Poll: Best Character Customization in a Game

[darkfire613]

I like character customization in RPGs and other such games, especially ones which emphasize choice, where it's really supposed to be You projecting Yourself onto Your Character. It's also nice in online games where you can make yourself stand out from the millions of other players. However, in more linear, single-player games it isn't necessary, particularly ones where the character you're playing has a strong backstory already and the character is already predefined.

As for best, of games I've actually played, I'd have to say Fallout 3. My only gripe would be it needs more hair designs, but it's pretty powerful nonetheless.

 

[ChupathingyX]

Gotta go with Oblivion myself, so many races/classes to pick from and you can mix and match the armour types, unlike in Fallout 3 - the Wasteland Of The Onesies.

Really?

You can't even develop your character's personality, can't develop backstory, can't make your own decsions when it comes to guilds (Blackwood, Necromancers etc) and there is no homosexuality or any perks that may describe a certain way your character acts or fights.

 

[brumley53]

I'm amazed no one has mentioned APB. It's the most customization I've seen in a game. You can change your clothes but you can also put decals and such on your clothes which adds a whole lot more depth to the system.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

Really?

You can't even develop your character's personality, can't develop backstory, can't make your own decsions when it comes to guilds (Blackwood, Necromancers etc) and there is no homosexuality or any perks that may describe a certain way your character acts or fights.

Yeah, really.

I'd be of the opinion that a character with no personality is more customisable than one with a detailed back story. They are whoever you want them to be.

There may not be perks, but there are many, many ways to play. Each race has different attributes, playing as a sneaky Khajit is a very different experience than playing as a Nordic bruiser, or a Breton Mage.

There are hundreds of spells you can build - 4 schools full of completely different spells for different playstyles.

The questlines don't have moral choices, sure - but they're done in a way that lets you approach each one however you like.

And my characters' sexual orientation is not really something I place a whole lot of value in when I'm playing Oblivion.

 

[ChupathingyX]

I'd be of the opinion that a character with no personality is more customisable than one with a detailed back story. They are whoever you want them to be.

You misunderstood, I said you can't develop a backstory, not that you already have a backstory to work with. There is no dialogue or anything that gives any hint of what has happened to your character, you just make it up in your head and it does not relate to the actual game or have any effect at all. If I want to role-play a character that was put in jail for war crimes there is nothing in the game that really makes that apparent or have any effect. You're just a soulless entity doing errands for an emperor-to-be. Especially when it comes to dialogue, where most of it is just "Imperial City", "yes" and "rumours", these do nothing to develop your character.

There may not be perks, but there are many, many ways to play. Each race has different attributes, playing as a sneaky Khajit is a very different experience than playing as a Nordic bruiser, or a Breton Mage.

But it means nothing in the end when you can be a warhammer wielding brute Khajiit or a sneaky mage Nord. Later on the special racial abilities begin to wear off and become useless and other than that there isn't much difference in races, just whatever one you think is cooler.

There are hundreds of spells you can build - 4 schools full of completely different spells for different playstyles.

Once again you can learn and master them all, very easily, and once again they barely affect how you play the game.

The questlines don't have moral choices, sure - but they're done in a way that lets you approach each one however you like.

Which just throws role-playing out the window. If I am a brave warrior who has used swords his whole life then how they hell did I just become leader of the Mages guild? Morrowind didn't have this problem and used a reputation type system that prevented you from joining two factions who were hostile to each other, not to mention having much more guilds in general. Not being able to betray the Mages guild and join the Necromancers really hurt the role-playing in that game. And I'm not just talking about moral decisions, I'm talking decisions in general; please point out to me the moment in Oblivion's main quest where your character build made any difference to changing or approaching the story, or any time that you had to make some kind of decision that had a large effect. I can only think of one;

*Do you want to do a horrible mission that involves trudging through a bunch of Oblivion gates to stop the Counts/Countesses from sticking their thumb up their asses so that they will send a couple of soldiers who will just get in your way to a future battle?

And my characters' sexual orientation is not really something I place a whole lot of value in when I'm playing Oblivion.

If I want to role-play a homosexual character, I should be able to, if I want to role-play an asshole I should be able to, if I want to role-play a swindler I should be able to.

