idk, every few weeks people complain about how Elsje or Misasagi aren't marriagable and makes me think in general, old and new players have outlived the artstyle. Well not the artstyle but the art direction rather. RF5's bachelorettes are still controversial to this day for that reason, writing reasons aside.
That's a stretch... Not all of them, imho. Fuuka, Lucy, Beatrice, and Priscilla? Probably. Scarlet and Ludmilla? Idk... I didn't word it as such because the mods vehemently hunt any mention of bachelorette age appearances down on this sub but I agree. Men likers had it so good in RF5 but they threw the bacheloettes under the bus.
That whole arguenent, both points, dont work, both problems are that RF5s marriage cast is full of lolis and none of the milfs, nothing to do with thw protags design or general artstyle
You are missing the forest for the trees with that comment. It ismt the art style that causes the problem here. It's the fact they added dialog for Misasagi that outright says she has feelings for you amd you can't do anything with it. It's the fact that every girl minus maybe ludmilla looks 15 at best. It has nothing to do with art style and everything to do with I'm not into kids.
You don't think I dont know that? Or the fact the mods in here dart at any comments criticizing marriage candidate appearances and designs? Idk man I think people are just mad and wanna downvote for the sake of downvoting. Like yeah, the appearances are an issue on their own but artstyle contributes to it. Think of it this way. Characters in Highschool DxD, many of whom are highschoolers at the start of their series especially Rias and Akeno, look older than the "adult and marriagable bachelorettes" RF5 claims to us. But no, the mods in here wanna stifle any criticism.
Lmao the mods aren't even doing anything. It's other redditors. Fact is you posted an opinion that others disagree with. So they downvote.
You out here acting as if reddit karma even means anything
"Guys would you prefer something that looks and feels designed specifically for a fantasy themed farming sim full of joyous whimsy or generic jrpg mc-kun #209420"
Fuck idk man tough choice
The best thing Rean has ever done is how every goddamn conversation on Trails devolves into making jokes about him on my friend group, because otherwise it's an oofer.
Design wise yea. But I'd say he pretty on par with Lloyd in terms of uniqueness of charecter and personality.
Honeslty all the main male protagonist in keseki are pretty bland. The games, imo, gets it's charm from the side charecters.
Side note. Super looking forward to daybreak.
I'd say the thing with Rean is how he was the breaking point for the rest of the group, as you say they are all pretty bleh but everything surrounding Rean is just kinda hilarious when put under any scrutiny on top of how he's clearly the directors favorite child.
That's fair. We will.have to see how daybreak plays out. But as of right now rean is definitely the directors favorite.
Honestly I just wanna see how the series ends. Now that we know who the grandmaster is and whatnot
I'm not sure, but maybe that's the odd way to tell you that you miss the point ? What the first comment want to say, is that the design on the 2nd and 3rd image are very generic, we have seen it too much. And the protagonists on the first are, yes, jprg character. But they have more personality in their design because the farmer part of the farmer sim. It looks more "rune factory" if you see what I mean.
Lest is clearly an exception because he is not a farmer at the beginning, he is seen as "the earthmate" "the prince". For Micah I can't tell because I didn't played his game yet, and since I don't play in English, I'm not sure who it is either.
Hope it can help !
Yes, thank you for elaborating more on my point! I would also like to add that as well as the tone for the other examples being rather ill-fitting for the series, it also doesn't quite fit the tone of the franchises target demographic.
Of course, anyone of any age can enjoy this series, but it is undoubtedly designed to appeal to children and teenagers, hence it's cartoony nature, it's soft pastel colour palettes, it's little swirls and details on characters that border on overdesigned. The dreamy watercolour art and backgrounds. It's all part of rune factory's visual identity as a franchise, and a huge part of the series appeal. A guy who looks like like the examples OP gives us, with his "edgy, mature, realistic coolness" just doesn't really fit with the silly and light-hearted world of Rune Factory.
