Death to John Doe!

TheDespaxas

TheDespaxas

Really Really Experienced
I Made this inflammatory post to remind people that you can leave the customized name system AND pick a default name for your hero.

It's awesome to want to let someone pick the name they want, but please have mercy and set another default name once in a while.

I can't read a story about John Doe so it forces me to go set a name each time I want to skim the first chapters of a story to see if it is any good.

So why not finding a cool name AND giving those that don't like it the possibility of changing it?
 
Thank you for this PSA.

Honestly I don't like selecting names for other people's stories. It breaks immersion in its own way. When a character doesn't have their own name, it feels like I'm not reading about a person who is their own entity, described by the following story.

But when its john doe I have to put *something* in - that name breaks immersion even more.

If you create a character, with their own personality, give them a name.
 
Loeman said:
Thank you for this PSA.

Honestly I don't like selecting names for other peoples stories. It breaks immersion in its own way. It feels like the character doesn't have their own name, that I'm not reading about a person who is their own entity, described by the following story. But when its john doe I have to put *something* in - that name breaks immersion even more.
Click to expand...
I Knew I wasn't alone, I knew it!

An idea could be to have 4 or 5 names and surname and pick them at random if the author doesn't fill any name. And while John could be kept Doe wouldn't.
 
Ye have my ax! I'll see that scurrilous rogue split from stem to stern!

(It's hard to pick a good default name sometimes though: I find myself writing a lot of "Robin"'s...)
 
Yeah, I am also weird in that I don't really like stories where I have to customize the names.
 
I Would never do it if it wasn't for the John Doe stories. If the author picks a name I go with it. But John Doe has to die.
 
Back when I was just a lurker I loved the custom stories because they made it feel more like it was really ME in that situation, but these days I am less fond of them.

Something about having the account surname "of Utopia"...
 
This sort of thing also ticks me off. It's almost as bad as when the story preview says that it takes place in the POV of "both" genders, but then suddenly it turns out the main protag is either a dude (mostly) or a chick (rarely).
 
Jizzrar said:
This sort of thing also ticks me off. It's almost as bad as when the story preview says that it takes place in the POV of "both" genders, but then suddenly it turns out the main protag is either a dude (mostly) or a chick (rarely).
Click to expand...


Eh, the name thing is way more invasive in the story. 'Both' could simply be the main author optimistically leaving room for other contributors to have options. Even if not, it doesn't affect readability, only expectations.
 
I don't think it's the first name that's the main issue. It's really the last name "Doe" which is just gawd awful.
 
Its a problem if the writer doesn't set it up. Otherwise you can have a girl called John.
With a unisex name it would save the writer a little bit of work if they want to have both male and female paths.

Ashley
Cameron
Carter
Casey
Hayden
Jamie
Jessie
 
Last name options:
  • Chyoa
  • name of the theme they choose (incest, mind control, etc...)
  • Doe
  • force author to write name (decreases chance of Doe)
await response...
 
OK, I give you Jamie, but the other two are stage names, they don't count.

(I also note you didn't dispute Ashley or Jessy/Jessie...)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top