Why do people lack creativity when creating their characters?

[RepublicChicken]

I spend ages getting my character just right. Trouble is as I have ventured deeper into the dark I have become hideous. Thank goodness for the hooded cloak is all I can say. When I rest on the ship I do take off the mask for some light relief but in the field I am fast growing ever more grotesque.

 

I think what would be good in the game is a way to change a look to suit your play style. You can't possibly know when you start out. I have often deleted characters cus I eventually found the look that I liked.

 

I spent two straight hours in Baldur's Gate 2 crafting my character, writing a bio (in a single-player game...) and all that. I used to that in MMORPGs too, like LotRO. The problem is that gme changed me a lot. I hated the minstrel and saved that class for last (I played hobbits exclusivly, btw), and I didn't bother spend much time creating my minstrel-character. And yet, the character grew on me anyway. To this date it's still the character I have had the highest level ever in any RPG. He reached lvl 63, from a max level of 65 by the time I quit. (the original level cap was 50, but I reached that level after it was increased, so I have technically never reached the max level cap ever.)

 

The point is I want my char to look good, but there are two important things I have learned;

 

1. The character you make are rarely the character you get in-game. The editor is more detailed than the char in-game, and you rarely look at his/her face and that anyway other than in cutscenes. (and pre-TOR, that was rarely an issue anyway.)

 

2. The character will grow on you. No matter how ugly it is, you will usually start to like the character after a while anyway. And isn't liking the character more importnat than looking perfect?

[Ryhi]

Every now and then you'll see the 2nd and 4th type being using a RARELY you see the 1st. Again, why is this?

 

honestly I think the problem is the lack of a 2.5 type. By that I mean a average 5'11 6'0 tall guy that's just generally in good shape. I would have liked that for all my classes cause then it would be more to my size in real life and would add depth to the game. But since there isn't one its like the choice short and sorta in shape or very big and on steroids.

[corpboy]

And I'm always baffled by the lack of creativity in people who just use "famous" names and make a slight alteration to the spelling, such as "Luuke Skiwalker" or something like that. I can understand liking the character, but you really can't spend 5 minutes to think of a decent name?

I thought Marth Daul was pretty darn funny for a Sith Inquisitor.

 

No, not my name. One I saw in-game.

[Pcolapat]

I am an artist. The people I hang around are artists. One of the things about artists that has always bothered me is that they go out of their way to try and be as different as they possibly can be. They try to dress differently, they try to talk differently, they have odd habits, all of their art is "out there". They think by doing this that they are being creative. They are not being all that creative in my opinion, because just about every artist is trying to be unique. When you get them all in the same place, they look ridiculous. Seriously it looks like a freak show.

 

I am an artist, and I am here to tell you that creativity isn't about being different. Nothing in this game is your own creation anyway. I wouldn't obsess over it. Just pick the options for your character that look the best to you and don't worry about trying to be unique. Sometimes the price of being unique is that you look ridiculous.

Edited March 26, 2012 by Pcolapat

[Kalabakk]

Also, there needs to be a "Body Type 2.5".

I like that idea a lot.

 

I chose body type 3 for my trooper more for the height than for the muscles. Being tall in RL, I like to play characters who are tall, also. I would love to have some sliders where you can choose the "bulk/muscles" on the body. I don't like the gorilla look and would like something more proportional, but that wasn't a choice. So that's why I picked body type 3 -- it was the closest thing there was to what I wanted.

[Ryhi]

Just pick the options for your character that look the best to you and don't worry about trying to be unique. Sometimes the price of being unique is that you look ridiculous.

 

This is now going to be in my signature xD

[TheBBP]

a combination of qualities, acts, tendencies, etc., forming a consistent or characteristic arrangement: the behavior patterns of teenagers.

 

It is a pattern that nearly all the male troopers are the 3rd Body type. It is a pattern that nearly all the purebloods are bright red.

 

I think it is less that people don't like certain options and more of people are just going with the option because they "believe" that this option is the "cannon" option for that class, like being all bulk for a Trooper and being bright red for a Pureblood etc....

