Poll: How do you go about creating a character in an RPG?

[HentMas]

you failed to add an option that says "whatever i want to look like at the time" neither of those apeal to me because

A faithfull representation of myself. no, never do it
What I always wanted to look like, but don't. no, i look fine and dont need a representation of that in my game
My exact opposite. no, because i dont really read too much into it
The most bizzare possible (most likely not even the same sex or species as me). no, i have both played as female and male, i more often than not end up female but not because it was my oposite
Following the Hollywood stereotype. never!

 

[Sovvolf]

I have characters that I built and even wrote stories about (for school) that I use. I've had these characters since I made them in EQ back in around 1999 (I think) So yeah, I've been using the same characters for my RPGs probably longer than some members of the escapist have even been gaming .

I use them anyway, try to make their appearance and personality fit along with character class. My profile name is after one of my oldest characters. Which is basically Spirit of the Wolf in short form, though it wouldn't let me use Sowolf (in the game) so I just used Sovvolf instead... Kind of stuck and used the name for later characters.

 

[bootz]

I usually do a good man and a bad girl on my second playthrough to get the differnet parts.
The guy usually looks like a red head simon peg.
The girl is a really hot brunette.

 

[Rataa]

I create a hot chick, because I'm a guy who doesn't want to look at a "gorgeous" Hollywood stereotype guyfor 100+ hours.

That and always a redhead, though hot redheads kinda are Hollywood stereotypes.
Oh well, atleast there pleasing to the eyes

 

[veloper]

Usually one of the default faces. It doesn't matter within the game.

 

[Hagi]

Bad Poll, not nearly enough options.

I usually try to roleplay a bit. Based on whatever my impressions are of the game world I'll be playing in along with the basic character type I'll be playing I'll create something that matches that.

I'm don't really care about looking like myself, my wish-fulfillment (frankly I absolutely HATE wish-fulfillment stories), my opposite, as bizarre as possible or whatever Hollywood thinks I should look like.

 

[Hides His Eyes]

I'm surprised at the number of people who recreate themselves in games. It's never even occurred to me to do that. In RPGs I have a number of stock characters of my own who I tend to bring out of retirement and tweak a bit, and I always avoid fantasy stereotypes (the burly drunk warrior dwarf, the lovable rogue street urchin and so on).

In fighting games, by which I mean Soul Calibur, I like to recreate characters from books, films and other games. I had Cloud, Afro Samurai and Altair as my favourite characters last time I played Soul Calibur. I used to try this in RPGs; I made Lyra from His Dark Materials in Icewind Dale II, and Omar Little from The Wire in Fallout 3. Neither really worked.

 

[teh_Canape]

if it's male, I'd just make it look like me, but cooler
if it's female, I just make her pleasant to look at =P

 

[luckybreak]

I always play as the good guy just because that is the kind of guy I am. I try to play as myself having been transplanted, somehow, into that situation. I will do things out of character though if I feel like it.

 

[GrimSheeper]

Almost allways a mix between the hollywood stereotype of grizzled brown haired strong male and myself, since I have brownish black hair and so it comes down to the amount of heroicness that differs from my own representation and is stereotype. I think I couldn't stand staring at a completely unrelateable character for the entire game length. 'Unrelateable' based on looks alone of course, in a good RPG the decisions are mine.

 

[Akyho]

Red haired dreadlocked chinese japanese white itlain male with a Fu manchu or better yet Chairman Cheng goatee mercernery that uses ranged wepons, that talk or shoots his way out of situatons. And will take your money even if you didnt think that much.

Completly not me in real life. Pitty cos i would rock a chairman cheng. I cant even get a gotee going. for some reason one half ofmy hair their dosnt like to be coloured and so i end up with a two tone goatee that looks like i only have half a goatee.

I did however have a bright red liberty spikes. Thaught i was getting a job. Cut it off and then i found out i am going bald. So now cant dye or even have hair Just because i would shave myself bald from time to time dosnt meen i want it permanant.

 

[Kinguendo]

I always try to make characters that represent me in RPGs, but I spend about 3 hours making a character if the customization has enough depth. Even stuff like Khajiits (which are my favourite race of the Elder Scrolls) I try to make close enough to me... tall, male, err... British? Maybe.

 

[Inquisitor Slayde]

I start with an idea for who I want the character to be and build from that. I decide what kind of person I want to play as and ask myself what makes sense to me for that person.

I'll usually plan for two playthroughs. One as a character driven entirely by self interest, the other an altruist who is still ruthlessly pragmatic. As much as the game I'm playing allows for those choices anyway. Doesn't seem to be much role playing in RPGs anymore, that's another thread though I guess.

I usually play one male and one female playthrough too, when that is an option. The male I model on me (though I am not trying to play me, just a character that looks like me I guess) and the female, well, honestly I just try to make her look hot.

So, I voted 'representation of myself' but that's really only part of my answer.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

depends on the game, no offense but some rpg games have the WEIRDEST shaped/proportioned character building stuff... in new vegas my character looks decent, but good god you can make the most fucked up thing on the planet if you chose to with that game.

OT: generally i try to make it look like me, or something awesome with a hybrid of myself.

 

[Spoon E11]

Changes from play through to play through, and game to game.

 

[QuietBrilliance]

Generally I try to make the female character that all games developers seem incapable of creating... failing that I make a representation of my self.

 

[Bostur]

I press the 'random' buttons until I see something that looks fun, then I adjust to make the character less wacky.


It really depends on my mood, but randomize buttons can be nice for inspiration.

 

[vivster]

i have my two unchangeable presets for any game
mostly i play female
short, red hair(preferably pony tail) and well endowed if possible
when i take i guy it's pretty much like geralt(the witcher)
also both have their fixed personality
i change the name every time but it's always something with a "Vi"

 

[MassiveGeek]

I just fuck around with the settings until I get a result that I like.

-Shrug-

I do the same in The Sims 3. I can never make characters I already have though, like RP characters, I always get bored when I do.
New adventure calls for a new character.

 

[jipperman]

In true nerd fashion, I make myself, but of course bulked up with huge muscles, bad-ass armour and unnecessarily deadly weapons. Unless I make a magic character. Then he ends up just as weak and scrawny as I am.