Character Customization - Needs to Be Our Choice

[Mister Pink]

Player freedom to customize characters regressed after San Andreas in terms of customizing SP characters. For example in San Andreas we had a wide selection of haircuts, facial hair and different barbers gave different cuts, There were many clothing stores with different styles and also tattoos to buy too.

 

With IV we saw a an approach that moved away from that. It was more limited to the story and character of Niko taking away haircuts, facial hair and reducing the selection of clothing.

 

V saw only 3 haircuts for Trevor and maybe 3 types of facial hair for Michael. It's really restricted. I'm guessing it's because Rockstar want their main characters looking a certain way to fit their character and narrative.

 

Now, I could wear a pink afro in San Andreas but I didn't for the sake of the story. I often got CJ a cut that I thought he might have and changed it over time. However, at least I had the choice of having a pink afro. A pink afro is extreme but you get the point. It's about player freedom and choice. When the story is over or I'm f*cking around free-roam style, sometimes it's great to customize the main character for role playing or fun and having a huge amount of hairstyles (suitable for the story or not) really helps with this.

 

An example of having fun and role-playing or basing CJ on someone else for fun was making him like Mr. T. of the A-Team. The outfit was a gift from a girlfriend and the chains, the haircut and beard was there and you could buy a chain. You could also workout to get the muscles. It's that sort of creativity that Rockstar allowed that was missing from IV and V SP.

 

 

Only reason I think Rockstar didn't have a huge selection in SP is because they wanted to lure people Online. There's no money to be made in people playing single player *ahem* maybe if you made SP DLC .

 

What do you guys think? Do you prefer player freedom and choice or do you prefer Rockstar giving you small choices more suitable to the character?

 

 

[_Raven_]

Yeah, this is something that juggled my hatred a lot in IV and even more so in V. Not even GTA Online can hold a candle as far as customization is concerned. We need something like Saints Row 2 and a blend of San Andreas - tucked in/out options, different colors and patterns to choose from, fit, etc. - and haircuts need to make a return to prominence in this regard too.

 

V just feels so forced with how it locks in the clothing options to "suit" the character. It's fine for realism, but video games aren't supposed to be like that. It just restricts any freedom the player will have in the story. If I want to be able to wear a pink t-shirt with a duffel bag and rolled-sleeve jacket I should be able to.

 

Now, I'm not saying to let us create a character for GTAN, because that would be too drastic of a change to the core GTA formula (as far as single player GTAs are concerned; GTA Online lets you do this and I have no problem with it.) We just need more customization options in general to better personalize the single player experience.

Edited April 22, 2017 by The7thOne

[Mister Pink]

Yeah, this is something that juggled my hatred a lot in IV and even more so in V. Not even GTA Online can hold a candle as far as customization is concerned. We need something like Saints Row 2 and a blend of San Andreas - tucked in/out options, different colors and patterns to choose from, fit, etc. - and haircuts need to make a return to prominence in this regard too.

 

V just feels so forced with how it locks in the clothing options to "suit" the character. It's fine for realism, but video games aren't supposed to be like that. It just restricts any freedom the player will have in the story. If I want to be able to wear a pink t-shirt with a duffel bag and rolled-sleeve jacket I should be able to.

 

Now, I'm not saying to let us create a character for GTAN, because that would be too drastic of a change to the core GTA formula (as far as single player GTAs are concerned; GTA Online lets you do this and I have no problem with it.) We just need more customization options in general to better personalize the single player experience.

 

I agree totally.

 

I can understand Rockstar maybe wanting some continuity.. I mean when players and YouTubers make videos in SP the characters will all have the a similar likeness that's curated by Rockstar's limited choice but that choice being suited to the character. The character customization looks and suits story but to sacrifice many potential hours of fun is not the right way in my opinion.

 

Yes, some people will go and butcher the look of the character, given the freedom but that should be their choice. And a lot of GTA is fun outside of the story.

 

I know we have Online but it took ages for any clothes that I liked to come out. The clothes can be expensive and I don't cheat nor am I ever buying a Shark Card so raising funds is slow.

[AnimalFather]

NO. GTA always had fixed characters and they have been great. having a custom character that fits everyone you end up with someone stiff with no personality. no thanks.

[.Ryan.]

I prefer the options to be tailor made for the character (no pun intended). Even though GTA IV had lesser options it compensated with higher quality where even the cheap tracksuit pants/jackets looked good on Niko.

 

A lot of the options in San Andreas felt and looked tacky IMO. I still think Vice City done a far better job with its preset outfits and San Andreas went backwards opting for quantity instead.

 

I'm fine with a more "jack of all trades" approach for GTAO as I don't play GTAO to even care really, but for single player I do want the characters and their personalities/tastes to be taken into consideration rather just being treated like blank state avatars like Saints Row games.

