Empty Main Character or Fleshed Out?

[Ionait]

When playing a game, do you prefer the main character be left a bit "empty" so you can more easily pretend you are that character through your choices? Or do you prefer the character to be completely fleshed out already, with their own likes, dislikes, and personality?

For example... In recent games like Mass Effect and Dragon Age, you really do dictate the character's personality through the choices you make. Outside of those choices, your character is left quiet and somewhat flat. But because of this, it's a little easier to pretend you are that person and that person thinks just like you do.

When I play those games I feel like all of the other characters are much more interesting than me... ;_;

But in popular Renpy games like Re Alistair++, the main character definitely has her own personality. You as the player are just nudging her in the right direction. It feels less like YOU and more like HER.

Which do you prefer to play?

I can't decide whether to make my main character a bit empty, or fleshed out. ;_;

[pondrthis]

If you're writing a novel (game), make the character fleshed out. If you're making a (novel) game, leave it open.

Which word is more important to your story?

EDIT: Your post should say "in BioWare games"! (Can't wait for The Old Republic!)

[LateWhiteRabbit]

Whether or not to make the main character "empty" or a fleshed out character like the rest in your story depends on couple of things:

1) An empty main character only really works if you give the player a LOT of choices that REALLY matter. You can't give false choices that lead to the same path, and you can't ever dictate what the main character does, says, or acts. That means you will have to have a branching story with many variations and endings in line with what the player will want to do. If you are making a VN with only occasional choices, or where you want to heavily guide the player, an empty character doesn't work. You and the player will be at odds with one another's wishes.

2) Fleshed out main characters are great for letting players assume a certain role, and allow you to tell a more guided story. You can also dictate more of what the main character does, or occasionally have them act without input from the player. Because the player is playing as a certain person with their own personality and goals, they will accept these situations much easier, or possibly even look forward to actions by the main character if they have an interesting personality. You don't have to have as many choices or branches in the storyline for it to remain enjoyable either.

In short, empty main characters work best if you have a lot of gameplay and choices. Fleshed out main characters work best when you have less gameplay, or a more strongly driven story.

[Ionait]

Just looking at my rough draft of story events, I can't tell for certain yet how in depth the choices will become. I want to make a very in depth game with lots of replay value but this is also my very first attempt at creating a game using Renpy. I will take both comments to heart as I continue to rework my rough draft!

I did some digging and haven't been able to pull up anything...

Is it possible to create a game where the player can choose their character? In the optimal game experience I aim to create for players, I really wanted the player to be able to take a short personality quiz from which the results would form the "main character" and their personality, likes, and dislikes.

[IonicMomo]

If I'm not going to have complete control over the character, then I would prefer the personality to be clearly defined. I don't like being led on to believe that the character is supposed to be "me" when none of the choices available in a menu are actual choices that I would make in that situation. Of course, I'm more forgiving if the character is not supposed to be "me," and the choices merely reflect the personality of this other person I'm guiding. (This is why I prefer that even the name of the main character is predetermined, and if it's not, I still don't use my own name.)

[Snowflower]

Personally, I don't care whether or not I can become the MC fully or I'm just guiding the MC so long as the plot is good. Even if the MC is meant to be guided, it's not too difficult to think that I am the MC.

[Alera]

Of course your plot matters a lot here and how want your game to be played.

But I personally like when the main character has more personality. He/she has his/her believes, likings, preferences and such. It really annoys me when the MC is left like...characterless and at the same time for example- the plot requires him to fight for something (doesn't matter if it's for love, a real fight or anything else.) and then you can't get the motives of that character, only deciding things for him with the choices you make from time to time. It seems very unnatural.

So I prefer getting in the role of someone else, but I also want to have a little more freedom with the choices. I believe that could be done, without affecting so much the personality of the character. Because it's normal for people to wonder about things and to consider different choices. For example- you decide always to go right. You go right and right and....You see a nice candy-shop on the left, but nooo- you have to go right.And you end up walking in circle. No point in that. It's not interesting.

[clannadman]

A fleshed out main character is important. HOWEVER, if they have a personality you dislike, it might be possible for the player to switch off. Or it may have the opposite effect - for example, I really hate tsunderes but I can't bear to not watch an entire series with one in the hopes that they will become majorly deredere by the end. If you want there to be a major twist in the way they behave (such as murdering someone near the end) then it may be an idea to keep them somewhat empty, rather than being able to predict where this is going (as you often can quite easily with a character)

[Aetheria]

I think LateWhiteRabbit said it best - it really depends on what kind of game you're making. I would like to point out, though, that many game protagonists fall somewhere in between "cipher" and "totally pre-defined" - for example, determining the personality of Commander Shepard in Mass Effect is in large part left up to the player, but the range of personalities you get to choose from are all variations on "tough space marine". The game doesn't give you the option to make your protagonist cowardly, laid-back, chirpy, an evil genius, etc., because that wouldn't make sense for the story.

Actually, even though Merui in RE:Alistair was adorable and I enjoyed playing as her, I didn't really think she had more personality than Shepard... perhaps because I was able to identify more with Shepard through all the choices I made in the game. If the story's engaging enough, players can come to really enjoy "being" their main character.