Otome Game Playstyle: Self-Inserter or Watcher

[plumtree]

I'm curious how other otome game players experience the games in terms of:

• Romance with the LI/ROs: Do you imagine yourself in the romantic situations with the LI/ROs? Or is it like watching a romantic drama for you?
• Morality: Do you separate the decisions you can make in-game from your IRL morality?
• MC Customisation: Do you prefer more or less customisation?
• RO Types or Preferences: Do you think your fave RO tropes/types correspond to your IRL preferences?

Here's how I personally play otome:

• Romance with the LI/ROs: I usually don't self-insert for the romance for Japanese otome, especially if MC has an important backstory or defined personality (Hibiki from Variable Barricade or Yurika from Taisho x Alice). For me it's like watching a drama, but this means I get super attached to the MC as well as the ROs since I want them to get a happy ending. So playing bad endings with foreshadowing is super painful because it's like watching a trainwreck.

For OELVNs with customisation (appearance, personality etc): I tend to lean more self-inserty, making the MCs look more like me and having a similar personality. I never use my actual name for the MC name (excluding Discord-style games like Blooming Panic where I use my username). I feel like OELVNs also give me more blushy, heart-fluttering feelings so I find it easier to self-insert.​

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• Morality: Ngl sometimes I find it really hard to be "mean" or make "morally wrong" decisions in otome games even when it's necessary for a specific ending. Maybe this is because VNs are very "linear"? I don't really have a problem with causing in-game violence (physical or emotional) against designated antagonists tho lol. I don't really have an issue with LIs doing immoral actions, in fact that's sometimes part of the appeal hehe

• MC Customisation: Personally, I'm fan of more customisation for shorter games (for something fun and breezy). But for longer games, I feel like MC needs to have backstory, depth and character development for me to enjoy it. I like making the MC have more similar features to me (unless there are fantasy elements involved in which case, non-natural hair colours and eyes ftw. If there's a dress-up element, I will dress MC in whatever looks good regardless of my own style. I'll make MC have a similar personality to me unless I think there's a really fun dynamic with a specific RO (e.g. sunshine x grumpy, sassy x sassy, flirty x innocent).

• RO Types or Preferences: I'm bi and usually more attracted to women then men IRL lol so my fave otome ROs aren't similar to my actual type. Appearance-wise, I love long-haired bishounen (Lance from Nameless, Hijikata from Hakuouki) which is a plus for me IRL. Personality-wise I put up with a lot more shit from otome LIs then I would from real people. I think otome is a fun and safe way to explore taboos (yanderes and toxic behaviour, power dynamics).

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I don't think there's any wrong or right way to play otome at all btw, no judgement here!​

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[Norland]

This is actually a really interesting topic.

First, about Romance with the LI/ROs, I'm pretty similar to you in that it depends on the game whether I self-insert or not. If a game has a clearly illustrated MC, then I won't self-insert. For me it's more like, "My wife is so pretty, my husband is so pretty too, they look so cute together." That's how it feels to me. But for games that are more self-insert oriented, I create an OC instead. In general, I'm not really the type to self-insert, probably because most of the games I play are too toxic, horror-themed, and bloody. I really don't want to experience those kinds of feelings myself, so yeah, no way!

Second, for Morality, I absolutely can't choose options where the MC/OC is rude to other people. But when it comes to choices that are "evil", "mean" or "morally wrong" I'm actually fine with them because I know I would never do those things in real life. I guess I'm a good girl, lol.

Third, about MC Customisation, if the customization affects the story and is actually acknowledged in the plot, I find it really interesting and fun. But if it doesn't affect the plot, I prefer creating my own OC.

Finally, for RO Types or Preferences, haha, I think mine are definitely 100% different from real life. Both the LI/ROs and the tropes I like are basically walking nuclear disasters, and I'm sure I would never meet people like that in real life. I feel like the game world is a safe place to explore strange or extreme things. The real world, though… well, we only live once, so don't use it to do stupid things.

 

[Anie_Reichi★]

This is very interesting topics

Romance with the LI/ROs:
I could never insert myself towards the situation in usual visual novel with only certain answer towards happy ending. Because it's usually will ended up with the love interest mad at me lmao. Unless it's the type where choice doesn't matter much like Our Life then yeah, I can insert myself on the first play but when I re-play I sometimes portrait my OCs into the MC instead.

Morality:
Same as you guys, I can't be mean or rude towards the love interests unless they were mean or rude at me first then I don't mind for biting them back lol.

MC Customisation:
I don't mind either way. It is indeed feel better if there's more customisation for MC but if the game's story is not that good, it will be pointless to me.

