I screwed up the poll and can’t figure out how to change it. 
Edit: Okay, I think I figured it out. Still learning over here.
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I find that the best customisation options are ones that are descriptive and evocative, rather than just a set of one-word options for hair, skin, eyes etc. For example in Choice of Magics you get to choose a “vibe” for your character, such as “bookish and spectacled” or “rugged and adventurous”, with further options stemming from there. Or Avatar of the Wolf has hair options like “intricate braids that trail down my back” or “shaved short with whatever sharp implement is within reach”.
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Oh, I really like those details. Thanks for the examples!
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First of all, let me say I enjoy reading about dragon runes.
As for physical customization, I don’t hate it, but it usually doesn’t do anything for me. The exceptions are when it’s worked in a natural way into the narrative throughout the story, preferably in a way that makes a difference (even if it’s only flavor), or when it’s customization that speaks to characterization, even if only in my mind. My character’s hair color doesn’t help me define who he is, but how he styles it might.
In any case, I’m much more interested in being able to customize my character’s personality, opinions, tastes, and values.
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A couple of items for feedback…
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Excellent! Thanks very much for catching these. They’ll be fixed for the next update.
I figured you might. 
I’ve added a choice when the runes are first introduced in ch 3 so that part of the passage can be skipped if you skim the pages or read in detail if you study it or read it with interest. Plus you get lots of extra material on runes if you choose the rune guide in chapter 5.
Absolutely agree.
Thanks to everyone who has weighed in on the customization poll! 
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When’s the deadline to get our feedback to you? I’m hoping to do at least one more playthrough, preferably after the next update.
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I think she said March 25th.
The deadline for the Spring Thing is March 29th.
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What @ChanceOfFire said. 
My reasoning for March 25 is so I can do a read-through before submitting to Spring Thing, though if you find anything after that it will still be applied to the game and public demo.
I’ve got one more bit of feedback to get to tonight. Planning to update the demo before I head to bed. 
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I know you said March 25, but does that mean it has to be in before March 25, or that it has to be in no later than March 25?
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Feedback sent on March 25th is fine. 
Anything earlier is great so I’m not making a bunch of last minute changes, but you’ve already been doing that, so send me whatever you’ve got whenever you’ve got it and I’ll do what I can. 
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Thanks for answering! Let us know when the new update goes up - I think I have time for a playthrough tonight. 
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Update: I’m caught up on feedback and have uploaded revised files to dashingdon.
This update does not include additional customization, as I haven’t figured out what I want to do with that yet, but pretty much everything else has been addressed. As always, I’m most appreciative of everyone’s time and thoughtful notes.
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I’m normally not big on physical description, but I think it can matter more in four-pepper type scenes where you’re more likely to involve running fingers through hair or pulling it and etc etc etc.
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I like the examples @Haflaen mentioned a lot! I feel like I’d feel more enthusiastic about character customisation if that sort of thing was more common.
I’ve posted a lot about what I don’t love about character customisation sequences so I won’t rehash it (I feel similarly to you, in general, which is a minority I think, but I’d caution against doing something you don’t feel great about) so instead I’ll talk about what I like, especially in romantic situations. With this stuff the way I get myself excited about it as a writer is thinking about how it can be used dynamically/responsively.
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Customisation in general can allow for more personalised physical-based compliments (although for me, I prefer compliments responsive to my PC’s actions or personality over “static” things like colouring; something like “I love how your blonde hair shines in this light” is the same level of interest to me as “I love how your hair looks in this light”)
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Hair styles and textures enable specificity about running hands through hair/stroking stubble/unfastening a plait/applying hair oil/etc which can be characterful and intimate
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Skin colour, even if real-world ethnicities aren’t being portrayed or engaged with, enables people who aren’t white to know that a writer isn’t assuming their character is white, and enables other characters to express shared experiences
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Hair texture/hair care can also enable moments of shared experience, in relation to ethnicity and in other ways too
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Height and build can personalise hugs, kisses, etc with other characters of various heights. With build/weight, it can also make it clear that the author isn’t assuming the PC is thin. When playing, I have a high tolerance for leaving things about the PC up to the imagination unless the descriptions go against it - situations without customisation where a character pulls my PC onto their lap, or jumps into their arms, or lifts them up and spins them around, etc make me go “ah OK, the author has X or Y physique in mind”. It isn’t necessarily a dealbreaker if it doesn’t happen more than once or twice, but it will factor into how enthusiastic I feel about playing further
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Not one of your current testers providing feedback, but I do want to share at least a couple thoughts on why I would vote for certain items on your polls.
Picture of my personal contributions on the first poll
Looking at this, it really does look a tad contradictory, but there is a fair reason for the ones I picked. The first being about the gender/pronouns item–for personal reasons (inclusive of traumas like non-supportive “fair weather” fam and friends) this tends to be a non-negotiable for me because I won’t play various ‘locked’ povs. I just don’t have the headspace for it no matter how good the plot, so any time choice is an option, I consider it a positive that encourages at least looking at the WIP.
