I have noticed that a few RPG''s that have come out recently have gotten rid of the ability to create your own character, and make you play the character they have created. Now, my question is, what do you think is better for games; make your own character or play a pre-gen one? The only game I can think of that I liked the ability to make my own character is Fallout, apart from that whenever I play a game where I make my own character, I get this real ''artifical plot'' type feeling, like no matter who or what I choose, the same thing will convineintly happen to this person instead. The pre-gen ones give me a more ''this is a story and this is what happend'' type feeling. What do you think? Which type of character generation do you prefer?

Pre-gen. You don''t choose your stats in real-life, why should you in game?

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I like when they have both options. A few pregenerated characters or the ability to customize.

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Original Post
Pre-gen. You don''t choose your stats in real-life, why should you in game?

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You do choose your stats in real-life to some degree. You can exercise, study, whatever.

Of course games arnt ment to recreate real life, they are ment to be fun. If people have fun creating their own character they should be allowed so, its not hurting the game at all.

I like to begin a RPG with pregen, so that the player can get immersed with what is going on in the story and adapt the mindset of the game world. Have the player play through the main / important characters in the storyline. Then, after the introduction single player completed, allow the player to generate their own character. ''Artificial plot'' is annoying, so maybe the created character should play on-line, or that in single player the game is more simulation-bound with missions available only if the player is approximately equal to what the mission is designed for.

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Original post by AnonymousPosterChild
Pre-gen. You don''t choose your stats in real-life, why should you in game?

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Because it''s a game ?

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Original post by Estok
I like to begin a RPG with pregen, so that the player can get immersed with what is going on in the story and adapt the mindset of the game world. Have the player play through the main / important characters in the storyline.

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This is normally where I put my once-a-week "it''s a game not a story" rant.

Pre-gen characters makes game balancing easier.

You could customize your characters, but then the game might be too easy.

Or playing online with others would be out of whack (I hated it in pen and paper DnD when another player had ridiculous stats and because of it had more hit points, greater hit probability, did greater damage and had a better armor class for it).

I would imagine players would feel like they couldn't contribute as well and would be more of a nuisance for needing to be healed more often. It would only take once. Then you would get the debates between the purists against the customizers.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not against customizing characters, I think players should have the chance to find out what it's like. But I think players should be encouraged to play with what they get, rather then what they want, to stretch their role-playing skills and practice making the best of what they ended up with. I think a role-playing experience that seems more realistic (whatever that means) with run of the mill characters having a few good stats, a few bad ones and the rest average is ultimately more enjoyable and rewarding.

I think paying points to set up your skills the way you like (paying especially high costs for higher than average stats) is a good way to handle it.


[edited by - Waverider on May 16, 2003 8:01:08 PM]

This is why it''s said that you focus on your target audience foremost. Are you expecting hack and slash players to be able to just jump in and have some fun for short periods of time, or are you going for the full blown RPG fanatic who wants to do everything along epic lines? Maybe a little of both and even more, but you have to look at it in the players'' perspectives as well as what is in reason and what works for your game''s style of gameplay.

It all depends on what works in the game!

- Christopher Dapo ~ Ronixus