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[Acquiescence]

I don't give a shit about character creators - give me a full-fledged protagonist every time. It's amazing how much my gaming experience can be enhanced just by having an already defined lead who's endearing or charismatic or intriguing in whatever sort of way. I can't ever pretend that I'm actually assuming the role of the character I'm playing as, so there's nothing to gain from playing as a blank avatar anyway.

 

[Wulfram]

Both can be good for the right game.

But if you have a pre-defined protagonist, please try to make them somewhat likable and interesting

 

[Snowballo]

My Link has to be named Link. Every single time.

 

[MegamanPoweredUP]

Original character forever. I'm no artist, I can't create good characters from scratch.
By the way, customizing an original character isn't bad at all.

 

[Mango The Magician]

My Link has to be named Link. Every single time.

Not even sure as to why it's an option to rename him anymore, it feels so unnecessary.

 

[Servbot24]

Original characters, almost always. I'm tired of adjusting cheek bones and nose bridges.

In MMOs, or even something like Dark Souls character creation makes sense.

 

[Hektor]

The responses in this thread surprise me and are making my rpg-heart bleeding. ;_;
Thats why i cant have nice things.

 

[NeonZ]

I like custom characters, but more for the customization aspect itself rather than any self insertion. So, I generally like even more when the custom character has a personality too, rather than just a silent protagonist.

In something like Soulcalibur, where you can create a large number of characters, I still see myself going back and making more customs once in a while.

My Link has to be named Link. Every single time.

Renaming Link is so pointless. He isn't a customizable avatar, so, yeah, I always go with "Link".

 

[SDCowboy]

I always prefer to create my own character. I feel much more invested in them then.

 

[Linkyn]

Decent selection of presets. If character creators have taught me anything, it's that I cannot be trusted with non-ironic character creation.

 

[HGH]

On the one hand if your character is preset people might complain that they don't want to play as that type of character and be turned off from the game. On the other hand if you have a character creator people might complain there aren't enough options included within.
Kind of a lose-lose situation here.

Personally I think a create-a-character is good if you want to tell a story about a world, and existing characters are better if you're focusing on more interpersonal relations and characters. So I don't mind either as long as they're used in these kinda contexts.

 

[Zareka]

Entirely dependent on the game. If The Last of Us opened with "CREATE YOUR CHARACTER", I wouldn't have known what to think. On the flip side, if Dragon Age Origins threw me in as a random default, my enjoyment would have been cut by approximately 80%. Bonus points if the character isn't voice acted.

Anti-character creator people are jaded old fogies with no imagination.

My Link has to be named Link. Every single time.

I always name him my own name, since he's nothing but a cipher. The characters are all referring to you, talking to you; he's just the link between yourself and the game.

 

[Oppo]

sort of struggling with this question right now, on my game project.

originally envisioned as a roguelike with random characters being generated, but I'm realizing that they will necessarily have to become cyphers, without some very fancy footwork.

 

[Not Spaceghost]

If the character is gonna be a major actor in the world id rather him just be pre made, it gives the character more depth and personality.

I don't mind player made characters but they usually feel lacking unless it is an MMO or game where other characters speak and you don't.

 

[Duffman]

I prefer original characters. Player created characters usually end up being pretty generic and bland story-wise with non existent personalities and backgrounds. There are some exceptions, like Bioware games, though.

 

[Tohsaka]

Much prefer original characters, I can't self-insert into created ones like some people can.

 

[Gbraga]

I'm fine with both in any kind of game, really.

Soulsborne have some of my favorite gaming stories ever, but I wouldn't want a custom character in DMC or Bayonetta, that I only play for the combat. I guess I just have an easy time getting into whatever the devs choose.

 

[Mango The Magician]

While I prefer original characters like I said in a previous post, in fighting games and racing games like Smash and Kart, I actually vastly prefer playing as a Mii. Likewise, in simulation games like Harvest Moon and Animal Crossing, I feel that customization is needed. Harvest Moon is a little weird though, as I found out that the non-customizable characters, like the MC in A Wonderful Life actually have names, they're just never mentioned in game. This has unfortunately put me in a weird position, as A Wonderful Life, is one of my favorite Gamecube games, and when I think back on it, I see the mc as a Farmer version of me, so a dude named "Cody", yet apparently his name is "Mark" so now all I see when I look at him is a dude named "Mark." It's weird.

Pokemon, is kinda the same way, it's why I never bought the Hoenn remakes, even though that was my favorite generation of Pokemon or played any Pokemon games recently, as the minute a character has a name it's hard for me to rename them. Characters like Ryu from Breath of Fire, and Link though are different, even when I first introduced to both series I still felt it was wrong to rename them, especially Link.

I always name him my own name, since he's nothing but a cipher. The characters are all referring to you, talking to you; he's just the link between yourself and the game.