If Oblivion is such a great RPG then why are these types of characters impossible to create? I really didn't like Fallout 3, but even I admit it did role-playing better than Oblivion.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

If Oblivion is such a great RPG then why are these types of characters impossible to create? I really didn't like Fallout 3, but even I admit it did role-playing better than Oblivion.

I think you're taking this all a bit too seriously.

All I said was I that liked the customisation (primarily the visual aspect) in Oblivion and you somehow strawmanned it into a rant about how Morrowind is a better game...

 

[ChupathingyX]

I think you're taking this all a bit too seriously.

All I said was I that liked the customisation (primarily the visual aspect) in Oblivion and you somehow strawmanned it into a rant about how Morrowind is a better game...

You seem to be ducking my statements, and I only mentioned Morrowind once as an example.

 

[Rascarin]

I love having the ability to customise my character, its often one of my favourite aspects of a game.

As for games with the best customisation, I'm gonna have to say Saints Row 2. I have never had so many options! Can't wait to see where they take it in Saints Row the Third.

 

[AlternatePFG]

I rather like how Arcanum does it. You really can't decide how your character looks aside from their character portrait (Isometric RPG in the vein of Fallout so it ) but your choice of backstory and race has an affect on how people react to you initially, and it's pretty extensive. There's also a ton of different backstory options for your character as well, that all give bonuses and side effects to your character.


As for actually designing your character looks? I liked Dragon Age: Origin's customization. They give you pretty extensive ways to design your characters and while the class system is pretty simple, there is a good amount of depth when you get into specializations.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

You seem to be ducking my statements, and I only mentioned Morrowind once as an example.

I'm ducking your statements because they have fuck all to do with anything.

I like the customisation in Oblivion. You don't. Big whoopee.

 

[figday]

I'm amazed no one has mentioned APB. It's the most customization I've seen in a game. You can change your clothes but you can also put decals and such on your clothes which adds a whole lot more depth to the system.

ah, finally someone mentioned APB. that game has one of the most in-depth character customization i've ever seen. i haven't seen EVE's though.

 

[ChupathingyX]

You seem to be ducking my statements, and I only mentioned Morrowind once as an example.

I'm ducking your statements because they have fuck all to do with anything.

I like the customisation in Oblivion. You don't. Big whoopee.

Last time I checked this section of the Escapist is called "Gaming Discussion", by making a post you opened yourself up to a discussion and I entered. Now you're avoiding it, I've had discussions with people on this forum many times that were civil and were actually quite fun, even if we didn't see eye to eye.

There was one particular person who made a statement and I responded with paragraphs of information an he responded to all of them ina civil and calm manner, I just wish that would happen more often.

 

[JourneyThroughHell]

There was one particular person who made a statement and I responded with paragraphs of information an he responded to all of them ina civil and calm manner, I just wish that would happen more often.

Really?

When you open up your first post of the conversation with "really?", your claims of civility go right the fuck out the nearest window.

OT: Best customization choice and freedom wise from what I've played - I'd say Fallout 3. From the whole dress-up and characteristics standpoint - Saints Row 2 or Champions Online.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

Last time I checked this section of the Escapist is called "Gaming Discussion", by making a post you opened yourself up to a discussion and I entered. Now you're avoiding it, I've had discussions with people on this forum many times that were civil and were actually quite fun, even if we didn't see eye to eye.

There was one particular person who made a statement and I responded with paragraphs of information an he responded to all of them ina civil and calm manner, I just wish that would happen more often.

You were not discussing. You were taking what I said and going 'you are wrong', presenting entirely opinion based arguments in a factual manner and using strawman arguments to make your point.

Examples:

'Once again you can learn and master them all, very easily, and once again they barely affect how you play the game'

I disagree. I thought there were lots of spells with lots of different effects. There's your response.

'If I want to role-play a homosexual character, I should be able to, if I want to role-play an asshole I should be able to, if I want to role-play a swindler I should be able to.'

Good for you. But that's completely irrelevant to me. I don't give a shit who my character might have imaginary pixel sex with in Oblivion, I just want to bash some skeletons' heads in. I get enough sex in real life, I'm not going to fret about not being able to do it in a videogame.

'If Oblivion is such a great RPG then why are these types of characters impossible to create? '

Because that's not the kind of RPG it's trying to be. And I never said it was great RPG, did I? More strawman arguments.

