Do you self insert?
- Thread starter Daystar Clarion
- Start date
Recommended Videos
I'm not sure if I self insert, but I definitely have archetypes that I prefer. For example I almost always play a human male of average size who is either built around stealth or a mage style character who loves throwing fire. I like to think that this could be me if I could do magic or live in a post apocalyptic waste land, rather than this is me.
It's a pretty technical line, but anytime I can name my character, that's ME.
It's not a character, that's ME in there.
And when the protagonist is silent, a la Samus, Chell, so on. At least while I'm in the game, outside of the game, I recognize their characters and personalities.
It's not a character, that's ME in there.
And when the protagonist is silent, a la Samus, Chell, so on. At least while I'm in the game, outside of the game, I recognize their characters and personalities.
The Walking Dead I totally self-inserted myself since I wanted to do what I thought was best if I were in Lee's place.
Other than that, the only time I will is if I'm playing a game like Fallout or Skyrim where I create a character where I can insert myself into and pretend I'm in that setting, but that doesn't happen all that often.
If I'm given a character then I will play as that character and role play that way.
I'm rather boring like that.
Other than that, the only time I will is if I'm playing a game like Fallout or Skyrim where I create a character where I can insert myself into and pretend I'm in that setting, but that doesn't happen all that often.
If I'm given a character then I will play as that character and role play that way.
I'm rather boring like that.
- Mar 17, 2012
- 5,950
- 14
- 43
- Country
- United States
?Hello, Escapists, look at your protagonist, now back to me, now back at your protagonist, now back to me.
Sadly, I'm not him, but if I stopped using game-breaking logic and switched to Old Spice, I could pretend that I can be like he?s me.
Look down, back up, where are you?
You?re on a boat with the protagonist your protagonist could be like. What?s in your hand, back at me. I have it, it?s an brand-spanking new vidya game from the Gods themselves. Look again, the game is now bacon.
Anything is possible when your protagonist smells like Old Spice and not a lady.
I?m on an internet forum.?
OT: Sorry, but I can't; it's that characters story, after all
Sadly, I'm not him, but if I stopped using game-breaking logic and switched to Old Spice, I could pretend that I can be like he?s me.
Look down, back up, where are you?
You?re on a boat with the protagonist your protagonist could be like. What?s in your hand, back at me. I have it, it?s an brand-spanking new vidya game from the Gods themselves. Look again, the game is now bacon.
Anything is possible when your protagonist smells like Old Spice and not a lady.
I?m on an internet forum.?
OT: Sorry, but I can't; it's that characters story, after all
Self-insertion or not, this is no black-or-white-question, but comes with many shades of grey... hopefully not 50 though. So, is it easier to identify with a character of your own gender, everything else equal? Of course.
But it never felt like an issue to me, personally, in games where I don't have much agency anyway, like your typical shooters, action adventures and what not.
But it never felt like an issue to me, personally, in games where I don't have much agency anyway, like your typical shooters, action adventures and what not.
Not generally - when there's a set character I'm happy to just go along for the ride with them. And even in RPGs I'm more into imagining who that person might be rather than making them like me - after all, I'm me all the time, I want my entertainment to be showing me something different.
That said, I think sometimes it's entertaining to do a joke-run of a game in a social setting where the punchline is how ridiculous you'd be as that character.
That said, I think sometimes it's entertaining to do a joke-run of a game in a social setting where the punchline is how ridiculous you'd be as that character.
I cannot be myself, I have to be a character. I get a lot more enjoyment out of games when I can be someone else (I'm not quite sure what that says about me ha!). Like Mass Effect, I could never be Shepard but I could play as Shepard and continue to define that character. Or Lara Croft, I'm playing as Lara trapped on that Island, not me.
I guess it just appeals to my creative nature - maybe helping immersion too.
I guess it just appeals to my creative nature - maybe helping immersion too.
I dont think I have EVER self inserted me into any kind of character at all in any medium EVER.
At most I will like it if theres similarities in me and the character, but thats about it really. I never really liked the whole thing I guess, I rather think of them as characters in their own story with me just serving as sort of a guide god or something else LOL.
At most I will like it if theres similarities in me and the character, but thats about it really. I never really liked the whole thing I guess, I rather think of them as characters in their own story with me just serving as sort of a guide god or something else LOL.
Hrmm ... yes, but it depends on the game.
Walking Dead, yes. I'm a nutjob zombie fanatic / closet-survivalist, I try to consider myself a 'decent' guy, I have a background in education (not in education anymore), and I have a tendency to assume leadership roles - and I also have kids not too far in age from Clem. In other words, I viewed the game as a trial run for the impending zombie apocalypse and made decisions exactly as I would given the same situation. I love the addition of the "let's see how everyone else chose..." at the end of the chapter. My purpose became keeping as many people alive as possible, and if that meant leaving 1 behind it became an easier and easier decision to make.