 

If you are done generalizing, take a moment to consider that some folks have reasons to create the characters that they do.

 

I can only speak for myself, but in MMO's I always play the "Barbarian" style of race. Men, women, always the large and muscular body style regardless of class. My male characters are always bald, because I am and that is how I like it.

[Carbonated]

I went dark red. Ended up pink.

 

I didnt realise black hair was original when I took it.

[Agemnon]

My IA is a cyborg with body type one and a red mohawk.

 

My sage is body type 4 with a gray hair and a goatee.

Edited March 26, 2012 by Agemnon

[Majestic_Jazz]

For the trooper, the answer is simple -

 

Think Gears of War, Halo, Star Craft, etc. It seems that people have this weird expectation that futuristic infantry are huge and ripped.

 

 

Also, there needs to be a "Body Type 2.5"

 

Personally, I went with a 2 for my Sage.

 

Thank you, I think your response is probably the most meaningful one and really touches on a lot of things.

 

People can say whatever they want to say in regards to having a "favorite" option, but it goes much deeper than that.

 

Example, name the last time you saw a skinny male commando action hero? Most of these types tend to be the all out bulky types as you described with Gears of War, Halo, and Star Craft. So when they get the chance to make that sort of character in SWTOR, they go with what they know or what they believe to be "safe" which is body type 3.

 

We live in a world where we typically accept the images we see. Very few times do we actually challenge this, instead, we just accept the status quo and move on.

 

I bet many of you would be shocked to find out that the average Special Forces/Navy Seal is NOT 6'4 250 pounds and fully ripped. I live in Hope Mills, NC near Ft. Bragg where the main Special Forces HQ is at and I know a lot of SF people and MOST of them look like body type 1 and body type 2. I know one guy who is like 5'8 and really thin and he is a SFC in the Special Forces and he is probably the most deadly guy you'll ever know, but you won't know it by looking at him because he isn't so tall....big and opposing.

[ferroz]

You know.. in my 13 years of MMOs I have never once seen a Sephiroth/Cloud/Drizzt/Legolas knockoff.

 

I've seen millions of terrible names but never the ones portrayed as such.

I have; all 4 of those, in fact

 

several variations of the latter, in particular: lelgolas and lolgolas I remember seeing in the same week.

[SturmUndSterne]

I have; all 4 of those, in fact

 

several variations of the latter, in particular: lelgolas and lolgolas I remember seeing in the same week.

 

First week in Warhammer Online.

 

There were, in the starting area, elves named "Erlond" "Elronda" "Elronde" "Elrondo" "Legolar" and "Drisst" ...

 

/facepalm

[Majestic_Jazz]

I am an artist. The people I hang around are artists. One of the things about artists that has always bothered me is that they go out of their way to try and be as different as they possibly can be. They try to dress differently, they try to talk differently, they have odd habits, all of their art is "out there". They think by doing this that they are being creative. They are not being all that creative in my opinion, because just about every artist is trying to be unique. When you get them all in the same place, they look ridiculous. Seriously it looks like a freak show.

 

I am an artist, and I am here to tell you that creativity isn't about being different. Nothing in this game is your own creation anyway. I wouldn't obsess over it. Just pick the options for your character that look the best to you and don't worry about trying to be unique. Sometimes the price of being unique is that you look ridiculous.

 

Actually you're wrong, being different in many ways IS being creative.

 

Creativity - the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination: the need for creativity in modern industry; creativity in the performing arts.

Edited March 26, 2012 by Majestic_Jazz

[Kalabakk]

People can say whatever they want to say in regards to having a "favorite" option, but it goes much deeper than that.

.

.

.

We live in a world where we typically accept the images we see. Very few times do we actually challenge this, instead, we just accept the status quo and move on.

I think you are reading way too much into this. People pick what they like. If others have chosen something similar, does it really matter? It doesn't have to be some "us versus the status quo" thing. You seem to be looking for some deeper discussion in something that has no more depth to it.

[Azumio]

Character Cusomzation Sucks in this game.

 

Other Skin Colors look like ****.

