Why does developers use the same mc in most games?

iModex

Newbie
May 6, 2023
40
20
I always wanted to know why developers always use the same average looking short mc with zero personality and being a pervert? I rarely don't see games using this type of mc, so i wanted to know why they Don't make a handsome mc with an actual personality
 
May 5, 2020
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I always wanted to know why developers always use the same average looking short mc with zero personality and being a pervert? I rarely don't see games using this type of mc, so i wanted to know why they Don't make a handsome mc with an actual personality
In my opinion, it's for marketing. Many people like a character with that physique (I saw a poll in a thread on this site), and perhaps the developers prefer to create a game that can appeal to as many people as possible.
 

Doorknob22

Super Moderator
Moderator
Game Developer
Nov 3, 2017
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1. There is a certain appeal where the male MC is physically smaller/shorter than than (some) female LIs, as it makes the conquest a little sweeter.

2. As for "pervert": developers add the fetishes they want to add in games.

3. And a general comment: the vast majority of developers are amateurs who are expected (usually in their first game) to create great art, write great story, code stable code and keep transparent release schedules, usually for free. Some developers are unable to keep all of the aforementioned balls in the air at the same time.
 

Jack Madrigal

Member
Aug 12, 2023
165
188
It's an interesting topic, considering that a good lot of male protagonist in recent years are most always middle aged though guy with a heart of gold such as Arthur Morgan( rdr2) , Snake (mg), Joel (tlou) and so so many more,

I'd be so bold as to assume it's some sort of self projection of insecurities in regard of a vulnerable subject such as sexuality, and the capacity to overcome them...

or maybe it's just an influence of japanese eroge where the mc is systematically a miserable little man, and THEY (the eroge writers) would be the ones projecting insecurities, and western devs are just copying.
 

Davos2

Member
Aug 29, 2020
402
631
Part of it may be due to simplicity. A no personality mc could make the writing easier, similarly why many 'land lady' games have a lack of a father figure, two sisters/room mates, and an aunt who is lurid to break down the supposed taboo.
 

Rafster

Bear chaser
Game Developer
Mar 23, 2019
2,099
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considering that a good lot of male protagonist in recent years are most always middle aged though guy with a heart of gold such as Arthur Morgan( rdr2) , Snake (mg), Joel (tlou) and so so many more
Heh, the mc in my next will be definitely among those lines.
 

woody554

Well-Known Member
Jan 20, 2018
1,558
1,940
when mc doesn't force opinions on you, people complain why is he always so bland.

when mc is a bodybuilding millionaire ex-seal people complain why is he always such a massive douche.

when mc is a rapist people complain why is he a rapist.

when mc is a nice guy people complain why is he always such a pussy.



there's just no winning with people.
 

rk-47

Well-Known Member
Jun 27, 2020
1,004
918
having very mild customisation would be a good feature for renpy games, but devs are too lazy to implement
 
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simarimas

Dev FitB Games
Game Developer
Oct 1, 2018
1,738
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having very mild customisation would be a good feature for renpy games, but devs are too lazy to implement
Yes, Devs are lazy.

For each customization of a look, we would have to make a new character for the MC.

So let us say you can change body type, with 3 choices. Then you can change hair style with 3 choices. Then hair color, again 3 choices. Dick size, 3 more choices. So that comes out to 81 different combinations, give or take.

Our last update was around 2000 renders. Let us say only half of those had the MC (which isn't true, but just for argument sake) That would translate to 81,000 renders needed to have each choice of customized MC. For some of those I could spot render the MC into the scene, which takes a bit less time to render. Where a scene usually takes around 10-30 minutes to render, this might cut that down to 2-3 minutes for just the MC to be spot rendered. But of course for any sex scenes, I would also have to repose the MC as his body has changed, and to get him in the correct position which for sex scenes is necessary.

On average I can do around 10 renders a day. This includes posing, setting up the scene, etc. But let's double that, just to account for spot rendering.

81,000/20=4050 days to complete an update. So roughly 9 years to complete an update.

Fuck, you are right! I am one lazy son of a bitch! I will get right on making these customizations happen!
 

Jack Madrigal

Member
Aug 12, 2023
165
188
Don't take that as a personnal attack as I don't know you and I don't know your work, I speak in general.

I would argue that poor decision making isn't an excuse for the lack of option and content, unless you're making a game about a very specific character that have a determined look, adding some customisation option should be possible and thought into the process of making the game right from the start, and in a way to do things that allow that to happen.

a simple process for clothing is often to have a character in a determined pose and have overlaping layers of clothing that the player can chose to add, or to have specific clothing bound to events.

It's not a sign of inteligence to make complicated things.
 

simarimas

Dev FitB Games
Game Developer
Oct 1, 2018
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Don't take that as a personnal attack as I don't know you and I don't know your work, I speak in general.

I would argue that poor decision making isn't an excuse for the lack of option and content, unless you're making a game about a very specific character that have a determined look, adding some customisation option should be possible and thought into the process of making the game right from the start, and in a way to do things that allow that to happen.

a simple process for clothing is often to have a character in a determined pose and have overlaping layers of clothing that the player can chose to add, or to have specific clothing bound to events.

