Changing MC name is a nice feature, but it's not essential for my gaming experience. Not a fan of changing names of other characters though.
Do you prefer set the name of MC and other primary characters?
- Thread starter tomcire
- Start date
- Jul 6, 2018
- 79
- 126
Getting the ability to change names and/or relationships in a game of main characters is awesome. One game I play, you can keep the predetermined names or go in and change the text doc.
Some games are all about sex so who cares but other games? There's a story there and after my second or third playthrough, a renames not bad.
Some games are all about sex so who cares but other games? There's a story there and after my second or third playthrough, a renames not bad.
- Apr 27, 2017
- 1,010
- 1,154
I actually prefer games where you don't name the characters, it generally suggests that the writer has a personality in mind rather than just expecting the player to self insert as a "this is me" style MC, but naming a character is never a plus for it;s own sake, it just doesn't matter to me if the name is something I pick or the dev picks, in fact i think i prefer when you have the option but the dev provides a default, it;s liek the dev says "I call him *default* but you can call him whatever, don't sweat it" it makes the dev seem accommodating without feeling lazy, which is great IMO.
As for renaming NPC's, that doesn't work for me, no one knows who your talking about in forums, which can be a pain.
As for renaming NPC's, that doesn't work for me, no one knows who your talking about in forums, which can be a pain.
- Mar 1, 2019
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I prefer named character tbh. I'm not really the "self-insert" type of dude, and having to name every character sounds like a pain in the ass.
- Jun 28, 2017
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The only games that need naming player option is multiplayer online games where you need a title someone can call you with.
Any game where the setting or story matters its counterproductive. It's some foreign land in a different time and I'm meant to name a character? Why does any dev assume I don't want a preset name that fits the setting?
Like has anyone in porn game industry read a book? They have pre-set names and people don't go around pasting their own names on characters. Big budget rpgs with voice acting have preset names and people don't skip playing them over it. If witcher 3 sells 20 mil copies why do porn game devs assume a preset character with intimate ties to the world setting is a bad idea? Not to mention video entertainment, you are indeed meant to relate to a movies protagonist without them sharing a name with you.
In a narrative a preset character with a set name is proven to work, people like it and theres reasons not to like naming characters. You need substantial evidence to suggest the contrary and thats missing.
Any game where the setting or story matters its counterproductive. It's some foreign land in a different time and I'm meant to name a character? Why does any dev assume I don't want a preset name that fits the setting?
Like has anyone in porn game industry read a book? They have pre-set names and people don't go around pasting their own names on characters. Big budget rpgs with voice acting have preset names and people don't skip playing them over it. If witcher 3 sells 20 mil copies why do porn game devs assume a preset character with intimate ties to the world setting is a bad idea? Not to mention video entertainment, you are indeed meant to relate to a movies protagonist without them sharing a name with you.
In a narrative a preset character with a set name is proven to work, people like it and theres reasons not to like naming characters. You need substantial evidence to suggest the contrary and thats missing.
- Mar 8, 2018
- 2,765
- 3,793
I do like naming the MC but it's not important. If his name is John or Sam or David or...you get my drift, I have no issues with common names.
If 'my' name in game is something I'm not used to (Japanese mostly) I can't really connect.
If 'my' name in game is something I'm not used to (Japanese mostly) I can't really connect.
I don´t like it when I have to name the mc, I pick the default from the last game. In most cases the first dude I meet has the same name and it destroys immersion, because the chat seems weird when nobody comments on that. What´s also weird is me being Bob and everyone has cool names like Lord Xerem or Augustus or Bravery.
I absolutely hate it when I have to name everyone, I can´t make up 5 girls-names on the spot and I don´t want to use a name of someone I know.
IRL you don´t get to pick your name or the names of your friends, at best you have children which you can name.
So in simple stories I would advise for defaults, but the set names allow more writing options like nicknames or a natural use of family names and titles. If your story is good / important enough to profit from such a thing go for set names.
I absolutely hate it when I have to name everyone, I can´t make up 5 girls-names on the spot and I don´t want to use a name of someone I know.
IRL you don´t get to pick your name or the names of your friends, at best you have children which you can name.
So in simple stories I would advise for defaults, but the set names allow more writing options like nicknames or a natural use of family names and titles. If your story is good / important enough to profit from such a thing go for set names.
- Aug 6, 2018
- 284
- 653
- Jan 14, 2018
- 471
- 692
I voted no, but I'm mostly ambivalent. I've enjoyed "playing" with character names. Giving them my name or names of people I know, giving them silly "funny" names... but overall, at the end, I kinda want to know the actual names. I think that giving the option of renaming or having a default is perfect for everybody.
I rather prefer the author name all characters, it allows me to judge the story better. In real life, names have a lot of meaning to how people grow and develops.
If I start a new game that I don't know, (And I even been asked the name of the MC in a black screen without knowing even if it was male or female) depends on my humour the most possible is that I name the MC "Littleshit" and the other characters "sis ho" or wathever, possibly making my game time an ever greater silly experience, that only works is the game is great in humor (and I've only found two or three).