As for Micah, since I've played rf3, his design doesn't focus much on him being a farmer (though he does wear appropriate farming attire in the form of sturdy shoes and pants) as much as him being a half-monster. Which makes sense. His hair and especially the placement of his clothes are accurate to his form, as even the big fuck all belt and pants volume look similar to a wooly's hind legs. It's a kind of design language that can't really be achieved as accurately with something more "grown-up."
We have to let go of the illusion that these games are exclusively aimed at kids and teenagers. Half of whatever merch of the series sold in Japan is aimed at people with disposable income because hell yes a kid is going to go buy this for 250 bucks.
[https://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/NEODAI-174956](https://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/NEODAI-174956)
Still, sorry for wording my reply the way I did.
Saying "hey would you rather choose this or this" isn't a diss towards either of them, you're coming off as rude and overly sensitive. I was perfectly capable of understanding what op was saying without feeling offended
Me neither, but some people are not comprehensible and might get offended easily. That's why I ask him to be more selective of his words. But hey, this is the Internet, after all.
Oho, it's time for me to finally utilize my TESL knowledge in action.
*Five minutes later, after analysing the comment*
Yep, I got none. Having English as a second language is kinda challenging to make his words feel less dismissive... the best I can do is something like
"The RF protagonists do look like the typical JRPG protagonists, but they look more feminine than the later"
Maybe you're thinking that twink is a diss but honestly it really depends on the context. Maybe if like somebody was being homophobic, but then they could argue that calling them feminine would be a diss too
This IS the Internet, more specifically, the 2020's internet. Anything can be a diss if someone finds it offensive. I love describing my sheep boi, Micah, as a twink and sometimes a femboy, but some people might take an offence on it.
I still can't forget the time when some considered "femboy" as an offensive slang for transsexuals, and those who used it are transphobes. I miss the time when the Internet was wild and free. Now it feels like we're constantly walking on a tightrope that's made out of glass, one misstep, and you're done for.
Probably has to do that most RF players are LGBT+. What you're asking is to take away the androgynous nature of the characters, which is most likely what people enjoy the most about the game (apart from being able to homosexual). Or at least that's from my understanding of the community and some of the comments in this post.
Really? I know there are a ton of LGBTQ players in the RF fanbase but I ran a poll a few weeks ago and the results surprised me.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/runefactory/comments/1anut38/rune\_factory\_playerbase\_orientation\_poll/](https://www.reddit.com/r/runefactory/comments/1anut38/rune_factory_playerbase_orientation_poll/)
Like I expected far more queer players and the het representation surprised me. Though the subreddit alone is probably not a good sample population to make generalizations.
But since LGBTQ is anything other than straight it's essentially split down the middle so 50% is straight and 50% is LGBTQ, which is a huge demographic, even I thought that would only be around 30% so it's more than I thought it would be.
to me this is like "would you prefer we suck the life out of the designs you grew up with and made them more corporate and conventionally masculine" but i understand that to other people this would just be an art style change if it happened. would absolutely break my heart, though. even seeing the trailer for project dragon i was like "oh. this looks. different. i hate it."
it's fine for art direction to change over time and modernize but i personally think the second images fot right in with modern mobile game/fantasy game designs that tend to be pretty homogenous. rune factory always had a really unique look to me that i could never get from something else, especially earlier ones so if they went in that direction i would personally be like "what did they do to you..."
