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Role-Play or Action, what player are you? (Patreon)

Published:
2021-03-06 20:14:45
Edited:
2021-03-06 20:33:17
Imported:
2021-08

Content

I keep posting news about our new in-depth character customization system, and on the technical side we got it all covered, and it is progressing well! However, there is a number of different ways the ability to customize your character can be integrated into the gameplay.

In this poll I'd want to ask what approach you think you'd enjoy the most - I want to know what type of player you are, after all we're making this game for you!

Here is more information about each option, please read it before voting. I'd also ask to refrain from voting multiple options in this poll, as they are pretty much mutually exclusive.



RPG approach

I want to build my character at game start. I'll spend a few hours in character editor just to think of everything: species, appearance, backstory, profession, personality. This way I can start roleplaying as that character from the very start, even though it could take a lot of effort to prepare!

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With this style you could, for example, at the game-start (or when joining multiplayer) make yourself a personal character, for example a bird, a lizard, a dino, a dragon, a wolf, a fox, a cat… list can go on.

But you would be strongly encouraged to roleplay as that character - think up their behavior, their place in the new world. You will be the one creating a story for yourself - and this requires a special kind of player.

Think about games like Sims, Rimworld, classical/computer-RPGs, or pen & paper RPGs.



Action approach

I want to start as a pre-made character, but then gradually alter my form over time by changing it bit by bit. I get the benefit of playing immediately and then, as I progress, change my body and species to suit to my preferences.

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In this way, you would start as a generic shape-shifter character who just entered this world and quite clueless about it! Over time you'd learn to change your form and species to suit your personal preference - for example, after meeting a bird/lizard/dino/dragon/wolf/fox/cat character you'd be able to, though interacting with them, add their genes to your personal roster of shapes that you can shift into.

Think about games like Spore (where you evolve over time), or Second Life (in SL you start as a generic avatar, but then you can shop & customize).

Concept of the shape-shifter character who could be given to the player at the start. This character needs to be looking quite generic and neutral to personal preferences of most players, thus so everyone is ok with playing the same character at the beginning.




Hybrid approach

I want to quickly create a character at the beginning, without being lost in too many options at the start. But then, as I progress, I'd unlock more species and customization options that will enable me to create new bodies or characters to play as.

---

This way you somewhat get the two approaches in one. You start with creating the character, but you have limited choices of species and body-parts so you don't spend too much in the editor. Then, as you progress through the game you will unlock more species. After that you will be able to craft and customize a new bodies/shells of discovered species, then posses them and play as.

However, the downside of this approach is that you may loose some immersion of living a life of a specific character, and you may have less encouragement for roleplaying. You just exchange your "player-consciousness" between different bodies as part of the lore.

Early idea of the shape-shifters, but they turned out way too robotic for what I was going for. Perhaps they could be turned into synth-like species eventually!

***

Please let me know what you think would work better for your playstyle. Additionally I'm always open to talk about this topic in the comments or on our discord channel.


With lots of Dragon Love.
       - Salireths

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Vote below.
Please select only ONE option, as these are quite mutually exclusive. If you'd prefer both, please select "hybrid". Thanks!

Comments

Tyr52

One of my favorite approaches was a game with a different hybrid approach. At character creation you had a large range of customization options, but once you created the character those were the only cosmetics you had. To alter your appearance, you had to unlock other cosmetics/species. It really gave me a sense of self, as early game you are stuck with only the one character, but still allowed me to morph and grow overtime into anything. (Very much the action approach, but instead of a generic character you start as an rpg result with nothing else unlocked)

TheGatewayOfRealities
>>55065336

I see! What game was that? Also how did the lore of that game handle the fact that can you unlock more species, and then switch to the new body or character?

Ponlets

i like good solid vore experiences as well as very good size play (all in first person)

TheGatewayOfRealities
>>55070002

Umm, that doesn't really have to do anything with when and how you get to customize your character. Surely, there are options for character size, but we haven't talked about that here. Vore deserves a completely different topic and discussion.

