How Much Daylight is there Between You and the Characters You Play?

Amathe · June 2019

When I first started playing mmorgs, I chose and built a character that was an extension of myself. Put another way, a character that represented how I imagined I would be if I were in the game world. I pictured that I was a ranger in Faydark Forest, and the character I played was how I represented that.

Over time I stopped playing that way, and my characters became more of a toy to be played with. For example, in SWG I played a Trandoshan rifleman/teras kasi artist without ever imagining myself as any of those things. The relationship between me and my character was more like sculpter/statute. I felt that I was creating something different than myself (though there remained some bit of self expression).

So how about you? Is your character a projection of you? Or you expressing yourself as something different?

Dibdabs · June 2019

Even at the outset, my characters were just a framework of pixels I could play the game with. They still are. I generally just click "random" on the character creation and that's it, I'm good to go.

Gutlard · June 2019

They're not a projection of me. I make all sorts of characters for no reason. I've tried to RP toons, but never got into it very much. I just stare at the back of their heads most of the time and don't really care about them until it's time to take in the story, and them I'm interested to see how they're impacted by it, if they are, which most of the time they're not. I liked SWTOR's class story lines though. Interesting while they lasted, and the whole good/evil answers were fun.

Gut Out!

Amathe · June 2019

Gutlard said:

I liked SWTOR's class story lines though. Interesting while they lasted, and the whole good/evil answers were fun.

/agree

rojoArcueid · June 2019

When i first started playing mmos i tried making a character that reflected myself, but because i am not a roleplayer i lost interest in doing that fairly quickly.

For the longest time now, even though i still don't roleplay, when i make a character i see it as someone i am traveling with. I see myself as a guide to that character in his/her new world. And i found that to keep me more interested than when i tried to replicate myself in a character.

EDIT: funny enough, a friend of mine always hit the random button in character creation. I can't do that... if i don't like the character i make, i can't play the game.

Tindale111 · June 2019

you mean do i see myself as an Axe wielding psycopathic Barbarian or a demon hunter with high heels and shooting a hundred arrows a second , no not at all

[Deleted User] · June 2019

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Amathe · June 2019

Tindale111 said:

you mean do i see myself as an Axe wielding psycopathic Barbarian or a demon hunter with high heels and shooting a hundred arrows a second , no not at all

I know, right? Sometimes a good pair of heels is hard to find.

JeffSpicoli · June 2019

Who wants to play themselves in a video game how boring. The only thing i stick with is Gender although I'll probably roll some type of Hybrid in Cyberpunk for laughs. Wait am I allowed to say that ?

From my gnome in WOW to Afro Samurai clone in Guild Wars 2, My morbidly obese Superman knock off in Champions Online and of course the geriatric wizard fisherman in Black Desert Online. I'm quite the man of Diversity in the gaming world.

Limnic · June 2019

Nah.

Most of the time my characters are taller than me.

I also have a sort of roster of character's I've come up with across different games that I tend to try to recreate, and none of them specifically reflect me rather than being different themes that I like to explore.

The only time I ever had an avatar that I identified with as "me" was a neon pink cat, which I'm pretty sure does not physically look like me.

Kyleran · June 2019

Quite often, especially my mains, which normally are older, but fitter, with goatee and a touch of gray. (I leave out the balding part no need for excessive realism)

While they are just avatars, my in game actions strongly reflect my RL personality and beliefs (no, they aren't all snarky old arses, that's just a persona I put on for you folks)

Kyleran · June 2019

Tindale111 said:

you mean do i see myself as an Axe wielding psycopathic Barbarian or a demon hunter with high heels and shooting a hundred arrows a second , no not at all

My wife looks at me with much concern when she sees me playing a female character, I tell her they remind me of her when we were both much younger.

Yeah, she doesn't really buy it, perhaps because they are almost always red heads while she is a brunette.

Slapshot1188 · June 2019

I have always felt that the foundation of an RPG was taking on the role of another character. Not my own. Becoming an actor of sorts. This is also why I much despise "action/skill/twitch" combat. I want to become my characters, not have them become me.

Kyleran · June 2019

Slapshot1188 said:

I have always felt that the foundation of an RPG was taking on the role of another character. Not my own. Becoming an actor of sorts. This is also why I much despise "action/skill/twitch" combat. I want to become my characters, not have them become me.

Due to my severely limited skills in action combat I need game mechanics which permit them to be better than me.

Guess who just managed to fit a solid Cyclone melee build in POE?

No actual skill required, just spin up and plow headlong into everything. I clear maps like I'm pushing a vacuum cleaner.

Awesome I tell you, challenge is highly over rated.

Allerleirauh · June 2019

Honestly, when a game allows a lot of customization, I usually create a character that has similar characteristics. Such as skin color, eye color, hair color, etc. I usually play my RL gender (which is female) as well. However, if a game allows for a lot of customization, I will change all that, because looking the same way all the time gets boring. Nobody looks exactly like their character for many reasons, namely, because we are real and not "toons". The only way we would look actually like our characters would be if we got a lot of plastic surgery, like that girl who made herself look like a Barbie doll and the guy that made himself look like a Ken doll. Boy, are they freaky!

