Character Creation for SMTVI?

[TheShadowHatter]

Usually when I ever bring up a discussion about character creation for certain game series, people don't seem to happy about it for some reason. I'm curious how people would feel about the feature in this game series though. I'm honestly shocked we DON'T get character creation in these games, given how we get to name our protagonist and make choices to align ourselves with certain endings. Not to mention, at least for this game specifically, our Nahobino shows literally ZERO emotion in the entire game. He always has the same straight face and eyes of a cold blooded killer. There's also the fact that, in games like Mass Effect, Commander Shepard is STILL an ICONIC character with his male/female version, even though you can create your own characters in that game. So with that said you could still have an iconic default character and still have character creation while marketing your iconic default character.

So with that said, maybe it's because I miss playing SMT: Imagine, but I wish SMT series would adopt character creation in this series, starting with SMTVI and moving forward, or hell I'd take at least ONE game it really doesn't need to be the rest of the series moving forward. I love the art style of these games and it would be cool to create my own character or even self-insert myself in it with that nice art style. Just figured I'd throw this topic out there to promote discussion over the idea, and as a form of feedback to the devs if they even read these forums.

[mimizukari]

no. char creation is better for mmorpgs, if they ever bring back imagine & bring it to the west or make a new smt mmo char creation would be fine, but rpgs/visual novels aim to tell a story and it makes sense if the character is exactly as the developer intended for that... short of Baldur's Gate 3 it's really hard to give an rpg good character customization while keeping the story & everything contained within straight... Even mmorpgs fail to do it most of the time, elder scrolls online is good about characters mentioning your race/class/alliance often enough though through special dialog options... By the same stretch, skyrim and other elder scrolls games do it right but it's a completely different ballpark when it comes to these JRPGs with more static stories.

[TheShadowHatter]

Can't say I agree when I have to re-emphasize how our Nahobino has ZERO personality whatsoever. They have the same straight face throughout the entire game. You could literally make the character look any way you want and nothing would fundamentally change in the story. I could understand your feelings on the matter if the character had dialogue options that implied a personality, or a voiced character like Shepard from Mass Effect, but this dude literally says nothing and his dialogue choices are so limited in what he says that he's pretty much a blank slate.

I just don't see how a character creation tool wouldn't work out in this game specifically with all that I just said in mind. I feel like this is one of the very few game series where it would work on any level. You could even have fun with it by letting the player create their own Nahobino form too (though obviously there's no point to that in a future game since most/every protagonist in SMT is different from a demi-fiend to a nahobino to a normal human summoning demons). Either way I just don't see how changing our character's skin color or gender or hair color/style would do anything to hurt the game.

[Broso]

No, thanks.

[Quetzacchi]

For this type of game, 'choose gender' should be the only real option. And the Nabobino is androgynous enough to really fit in either categories. So I am fine with this.

[Blunette]

Usually the SMT Protagonists are given a blank slate because they are meant to be player avatars and not outright characters. They are given personalities when they are NOT under the player's control in other games (Case in point, 4-Final/Apocalypse and Flynn/SMT4 Hero).

[thefollowingcharacters]

Makes sense when you have a silent protagonist. Good suggestion.

[TheShadowHatter]

Originally posted by Blunette:

Usually the SMT Protagonists are given a blank slate because they are meant to be player avatars and not outright characters. They are given personalities when they are NOT under the player's control in other games (Case in point, 4-Final/Apocalypse and Flynn/SMT4 Hero).

EXACTLY which is why I figure character creation is perfect for this game. They're player avatars anyways so what's the harm in letting you make them look how you want?

Originally posted by Quetzacchi:

For this type of game, 'choose gender' should be the only real option. And the Nabobino is androgynous enough to really fit in either categories. So I am fine with this.

I don't see much point in this. you're basically saying the only option that should exist is picking pronouns for a character that is androgynous. What would be the point of that? The game barely uses pronouns anyways you're always referred to as Nahobino anyways.

[mimizukari]

Originally posted by TheShadowHatter:

Originally posted by Blunette:

Usually the SMT Protagonists are given a blank slate because they are meant to be player avatars and not outright characters. They are given personalities when they are NOT under the player's control in other games (Case in point, 4-Final/Apocalypse and Flynn/SMT4 Hero).

