Character Customization and you

[Thespian]

So after randomly watching Yahtzee's very old review of Age of Conan, I noticed he brought up a point that I believe is still quite in effect today; RPGs get laughed off the stage if they don't offer in-depth character customization.
Considering this, I found it to be true in most cases. Whilst there are games like Fable where you can't customize your looks, but your choices, games like mass effect, where you can customize both (though the appearance customizer sucks) and games like Oblivion, where choices don't have a huge impact.
Anywho, of course all MMORPGs need character customization, but I found myself very impressed by the customization system in the new DC Universe online videos, and it occurred to me how much I value having my own character. Sure, half the time you wear armour anyways and just catch a glimpse of the nose being a skin shade paler than the presets, but hey, it's my slightly-paler-nose, and that enhances a game for me. When playing games like Kane and Lynch, Mirror's Edge, Enslaved, (listing them was a dumb idea, basically any game with preset characters) I can of course still enjoy it but I do miss that extra customization.

So, my question to all who think this measly droplet of a post is worthy of a tl;dr, (and everyone else.. obviously) is how important to you is character customization? Do you buy games around it, is it a big plus if a game has it, do you skip right by it and use the presets, etc.,

 

[AnAngryMoose]

I love character customisation. It just adds that little extra depth for a game. Although, it depends on the game. Dante's Inferno or GoW with customisation would be pretty terrible. As long as it's fitting I want it.

 

[L3m0n_L1m3]

I love character customization. I think more games should implement it.

Frankly I'm somewhat shocked that none of the Fable games have it.

 

[Thespian]

I love character customization. I think more games should implement it.

Frankly I'm somewhat shocked that none of the Fable games have it.

So was I when I first played them. It would really factor in so well since it's not even really a set character anywho, and Molyneux seems so enthusiastic about choice. Oh well.

 

[Rylot]

I'm a sucker for character customization; damn you Divinity II! It definitely adds to the game's immersion for me.

 

[Mozza444]

I love any form of Customization in a game, I've actually spent many hours on spore doing just that and that alone. Only for after hours of customisation, playing the game for minutes and quitting.

Customisation is just great, it helps you to be you. Plus i can bet many people in one game or another have played for a long long time, just to unlock that one item that nobody else has.

A unique and hard to get piece of clothing, is much cooler than just another trophy.

 

[kouriichi]

For me, its a must.
Bioware single handedly ruined the next dragon age game because of it.
I will not be buying it, because they removed character creation.

I belive a true RPG is one where you can play as a character you want to play as. I dont want to play as a middle aged white guy with bad hair.

To be honest, Saints Row is an amazing RPG, because you can litterally make your character look and dress anyway you want. Your allowed to create and choose who the character being played is, and i think thats beyond important.

 

[Julianking93]

I like it personally, but I can never make my character look like me.

There's always something just....off in someway.

Fallout 3 got close but they only had the option for 50's hairstyles which is something I don't have.

 

[Stein Inge]

It depends on the game.
Normally I just do some random adjustments and stick with it. Kinda grown tired of the square-jawed hero...å

The funniest one was in Saints Row where me and a friend played around and created the ugliest african-american ever
to be seen on or off the screen...

It was hilarious because he looked like he didn´t understand a word that was being said and he never said anything before pulling out the pimp-cane and started shooting things as if to work out his frustration...

Good times!

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Its a nice bonus but not having it doesn't automatically brand the RPG a failure. What brands an RPG a failure is the failure to keep me interested in the story and the gameplay.

 

[Eduku]

For me, its a must.
Bioware single handedly ruined the next dragon age game because of it.
I will not be buying it, because they removed character creation.

They haven't 'removed' character creation from DA2. You will most likely be able to customise your character appearance like in Mass Effect.

OT: It depends on the game really. Sometimes I like to have complete control over my character appearance (see: Oblivion/Fallout 3) and sometimes I'd prefer to have a pre-defined character for story purposes (See: JRPGs).

