renegade really hard and the implants get heavier and heavier much like the Karma system in Fable.

To me, THOSE kinds of CCs are impactful because people react to them and it's rooted in the story. If it's a CCs like Saint's Row, then you can be the blank slate and it still not matter on the story or affect anything.

The one game im very interested in is Cyberpunk 2077's CCs because you have your human appearance INCLUDING the Augmentations which range from subtle cosmetic ones to extremely hardcore ones. If it affects the environment in the sense a cyborg walking down the street with decked out mods is going to draw more attention versus a netrunner with internal mods that hide all of their cybernetics and ppl still think they're purely human. A mantis scythe mod for both arms along with custom tattoos you pick AND it functions, that's a pretty unique detail. That will definitely be the exception to my answer.

 

[ScarletteKnight]

I'd say, no, unless it falls under one extremely difficult condition: it has a purpose.

If I'm creating something, there's gotta have some kind of impact in some way. In KOTOR with Darth Revan, you can be whoever and the face reveal is still the same either way and one love interest is swap with another pair determined by binary gender. To me, it feels empty to have.

In Mass Effect, Cmder Shepard can be the ugliest bastard in the game and still get laid if played right (or not a complete dummkopf!) but the 2nd game added Facial Scarring whenever you played a Renegade really hard and the implants get heavier and heavier much like the Karma system in Fable.

To me, THOSE kinds of CCs are impactful because people react to them and it's rooted in the story. If it's a CCs like Saint's Row, then you can be the blank slate and it still not matter on the story or affect anything.

The one game im very interested in is Cyberpunk 2077's CCs because you have your human appearance INCLUDING the Augmentations which range from subtle cosmetic ones to extremely hardcore ones. If it affects the environment in the sense a cyborg walking down the street with decked out mods is going to draw more attention versus a netrunner with internal mods that hide all of their cybernetics and ppl still think they're purely human. A mantis scythe mod for both arms along with custom tattoos you pick AND it functions, that's a pretty unique detail. That will definitely be the exception to my answer.

See, this is backwards to me. I need a reason to be invested in a character if I don't get to make them, and the million generic protaganists do not work for me. Frickin' "Gruff Middle-Age Military Cishet White Dude #189473", hooray.

Shepard was actually one I felt way less in control of, like I picked a gender but didn't really make the character, as did Fallout 4. To be fair, voiced protaganists in general don't get the same level of depth, so it's not really their fault I guess.

 

[IATIHIA2]

Mandatory? No. Much preffered? Yes.

I don't particularly mind if appearances don't actually affect the story whatsoever, either, i just like to be able create something that's mine.
They tend to leave me with good first impressions - and games without them tend to leave me with poor ones. ESPECIALLY stuff like Sea Of Theives where it seems like it pushes for customizability, yet is actually very limiting. Those rather irk me, I'd rather they either ACTUALLY make things customizable, or just scrapped the facade entirely.


All that being said, I'm rather poor at crating memorable people in CC... With the exception of GTA Online, actually. I could pick him out of a crowd, though not because he looks outlandish(well... When he's not wearing the fox mask, at least), or even because he's particularly handsome. I'm not really sure why he's so memorable to be. Maybe it's simply because of how long I played in 3rd person before swapping to 1st.

Anyway, i don't think I've actually played a game where the looks really matter that much. If anyone knows of any, I welcome you to tell me about them.

 

[Wsan]

Anyway, i don't think I've actually played a game where the looks really matter that much. If anyone knows of any, I welcome you to tell me about them.

I think it was TERA or some other similar KR MMO that actually adjusted your hitbox based on your character's height, so smaller was always better. Oh, and Vindictus made your attack speed higher if you were shorter. Probably not what you meant but I found it funny regardless.

 

[IATIHIA2]

I think it was TERA or some other similar KR MMO that actually adjusted your hitbox based on your character's height, so smaller was always better. Oh, and Vindictus made your attack speed higher if you were shorter. Probably not what you meant but I found it funny regardless.

Interesting(particularly the attack speed bug), but probably not too uncommon for games with height adjustment. ARK is the same way, i always make tiny people so I can hide in crevices. The downside is that tall grass and windows are a pain

 

[Tinman]

No. I can't say I enjoy spending 20 minutes trying to get a character looking good only to start playing the game and find out that in this lighting or at that angle they're suddenly a freakish monster.

 

[Paradox01]

I'm always disappointed that my Xbox Live avatar is the only character I've been able to create that has a moustache to match my own.

 

[IATIHIA2]

No. I can't say I enjoy spending 20 minutes trying to get a character looking good only to start playing the game and find out that in this lighting or at that angle they're suddenly a freakish monster.

20 minutes? Amateur. Playing New Vegas or Skyrim can take me over an hour - and NV has a tendency to make skin color look WAY lighter once you leave the character creator