Why Hide the Main Character

[DragonmasterX]

It seems like many visual novels don't show the whole body of the main character. For instance, I don't recall seeing Yukito's face often, if ever, in the Air game. But you always see him in the Air anime. In Clannad, there are a few CGs where you can see the parts of his body, but his face is never shown. In Utawarerumono, I got an idea of what the hero looked like because of the sprite used during battles.

Do the developers purposely try to hide the face of the protagonist?

[AstCd2]

The whole 'no face' thing dates back to the days when the protagonists were deliberately poorly-defined so that players could imagine themselves in their place.

Nowadays, it seems more popular to have protagonists with personality, so you're more likely to see their faces in CGs (at least the ones outside H-scenes).

To Air's credit, you can see Yukito's face in both the CGs and his tachie during the 'Air' chapter of the game.

[Nanatuha]

<strike>Imaging to mix dating-sim with the another "no face" genre FPS.

Protagonist is displayed on screen only with bare hands. Heavily armed heroines are in front of him.

S-shoot me! HARDER!! (((゜Д゜;))) *pant* *pant* </strike>



It's a way of expression in which to urge player's empathy.

Faceless and/or nameable = higher synchro rate.

I love how Ever17 actually used the noface thing to its advantage.

> Faceless and/or nameable = higher synchro rate.

Nameable sucks for us westerners though.
I always just use the default name, because my real name is some impossibly long string of katakana that inevitably sounds stupid... :(

[Misu]

Originally Posted by Nanatuha

<strike>Imaging to mix dating-sim with the another "no face" genre FPS.

Protagonist is displayed on screen only with bare hands. Heavily armed heroines are in front of him.

S-shoot me! HARDER!! (((゜Д゜;))) *pant* *pant* </strike>

That was just... so utterly.... wrong..... T__T

[F.I.A]

The 主人公 is faceless in general so that the player can relate himself to him, as in a form of roleplaying.

Or let's just say that the artist cannot do decent in drawing gujys(Kanon has no guy characters last I recall). Or let's just say that most of the time, players want all the bishoujos and no guys in the game.

[Misu]

Originally Posted by F.I.A

Or let's just say that the artist cannot do decent in drawing gujys(Kanon has no guy characters last I recall). Or let's just say that most of the time, players want all the bishoujos and no guys in the game.

Well, there was always Kitagawa...
But I guess he might not have enough of a backbone or purpose in the game to be called a man! XD

[F.I.A]

Originally Posted by Misu

Well, there was always Kitagawa...
But I guess he might not have enough of a backbone or purpose in the game to be called a man! XD

Oh crap, to think that I score another hit on Kitagawa's depression. I totally forgot about his existence!

[Message]

At least he's got a name... Think of the poor taiyaki stall owner!

I really don't hope the roleplay thing was the direction School Days was trying for.

I know someone who bought the saw to live out his fantasies...

[Agilis]

Originally Posted by rodan

I really don't hope the roleplay thing was the direction School Days was trying for.

Being the protagonist of School Days isn't all That bad... being wishy-washy, indeceisive, and an all-around slut that somehow gets just to pick at random from a stable of girls....

Sure there's the risk of a kitchen knife to the stomach, but only if you didn't have the brains to want two girls at once. >.>

[Spiritsnare]

Originally Posted by Misu

That was just... so utterly.... wrong..... T__T

...I concur...

...Especially when you get to later levels and you pick up better...weapons...