True true. I’d say that going into character-generation for the 2nd time will greatly impact your pacing.
However, the opposite of this is also true. You see, the meme “stuck in char-gen” exists because some people actually love char-gen section to the point that they’ll spend a gaming session just to tune the character’s cheekbone.
Perhaps it’s because these games do visualize the character, unlike text-based games. But I think I read somewhere that some ppl love to mess up with char-gen even though it’s text-based
Personally, I have a “skip” button on my char-gen section. However, I won’t put the “your height” question in the narrative unless it’s extremely relevant (to the point that the plot demands it).
Other than that, there’s also randomize button. Who knows if the randomizer throws up a unique archetype ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
When Dragon Age: Inquisition first came out, I spent three hours in the character creator, only to restart the game because the makeup looked awful, and so I spent another two hours on my second go.
I really like character creators.
Personally, I think a skip button like what @Jacic and @Szaal have is a good idea.
It gives the option without bogging down the narrative.
That said, I can’t think of many games that spend too long doing that?
on one hand you have peoples who think it’s useless . Color of your skin , unless it’s mentioned somewhere…is pointless . It’s a waste of time , let me get to the story already !
on the other hand , you have those who either don’t mind it or like it . And therefor want the choice there .
Games in 3D have character customization . from the color of your hair to the size of your chin . Some do not have that .
But choice of games aren’t a book to read . If you consider them even a tiny bit as a GAME , then the more customization you have , the better it is .
Also keep in mind , that authors are still learning . I havent been around for very long , but something tell me…the script are still in a young age and with time , it will do better and evolve . So do authors themself . I’m hoping in the futur , I will see where every little customization I get to choose ‘mentioned’ somewhere which would be nice .
I said it before somewhere else , but I’m all for more customization . Be it gender , hair , eyes , skin colors , size of the mole you have lol or even your heigh ! Give it to me ! I want more !
So now I’m thinking of adding the option to skip character creation altogether. I do want any character customization that happens to actually be referred to in-text, so someone who chooses to skip character creation wouldn’t be seeing any references to their character’s appearance, but overall it wouldn’t make much of a difference to the actual story. Including pages of character creation and then ignoring those choices afterwards does make the entire process redundant, and after a point character creation does tend to become overbearing and tedious.
For the second option which allows you to bypass an ‘extensive’ character creator, would you still like to customize one or two aspects of your character’s appearance, say eye color, or would you prefer to skip it entirely? And if you would like to still customize a limited number of physical characteristics, what would they be?
Frankly, I prefer character creation because they help me feel more immersed and they really help me shape my characters. I’m a beginner coder working on my first dream project in CS, and now I feel a bit intimated by all the work that I gotta do to fulfill the majority’s request . But I’m still going to try to do it, so let’s see how it goes.
Also, how do you guys feel about gender? I currently have options for masc, fem, and nb pronouns with the option to input your own singular or plural pronouns. There’s also a choice for genderfluid folks where the option to change your gender pops up at specific points. Is there anything else I should address?
I’m not sure exactly what you’d call it honestly- I’m not very good at describing colors. I’m black, but with very light skin, so it’s kind of tan, but darker than what you’d call tanned on a white person.
If you try to please everybody you’ll never get the thing written. Obviously it’s up to you how you write your story but everything you add is more work for you to do. My take on these things is that if it doesn’t make any difference to the story, I don’t do it. I’d just be wasting my time and raising my readers expectations for something that’s superfluous.
Personally, the only reason I’d ever mention an eye colour is if it’s something like a red vampires eyes or startling blue hypnotists eyes, for instance. But you probably wouldn’t let the reader turn your vampires eyes green! Same with hair/skin colours, clothing, etc. I’ll mention them if they’re unusual and important to the story otherwise let the reader use their imagination.
I’m writing one at the moment in which the reader gets to change the three main character’s names and genders at the start (if they want to), and that’s it. Any other changes that occur happen as a response to choices they make as the story progresses. They can use their imagination for the rest. If readers want the characters to have horns and blow trumpets all day, that’s fine, they can imagine them that way but I’m not coding an MMO here!
That’s because it’s actually a lot more immersive to have the character in front of your eyes rather than visualize it in your mind. Whereas no matter if customization in text games exists or not, you’ll have that character in your mind, already made up, fully fleshed out, regardless of the existence of that option.
You might, but not everyone can do that, actually.