Keldric Usugi

Oh boy, I spend enough time in the character creator that if the game has multiplayer and I'm playing with someone else, the other person gets tired of waiting for me.

Zarnox

I personally like the idea of the hybrid approach a bit, but rather than changing between different bodies, you change your own to suit your preferences. This way, you still always play as the same character, and you can explore the world as if it's completely new to you, while still being able to change your body over time. With this, it would also make sense that every character in universe has their ideal body, and can modify it as their preferences may change over time.

ライロス (Ryloth)

I for one have many Fursonas, so having a Shapeshifter as a base is perfect for me. I do have a singular fursona, But I change Fursonas based on my mood. I hope even if you chose Hybrid you can switch back and take a non-hybrid route if you change your mind. If it's going down that route.

Anonymous

I'm not the best at Role play so i'm hesitant at the [RPG] approach, but at the same time i love customizing my characters so totally go for it....

nerdy dragons

how close are we to an alpha build ?

ChaosContrl

I feel like some people would love to get a deeper customization option right at the start, while some would prefer to just get into the game without worrying too much on appearances. If the game wants to offer customization similar to Skyrim's (for example's sake), where you don't see yourself until character creation, then perhaps a choice between "presets" and "full control" could be appealing, especially if said options are offered on a per body part basis to avoid overwhelming users (so you could use a chest preset, but customize your head with full control for example). This should cater to a broader audience following that style of customization. If the customization route is similar to the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series (again, for example's sake), where your character is determined by answering questions without knowing who you'll become, then it's a bit tricky. Since to keep mystery and immersion, the questions should be relatively vague, yet clearly referring to specific body parts. Stuff like "How am I feeling? Strong? Weak?" could refer to an overall build of the character, between more buff and muscular or slim and lean for instance. It's also a great way to integrate psychological elements to the character, for more roleplay potential (which would determine dialogue answers you could have, overall performance in battle, and even in more intimate settings). For the "being able to change yourself in the future" part, I don't think it's exclusive to the ability to tailor your character at the very beginning. In fact, if possible, the ability to choose which type of character (shapeshifter or not) the player is going to play as at the beginning could affect gameplay as a whole. Shapeshifters could be starting as weaker than normal, since they would seek out other parts to become stronger (that's the entire point of being able to change forms besides kinks). Shapestill (as in, non-shapeshifting) characters are set in stone, thus they have their own strengths and weaknesses based on their race, therefore they have that benefit of being more resilient, at the trade off of not being able to change. However, if transformation is a core part of the game, then perhaps shapestill creatures are simply less able to change than shapeshifters, perhaps even be limited as to what they can change, or needing a lot more "data" to rewrite their own being. While a classic RPG approach of customizing your character could offer a less overwhelming experience to tailoring by using per part options between presets and full control, or even a brand new approach asking questions reflecting the self, I do not think the ability to change should be locked out of the gate based on the start. I personally think offering the choice between a stronger, but transformation resisting character and a weaker, but future growth prone character at the start could cater to more players than if the choice was decided with the character creation method. Perhaps the shapeshifter characters would start in a situation where they are being rushed to choose, therefore only giving the choice of generic species on the fly (for example, running from a lab and grabbing DNA vials on the way out for a better chance at escaping whatever force is trying to capture them), as what could determine their base body parts for the start. Maybe a few different beginning routes that all lead to the same outcome could be implemented, each being offered as a choice to the player that will determine whether tailoring or not will be present. I personally like being able to change, so being able to change later on would give me an incentive to explore and seek out certain species, especially if gameplay becomes affected. But I also like starting out as a tailored character, and changing later on. So having two ways to start the game could offer a bunch of replay value (starting out as a set in stone character that could potentially change a bit later on? Now let's try starting from nothing and survive by changing in the wild).