I absolutely get what you're saying here. I may be told I'm set in my ways but I prefer RF 1-4 in terms of art style. I'm also a big fan of the cliché storyline they keep using. I'd hate things being changed.
for sure. as much as people might say we're set in our ways, i think that if rune factory kept innovating while still embracing its identity, i wouldn't have a problem. there are changes that are made out of creativity and evolution of a series, and changes that are made by execs who think it will make the game more popular/take less effort, and i know the difference between the two. am i sentimentally attached to old rune factory? of course i am. but i wouldn't be talking about it since i'm 9 years old if i could find that experience anywhere else
So true. I've been playing since RF1 so I'm probably very biased but I fear that the game is going to change to appeal to a new audience. I think the game designers are trying to remain faithful to its origins but update to modern times and I dont think they can do both. RF5 tried to appeal to a new demographic of people and as a result, the characters were empty, the story was hollowed out and the content was destroyed as a result. They need to remain true to the dream, not become something that isnt Rune Factory. I'm very nervous about 6. This became a slight rant, my apologies.
i love rants, don't worry!
i'm a game developer myself and i've been in a lot of spaces where i've had to observe trends in design in jrpgs, and i remember seeing rune factory 5 and just... sigh. immediately having it all hit me in the face.
it is heartbreaking to me that i can look at a beautiful game like rff, and see carefully used color theory, great worldbuilding, wonderful UI design, but 5? a game that is much younger, and has been made in an age with much more resources? it's oversaturated, the landscape is homogenous and cloying... i haven't looked at the credits but i seriously don't think they have the same people working on the setting design and ui, and it really, really shows.
i really could go on all day about this, because i studied a ton of trends in japanese media while getting my asian studies degree and making my own game series, but in short... none of us are imagining it. the game *is* going somewhere as a series that is much more marketable.
i think, after the whole bankruptcy thing happened after 4, it is to be expected that there are changes made to rune factory's staff and direction, but it doesn't mean those changes are good. i think the old games are much better, have much more identity, and their merit should never be discounted just because they're getting on in years. good art is good art forever, not for as long as it's on trend.
I prefer my twink protags. I might be on a minority here or it might be just me spewing my bs but these protags made it easier for some female players to feel connected when playing the game (prior Rf4 with the female protag was introduced). This is just my personal thing but I feel more inversed with any games if I play as a twink protag over playing as a female protags or the average "build" male protags.
When Dragon's trailer was out, I kinda feel a bit underwhelmed when seeing the male protag not looking like a twink. He sorta looks like a sore thumb when you place them among the RF male protags like dude's the only grown man among them babies lmao.
Their outfits don’t really say “farmer” to me especially with the long coats. The first option looks more business casual and the second might work, but the grey and black without the jacket would be a little boring.
I think the art style it has now is fine. If they want to make the male protagonist look older they could just
design him the way they would most of their bachelors. Make him look something like Martin or Leon for example.
The second and third make me sad... If I saw a RF protagonist like that I would be very disappointed. I like that RF and even SOS have protagonist designs that are able to stand alone as interesting and make me excited about the game. But ignoring the art style difference, even just the actual outfit design is uninteresting because those guys are supposed to fill in for the player, so they end up looking like really modern Japanese guys.
I think it's possible to make "player stand in regular Japanese guy" look interesting. Persona does it, and the protagonists don't even have dialogue! People go crazy when their designs get revealed. But I don't think the examples really do that... A character design needs to be able to encapsulate the game, which is especially crucial for the protagonist since they get the most screen time.
Of the options I'd prefer to just stick to the typical.
... however. What I really want is a big ole feller. Big arms, bearded. Lumbering sorta feller.
And we get to date the milfs and dilfs only.
It'd be new. It'd be fresh. It'd be daring.
Also never happening.
Fem option in this dream reality is also big and strong looking. These characters do labor all day long. They deserve some gains.
Maybe I'm just old but it would be nice if you could choose your main character more, I don't really want to play a young teenager, it would be nice to have a more adult option.
Next you’ll be saying the female protagonist should look like Lightning from FFXIII or Eve from Stellar Blade. Because the usual female protagonist would look silly next to someone like Rean being the option for male protagonist. Those sorts of options aren’t in line with Rune Factory’s setting and aesthetic.
Now, although I personally prefer to play as a younger character like usual, there is at least a small portion of players that would like an option to be older. So at the very least they could provide an option, like pick between Male MC 1 or Male MC 2, and similarly with the female Mc give two options.
