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[Fou-Lu]

Are there any WRPGs outside of The Witcher that have a well written protagonist who is their own character and goes through development? The created characters are definitely one of the weaker parts of WRPGs for me.

 

[Mario007]

Depends on how you classify it, but Horizon.

 

[JayEH]

Alpha Protocol.

 

[Thewonandonly]

Borderlands has 4 but that's counts I think

 

[ShadowSwordmaster]

Borderlands has 4 but that's counts I think

I guess thrown in Borderlands 2 in there as well.

 

[AWizardDidIt]

Nameless One from Planescape Torment.

 

[Maxios]

Alpha Protocol.

I don't know if that really counts since you have full control over Thorton's personality, as opposed to something like the Witcher where you can be a gruff dick or just gruff.

 

[Neoleo2143]

Nameless One from Planescape Torment.

This would be my pick.

 

[Zap Rowsdower]

Planescape and Masquerada.

 

[arturo2666]

Deus Ex

 

[Corpekata]

Nameless One in PS:T

Anachronox (though it heavily apes JPRGs)

Gothic and Risen series.

Most of the later Bioware games have more or less set characters, even if you can tweak them to your liking, like Commander Shepard. He's basically Space Jack Bauer in general.

 

[Hopeford]

Gonna watch the thread like a hawk. I also dislike created characters - totally turn me off from certain games. Didn't even touch Xenoblade X because of that.

 

[CO_Andy]

Secret of Evermore
Shadowrun SNES and Genesis

 

[HorseFD]

Nameless One in PS:T

This is the first thing that comes to my mind.

Geralt of Rivia, also.

 

[zoodoo]

I'm with you OP. I dont like character creation in rpgs. I usually try to finish that section as soon as possible so I can start the game. Most of the time I end up playing with a ugly ass character.

 

[Intheflorsh]

Fallout 4

Spoiler

lol

 

[NoblesseOblige]

Hating character creation in a RPG is like hating the RPG part of RPG.

Unless you're just talking specifically about the aesthetic part of a character. Which in that case play V:tM-B. There's choices but you don't get to really customize minute details in appearance.

 

[Fou-Lu]

I don't hate the act of character creation and I enjoy mechanical customisation. It's the lack of impact most created characters have in the story and on myself that I don't like.

Most video games aren't like tabletop RPGs where there is a GM to adapt the story to the created characters.

 

[AWizardDidIt]

I don't hate the act of character creation and I enjoy mechanical customisation. It's the lack of impact most created characters have in the story and on myself that I don't like.

What wrpgs are you playing that this is the case?

 

[shawnbuddy]

Nameless One in PS:T

Anachronox (though it heavily apes JPRGs)

Gothic and Risen series.

Most of the later Bioware games have more or less set characters, even if you can tweak them to your liking, like Commander Shepard. He's basically Space Jack Bauer in general.

You can't even change the character's name in Mass Effect: Andromeda. Just the gender and appearance.

Dragon Age: Inquisition isn't quite as restrictive, though. You can choose your race, which impacts some things like storyline and conversation choices, and the character is a blank enough slate for some role playing.

 

[Soulblighter31]

Hating character creation in a RPG is like hating the RPG part of RPG.

Unless you're just talking specifically about the aesthetic part of a character. Which in that case play V:tM-B. There's choices but you don't get to really customize minute details in appearance.

console gamers arent used to the style of actual rpg games, since eastern console games that call themselves rpgs are so different, with fixed everything, linear and dramatic storytelling and so on

 

[ShadowSwordmaster]

console gamers arent used to the style of actual rpg games, since eastern console games that call themselves rpgs are so different, with fixed everything, linear and dramatic storytelling and so on

I feel like there is a lot of western games that go into the Role Playing idea of RPGs more so than Japanese games.

 

[shawnbuddy]

2004's The Bard's Tale is a bit old and clunky but definitely has a well-defined character. And a good sense of humor.

 

[TriAceJP]

KOTOR

;D

 

[Morrigan Stark]

Horizon, Deus Ex? Though for the latter, the character is kind of boring anyway...

 

[Mashing]

Nameless One from Planescape: Torment.