As I said before, I personally can’t do that. I have an extreme amount of difficulty trying to create mental picture of a vaguely described (if at all) MC, and I need a character creator so I at least have traits that I can visualize, otherwise I can’t immerse myself into a game.
I have an extensive google search history of looking for images of people I can use as a basis for what people in a story should look like, so I think I’m inclined to agree here.
I can only imagine what people would think if they had access to my search history.
That’s great all, but I feel like the game is mocking me when I customize a character and nothing seems to be affected by it.
The best solution would be for a skip option, I guess, so customization can be optional.
name one game where your hair color , skin color , eyes colors…ever done something .
I have been playing games since the Atari , and I still remember Mario wearing the same pants lol same hair and hat for years .
I would be against for a skip option . Why? because that open a door to ‘if I don’t like it , and others do…then…let me skip this and that !’ .
An author should have some right to put customization in there if they want . Just like some stories are gender locked . I don’t go to those and ask them to change it for my sake…I just skip the whole story and move on .
@E_RedMark
Well, this is choice of games, so I think there should be some choice or else it would just be a traditional novel.
If a person could easily add the option to not genderlock the game, then they should in order to get more readers. However, if it’s still a story written exclusively for males, but you can play a female, or vise versa, or it would require two different story games in one and much more work for the author, then the story should stay gender locked. There’s a balance between giving the player what they want and still being able to create a manageable game that can be finished.
Adding a skip button is uninvolved enough that it can be added without creating an extra workload or saying the player has to skip a third or more of the game without replacement content because they don’t like something.
actually…(now that I have more coffee in meh lol) , there is one way it can be done . Not a skip button . But I was playing MEA last night , and you do have more options :
Like : Customize character
Quick-start : Default Female/Male
Game +
So , a writer can have these options as well . One for customization and one for default character . Then peoples who choose a default start , will skip choosing skin , hair , eyes , heigh…etc and will have the option to just write their chosen name or pick from a list .
That’s a pretty weird thing you’ve said. So, if it was the other way around, for customization to be non-existent but there would be an option to add it, would that be bad? And so what if others do like it? You’re not displeasing people if you’re adding a skip option, because if they do want customization, they can customize. If they don’t, they skip. You can’t please everyone. However, you can reach for an ideal solution to satisfy the majority. (Majority being the keyword).
To achieve an ideal solution, in this case, to please both those who support customization and those who don’t, you can make it optional.
And the author is mostly doing this to entertain the majority of the players, so they must place the user’s interest above their own. (Unless it literally destroys their beliefs and they are displeased about writing it).
I have absolutely no issues with gender-locked games because… well, your gender has an impact, as obvious as it may sound. If you’re making a pre-set character with a defined gender, then you’re more comfortable in doing so, and that’s why you write so. I don’t think it’s uncomfortable for a “skip customization” option to be written however.
it’s not weird . I have seen this kind of ‘Let me skip it’ go to horrible roads . Like ‘Let me skip the gay!’ .
I wouldn’t trust that kind of solution where the Majority win lol especially when you are stuck in the minoritee for the rest of your life . It mean , that you are always on the losing end , cose Majority spoke lol .
you say that like it’s a bad thing . It isn’t . Writing customization is fun . I mean think when you read stories about new species and such ? Tell me , you don’t want to have customization then ? How about if you are playing a character that drive some kind of giant robot ? Is customization of what kind of weapon and color of the plate armor a bad thing ?
I am not even arguing about how customization is bad anymore. I am saying how can you be against something that doesn’t affect you.
The skip option. Don’t like it? Ignore it. I can’t see how it’d be bothering to see it as an option.
That was actually why I constructed the sentence; to aid me in my argument. So, quite the opposite, an author should try to please the majority because you can’t please everyone. Others’ interests in your own playthrough should do nothing with yours. Take cheats for example. Most people don’t like it because it ruins the fun and defeats the purpose of the game. Some will say it can be fun and an interesting concept.
So, if you don’t like it, should it be removed from the game? If you don’t like it, then you can ignore it and won’t be bothered by its existence. Did I suggest the removal of customization? Well, no, I said add a skip option, a neutral choice which either you like, or not be affected by at all.
The thread is about skintones, but weapon customization is different and I can see it being practical for example, because I don’t usually go as far to visualize the items my MC uses. Those " fake choices" sit better with me than character customization.
. But I’m still going to try to do it, so let’s see how it goes.
