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What do you think of playing as a custom character of a different race than you?
- Thread starter Aizo
- Start date
I always run black women
Soul of the Beast
Member
It's not weird, I am an Asian but I almost always play as a white guy in a western setting game (ex: Dark Souls, Bloodborne etc.)
FunkyDealer
Banned
I usually prefer to make a character that does not resemble myself. This is because it makes it feel more like an original character within the game, rather than simply an avatar of myself.
Dark-Cloudz
Member
My Destiny 2 character was a black female hunter with dreadlocks - almost the polar opposite to me.
Games are escapism and fantasy for me.
Games are escapism and fantasy for me.
I have a set group of four characters I sort of adapt to each game as I think they fit. One of them is a black man (which I am not) and one of them is Latina (which I am also not). They have consistent personalities and preferred weapon/class types across all games I play as them in. I guess you'd consider them actors I cast in roles on a game-to-game basis.
I literally cannot make a custom character look like me no matter what I'm playing, although I try to everytime. I don't find it weird that people play something different, my second character is almost always female and after that I try to diversify my characters as much a possible. However, I do roll my eyes at people who play as female with the excuse "so I have something to look at". I also have friends who use the default character and don't change a single slider in the character creation, that one kinda frustrates me and I tell them they're ignoring a big part of the game. That being said you should always play the game however you want, I'll only rag on close friends for their weird habits.
In high school I had the most ridiculous puppy crush on a cute girl with Strawberry blonde hair named Naomi. This post just made me hells nostalgic.
I always chose an elf option if available. I also tend to try and make a character who looks like a caramel amalgam of all races. I like the ambiguity.
SleepingDragon
Member
I just make whatever I think looks cool.
Aztechnology
Member
The only time I get weirded out is when people say things like "Why would I want to look at a dudes body all day" when they choose to play a female character.
And that obviously has nothing to do with race. I don't think playing as another race is weird at all.
And that obviously has nothing to do with race. I don't think playing as another race is weird at all.
My dozens (hundreds? I don't know) of Souls playthroughs would be considerably less interesting if I was only allowed to make characters that look like me. So I don't think it's weird at all.
Right. And that also applies to choice-based games, at least to me. In many of them, I'll try to stick to a certain personality or character arc I've chosen for this character I created, I don't always self-insert and ask myself what I would do. I think the only time I ended up doing that was The Walking Dead Season 1, and partly because the choices are more flavor text than anything else, they don't really change much, so it's an interesting opportunity to get to know yourself a little more, I guess, having to make decisions you wouldn't normally even think of.
Right. And that also applies to choice-based games, at least to me. In many of them, I'll try to stick to a certain personality or character arc I've chosen for this character I created, I don't always self-insert and ask myself what I would do. I think the only time I ended up doing that was The Walking Dead Season 1, and partly because the choices are more flavor text than anything else, they don't really change much, so it's an interesting opportunity to get to know yourself a little more, I guess, having to make decisions you wouldn't normally even think of.
My girl.
HackTheSlash
Member
Im a white dude. And my second fav race to play in Elder Scrolls games is Redguard. I dig their lore mostly. Being bad-asses at combat and holding off the dominion and such. And desert oasis type geography always fascinated me.
Im hoping ES6 is set in Hammerfell actually.
Im hoping ES6 is set in Hammerfell actually.
In games where I have to create a human character, I'll usually try to create one that looks close to me as I find it just that little more immersive. I can understand the reasoning why others do the opposite; many games are supposed to be a break from the norm and if you want that, then what better way than to completely re-invent yourself and be whoever you want to be?
That being said, in other games where there are different races, I'll usually run Elf, Dark Elf if possible. I made my Skyrim guy the ugliest Dunmer possible and found it great fun running around with that grimy, scarred bastard.
That being said, in other games where there are different races, I'll usually run Elf, Dark Elf if possible. I made my Skyrim guy the ugliest Dunmer possible and found it great fun running around with that grimy, scarred bastard.