I feel like this may have been the case when the games were still 2D, but ever since then he's always felt more and more like his own person, even in the newer 2D games. This is apparently clear in the few games like FS/FSA and HW where you can't rename him, and the characters are directly referring to him by his name.

 

[DJIzana]

I always prefer original character created by the developers, with exception of MMORPGs.

When you create your own character it's really hard to get a proper cutscenes in the game imo.

Yep. The same for me. For me, I can either identity a lot with other characters or some of them are simply just a lot cooler than ones that you can make yourself. (I think, I least.)

 

[Earthpainting]

If it's a single-player game where there's a story that matters, I want to designers and writers to make a character for me. If it's online, self-expression becomes more important.

 

[Diprosalic]

Character creators are the worst.

 

[Cream]

Am I the only one that likes both?

 

[GoldandBlue]

I'm fine with either. I think the only time it's ever turned me away from a game is the Witcher. With RPGs like that I like being given the ability to choose my characters gender and appearance.

 

[Gbraga]

Yep. The same for me. For me, I can either identity a lot with other characters or some of them are simply just a lot cooler than ones that you can make yourself. (I think, I least.)

Well, to be fair, that has more to do shitty creators than the concept of creating your character.

I can't make a femshep cooler than the default one, no matter how hard I try, but in Dragon's Dogma, for example, this is a million times cooler than the default MC, imo:

Granted, Dragon's Dogma is not really story driven, but there are actually some pretty cool cutscenes, so it's not really the character creator's fault, just a design decision.

Am I the only one that likes both?

High five

I'm fine with either. I think the only time it's ever turned me away from a game is the Witcher. With RPGs like that I like being given the ability to choose my characters gender and appearance.

With The Witcher it's a bit more complicated because it's an established world, even before the first game came out. I can't say it wouldn't be nice to play as a custom female Witcher, but I can't really see the lack of that as a negative. On the contrary, it makes the experience a lot more interesting for people who are already invested in this world from the books.

Can't wait for Cyberpunk 2077, it'll have character customization IIRC.

 

[Melkezadek]

Really depends on the game. One of the main reasons I'm enjoying the Witcher 3 more than I did Dragon Age: I.

I love making characters, but often my head-canon is trampled when the game has my character talking or doing things that he or she wouldn't say or do. With original characters, the game is tailored made to address everything about the character and it feels more personal and less indirect to me.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

It really depends on the game.

Like, I spent all weekend with the Witcher 3, and Geralt being Geralt is much better, I suspect, than the game would be with just some random male or female character I might make.

But a game like say, Skyrim, is all about that freeform roleplaying in a massive world, and I think always being a particular person would take a lot away from that.

I think Fallout 4 could actually work quite well with a voiced and pre-written character, though. It might provide a better anchor to the world and mean more good personal quest interactions.

Playing through the Witcher 3 this weekend and thinking back on Skyrim, I had the exact same thoughts.

 

[Doc_Drop]

I'd be pretty pissed off if the next fallout didn't have character creation. To me the point of those games is to replay with very different approaches to get the most out of it. Which to me involves,male or female, different races, "backstories", age, and looks

 

[Kojirospath]

I like the Mass Effect approach where Shepard is his/her own thing but you can partly shape his/her background and personality and of course looks. Best of both worlds really. I really love Geralt in Witcher 3 but i like that I can customise him to a certain extent. My Geralt has medium length hair and a thick stubble and looks a lot different then default Geralt. Coupled with some cool armor he feels more like my own character.

 

[cantona222]

I still didn't see a good defender for Sunset Overdrive character creation. The game didn't benefit much from the creation. Also on the other hand, It will be tough for Insomniac to do a sequel without a known character.

 

[Breakage]

I'd like the Souls games a lot more if they featured original characters. I think a game like Bloodborne would be so much better if it had a mysterious, DMC2 Dante type of lead protag. It would help improve the game's identity imo.

Character creation should only exist in online/mmo games.
It is absolutely pointless in single player games.

 

[Eidan]

I'll always prefer creating my own character. Often times it's the only way I get to play as a black guy, instead of another Nathan Drake retread

 

[Aesnath]

I think that there are advantages to both and am glad to have the variety of experiences.

If a game wants to tell me a story: original

If a game wants to send me on an adventure: player made.

Yep, this.

 

[Eidan]

I'd like the Souls games a lot more if they featured original characters. I think a game like Bloodborne would be so much better if it had a mysterious, DMC2 Dante type of lead protag. It would help improve the game's identity imo.

Character creation should only exist in online/mmo games.
It is absolutely pointless in single player games.

Good god no. To all of this.

 

[Zonic]

Original characters, always and forever. I like to get immersed in a world in which I have no part in creating.

