Connecting with your Game Character

Do you find that you have more of a connection with game characters that you created (including their personality) (e.g. Skyrim, Sims, MMO) or with a well fleshed out protagonist that the developers have made (e.g. Lara Croft, Ezio Auditore)?

For what reasons would you go with one or the other?

For me it's most definitely the one whose looks I can edit but the personality is set. I think it's part of why I love the Bioware games so much.

I find I more easily connect with vulnerable characters than with any other. Custom created characters add to that sense of it being "me" in the game, but when a story plucks at that emotional chord I become far more interested in the characters success or survival. The story and character bio in the game is far more important than what the character looks like.

Just me, or rather my alias (COD, CS:GO, BF4) Mk786!

I guess for me it depends. A lot of games that allow you to create your own character essentially mute your character through the game (supposedly this helps make you feel like you ARE your character) and as strong narratives are high on my list of things I look for in games I'm turned off by a character with little to no personality or involvement in the storyline. So I'd probably lean more to preferring a character created by the developers as I can't really think of a game that let you create your own but still made me love and relate to the character.

It's a toss-up for me between a fixed but fleshed out character, and characters whose looks I can edit but whose personality is set.

Games with characters and writing that resonated with me the most are the likes of Planescape: Torment, Mass Effect, Bioshock Infinite, Dishonored, The Walking Dead, Fallout 3 (even though I never finished it), the Prince of Persia: Sands of Time series (though the first game was the best), To The Moon, Braid, The Witcher 1-3, Portal 1-2, Digital: A Love Story, Analogue: A Hate Story.

Coming from D&D where I got so deep into it, i play almost all my chars Chaotic Good. In the world of games, or the real world for that matter, being following the rules doesnt always get you results, and those results arent always selfish. More often its for those in need or those struggling that you can help with being chaotic good. Its also not being the Rambo type or godlike char, over powering type that you win. To me its more about perseverance, intimate knowledge of your skill set, never backing down.
Thats for games where you can choose.

Another thing, I cant play evil or bad chars, it just runs again my core fibre. I despise them, I want to wipe them from this world and thats were being saying lawfully good wont help you any.




Games were you cant choose, most of which [MENTION=289]Jan[/MENTION] listed, really pulled me in, loved it. I guess very few games makes the aim of the game to assault and tape women, to abduct todlers, to kill store clerks, etc. Most are set with you as the good guy, try to set something right, its the little detail add that makes me like or dislike the game.

I know ppl are raving about Torment now, but I still remember the day I bought it, Dec holiday, CNA had this little store selling green dot specials. Saw the game, thought meh, I'll try it...should not have done that....should not have done that....turned my holiday into a Torment I loved the stories, the char details, and the Brothel for Slaking Intellectual Lusts, the stories they told, plus the music playing....

Soft music, pleasant surroundings, and beautiful interesting women.

Fall from Grace full
Fall-from-Grace, sole founder and proprietor
Nine rooms on the outer edge of a circular hallway, with a central area. There is a secret doorway in the back (north, top of the map) that leads to an area with what appear to be Sensory Stones as in the Civic Festhall sensoriums, surrounding a statue of a nude woman.

Click to expand...

One of those instances where I wish I could forget it experience it all over again....hehe, sorry, enough babbling.