Our connections to our characters

Currant - Dreamweaver
Currant - Dreamweaver Posts: 69 Arc User
edited August 2012 in General Discussion
I was feeling particularly philosophical this evening and was pondering the relationship between MMO-players and their characters. I imagine that more intense feelings would be invested in a character you can create and customize (like the ones in PWI), rather than a pre-made character that you cannot change (like in some single-player titles...none of which can be mentioned on the forums...but you get the drift).

So I the question I pose to you all this evening is:
What are your characters to you? That is, what do they mean to you? Are they just bits of data and code? Are they a digital representation of you or what you wish you could be? Are they an alter-ego with which you engage in some form of "identity tourism"? These are by no means the only categories in which to put yourself...these are just to get the ball rolling. I imagine the answer differs from player to player and that some people might fall into multiple categories, but that's kind of what I'm hoping...makes the discussion far more interesting when everyone has their own take on things.
"Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word happy would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness. It is far better take things as they come along with patience and equanimity."
-Carl Jung

This isn't my actual character...I just like the name b:victory
Post edited by Currant - Dreamweaver on
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Comments

  • Sizzer - Raging Tide
    Sizzer - Raging Tide Posts: 2,387 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    For me My Toon is just a via for time-pass and to make friends with people around the globe those who play pwi,To make myself happy and to make others feel happy with me whenever they are with me. Personally i had ups and down with my character like in real life, but honestly pwi taught me a lot about how a life and how to deal with ppl and stuffs etc.
    Thank You !

    +1 Very Good Thread Keep it Alive.b:cute
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    Dream a dream of a life so new, One brimming with potential,
    Of starting again, leaving all behind, Only happiness is essential. b:victory
    Thanks Silvy for the siggy, You are the best ! b:kiss
  • Slegtst - Dreamweaver
    Slegtst - Dreamweaver Posts: 595 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    My toon doesnt look horrible/repulsive/dangerous.
  • Zanryu - Dreamweaver
    Zanryu - Dreamweaver Posts: 7,261 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    Not sure how to answer this, never really thought about it. I'll edit this post later if I give it some thought. Nice idea for a thread, so at least it's a free bump.
  • _Skai_ - Raging Tide
    _Skai_ - Raging Tide Posts: 3,407 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    I just make my toon as pleasant looking as I can. Not too cute, not too beautiful, not too makeup-infested, just average.

    To me my character is just the character that represents me in the game. Doesn't really have a voice unless it's that static one that every female sin has when they die. There's not much depth in the character other than the looks, and that's about it.
    [SIGPIC]Octavia is best pony[/SIGPIC]
    Vicious's Brony. Brohoof!
    youtube.com/user/SkaiPW - Assassin PvE/PvP Videos!
  • krisnda
    krisnda Posts: 4,655 Community Moderator
    edited August 2012
    Your question reminded me of the show Digimon Tamers.

    I've been re-watching the show, and they've been talking about the digimon just being more than data, but being their friends. This is how I feel about Kris...

    Where will our characters go when this game really "dies"? Sure they'll be in our minds and in our screenshots that we've taken over the years, but they are kinda dead for the most part... I've yet to see another free to play mmo that supports this kind of character customization, and I for one would love to take Kris to any game I would move on to because I love how I made her, and the adventures/stories that have been made. b:sadb:surrender

    But to your question... Who is Krisnda to me?

    She is a alternative personality at this point. She is the part of me that isn't afraid to take charge of a situation, who doesn't take any kind of dumb **** from anyone (for the most part), and is the person to take risks. She is the part of me that can also be sincere and empethic (or "Feminine" I guess you can put it) lol.

    May sound crazy, but like I say: Everyone talks to themselves, either out loud or in their minds.
    unNReyA.jpg

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  • Zarriah - Raging Tide
    Zarriah - Raging Tide Posts: 20 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    Interesting thread, I like it!