 

Black Hair on Red SKin looks like ****.

[TheBBP]

Thank you, I think your response is probably the most meaningful one and really touches on a lot of things.

 

People can say whatever they want to say in regards to having a "favorite" option, but it goes much deeper than that.

 

Example, name the last time you saw a skinny male commando action hero? Most of these types tend to be the all out bulky types as you described with Gears of War, Halo, and Star Craft. So when they get the chance to make that sort of character in SWTOR, they go with what they know or what they believe to be "safe" which is body type 3.

 

We live in a world where we typically accept the images we see. Very few times do we actually challenge this, instead, we just accept the status quo and move on.

 

I bet many of you would be shocked to find out that the average Special Forces/Navy Seal is NOT 6'4 250 pounds and fully ripped. I live in Hope Mills, NC near Ft. Bragg where the main Special Forces HQ is at and I know a lot of SF people and MOST of them look like body type 1 and body type 2. I know one guy who is like 5'8 and really thin and he is a SFC in the Special Forces and he is probably the most deadly guy you'll ever know, but you won't know it by looking at him because he isn't so tall....big and opposing.

 

Now, not only are you generalizing, but you are now trying to say that "creativity" means making your character look like real life.

 

Making your Trooper resemble a real life Marine or Soldier is "creativity"?

[Majestic_Jazz]

I think you are reading way too much into this. People pick what they like. If others have chosen something similar, does it really matter? It doesn't have to be some "us versus the status quo" thing. You seem to be looking for some deeper discussion in something that has no more depth to it.

 

I think you're just taking the safe route by saying that. It is easy to just say people pick what they like but it IS much more deeper than that.

 

If people really picked what they liked, the results would be much more randomized than what they are now. If people really picked what they liked, there would be a much wider deviation of body types between the male troopers. There would be a much wider variety of purebloods all using different hues such as yellow/orange, pink, red, and burgundy.

 

The thing is there isn't that variety which makes me think that there is a pattern to this. People in my opinion go with what they believe is the "canon" look or the "ideal" look. So for Purebloods, people for some reason believe that bright red skin is the canon/iconic look of the Pureblood. Do they pick it because they like it? No, because they might thing Orange looks better, but because they are playing as a Pureblood, they in an essence "want to look like a Pureblood" so they choose the red hair/bright red skin tone.

[Ryhi]

Actually you're wrong, being different in many ways IS being creative.

 

being creative doesn't make you useful. just saying.

[Hokonoso]

Why is it that people lack creativity when creating their characters? I understand that the options are limited, but that isn't what I am harking at. I am talking about people seemingly going the cliche or "iconic" route when making their characters.

 

Why is it that that vast majority of Purebloods I see all have the bright red hue for skin color? My Pureblood has a orange-ish type huge with yellow goldish eyes and pitch black hair. However, most other people with pureblood characters ALL look the same! They all have the typical red eyes, the typical bright red skin and the typical red hair. Why is this? Like I said, there is a orange/yellowish type skin tone for purebloods and there is also a burgundy type hue that nobody seems to use. Mostly everyone who creates a Pureblood goes for the typical bright red hue. Don't get me wrong, I am not by any means complaining because it only makes my Pureblood more unique because everyone else looks the same. I am just curious as to why people go this route?

 

Then there is the male trooper and the ever so popular use of the 3rd Body Type. Before I stopped playing my Trooper [story bored me] I used the 2nd Body Type. He wasn't skinny, but he wasn't some human brute/krogan. He was in shape but not in an exaggerated way. Even worse than mostly everyone using the bright red hue for Purebloods, is ALMOST EVERY Trooper I see when I play as my Sith Warrior and PvP is using the 3rd Body type. Even when I was playing my trooper, it seemed like 8 out of 10 male Troopers were the 3rd Body type. Every now and then you'll see the 2nd and 4th type being using a RARELY you see the 1st. Again, why is this?

 

Why is this? Do people lack such creativity/imagination to the point where they just go with "whats popular"? Do they just go the iconic route and make their Troopers super buff because they are.....supposed to be super buff? Do people not choose the orange/yellow or burgundy skin hues for the Purebloods because they think that it would make them look less.....pureblood?