If I start a new game that I don't know, (And I even been asked the name of the MC in a black screen without knowing even if it was male or female) depends on my humour the most possible is that I name the MC "Littleshit" and the other characters "sis ho" or wathever, possibly making my game time an ever greater silly experience, that only works is the game is great in humor (and I've only found two or three).
- May 23, 2017
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- 571
If there is a given name that doesn't sound too douche-y to me. then I'd rather rock with that, or if the character's name is Eric I'm changing that shit immediately.
- Nov 5, 2017
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- 2,504
I like to be able to name the MC, but over time as I have given different women somewhat generic names. They have become archetypes for different women.
A "Sophie" is often an early to mid twenties lively, happy go lucky (but still smart), and sometimes slightly tom–boyish woman.
A "Molly" was in the start more of a quite mature woman or at least what I perceived as being gentle. Then as time went on, it become more used with the (at least initially) quite/shy innocent teen type girls.
A "Christine" is the high school leader of the cheerleader squad, the popular girl. Or a flashy/gaudy arrogant "high class"/rich woman in her 30's to early 40's.
A "Christie" is the opposite of a "Molly", a more bratty and less "high class" version of the "Christine". Not used on evil women or even those acting with unkind intentions. It's the ones I've been introduced as acting without thinking, they are pretty, but often even more tom–boyish than a "Sophie".
A "Gloria" is a healer or a nursing type person concerned about the well–being of other people.
A "Laura" is a soldier or a policewoman. I think, the more authoritarian perspective was cemented with the little sister from "Take Over". I have previously used that name of such people in non–hentai RPG's for some time.
An "Eva" or "Eve" is more or less used for the bland, but otherwise kind and motherly women.
An "Agnes" is an older version of an "Eva".
A "Melissa" is the younger version of an "Eva". The names is often also used for the quite, kind, and "nerdy" women.
A "Charlotte" is someone that just hates your guts for no reason other than what the plot demands. She is not rich or popular like a "Christine", she doesn't have any skills like a "Melissa" or a "Sophie"/"Christie".
The rare "Victoria" is like a "Christine", but in leau of arrogance, she has elegance and high intelligence. What I mean by arrogance in a "Christine" is that she makes a sport demeans everyone she perceives as being less rich/powerful.
Using Summertime Saga as an example for the categories. I know most people in that game are not nameable, it's to give an idea of the characteristics of characters most people here would know:
Roxxy would initially fall under the "Christine" category despite not being rich. As her character evolves she would fall more into the "Christie" or "Sophie" category.
Ronda in that game despite her athletic skills would fall more into the "Charlotte" category. Her hatred for the MC is way more prominent than her athletic skills. If we saw her running around in record times, or doing athletics. Gloating over anyone that dared challenge or was beat by her. She would be a "Christine". What we currently get instead is seeing her in sport outfits, hating on the MC on every occasion for merely breathing the same air as her. We don't see her doing it to anyone else. It's the sheer amount of hatred towards the MC specifically, that makes her a "Charlotte" in my eye.
Annie is not a "Charlotte" in my perspective. She doesn't hate MC specifically, she just hates, when people don't follow the rules. A "Laura" in my book.
Judith is a classic "Melissa". What makes her not a "Molly" in my eyes? The social situation and her own behavior. A "Molly" would theoretically have guys still being interested in her. She'd just, not know, how to talk to them or maybe she's not even interested in engaging with them.
Mia is the closest thing to a "Molly" in Summertime Saga.
June (the "other" nerdy girl) is actually quite an interesting example. She's a nerd so she must be a "Melissa" right? Being a nerd was not the criteria, the characteristics of the portrayal of female nerds just happens to fall into this category a lot. She keeps to herself, because she is engaged in her hobby. Once you get to "know" her, she's in no way or form shy or "gentle". She's tom–boyish, to the point, and someone that gets things done. Had she been the MC's "roommate" and if we had around the same introduction of her being absorbed in computers—while being quite tech savvy. She'd probably be named as a "Sophie" or a "Christie" (or some of the other names I haven't introduced yet).
I have many more archetypal names; I use them every now and then, in games I play. This should be sufficient to give people some idea. It's fun now a days for me, but in the start it was indeed a chore. I don't like, attributing the names of people I know to games. I can see, how that could also be fun for some people.
I get amused by finding someone, that's for example "definitely" a "Christie" and then see how all of it rolls out in the scenarios. The author could maybe subvert my expectations within a coherent narrative. The change in Roxxy was refreshing within the game—albeit predictable. The complete balls to the walls "Christine'ish" type of behavior of Jenny the "roommate" brought a good jolly. She never changed, she only got worse. Jenny doesn't hate the MC, despite what she says... she'd never do those things for him. She is also "popular" because of her good looks so she's in no way a "Charlotte" in my perspective.
A "Sophie" is often an early to mid twenties lively, happy go lucky (but still smart), and sometimes slightly tom–boyish woman.