 

[Brokun]

KOTOR

;D

oooooohOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH

 

[More_Badass]

console gamers arent used to the style of actual rpg games, since eastern console games that call themselves rpgs are so different, with fixed everything, linear and dramatic storytelling and so on

You think this is a console gamer thing?

It's a story and character thing. Having a set character is as much about the playing a role part of the RPG as it is with creating a character. Having a set character lets the developers craft a focused experience that lets the player inhabit that role. The Witcher is the best recent example, in how everything from the dialogue choices and skillset to the combat and quests is about being a witcher, and more specifically being Geralt. If the game's quests had to work with a character creator, you can't have that.

 

[Mifec]

Horizon, Deus Ex? Though for the latter, the character is kind of boring anyway...

Horizon Zero Dawn? As boring as Jensen is he's still leagues above Eyloy

 

[Fou-Lu]

You think this is a console gamer thing?

It's a story and character thing. Having a set character is as much about playing the role part of the RPG as it is with creating a creator. Having a set character lets the developers craft a focused experience that lets the player inhabit that role. The Witcher is the best recent example, in how everything from the dialogue choices and skillset to the combat and quests is about being a witcher, and more specifically being Geralt. If the game's quests had to work with a character creator, you can't have that.

Exactly this. You said it much better than I would have myself.

 

[rocK`]

Does diablo count? as soon as you lock in you're that person for the rest of the game

 

[loganclaws]

The upcoming Kingdom Come: Deliverance. You play as Conor McGregor.

 

[Budi]

Horizon Zero Dawn? As boring as Jensen is he's still leagues above Eyloy

High Five!

Spoiler

He's not boring though, he is a cool cat with sarcastic wit. Which makes him fun.

console gamers arent used to the style of actual rpg games, since eastern console games that call themselves rpgs are so different, with fixed everything, linear and dramatic storytelling and so on

What a bunch of horse shit. Planescape Torment isn't an actual rpg now? Original Deus Ex? Those are PC RPG:s.

 

[Stead Fast]

You can't even change the character's name in Mass Effect: Andromeda. Just the gender and appearance.

Dragon Age: Inquisition isn't quite as restrictive, though. You can choose your race, which impacts some things like storyline and conversation choices, and the character is a blank enough slate for some role playing.

On the subject of Dragon Age, 2's protagonist Hawke, whilst having their sex and appearance open for the player to decide, leads an almost identical start to life, will end each of their key moments in each chapter of the story in almost identical ways regardless of dialogue choices, and ultimately end their story with the same set of circumstances. To an extent, you could argue Hawke could be one, though nowhere near as solid a choice as to compare him/her to Geralt.

It's harder than I first imagined when I came into this thread.

 

[Wulfram]

Most of the later Bioware games have more or less set characters, even if you can tweak them to your liking, like Commander Shepard. He's basically Space Jack Bauer in general.

Renegade Shepard is Jack Bauer. Paragon Shepard is more... Kirk maybe?

You can't even change the character's name in Mass Effect: Andromeda. Just the gender and appearance.

You can change the character's first name in MEA, just like you can in the other Mass Effect games

 

[Varna]

Nameless One from Planescape: Torment.

This doesn't really fit. When people say "set" main character they mean personality and all.

Mass Effect is the only game that really fits this I think. Generally, all you can be is good guy Shepard or asshole Shepard (that is still doing everything for the greater good).

Ironically the Witcher series despite having a "set" character gives you more options then a lot of games without a set main character.

 

[HStallion]

Hating character creation in a RPG is like hating the RPG part of RPG.

Unless you're just talking specifically about the aesthetic part of a character. Which in that case play V:tM-B. There's choices but you don't get to really customize minute details in appearance.

I prefer a defined character even if there are choices as it lets a lot of the story elements play with that characters strengths and weakness, their attitude and outlook and so on. A blank slate character usually lets you do that but never to the same levels of having a named character with a distinct history, outlook, and so on.

 

[DemWalls]

If we assume that Souls-type games are WRPGs - as is often discussed - then Lords of the Fallen definitely has a set protagonist, however what's mentioned in the OP (well written, development...) doesn't really apply to him. He's not exactly memorable.