 

Again, not complaining, but just curious. Are people simply afraid to be different?

 

lol at being afraid to be different. maybe we choose 3rd body type because it's the best, not because it's iconic... red skin, red hair, red eyes? tyvm!!! why choose something that isnt as cool as the default? it doesn't make sense to 90% of the population. there are a lot of "different" people out there, but the average person isnt different,t hey are normal/average...

 

i took it the next step, all my toons are human, every single last one! all my female toons look the exact same, and all but my operative is body type 3 for male as that is the one that looks best to me.

[Kalabakk]

I think you're just taking the safe route by saying that. It is easy to just say people pick what they like but it IS much more deeper than that.

 

If people really picked what they liked, the results would be much more randomized than what they are now. If people really picked what they liked, there would be a much wider deviation of body types between the male troopers. There would be a much wider variety of purebloods all using different hues such as yellow/orange, pink, red, and burgundy.

 

The thing is there isn't that variety which makes me think that there is a pattern to this. People in my opinion go with what they believe is the "canon" look or the "ideal" look. So for Purebloods, people for some reason believe that bright red skin is the canon/iconic look of the Pureblood. Do they pick it because they like it? No, because they might thing Orange looks better, but because they are playing as a Pureblood, they in an essence "want to look like a Pureblood" so they choose the red hair/bright red skin tone.

Even if all that is true, why does it matter? If the person is satisfied with their choice, regardless of the motivation behind it, isn't that the important thing?

 

I like the color blue. I don't know if it has to do with my eye color, it reminding me of the sky, or some soothing quality to it. I just like it, so if someone else likes blue, does that make me not unique somehow? Even if it did, I'm not going to stop liking blue for such a fickle reason.

[TheBBP]

I think you're just taking the safe route by saying that. It is easy to just say people pick what they like but it IS much more deeper than that.

 

If people really picked what they liked, the results would be much more randomized than what they are now. If people really picked what they liked, there would be a much wider deviation of body types between the male troopers. There would be a much wider variety of purebloods all using different hues such as yellow/orange, pink, red, and burgundy.

 

The thing is there isn't that variety which makes me think that there is a pattern to this. People in my opinion go with what they believe is the "canon" look or the "ideal" look. So for Purebloods, people for some reason believe that bright red skin is the canon/iconic look of the Pureblood. Do they pick it because they like it? No, because they might thing Orange looks better, but because they are playing as a Pureblood, they in an essence "want to look like a Pureblood" so they choose the red hair/bright red skin tone.

 

It is becoming clear that you are not here for discussion. Your replies are "I'm right and you are wrong." I politely told you to consider that people pick what they want because that is what they like. I told you this based on my own experience and you respond by telling someone else that sort of response is not meaningful. Other people have responded the same way to you only to have you tell them that they are wrong.

 

You then go on to harp on about Troopers and body type 3 and how real life SF Soldiers are not like that. Where is the creativity in looking like real life in a fantasy setting?

 

There are 4 types of bodies in this game. According to your definition of "creativity", the only Trooper you would see as being "creative" is the body type 4 Trooper. I know folks that dig that style, but I will pass. If you are not seeing body types 1 and 2, then you are not looking because there are plenty around.

[Majestic_Jazz]

Making your Trooper resemble a real life Marine or Soldier is "creativity"?

 

No, I am saying that people go with the 3rd Body type because they believe is the type that is most capable to accomplish his goals. When in fact, ANY of the body types could play the role as the trooper.

 

You know, when I was 7 years old I would draw images that seemed to be iconic such as all turtles having to be green because the Ninja Turtles are green even though MOST turtles are NOT green. But as I get older and become an adult and learn more about turtles, I would not be inclined to make every turtle green because I know the truth.

 

So my example about the real life SF solider was just to show that we have this image in our head about these types of soldiers [Think the Original Predators movie] about SF men being these brutes when in fact, that is far from the case. I know one guy who is a retired SF and he had a beer belly while he was active duty. Far from the image that is shown to you in images such as Predator.

