Do you prefer RPG with custom characters? Or RPG with pre-set characters?

Which one do you prefer?
RPG where you can create your own characters or avatars, where you can get the feeling of experiencing the story, the fight, the adventure from your own point of view......

Or RPG with pre-set characters (Think Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, Tales of....), where you can experience the story from their point of view, bond with them, find out their charms and flaws, and defeating enemies with them......

Tell everyone your preference!

 

This is a very nice question! I wonder why I haven't thought of it before. Haha!

I'd go for preset characters over Custom Characters any day. Preset characters are more memorable than Custom characters.

However, preset characters don't work well for MMORPGs.

 

I always want custom characters. For role playing games, I should have the ability to customize my own characters which allow me to be more integrated with the story instead of playing preset characters, which feels cold and distant.

That's why I prefer PC RPG's more because the majority of the RPG's I've played allowed me to create my own characters. For example, in every Might and Magic game I've played, I always made characters based on my friends and family members. For games like Dragon Age or Fallout, I envisioned a great great great great grandchild or grandfather/mother and create what I think s/he would be like.

That's why I have a lot of love for Fallout 3 because it allowed me to create 'my daughter' or 'grand daughter' and I followed her story as the Vault Dweller. It allowed me fan-based stories and imagination.

 

Great question! I think each choice has its merits. I think I prefer to play as a pre set character when it comes to an already established series like The Witcher or the Batman Arkham games (could be considered an action RPG). I find it very fulfilling to take control of one of these awesome characters and live out their story.

 

I don't really care. I mostly play Skyrim nowadays. You can customize your character but you almost never see him/her.

 

Custom all the way! I like more of a roleplay element to my games so I often take a long time designing my characters and picking a very unique way to play through the game.

 

Defiantly custom character when I make my own I care more for what the character does.

 

For western RPGs like Skyrim, Dragon Age, and etc. I prefer to self create my own character while for Japanese RPGs I prefer preset characters. This is because western RPGs usually have a more open ended story and branching side quests that doesn't need a set protagonist to tell a story while Japanese RPGs are a different, a preset character helps bring their story better.

 

^This. JRPGs are known for their character development, s preset character is the way to go. For Western RPGs they give you the freedom to choose your looks and the path your character will take.

 

I tend to gravitate towards custom characters. Clearly, the nature of the came can limit whether one or the other is the better option. Sometimes the story being told can only be done through a specific characters eyes.

 

Custom characters. But it all depends on the nature of the game. Skyrim for example i think they should be pre-set.

 

Custom characters all the way. While I love well established pre-generated characters, I always prefer custom ones. I love spending hours at the character creation screen, min-maxing stats and creating the most powerful character that I can. It`s just part of the fun for me, and pre-generated heros like in JRPGs lack this part. Although those can be really fun as well.

 

Custom for the win. I often skip many RPGs because of the lack of customization. The idea for an RPG is to let the user role play to some extent, and though customizations tend to be somewhat limited, i believe that games should still offer players this freedom.

 

I prefer games where I can create my own character, decide on how they look, what they wear, and how they live their lives. But I wouldn't completely write out RPG's with pre-made hero's, as long as you can change their hair and their clothing as well as choose their path in life, I'm happy. I mean, theres no point in having an RPG game, if you don't have a say in what they look like.

 

I like both, but I tend to learn towards preset characters when it comes to looks and things of that nature, they just seem much more memorable.

 

Give me custom all the time or at least let me alter some of the preset skilltrees and the character's looks. Not every person IRL looks or acts the same, so game developers should make it part of their content that we can change things.

 

For MMORPGs, definitely custom. But for RPGs... it depends on the game. But, my "perfect" game would still have a custom player. I don't mind preset ones; it's a different experience, similar to reading a book. You learn about who they are, where they come from, and experience their hardships and success with them. But I can find it difficult to empathise with a character I have no control over, which can mean I don't enjoy playing as them. I've found games which switch perspectives between different perspectives, some good, some evil, very interesting, work pretty well.

 

To me it all depends on the story behind it. If the story primarily revolves around the main character than it would be nicer to have his/her actions already set in stone that way the story can continue the way it was meant to go. How ever if the story revolves other things outside the main character then either will do fine since the main characters aspect,traits etc have no bearing on the story.

 

I like both but I tend to prefer the ones with pre made characters already. The thing with the ones that have pre made set characters already is that the stories are normally better.

Having the create-a-character style protagonists very often have mundane stories.

 

I always prefer games with custom characters no matter what kind of game it is. I love the notion that you can really live and dress as your character in game, even the simple act of changing clothes and items for your character even if it's preset is a welcome addition be it limited.