 

I don't play post-story anyway so I don't care much about playing dress up afterwards.

 

By all means add more variety of options from hair, facial hair, jewellery etc, but tailor make them to suit rather than random junk thrown in for the sake of having an option.

 

That's bad design to me.

[ClaudeSpeed1911]

I think they should bring the Online character into the offline world so that the player can choose to do/wear/explore as they see fit. Like they could have the player play missions as the protagonist but side missions like property, minigames, drug dealing and the counless side activities could be played as the custom character. Or just embrace the SA way of freedom and have the player do what they want. I agree with Miami on the tailored clothes since its always interesting to know more about the characters and what they like to wear or do in their freetime. I think to please both parties they should put in some kind of hint on what the protagonist would wear normally, like a star or some symbol when choosing clothes, kind of like the "new" hint that comes when a new dlc for Online comes out to show what kind of new clothes came out with it.

[Mister Pink]

NO. GTA always had fixed characters and they have been great. having a custom character that fits everyone you end up with someone stiff with no personality. no thanks.

 

No offence but you completely missed the whole point of the topic. Did you read my post?

 

@Miami: I thought if you responded that you would say something like that. I understand you completely. However, it's not only for after the story but during it, if you wanted to take a break from the story and just mess around, make videos or just role play. In some games I like to put on a suit and become a hitman-type character. Or I like to dress up as my favourite characters from movies.

 

Why deny people the choice to do that? When I play the story, I wear character appropriate things and even go beyond by only driving low-budget cars at the start. I get in to character as the character in GTA. But, if you want more or it's your 3rd playthrough of the story and your tastes have changed or you don't like the character, why not have the choice? I know you aren't in to roleplaying as different characters every now and then but is that a reason to deny it for rest of the people?

 

People that want preset Rockstar outfits have will have them. Nothing is being taken away from people like me that like to get in to character playing as the character. But what if I want to change? Where the choice and options then? Yes, there's Online but I'm talking about the SP experience. Like Claude said, the Online options in SP would be great.

 

Some times I like to have a biker persona like someone out of Son's of Anarchy, some times I'm a mafia guy, other times and I'm Russian Mafia or hired hitman. Having restricted preset clothings is restrictive to help me do those things. And we know they're there because we've seen it online and San Andreas. Why not future SP?

 

If you don't like it, simple. Don't use it. And if you change your mind and think it would be cool to dress up as Vincent Vega or Travis Bickle, the option is there.

 

Come on buddy, you know you want cruise around like Vincent Vega dude.

 

EDIT: An Idea....

 

What if when shopping for clothes an indicator appeared saying that the protag preferred particullar items of clothing. For example in V, Michael goes in to a clothing store and there's a huge selection of clothes and clothes that Michael wouldn't be seen to wear. But when you selected a particular item of clothing an indicator appeared saying that Michael prefers this. That way we know the items of clothing Rockstar intended for the character but doesn't restrict you to wearing it.

Edited April 22, 2017 by Mister Pink

[.Ryan.]

Oh I'm not trying to deny people freedom of choice, but I just feel this level of expressive play is better suited to the Saint Rows games and RPGs when fantasy generally blends with creativity more fluidly.

 

I understand how it appeals to others being able to wear anything and everything, but for me...no.

[Piggsy pls]

One thing I've always wanted is to wear clothing that you see NPC's wear, for instance I've always liked the leather jackets, joggers and boots that some members of The Lost in GTA V wear, it'd be cool to dress Trevor, Franklin or my Online character like that. Rockstar should definitely make more npc clothing options a thing in the next game and in a future update for Online.

[Sonny_Black]

I agree, kind of'; to me I would love to if it's in a way that is limited to how the protagonist dress himself, ex: "the protag' is an enforcer from the 70's; always in suit w/ tie, so let us choose among 80 tie and 300 suit different, also like 150 pair of shoes available too. I mean, yeah like SA but in a way that is related to him, his style.

Edited April 22, 2017 by anthony

[Femme Fatale]

It'd be awesome if we could connect to the internet, and somehow transfer real life clothing onto the game.

 

I'd love to wear this hat, cuz it's soooo true.

 

Or maybe in shirt form.

Edited April 22, 2017 by Achlys

[Mister Pink]

One thing I've always wanted is to wear clothing that you see NPC's wear, for instance I've always liked the leather jackets, joggers and boots that some members of The Lost in GTA V wear, it'd be cool to dress Trevor, Franklin or my Online character like that. Rockstar should definitely make more npc clothing options a thing in the next game and in a future update for Online.

 

Yes, I remember seeing some peds in IV or V with clothes I wanted but obviously weren't about. Would be nice if you could obtain them but then you might see too much of particular items around.

[CheesyWalnuts]

It'd be awesome if we could connect to the internet, and somehow transfer real life clothing onto the game.

 

I'd love to wear this hat, cuz it's soooo true.