RO Types or Preferences:
Yeah... I feel like the older I become the more change the type I prefer. For example, when I was teen, I prefer a sunshine-type and it's usually a younger character like tsubasa, azusa, and haruki-sensei from starry sky. Well, haruki-sensei isn't a young at all, but his personality can be childish so you get what I mean, yeah . Aside from sunshine-type, I also tend to like a stundere character like rudo jesus from TYB.
But now that I become more older, I tend to lean toward mature, quiet, calming, and loyal character, like older brother type (but not blood-related), for example zayne from lads, caleb also (but he can be bit obsessive which is not a good thing if it's on real life). The other example is actually character from manhwa tho (The male lead from Daytime Star )

 

[ishibashi]

1) Watcher, always. When a game asks me to customize an MC, I just make up an OC who's nothing like me but is a type of character I'm likely to enjoy reading about, and continue watching.

2) It's interesting to see what happens if a character does something you'll never do in game, so no, it does not reflect my morality down to specifics. In a broad sense there are some lines that I won't cross even in games, like I find nothing entertaining about kicking puppies and ruining lives or cheating, you know? But that's less 'because this is what I believe in real life' than 'man, I don't like reading about that'.

3) MC customization: if the game is truly broad in scope, I can see this working, like an RPG, because with sufficient choice design you can create an OC that creates interesting ripples in the world to watch. But for a game focused on close, intimate relationships, I find that fixed MCs with strong characterization works way better. I'm a watcher, I need someone whose relationships are worth watching.

4) Definitely not my RL preference lol. My RL preference is very boring. I suppose I do like megane in both IRL and in games but that's about it? I would find puppy ROs or tsundere ROs insufferable in real life, but they're great in games!

 

[lncogneato]

I'm so glad someone asked this because the concept of it has been swirling in my head for a while! I am a watcher or third person most of the time, but there are moments playing games where I comment on happenings as if I'm experiencing it firsthand (if that makes any sense). Ultimately though, I like to draw a line--even just a thin one--between ROs and myself.

• Romance with the LI/ROs: Do you imagine yourself in the romantic situations with the LI/ROs? Or is it like watching a romantic drama for you?
  • Definitely like watching a romantic drama. I find it much easier to enjoy and root for romance between characters when I separate myself from the lead. I'm the type to write fanfiction and draw fanart, and it gets 100% less awkward to do those things when I'm not involved in the story in any form haha.
• Morality: Do you separate the decisions you can make in-game from your IRL morality?
  • Nope-ish. Pardon the tangent, but that's why I think my liking choose-you-own-adventure games is a loving curse because I get less replay value from it. Unless there are different paths I can take while still being the quintessential moral stickler, I just play a game once or play it the same way over and over. There are choices I wish I could make in real life but would only do in-game (like being overly heroic) or I make choices I wouldn't really make because games offer suspension of disbelief (like loving Caleb in LaDs in spite of questionable actions ). Overall, I like to stay consistent to my ideal lead with bits of leniency.
• MC Customisation: Do you prefer more or less customisation?
  • Personally, less, but in the wider scale of things, games should offer more opportunities to! I like default MC names and looks because I like not having the burden of customization. I'm not design-savvy and I take hours thinking of a name. If you're talking personality customization though, YES YES YES! I like ChoiceScript, Twine, and other tools for interactive fiction due to this. For example, when your character is flirting you can choose to be (overt, dense, shy, tsundere). It's so fun playing with those options.
• RO Types or Preferences: Do you think your fave RO tropes/types correspond to your IRL preferences?
  • Yup! Though I try to be appreciative of all ROs as much as I can, I can't help but gravitate towards certain ones. Namely, best friend types, childhood friend types, mature and dependable types, etc.

Thanks for this thread and your disclaimer! I agree that there's no wrong way to do it. I'd love to see what other people have to say :D

 

[Marrychan]

I think this is a very interesting topic to discuss!
Romance with the LI/ROs:
I see it more like a movie, reading a book, seeing the situation from a third-person perspective. There are some characters whose personalities are so strong that it's hard to imagine myself inserting myself into them. When the game asks me to customize, I even have a ready-made visual base for those cases. Sympathy Kiss, for example, is kind of that situation, and I found it SUPER strange at first, although it's kind of cute that ML remembers you like coffee instead of juice.

Morality:
I'm naturally a very sweet person; I can't be rude to any of the Mls naturally. Even when they're rude to me, depending on the situation, I see it as a reason to annoy the character even more. Curiosity gets the best of me. But I confess, I'm super curious about bad endings. They're much more common in older Otome games, especially those aimed at an older audience; in those cases, after a save, I always go back to try them.

MC Customisation:
I have a VERY strong opinion about this; I've never cared about having customization for the main character. I prefer when there's already a pre-defined model of the protagonist. Especially because, in a visual novel, when that option is available, "you" don't even appear in the Cgs. Usually, when that option is available, the story is generally lacking.