It's not a sign of inteligence to make complicated things.
Making the choices for customization isn't difficult. That isn't the point. If the game uses sprites, that is easy to do and less time consuming.

If, however, scenes are rendered completely as an image, with interactions between the players, it becomes more time consuming. If my character has 3 different clothing options in a scene. And that scene has 30 renders. The scene has now become 90 renders. So you just tripled the time to render the scene. I can actually see doing this for some scenes, where it would make sense to do so. But if you are talking for an entire game, then it becomes a burden with little reward other than a player may feel he gets the choice, when in reality, 90% of players could care less or would never even notice.

I am talking DAZ here, which is what I work in.
 
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Jack Madrigal

Member
Aug 12, 2023
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That's how you work, it doesn't mean it's the most efficient way to do things and it's impossible to do differently, again it's not an offense, I perfectly understand your point and you're totally right.

I'm playing the devil's advocate here but there's what players can expect with the type of game they put their hands on, if it's a visual novel (in the strict definition of what a visual novel is) then no they shouldn't expect customization.

but IF I play an RPG, than I would expect some degree of customization, as I'm playing the character, I make the decision.

and once again, determined by what type of game you're making you have to think of ways to DO things and make it happens in an efficient way.

nobody in the world in their right mind would ask you to add customization to your game mid-way in development, I really don't think this specific subject apply to you and your game.
 

simarimas

Dev FitB Games
Game Developer
Oct 1, 2018
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That's how you work, it doesn't mean it's the most efficient way to do things and it's impossible to do differently, again it's not an offense, I perfectly understand your point and you're totally right.

I'm playing the devil's advocate here but there's what players can expect with the type of game they put their hands on, if it's a visual novel (in the strict definition of what a visual novel is) then no they shouldn't expect customization.

but IF I play an RPG, than I would expect some degree of customization, as I'm playing the character, I make the decision.

and once again, determined by what type of game you're making you have to think of ways to DO things and make it happens in an efficient way.

nobody in the world in their right mind would ask you to add customization to your game mid-way in development, I really don't think this specific subject apply to you and your game.
If you are playing an RPG game, made in a platform for that type game, using sprites, I would agree with you.

However,
having very mild customisation would be a good feature for renpy games, but devs are too lazy to implement
This is the post I was responding to initially. It specifies Renpy games, which are, for the most part, VN's, not RPG's.
 
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Jack Madrigal

Member
Aug 12, 2023
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I'm not gonna endlessly debate with you as I don't fundamentally disagree, but the game engine and what you do with it as nothing to do with the content, for exemple Raven's quest or princess trainer gold.

The post you're refering to wasn't very well phrased and shouldn't have been specific to ren'py games. but then again you're not the one ren'py game jesus that stand for everyone, again I don't think it's addressed to you specifically.
 

simarimas

Dev FitB Games
Game Developer
Oct 1, 2018
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I'm not gonna endlessly debate with you as I don't fundamentally disagree, but the game engine and what you do with it as nothing to do with the content, for exemple Raven's quest or princess trainer gold.

The post you're refering to wasn't very well phrased and shouldn't have been specific to ren'py games. but then again you're not the one ren'py game jesus that stand for everyone, again I don't think it's addressed to you specifically.
And I was only responding to the Devs are lazy part of that post, and showing that laziness is not the key factor in not having customization choices for the characters in a renpy game. I was not commenting on the general thread about MC's all being the same. Didn't plan on having a debate with you in the first place, so we are all good.
 

HarveyD

Active Member
Oct 15, 2017
504
803
1) Amateur writing.

2) They have a thing for young totally 18 ;) year old boys. Idk.
 
Apr 23, 2017
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And a general comment: the vast majority of developers are amateurs who are expected (usually in their first game) to create great art, write great story, code stable code and keep transparent release schedules, usually for free.
More than that.
1. Good artist(2d, 3d, painting, composition, framing).
2. Good writer(concept, tempo, characters growth, etc).
3. Good sound producer(sfx, ambient, appropriate music).
4. Good gameplay programmer(concept of gameplay, gameplay loop, balance).
5. Good programmer(engine, perfomance, UI, quality of life, etc).
 
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RikkaNoodles

New Member
Apr 15, 2020
14
22
Easier to write, easier to insert fetishes into, and easier for the player to self-insert into. It works and as long as people don't mind it it'll continue to be used.
having very mild customisation would be a good feature for renpy games, but devs are too lazy to implement
Thats completely unfeasible unless you make a 3D game.
 

Mr Pops Alot

New Member
Mar 26, 2020
3
2
Because it works and that's what most people are interested in. Unless your game is text-based or has customizable 3D-models, having customizable characters means creating new assets designed for that character, and any additional content will have to be reflected on all other characters pickable. Even in a text game, all scenes where the customizations can change parts of the scene will have to have variations written for the.

Most players (at least what I've seen in the era games scene) also pick the default adult male because most content is designed with a generic adult male PC.