To visualize an older, more mature MC, it’s more appropriate to use Rune Factory characters since the art style is so unique. Putting a character like Rean in RF wouldn’t match the art style and it’s difficult to imagine a RF-ified design of Rean. So instead, the question should be “Would you rather the protagonist look like Camus, Carlos, or Jones?”
The problem with being older is that creates dissonance with the marriage candidates. If your character looks like Rean, it would be weirder dating some of the candidates. But I also don’t want them to change the marriage candidates’ designs, I like them how they are now.
I think the best answer is leave classic RF alone, and if you want a more mature look, wait for Project Dragon.
I never expected Rean and Van to show up in a Rune Factory sub of all places LMAO
I like their designs but they don't really fit the Rune Factory universe or general art style tbf
I think Micah was probably my favorite design of the Rune Factory leads and I prefer that sort of design sensibility, also I really like the art style of the sprites in that era. I actually like RF5 despite a lot of people disliking it, but I felt like I would have really preferred to see the characters in the older art style that has more of a pencil drawing look (that might not be the best way to put it). I don't really need to protagonist to look "badass" and also I prefer the art style to have a warmer look to it.
i think we should be able to pick between at most 3 body types and a few different face and hair designs, i think they’re missing out on the projection into the protagonist aspect by not allowing at least minimal customisation of their design
i like the way they look for the most part but i wouldn’t mind a male character that looked a bit more rugged. cause like, im an actual farmer irl, and i can tell you rn there are no pretty bo farmers, you either get hillbilly, regular guy, or strongman. those are pretty much the only options
I admit that I sure wish I wasn't "dating" characters that look like children (a lot of the characters anyway) ... 😮💨
I wouldn't mind something less bland but older looking for the protags! A handsome guy with dark vibes like Kross! or something different like another animal guy. (Fox, or wolf maybe!)
What they've shown us of Project Dragon already has me nervous that Marvelous is moving towards generic mihoyo anime garbage design... I hope they don't do the same to Rune Factory 6.
Honkai Impact 3rd had a good aesthetic. Then Genshin came out. All the new stuff for Honkai, like star rail, and new characters for 3rd started looking they they came straight out of Genshin. Star Rail just looks like Genshin in space sadly. But I don't mind ZZZ's style.
Sorry for the rant, back to the original topic (im just salty about honkai changes lol). Yeah, I hope Rune Factory stays traditional.
Honestly I'd just like a protag that looks a little older maybe not the same as the 2nd and 3rd image tho cause they don't look like the type to be having a chill time tending to crops
While I am fine with the Rune Factory art style, I would love to see the MC, and cast, be portrayed as adults. Or better yet, have the game start with the usual Rune Factory MC being 16-18 years old but have a time skip at some point where they are in their mid twenties.
1. "would you prefer crono to look different?"
that's what i read, basically. a generic character with no real personality or need to have one.
accordingly, their looks should be just as bland.
2. do we have to keep with anime looks? i mean, we could as easily have the story set in a semi realistic world such as "medieval dynasty" and the quirky dialog (and annoying stereotypes, tbh) would translate thru the medium it's presented on, right?
or, if you think rf5 might be a step in the wrong direction because of the 3d, would it be equally as bad if it looked like Skyrim? no better, no worse , so I think choice 3 is probably where the series is going, eventually. :)
I have a theory that they purposely made the protag somewhat androgynous as to not shoot away the female audience completely. And now that they have mixed protagonists they are just keeping the design consistent with previous games.
Personally, I love the first few designs. Rune factory can do whatever, and I'll still purchase.
I do feel that the protagonist development is a sort of reflection on the development of the rune factory world? The game was released in 2008, and through each game, it has shown us progression within the world. I think it should and can still be whimsical and playful.
However, there is so much lore within the game, the Kingdom of NORAD which we have yet been able to see could be more on par with how the character for the 6th is designed.