RO Types or Preferences:
I don't think that's changed much as I've gotten older; as I said, my curiosity got the better of me. I always go for the mysterious or grumpy character. If those aren't available, I always end up with older characters; I like the sense of responsibility and loyalty that most of them convey.

 

[nightivory]

Romance with the LI/ROs: Whenever I find myself playing an otome game, it indeed is like watching a romantic drama for me. I don't really imagine myself in such situations, nor do I necessarily want to. I prefer to take myself out of it, and watch the story the creators decided to share with us. It's even easier to do this whenever the main protagonist has a picture and a set name. I notice that most of the time there will be a spoken default name, which I love hearing, and which won't happen if the name has been changed. It's an escape from reality for me, and the more distant I am, the better in my opinion.

Morality: I definitely separate the decisions I can make in game from my own IRL morality, since it's simply a game and an experience for me. Most of the time, what I play doesn't require me to make extremely tough moral decisions, and while it can be a bit difficult when I'm expected to, I don't mind either way!

MC Customization: Honestly, I prefer less customization. I like having a set main character, along with a set name so I can immerse myself in the world as it stands. Though, I think having customization is indeed a good thing, as it makes it more accessible to everyone in the long run.

RO Types or Preferences: I'm not too sure on this one, though I lean more towards no. In otome games, I *love* the asshole types, or the hard to get ones, or ones that take a long time to open up to the protagonist. In real life, I would certainly get irritated by someone like that very quickly. There are some things that transfer for sure, but in games like these that are simply fantasy, that's one of the beauties of it, exploring what you never would in real life.

Thanks for the interesting question! C: It was fun to think about.

 

[plumtree]

This is actually a really interesting topic.

First, about Romance with the LI/ROs, I'm pretty similar to you in that it depends on the game whether I self-insert or not. If a game has a clearly illustrated MC, then I won't self-insert. For me it's more like, "My wife is so pretty, my husband is so pretty too, they look so cute together." That's how it feels to me. But for games that are more self-insert oriented, I create an OC instead. In general, I'm not really the type to self-insert, probably because most of the games I play are too toxic, horror-themed, and bloody. I really don't want to experience those kinds of feelings myself, so yeah, no way!

Second, for Morality, I absolutely can't choose options where the MC/OC is rude to other people. But when it comes to choices that are "evil", "mean" or "morally wrong" I'm actually fine with them because I know I would never do those things in real life. I guess I'm a good girl, lol.

Third, about MC Customisation, if the customization affects the story and is actually acknowledged in the plot, I find it really interesting and fun. But if it doesn't affect the plot, I prefer creating my own OC.

Finally, for RO Types or Preferences, haha, I think mine are definitely 100% different from real life. Both the LI/ROs and the tropes I like are basically walking nuclear disasters, and I'm sure I would never meet people like that in real life. I feel like the game world is a safe place to explore strange or extreme things. The real world, though… well, we only live once, so don't use it to do stupid things.

Ooh, I hadn't really considered horror/stressful situations affecting self-inserting or not, but this makes so much sense lol, I know I definitely wouldn't survive a lot of the otome games I play especially the bad endings. Maybe making extreme "immoral" choices is actually easier because it's easier to detach/more implausible

I think games where personality/stat choices affect your interactions with ROs and the outcomes you get/choices available to you make it more immersive and more fun.

And yeah it's nice to go wild in-game!! Thanks for answering haha I liked reading through this

 

[plumtree]

This is very interesting topics

Romance with the LI/ROs:
I could never insert myself towards the situation in usual visual novel with only certain answer towards happy ending. Because it's usually will ended up with the love interest mad at me lmao. Unless it's the type where choice doesn't matter much like Our Life then yeah, I can insert myself on the first play but when I re-play I sometimes portrait my OCs into the MC instead.

Morality:
Same as you guys, I can't be mean or rude towards the love interests unless they were mean or rude at me first then I don't mind for biting them back lol.

MC Customisation:
I don't mind either way. It is indeed feel better if there's more customisation for MC but if the game's story is not that good, it will be pointless to me.

RO Types or Preferences:
Yeah... I feel like the older I become the more change the type I prefer. For example, when I was teen, I prefer a sunshine-type and it's usually a younger character like tsubasa, azusa, and haruki-sensei from starry sky. Well, haruki-sensei isn't a young at all, but his personality can be childish so you get what I mean, yeah . Aside from sunshine-type, I also tend to like a stundere character like rudo jesus from TYB.
But now that I become more older, I tend to lean toward mature, quiet, calming, and loyal character, like older brother type (but not blood-related), for example zayne from lads, caleb also (but he can be bit obsessive which is not a good thing if it's on real life). The other example is actually character from manhwa tho (The male lead from Daytime Star )

Getting the ROs get mad or upset about my choices is so painful I'll do it to read a bad ending I'm curious about but it still hurts...I feel you. I find Our Life super cozy because there's not really a "right" or "wrong" way to react and you can disagree with characters with it ending badly (I didn't think I would like Cove as much as I did since I'm not really into the childhood friends to lovers trope but the game was so sweet )

Lmao fighting fire with fire is fun esp for rude/mean characters

Also the loyal, capable and "steady" type is quite comforting and attractive, I agree

 

[plumtree]

1) Watcher, always. When a game asks me to customize an MC, I just make up an OC who's nothing like me but is a type of character I'm likely to enjoy reading about, and continue watching.

