The Game's Protagonist - I need your feedback!

I really like the "Average Joe" approach where the MC has a completely unremarkable life up to the point where the game starts. It allows a perfect connection between the player and the MC. Not having a backstory is a good thing in my opinion. If I'd add elements of a backstory, I would concentrate on things that almost everyone can relate to, like having a hard time finding a job, being dumped by your girlfriend, having regrets over never asking your high school crush on a date...things like that. Those are completely ordinary, but still have an impact.

Castinsteel

If you want to add a bit of backstory, go ahead and do it. It sounds like this will enhance your ability to tell your story. I've enjoyed the protagonist as is. First person during sex scenes and third person occasionally. You see his face when he studies and lifts weights by himself and he looks OK. I don't think you need to twist the protagonist into a pretzel to hide his face.

Riidher66776

Hello, My thoughts are to look at the long term, will this change make it easier to tell the story or will it make it harder? I wouldn't want to see you paint yourself into a corner so to speak.

Whooli

I like how he's more of a blank canvas. With games like this I want to be able to self insert, and I think adding too much backstop makes it harder to self identify with the character. I think if anything, it would be nice to choose background identifiers, so there's at least a facade of personalization.

Rachnera

Caveat: I personally dislike faceless protagonists. Many reasons for that, but the most objective one is that it enforces super weird camera angles at times.

Rachnera

I don't think you can mix both approaches. Either you fully define the character. Or you keep him as generic as possible. Trying to do both at once is likely to end up with a character that is disliked by fans of both approaches, as either not someone that feels "alive" or not something they can project into. However... Well, as you've said, it's not really possible to keep someone perfectly generic eternally. He has de facto a personality and a past at this point of the story. Sure, cashier is a job can anyone can do, but it's not a job anyone has done, or done in the context of the shitty neighborhood of a big city. Similarly, his impulses to act on his 2AM ideas are not an universal trait. Etc. So... If there are only two options and one is not actually doable... Well, this is not much of a choice.

Osamabeenfappin

Would let*

Osamabeenfappin

Do a mass effect thing,funny,angry,kind. It wouldn't change the story,but wouldn't people put their own spin on the character.

Hagbard_Celine

I think exactly what you've done has been perfect. There really is a character there (a superhero who is trying to find his power) and how he's being trained in different aspects of being a hero by all of these women in his life. If you do TOO MUCH backstory it makes it harder to experience the game in a first-person manner. I'd much rather that you kept things the way they are. If you wanted to add more choices with dialogue that would be one thing, but then you'd have to decide if this is a novel or a choose your own adventure story. I personally like that I really can't make a "wrong" decision when it comes to dialogue. It's less pressure and makes the story more fun.

OBE

I can see where you're going with the back story idea. But with what we've seen so far in that regard, it might be a waste of time and resources. Unless you're going to go back to the mom and see if she's a carrier, otherwise its like you said. Hes an everyman doing the simple 9-5 and begrudging it every day.