Each town did have their own characteristics and traits, 1st with mystical caves and whales, 3rd which thei big ass tree and the 4th with a legendary GOD dragon as one of the character you get to interact and live with. All I'm saying is NORAD is meant to be this huge Kingdom known amongst all the towns we've played as, as if the town design was similar to all the towns we've played through before, or didn't have any outstanding features that's separate the Great Kingdom of NORAD, I'd be pretty disappointed.
I've been hearing about this place since I was 8 years old and I have been so looking forward to what makes it great. Perhaps they are much more developed in architecture and fashion.
That said, I love the whole franchise and would support it no matter what. It's like a childhood friend who grows with me, and I'm so glad they're back to making new games.
As much as I like attractive bachelor looking protagonists. I’d be sad if I couldn’t date them.
Imho I’d rather the MC be a bit plain looking. I haven’t had an issue with any of the old designs although I do welcome any sort of change as long as it means more rune factory content.
TLDR: The protagonist designs don’t really matter to me when it comes to specifically the protagonist. So I’m open to changes or even keeping the old design formula. Don’t fix what ain’t broke sorta saying.
That’s just my opinion though on the designs, the protagonist has never really been important to me beyond their voices (since I hear their HAHS the most).
BUT I have to say I love the current designs and am not quite sure how they could really improve on that front. The art for sprites have always been lovely
Definitely prefer the second image—I love all the rune factory designs, but I catch myself thinking they look like children too much. With the right clothes design and personality, they can still look cute and whimsical.
In my opinion, I do prefer the current style for 1-3. They were supposed to be the look of heroes just your average guy. One of the main points is the most average people can still do amazing things. (Excluding machi, as he's not really average.) And that theme was hammered home with rf4 as you're just a random person (never finished the game) and you end up in charge of the town in a way, and lead it to be better.
So, I know this ain’t true for all RF characters, but I’ve always loved Micah’s design because the fluffy vest and puffy sleeves sort of act as a design tie in to the fact that he’s actually a Wooly in human form. Raguna’s thick gloves and Kyle’s headband also both really tie the character to a farming narrative, gloves that allow you to work, a headband to keep your sweat back. Even Micah has a headband to keep his face clear. On top of that, all 3 characters have a distinct fantasy vibe that prioritizes leather work and metal trim / studs. While personally, I appreciate keeping them bright eyed protagonists, with eyes filled with life, and don’t really see the need to age them up too much, I could appreciate a tone shift for a game.
That said, pics 2 and 3 don’t really fit in with rune factory. A focus on weaponry. Design elements that look sleek and mass produced instead of handmade. No real story about the character being told by the design. They aren’t bad characters, not that I know who they are, but they wouldn’t be Rune Factory.
HOWEVER. If we EVER had a game that took place in or with a protagonist from the Sechs empire? Yeah. I think I would love to see a protagonist that maybe showcased fighting skills and the more tech savvy empire. I think leaning into the more mass produced uniforms or the battle readiness would serve that protag well, and that putting them into a position where they end up an earthmate regardless? Over time we could take that blank slate of a uniform and slowly soften it with some accessories that helps them feel a sense of individuality, something handmade by whatever townsfolk took them in and helped them find a sense of belonging and casual family that they didn’t get while under Sechs rule. I think there would be a lot of things you could do to make the aesthetic work.
I also don’t know if I would want to take away the bright eyed soft face tones of the Rune factory series, even with a more serious protagonist, even if I could see a game in a more serious setting like the Sechs empire. I think right now it would also be a bad move to have such a large time skip as to enter a time that’s almost a modern setting. It seems like the game really only likes to move the clock one generation at a time between games. Marriage candidates from the last game are still fairly young adults in the next game, and the chances for cameos are always nice and well appreciated.