Skyrim, no. In fact, in most 'fantastical' RPGs I make a character at the start with a specific character in mind: I've got my 'noble savage' Nord 'Conan' type, my vicious Imperial enforcer a la The Hound, my heroic 'all around good guy' Redguard (akin to Cyrus), and my roaming alchemist/summoner Breton. But a key factor is that the RP elements of Skyrim are rather poor - interaction with NPCs was basically 'Press X to hear the next thing they have to say'. Hell, in the main Alduin storyline there's only really three points you can actually make a decision that affects the quests - one, follow the Nord or the Imperial in Helgen, two, go to the Blades or the Greybeards, and three, kill Mr Talkative Lizard or don't. I do however play as myself in Fallout - I try to make decisions that I would make (again, as a survivalist nutter) and I try to deal with the factions and missions as I would myself. But I've been playing the Fallout games since #1 and I've always played it that way.
EDIT:
Ooh ooh ! I forgot the greatest of them all!! Vampire:The Masquerade:Bloodlines. Now that I *ahem* 'insert myself' into. Especially the bits with Jeanette. I insert myself as many times as I can.
Walking Dead, yes. I'm a nutjob zombie fanatic / closet-survivalist, I try to consider myself a 'decent' guy, I have a background in education (not in education anymore), and I have a tendency to assume leadership roles - and I also have kids not too far in age from Clem. In other words, I viewed the game as a trial run for the impending zombie apocalypse and made decisions exactly as I would given the same situation. I love the addition of the "let's see how everyone else chose..." at the end of the chapter. My purpose became keeping as many people alive as possible, and if that meant leaving 1 behind it became an easier and easier decision to make.
Skyrim, no. In fact, in most 'fantastical' RPGs I make a character at the start with a specific character in mind: I've got my 'noble savage' Nord 'Conan' type, my vicious Imperial enforcer a la The Hound, my heroic 'all around good guy' Redguard (akin to Cyrus), and my roaming alchemist/summoner Breton. But a key factor is that the RP elements of Skyrim are rather poor - interaction with NPCs was basically 'Press X to hear the next thing they have to say'. Hell, in the main Alduin storyline there's only really three points you can actually make a decision that affects the quests - one, follow the Nord or the Imperial in Helgen, two, go to the Blades or the Greybeards, and three, kill Mr Talkative Lizard or don't. I do however play as myself in Fallout - I try to make decisions that I would make (again, as a survivalist nutter) and I try to deal with the factions and missions as I would myself. But I've been playing the Fallout games since #1 and I've always played it that way.
EDIT:
Ooh ooh ! I forgot the greatest of them all!! Vampire:The Masquerade:Bloodlines. Now that I *ahem* 'insert myself' into. Especially the bits with Jeanette. I insert myself as many times as I can.
Sometimes I do, but under two big conditions:
1.) I have to have a bit of control over character building and / or fighting style.
2.) The protagonist needs to be voiceless.
Games like Dragon Age: Origins, Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, Monster Hunter, Demon's / Dark Souls, and Pokemon fit the bill quite nicely.
1.) I have to have a bit of control over character building and / or fighting style.
2.) The protagonist needs to be voiceless.
Games like Dragon Age: Origins, Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, Monster Hunter, Demon's / Dark Souls, and Pokemon fit the bill quite nicely.
Eh...Depends. In Half-Life and Portal, yes, I did - It didn't really matter that I was playing as a woman in one of them, I felt extremely immersed. I used to pretend to be myself in RPGs as well, but it got pretty boring being me, because then I'd never get to pick any of the dark side/renegade options So nowadays I play as my own version of the in-game character. In linear action games, such as Uncharted, Prince of Persia, or Alan Wake, I don't self-project at all, I'm just along for the ride.
So nowadays I play as my own version of the in-game character. In linear action games, such as Uncharted, Prince of Persia, or Alan Wake, I don't self-project at all, I'm just along for the ride.
If I am given the chance to create / mould the protagonist to my preference, then yes I do. I self-insert (fnarr!) in Fallout 3 / New Vegas as well as Skyrim. Even though the Mass Effect games offer less (you will always be Shepard), my first and main Shepard (Lion) was created to look like me...if I ever gained the gift of testosterone!
Hmm. I can't say that I do it often. Even if I give my character my own name in games like say, Mass Effect, I still see the character I'm playing as his own person. Because frankly I kinda doubt I can talk down an angry krogan or have sex with a quarian in real life. :/
Well I don't know if self-insertion is the right word for it. In RPGs like Fallout and Skyrim I usually make decisions as I would if I were actually in that situation. However I have no problem playing as a female protagonist, in fact sometimes I like to just to mix things up.
I do as much as possible, and when it's possible. I can't do it that well with villainous characters though. Sometimes a little, but playing Prototype I tried VERY hard to avoid hitting innocents, even when it made things harder on me. It did make me enjoy the character a bit more though, I played him like he was still a good guy at his core and that gave him more depth to me.
I liked my Paragon Shepard with a touch of Renegade though. That was good since I like chaotic good type characters.
I liked my Paragon Shepard with a touch of Renegade though. That was good since I like chaotic good type characters.