-snip-

 

Or maybe in shirt form.

-snip-

not sure if trolling or just being the reason that i don't go outside

 

anyway, making saints row kind of customization will just make rockstar waste their time on that and not on the actual game, so no thanks.

[Mister Pink]

Played GTA Online recently and the introduced a feature to re-design your characters face which was really cool and much more detailed than I expected. Kudos for Rockstar for doing this. Also, just wish we had that option in SP.

 

I'm super-happy to play in-character as a Rockstar intends their character to be portrayed but after the story, some customization would be nice. Or at least let us use our MP character in SP.

[Johnny Spaz]

If all GTA games had the customization options like San Andreas it'd be perfect. You can choose between looking ridiculous, normal, rich, thuggish and professional. It let's the player wear the clothes that best suits their personality or however they want their character to look like.

[VictorVance1239]

I say yes but I think it should be exclusive to GTA Online that way you can choose to have fun with roleplaying ideas like this on your own or you and your friends could have that option to dress up as the entire A team if you so choose to and go on adventures in the community among others.

 

As far as real life clothing options go I say no to Rockstar having to deal with any real company directly. However they could let players make their own designs via hand drawing and image import like the WWE games have done. Then people could crop whatever logo from any design and put it into their game for a shirt via mobile app or on a PC.

 

There could be a community creations tool like what the WWE games for uploading their designs and would get paid each time someone downloads their content.

 

 

 

It'd be awesome if we could connect to the internet, and somehow transfer real life clothing onto the game.

I'd love to wear this hat, cuz it's soooo true.


Or maybe in shirt form.

 

 

 

 

A shirt like this would be easily be creatable in any game as all you'd need to do is take a black shirt and put a box in the middle of it that you can change the color to in the middle then add the text and the heart logo and you're set.

[rebeldevil]

I understand why Rockstar limited customization options in Story mode. They wanted the characters to be instantly recognized in gameplay footage, as well as for story reasons, and I'm fine with that. I would have liked to have seen more, but I didn't really change their looks much anyway.

 

For Online though, the limited amount you can customize your character is pretty shameful. Every Online player is the same height and pretty much the same build. The faces all sorta blend together too. You should be able to make your avatar shorter or taller or fatter or whatever, and have a lot more control over facial features.

[Spaghetti Cat]

You're probably right Rebel, it's just easier to sell a stock character that everyone can get behind rather than a million different people with a million different looks.

 

Here's what I'd like to see:

 

Three (or more) protags, choose one at the start of a new game. Each character has strengths, weaknesses and personalities. Much like Anthony up there says, get a good and deep selection of clothes for your character. So for example a hip-hop look wouldn't go well with a Michael-type character. Then you go and play the game as that character. If you don't like the character, then play as another. A bit like how IV did the LC stories, but put it all in one game. Make each play though different enough that will encourage multiple playthroughs.

[HollandNights]

And a storyline that intertwines the journey of all 3 protagonists like the IV games did.

[GeeMeek]

Agree. This option just disappeared after San Andreas.

[VictorVance1239]

I understand why Rockstar limited customization options in Story mode. They wanted the characters to be instantly recognized in gameplay footage, as well as for story reasons, and I'm fine with that. I would have liked to have seen more, but I didn't really change their looks much anyway.

 

For Online though, the limited amount you can customize your character is pretty shameful. Every Online player is the same height and pretty much the same build. The faces all sorta blend together too. You should be able to make your avatar shorter or taller or fatter or whatever, and have a lot more control over facial features.

I would guess that rockstar possibly not wanting to program multiple versions of a cutscene with different body types might have something to do with it. Either way it sucks that you can't do these things.

[Mister Pink]

I understand why Rockstar limited customization options in Story mode. They wanted the characters to be instantly recognized in gameplay footage, as well as for story reasons, and I'm fine with that. I would have liked to have seen more, but I didn't really change their looks much anyway.

 

For Online though, the limited amount you can customize your character is pretty shameful. Every Online player is the same height and pretty much the same build. The faces all sorta blend together too. You should be able to make your avatar shorter or taller or fatter or whatever, and have a lot more control over facial features.

 

I understand that too. There's also an element of keeping the character, staying in character by making them wear the clothes that the character would only wear. I totally get that but what about the player? I don't think the player should be restricted because when the story is complete or even not, it's good to roleplay as someone else, especially if you don't like the character and you want to kind of portray the character with your own personal quirks injected to the character.

 

I'm sure that's what Online is for but a lot of us don't like Online. Didn't need Online to play the f*ck out of III, Vice City and San Andreas. All the fun was there for us in SP.

[AnywhereCityBitch]

To be honest I'm kind of strange as in I like to dress the character to what fits his personality, for instance, I didn't even dress Niko in a suit during the narrative apart from the Jimmy P missions because I didn't think it suited the character so while I wouldn't object to more customization options it's not a necessity for me.

