Asking For a Player Name

[awesomeautumn]

In a VN, if the player can choose the name of the main character, what do you think is the best way to ask?
Should you just come right out with it in the beginning, or weave it into the writing?
e.g. "What's my name?" compared to "The mother named the child..."

[Anna]

Depends on the point of view, I guess?

First person examples:

My name is... (insert)

Professor Oak: What's your name again?
(insert)

third person:

Her name was...
The mother named the child...

What was her name again?

Or whatever works for your story. As for which form of the two... I don't think it matters much.

[Nuxill]

It doesn't really matter like Anna said. Depends on how important you personally think it would be to the story and what kind of feel you're going for. I personally think it's kind of fun to have it weaved into the writing, but that's just my opinion and I do not stand for the majority of VN players.

[awesomeautumn]

Thank you. It's not until I started trying to make a VN that I realized there are a ton of ways to do things like this. It's pretty overwhelming.

(And that Prof. Oak reference is really great xD)

[Wee]

What I did once in a case like this, is that I made the character lose his credit card. So he had to give his name to the clerk of the place where he lost it.

[Gambit74]

Personally, I find it more interesting if it's weaved into the dialogue or if the player's name is revealed by a third person or some other conventional means where they don't give it away directly themselves.

The way I did it in my visual novel is that in the beginning when the initial three unknown characters first arrive at an inn, they sign their names on a guest book and the innkeeper repeats their names back to them in order to make sure she is reading their signatures right.

Example:

Code: Select all

Cheerful Innkeeper: Okay then. Can you sign your names here for me please?
Rugged Man: Sure. Let me grab my pen.
Cheerful Innkeeper: So, Lance Taylor, correct?
Lance: Yes ma'am.
Cheerful Innkeeper: Thank you sir. Next please!
Blonde Woman: My turn next. Here you go!
Cheerful Innkeeper: Hmm...Angelica Cunningham, correct?
Angelica: Yes!
Cheerful Innkeeper: Thank you, ma'am. And now I'll need yours as well.
Frail Youth: Okay.
Brunette Woman: ...Oliver Maxwell, correct?
Oliver: Yeah, that's right.

[Anna]

Personally, I find it more interesting if it's weaved into the dialogue or if the player's name is revealed by a third person or some other conventional means where they don't give it away directly themselves.

I think the question was about how to do it if the readers can think up the name themselves, rather than how to introduce a name in the story in general. Your example could be used too though, assuming the reader can write down their names him/herself.

[Gambit74]

*Slaps self in face* Can't believe I didn't see the part about choosing the character's name. But yeah, it can work that way.

[awesomeautumn]

Thank you for replying!
I'm getting a lot of great ideas now as to how to add in an 'asking for a name' bit. I feel like writing something now!

@Gambit74
I really like your idea with the descriptions before the names. I've seen a few people do this, but I felt like the names matched their descriptions really well.

@Wee
I can't believe I didn't think of something similar, haha. A creative way to give a name without just suddenly adding in an introduction...