2) It's interesting to see what happens if a character does something you'll never do in game, so no, it does not reflect my morality down to specifics. In a broad sense there are some lines that I won't cross even in games, like I find nothing entertaining about kicking puppies and ruining lives or cheating, you know? But that's less 'because this is what I believe in real life' than 'man, I don't like reading about that'.

3) MC customization: if the game is truly broad in scope, I can see this working, like an RPG, because with sufficient choice design you can create an OC that creates interesting ripples in the world to watch. But for a game focused on close, intimate relationships, I find that fixed MCs with strong characterization works way better. I'm a watcher, I need someone whose relationships are worth watching.

4) Definitely not my RL preference lol. My RL preference is very boring. I suppose I do like megane in both IRL and in games but that's about it? I would find puppy ROs or tsundere ROs insufferable in real life, but they're great in games!

Yeah I feel like the scale of otome games is limiting in terms of "consequences" of choices if that makes sense. RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 (I'm obssessed) have so much reactivity in terms of character race, religion, backstory and selected choices which I miss in otome when it comes to customisation. I'm super excited for The Silent Kingdom tho (Early Access Otome RPG which reminds me of Fire Emblem) though.

 

[plumtree]

I'm so glad someone asked this because the concept of it has been swirling in my head for a while! I am a watcher or third person most of the time, but there are moments playing games where I comment on happenings as if I'm experiencing it firsthand (if that makes any sense). Ultimately though, I like to draw a line--even just a thin one--between ROs and myself.

• Romance with the LI/ROs: Do you imagine yourself in the romantic situations with the LI/ROs? Or is it like watching a romantic drama for you?
  • Definitely like watching a romantic drama. I find it much easier to enjoy and root for romance between characters when I separate myself from the lead. I'm the type to write fanfiction and draw fanart, and it gets 100% less awkward to do those things when I'm not involved in the story in any form haha.
• Morality: Do you separate the decisions you can make in-game from your IRL morality?
  • Nope-ish. Pardon the tangent, but that's why I think my liking choose-you-own-adventure games is a loving curse because I get less replay value from it. Unless there are different paths I can take while still being the quintessential moral stickler, I just play a game once or play it the same way over and over. There are choices I wish I could make in real life but would only do in-game (like being overly heroic) or I make choices I wouldn't really make because games offer suspension of disbelief (like loving Caleb in LaDs in spite of questionable actions ). Overall, I like to stay consistent to my ideal lead with bits of leniency.
• MC Customisation: Do you prefer more or less customisation?
  • Personally, less, but in the wider scale of things, games should offer more opportunities to! I like default MC names and looks because I like not having the burden of customization. I'm not design-savvy and I take hours thinking of a name. If you're talking personality customization though, YES YES YES! I like ChoiceScript, Twine, and other tools for interactive fiction due to this. For example, when your character is flirting you can choose to be (overt, dense, shy, tsundere). It's so fun playing with those options.
• RO Types or Preferences: Do you think your fave RO tropes/types correspond to your IRL preferences?
  • Yup! Though I try to be appreciative of all ROs as much as I can, I can't help but gravitate towards certain ones. Namely, best friend types, childhood friend types, mature and dependable types, etc.

Thanks for this thread and your disclaimer! I agree that there's no wrong way to do it. I'd love to see what other people have to say :D

A fellow Choice of Games/Hosted Games fan! Haha I also love Twine interactive fiction, though it breaks my heart the number of WIPs that never get finished. (Replaying Shepherds of Haven for the billionth time and super glad that the author is so consistent with Patreon alpha updates). Back to otome though, sometimes I do find it hard to stop romancing the same RO again and again even though I told myself I wanted to try another route (and it's required for the "True Ending") simply because I love my faves (so I guess I also play otome the same way over and over haha )

 

[plumtree]

I think this is a very interesting topic to discuss!
Romance with the LI/ROs:
I see it more like a movie, reading a book, seeing the situation from a third-person perspective. There are some characters whose personalities are so strong that it's hard to imagine myself inserting myself into them. When the game asks me to customize, I even have a ready-made visual base for those cases. Sympathy Kiss, for example, is kind of that situation, and I found it SUPER strange at first, although it's kind of cute that ML remembers you like coffee instead of juice.