 

[Johnnyallstar]

I always felt that character customization is a double edged sword... in all cases except MMOs.

Character customization is great for getting the player to relate more to their character, because it's their *choice* in the hideous amalgam of shapes and colors and whatnot that makes the character theirs. This attachment is great.

But I find that having so much customization in normal games makes it hard for an entire group to really grasp a character, and really fit them into a story, and then have every player accept a "canon" default way. Look at how many people think Commander Shepard should be a women, not the canonical dude. It's difficult to really get a single player series driven off of a customized character.

But for MMOs, I think it's fantastic, because it allows players to differentiate between themselves as they play the game, and not only play the game, but bring a bit of themselves into the game with them.

 

[Korten12]

For me, its a must.
Bioware single handedly ruined the next dragon age game because of it.
I will not be buying it, because they removed character creation.

I belive a true RPG is one where you can play as a character you want to play as. I dont want to play as a middle aged white guy with bad hair.

To be honest, Saints Row is an amazing RPG, because you can litterally make your character look and dress anyway you want. Your allowed to create and choose who the character being played is, and i think thats beyond important.

um... your wrong, like Mass Effect, you can still create your character in Dragon Age 2. You can still change there look, gender, class, just not there race.

 

[Keava]

For me, its a must.
Bioware single handedly ruined the next dragon age game because of it.
I will not be buying it, because they removed character creation.

Erm you realize you still have character customization in DA2? The only thing they removed was picking up race/origin. Class, looks and gender are still up to player's decision.

 

[Thespian]

I love any form of Customization in a game, I've actually spent many hours on spore doing just that and that alone. Only for after hours of customisation, playing the game for minutes and quitting.

Customisation is just great, it helps you to be you. Plus i can bet many people in one game or another have played for a long long time, just to unlock that one item that nobody else has.

A unique and hard to get piece of clothing, is much cooler than just another trophy.

I have to agree. I loved spore despite it's flaws and marching my army of luminescent green alien-platypus with webbed hands on their tails to galactic dominance was simply twice as fulfilling as the feeling of accomplishment in most other games.

And I also love that feeling of getting precious loot. When I still played MMORPGs I would just stick around to get that one rare piece of armour or weaponry so I could look all ritzy, and it felt like my character had really gone on an epic quest and returned with plunder.

I have to say though, in response to other posts, I have never tried to make a character look like me. For example, though I am Irish, I don't look very stereotypically Irish, but that didn't stop me from making a red-headded, bearded, lumbering, green-clad Shepard in Mass Effect 2.

 

[Jeremy Skitz]

I love character customization, but in nearly every game with facial customization, I have found it terrible as it never is right, my characters always end up slightly weird looking and I dont have the patience to play with the sliders, the worst thing is when the character you create looks nothing like he did on the customization screen. I will say its amazing when it works, except it never works at all.

 

[Neofishie]

I'm split down the middle here.

I love the fact in RPG's, I get to craft not only the appearance but the abilities of my character as well. It lets me imagine just a little bit more backstory for them as I imagine why they picked up a sword and shield over a bow or spellbook.

I love customizing a character, but when a good story comes along, I don't mind playing a character someone else has designed.

If anything, I'm having a hard time remembering games where the protagonist wasn't silent and didn't have any customization, but was still a hell of a lot of fun to play. Battlefield: BC came close, because I loved the squad, but Preston was just a little too flat in comparison to them. This is why I'm really looking forward to Duke's return. No matter how unoriginal the gameplay is, I'm still going to have a blast playing as Duke.

 

[kouriichi]

For me, its a must.
Bioware single handedly ruined the next dragon age game because of it.
I will not be buying it, because they removed character creation.

Erm you realize you still have character customization in DA2? The only thing they removed was picking up race/origin. Class, looks and gender are still up to player's decision.

really? :/
They said "character's race cannot be changed; however, the gender and class can be modified".
I didnt hear anything about being able to customize his/her looks past that.