Those two I’m very interested in as well! (Took me a bit more effort to get into the Great Tournament, however, the writing style I felt didn’t mesh well with the more olden times theme of the game, but after I got over myself it was a good enough experience.)
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This is probably because I always play a self insert first and I’m a short dude, but I’ve recently noticed that I pretty much always imagine my male MCs as pretty short? Meanwhile for some reason a lot of my female and nb mcs are usually on the taller end of average at least
Also even if I’m playing a self insert I tend to go significantly more charming and sociable than I am irl (though in my defense, there aren’t a lot of anxiety-prone human trainwreck type options out there) It helps me explore my fantasies of being likeable and having a social life
And when I make an oc out of an mc, I also usually project some sort of issue of my own onto them. Like my HR mc gets my inability to ask for help and my social anxiety, my ZE (the first one) mc gets my gender issues and the fear of not being able to physically transition for one reason or another. One of my ZE:SH mcs gets my trust issues and fear of trying to connect with other people in an authentic way and and the other one gets my fear of the future/the lack thereof. And my Deathless mc gets a cat (post-game) which I really want but can’t get bc my apartment doesn’t allow pets
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I love playing stoic characters! (Tin Star really spoiled me with that one) Whenever I see a stoic trait I try to raise it to the max.
Also, being a doctor or possessing medical knowledge. Because you can help people. (Gotta love the Zombie Exodus series and Tin star)
And of course, helping/saving everyone. It might be just a game, but I just have to. I often restart just because I couldn’t save everyone and I cannot live with that 
(Evertree Inn really got me good with that one XD )
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- Basically be nice with everyone, pick peaceful options if at all possible, don’t do anything that would lower relationship scores, etc.
- In a school setting, maximize grades. If there are career choices, pick scientist or the closest in-universe analogue of scientist.
- Lesbian
Also I have a lot of difficulty taking different paths from the one I played in the first playthrough; I usually just try to do mostly the same path but, optimize it more. The only exception is choice of robots where I have, like, two paths I enjoy.
I often reincarnate characters from anime or dating sims who got a bum deal in their original story, and/or could be a lead rather than a harem girl, and try to roleplay them.
And transfer the same MC from game to game, if the setting is right for a charming, ruthless but deeply loyal and romantic Spaniard…not the person I want to be (honest) but the character who I feel can get the most done in the average cog narrative.
Most common names are Victor/Natalie St Elme and Angel (de) Florez, who can guess which COG game they started out in?
I always end up prioritizing strength -> charm -> technical skills.
My psychopath runs are usually successful. I choose not to read too much into that.
I try and make everyone happy, if I can’t manage that I panic and everything goes to hell.
It depends on the game but I almost always start with a hardass and/or stoic cynic. l also always tend to romance “soft” characters. Bonus points if I’m romancing them w/ said hardass character. My second playthrough/character is usually charming and roguish in some way. I very rarely play a direct self-insert. I always make up an OC for every game I’m playing and make sure I roleplay them “properly”. Though like others here, I’m a save-scumming nerd. If I’m not happy w/ the reaction/result I get, then I’ll restart or reload lol. I’m also a completionist so I often try to get as much content as possible and go for achievements.
I have many quirks but they’re not exclusive to CYOA games. Every novel-style game I play I tend to do the same things, like in the Dragon Age series.
ABOUT MY CHARACTER. I'll put this in "sumary" format because I think it's too much and I don't want to flood the topic
I try to never repeat names for my MCs (the only time I actually choose the option to write a name is when I used all the options the game is giving in previous games). In CYOA games I don’t even remember if someday I gave my MC my real name.
I never roleplay characters, that’s for sure. I play as myself (in choices, likes and personality). Sometimes when I have more than one gameplay then I change somethings, like I did in Zombie Exodus, where my first gameplay I’m a teenager and shy boy, in my 2nd I’m a sexy female hacker, and in my 3rd I’m a careful aunt. But roleplay as in, dunno “I’ll play as Naruto”, nope, I never do that.
At least in my first gameplay, I go for a shy and smart MC, with strength being their weakness. If the game passes in a dystopic world (since its beginning) then I make a headtsrong character, but having hacker abillities and sneaky, fast, agille. In RPGs I ALWAYS play as a thief. Gotta love sneaky and fast characters. I never play as a**holes characters though. Sarcastic is my limit. I also go for poor or average class MCs (and usually ROs too), I’ll never play as a noble I if have the option to choose poor and average. My MCs are also lonely, so when I have the option to choose if they have many friends or not, I pick only the “just a best friend” option.
When I play as nb I use my real appearence, so blond hair at shoulder, light skin, brown eyes and average height. When I play as boy I go for short or shoulder lenght brown hair, “latin” skin, gray eyes and short or average height (I’m into short boys, dunno why). And when I play as a girl: red or orange hair at long lenght, pale skin, green eyes and tall (and I’m really into tall girls, dunno why again). But sometimes when playing with a female MC I make her appearence as a native american (like my 3rd gameplay in Zombie Exodus).
I’ll ALWAYS pick the elf option because I’m a sucker for elves. When I have the option to pick a flaw, I always pick the bad sight option because HOORAY FOR MYOPICS!
ABOUT ROMANCE
Although in real life I don’t exactly have a preference, in games I tend to be more interested by girls 
Once I even thought about making a list, noting the names, age and stuff about all my MCs in all CoG games I’ve played and at their side write if I went for a boy, a girl or a nb so I could balance it xD but I didn’t do it lol. Well, I never go for the rival and cold romance. I don’t care if later they change, if I hated you once and you hated me as well, then that’s it.