Morality:
I'm naturally a very sweet person; I can't be rude to any of the Mls naturally. Even when they're rude to me, depending on the situation, I see it as a reason to annoy the character even more. Curiosity gets the best of me. But I confess, I'm super curious about bad endings. They're much more common in older Otome games, especially those aimed at an older audience; in those cases, after a save, I always go back to try them.

MC Customisation:
I have a VERY strong opinion about this; I've never cared about having customization for the main character. I prefer when there's already a pre-defined model of the protagonist. Especially because, in a visual novel, when that option is available, "you" don't even appear in the Cgs. Usually, when that option is available, the story is generally lacking.

RO Types or Preferences:
I don't think that's changed much as I've gotten older; as I said, my curiosity got the better of me. I always go for the mysterious or grumpy character. If those aren't available, I always end up with older characters; I like the sense of responsibility and loyalty that most of them convey.

Nothing wrong with being sweet! Kill them with kindness!! I wish it was possible in more otome games to name your saves because I have so many (I also try for bad endings on purpose just for angst/drama...and pretty CGs). It makes sense in terms of labour/money that some developers choose not to have MC appear in CGs when there's MC appearance customisation but it's still sad...makes me appreciate all the artists work more when it does happen though (I think Gilded Shadows and When Stars Collide by Steamberry studios does it...but my memory is quite iffy haha)

 

[plumtree]

Romance with the LI/ROs: Whenever I find myself playing an otome game, it indeed is like watching a romantic drama for me. I don't really imagine myself in such situations, nor do I necessarily want to. I prefer to take myself out of it, and watch the story the creators decided to share with us. It's even easier to do this whenever the main protagonist has a picture and a set name. I notice that most of the time there will be a spoken default name, which I love hearing, and which won't happen if the name has been changed. It's an escape from reality for me, and the more distant I am, the better in my opinion.

Morality: I definitely separate the decisions I can make in game from my own IRL morality, since it's simply a game and an experience for me. Most of the time, what I play doesn't require me to make extremely tough moral decisions, and while it can be a bit difficult when I'm expected to, I don't mind either way!

MC Customization: Honestly, I prefer less customization. I like having a set main character, along with a set name so I can immerse myself in the world as it stands. Though, I think having customization is indeed a good thing, as it makes it more accessible to everyone in the long run.

RO Types or Preferences: I'm not too sure on this one, though I lean more towards no. In otome games, I *love* the asshole types, or the hard to get ones, or ones that take a long time to open up to the protagonist. In real life, I would certainly get irritated by someone like that very quickly. There are some things that transfer for sure, but in games like these that are simply fantasy, that's one of the beauties of it, exploring what you never would in real life.

Thanks for the interesting question! C: It was fun to think about.

You have a really interesting point about the accessibility of otome games, I feel like more variety in otome games (customisation vs no customisation) is great for the whole community in that we all have more choices of what to play or not. I like the idea that more people are playing otome even if it's not the type of game I would play myself. Rise up otome fans!!

 

[ishibashi]

Yeah I feel like the scale of otome games is limiting in terms of "consequences" of choices if that makes sense. RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 (I'm obssessed) have so much reactivity in terms of character race, religion, backstory and selected choices which I miss in otome when it comes to customisation. I'm super excited for The Silent Kingdom tho (Early Access Otome RPG which reminds me of Fire Emblem) though.

Silent Kingdom is the best! I'm really excited for it as well!

I think I mostly see romantic VNs or romance options in RPGs as "like reading romance in a novel, but you can pick which one you want to see play out instead of just following 'The Designated Love Interest' that may not resonate with me", to be honest. I grew up rooting for the Losing RO in shoujo manga in the 80's lol. When done right, seeing these characters through multiple life trajectories also make them more multifaceted than one story can, too.

Also, hello another COG/HOG fan!

 

[lncogneato]

A fellow Choice of Games/Hosted Games fan! Haha I also love Twine interactive fiction, though it breaks my heart the number of WIPs that never get finished. (Replaying Shepherds of Haven for the billionth time and super glad that the author is so consistent with Patreon alpha updates). Back to otome though, sometimes I do find it hard to stop romancing the same RO again and again even though I told myself I wanted to try another route (and it's required for the "True Ending") simply because I love my faves (so I guess I also play otome the same way over and over haha )

Oh my gosh, a fellow SHoH lover . I was a patron around two years ago and am so happy to hear that Lena is still working on the IF. It's definitely one of my favorites alongside The Golden Rose (both Dragon Age-inspired if I recall correctly). I can't wait to play it in full.

