Why do people lack creativity when creating their characters?

[TripleBullet]

My absolute favorite part of any game is character creation. Its the way to make you absolutley different from anyone else. My main is a Rataki (I believe thats the race name). So it was kinda hard to make him different but i did my best. Plus with TOR's speech system and Light and Dark points makes your character even more you. Its just amazing how much my character can reflect me in a game. Just like ME1,2&3. Gotta love Bioware.

[Khaduum]

"Meaningful" is the operative word there. Applying deliberate techniques to create something specific and definable. Most who try to do this get carried away in the pursuit of creativity and only develop random obnoxiousness and try to fool the simple minded into believing that something creative is in their presence.

 

Being different just for the sake of trying to be creative isn't necessarily a good thing. Just because nobody else dyes their arm pit hair green, does not mean that you doing it will be any indication of your superior creativity, it just makes you an idiot.

 

Subtlety and simplicity are often the best approaches to creativity. Too often people go to the extremes, well beyond anything I would consider creative.

 

Exactly. It's like how people in the real world who think they have "style" will often look down their noses at the "average" Joe for wearing a T-shirt and a pair of Jeans, or the "average" Jane for not wearing the latest designer dresses and fashions. I mean, who gives a rat's ***? People will dress the way they want to dress, even if that means not standing out from the rest of the pack and sticking with the "plain" look instead.

 

We make choices that make sense to us. We choose things that work for us, and that includes in-game customization options. If you want to be different and stand out, that's fine. But don't act all "high and mighty" about it, and look down on everyone else who doesn't feel the same way you do.

Edited March 26, 2012 by Khaduum

[MaverickXIV]

I like my characters to look typical because making them look atypical is the first step into Mary Sue territory.

[HillbillySith]

My Juggernaut is a human bodytype 4 /shrug

[HillbillySith]

Aion online had the best character creation.

 

I disagree, City of Hero's had the best imo

[grania]

O.o This is the silliest thing I've read in a long time.

[DjSnazzyduds]

I disagree, City of Hero's had the best imo

 

Totally agree on that. Especially with all the cool special affects you can put around your character.

 

I make all my characters Body Type 3 because I kind of like to have some sort of physical similarities to me. In real life I'm a buff dude (THANK YOU U.S ARMY! lol), so all my characters are body type 3 for that reason. Also most of my characters so far are either humans or cyborgs... I hate this fact actually, but the other races don't really appeal to me Republic side. If I was Empire, definitely would make a Sith Pureblood, Zabrak (DARTH MAUL!), or a Chiss.

 

Another thing is that I make all my characters brownish colored since it's my skin tone which I guess is another reason for all the equality. Only thing that really changes on my characters is hair style and, facial hair and complexion.... it sucks to have so many clones but they reflect me in a sense. I've tried body type 2...ugh... looks like a little kid. I tried it out on Smuggler since Smuggler's wear much fitted clothing so I thought a smaller body type might look better. Uh.... yeah deleted it after 2 cutscenes. Plus troopers have got to be body type 3, all that buffness, all the brolic to lift up that assault cannon, run into the field kicking ***. Just seems perfect lol.

[Xienive]

I think the main problem is there are only 2-3 good choices per race really...most of the stuff they give us is horrible...like 3-4 different cornrow type hairstyles and 3-4 different Mohawk hairstyles, 0 long hair styles, the same short hair styles with a different part...

 

 

I wouldn't call my Rep Zabrak really unique, but I have never seen another player that looks exactly like him. My Imp Zabrak tho, looks almost like everybody else with exception of corrupted white skin instead of pink/red.

 

 

I really miss my Zabrak in SWG though, he looked awesome.

[FooBard]

Why is it that people lack creativity when creating their characters?

The one word in your statement, has your answer in it.

 

people

 

Some people do things one way Some people do things another way. Some people do things altogether bizzar ways.

 

Anything that can be done by people, will be done in all forms and combinations you can phathom.

 

So, don't stereotype "people" into narrow categories. There are a LOT of VERY creative people that play this game.

[Proksham]

Body type 4 or go home imo

[oPURT]

Why is it that people lack creativity when creating their characters?

 

How's this for ya? Do I pass the "creativity" test?

 

http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/6669/screenshot2012032610454.jpg

Edited March 26, 2012 by oPURT

[FooBard]

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

Actually, the way I read your OP.... if people rolled a toon that doesn't meet your requirements for different.... they are "uncreative"?

[Calsidian]

This shouldn't really come as a surprise. A large majority of the human population lacks any real imagination or creativity. Given the option, most will go for the ideal look and will not bother to put much energy into coming up with a name.

[grania]

This shouldn't really come as a surprise. A large majority of the human population lacks any real imagination or creativity. Given the option, most will go for the ideal look and will not bother to put much energy into coming up with a name.

 

A "large majority of the human population" also apparently lacks any sort of humility. Some posts are just so arrogant it's almost funny.

[Cerion]

"Meaningful" is the operative word there. Applying deliberate techniques to create something specific and definable. Most who try to do this get carried away in the pursuit of creativity and only develop random obnoxiousness and try to fool the simple minded into believing that something creative is in their presence.

 

Being different just for the sake of trying to be creative isn't necessarily a good thing. Just because nobody else dyes their arm pit hair green, does not mean that you doing it will be any indication of your superior creativity, it just makes you an idiot.

 

Subtlety and simplicity are often the best approaches to creativity. Too often people go to the extremes, well beyond anything I would consider creative.

 

So true. So true. Reminds me of a classmate I had once in a writing course. Some people thought him to be creative/imaginative (and I suspect he took great pride in being thought of as such)...but he'd come up with the dumbest **** in my opinion, like cars attached to the ends of giant spokes of a wheel and orbiting in space. He'd take disparate and disjointed ideas and force them together, no matter how ludicrous, and call it creative.