[CharleyDanger]

Why is it that people lack creativity when creating their characters? I understand that the options are limited, but that isn't what I am harking at. I am talking about people seemingly going the cliche or "iconic" route when making their characters.

 

Why is it that that vast majority of Purebloods I see all have the bright red hue for skin color? My Pureblood has a orange-ish type huge with yellow goldish eyes and pitch black hair. However, most other people with pureblood characters ALL look the same! They all have the typical red eyes, the typical bright red skin and the typical red hair. Why is this? Like I said, there is a orange/yellowish type skin tone for purebloods and there is also a burgundy type hue that nobody seems to use. Mostly everyone who creates a Pureblood goes for the typical bright red hue. Don't get me wrong, I am not by any means complaining because it only makes my Pureblood more unique because everyone else looks the same. I am just curious as to why people go this route?

 

Then there is the male trooper and the ever so popular use of the 3rd Body Type. Before I stopped playing my Trooper [story bored me] I used the 2nd Body Type. He wasn't skinny, but he wasn't some human brute/krogan. He was in shape but not in an exaggerated way. Even worse than mostly everyone using the bright red hue for Purebloods, is ALMOST EVERY Trooper I see when I play as my Sith Warrior and PvP is using the 3rd Body type. Even when I was playing my trooper, it seemed like 8 out of 10 male Troopers were the 3rd Body type. Every now and then you'll see the 2nd and 4th type being using a RARELY you see the 1st. Again, why is this?

 

Why is this? Do people lack such creativity/imagination to the point where they just go with "whats popular"? Do they just go the iconic route and make their Troopers super buff because they are.....supposed to be super buff? Do people not choose the orange/yellow or burgundy skin hues for the Purebloods because they think that it would make them look less.....pureblood?

 

Again, not complaining, but just curious. Are people simply afraid to be different?

 

 

I was in the 2/3 Armored Cavalry Regiment. The vast majority of my platoon was the SWTOR 3rd body type. It was not because we lacked creativity and wanted to look iconic lol. The nature of the job and the physical training requirements were the reason for the body type 3s. If we were body type 4s then we were made to go on a diet and do extra PT until we looked like body type 3s. If we looked like body type 2s we were made to eat more a do extra PT until we looked like body type 3s. Body type 1s were cooks (Not really but it was rare to see a body type 1) The reason the look is iconic is because it fits the character type. Could you imagine Justin Beber playing Rambo?

 

 

I get it though, your edgy and cool. Cant put no label on your rebel ***. You just have to "express" your self at every given chance. People must know that you are different! Your all like "Hey SWTOR world, look at this here orange skin, LOOK AT IT YOU SHEEP!"

 

I hate to tell you this, but nobody gives a ****. People create their characters how they want them to look, end of story. It does no matter if its not creative, its what THEY want. Your thread was just made so you could tell people how different and creative you are, its sad.

 

Plus I see tons of fat Sith/Jedi running around with names like Fuzzy McDoodles. I see Warriors rocking sand people gear and Guardians decked out in trooper gear. Dont act like SWTOR is one big cookie cutter universe. I wish you could hear your self ramble on with this nonsense.

[TheBBP]

No, I am saying that people go with the 3rd Body type because they believe is the type that is most capable to accomplish his goals.

 

Are you serious? You are looking way too far into things. "Creativity" is subjective. As for the rest of your post... what do real life soldiers, retired or not, have to do with how folks create their characters? I proudly served as a Marine. I know what they look like. I also know what they look like when they get old. None of that has any bearing on how I created my Trooper.

Edited March 26, 2012 by TheBBP

[TheBBP]

I was in the 2/3 Armored Cavalry Regiment. The vast majority of my platoon was the SWTOR 3rd body type. It was not because we lacked creativity and wanted to look iconic lol. The nature of the job and the physical training requirements were the reason for the body type 3s.

 

Lol. When I was in the Corps, the Tank Battalion was always a slew of big 'ol boys. Thank you for your service brother.

Edited March 26, 2012 by TheBBP