I feel the same way about romancing the same RO! I love going through everyone's routes, but it is devastating on the soul to be aware of their inner turmoil while being on someone else's path. I felt it moreso in Winter's Wish: Spirits of Edo, where everyone just had depressing backstories and the MC couldn't be there to trigger the fix for it. That's why I have to take a little break before moving to the next route, haha!

 

[Fishish]

Oh what a fun question! its interesting to see what others have writen and how those answers relate or differ from my own! I play a mix of otome and BL titles as well as various other visual novel genres but I find I tend to interact with them all similarly akin to reading just a standard novel!

Romance with LI:
I dont tend to self insert with main characters but I do definitly think about their actions within the story to try and asign some character traits to them (kinda like a "does the character put up with a lot of bullshit?" "does this character tend to avoid confrontaitions or do they cause fights?") and then try and predict what other actions they may take throughout the story! This sometimes means I can get a bit spun out if a main characters personality kinda changes to suit who they are "romancing" when the game doest really set up a plot point to explain the change in behaviour XD. When a game allowes me to make a character apperance ill usually make whatever character I think looks cute! A lot of visual novels are pretty strict with what dialoge choices lead to what ending so its tough to kinda create a personality for the main character outside what has already been written and because of that I tend to prefer main characters with stronger characterisations and backstories rather than a "blank slate".

Morality:
Im a completionist so I generaly dont have many morality issues within games I play, even when making wrong choices I usualy enjoy seeing how the authors convey some of the darker themes within their stories and the potentual consiquences of a choice. Generally on a first playthrough of a game im always nicer than in subsequent playthroughs tho, play blind then fish for any endings I may of missed regardless of what I have to pick XD.

Customisation:
I havent played too many games within the genre that actually let you make many changes to the main character. Games outside of visual novels certainly have more to pick from in terms of molding faces. If given the option tho I just make whatever I think looks good! Same with names ill leave it default unless it makes me pick and I always sit there for too long trying to think of something not awful that will take me out of the game every time I read it.

LI types or preferences:
I tend to love the more silly types of characters! Humorous or dumb characters are usually my first pick but I never fully knock a character until I actually complete their route. I have been plesently surpised by characters multiple times either thinking I would love them and not getting much out of their story or the opposite where I put them off and they end up being my fav! I have the worst track record with headstrong or "tsundere" characters tho, a lot end up being quite predictable in the games ive played so they all feel like the same character just with a different "look". For look preferences I am once again unpredictable, if I think a character is ugly but I love them anyway its like schrodingers cute and I grow to love even how ugly they are XD.

 

[Artina]

Romance with the LI/ROs: Do you imagine yourself in the romantic situations with the LI/ROs? Or is it like watching a romantic drama for you?

- ALWAYS the watcher/third person POV type. One of the reasons why i find it bothersome when some games didn't provide "default" name or MC appearance(forced self-insert), that's why i always intriguing by how the creator designed their MC/LIs.
I'm the watcher type yes, but:

1. i don't like to choosing an option that hurt them esp. if they're ended as my fav LI. (ending up as incompleting their CG collection since i avoid bad ending at all cost for this)
2. i find it annoying a lot when MC is too dumb, easy to manipulated, indecisive or gets easily blushy even though the LI is treating them like a piece of trash. (one of the reason why yandere LIs sometimes wrecking my nerves) I rage quit if i can't stand on it anymore.

Morality: Do you separate the decisions you can make in-game from your IRL morality?

- No. But sometimes i can comprehend it if the situation is make sense for them to make "that" decision or the background story of certain character makes them to become like that. I like psychology genre so i got curious about their background story. that's the reason why i always ended up as playing a yandere otome games intentionally or unintentionally even though i prefer green flag LI more.

MC Customisation: Do you prefer more or less customization?

- I don't mind whether it has or not. Maybe it depends on the game type, if the games is like visual novel i prefer less customization instead. When customization exist, i tend to wasting a lot of times to customize my own character with the sims, stardew valley, god eater or story of seasons type of games, so i find it bothersome sometimes (laugh).

RO Types or Preferences: Do you think your fave RO tropes/types correspond to your IRL preferences?

- Sometimes. I like the humorous, kind and silly type as well as soft/gentle LIs (green flag FTW!). But yeah trust me there's a lot of twist in otome games that makes me surprise like..believe it or not majority of the character that i like ended up as haraguro albeit they're kind/soft person on the outside but in reality their real persona is more contrast than that. I irritating at it a lot but maybe i find that twist is kinda entertaining i guess? But maybe type of games teach us a lesson about something? (awkward laugh)

 

[celerybear]

I just started a new game yesterday, and the main character's default name is quite close to my own (legal, not celery haha), and I found it to be a turnoff because I prefer more distance from the MC. I was surprised to feel so strongly!

• Romance with the LI/ROs: Do you imagine yourself in the romantic situations with the LI/ROs? Or is it like watching a romantic drama for you?

