How Important Is Character Customization?

[Azure Sage]

Many games offer you the ability to customize your character's appearance. Some are good about it, and others are... not. How important to you is it that you're able to make a character look the way you want them to?

For me, it's extremely crucial to my enjoyment of the game. If I'm not satisfied with my character's appearance, I don't usually play very much of it. Having a good and diverse set of options for hair, color, and clothing is important to me. When making characters from scratch, I like to design them after my favorite OCs. If I can't, I get frustrated and struggle finding a design that I like. The visual presentation of the character is very important for me to feel immersed in the game. If I don't like what I see, it hurts the experience.

How about the rest of you? Is character customization important to you, or will you settle for anything?

 

[Spirit]

It isn't important to me at all. I'll never be able to make the character look like me and nor would I really want it to.

I write and have characters in my head but I wouldnt want to make any of them look like my playable avatar either because there'd be a chasm of dissonance to me if I did.

Most of the time when a game won't start until I've dressed an avatar I'll just throw things together that look cool and begin.

Games that let you adjust the facial features are fine for people who like that sort of thing but it just feels like overkill to me.

I'm not gonna be worrying about the width of my avatar's nose when they're getting eaten alive in Bloodborne.

Games with avatar customisation usually don't have much character building to go with them and become a non-element to me. The games still can be enjoyable, God Eater does the custom avatar thing and I enjoy that but I'm never concerned about what will happen to the avatar because I know nothing will happen to them.

I'd rather a game gave me a character with a personality and good design.

 

[Fraxinus]

It's hit or miss for me. I usually name my characters after characters of mine regardless of whether they look like them. When it is present, the customization I choose doesn't always end up being faithful to their design anyway, because the character I'm playing as just sort of evolves into their own thing. They just happen to share a name with another character because I'd rather not name them after me.

 

[Spirit]

It's hit or miss for me. I usually name my characters after characters of mine regardless of whether they look like them. When it is present, the customization I choose doesn't always end up being faithful to their design anyway, because the character I'm playing as just sort of evolves into their own thing. They just happen to share a name with another character because I'd rather not name them after me.

I'm gonna put my God Eater avatar all in white and call her Moth, just for you

 

[Castle]

In roleplaying games it's essential, given that the genre is all about creating your own character to play.

In others it's a nice touch. There are a lot of games that clearly don't require character customization but they have it anyway. Sunset Overdrive is a good example. Half the incentive to play in that game is to unlock a ton of clothing and accessories for your character for no other reason than for the simple satisfaction of doing so for whoever is into video game fashion notes. The game's not even multiplayer so it's not like you can even show off your appearance to anyone.

However it's utilized, character customization creates a strong link between the player and the game. Helps make it feel like the player has a vested interest in the experience and can really own it.

 

[mαrkαsscoρ]

doesn't matter to me, it isn't my preference to for games to have a customizable avatar character to begin w/, I'd rather play as an actual written character
besides, the only thing I'd put on the character from myself is my black hair, medium build, and maybe tan skin, and games w/ customization are pretty good on having that, don't even care about the skin color honestly

 

[LegendOfMeesh]

I love character customization! If it isn’t an option, it’s not necessarily a dealbreaker for me. But it definitely enhances the gameplay experience and it’s something I hope for and get excited about.

 

[~Kilza~]

For me, it isn't required, but it certainly can be nice depending on the options and depth of customization that is given to you.

 

[NintendoCN]

It depends on how long I have to look at my character. I want to see something nice instead of something that might be hard to look at.

 

[Lydia]

I prefer customization over having a set character, but I won't refuse to play a game because it doesn't have it as an option.
I mean, my 2 consistent favourite series; the Mario and Zelda franchises, have very little appearance options, and I still love them.

 

[Dio]

Depends on the type of game. If you are playing as a particular set character like Geralt then besides superficial cosmetic changes there doesn't need to be customisation. No need for shaping the facial features, skin colour, height or body type if the character is supposed to have a certain look. In his case a white haired, yellow eyed man with a scar. Yes you can change hairstyle and beard and clothes but it's still the same character and that's the way it's meant to be.

However in a game like Skyrim, Fallout or Dragon age where player choice is at the forefront, customisation of the main character is incredibly important and is a major part of the experience. Playing as a character you have made yourself the way you want to play them is what makes up some major appeal in those type of games.

 

[Ninja]

I really enjoy customizable characters. Having those options in Pokemon was long overdue and even now I think it would be better.

Games like Final Fantasy, DLC/alternate outfits are fine, but I wouldn’t want facial customization.

 

[Dizzi]

Why do you have facial customisation when you're looking at the back the majority of the time???

 

[Castle]

Why do you have facial customisation when you're looking at the back the majority of the time???

Or my favorite nonsense, a game set almost entirely in first person.

 

[thePlinko]

The problem with character customization for me is that most of the time I have no clue what I want to do and end up making the character look as ridiculous as humanly possible, and while this can lead to some good times, if there’s anything important with the character plot wise I can never take it seriously.