    As for my characters, I imagine them having their own personalities, but being somewhat extensions of myself. My cleric, being a healer, supports everyone and looks after them, and brings them back when they're down. I also customized her to look angelic and bright, radiant. She's also Sage, which to me means "good, noble," whatever.

    My Venomancer represents my more cynical/evil side I guess lol. She's darker, in looks and personality I think. She's a bat/dragon Veno, rides a Hellfire Drake, and is Demon. Also, I'm an animal person, and Veno is so much fun for me to play. If I somehow got trapped in the game, I would hope I was a Veno.

    Those are the only two I've really thought about, my other characters are just...there. Nothing special about my Psychic, her "theme" is..purple lol. She's very purple. Same for Wizard, haven't given her much thought either. But both are fun to play also. ^^

    -Z
    "Look at the sky. It's not dark and black and without character... the black is, in fact, deep blue. And over there: lighter blue, and blowing through the blues and blackness the winds swirling through the air and then shining, burning, bursting through: the stars! And you see how they roar their light. Everywhere we look, the complex magic of nature blazes before our eyes."
  • Bunny_slayer - Harshlands
    Bunny_slayer - Harshlands Posts: 101 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    cool thread, i've never thought much about it myself.

    aside from the customization, the fact that most people (including me) put in a lot of hours into the game will most likely give you a sense of connection to your toon. Depending on my mood, my chars may mean nothing but just a bunch of pixels, then there are those times when i immerse myself in the game's "role-playing" aspect, escaping reality if you will.

    for the most part, my personality, the way i interact with others through my toon is very similar to how i interact with people in real life but there are also times when, given the safety of anonymity, i could act/react differently to some situations.
  • CheetahWoods - Raging Tide
    CheetahWoods - Raging Tide Posts: 257 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    i played D1 and D2 pretty exclusively forever. you got assigned one character type/sex for each class. this broke any association with the toon itself. also it got me into a habit of like caster and archers are female and like tank classes , melee classes and assassins are male etc.

    i kind of stuck with that

    veno =female(i would have made them female anyway so it's all good) have 2 of those
    barb = male, see above, have 2 of those including yours truly 8D.
    blademaster = male, have 1
    cleric = female, have 3
    seeker = male have one
    mystic=female., have 1
    wiz = female, have 1

    will start an assassin at some point and it will be male

    and so on..and i absolutely do not associate myself with any of those piles of pixels.
  • Kremia - Lost City
    Kremia - Lost City Posts: 507 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    I was thinking bout that in this way: if i somehow get an r9 3rd cast +12 full josd mystic will i still play my char?
    And the answer was yes!
    is not the opness of the char i can use, is cause this is my char who i created and lvled, no r9 can compare to that.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • ponyduck
    ponyduck Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    I have found that if I create a char that I think really looks good,
    I tend to play that char much more often. That's why I love the
    char customization PWI has.

    PWI was very first mmo I ever played. Up till then, my gaming exp
    consisted of Zuma, Bedazzled, etc. So I imprinted on this game I
    guess. But I do have an emotional attachment to my chars in some
    way. Yes, I am grounded in reality, but part of the fun for me is
    to get lost in my char when I'm playing. Kind of an alternate
    personality. I can say things, & act in certain ways that I wouldn't
    do in rl.

    I also think that's part of what's missing now in PWI. Someone once
    said in a post--and I've never forgotten it--is that players now
    lack any emotional investment in their chars. Back when every
    level was a struggle, every victory an accomplishment, I think
    players felt, subliminally if not overtly, an emotional tie
    to their chars that is lost when everything has gotten so easy.

    I personally wish there was more of a role-playing aspect to the
    game. I've tried staying in char in chat, etc., and am only
    viewed as a weirdo. So I dropped that, lol.

