Would you rather have a generic MC or someone with deph?

[ImNotMrGayLord]

This is my first time posting here so hello everyone! ^^

I was wondering if people would prefer a game where the MC is generic, because some people might think it is more relatable, than having a full pfledged character.
I don't mean to say that generics MCs are better than the ones with depth but I am wondering if it is a turn off, when some character has some motivations, that might turn people off
(I don't mean fetishes like rape or ntr)

If you have a stroke while reading this then it's not my problem

 

[Deleted member 3145675]

Hi,
I would say that it depends entirely on the story/plot.
If the MC is another big dick magnet for brainless bimbos he can be as generic as Laundry detergent.

If the Plot is interesting with layers - MC being like a PI looking for revenge - a Reporter looking for the truth - a Mob boss wanting what Mob Bosses usually want... he can have depth.

If by "having depth" you mean a female MC or a Gay/Bi MC Bottom - yeah sure that can do it too *
* (it's a joke - even if it is a poor literal one)

 

[StoicCass]

If the game expects you to invest emotionally in the characters and have a somewhat "serious" story in addition to the porn, then I'd prefer a developed MC. If it's just jumping from sex scene to sex scene, it's nice for them to be a blank state - a character that's boring is better than one that's annoying because of poor attempts at humour/characterisation in a game like that.

 

[baneini]

People with ability to make them non-generic.
It's just a question of skill.

 

[Rando Civ]

Characters with dept confuse the players and make them hate the MC, because how dare you not be a self insert.

 

[Fzeren]

"John hears somebody coming down the stairs" <-- MC is written as it's own character, so you'd give it depth.

"You hear somebody coming down the stairs" <-- The story is written for the reader to project themselves onto the MC. The more depth you give the MC, the more distance will be created between it and the reader.

I think what is most important is to pick one, and not to try to pull in both directions.

Often games/VNs seem to be written as "You", not "John", which I think is why people get bent out of shape over NTR.

 

[Deleted member 1952336]

I prefer a Happy medium; a socially intelligent normal MC.

I hate MC's that dramatize/complain about everything in their minds. But I also don't like MC's that that are completely mindless or overly dumb.

 

[ImNotMrGayLord]

Hi,
I would say that it depends entirely on the story/plot.
If the MC is another big dick magnet for brainless bimbos he can be as generic as Laundry detergent.

If the Plot is interesting with layers - MC being like a PI looking for revenge - a Reporter looking for the truth - a Mob boss wanting what Mob Bosses usually want... he can have depth.

If by "having depth" you mean a female MC or a Gay/Bi MC Bottom - yeah sure that can do it too *
* (it's a joke - even if it is a poor literal one)

Its okay if it's a litteral joke this is a "wide" topic after all

People with ability to make them non-generic.
It's just a question of skill.

I agree that skill contributes alot, but i thought that if the MC is bland the characters should compensate.

Characters with dept confuse the players and make them hate the MC, because how dare you not be a self insert.

My Self-Insert will be a Marry-Sue, and i will use my superpowers to make anyone disappear who doesn't like my Character
(Your Pic adds so much haha)

"John hears somebody coming down the stairs" <-- MC is written as it's own character, so you'd give it depth.

"You hear somebody coming down the stairs" <-- The story is written for the reader to project themselves onto the MC. The more depth you give the MC, the more distance will be created between it and the reader.

I think what is most important is to pick one, and not to try to pull in both directions.

Often games/VNs seem to be written as "You", not "John", which I think is why people get bent out of shape over NTR.

That's an interresting point. I havent thought about it that way


Thanks for all those points guys ^^

 

[OrdinanceXXXIV]

I don't mind a placeholder MC just as long as the story is being heavily driven by a compelling supporting casts. Like the MC is there to provide third party perspective.

 

[rk-47]

Personally not bothered, most mc's ive seen have that typical parents died/lost and now theyre staying with aunts or "landlady's" scenario

 

[Ataios]

I don't relate to character's in porn games in any way, shape or form, so they may well have personality traits that are alien to me. That said, I still want a game to have the fetished I like. So female MC should be playable as a lesbian and when I play a game with a male MC he should not be into any fetishes involving other male characters. In either case the MC should not be a complete idiot or loser, as that would annoy me.

 

[Pretentious Goblin]

I can't relate to most people or most any MC in a game, regardless of gender, unless they're written as avoidant, awkward and unappealing, which I don't think I've seen. If you write a normal person who has normal interactions, you've already alienated me. This is the main reason why I usually stay away from all the popular modern-setting harem seduction VNs - inability to relate to anyone, plus setting and situations that hit too close too home, makes for an unpleasant and alienating experience. It's down to my insecurities, basically.

 

[DuniX]

I would love to see more Mute Protagonists with only Choices as a Talk option.
I can't stand the Cringe Inducing Dialog of supposedly grown men.
So they might as well Shut Up.

 

[fitgirlbestgirl]

It's a complicated subject, on the one hand I dislike MCs which are just thinly veiled player-inserts who have no likes or dislikes and no personality, but I also dislike when a MC states an opinion and I'm like "what a weirdo" and it takes me out of the game and makes me not want to be this person anymore. Obviously the best thing would be a "generic" MC that you get to mold yourself through making choices. But this pretty much never happens because it's too much work.

 

[Carrera]

All depends on the game/video itself. Just using games as an example, sometimes they don't require the MC to be anything but a faceless goon, other times the game requires them to be fleshed out.

As for my preference, again it just depends on the game.

 

[ImNotMrGayLord]

I would love to see more Mute Protagonists with only Choices as a Talk option.
I can't stand the Cringe Inducing Dialog of supposedly grown men.
So they might as well Shut Up.

What do you think would make a character a man-child or cringe inducing?

 

[DuniX]

What do you think would make a character a man-child or cringe inducing?

There are plenty of games where the protagonist is a mama's boy.
Basically any game with a Milf is this even if they aren't related.

 

[anne O'nymous]

I was wondering if people would prefer a game where the MC is generic, because some people might think it is more relatable, than having a full pfledged character.

As said by others, the story can need the MC to have some depth, therefore, why not doing both ?

You give a personality and a paste to your MC, but that will totally depend of the players choices.
Lets say that you've a choice like, "punch him"/"stay calm". If the player chose the first option, the MC is impulsive, else he's not. Change the impulsiveness counter accordingly to the choice made.
Repeat for the three (or five) firsts choices implying a change in a particular trait. Then starting now depict the MC like having this trait (counter >= +2), not having it at all (counter <= -2), or being undecided. Then, unless it's an important choice, offer future choices only to players that have an undecided MC.
By his previous choice, the player decided that his MC his impulsive, then he'll have an impulsive character and act impulsively, dot.

It also works with MC's abilities, MC's past and MC's aspiration in life. The difference being that for that only a single choice should be enough :
"Can you help me fix this ?"

• Of course, without problem ;
• Well, I'm not this good at fixing, but I'll try ;
• Sorry, fixing totally isn't my thing, I would make it worse.

And you now have a new piece of background for your MC.

 

[Crimson Delight Games]

I may be biased because I like RPGs, but I think the perfect protagonist is one which you have enough room to mold to your specifications. Like the kind of stuff you see in RPGs, where there's multiple choices for every important action/event, and then the choices you make are referenced later on in the game.

So to answer the question: MC with depth, but of the kind a player can fill in throughout the game.

 

[God3333]

I think it can be a turn off when it's super generic. I'd of course prefer an in-depth mc if I was given a choice