 

Which is why some free form character builders are bad for me. Skyrim/Oblivion chargen comes to mind. It's so open ended, that one needs to have real artistic talent to make best use of it--which I don't have. My characters in Bethesda games invariably look deformed, or like they've gotten into a horrible accident, lol.

[Criosdh]

I tend to subconsciously project when I play MMOs so most of my toons have "my" general look.

 

I do know what you're talking about though and it goes from character looks to outfits and everything inbetween and it's especially apparent in naming.

 

I simply don't understand how people cannot have more creativity. I'm a high school football player that hadn't even heard of LotRO until the movies were announced (playing the stereotype here) and I can come up with better stuff than some of the roleplayers. (both in naming and actual RP).

 

I think the problem comes for some people because they don't know how to project or don't want to project so they're constantly trying to recreat Vader or Gandalf or some other kind of iconic or stereotypical character that they would rather be.

 

I think you can break people who have "wants" into 2 categories. Those who want to be Brad Pitt and those who want to be as considered as handsome/famous as Brad Pitt but still be themself. I think that might show it's colors in character creation *sometimes or in some ways* but it's just a theory.

Edited March 26, 2012 by Criosdh

[venomlash]

I honestly rolled my Trooper with the #3 body type because it's closest to what I am. I'm not buff like that, but I did want a TALL character.

[IronJelly]

Wow. this thread is sad.

 

We only have like 4 body types for males, and at least one of them (#4) hardly makes sense for a physically capable fighter/warrior/agent/whatever to be.

 

What I was hoping this thread was about was the lack of creativity to character names. I see way too many Revvan (or Revaan) or BobbyFaet, or "Mase Windoo" type names to be healthy. Do these cretins just not realize that when the name isn't available, it's because this character isn't one already tied with the lore? You can't BE Revan, and then go become a Revanite, and this is Eons before Bobba Fett would have existed. Be Original or go back to WoW, where it was ok for everyone at the max level to look and be the same person with a different drone at the keyboard!

[DjSnazzyduds]

The one word in your statement, has your answer in it.

 

people

 

Some people do things one way Some people do things another way. Some people do things altogether bizzar ways.

 

Anything that can be done by people, will be done in all forms and combinations you can phathom.

 

So, don't stereotype "people" into narrow categories. There are a LOT of VERY creative people that play this game.

 

^ /thread, nice and simple response.

 

How's this for ya? Do I pass the "creativity" test?

 

http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/6669/screenshot2012032610454.jpg

 

Wow, very unique names you got there. I like people with a theme lol. My theme is vodka names . Legacy name vodka! So my Smuggler is Absolut Vodka, Jedi knight is Goldschläger Vodka, Bounter Hunter is Ciroc Vodka, and Operative is Stolichnaya lol. Finally found a name theme! Though Djsnazzyduds is a name I was given when I played City of Heroes.

Edited March 26, 2012 by DjSnazzyduds

[Dawgtide]

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?

 

My trooper is type 1 as I wanted a little guy with a cannon. I have generally used 3 of 4 body types on females and males with my 8 characters. Only ones I have not used are the type 1 skinny female and the type 4 fat male. I may someday, but I figure I am diversified enough. Heck, very few of my races are the same although I like Rattaki and Chiss a lot.

[Rayla_Felana]

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 saw a Sephiroth rip-off in this game nearer launch on Dromund Kaas as I was heading out of the City gates(?)

[Calsidian]

A "large majority of the human population" also apparently lacks any sort of humility. Some posts are just so arrogant it's almost funny.

 

Also true. Honestly though, if the qualities weren't rare they wouldn't be seen as exceptional, would they? We're not all creative outsiders, so if you take nearly anything of this sort you'll likely find that there is a great deal of sameness.

[Cernow]

I spend hours designing my characters and usually go through a lot of revisions via deletion before I settle on a character's appearance. I try out all sorts of ideas, but tend to favour anti-iconic designs that it play with peoples preconceptions of what certain classes should look like.

 

Looking around on the Fleet on my server I agree there's a lot of people that settle for cliched / iconic apperances, but there's also plenty of people who have been very creative with their character design, gear choice and names. But the game imposes unnescessary limits that stifle creativity.

 

The problem with SWTOR is there's not a huge amount of variation in looks that are possible, despite the illusion created by 4 body shapes and different races. There's also no way to revise appearance once past the character creation screen - not even a barber shop. This means that a lot of people go for safer looking appearances because there's no way to change anything later if they want to be experimental. The lack of any way to change your character's appearance after creation is a really disappointing omission and VERY lazy game design. VERY.

 

Also, all the hours carefully designing a character's looks are easily ruined by some of the truly terrible gear designs in the game. But that's another issue

Edited March 26, 2012 by Cernow

[grania]

Also true. Honestly though, if the qualities weren't rare they wouldn't be seen as exceptional, would they? We're not all creative outsiders, so if you take nearly anything of this sort you'll likely find that there is a great deal of sameness.

 

Did you happen to catch that interview with the guy who wrote a book about creativity recently? He mentioned something like that too, I should look up that book, it sounded interesting. Well.. seeya. *awkward* x)

[Fredcat]

They lack creativity because the character customization options are so limited in this game. There aren't many good looking combinations to pick from, so naturally you are going to have a lot of near identical looking characters. There should be sliders for everything including colors. There should be a lot more hair tattoo and accessory options. If these devs want to see a proper modern character creation process and gear customization they should check out Aion. You literally never see two identical avatars in that game.