    But yes, I do love certain of my chars, and would hate to lose
    them if game closed or something.
  • Typhyse - Sanctuary
    Typhyse - Sanctuary Posts: 3,469 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    -Reserved for when I'm not too tired to articulate-
    Demon_Troll: "takes on the appearance of an innocent archer but turns into a mindless idiot once you hear him speak"
    ~Spazz~
  • Reliea - Sanctuary
    Reliea - Sanctuary Posts: 685 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    To me my characters are little digital mes. They're all me, in the same way that I see myself when I go to the grocery store to buy food (irl gathering quests <.< ); I interact with people, I accomplish goals, only in Pwi I have blue hair and use magic XD Looks wise, it's just a reflection of what I think looks cute or appealing as I think is the case with most people; unless they go out of their way to make ugly characters <.< which I could do too XD

    I don't use a persona when I'm playing, or feel like each character could have its own personality per se. No more than like when I play a barb I go "RAWR!" a lot or something >.> I don't think I act much differently when speaking through a character in a game or speaking to someone in real life, depending on level of familiarity of course <.<

    This is why when I see people acting like idiots, or rude or scamming each other I always think to myself "That person must be a real lowlife jerk in real life" I know people can often use this kind of medium of impersonal interaction with strangers as an excuse to behave as badly as possible... So I know my characters must mean something to me if I would never want their names to be seen in a bad light. It's a different kind of reputation, but it's still a reputation, and no matter where I go or what I do I like to keep it as good as I can >.>

    And if / when time comes for me to move on, I'll miss Reli, as I still miss the first Reli from my first game, with all the memories that came from playing her that occur naturally from playing a game so long as I did then and do now >.>
  • crystalpink
    crystalpink Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    My toons are my virtual Barbie dolls that I can put virtual beautiful and cute clothes on.
    I purposely created them as beautiful as possible so they will please my eyes while grinding and questing.
    I love staring at beautiful things b:chuckle
    (\__/)
    (O.o )
    ( > < )
    This is Bunny. Copy Bunny and this attached message into your signature to help him on his quest for world domination.
    Server: Abyss
    IGNs: Valentina (Magus), Amanita (Heretic), Avicenia (Slayer), Mirabillis (Champion), Solange (Berserker)
    Xfire username: crystalpink
  • DreamDrops - Dreamweaver
    DreamDrops - Dreamweaver Posts: 95 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    Now thats got me thinking.

    Reading Zarriah's post its maybe the same for many of us. My Cleric as main, the mom type lol, keeps my squad healed & cared for. I made her calm looking & after several tweeks, I think rather pretty & angelic, white wings to add the feel of the guardian angel for my friends, faction & squads. Also Sage as Zarriah did & most likely for the same reason lol.

    The contrast is my Sin, much more adventurous & aggressive type lol, but still a Sage.

    Just reading has started several questions I did not really ask of myself when making the contrasting characters lol. Maybe think a little more & edit later.

    Thank you OP for topic.
    There are NO Adults in this World,

    Just old Children, with Wrinkles b:chuckle
  • Typhyse - Sanctuary
    Typhyse - Sanctuary Posts: 3,469 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    crystalpink wrote: »
    My toons are my virtual Barbie dolls that I can put virtual beautiful and cute clothes on.
    I purposely created them as beautiful as possible so they will please my eyes while grinding and questing.
    I love staring at beautiful things b:chuckle
    Then you belong on IMVU where you have a better selection and your dollar stretches much further.
    Demon_Troll: "takes on the appearance of an innocent archer but turns into a mindless idiot once you hear him speak"
    ~Spazz~
  • crystalpink
    crystalpink Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    Typhyse - Sanctuary wrote: »
    Then you belong on IMVU where you have a better selection and your dollar stretches much further.
    1. I don't like the look or the toons drawing at IMVU.
    2. IMVU ain't MMORPG nor MOBA, the two game genres I like.


    So, nty.
    (\__/)
    (O.o )
    ( > < )
    This is Bunny. Copy Bunny and this attached message into your signature to help him on his quest for world domination.
    Server: Abyss
    IGNs: Valentina (Magus), Amanita (Heretic), Avicenia (Slayer), Mirabillis (Champion), Solange (Berserker)
    Xfire username: crystalpink
  • Currant - Dreamweaver
    Currant - Dreamweaver Posts: 69 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    Typhyse - Sanctuary wrote: »
    Then you belong on IMVU where you have a better selection and your dollar stretches much further.