A "Molly" was in the start more of a quite mature woman or at least what I perceived as being gentle. Then as time went on, it become more used with the (at least initially) quite/shy innocent teen type girls.
A "Christine" is the high school leader of the cheerleader squad, the popular girl. Or a flashy/gaudy arrogant "high class"/rich woman in her 30's to early 40's.
A "Christie" is the opposite of a "Molly", a more bratty and less "high class" version of the "Christine". Not used on evil women or even those acting with unkind intentions. It's the ones I've been introduced as acting without thinking, they are pretty, but often even more tom–boyish than a "Sophie".
A "Gloria" is a healer or a nursing type person concerned about the well–being of other people.
A "Laura" is a soldier or a policewoman. I think, the more authoritarian perspective was cemented with the little sister from "Take Over". I have previously used that name of such people in non–hentai RPG's for some time.
An "Eva" or "Eve" is more or less used for the bland, but otherwise kind and motherly women.
An "Agnes" is an older version of an "Eva".
A "Melissa" is the younger version of an "Eva". The names is often also used for the quite, kind, and "nerdy" women.
A "Charlotte" is someone that just hates your guts for no reason other than what the plot demands. She is not rich or popular like a "Christine", she doesn't have any skills like a "Melissa" or a "Sophie"/"Christie".
The rare "Victoria" is like a "Christine", but in leau of arrogance, she has elegance and high intelligence. What I mean by arrogance in a "Christine" is that she makes a sport demeans everyone she perceives as being less rich/powerful.
Using Summertime Saga as an example for the categories. I know most people in that game are not nameable, it's to give an idea of the characteristics of characters most people here would know:
Roxxy would initially fall under the "Christine" category despite not being rich. As her character evolves she would fall more into the "Christie" or "Sophie" category.
Ronda in that game despite her athletic skills would fall more into the "Charlotte" category. Her hatred for the MC is way more prominent than her athletic skills. If we saw her running around in record times, or doing athletics. Gloating over anyone that dared challenge or was beat by her. She would be a "Christine". What we currently get instead is seeing her in sport outfits, hating on the MC on every occasion for merely breathing the same air as her. We don't see her doing it to anyone else. It's the sheer amount of hatred towards the MC specifically, that makes her a "Charlotte" in my eye.
Annie is not a "Charlotte" in my perspective. She doesn't hate MC specifically, she just hates, when people don't follow the rules. A "Laura" in my book.
Judith is a classic "Melissa". What makes her not a "Molly" in my eyes? The social situation and her own behavior. A "Molly" would theoretically have guys still being interested in her. She'd just, not know, how to talk to them or maybe she's not even interested in engaging with them.
Mia is the closest thing to a "Molly" in Summertime Saga.
June (the "other" nerdy girl) is actually quite an interesting example. She's a nerd so she must be a "Melissa" right? Being a nerd was not the criteria, the characteristics of the portrayal of female nerds just happens to fall into this category a lot. She keeps to herself, because she is engaged in her hobby. Once you get to "know" her, she's in no way or form shy or "gentle". She's tom–boyish, to the point, and someone that gets things done. Had she been the MC's "roommate" and if we had around the same introduction of her being absorbed in computers—while being quite tech savvy. She'd probably be named as a "Sophie" or a "Christie" (or some of the other names I haven't introduced yet).
I have many more archetypal names; I use them every now and then, in games I play. This should be sufficient to give people some idea. It's fun now a days for me, but in the start it was indeed a chore. I don't like, attributing the names of people I know to games. I can see, how that could also be fun for some people.
I get amused by finding someone, that's for example "definitely" a "Christie" and then see how all of it rolls out in the scenarios. The author could maybe subvert my expectations within a coherent narrative. The change in Roxxy was refreshing within the game—albeit predictable. The complete balls to the walls "Christine'ish" type of behavior of Jenny the "roommate" brought a good jolly. She never changed, she only got worse. Jenny doesn't hate the MC, despite what she says... she'd never do those things for him. She is also "popular" because of her good looks so she's in no way a "Charlotte" in my perspective.
- May 22, 2017
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- 5,679
I like naming the MC after myself for immersion reasons. Or something dumb for hilarity. Naming other character's nice too but I usually struggle to find good women names. So I at least appreciate if they have a name even if I can change it. Plus it helps making them feel like their own entity if I don't have to name them myself.
- Nov 5, 2017
- 1,523
- 2,504
You should give it a try, find a few generic female names and see how it plays out in a game. Using those names in other games like X–COM etc. only makes it funnier. OMG she missed a 98% shot, now my best character is gonna get slaughtered by the mutons... and now she's panicked and has killed those on the rescue. Such an Angela move... typical Angela. You know what on the next mission. You go on the frontlines, alone, unarmed (most basic weapon), with no armor.
Weird little meta stories that permeates the material, can be made, simply by having these name in stock.
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- Nov 5, 2017
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What I've come to realize is how important a little bit of introduction is for me naming the characters.