Allerleirauh · June 2019

Kyleran said:

Tindale111 said:

you mean do i see myself as an Axe wielding psycopathic Barbarian or a demon hunter with high heels and shooting a hundred arrows a second , no not at all

My wife looks at me with much concern when she sees me playing a female character, I tell her they remind me of her when we were both much younger.

Yeah, she doesn't really buy it, perhaps because they are almost always red heads while she is a brunette.

This is breakup material, so you're telling her she looks old? It's always so obvious when guys play female characters.

Amathe · June 2019

Allerleirauh said:

It's always so obvious when guys play female characters.

What gives us away? Setting the boob slider to "Macy's Day Parade?"

Allerleirauh · June 2019

Amathe said:

Allerleirauh said:

It's always so obvious when guys play female characters.

What gives us away? Setting the boob slider to "Macy's Day Parade?"

It depends on the game. If the game allows for customization when it comes to the body, I can tell. Guys usually make horrible female shapes. Broad shoulders, tall characters, clothing choice. Guys will prefer scantily clad outfits to cute outfits. The fake ruby red hair is a popular choice as well. I have big breasts in RL...so if I wanted to be realistic, I'd go with the higher end of the boob slider. haha. So I don't always pay attention to that.

Limnic · June 2019

That seems like a rather subjective metric, as I have a friend who's WAY taller than me and she regularly plays characters that reflects her own size. IE, tall and broad shouldered.

I being a grand sum of four and a half feet, tend to play pretty short characters, but they generally still are taller than myself (unless they're a outright midget race). I personally have a penchant for cutesy stuff, and as a female myself I find it odd to consider that a flag.

Seems more a case that plenty of people will play an opposing gender, and guys are probably more prone to such, which makes it an easier assumption. However, making standardized assumptions seems like it's more of an anecdotal experience thing than a reliable metric.

Allerleirauh · June 2019

Limnic said:

That seems like a rather subjective metric, as I have a friend who's WAY taller than me and she regularly plays characters that reflects her own size. IE, tall and broad shouldered.

I being a grand sum of four and a half feet, tend to play pretty short characters, but they generally still are taller than myself (unless they're a outright midget race). I personally have a penchant for cutesy stuff, and as a female myself I find it odd to consider that a flag.

Seems more a case that plenty of people will play an opposing gender, and guys are probably more prone to such, which makes it an easier assumption. However, making standardized assumptions seems like it's more of an anecdotal experience thing than a reliable metric.

It sounds like you're referring to what I said even though you didn't reply to my comment. I play many aging MMOs, but the one that allows the most customization is Second Life. Yes, I can tell 99% of the time if the person behind the "avatar" is male or female. I have been proven right many times, to the point that it's scary. I always put a lot of work into my avatar, and I make shapes in SL. I can even tell someone's RL age just by the avatar they create in SL. Don't believe me? If you were my friend, I'd prove it to you.

First of all, what game are you referring to? Does this game allow for a lot of customization, like Black Desert, for example? If it's an older MMO like Rift or TERA, where you cannot change the shape at all, and it's based on race, that doesn't count, because everyone pretty much looks the same; it's cosmetic items that make you stand out. Don't even get me going on ARPGs that offer little to no character customization.

Limnic · June 2019

99% of the people in Second Life are likely dudes any ways. Everyone is irregular shapes like massive shoulders, 7 feet tall, or the chunkiest of pears. With as "unique" as that place is, not sure i'd call that a great metric for anything.

And in this case I was referencing games in general in regards to myself, but it would be CoH and Champs in relation to my friend.

Amathe · June 2019

Allerleirauh said:

Limnic said:

Don't believe me? If you were my friend, I'd prove it to you.

Don't worries. Now that you have publicly announced that you have big boobs irl, you will probably have an in box full of new friends. But not me! Old and married. Could you tell?

Slapshot1188 · June 2019

Amathe said:

Allerleirauh said:

It's always so obvious when guys play female characters.

What gives us away? Setting the boob slider to "Macy's Day Parade?"

It's the internet... where men are men.... women are men... and kids are FBI agents.

Allerleirauh · June 2019

Slapshot1188 said:

Amathe said:

Allerleirauh said:

It's always so obvious when guys play female characters.

What gives us away? Setting the boob slider to "Macy's Day Parade?"

It's the internet... where men are men.... women are men... and kids are FBI agents.

Men are women, women are men, yadda yadda. My sister prefers to play male characters, so you may be surprised.

bcbully · June 2019

The first character I make, my main is always an manifestation of me, although it’s %99 of the time gonna be a girl... I shut out as much daylight as possible.

the further down the line I go with alts the more they become toys.

Edit - I said that wrong up there /facepalm /pause?

Ungood · June 2019

Well... By the time EQ rolled around, I was a heavy guy that worked all day out in the sun busting my ass doing construction,.. so obviously when I opted to pick a character, race and combat style, I opted to go with a lithe high elf cleric who sat on their ass most of the time.. it was like I was getting double the sit down time playing games.

... then.. I saw a half elf female run past me.. and as I watched that ass wiggle back and forth, I said "Ya know.. if I have to stare at an ass when I play anyway.. I might as well stare at a mans ass so my wife won't think I am just trying to watch porn"

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How Much Daylight is there Between You and the Characters You Play?

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거북이는 목을 내밀 때 안 움직입니다

Aloha Mr Hand !

Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV

Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV

Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV