For example, when I play RPGs that allow you to rename characters (like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy), I usually keep the default name.

Why? Well, I don’t want to think of a name in first place. But it also gets confusing when looking at guides.

On third place, and this is more how I like to play games, I don’t feel it is fair to take their name out of these characters to replace it with one that represents them less.

Do you do this too, or am I the odd one?

  • brsrklf@jlai.luEnglish
    11·
    1 day ago

    Shin Megami Tensei games have you rename their protagonist (and often the 3 other central characters too), but most of them don’t have a canonical name. Also most of the time those people are supposed to be Japanese. Every time I am starting a game like that I struggle to choose a name that doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb for them.

    If there is a default name, I usually use it. Exceptions are the kind of RPG where the character is a blank slate, whose identity doesn’t matter at all and whose appearance is custom (like Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Xenoblade X for example). And stuff like Pokémon, obviously. When your avatar is going to meet other players, doesn’t look good if everyone has the same name.

    I started Xenoblade Chronicles X (Wii U) without even knowing the main character had a canon name (it’s… Cross. Like the X is supposed to be pronounced in the games’s title). But even if know it now I still rename them. They are custom, there is multiplayer, and story-wise they’re the blandest of characters anyway, so…

    • [object Object]@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      1 day ago

      I struggle to choose a name that doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb

      A buddy of mine played many Western fantasy RPGs, and christened the characters with various elegant and dreamy names, until he started ‘World of Warcraft’ and met two guys called ‘Foot in my Mouth’ and ‘Get Yer Hands Off’. After that, his characters were named something like ‘Bitten by a Shark’.