I’m somewhat at extremities. I love rebels (REBEL, not a**holes) at the same time I love nerdy and shy cute characters, so I can’t really say there’s a type I usually choose. However I tend to go for the childhood friend for some reason (but only if it’s a girl or nb 
…).
ABOUT GAMEPLAY STUFF
I tend to stop the game when I see that it’s stats centred, maybe because I don’t like to roleplay and be free with my choices, maybe because I feel at the edge dealling with numbers, dunno. But the story really have to arrest me, otherwise I just won’t play.
I don’t know if it counts, but I never play CYOA that you have to write your actions. At first I thought that they were great, untill I noticed that I’d have to write e v e r y little action. “Use the key”. You didn’t pick the key. “Pick the key”. You have to bend down for this. That drove me crazy, so CoG really is a paradise.
It’s not really save scumming since you have to replay from the beginning, rather than saving before every decision, so you earn that perfect playthrough to a fair extent.
I often have In-character thoughts and comments my main character has to whatever is happening. It helps in making roleplay choices
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My default name is usually almost always “Zaavan” if I’m playing as a guy, which is almost always, or “Narriella” if I’m a girl. Literally, my go to route is to be as charming as I can, and trying to be extremely optimistic. I try to make my character as if I’m actually in the situation. Lately though, I’ve been using more flirty stances and waaay more pick up lines & puns than necessary. I wonder what that means 
Romance usually depends on my mood. Like, if I’m feeling cheerful, you bet your buttons I’m picking the most outgoing person. If I’m feeling like im upset or anything negative, nancy has a friend today, and that friend is definitely me (haha, get it? negative nancy- ill stop now) but on a serious note, i usually go for characters that seems like they know what they’re talking asking about, and can usually flirt back.
A really bad quirk of mine is that if I literally feel like I’m choosing the wrong answers or I’m about to get a bad ending, I will literally start the game over, choose the same choices until I get back to where I was originally, and try it again. If it seems like I’m just going to continue getting bad answers, I just stop playing until a few hours go by and try playing again. It’s funny, because as I talk about this quirk I’m currently doing it right now. Instead of finishing up a game, I’m here on the forum. Funny how life works.
The game that I have seem to see more on this thread than any other is Tin star. Can anyone explain what the game is about? I’m probably going to save up money just to play it, especially if it has any type of romance going on or have a good plot 
Tin Star is a very great western game from Allen Gies, who also has done games like Apex Patrol, Marine Raider and The Shadow Horror. Not played the full game yet but if you like westerns it’s got a lot of options and some fun content. The demo’s here.
https://www.choiceofgames.com/user-contributed/tin-star/#utm_medium=web&utm_source=ourgames
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Depending on the genre of the game, my default name is either “Sebastian” (aka. My first name in RL, used in “realisitic” or historic settings, like Tin Star or ZE:SH) or “Zarzunabas” (fantasy-/scifi-setting).
I only play male MC’s (due to my inability to identify with playing a female MC) and usually go for races (in scifi/fantasy settings) that are/resemble elves.
I tend to prioritize the stats in the following order:
(Magic, if the game is fantasy >) Intelligence > charm/charisma > perception > agility > strenght > endurance.
(Played ZE:SH recently, so i am going with these stats).
Usually i am trying to play the “evil” manipulative character, which uses every avaible opportunity to hurt/kill/discredit/embarass his enemies, yet is ever willing to help his allies and remain loyal to them. (Yeah, i am a fan of this trope)
Mayor Flaws i always incorporate into my characters (if possible): Selfishness and Tactlessness.
What else…
Oh Yes: If a Necromancer - Class is avaible, i do EVERYTHING to obtain it. Necromancy was always my favorite magic school in games, books, movies and i always go for the factions that support it.
I really only play two characters ever. An ugly but good person or a manipulative but very cold person. It takes a certain sort of game to make me deviate from that.
I quite enjoy giving my characters, regardless of appearance or ability, pun/referential names. I also love when the game itself calls me out for this, like in COtV. Just a lovely little detail.
I always play the nice guy/girl. If I can save people or things and not ruin my game I tend to do it. Then with skills or powers I always pick healing. I was a medic in the army and loved taking care of people, so it sticks with me to,heal.
…I can’t play a bad guy…I literally feel bad playing a evil person.
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When I play CYOA’s I always choose a female MC, maybe I just got conditioned playing Otome games my whole 5 years of highschool, who knows? For games with Game-overs, to which is half of my CoG library, I tend to pick the…“Substats” to excel in. As in Charisma and always have essentials like Strength to be as low as possible. So, I have the tendency to drop dead at a moment’s notice since I fail stat checks frequently.
In terms of OC, I always stick to one and remake them in other games, easier to keep personalities in check. My characters are always nice ( Sorry, it physically hurts to be evil ) and if you even think of giving them a glare, they’d just drop dead.
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Just realized that owning to my love of Doctor Who when it comes to naming female characters (either MC or others) I often tend to opt for the names of companions I like - Susan, Nyssa, Victoria, Zoe, Amy, Jo, Sarah, Clara, Donna etc. Not to mention I often opt for Jamie as a male character name, which is a variation of my name (James) but also ANOTHER Doctor Who companion.
Ah, well, wibby wobbly timey whimey. 
For me being evil depends on the game. Generally though I tend to be more screw the world but protect my friends.
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I have a really difficult time playing as an evil character. I try to start out as evil and then end up picking all the nicer options because the evil options make me feel too awful to go through with. My characters tend to end up good with a majority leaning towards the lawful good side instead of chaotic. They tend to be high in charisma and intelligence with low strength. Agility also tends to be high, as does a cunning option.
I also tend to stick with similar names when I first play the game. Default male name is Ryder and default female name is Melody.
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