100% romantic drama. I've never met an otome MC that acts anything like me, and I'm ok with that! I'd be a very boring MC lol. I also follow guides the whole way through because I'm prone to decision paralysis and don't have the time or energy to stumble around looking for best/good/bad ends.

• Morality: Do you separate the decisions you can make in-game from your IRL morality?

Yes, I'm fine with MC being morally grey! I do draw the line somewhere though, like in Disco Elysium (not otome), I couldn't bring myself to be racist toward Kim because I like his character a lot and also just don't want to be racist?? My general mentality is that I'm forced to deal with stupid decisions all the time for Plot Reasons, what's one more?

• MC Customisation: Do you prefer more or less customisation?

I don't self insert (no judgment for those who do), so I have no preference. I will say, I played an indie VN that had a huge selection of customizations, but then my (in game) family members looked nothing like me and I couldn't make any decisions that matched what I wanted my character to say. So I restarted the game and just made a character that looks like my family and looks like the kind of person that matches how the game wants me to behave. It was a hassle to start over, so I'd almost prefer fewer customizations in that scenario.

• RO Types or Preferences: Do you think your fave RO tropes/types correspond to your IRL preferences?

To an extent! I really like people who are deeply knowledgable/competent in their field. I also really like tsunderes. Takeru from CxM was the first LI that clicked with me, but he's truly incompatible with the MC so I didn't love the route as much as I could've. I also then accidentally dated someone like him IRL and found it is quite different in reality, unsurprisingly. I want to say my preference leaned more nurturing after that, but I think that was less intentional on my part and more that Takeru is such a rude asshole that it's hard to top that haha. My current irl partner is more of a puppy, and I find it works better for me long term. He does have quite strong gap moe (and would hate knowing that's how I describe him LOL).

 

[ninnikuryona]

hiiii i wanna participate too if thats okay^w^

• Romance with the LI/ROs: Do you imagine yourself in the romantic situations with the LI/ROs? Or is it like watching a romantic drama for you?
  im not a selfinserter usually.. but im not just a silent watcher too. i would say i combine the two? i always cheer for my mc and her (mis)adventures in love, but if i love a li a lot, i might imagine myself with him instead of the heroine.. if it makes sense....? still though, i never erase the mc from the story and just take her place, because oftentimes i end up liking the mc a lot more than lis;;;
  
  
• Morality: Do you separate the decisions you can make in-game from your IRL morality?
  always!!!!! i mean, even outside of otome, i read some dark messed up stuff, something i do NOT approve irl in any shape or form. fiction though? i think its all fine, since no one is being harmed (aside from my psyche i guess LOL). i can feel sad or disgusted with something, but i never equate it to real life. also im a completionist, so i would definitely choose every single dialogue option im handed haha;; cant be too picky about it
  
  
• MC Customisation: Do you prefer more or less customisation?
  i prefer no customization at all to be honest.. i love it when my mc is her own person, with her own design and personality (sorry for repeating myself w). as i mentioned before, im just as much of an mc simp as a lis simp, so i guess its only natural for me to feel that way! haha. now that i think of it, the only two otome with appearance customization ive played/read are amour sucre (or my candy love) and love and deepspace. with love and deepspace, i did create the mc according to my personal tastes, and she turned out to be soooo adorable that i spent more time taking pics of her than of all the lis combined;;;; not anymore though, since im not playing currently. waiting for the storm to pass and all that stuff..
  although now that i think of it, some very minimal customization specifically for selfinsert purposes (like skin colour) is fine, like with khywae's games. in her games, you dont even see your mc 90% of the time, so it doesnt really matter to me. if that makes sense?
  
  
• RO Types or Preferences: Do you think your fave RO tropes/types correspond to your IRL preferences?
  no, i dont think so. to be honest, im not even sure if i have a type irl HAHAHA, because im not really into romance stuff. irl at least (i do have some minor crushes here and there, but real people cant be shoved into -dere boxes, so i wouldnt count it). i love my romance manga and games and visual novels with burning passion though! besides, if my favourite li turns out to be a criminal or a rapist or something equally dark, i really doubt i would love a person like that irl. and unfortunately i do have a lot of "problematic" faves!
  
  
  by the way, i love your nikki pfp!!!!!!!! i also play nikki games, and its always nice to see other players in the wild:)

 

[TastySweet]

• Romance with the LI/ROs: Do you imagine yourself in the romantic situations with the LI/ROs? Or is it like watching a romantic drama for you?

I switch between being a self insert or a friend by the heroine side when I feel like it. I can imagine myself with the LIs or watch the heroine like a guardian angel.

• Morality: Do you separate the decisions you can make in-game from your IRL morality?

Fiction is fiction so I enjoy the chaos I make with my decisions , but I am against making the most immoral choices.

