Lack of ugly bastards

[Off-Color]

Hey people, I've noticed there aren't any games where you play as an ugly bastard. You know, to break the mold.
Is it too niche of a concept?
I've been itching to make my own game for a few months now. And I was thinking to make the protagonist an ugly bastard of sorts.
Is it a really bad idea?

 

[Deleted member 229118]

A lot of people seem to hate it.
Me?
The uglier the mc the greater the victory.
Mr rich and handsome getting laid is boring.
Mr i got no redeeming qualities getting laid is a victory.

 

[Rafster]

The uglier the mc the greater the victory.

Especially after he beats Mr. Perfect in a fight, and the LI falls for you.

 

[woody554]

there used to be a lot of them but they always got tons of hate.

I don't like playing ugly bastards, but I loathe playing rich winners.

 

[unocrus]

I think an ugly bastard works better as more of an antagonistic role rather than the protagonist. Not because they are ugly, but because they are a bastard.

 

[sonhot]

Hey people, I've noticed there aren't any games where you play as an ugly bastard. You know, to break the mold.
Is it too niche of a concept?
I've been itching to make my own game for a few months now. And I was thinking to make the protagonist an ugly bastard of sorts.
Is it a really bad idea?

You only play daz 3d western games? There are quite a few of 2d Japanese games where you play the ugly bastard.

I think an ugly bastard works better as more of an antagonistic role rather than the protagonist. Not because they are ugly, but because they are a bastard.

True. Its not about them being ugly its about them being creepy bastards.

 

[MarbleCrown]

It's probably a bit niche, but it also depends on how you approach it.

I think people are usually more drawn to themes rather than types of main characters, especially for male protag. Ugly bastard as a character trope doesn't really make the game a certain type of game on its own. The themes that ugly bastard characters typically drive are corruption, humiliation and degradation, but they aren't limited to these and don't necessarily need to include any of them either.

While I say that more people are drawn to themes rather than character types, my game has a monster protag which I consider a subset of ugly bastard and some of the people who like the game specifically were drawn to it due to the protag. But the game is more about its theme of corruption and the gathering of a harem rather than trying to make the player feel like a goblin.

Players who go for certain character types over themes are likely more of the 'self insert' type of player and try to immerse themselves in the character they play as. But I think that even these players actually care more about the themes being pushed by a certain type of protagonist and what makes it work is if the game leans into the same themes as the character.

 

[GreenGobbo]

Generally speaking I see playing as an ugly bastard being not that bad.
Could go two different ways:
Option One: Ugly on the outside, heart of gold on the inside. Everything is hard and you have to work your butt off to prove to the world you're worthy of dating that person you have a secret crush on.
Option Two: Something along the lines of Solvalley School. Ugly Bastard knows he's ugly, doesn't care, and just kind of is an asshole to everyone, which somehow actually works in getting the gals to sleep with him because porn-logic. Sometimes it's light hearted like Solvalley, sometimes it's really effin dark.
Either option can be pretty fun to play through if the stories and characters are done right.


But there's always gonna be someone who complains about an UB for the MC.
Just ask the creators of Lewd Town Adventures. MC starts ugly as hell in the prologue, but gets his face fixed up at the real start of the game. They still got a toooooon of hate just because of the MCs looks in the prologue. Even though it was an important part of the story and did a great job in setting up the character's growth.

 

[Deleted member 229118]

Just ask the creators of Lewd Town Adventures. MC starts ugly as hell in the prologue, but gets his face fixed up at the real start of the game.

Kinda wished the kept him ugly.
Would make for a better story.

 

[Meaning Less]

Because

 

[♍VoidTraveler]

Thank the void that there aren't that many here, had to block bbm tag on nhentai because they were fucking everywhere there.
I'll take just an average, slightly cool guy, over anything ugly, bastard, or mr.perfection - any day.
If i want to be a bastard, i want it to be on my own terms, instead of having the game force it on me just because.
So instead of putting these fat blobs into games, there should be more logical paths one could take in a game that are bastardly, and/or could result in you becoming ugly due to some fuck up or some such, if you want to be ugly as well that bad.

 

[OzBa]

I usually hate the ugly bastard trope because, generally, I like more conventionally attractive characters in porn.