 

[Varna]

I prefer a defined character even if there are choices as it lets a lot of the story elements play with that characters strengths and weakness, their attitude and outlook and so on. A blank slate character usually lets you do that but never to the same levels of having a named character with a distinct history, outlook, and so on.

Try out Fallout: New Vegas. You build your characters background as you go through dialogue. You are given options establish that you know things, been to places, etc. Pretty clever way to do it.

 

[Fou-Lu]

Try out Fallout: New Vegas. You build your characters background as you go through dialogue. You are given options establish that you know things, been to places, etc. Pretty clever way to do it.

New Vegas is a good example of a game with a character creator managing to do the main character arc well. Pillars of Eternity also from Obsidian tries to do the same thing, but I don't know if it succeeds quite as well.

 

[Desi]

Of Orcs and Men
Mars: War Logs
Technomancer
Game of Thrones
Etc

Pretty much any game from that studio , spiders/cyanide

Also Rise of the Argonauts

 

[Phu]

Hating character creation in a RPG is like hating the RPG part of RPG.

Unless you're just talking specifically about the aesthetic part of a character. Which in that case play V:tM-B. There's choices but you don't get to really customize minute details in appearance.

Nah, some people want to role play a character rather than role play their character.

 

[PSqueak]

You might be able to customize the character, but you're a specific character in Mass effect games: Shepard or the Ryders.

 

[Rad-]

Baldur's Gate series.

 

[Taruranto]

Planescape: Torment.

Baldur's Gate series.

Eeeeh, I wouldn't say that. You are always the child of bhall, but apart of that, there is no pre-definite feature and the character's backstory is pretty thin.

 

[Szadek]

Gonna watch the thread like a hawk. I also dislike created characters - totally turn me off from certain games. Didn't even touch Xenoblade X because of that.

Does that mean that you never played the holy grail of RPG's known as Baldurs Gate 2.

 

[HStallion]

Try out Fallout: New Vegas. You build your characters background as you go through dialogue. You are given options establish that you know things, been to places, etc. Pretty clever way to do it.

I have and aside from the stuff that happens directly before the beginning of the game the characters actual history is of little importance for the most part and doesn't have a personality except the one you give him/her which is still admittedly not all that much. I love New Vegas by the way but the main character is not a reason for that and its because he/she is basically a blank slate.

 

[jdstorm]

Assasins Creed the thread.

OP sounds like you more likely want an action game with a skill tree.

 

[Hedge]

I like Aloy.

Shadow of Mordor also has a set protag, though he is pretty shallow. Maybe the second will be better.

 

[autoduelist]

You think this is a console gamer thing?

It's a story and character thing. Having a set character is as much about the playing a role part of the RPG as it is with creating a character. Having a set character lets the developers craft a focused experience that lets the player inhabit that role. The Witcher is the best recent example, in how everything from the dialogue choices and skillset to the combat and quests is about being a witcher, and more specifically being Geralt. If the game's quests had to work with a character creator, you can't have that.

While I generally agree with your assessment, I just wanted to note I never feel like I'm "playing a role" when I'm playing a fixed character. I don't connect 'as' the character, it's more like I'm seeing someone else's story. I'm not 'role playing' as Aloy or Gestalt, rather, I'm just along for the ride, a watcher looking in.

Whereas I -love- blank slate RPGs. It doesn't matter that the story often isn't as deep [because you leave far more room for the player to decide what to do instead of creating 'focused experiences', as you call them], it's that I can let myself 'be' the characters.

I find far more investment in my hand rolled 'rogue turned paladin' that resides mostly in my head than I do if you hand craft me a story.

If my hand rolled, custom named, group of 4 blank slate characters [half-Ogre! grizzled warrior! fire mage! healer!] find themselves too deep in a dungeon and need to get out, pronto, before they get party-wiped and I lose them to permadeath... I legitimately care. I invested hours upon hours into them. I literally don't care if [insert Gestalt or Aloy or any pre-made character] dies, because it's just reload and retry... they aren't going anywhere. I didn't make them. I'm just following along with them.