Does playing as a certain character automatically make you empathetic toward them?

[StaceyPowers]

I notice if I spend any time at all playing as a particular character, I automatically am more likely to try and understand/empathize with them than if I didn’t—even if they subsequently do something awful. Do you have the same experience?

[Withywarlock]

I get where you're coming from and to an extent, I agree. Playing as that character might give me more time to appreciate why they do something, even if I disagree with their actions. However, there's times where a character might do something so aggrevating that I care more about it because I've spent so much time reaching that point, that it feels a waste. Had I not played the character, I wouldn't care as much to get worked up about it. It's why World of Warcraft fans have been up in arms with every patch lately: the faction they've been part of for years, possibly over a decade, has consistently undone so much work players have worked to achieve, and they're powerless to do anything except sit by and hope it gets fixed next time.

I understand why someone may learn something from playing a character for themselves. I can also appreciate how someone can feel baffled at best, and horrified at worst by what they're subject to.

[killamch89]

Playing as a video game character for any extended period of time will lead to you trying to put yourself in their shoes to justify their actions or at least try to. It's innate for us - it's almost the same thing with having pets. After a while, you try to understand why they may react a certain way towards a particular situation.

[Heatman]

In most cases where I shape a character in my personality, it definitely do take a toll on me when I get to play it too often and most likely get into acts that are low if I should use that analysis. 

[Reality vs Adventure]

For me not really. I play to survive using the character but could care less what happens to them if I'm not connected to them. Humans in real life have an aura about them that attracts you or repels you. Same thing happens when a character is given life, it also brings with it traits you may not be able to bond with. Or something just doesn't sit right with you. That is why character customization is important. It's not so important when there is no emphasis on the character such as in games you don't see too much or hear too much of them. Although customization won't change their dialogue, but at least they won't look like some asshole. A shallow poorly made character without knowing much about them brings a poor response in empathy I have in regards to whatever happens to them in the story.  

[Heatman]

The only kind of character that I can't really control my feelings about them is one's that ends up sacrificing themselves for the greater cause. I dot on such characters big time. 

[Head_Hunter]

When we are controlling a particular character it means that we are going to replicate his or her actions in-game. We'll carry the actions of the character, by making sure everything moves as planned for the character by defending em against the enemies. 

[Heatman]

On 9/15/2021 at 2:26 AM, killamch89 said:

Playing as a video game character for any extended period of time will lead to you trying to put yourself in their shoes to justify their actions or at least try to. It's innate for us - it's almost the same thing with having pets. After a while, you try to understand why they may react a certain way towards a particular situation.

I think that it's actually a very normal thing to do when you can't seem to find another character to replace a certain character that you're used to playing with. 

[The Blackangel]

There is a game I play a lot, where the protagonist dies in the end. After playing as that protagonist, in a world gone crazy, I actually cried. I felt like I had lost a piece of myself that I have spent the last damn near 40 years searching for. But, since I can easily just start playing the game again, I can always get back to that protagonist.

I'm giving no names of any kind because I don't like spoilers, and even though it's an old game, there may be someone here who develops an inquisitive mind and decides they want to check it out.

But, either way, when all is said and done, I love being a classic gamer.

[Justin11]

I've watched a movie where the main character died, another has to take the lead role and deliver what's expected. In games we die many times using the main protagonist, we can still swap roles using another as the main character. 

[Head_Hunter]

No matter how I play a game I can't get crazy enough because a major character being arrogant in the game I'm not a kid anymore. When I was a kid I love to cosplay a game character lol. 

[Heatman]

On 9/25/2021 at 7:05 PM, The Blackangel said:

There is a game I play a lot, where the protagonist dies in the end. After playing as that protagonist, in a world gone crazy, I actually cried. I felt like I had lost a piece of myself that I have spent the last damn near 40 years searching for. But, since I can easily just start playing the game again, I can always get back to that protagonist.

I'm giving no names of any kind because I don't like spoilers, and even though it's an old game, there may be someone here who develops an inquisitive mind and decides they want to check it out.

But, either way, when all is said and done, I love being a classic gamer.

There are some people who experience such as well, even in movies they watch too. Once the lead protagonist suffers a lot, they start crying 😢.