I'd rather create an actual character rather than a house of mirrors version of myself. It does depend on the game though. My Destiny 2 character is a black woman (I'm a run of the mill white guy with dark hair) but my Everybody's Golf character is a mini version of me.
I play enough games with characters who are white with dark haired so any opportunity I get to play as something a bit different, I'll take it.
I play enough games with characters who are white with dark haired so any opportunity I get to play as something a bit different, I'll take it.
If there is a character selection of different races I always go with the coolest designed characters, regardless of their skin color. That means playing as default white dude or chick in Mass Effect because their character models look more well-made, Raven + Kazuya + Marshall Law + Steve Fox in Tekken because they have the dopest character designs, and lizard people in Skyrim because their scale patterns are fascinating to look at.
Also I think it would be fun to play as a Black or Native American cowboy who goes on a rampage shooting as many white hillbillies as possible now and then in the next Red Dead.
Also I think it would be fun to play as a Black or Native American cowboy who goes on a rampage shooting as many white hillbillies as possible now and then in the next Red Dead.
RichiRamjag
Member
Not at all.
Razgriz-Specter
Member
White guy -> my Destiny and Mass Effect characters were Asian females.
Its also different per game, my Skyrim character and Destiny alt were white redhead women.
Very rarely do I make "myself" unless it is something like Star Wars Galaxies, Final Fantasy 14, etc.
Its also different per game, my Skyrim character and Destiny alt were white redhead women.
Very rarely do I make "myself" unless it is something like Star Wars Galaxies, Final Fantasy 14, etc.
E_Darkness
Member
I cared about making a character like me when I was younger but now I much prefer to make someone else as my existence is miserable.
Hentailover
Member
I mean, white guy here, most of the time I create female characters, often not white. Recently, in Divinity, I made a female lizard >_>
rochellepaws
Member
It depends if I'm playing the game in a roleplay mindset or looking to represent myself. If it's a fantasy game like World of Warcraft it'll obviously be roleplay and I'll design a character I feel fits the role I'd like to play in the world. If it's something more grounded in reality like everybodys golf I'll create a character which represents myself.
I am not the character. Even when it's a customizable avatar, it's not me; it's a new, fictional character who happens to be of my design. In the end, the connection between us is little removed from the character I choose in a fighting game.
So I do make custom characters of various races, without much thought to how they match up with me (or how they don't). Often I like the way they look, or I think the game's atmosphere benefits from having a diverse cast, or I just happen to think "I haven't done this particular look in a while".
Recently, in the demo for Etrian Odyssey V, I ended up with almost my entire guild having various brown skin tones, because they happen to look really great in that game. The character designs / outfit colours / etc. match really well with the broad variety of skin tones, to the point that the few light skin tones available actually seem kind of boring in comparison.
It's nice to have these options. I hope that no one would begrudge my lighthearted view -- though if they did, I'd try to understand them.
So I do make custom characters of various races, without much thought to how they match up with me (or how they don't). Often I like the way they look, or I think the game's atmosphere benefits from having a diverse cast, or I just happen to think "I haven't done this particular look in a while".
Recently, in the demo for Etrian Odyssey V, I ended up with almost my entire guild having various brown skin tones, because they happen to look really great in that game. The character designs / outfit colours / etc. match really well with the broad variety of skin tones, to the point that the few light skin tones available actually seem kind of boring in comparison.
It's nice to have these options. I hope that no one would begrudge my lighthearted view -- though if they did, I'd try to understand them.
Triggerhappytel
Member
I don't find this odd at all. I'm a white male but usually play as a woman and/or minority character when given the choice. Don't really know why, but I've done it as far back as Knights of the Old Republic on Xbox. I did two playthroughs of that game; once as a black woman and then second as an Asian guy.
This
Taliban Stan
Member
Every few weeks this thread pops up. I think it breaks down pretty easyly:
If you're the majority, you are most game characters. Maybe it feels weird to not have your being catered to as the "normal, acceptable, standard approach". American Carnage, Dixie Rebel, Make America Great Again, etc.