THAT BEING SAID, there's something about the ugly-bastard-with-a-heart-of-gold-and-somehow-still-genuinely-attractive trope-flip being surprisingly fappable.

The best example of it is the utterly BASED doujin author Kurosu Gatari and his Seika Academy series. 352745, for those who know their nhentai numbers!

I would happily throw my degen-bux at a game like that!

 

[Doorknob22]

I don't need MC to be a male supermodel but some of the fat/old/ugly characters I've seen are just so repulsive they ruin the scene for me.

 

[obibobi]

It's probably a bit niche, but it also depends on how you approach it.

I think people are usually more drawn to themes rather than types of main characters, especially for male protag. Ugly bastard as a character trope doesn't really make the game a certain type of game on its own. The themes that ugly bastard characters typically drive are corruption, humiliation and degradation, but they aren't limited to these and don't necessarily need to include any of them either.

While I say that more people are drawn to themes rather than character types, my game has a monster protag which I consider a subset of ugly bastard and some of the people who like the game specifically were drawn to it due to the protag. But the game is more about its theme of corruption and the gathering of a harem rather than trying to make the player feel like a goblin.

Players who go for certain character types over themes are likely more of the 'self insert' type of player and try to immerse themselves in the character they play as. But I think that even these players actually care more about the themes being pushed by a certain type of protagonist and what makes it work is if the game leans into the same themes as the character.

You've mostly hit the nail on the head, the ugly bastard is used as a tool to degrade female characters, but he needs to complete with other archetypes that are used to degrade female characters, animals, goblins, orcs and black guys.

Then you can also just make the protagonist female, if the fetish is degradation. I think a lot of devs forget that just because the protagonist is female, doesn't mean they need to be the only female character being fucked, I've made the point before that female characters are the best choice if you plan on having other characters have sex. Although I can see a goblin working for that as well, creates that disconnect.

 

[Meaning Less]

I've made the point before that female characters are the best choice if you plan on having other characters have sex. Although I can see a goblin working for that as well, creates that disconnect.

Well you are basically discovering that you can enjoy more kinks if you don't self insert... Welcome to the club.

 

[obibobi]

Well you are basically discovering that you can enjoy more kinks if you don't self insert... Welcome to the club.

I didn't just realize this and it's not actually true. Most stuff is better with the character you self insert or empathize with. It's only really good for more than one male.

The problem with disconnecting is that you don't have as strong a connection to the story.

 

[MarbleCrown]

I didn't just realize this and it's not actually true. Most stuff is better with the character you self insert or empathize with. It's only really good for more than one male.

The problem with disconnecting is that you don't have as strong a connection to the story.

This is entirely subjective. I've never played any adult game where I make an effort to self insert. Experiencing a story/setting/characters through an established character still allows me to empathize with them, I don't have to see myself as that character.

I also don't think self inserting is the norm with most character based media either. Some games, like Skyrim for example, do encourage it more since you make a blank slate type character. But books, movies and most games tend to have you follow established characters. Even stories told from a first person perspective retain that layer of separation between the reader and the narrator. It seems to be mostly unique to adult games where I guess some people want to feel closer to the sexual content or something.

 

[Meaning Less]

Most stuff is better with the character you self insert or empathize with.

That's the thing, you can empathize without self-insertion.

When I'm playing with a dumb mc I can empathize with them being useless and even like them for trying to learn, but I could never self-insert into their ignorance or shortcomings. Not all games are made for self-insertion.

 

[GreenGobbo]

Not all games are made for self-insertion.

Doesn't mater what it is or what it's meant for. Out there in the real world zome guy some where is trying to "insert self" right now.

 

[Meaning Less]

Some games, like Skyrim for example, do encourage it more since you make a blank slate type character.

And honestly, even on games that allow it like skyrim I still end up always creating an "original character" instead of self-insert fodder. To me it just sounds boring to play as someone that is supposed to be "me" when I could be playing as a hot succubus, a talking cat, or even an ugly bastard instead.

When there is this disconnect you can roleplay with more ease into any character you are given/create without bringing your ego and biases into equation. It is not only more immersive but also more fulfilling in my opinion.