For the other, I love having customization options. I love them more when they’re useful in various moments of well thought out flavored writing, even if much of the action of choosing these attributes is just fluff for the immediate scene they take place in, as can be the case sometimes.
Pic of my vote on the second
Why pick these, but not the others? Well, before I even saw Hannah’s post, that was part of my thought process. She’s illustrated pretty much everything I would consider important about how certain portrayals may push a reader away.
There is more to it, though. Height in particular bothers me a lot. Someone, like myself, who often imagines their character as being around 5’6 in height doesn’t want to be told they’re “looking down” at a 5’8 character when both are standing in the setting of the scene. Not unless it was a figurative description indicating the taller character earned the skepticism of the player’s MC. Just because I choose to play a male MC does not mean I want him to be this ‘shredded’ 6’4 Adonis. I like to build a more average (read: relatable) character than that. 
As for why not hair/eye colors; I like those options when I have them because they tend to have the highest callback rate of any other custom feature a player may pick, but I’m not against in-universe plot reasons behind not being able to choose them. Leaning a bit into off-topic chatter here, but this attitude also extends to characters being locked as someone with a not-white complexion, though I won’t lie it is a huge yikes to me that games that do lock an MC, or even just all the ROs, in this way get complaints about it. Bruh, I don’t need to see my white skin on the MC to relate to them. 
On topic though: however much or little we get in terms of character customization in a non-visual medium is still a treat, even if it isn’t always everyone’s cup of tea. I’d even go as far as to say it does a lot in terms of making a game feel more inclusive, though some things definitely take more research to do right.
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Firstly, I really enjoyed the dragon runes, but I can see why someone could find it boring. One solution I think might be good to satisfy both types of people would be to add more detailed descriptions, but only for the Runes your getting. Then you satisfy the people who want more, but overall you have less in the section so those who find it boring don’t have to read as much.
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Secondly I have Aphantasia and so I like having character customization. However, I don’t have to have it. I also don’t have to have a huge amount of options. I also voted other because I like having something special in character creation. Specifically I’ve read stories where one character option was distinguishing features and that option affected your stats. For example have a selection like Scars, make-up, or piercings would effect as follows:
Scars boost prowess, makeup increasing stealth, and piercing increasing creativity.
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This kind of thing just makes character description factor into min/max decisions.
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Agreed. This is definitely something I’ve thought of for hair customization. I usually just say “hair” instead of getting super detailed, but I can see how having the flavor text for that would make your character feel more defined and real.
I appreciate the whole rundown you included here (and have read your other replies elsewhere on this subject). All excellent points I’ve been chewing on for a while now.
For the most part, I’ve tried to write in ways that are open or vague enough that there aren’t specific mentions that wouldn’t apply to characters of different body types. If someone is picking you up, it’s going to be Kai or Teo, who are elite warriors with strength runes to boot, but I tend to steer around that kind of instance, partially to respect whatever the players’ body type might be as we often self-insert (or at least I do) when imagining a character.
^^ If anyone finds instances where I’ve failed in this approach and a specific mention pulls you out of the game, I’d really appreciate hearing about it in feedback!
As someone who clocks in at 5 feet even, I totally get that. I try to get around the look up/look down quandary by having the characters tip or tilt their heads to gaze or kiss.
This is a good point, and one I’ve been considering for a while. I try not to lock the MC into anything other than the backstory they’ve been given, which still includes some choice. I don’t mention skin color for the player character, but I can see there being a different feel between the author leaving it up to you to imagine your skin color and other attributes vs actually being given the option to choose.
When describing the ROs, I tend to use sparse skin color description, but I do mention it to ensure a diverse cast. Rae has dark brown skin. Teo’s is golden brown. Kai is described as being well tanned, and Thea is fair, though I don’t know if I mention her skin color. I focus more on her coppery hair.
I do describe the physique of the ROs in more detail, as well as hair and eye color.
Eye color is especially relevant in this story, as magic adds extra color to every Kitherin’s eyes when they bond with their kindred (dragon/griffin/phoenix).
I’m glad you enjoyed them! There’s lots more rune lore peppered throughout the game, but mostly hidden under choices for those who want to learn more. What I did in this instance was to add another choice to read more of the book or not. As for the runes they’re getting, there is more to come in chapter 4.
That’s a cool take on it! Thanks for the example, though I see @KZV’s point as well.
My plan for today:
I think I’ve decided on adding eye, hair, and skin color customization, for now. I’ll get that woven into the first chapter and wait to see if any more feedback comes in today. I’ve been trying to do uploads at night (I’m on pacific time) in hopes of avoiding interrupting anyone’s playthrough.
I’m also hoping to get more progress made on chapter six. Yesterday was the first time I was able to get some writing done on that in a while, as I’ve been focused on the demo and beta feedback. I’m wrapping up an epic scene in one of the branches, then have commitment/connection/sweet scenes to write, then a political scene which has lasting implications on the direction of the PC’s life. I’d guess I’m 2/3 of the way through chapter six, and am excited to be getting closer to wrapping it up!
Thanks all for sharing your thoughts!
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