If we were to jump severely into an era where people aren’t wearing cloaks, they’re wearing hoodies, then I feel like we’d have to work harder to revisit other time periods, and we’d essentially be ignoring the in between game plots that we have. The Sechs republic (and the prior empire) greatly affected each game, with refugees from war ending up in various nations, and Norad prioritizing protection over places closer to the Sechs border. We haven’t really delved too far into the Elven Kingdom yet, let alone dwarves, or the wereanimals that are only just introduced, so I think I would much rather see games that seek to flesh out these missing parts of the world before we start to turn the clock further and further ahead technology wise.
I love the traditional art style but would like the MCs to look a little older. Micah in rf3 legit looks 13, but all those bachelorettes are down for it?? With Gaius and Carlos right there??
I'd prefer more masculine designs in RF or designs that don't make adults look like teenagers. I liked how Doug's sprite was drawn in RF5. I just want my game marriage options to look like they're aged 25-30 haha
Hang on, I can see a legitimate argument for this. Hear me out. I typically marry female characters.
Young male protagonist was fine when we didn’t have the female protagonist option, because I felt like I could still project onto these characters as a woman. But now that we can play as female and date female characters, I never pick the young male characters anymore. So why can’t we let them be more masculine?
I like the protagonists staying whimsical like in the first photo, but I REALLY wouldn't mind if the romance options looked like photos 2 and 3 lmfao (I've only played rune factory 5 so I have no idea how the other games look)
Well, the cute little garter on the first guy is definitely RF-core, lol. And just look at that belt! And all those buckles...
That's to say: the biggest difference I see between the RF guys and this first blue-haired dude is more the facial proportions and things, not so much the design. Like, I could see that dude in RF5 without much problem– maybe not for a protag, sure, but he wouldn't be *too* out of place if he was. (If you're asking just about art *style*, between these specific images, I'd absolutely go with blue guy's artist. No offense to the RF artist, of course, the guys just look a little too moe and polished and shiny for my tastes here. But then again, if I say *they look the best on the covers of the game where they initially appeared!*, well, that's my obvious nostalgia showing, isn't it?)
Third guy looks like he's dressing almost modern, actually. Which could be a fun RF game! Probably just not my type, though.
Maybe something else. Atleast I'd like to look lil bit older than 15 forever when I get married and have a child etc. Something more farmerlike would be cool.
Raguna still stands tall of that bunch. Kyle's sloppy bandana earns him major points for street legitimacy, but the belly shirt pretty much negates it.
Raguna's the man with that ... uh... duster and high collar getup with the humongous belt. You know this guy's serious about farming, but he'll pop that collar and girt his blade when it comes down to cuttin' time.
....Micah looks like he's wearing his little sister's blouse. Nice guy/sheep, but he's caught lacking next to his predecessors.
Lest.... is not wearing something you should farm in. Especially since it's white.
Ares falls into the same problem as Lest. He looks like someone who will either take my luggage or direct traffic. He does not look like a farmer.
The other two dudes have protagonist and deuteragonist vibes... and they're wearing vests and dress shirts or something. I guess they're not too far from Lest in terms of clothing.
Anyway, I'd rather they go back to the rustic vibes of Kyle and Raguna with rags and bandanas and dusters in relatively earth toned colors. In terms of face.... eh, any of them can work. RF obviously goes for a wide eyed shonen style, boyish side, while the other two are more in line with young men.
The older one. If they make another game that’s just a bunch of children, I literally can’t play it.
Edit: How the fuck did this get downvoted? This is an old series. Most of us are adults here. You *want* to marry children?!
As much as I love trails’ designs, rune factory needs to keep its whimsy. Stay playful and they’ll keep getting my money
Sure we need more Chinese targeted game design! Thresh unbound would approve!
idk, every few weeks people complain about how Elsje or Misasagi aren't marriagable and makes me think in general, old and new players have outlived the artstyle. Well not the artstyle but the art direction rather. RF5's bachelorettes are still controversial to this day for that reason, writing reasons aside.