    You also can't light monsters on fire in IMVU...just sayin'! b:pleased
    "Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word happy would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness. It is far better take things as they come along with patience and equanimity."
    -Carl Jung

    This isn't my actual character...I just like the name b:victory
  • Typhyse - Sanctuary
    Typhyse - Sanctuary Posts: 3,469 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    crystalpink wrote: »
    1. I don't like the look or the toons drawing at IMVU.
    Have you looked at different heads and avatars? You aren't stuck with the ugly default look.
    For example...
    crystalpink wrote: »
    2. IMVU ain't MMORPG nor MOBA, the two game genres I like.
    1. Ain't? Lmao
    2. I take it you never found the RP side of IMVU, eh?
    Demon_Troll: "takes on the appearance of an innocent archer but turns into a mindless idiot once you hear him speak"
    ~Spazz~
  • crystalpink
    crystalpink Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    Typhyse - Sanctuary wrote: »
    Have you looked at different heads and avatars? You aren't stuck with the ugly default look.
    For example...
    I had IMVU account a couple years ago.
    I had browsed the stuffs there. It's pretty much like QQ Show.
    It's boring because I can't kill anything.... I can't be MVP of the match and so on....
    (\__/)
    (O.o )
    ( > < )
    This is Bunny. Copy Bunny and this attached message into your signature to help him on his quest for world domination.
    Server: Abyss
    IGNs: Valentina (Magus), Amanita (Heretic), Avicenia (Slayer), Mirabillis (Champion), Solange (Berserker)
    Xfire username: crystalpink
  • Typhyse - Sanctuary
    Typhyse - Sanctuary Posts: 3,469 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    crystalpink wrote: »
    I had IMVU account a couple years ago.
    I had browsed the stuffs there. It's pretty much like QQ Show.
    Much has changed in the past few years.
    But whatever, it was just a suggestion.
    Demon_Troll: "takes on the appearance of an innocent archer but turns into a mindless idiot once you hear him speak"
    ~Spazz~
  • Era_Saga - Archosaur
    Era_Saga - Archosaur Posts: 36 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    All of my toons have a story line. I'm a writer and I base an in depth story around each of them before I even make them. Once I have the plot finished then I create the toon and edited it to match their personality or role they play in the story. Once I have the toon made I go back to working on the story and each cultivation they complete is a new chapter. So I currently have a collection of chronicles around all my PW toons.
  • crystalpink
    crystalpink Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    Typhyse - Sanctuary wrote: »
    Much has changed in the past few years.
    But whatever, it was just a suggestion.
    Next time, suggest something better than IMVU because IMVU is very boring since I can't kill anything there with my beautiful toons.
    (\__/)
    (O.o )
    ( > < )
    This is Bunny. Copy Bunny and this attached message into your signature to help him on his quest for world domination.
    Server: Abyss
    IGNs: Valentina (Magus), Amanita (Heretic), Avicenia (Slayer), Mirabillis (Champion), Solange (Berserker)
    Xfire username: crystalpink
  • Typhyse - Sanctuary
    Typhyse - Sanctuary Posts: 3,469 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    crystalpink wrote: »
    Next time, suggest something better than IMVU because IMVU is very boring since I can't kill anything there with my beautiful toons.
    Next time, don't be such a bytch when someone's making a suggestion as to how to play out your interests. Ex-fuucking-scuse me.
    Demon_Troll: "takes on the appearance of an innocent archer but turns into a mindless idiot once you hear him speak"
    ~Spazz~
  • crystalpink
    crystalpink Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    Typhyse - Sanctuary wrote: »
    Next time, don't be such a bytch when someone's making a suggestion as to how to play out your interests. Ex-fuucking-scuse me.
    It's because your suggestion is actually an insult to my interest.
    Looking at the way you replied, it's clear as day to me why you camouflaged your insult in a form that looked like a suggestion.
    (\__/)
    (O.o )
    ( > < )
    This is Bunny. Copy Bunny and this attached message into your signature to help him on his quest for world domination.
    Server: Abyss
    IGNs: Valentina (Magus), Amanita (Heretic), Avicenia (Slayer), Mirabillis (Champion), Solange (Berserker)
    Xfire username: crystalpink
  • Reliea - Sanctuary
    Reliea - Sanctuary Posts: 685 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    Era_Saga - Archosaur wrote: »
    All of my toons have a story line. I'm a writer and I base an in depth story around each of them before I even make them. Once I have the plot finished then I create the toon and edited it to match their personality or role they play in the story. Once I have the toon made I go back to working on the story and each cultivation they complete is a new chapter. So I currently have a collection of chronicles around all my PW toons.