[Mister Pink]

I know you are banned now but in response, you're not strange.. as I said I do the same, dress the character for the situation. I did it in San Andreas. When CJ was exiled to Badlands he dressed down from his gangsta gear and dressed in camo gear and outdoor, country style. Basically just blending in to the environment.When I got to San Fierro I dressed a little more trendier, also my wealth had increased substantially by then and I had meetings with Wu Zi, triad bosses so it was definitely not the time to look G. Can't remember what I wore in the desert and then when I was in casinos, rolling in that dough and had millions in the bank, I was rocking fancy suits, green suit attire, representing Grove St for life.

 

Having said that, I don't think it should be forced on us. What if I'm not playing the story and I'm just want do some casual role play by myself and dress like a hitman or a Mafioso in a crappy nylon tracksuit? What if I want to try dress like a character I love from a film? Having restrictions, restricts us from doing that. What if you dislike the character and you can't modify that much or you dislike the general theme/premise character? Being able to modify the character to something more digestible can be done with the player has more freedom to customize.

 

People like you and I that like to dress the character based on economic status, wealth, who they're going to meet, personality of character, location in the story etc, wont be affected. It doesn't affect anyone that wants to play realistically.

 

One method is forced, the other is choice! I'm vying for choice not restriction. GTA for me, is more fun when there's less restriction and conformity. Less restrictions, doesn't mean the player that wants to have certain personal rules can't have them.

Edited June 9, 2017 by Mister Pink

[Shade04rek]

I say if they can make thousands of clothing options in online, they can make a couple hats for micheal. They did singleplayer customization the best in v, but comes off as halfassed when compared to online, since the protags only needed a bit more to feel balanced in variety, but online goes 10x harder on it.

 

Also tbh, there was a lot of options that were just too stupid looking to wear unless you're playing as the obligatory troll idgaf about immersion not gonna wear pants kinda player

 

Assuming vi is singleplayer, I don't see how r* will take steps backwards on this though.

[MayoChiki]

They did singleplayer customization the best in v, but comes off as halfassed when compared to online, since the protags only needed a bit more to feel balanced in variety, but online goes 10x harder on it.

 

I disagree, V's clothing customization was even worse than IVs (not saying IVs was bad, by the way, all the clothing for Niko looks amazing).

 

For one, characters always switching clothes on their own was annoying, especially because they hardly used anything you buy. The other one is the clothing pieces that are limited to certain outfits (like Franklin's cargo pants) and there's no way to use them normally. It was like a combination of San Andreas wacky outfits with IVs lack of options, but a lot of those look just awkward.

 

 

OT: I agree that we need more customization options, but the RPG elements should be exclusive of Online. I've always had the theory that Rockstar doesn't really love San Andreas as much as we do. Creating a new universe after that game always felt weird to me, I mean, you create the biggest game in a long time and next thing you do is retcon that universe and start over? With a game that took a different route in terms of gameplay and storytelling? Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

 

I'm all for characters like the IV trio, who have little customization options but more fleshed out personalities to not need it, but considering the success of V and Online, it's more likely that Rockstar will keep with less story-driven games to appeal to younger audiences. If they stick to the three-character formula, the options of San Andreas seem like a no-go, because it would be annoying at some point, and they would go for quantity instead of quantity.

 

I guess this is why I'd rather have a single-character game for GTA Next, where the MC is just starting in the criminal world and it's slowly learning the ropes (preferably a woman): it opens the door to a LOT of customization options while still feeling natural and not forced.

[Big Molio]

As a person who feels more immersed in a game if I get to completely customise the played-character, I would be happy if the next GTA let you create a character from scratch that you use both in the Single Player Game and the Online portion. I don't mind if the character doesn't speak either.

[.Ryan.]

 

They did singleplayer customization the best in v, but comes off as halfassed when compared to online, since the protags only needed a bit more to feel balanced in variety, but online goes 10x harder on it.

 

I disagree, V's clothing customization was even worse than IVs (not saying IVs was bad, by the way, all the clothing for Niko looks amazing).

 

For one, characters always switching clothes on their own was annoying, especially because they hardly used anything you buy. The other one is the clothing pieces that are limited to certain outfits (like Franklin's cargo pants) and there's no way to use them normally. It was like a combination of San Andreas wacky outfits with IVs lack of options, but a lot of those look just awkward.

 

 

I agree with this. The thing that annoyed me the most about GTA V's clothing options was the fact the game limited the options where mix matching was difficult. I.e certain shorts couldn't be worn with certain shirts etc. Then there were some bizarre decisions like Michael not even being able to change his own shoes in his wardrobe.

 

GTA IV might've not have had as big of a selection, but at least it didn't limit mix matching. You could wear any piece of clothing how you wanted.