Main Character: Not visible, half body or bust view?

[Razz]

Invisible POV (point of view) characters give me the creeps. I like to see what character I'm playing. I'll settle for just a side image, if that's all I get, but at least one full-body shot makes it much easier for me to really grasp who I'm playing.

Ditto. The only time I can stand an invisible protag if it's literally me. When it's a character who talks or some eyeless brown haired 5'6" male showing up in the CGs I just get creeped out that the game is trying to say 'see I know what you're like! *wink*'.

[KittyKatStar]

I really don't like invisible/faceless MCs. I don't mind if I don't see the MC on the screen (especially if it's in first person since it's supposed to be your POV) but a side sprite/showing up next to the text box would be nice so I know the reactions of the character. As long as I know the MC has a face/appearance, I'm pretty happy.

[Razz]

I wonder if faceless MCs are a cultural thing then?

[wakagana]

Personally I think it's a waste of space seeing the MC in the game via the text. It's not like you can see what your reactions are in real life, unless you have a mirror nearby at all times. But I think its crucial to at least give the MC some screen times in CG's so people at least know what they look like. Or a CG near the start of the game so people get a good idea of what he or she looks like.

[Kuroneko_rg]

There is a similar thread about this:
http://lemmasoft.renai.us/forums/viewto ... =4&t=15942
In my opinion, I think a portrait of the MC is the most balanced option.

[CaseyLoufek]

Personally I prefer my own avatar or nothing it the character is supposed to be me.

If the character is a character, even a fairly generic one, I want a picture. Frankly I have real trouble with games where you are supposed to imprint on a generic protagonist because inevitably the protagonist's personally is very different from mine in key ways. I'd rather be roleplaying a set character or playing myself completely.

[Blane Doyle]

Personally I think it's a waste of space seeing the MC in the game via the text. It's not like you can see what your reactions are in real life, unless you have a mirror nearby at all times. But I think its crucial to at least give the MC some screen times in CG's so people at least know what they look like. Or a CG near the start of the game so people get a good idea of what he or she looks like.

See, I think some of the reason I like a sideimage for an MC when it isn't "insert yourself here" is because unless the writing is very clear it can sometimes be difficult to know the proper infliction of the text without voice acting.

It's not just for EVNs, in translated games I have read lines that SEEM like the character is being whiny or sarcastic but the character they are talking too say they look sad or happy. I know some of this is poor writing, but... sometimes a visual aid helps prevent that because it is just so vague at times.

And, sometimes, the MC is described as pulling the most amazing faces but I don't get to see it. I WANT TO LAUGH TOO CHARACTER I AM AIMING FOR. 8|

However, as I said I find it different for "insert yourself" games. Magical Diary is the only one that has that sort of narration with a sideimage that I don't mind because I can imagine myself as the character I create (mainly because she is broad enough to match me). And I could customize her, huge plus.

[Funnyguts]

I've noticed I go all or nothing. Either a character is on the screen with all the other characters or never on screen at all. It depends on how much I want the player to think they're the ones experiencing the story, or how much I want the player to think they're watching someone else's story unfold and they're the ones in the director's seat.

[Shoko]

I don't really like side-images. They're rather distracting to me. I mean, it's undeniable that in first person you don't get to see your own facial expressions all the time. In a visual novel, if first person is used, then I feel like I'm posessing them almost aka seeing what they would see. But having a tiny image at the side of the box that main would not be able to see in their perspective really takes me out of immersion. It's like screaming "Hey! Even though you shouldn't be able to see this, you can! Why? Oh wait, cause you're playing a game!" I think of it kind of like describing a character in a traditional novel - the author can't force the character to look exactly like they think of them with just words. So the reader takes the author's description and makes their own view of the character with their imagination. That, in my mind, makes me feel like the character is more real than having them somehow appear in third person while the rest of the game is in first.

That being said, it's not the worst thing in the world. If I like the story and characters, I won't mind the side-image.

[Destiny]

Well, if the game really makes it obvious that I AM the character, then I can ignore that.
But once the character speaks, decides and stuff without me having absolute control about it, I prefer seeing the character.
How doesn't matter that much.

I myself use side view and show the MC in CGs in full body action.
But I also enjoy games where it is solved in another way.
Why shouldn't I?
But I totally dislike games where I play a noisy brat with overconfidence and the game wants to tell me that I AM that person instead of telling me that I PLAY that person.