If you are a minority, well you're not going to be the main character. Your life as a gamer has told you that you will pretty much never be the main character but you like games anyways. If you were able to get into video games then by default you've gotten used to playing as characters not like you.
I'm a minority. It's fake people. Some games have you playing as a dragon. I've played as a ghost and a cyborg before in games to. I love Beyond and I play as a ghost and girl.
Playing as a female, the majority, or another minority group seems like a weird quibble to have. If all you did was watch games... I still wouldn't get it but considering that for better or worse games are to be played... I just wouldn't see why the demographics of the character would make the gameplay bad. I played a Tom and Jerry game and I was a cat. Imo, you gotta be pretty hardcore -ist to be fine with all that but then playing as a latino is like where you draw the line of acceptability.
Having said that, I'm not the majority so maybe I just don't get the horror at what?! someone would dare tell a story where we aren't the kings of everything and represent all that's right and well in the world? Someone else can shine too?!? No thanks, I'll take my dollars elsewhere.
If you're the majority, you are most game characters. Maybe it feels weird to not have your being catered to as the "normal, acceptable, standard approach". American Carnage, Dixie Rebel, Make America Great Again, etc.
If you are a minority, well you're not going to be the main character. Your life as a gamer has told you that you will pretty much never be the main character but you like games anyways. If you were able to get into video games then by default you've gotten used to playing as characters not like you.
I'm a minority. It's fake people. Some games have you playing as a dragon. I've played as a ghost and a cyborg before in games to. I love Beyond and I play as a ghost and girl.
Playing as a female, the majority, or another minority group seems like a weird quibble to have. If all you did was watch games... I still wouldn't get it but considering that for better or worse games are to be played... I just wouldn't see why the demographics of the character would make the gameplay bad. I played a Tom and Jerry game and I was a cat. Imo, you gotta be pretty hardcore -ist to be fine with all that but then playing as a latino is like where you draw the line of acceptability.
Having said that, I'm not the majority so maybe I just don't get the horror at what?! someone would dare tell a story where we aren't the kings of everything and represent all that's right and well in the world? Someone else can shine too?!? No thanks, I'll take my dollars elsewhere.
;Moon Presence
Member
I'm a white dude and I play always as a girl. Lately I try to copy Kat from Gravity Rush, I just love her too much.
Usually play as the default avatar or make somwthing similar to me. All depends on how detailed the character creator is and what perspective the game is. The more involved it is or if the game is first person I go for default since I'm not seeing it. If it is simpler or third person I make something. However woth The Fractured but Whole I plan on making a black transgendered character after a white boy run through to see all the different interactions.
Phoenix RISING
Banned
brunomartynhak
Member
I used to mix. I generally tried to look cool, being myself or whatever I could create (man with badass beard or woman with short hair usually)
But now I just pick the default and go straight to the game.
But now I just pick the default and go straight to the game.
Maybe not entirely relevant to the thread but i'm a dude and i always play always as the same looking girl, her finalized look is based on my Saints Row 3 character, she looks white to me but her look is based on the asian base character.
Does
count as other race?
Does
lizardman in Oblivion
SiegfriedFM
Member
I have a couple of characters I tend to make in games, depending on the possibilites in terms of gameplay. In Dark Souls, I was trying out a pyromancer and didn't have anyone who fit the role, so I made a black girl who ended up being one of my favourites, but I tend to start out with a blonde girl wielding a claymore. I'm obviously neither myself.
Only time I made someone mostly based on myself was in Dragon Age and that was weird, so I eventually restarted.
Only time I made someone mostly based on myself was in Dragon Age and that was weird, so I eventually restarted.
When I was young, I try to create the coolest / prettiest male and female characters and my standard of beauty is euro centric because that how the dominance culture influence my perception.
Now that I grew up and realize the workings of the world, I create more dark skinned characters instead.
Now that I grew up and realize the workings of the world, I create more dark skinned characters instead.