How do you roll? Preset Main Character or Customized main character?

[The Revolution]

The one thing that I always hated about RPGs is having a main character who is nothing like me. With the days of the FF clone (more commonly known as a JRPG), that usually meant whatever experience I was going into, I had to hear the stupidest reasons to do something or not to do something. In essence, I wasn't role playing, I was getting my character from point A to B, hearing some dialogue that I'd never really say for reasons I'd never really believe in, and having to pretend I gave a crap.

Now, at a writer's standpoint, I can see why this is ideal. You can be sure all of the story will be expressed the way you want. And you can see how you're supposed to react by mirroring the Main Character's reaction. But it leaves me cold if the main character's actions wouldn't be my own.

That's why I prefer the customizable main character. Although it's a tougher time to string the story together, I think it the benefits outweigh the pitfalls as you become more attached to your character and the decisions and actions truly reflect what you would do.

Your thoughts?

[Atlas]

Preset all of the way. I say customization is what MMORPGs are for. Just my opinion, though.

[Luisfe]

Custom custom custom, or at least let me decide WHAT skills I want to develop. If there is something that I don't like about jRPGs is that there is normally a single way to develop your character, and that the stat progression/"job" your character can do is set in stone from the beggining.

[King Zeal]

Preset, with the option to customize skills.

Personally, I think that the only "custom protagonist" that I've ever had any really affinity for was Commander Shepard from Mass Effect. Shepard's personality still leaks through the dialogue choices you make for the character, despite the fact that you're basically building his/her personality throughout the game. Other than that, however, custom protagonists like those found in the Elder Scrolls series and Fallout 3 are basically boring. The character essentially amounts to a Yes-man who never seems to put forth any argument when someone asks them to do some tedious or meaningless task.

[Trillian]

Preset. Otherwise the main character doesn't seem as immersed in the story. I don't want the main character's decisions mirror what my own would be, I'm just interested in how the story is going to progress. I don't avoid games with customizable characters though; I thoroughly enjoyed Diablo II but more for the action and multiplayer capabilities than the story. I actually became attached to my sorceress as well, but not because of her personality rather because she was pretty fucking sweet. So, if the story isn't the main thing that is compelling me to play the game, then customizable characters are a-ok.

[Void]

This is a really tricky question, because even in games that you can customize the character, sometimes you can only customize the skills and the dialogue remains linear. I'd have to say customizable though. I can acknowledge that in Bethesda games, the personality of the character never comes out. I'd have to say that's partially because the main character is the only one that doesn't have any voice acting. It's hard to care about those characters when everyone else in the world has a voice.

[Cyrus the virus]

Definitely custom. I generally prefer and anticipate a compelling supporting cast but not a compelling main character, usually because I like to come up with my own reasons for why things are being done. It seems like every main character in existence is motivated by some preset morals they have just because they're a decent guy. I don't know why but that kind of irks me. "I need to risk my life to save the world because it's the right thing to do even though I've never given any indication to anybody that I'm at all courageous!" I dunno.

Having just restarted Neverwinter Nights, also, I learned that I'll restart a game over and over until I get a build I like rather than taking a preset one at the beginning.

[King Zeal]

You get that with custom characters just as well. Granted that you're occasionally given the option of being a complete douchebag, but most games require you to defend yourself or the world against something that would otherwise ruin the day.

[The Revolution]

It should be stated that for the majority of the times, jRPG are the biggest Preset makers in the world. And then you also have to get over the cultural beliefs and ideals... and the constant screaming out of each other's names like it was a swinger's party (I really hate that), some of those things grind on me because it's just not how I roll.

Perhaps I'd be more forgiving if my Preset was more palatable to my taste. Not a whiny rail thin demi god who hasn't learned belts are only for keeping your pants up and whose hair is maintained by the sheer "WTF DUDE" that he gets every ten seconds.

[Sushi_b]

I think for the most part the custom features are much more enjoyable. Especially recently. A lot of people have complained about how stale the JRPGs have become as a whole because most Western style RPGs on console have morphed into PC style games. It's nice to have a story line that bends a little bit depending on your choices and gives up some flexibility.

That said, there are still times when a linear game has turned out great and I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much if I were given more freedom. By in large though, the more freedom we get, the more interesting the game is. It also gives up the chance to replay the game in different mindsets for the characters.

One of the most exciting possibilities for this current generation to have a game reflect what choices you made is the next Mass Effect game. Bioware is claiming that every major choice made in the first game will be carried over to the next in some way. I'm looking forward to see how it works out.