EXACTLY which is why I figure character creation is perfect for this game. They're player avatars anyways so what's the harm in letting you make them look how you want?

Originally posted by Quetzacchi:

For this type of game, 'choose gender' should be the only real option. And the Nabobino is androgynous enough to really fit in either categories. So I am fine with this.

I don't see much point in this. you're basically saying the only option that should exist is picking pronouns for a character that is androgynous. What would be the point of that? The game barely uses pronouns anyways you're always referred to as Nahobino anyways.

you're free to use mods or make your own mod for whatever you want your character to look like... but in these fully story-driven games I don't believe char creation adds any value as everything is already pre-determined. ur basically asking for a baldur's gate 3/elder scrolls situation where they have to account for every option you chose when making your character for others to comment on/change the story/etc... and even if all you want is a basic char creator it doesn't really serve a purpose within the greater narrative and therefore isn't necessary.

[TheShadowHatter]

No I'm not lol what? not all character creation needs to change their story and plot to cater to the player. Literally Elden Ring you can look like a noodle or a fat monstrosity and you're still referred to as a blank slate Tarnished. Same would have happened here in this game you'd just be called Nahobino as usual nothing at all would change in the game.

What kind of argument is that? it's very odd is this how everyone views character creation in games? Makes no sense.

[mimizukari]

Originally posted by TheShadowHatter:

No I'm not lol what? not all character creation needs to change their story and plot to cater to the player. Literally Elden Ring you can look like a noodle or a fat monstrosity and you're still referred to as a blank slate Tarnished. Same would have happened here in this game you'd just be called Nahobino as usual nothing at all would change in the game.

What kind of argument is that? it's very odd is this how everyone views character creation in games? Makes no sense.

you'd get rid of the iconic character. everyone knows demi-fiend just looking at them, many people know nahobino just by picture, once you add character creation you start turning it into a generic everygame unless it's done right... iconic characters are iconic for a reason.

[TheShadowHatter]

Originally posted by mimizukari:

Originally posted by TheShadowHatter:

No I'm not lol what? not all character creation needs to change their story and plot to cater to the player. Literally Elden Ring you can look like a noodle or a fat monstrosity and you're still referred to as a blank slate Tarnished. Same would have happened here in this game you'd just be called Nahobino as usual nothing at all would change in the game.

What kind of argument is that? it's very odd is this how everyone views character creation in games? Makes no sense.

you'd get rid of the iconic character. everyone knows demi-fiend just looking at them, many people know nahobino just by picture, once you add character creation you start turning it into a generic everygame unless it's done right... iconic characters are iconic for a reason.

This is a better argument and I agree with you to an extent. I'd love to see Character Creation in this series, in at least ONE game (not asking it to replace their going trend mind you), but I definitely get where you're coming from with how some of these characters are definitely iconic.

[RedOcean]

Only thing they could really implement is maybe gender selection? Sort of like the middle aged pokemon games from Sapphire/Ruby onward. We all know what PKMN trainer Red, Gold, Blue look like, it's a story written with these characters in mind bearing a specific image.

[mimizukari]

Originally posted by RedOcean:

Only thing they could really implement is maybe gender selection? Sort of like the middle aged pokemon games from Sapphire/Ruby onward. We all know what PKMN trainer Red, Gold, Blue look like, it's a story written with these characters in mind bearing a specific image.

yes; that'd be fine. AND there's mods for that kinda thing if someone is looking for that.

[TheShadowHatter]

Originally posted by RedOcean:

Only thing they could really implement is maybe gender selection? Sort of like the middle aged pokemon games from Sapphire/Ruby onward. We all know what PKMN trainer Red, Gold, Blue look like, it's a story written with these characters in mind bearing a specific image.

Same happened to Mass Effect but you can still make your Shepard while everyone still recognizes Male/Female Shep. I feel like you can still have an iconic character while still being able to make your own and Mass Effect proves my point. Like I said it's not something I'd want to take over the entire series, but I think one game where you could do it would be pretty neat. Especially considering we had SMT: Imagine that existed in the first place.

[Artur]

Would be cool if Atlus could do it with the next installment, but then we'd have a problem representing the character in future games like the demi-fiend.