If you expect people to respond in a civil manner, don't try and back them into corners with arguments that have nothing to do with their original point.

 

[ChupathingyX]

When you open up your first post of the conversation with "really?", your claims of civility go right the fuck out the nearest window.

You have no idea in what way I was saying that, which I understand.

However, that doesn't mean you can't correct me and continue with having a good conversation.

 

[Booze Zombie]

Saints Row 2 has some very good options, not quite on the level of The Sims 3 or Champions Online, but it feels worthwhile.

 

[ms_sunlight]

Forgot to say: I personally find most games lacking in the ability to change your physical body type, most bodies are either stick thin girls or hulking men. or just kinda blah men and women.

One of the things I liked about Neverwinter Nights 2 was the body morpher; nothing like breaking stereotypes and playing a chubby Moon Elf. I can't understand why a body morpher of some kind (or at least the abiliy to choose between several presets) isn't included in as many games as possible.

 

[IronicBeet]

Last time I checked this section of the Escapist is called "Gaming Discussion", by making a post you opened yourself up to a discussion and I entered. Now you're avoiding it, I've had discussions with people on this forum many times that were civil and were actually quite fun, even if we didn't see eye to eye.

There was one particular person who made a statement and I responded with paragraphs of information an he responded to all of them ina civil and calm manner, I just wish that would happen more often.

You were not discussing. You were taking what I said and going 'you are wrong', presenting entirely opinion based arguments in a factual manner and using strawman arguments to make your point.

Examples:

'Once again you can learn and master them all, very easily, and once again they barely affect how you play the game'

I disagree. I thought there were lots of spells with lots of different effects. There's your response.

'If I want to role-play a homosexual character, I should be able to, if I want to role-play an asshole I should be able to, if I want to role-play a swindler I should be able to.'

Good for you. But that's completely irrelevant to me. I don't give a shit who my character might have imaginary pixel sex with in Oblivion, I just want to bash some skeletons' heads in. I get enough sex in real life, I'm not going to fret about not being able to do it in a videogame.

'If Oblivion is such a great RPG then why are these types of characters impossible to create? '

Because that's not the kind of RPG it's trying to be. And I never said it was great RPG, did I? More strawman arguments.

If you expect people to respond in a civil manner, don't try and back them into corners with arguments that have nothing to do with their original point.

Forgive me if I've misunderstood your point, but this is a thread about what game has the best character customization, right? So if what Chupathingy is saying about the whole "No personality choices, few moral choices, etc." thing is true, that does have an impact on your argument.

And if we're operating on a purely physical standpoint (Which is what I think the OP was talking about), I don't think Oblivion is really the best game if you're looking for customization in that way.

 

[ChupathingyX]

You were not discussing. You were taking what I said and going 'you are wrong', presenting entirely opinion based arguments in a factual manner and using strawman arguments to make your point.

Examples:

'Once again you can learn and master them all, very easily, and once again they barely affect how you play the game'

I disagree. I thought there were lots of spells with lots of different effects. There's your response.

'If I want to role-play a homosexual character, I should be able to, if I want to role-play an asshole I should be able to, if I want to role-play a swindler I should be able to.'

Good for you. But that's completely irrelevant to me. I don't give a shit who my character might have imaginary pixel sex with in Oblivion, I just want to bash some skeletons' heads in. I get enough sex in real life, I'm not going to fret about not being able to do it in a videogame.

'If Oblivion is such a great RPG then why are these types of characters impossible to create? '

Because that's not the kind of RPG it's trying to be. And I never said it was great RPG, did I? More strawman arguments.

If you expect people to respond in a civil manner, don't try and back them into corners with arguments that have nothing to do with their original point.

I'm not trying to back you into a corner, you're free to answer how you wish, as long as your answer has some kind of reasoning behind it, makes sense and is not ignorant. Sometimes debates and arguements can lead to both parties learning new things from the other and eventually come to an agreement and or compromise.

My comments do relate to the original point, I'm just exapnding on them and yes that pretty much is straw man arguements but I like to look at things in a more grander scale when it comes to RPGs, especially RPG. Even if the original point becomes lost both parties may still continue the discussion and eventually it could become quite interesting and insightful.