[drunken monk]

Well when I read the title for this I thought you meant choosing between preset or custom characters in a game like Oblivion for example. If thats the case I always rock it custom. But if your asking me to choose between a lifeless custom character from a game like Oblivion or a main character from a JRPG I would no doubt choose preset.

Getting to build your characters from scratch is always an awesome experience but at the same time I feel like a tool walking around until I get to make my next good or evil decision. My personality never reflects onto those characters because Im just scrolling through preset choices deciding whether I want to be a dick or a saint. Even though you get some freedom your still playing the character the developers intended and your avatar never seems all that interesting.

On the preset side you get a character with a back story and his or her own personality. If the character is good enough they can leave a lasting impression on you which is something I value in a RPG and thats something you dont get with custom characters.

[King Zeal]

Well put. I whole-heartedly agree.

[twerp]

I like what custom characters bring to the table in theory, but in the end I get bored messing with sliders in order to produce the picture perfect eyes/nose ratio.


Preset is what I grew up on and where my loyalty lies.

[The Revolution]

On the preset side you get a character with a back story and his or her own personality. If the character is good enough they can leave a lasting impression on you which is something I value in a RPG and thats something you dont get with custom characters.

Which is true, Maxi (:)), but we're normally treated to stock action figure #231 who can't remember his past, lost his parents and swore revenge, destined for greatness, and/or was adopted and is the last part of a long line of people that needed to be.

Without originality, it's hard to be excited about the stories nowadays. And I think a lot of designers are so interested about the hook, the gimmick that will make this rpg better than the last, that the focus on the characters is just making them look good instead of truly fleshing them out and really making us care.

As people said, the optimum choice is Shepherd from Mass Effect, but again, that rpg's hook was to give the player optimum immersion into the world. Not the en mass curb stomp of the Last Remnant, or "Hey, we can fit Johnny Yong Bosch into anything" of Grandia III.

Well put. I whole-heartedly agree.

You just proved your sig wrong in so many ways. Perfection DENIED.

[Atlas]

We need a Sims RPG. Now, that's an idea. :P

[Phakiel]

I dont think that would be particularly thrilling mate.

After you kill the monster, you would have to pick up its remains and then skin it and sell it for profit, it could get boring.

Or tell me what you are thinking of.

[Luisfe]

I dont think that would be particularly thrilling mate.

After you kill the monster, you would have to pick up its remains and then skin it and sell it for profit, it could get boring.

Or tell me what you are thinking of.

Isn't that pretty much Monster Hunter's formula?
Or any MMORPG?

[Phakiel]

Isn't that pretty much Monster Hunter's formula?
Or any MMORPG?

Sure whatever, I wouldnt know, havent played MH and I rather have a catheter up my dick than play a MMORPG.

[Cyrus the virus]

Some dudes are into that. It wouldn't surprise me if Devil King was...

[Phakiel]

You mean like the dudes from that Survivor video? Man, that was the worst thing I have ever seen.

[Priest4hire]

Character customization in form of picking attributes, skills, class, and perhaps a custom look seems to me to be a win/win proposition. It's simple to add in pre-generated characters so as to give the exact same functionality as a fixed system. So it's good for both those who like to spend time on character building and those who don't. At the same time it has no impact on the story; especially in JRPGs where the RPG elements only dictate combat and that has little bearing on anything beyond unlocking plot advancement. So bring on the character building I say.

When it comes to games that offer character development through choices in game, Planescape: Torment is undoubtedly the gold standard. It combines excellent writing with a surprisingly sophisticated array of dialog choices that do not simply boil down to naughty vs. nice. On the other hand that the game's script contains approximately 800,000 words; the equivalent of the first 6 Harry Potter books combined.

Games like The Elder Scrolls series draw on the old tradition of WRPGs that feature characters that are deliberately left empty of personality and act mainly as a vehicle for the player to explore the complex world. These games are not about the character or story as much as the world and as such tend to have few personality defining choices in them. Most choices are either character building or are about which part of the world the player wishes to see.

It is possible to have choice and character personality at the same time. Take The Bard's Tale (the new one) as an example. Dialog choices in that game basically amount to snarky and extra-snarky but it does allow the player some choice and the bard doesn't lack for personality at all. I found him to be the antidote for all those annoying silent protagonists and yes men main characters. I think this isn't a bad place for RPGs to go since it allows a strong and defined personality while still giving the player some control over his character. It is nice to feel like one is playing the story beyond shepherding the characters from cutscene to cutscene.

[Luisfe]

In the example of The Bard's Tale, it helps that the main character has one of the best voices. Hooray for Elwes.

[Devil King]

Some dudes are into that. It wouldn't surprise me if Devil King was...

Ooooh, you know it. The weirder the better.

I like my characters preset, because I'm krunk like that.