What kind of characters do you choose to play?

[Wrathonia]

I am curious how you view your characters. Some people see them as an extension of themselves. They have to be the same gender and are usually human and they try to look similar. Their own personal image in the imaginary world. Others use it as an opportunity to role play something specific, or fun and unusual. Other people don't really care, they make a character that is a tool to an end. Not always, but it is the more competitive people that usually have this perspective. They are usually zoomed to max distance so they can't see their character in detail much anyway and they choose their race based on min/maxing. They usually don't care about gear other than as a social status indicator.

I am a guy and I make female characters. One of the reasons is that I have a very strong protective streak. I want to try harder when I have a female character. I see my characters as individuals in their own little world and they rely upon me to not only make them succeed, but also to keep them from failing. When I have a male character, I just don't really care about him, I have no connection and I don't really try. It's weird but it works for me.

Just wondering if anyone else has unusual quirks when it comes to making and playing a character.

[Fencers]

I tend to make characters based on me- or what I just find cute/pretty if there are no Humans (TOR). Roles I pick based on what my guild/friends need. With the guild we have an interest in working with each other optimally. With friends I try to pick a role I can "carry" them with since they tend to be less intense about games.

Don't usually care about story or questing. I like just doing the challenges and stuff.

[Arkenaw]

I never make characters based on myself, but I do have some tendencies. I never make female characters, just a personal preference, I don't make wimpy looking or ugly looking characters, if applicable I always try to be lawful good or neutral good. I also sometimes make a character or two with pale pink hair, like Lightning's from FFXIII .

[Deleted]

I'm a roleplayer at heart, so I always create my character according to a particular trait of mine that I can identify with - be it my smug nature, odd and often inappropriate humor, or just my ability to be easily misunderstood. As for gender and appearance, I typically have a personality for my characters set out before I even create them (one of the boons of being a writer), so I create them according to that, but I have no particular inclination towards pretty versus ugly, or male versus female.

As an example, I have four slated characters for Guild Wars - a female Asura elementalist with eccentric clothing and hairstyle, a male Human thief under average height, a male Human warrior above average height and preferably with a scar or two to uglify him, and a female Sylvari mesmer just for the heck of it. Haven't decided on her appearance just yet, will need to look more closely on their character generation as they're not using conventional clothing.

[Yseran]

Look wise, I always try to make a more agile/lethe(skinnier body frame) male character with white hair. Don't ask me why, I've just always thought it was awesome. The obsession with lethe characters probably came from the Myrmidons/Swordmasters/Thieves from Fire Emblem. :P

[Wrathonia]

Look wise, I always try to make a more agile/lethe(skinnier body frame) male character with white hair. Don't ask me why, I've just always thought it was awesome. The obsession with lethe characters probably came from the Myrmidons/Swordmasters/Thieves from Fire Emblem. :P

Hah, you probably like the way they finalized Caithe's look in the game then I bet.

[Jovanaar]

I'm making up stories and characters on the spot and can continue that story the entire game. Because it's Guild Wars 2 and I couldn't wait for the game I already made my characters with their stories which brings me on 10 characters total.

But I came up with 2 new characters again.. so I'm guessing I'll be spending a lot on character slots.

[Squirrelbanes]

I'm short so many an asura
Seriously though, I like casters. I'll be rolling ele. Love it's versatility, although of course every profession is versatile. In wow I rolled a tank for a long time as my guild needed a tank, but I have my own preferences as well.
In terms of how they look...it depends on what I want to create. My asura ele will have somewhat of an assured expression. My charr engineer character will look menacing. My human thief is going to be lithe and deceptively cute. My human necro is going to be very deep brow and eyes and dark hair for an evil look.

I play games as something as an escape into a fantasy world, so don't see the point in trying to recreate myself.

[Cyphran]

I'm making up stories and characters on the spot and can continue that story the entire game. Because it's Guild Wars 2 and I couldn't wait for the game I already made my characters with their stories which brings me on 10 characters total.

But I came up with 2 new characters again.. so I'm guessing I'll be spending a lot on character slots.

I like my toons to be an extension of myself, my own personal avatar in the world they inhabit. It's been a bit of a chore having Taurens that are in Animal forms half the time anyway as my WoW class because it makes it harder to connect with them.

Coming Guild Wars I'll most likely be a Human or a Norn simply so I can make that connection.

It'll naturally be male.

It allows me to get much more involved in the game and attached to the character.


(I recall reading that character names will be unique, as in, one character name total across all the worlds, is this true? The name is surprisingly important to me)

[Jovanaar]

I like my toons to be an extension of myself, my own personal avatar in the world they inhabit. It's been a bit of a chore having Taurens that are in Animal forms half the time anyway as my WoW class because it makes it harder to connect with them.

Coming Guild Wars I'll most likely be a Human or a Norn simply so I can make that connection.

It'll naturally be male.

It allows me to get much more involved in the game and attached to the character.