• MC Customisation: Do you prefer more or less customisation?

I like to be able to customize my character of course but sometimes I am lazy or overwhelmed when there is too much customization .

• RO Types or Preferences: Do you think your fave RO tropes/types correspond to your IRL preferences?

I love yandere and weird crazy LIs in fiction not IRL . I think it's funny I always end up with the youngest or tsundere LIs the first time I play otome games blind ( insert bad ends here too) I can't stand this anymore but I still like them anyway . IRL I like people who are very sweet and caring and stable mentally.

 

[1chi]

Romance with the LI: i don't usually associate myself with the MCs of japanese otome because my personality is often very different from theirs, but i still expect them to act the way i would, even if it's not their style, so i get really angry when that doesn't happen. i'd say i'm more of an watcher, but i don't treat MCs the same way i treat LI: i think of them as my silly daughters or something like that

Morality: i really didn't like the fact that in ayakashi gohan i had to be rude to gin to get the human route, so no i generally have a big problem with making "evil" choices. i've played baldur's gate four times and EVERY TIME i chose the "good" path. however, if the MC does something bad in the story, that's fine! the most important thing is that i didn't push her to do this

MC Customisation: usually, when an otome has customization, it means the MC most likely won't be in CGs. i don't really like this, and i rarely play such otome

RO Types or Preferences: i'm not even sure i have a type i usually like completely different LIs, and it depends on how the writers present them and how the MC reacts to them (for example, i don't like kyrie from ozmafia, but i probably would have liked him if fuka had treated him differently). but i can say for sure that in real life and in otome games, i hate womanizers

 

[plumtree]

This sometimes means I can get a bit spun out if a main characters personality kinda changes to suit who they are "romancing" when the game doest really set up a plot point to explain the change in behaviour XD.

Deciding MC personality via choices like (did MC spend more time doing X hobby or Y hobby) or a personality quiz makes way more sense to me than only having route choice affect MC personality. I think it's okay if it's made clear that the MC is gradually being influenced by spending time with the RO so it comes off as character growth.

LI types or preferences:
I tend to love the more silly types of characters! Humorous or dumb characters are usually my first pick but I never fully knock a character until I actually complete their route. I have been plesently surpised by characters multiple times either thinking I would love them and not getting much out of their story or the opposite where I put them off and they end up being my fav!

Haha, I'm actually the opposite in that I don't usually go for humorous/comedic characters first...but I've also gotten surprised by how much I've enjoyed their routes (I found Red from Nameless ~ The One You Must Recall ~ super annoying at first but then I ended up getting super attached due to plot reveals and how devoted he turns out to be. Really made me tear up

sdgvajdajs Schrodinger cute I'm gonna steal that one, I guess love really is the best beauty filter

 

[plumtree]

- I don't mind whether it has or not. Maybe it depends on the game type, if the games is like visual novel i prefer less customization instead. When customization exist, i tend to wasting a lot of times to customize my own character with the sims, stardew valley, god eater or story of seasons type of games, so i find it bothersome sometimes (laugh).

dsajhsaj I feel like I spend more time in the Sims character creator than actually playing Doesn't help that I download so many appearance and clothes custom content/mods...

 

[plumtree]

I just started a new game yesterday, and the main character's default name is quite close to my own (legal, not celery haha), and I found it to be a turnoff because I prefer more distance from the MC. I was surprised to feel so strongly!

Oooh yeah that would make me feel awkward too...or even if a side character had a similar/the same name...

I don't self insert (no judgment for those who do), so I have no preference. I will say, I played an indie VN that had a huge selection of customizations, but then my (in game) family members looked nothing like me and I couldn't make any decisions that matched what I wanted my character to say. So I restarted the game and just made a character that looks like my family and looks like the kind of person that matches how the game wants me to behave. It was a hassle to start over, so I'd almost prefer fewer customizations in that scenario.

Never had to happen to me but I get it, I've played indie VNs where you can customise the MC names and it ends up being really jarring because I chose a cultural first name and/or last name and family members have pre-set names that don't fit at all. Really breaks the immersion for me


Also competence is very attractive, I agree hehe

 

[plumtree]

haha. now that i think of it, the only two otome with appearance customization ive played/read are amour sucre (or my candy love) and love and deepspace.

oh wow My Candy Love what a throwback, I used to play too! Until it started feeling like you had to use Action Points (AP) to breathe...

The game would say: You need to find so-and-so character and you would have to click around for ages because the characters only show up randomly ...

Lysander was my bae too and he didn't show up in the sequel game so I gave up

Nothing wrong with being a MC simp, those girlies deserve love and appreciation too!! Shoutout to my sweeties Cardia from Code Realize and literal goddess Lynette from CupiPara

Fellow stylist!! I'm also very happy to run into another Nikki fan