ps. Just to use an obvious BG3 example, Larian's modelling artists clearly have the tools to make a Wyll or a Shadowheart, or whatever specific concept they might have in mind. But they will then keep that under lock and key as a show-off piece, such that the random player couldn't make such a character with the in game tools provided. Unless they are unlocking and unpacking stuff in mods. But its basically like being given a Lego set with all the shitty pieces and told to go to town, all the while staring at a pile with the really good pieces sitting across the other side of the table, where we can't reach. That idea. They want to be the artists, instead of making us feel like the artists, if that makes sense. All MMOs seem to do this as well, though they tend to provide more base options. I think an inverse approach taken to heart, would be an immediate hit for the ages. Where the game lets us be the artist, to create whatever look we can conjure up in the imagination, which is basically what PnP play amounts too, since nobody ever has a portrait really. Unless they like to draw, or know someone who does. But every player wants the same I think. They want to be the artist. A game can let this happen and encourage it, but usually they hold stuff in reserve and don't give up the tools of the trade. Or maybe its just way harder to build than I might think? But I think they should hire a series of modelling and 2D artists, and then have them build out a toolset/design suite for the Character creator in a way that's new-user friendly. There's a reason we all aren't modelling in Maya or Unity or Unreal or whatever the cutting edge iteration might be. What the casual player needs is basically a version of multiple choice design, where the tools are intuitive and the labelling easily understood, but where ALL the choices are cool. Because they were selected/curated for inclusion in the first place. Really trying to avoid the usual, which is like 2 cool, 2 passing fair, 2 middling, 2 ugly. Plug that in to whatever, be it heads or armor sets etc, that's usually what we get. Kinda falls short. I just want a bigger box of crayons. Comparing the BG3 character creator to the Pathfinder one, I'm just left feeling how neither is really the ticket, and it could be so much more. Maybe in the next decade I guess
My head kinda exploded reading this so please bear with me if my reply seems incoherent.
The impression I got playing Solasta and continuing further into Dungeon of the Mad Mage tabletop campaign was that there would be immense opportunity in a game that was literally just a DnD tabletop module in a very detailed multiplayer video game format. The structure of Dungeon of the Mad Mage especially seems like it'd be very conducive to such a thing. Basically, Roll20 converted into a video game engine. From what little research I've done, the Neverwinter Nights 2 modding/multiplayer scene operates off of a similar concept, and it has endured for that reason.
Like there are arguments to be made in that BG3's single player aspects is being held back by its multiplayer focused design, both narratively and mechanically. But perhaps the same could be true of the other way around. One can easily argue that the entirety of Solasta should have been a multiplayer game from the beginning too, with its focus on a custom party and the combat mechanics.
