Entry tags:
(no subject)
Just as the universe tries to repeatedly reinvent crabs, every three years or so I seem to be compelled to build myself character directories. It's a little bit pointless given I so rarely document anything about them in public spaces these days, but hey, it's fun, and if I ever do decide to chatter about someone it will be nice to have a central reference point.
As I line the vidya ducklings up, I keep thinking of a YouTube video![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
syntheid linked me to a while back, in which the presenter discussed his preferences for RPG games with a set protagonist versus those that hand the player a blank slate to fill in themselves: "Roleplaying in Video Games (and why I barely do it)". I am someone who loves building characters out of blank(ish) slates and have broadly socialised in circles who often make a very involved experience out of it, so it was interesting to see this other perspective so well-articulated, and he makes some solid points even if I can't relate to every single one of them. (If you want your character to connect with and grow through the main plot then simply don't... make a character who has no reason to engage with the plot and/or will constantly fight against it? To also use The Outer Worlds as an example, I went in with a fairly bitter, entitled, and self-centred character, so I knew I needed her to have a reason for her to do anything for anyone else and slam-dunked a personal investment in rescuing the frozen colonists into her backstory. It dragged her through enough of the early quests that she started learning from those experiences and generating more involved interests and opinions in what was going on, and lo there grew a character arc directly linked to the main storyline.)
Still, he's right about the self usually sneaking in. I know what I like, and there's not much sense in denying myself fun just for the sake of artistic integrity - though there is sometimes fun in deliberately trying different things! I'm unlikely to ever play a truly mean or cruel character because I just don't enjoy it, and there's usually a slant towards similar themes: bonds and fetters, running away (and turning around), dealing with expectations. The gameplay shades things in, and I am a distance fighter whenever I can manage it so almost everyone else is too. I also apparently like short, consonant-heavy, gender-ambiguous names. Whatcha gonna do.
I get enough variety out of the experience all the same, and while there are plenty of exceptions (I'm a big fan of Tales from the Borderlands and The Wolf Among Us, for example) I prefer it when RPGs allow me to participate in the fundamental character design and craft their narrative in my head as much as on the screen, especially in an open world setting. I'm not out there imagining backstory events and offscreen conversations for Fiona or Bigby the way I am someone I've named, statted, and selected traits for myself; I view them as characters I'm discovering, not creating, even if my decisions significantly influence their behaviour in the narrative. In contrast to the fellow from the video, I find that a more passive roleplaying experience than the one where I'm actively carving out a mindset through which to view the world.
As I line the vidya ducklings up, I keep thinking of a YouTube video
syntheid linked me to a while back, in which the presenter discussed his preferences for RPG games with a set protagonist versus those that hand the player a blank slate to fill in themselves: "Roleplaying in Video Games (and why I barely do it)". I am someone who loves building characters out of blank(ish) slates and have broadly socialised in circles who often make a very involved experience out of it, so it was interesting to see this other perspective so well-articulated, and he makes some solid points even if I can't relate to every single one of them. (If you want your character to connect with and grow through the main plot then simply don't... make a character who has no reason to engage with the plot and/or will constantly fight against it? To also use The Outer Worlds as an example, I went in with a fairly bitter, entitled, and self-centred character, so I knew I needed her to have a reason for her to do anything for anyone else and slam-dunked a personal investment in rescuing the frozen colonists into her backstory. It dragged her through enough of the early quests that she started learning from those experiences and generating more involved interests and opinions in what was going on, and lo there grew a character arc directly linked to the main storyline.)Still, he's right about the self usually sneaking in. I know what I like, and there's not much sense in denying myself fun just for the sake of artistic integrity - though there is sometimes fun in deliberately trying different things! I'm unlikely to ever play a truly mean or cruel character because I just don't enjoy it, and there's usually a slant towards similar themes: bonds and fetters, running away (and turning around), dealing with expectations. The gameplay shades things in, and I am a distance fighter whenever I can manage it so almost everyone else is too. I also apparently like short, consonant-heavy, gender-ambiguous names. Whatcha gonna do.
I get enough variety out of the experience all the same, and while there are plenty of exceptions (I'm a big fan of Tales from the Borderlands and The Wolf Among Us, for example) I prefer it when RPGs allow me to participate in the fundamental character design and craft their narrative in my head as much as on the screen, especially in an open world setting. I'm not out there imagining backstory events and offscreen conversations for Fiona or Bigby the way I am someone I've named, statted, and selected traits for myself; I view them as characters I'm discovering, not creating, even if my decisions significantly influence their behaviour in the narrative. In contrast to the fellow from the video, I find that a more passive roleplaying experience than the one where I'm actively carving out a mindset through which to view the world.
no subject
I do this too!
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
no subject
I enjoyed reading this!
I used to play RPGs the same way as the guy in the video. I wouldn't roleplay blank slate characters. I would just "play as myself" and select choices I thought I would do if I were in that situation. This was until I got super into Dragon Age.
One day I wanted to try playing an "evil" character and finally play out the other options I never picked in my handful of playthroughs (yes, I had been picking the same exact choices each time lmao). Of course I had to invent a character for this scenario. What I ended up with was one of my favorite PCs ever. He didn't end up being completely evil because as I progressed through the game with him he developed more nuance than a "pick the bad option" machine. I really couldn't just be mean to everyone and If I wanted to do "nice" quests I would, and gave him a reason for it, which helped develop his character even more. I loved him and the experience so much that I couldn't go back to not RPing blank slate characters!
I agree about playing set characters being the more passive RP experience. I can make up inner lives for them, but that's something I'd do more outside of the game rather than while I'm playing it. When a character comes into my hands with a hard motive and personality already established the choices I make more affect them than they affect the choices.
And what's a character directory? I'm guessing a masterpost of character biographies? Sounds interesting.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)