Player-Created Characters

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Characters whose creation players' have had some influence over.

This pattern is a still a stub.

Examples

Fallout series

Dragon Age series

GURPS

Fallen Reich Traveller

Dungeons & Dragons

Using the pattern

Can Be Instantiated By

Characters together with Avatar Personalization, Construction, Initial Personalization, or Naming

Character Development together with Creative Control or Freedom of Choice

Freedom of Choice together with Initial Personalization

Can Be Modulated By

Randomness

Although it may be most natural that the pattern Player-Created Characters is used to create Player Characters, some games make use of the pattern to let player create Non-Player Characters, e.g. Companions in roleplaying games such as GURPS.

Diegetic Aspects

Interface Aspects

Narrative Aspects

Consequences

Games supporting Player-Created Characters gives players Freedom of Choice and Creative Control in constructing Characters, which may not only be Player Characters but can also be Non-Player Characters such as Companions, although the level of control and freedom may depend on the level of Randomness involved in the process. This increases the possibilities for Identification and Emotional Engrossment as is likely to affect Roleplaying if this is present in a game design. The personalization possible also allows players to construct Player Defined Goals for their Characters as they are created, and can give them the Exaggerated Perception of Influence over how the Narration Structures will develop. Given that player can consider and choose the way they want Player-Created Characters to behave while they are creating them, these Characters are more likely to have Enforced Agent Behavior even if the behavior is decided by players rather than by game designers.

The time spent on Player-Created Characters is an example of Player Time Investments and is likely to lead to Asymmetric Starting Conditions. For Late Arriving Players, the use of Player-Created Characters can be used to let them better fit the already existing Characters in Multiplayer Games.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Asymmetric Starting Conditions, Emotional Engrossment, Enforced Agent Behavior, Exaggerated Perception of Influence, Identification, Player Time Investments, Player Defined Goals

Can Modulate

Characters, Companions, Late Arriving Players, Narration Structures, Non-Player Characters, Player Characters, Roleplaying

Can Be Instantiated By

Characters together with Avatar Personalization, Construction, Initial Personalization, or Naming

Character Development together with Creative Control or Freedom of Choice

Freedom of Choice together with Initial Personalization

Can Be Modulated By

Randomness

Possible Closure Effects

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Potentially Conflicting With

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History

New pattern created in this wiki.

References

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Acknowledgements