    Some PWI related novels might be interesting!
    <.< other games have done it, even non-mmos XD
  • Typhyse - Sanctuary
    Typhyse - Sanctuary Posts: 3,469 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    crystalpink wrote: »
    It's because your suggestion is actually an insult to my interest.
    I'm sorry? How as I supposed to know?
    crystalpink wrote: »

    Looking at the way you replied, it's clear as day to me why you camouflaged your insult in a form that looked like a suggestion.
    It wasn't -.- "You belong" was intended to be along the lines of "Oh girl, you need to come over there then :D"
    Good job assuming context online and getting butt-hurt over your incorrect assumption. You lose 9,001 internets.
    Demon_Troll: "takes on the appearance of an innocent archer but turns into a mindless idiot once you hear him speak"
    ~Spazz~
  • crystalpink
    crystalpink Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    Go ahead and defend yourself with tons of excuses and trolling.
    Maybe, troll and insult better next time.


    A post like this is clearly not a suggestion. It's an insult:
    Typhyse - Sanctuary wrote: »
    Then you belong on IMVU where you have a better selection and your dollar stretches much further.
    (\__/)
    (O.o )
    ( > < )
    This is Bunny. Copy Bunny and this attached message into your signature to help him on his quest for world domination.
    Server: Abyss
    IGNs: Valentina (Magus), Amanita (Heretic), Avicenia (Slayer), Mirabillis (Champion), Solange (Berserker)
    Xfire username: crystalpink
  • __Survival__ - Raging Tide
    __Survival__ - Raging Tide Posts: 24 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    well this escalated quickly <.<, as far as connection with a toon, ive always had a love of sorcs/casters so in that way i feel connected to my wizards as i got one on a few servers now, as for a deep connection, id probly have to think about it awhile.
  • ZippysMommy - Dreamweaver
    ZippysMommy - Dreamweaver Posts: 11 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    love this topic. my toons have always been almost mini personalities.

    my veno (sage) is the kick butt, poke anything that moves (well... monsters at least... i'm a pvp scaredy cat lol) type. when i'm angry and i'm on my veno you really don't wanna cross my path.

    my main cleric (i have 2) is named after my daughter and is sage and quiet but helpful. she is the one i play when i wanna be unnoticed or just wanna help people.

    my bm (demon) is like my veno in that she is the toon i play when i wanna just go kill kill kill!

    those are really my only mains even though i have a gazillion alts.
  • Typhyse - Sanctuary
    Typhyse - Sanctuary Posts: 3,469 Arc User
    edited August 2012
    crystalpink wrote: »
    Go ahead and defend yourself with tons of excuses and trolling.
    Maybe, troll and insult better next time.


    A post like this is clearly not a suggestion. It's an insult:
    Define "troll." I love how non-nonchalantly people use this term to essentially flip off someone.

    I merely said that you get more bang for you buck on IMVU. If you find THAT insulting enough to reply to me the way you have, then brace yourself for a miserable existence; life only gets worse from here.
    Demon_Troll: "takes on the appearance of an innocent archer but turns into a mindless idiot once you hear him speak"
    ~Spazz~

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