+- The VG Resource (https://www.vg-resource.com)
+-- Forum: Discussion Boards (https://www.vg-resource.com/forum-133.html)
+--- Forum: Gaming Discussion (https://www.vg-resource.com/forum-135.html)
+--- Thread: Character names in games. Do you name them and does it matter? (/thread-28141.html)
Character names in games. Do you name them and does it matter? - psychospacecow - 11-09-2015
Just personally, I never really name any characters in a game if they have a predefined one. I remember that certain ps1 gameshark codes wouldn't work if you did rename them. Do you rename characters? If so, what do you base your naming on? Does it matter depending on the game?
Some people have personal names for their mmo characters. Others click random name until they get something that doesn't sound occult. How about you?
RE: Character names in games. Do you name them and does it matter? - Kriven - 11-09-2015
This is a lot like my need to see a character in order to feel immersed in their story... I vastly prefer my protagonists to have predefined names. If there's an option to acquire a pet and name them I don't mind as much provided they are a generic and optional thing (think the animals in Minecraft). For a long time I didn't even name my Pokemon. If the pets are specific (like Poochy) I usually prefer they have a predetermined name. For me the whoke thing is that I usually want to experience a specific world and story... I actually like limitations, and exploring the confines of an existing world. The more vage protagonists and situations in Western RPGs all feel like cold husks to me. I don't want to spend time with them.
RE: Character names in games. Do you name them and does it matter? - Koopaul - 11-10-2015
Well of course I used my name in a game like Pokemon. I knew I'd be battling or trading with other people and they'd need to see my "Koopaul wants to fight/ Koopaul wants to trade"
But in a game like Zelda, I'd just call the protagonist "Link" since that's clearly who that is.
RE: Character names in games. Do you name them and does it matter? - Gors - 11-10-2015
It really depends. If the game has predefined names, I'll probably use the predefined name as it's the most (official) name. But names for pokemon and creatures that aren't story specific are better if customized. It makes you feel like you really own and care about your creatures (even if you just gave them a custom name and nothing else lmao)
RE: Character names in games. Do you name them and does it matter? - Omegajak - 11-10-2015
(11-09-2015, 04:42 PM)psychospacecow Wrote: Just personally, I never really name any characters in a game if they have a predefined one. I remember that certain ps1 gameshark codes wouldn't work if you did rename them. Do you rename characters? If so, what do you base your naming on? Does it matter depending on the game?
Some people have personal names for their mmo characters. Others click random name until they get something that doesn't sound occult. How about you?
Depends. If I know my name is the Player name not the characters name I put in my name. Stuff like what UnderTale did isn't new just happens in often. In fact the best games are usually when you are either playing a role as if it were a play or movie. In Metal Gear Solid Twin Snakes when Mantis demands you put down the controller Snake looks at you and nods reminding you that he and you are not the same the actions you make are just assumed to be what Snake would do. He already has all the skills and prowess to see this through you act like his on site CO. In Super Mario RPG it's the name of the Card for your membership into the casino. I don't mind giving a character my name when it make sense I don't really like to super impose myself as a character I like watching them display their abilities and prowess at least that's what my psyche does for me and allows me to enjoy the game. It's kinda like how I never assumed I was Samus Aran like other people did and then they created her personality on what they thought they were feeling in situations in game play. At least that's what a lot of people talk about when speaking about her character as predefined and how Other M shits all over that. So I name them their names if they have them if I can still put in my name then I will. Oh I just remembered another game in Persona games the first protagonist and the 3rd protagonist don't have official names unlike the 2nd and 4th so in those cases when promoted I put in their official given names. As opposed to when i play Persona 1 or 3 or even 3 Portable I put in aliases or my real name.
RE: Character names in games. Do you name them and does it matter? - Koh - 11-10-2015
I almost always use their canon name if they have one, unless it's for something 100% customizable like a team of Pokemon or monsters on Azure Dreams that aren't Kewne. I always thought they had a name for a reason; changing it just feels silly, lol. It isn't even necessary half the time anyway, since all decisions and path are predefined anyway, like in Zelda, so it's really not the player that's actually making any decisions. If it's an open ended game like Terraia, where the PC has no real identity, and is free to do literally whatever, then I'll go all out.
RE: Character names in games. Do you name them and does it matter? - Jermungandr - 11-10-2015
If I'm given a single silent male protagonist to name, like in LoZ, I usually just call him Jer or Jeremy.
If it's a character with a more defined personality of its own, I'll often just leave it as is, unless I don't like the default name or am just in a particularly goofy mood when I start the game.
If I'm given a group of characters to name, I'll usually come up with a theme to name them after. Like I'll name all the characters after foods or musicians or something.
If it's a game where I get to customize the character, more often than not I'll try to recreate one of my roleplaying characters and name them after that. I have a character named Jenny that gets used fairly often.
Incidentally any time a game gives me a gender option I almost always prefer to play a girl unless I don't like the design of that character. Never been much of a fan of the "project yourself onto the character" idea; I prefer them to be as far from myself as possible.
RE: Character names in games. Do you name them and does it matter? - Arcrom - 11-11-2015
Personally I don’t bother much in giving custom names for characters if they already have a predefined one. I think the only exception was with Fire Emblem Rekka no Ken where it simulates that you are there as a strategist that witness and lives the events of the game with people looking and talking with you (all this with first person view). This gave me some reason to put my own name for him instead of the default one.
RE: Character names in games. Do you name them and does it matter? - Kosheh - 11-11-2015
I usually go with the canonical name of the protagonist.
However it's gotten really stupid with Pokemon games (Hilbert? lol) so I toil for hours and sometimes days coming up with a good, original name. It kinda started with HGSS and spiraled from there.
i.e.
HGSS > Theo
Black > Blake
Black 2 > Cole
Y > Yorick
...and I can't remember if I even started Alpha Sapphire lmao
The toiling-over-names has leaked over into other games, where the character has no canonical name and I need something clever in order to even continue :/
also not to call ya out but
(11-10-2015, 10:26 PM)Jermungandr Wrote: If it's a game where I get to customize the character, more often than not I'll try to recreate one of my roleplaying characters and name them after that. I have a character named Jenny that gets used fairly often.do you...often RP girl characters? or is it just literally a recurring character that stemmed from like, one JRPG and then just repeatedly gets the honor of being recreated in every game you play?
RE: Character names in games. Do you name them and does it matter? - psychospacecow - 11-11-2015
When it comes to gender, I tend to women somewhat as well. ITs not for any particular reason really. They just win the coinflip more often.
RE: Character names in games. Do you name them and does it matter? - SonicStorm478 - 11-12-2015
Yeah I usually stick to using the canonical names for characters, though sometimes I'll rename them to make the game feel fresher if I've played it over 10+ times.
Examples of characters I usually name their canon names are:
Link from The Legend of Zelda
Crono from Chrono Trigger
Cloud from Final Fantasy VII
etc.
When the main character doesn't have a name though (Usually games like Robotrek, etc.) I usually just name them after myself.
Then you have the games where the main character can't be named their canonical name (UnderTale, etc.) so you have to give out a different one. Again, in most cases like those I name them after myself.
Some games I play I prefer using their romanized names though (Cless Alvein instead of Cress Albane in Tales of Phantasia, etc.) so it kinda is a bit mixed.
RE: Character names in games. Do you name them and does it matter? - LauriAJ - 11-12-2015
Usually I would just simply leave them alone. FFX shows you exactly what happens when you can name your character and yet the game uses voice acting...