(I recall reading that character names will be unique, as in, one character name total across all the worlds, is this true? The name is surprisingly important to me)

It's most likely true yes, but details haven't been finalized.

[Fencers]

I play games as something as an escape into a fantasy world, so don't see the point in trying to recreate myself.

Hehe. Can make characters look like yourself but still pretty much a fantasy to walk around like this:



XD

[Deleted]

I always play female chars, as I cant connect with males at all. I normally choose human chars for the same reason, but anything humanlike will do (in wow blood elves was one of my favourite races). Im really tempted to make a sylvari, but Im afraid they are too far from human. We'll see

I try to make my chars beautiful and strong; I dont roleplay, but I do have a 'personality' ingame I try to match with the looks.

[jahasafrat]

Whenever I create a new character, I always take into account the fact that I'll probably be seeing the character a lot. Being male myself, I almost always play a female character if I have a choice.

[Squirrelbanes]

Hehe. Can make characters look like yourself but still pretty much a fantasy to walk around like this:
XD

Lol...If I was female I might just follow your way of thinking Creating an idealised version of yourself is always fun. I kinda did that on my warrior I suppose.
Saying that, I did see someone walking around in something similar to that when I went to Tokyo lol.

[Wrathonia]

I guess it does have a little to do with self esteem. I really don't care for how I look irl, so trying to make a version of myself to represent myself in a fantasy world seems like a terrible idea.

[Hellgaunt]

Well I always create a character in the likes of myself. Why? Because I love me and how I look

However, when playing human characters in fantasy games I just can't relate to a character that doesn't have a scandinavian look (I'm Danish). I'm not a racist as I can definitely enjoy the company and looks of other 'races' - I just can't relate to playing one.

Ingame I develop characters around the anti-hero type - because I see the world in shades of grey and not absolutes. Hence that's how I tend to play my characters as well. I'm also somewhat of an aggressive pacifist. I prefer non-violence but accept the need to remove aggressive threats in the world preemptively

[Marn]

Yea back when WoW was first announced I was in a roleplay guild and for the first few months I stuck with it before being sucked into hardcore endgame, raids every week, progression, all of it, world pvp too back when it existed and it was a huge bumrush between Southshore and Tarren Mill, so much fun. Over ~7 years I came to feel like my warrior was an extension of me, or even that I was an extension of him too haha, because I definitely became a more outgoing person over the years almost as a direct result of the boost to self-esteem I got from that game. If you act like a professional ball player in a game, it's a little hard not to let that swagger carry over sometimes.

So in GW2 my characters will all be extensions of some part of me or another, my main will be a (male) charr warrior for example, but I'll also have an (male) asura engineer (golem racial is gonna be so boss), a (female) sylvari thief (cuz thief looks cool), and a human or norn necromancer because I like the way necromancers and minions work (but what's amazing is both the min/maxer AND the roleplayer in me doesn't like norn because I can't stand the idea of finding out the elite animal form I picked for my personal story is inferior to the "best" animal form elite skill, and additionally the fact that their animal form is in place of the elite skill, which for pretty much EVERY class is amazing and great, just peeves me haha).

[Glytch]

i create the concept of a character then flesh out their story (for serious chars) when im playing them i try to act as they would act based on their personality.

my human thief for example. grew up on the streets, knows hard times. on top of that i add my (already existing) intense hatred for the charr (those walking violin strings can go die for orr and ascalon) so expect him to be really bitter, focused on getting things done but always looking for the "catch" and anything else that could go wrong while maintaining an out in all situations.

bottom line is i try to conform to my characters more than i base them off myself. its fun to stop being yourself and just becoming another person, esp with times as bad as they are nowadays.

[vizzle]

I love brutes. I love real characters - Warriors usually (in TOR I rolled a Commando, because it's much more 'real' than lightsabers). I like playing human, males, who I imagine I would be in that setting.

I'm not sure if I'll roll a Guardian or a Warrior in GW2. In WoW I was a Pally, because it's still very "real", with a bit of magic, and I like being well-rounded.

[Deleted]

I always create female characters (I'm a guy) - ultimately, I just prefer women to guys.

I really like alt girls...so that's the look I go for - attractive...but with an edge.

There's a duality with my characters...they're a way for me to express the female part of my psyche - and also, they're the kinds of females that I would date. If I was female I would be like that...as a male I would be with someone like that.

My characters tend to avoid heavy armour - I'm either magic, or rogue. I seem to have a gift for healing, so have found myself in those roles quite a lot.

Playstyle - I like being slippery and tricky...I like always having a trick up my sleeve, always having an escape plan...and being a pain in the arse. Shadow-step like abilities and illusion-type abilities really sing to me...as well as time manipulation.

Alignment - although I like to flirt with the shadows and very rebellious...I actually have a really pure heart and a very pragmatic sense of right, wrong and fairness. I don't mind seeming evil...but in the background will be working away for the light.

Oh, I like clothes and fashion...and my characters reflect that - another advantage to playing female is that their clothes are always better (and in RL!).