Agreed. I'm not really the creative type, so I was never one for create a stage/character/design/etc. I play games to escape reality, not try to emulate it, so let me be someone else, not myself. Hell, I go with default names each time as well. What's the point in renaming them when they already have official names to which everyone else will use in order to refer to said character.

If a game wants to tell me a story: original

If a game wants to send me on an adventure: player made.

I think this is a valid point as well. The more story driven your game is, the more I want an original character since he needs to have a personality to go along with the story, which is a bit hard to do with create-a-characters.

 

[jon bones]

To be frank, original characters are white too often. I really enjoy making a character who at least vaguely resembles myself in the character creator mode.

If a game wants to tell me a story: original

If a game wants to send me on an adventure: player made.

I do agree here - if the character is Joel from TLOU or Croft from TR, I don't care what he or she looks like as I'm there for ride.

If I'm gonna go out and run around an open world or the story sucks, just give me a character creator.

 

[golittlerecordgo]

Fire Emblem: Awakening is a good example of a game the combined player-made character with storytelling and did it well (though I guess in that game you control all of the characters, so that might be why).

Edit: Overall I agree with MoonsaultSlayer, just saying that it can be done well.

 

[MrBadger]

I'll always prefer an original character, unless the game is about customisation and personalisation like Pokemon or Animal Crossing.

 

[Camp Freddie]

Both.

I like playing as a character that I've defined, but I wouldn't want to do it all the time.
Conversely, an original character with a good story like Geralt is great. But sometimes I want to play as someone that's more like me.

 

[Haloid1177]

Mass Effect did it right. Let me design how I want the original character to look.

 

[Breakage]

Good god no. To all of this.

In MMOs being distinctive makes sense so in that respect character creation serves a purpose.
In single player games it is absolutely pointless. You can still customise an original character (with armour, weapons etc) and have the changes visually reflected.

 

[jon bones]

In MMOs being distinctive makes sense so in that respect character creation serves a purpose.
In single player games it is absolutely pointless. You can still customise an original character (with armour, weapons etc) and have the changes visually reflected.

I wonder if you'd feel this way if every single player game featured a black female protagonist.

 

[PaulloDEC]

I don't give a shit about character creators - give me a full-fledged protagonist every time. It's amazing how much my gaming experience can be enhanced just by having an already defined lead who's endearing or charismatic or intriguing in whatever sort of way. I can't ever pretend that I'm actually assuming the role of the character I'm playing as, so there's nothing to gain from playing as a blank avatar anyway.

This, all day every day. I'm boring as all get-out. On a real adventure, I'd be the nervous one who dies really early on. I want to go on adventures with exciting, interesting, likeable people.

 

[Kalliban]

I don't see why a character creator has to mean that the caracter is blank and boring (aka "lost my memory"-type of character). They can create a character backstory, a personality, voice and so on but still let me choose the hair style and length of the nose. I personally like to tinker in the character creators, but I prefer my character to have a story and a lot of games are using one or the other. I want both!

 

[infinit777]

Depends on the game. I prefer original ones but player created ones feel more personal.

 

[Xane]

Original characters, always and forever. I like to get immersed in a world in which I have no part in creating.

This.

And I felt like being alone on this.

 

[Psychoward]

Nah I like created characters more 95% of the time. At the very least let me customize the appearance.

 

[Breakage]

I wonder if you'd feel this way if every single player game featured a black female protagonist.

Most single player experiences (with character creators) aren't influenced by the type of character you create. And even when they are, it amounts to nothing more than a trivial alternate cutscene or piece of dialogue.
So in the scenario you suggested, having a character creator would make very little difference unless the game was significantly different based on the character I created.

If the characters I interact with still sees me as a black female protagonist then what is the point of introducing a character creator?

 

[jon bones]

Most single player experiences (with character creators) aren't influenced by the type of character you create. And even when they are, it amounts to nothing more than a trivial alternate cutscene or piece of dialogue.
So in the scenario you suggested, having a character creator would make very little difference unless the game was significantly different based on the character I created.

If the characters I interact with still sees me as a black female protagonist then what is the point of introducing a character creator?

I'm not sure what you're trying to argue, or why anyone would want to limit the choices of other players.

A great many people enjoy immersing themselves in their single player games, and allowing the character to reflect the player is an easy way to help do this. Ergo, saying it is "pointless" is wrong. It may be pointless to you, but I suspect it's because you've enjoyed a lifetime of games whose player characters resemble your gender and race.

 

[4Tran]

Different games are trying to achieve different things with their characters. Most of the games that let you create your own character also give you the freedom to choose between different character classes and skillsets. Trying to do the same thing with a pre-created character isn't as viable. On the other hand, a pre-created character can have a better defined character arc and interactions with the rest of the game world.

There's space for both methods, and what works for one game doesn't necessarily work for another.

 

[sixteen-bit]

I'd take player created character over then next boring Aiden Pearce lookin' motherfucker every time.