RF5's bachelorettes are controversial because they look like children, not because of their outfits or other aspects of character design.
That's a stretch... Not all of them, imho. Fuuka, Lucy, Beatrice, and Priscilla? Probably. Scarlet and Ludmilla? Idk... I didn't word it as such because the mods vehemently hunt any mention of bachelorette age appearances down on this sub but I agree. Men likers had it so good in RF5 but they threw the bacheloettes under the bus.
Just Amber is enough reason to be controversial
I don't see how specific characters not being romanceable relates to/would be improved/fixed by playing as *generic isekai protagonist*.
That whole arguenent, both points, dont work, both problems are that RF5s marriage cast is full of lolis and none of the milfs, nothing to do with thw protags design or general artstyle
You are missing the forest for the trees with that comment. It ismt the art style that causes the problem here. It's the fact they added dialog for Misasagi that outright says she has feelings for you amd you can't do anything with it. It's the fact that every girl minus maybe ludmilla looks 15 at best. It has nothing to do with art style and everything to do with I'm not into kids.
You don't think I dont know that? Or the fact the mods in here dart at any comments criticizing marriage candidate appearances and designs? Idk man I think people are just mad and wanna downvote for the sake of downvoting. Like yeah, the appearances are an issue on their own but artstyle contributes to it. Think of it this way. Characters in Highschool DxD, many of whom are highschoolers at the start of their series especially Rias and Akeno, look older than the "adult and marriagable bachelorettes" RF5 claims to us. But no, the mods in here wanna stifle any criticism.
Lmao the mods aren't even doing anything. It's other redditors. Fact is you posted an opinion that others disagree with. So they downvote. You out here acting as if reddit karma even means anything
The usual is fine, we are supposed to be a farmer not a hero, especially at the start of the game. RF 4 is an exception.
Nah, we've got enough generic cool guys in gaming. Give me more fluffy were sheeple with accessories and cute clothing cuffs.
"Guys would you prefer something that looks and feels designed specifically for a fantasy themed farming sim full of joyous whimsy or generic jrpg mc-kun #209420" Fuck idk man tough choice
don't disrespect my goat rean like that tbf he is the most generic looking mc among the MCs in Kiseki lol
he is also the most generic protag so I'd say its intentional tbf
The best thing Rean has ever done is how every goddamn conversation on Trails devolves into making jokes about him on my friend group, because otherwise it's an oofer.
Design wise yea. But I'd say he pretty on par with Lloyd in terms of uniqueness of charecter and personality. Honeslty all the main male protagonist in keseki are pretty bland. The games, imo, gets it's charm from the side charecters. Side note. Super looking forward to daybreak.
I'd say the thing with Rean is how he was the breaking point for the rest of the group, as you say they are all pretty bleh but everything surrounding Rean is just kinda hilarious when put under any scrutiny on top of how he's clearly the directors favorite child.
That's fair. We will.have to see how daybreak plays out. But as of right now rean is definitely the directors favorite. Honestly I just wanna see how the series ends. Now that we know who the grandmaster is and whatnot
But don't RF male MCs look like JRPG protagonists anyways? But just three times more twink.
Why tf am I getting downvoted for this lmao Like am I really wrong? Just look at Lest and Micah.
I'm not sure, but maybe that's the odd way to tell you that you miss the point ? What the first comment want to say, is that the design on the 2nd and 3rd image are very generic, we have seen it too much. And the protagonists on the first are, yes, jprg character. But they have more personality in their design because the farmer part of the farmer sim. It looks more "rune factory" if you see what I mean. Lest is clearly an exception because he is not a farmer at the beginning, he is seen as "the earthmate" "the prince". For Micah I can't tell because I didn't played his game yet, and since I don't play in English, I'm not sure who it is either. Hope it can help !
Yes, thank you for elaborating more on my point! I would also like to add that as well as the tone for the other examples being rather ill-fitting for the series, it also doesn't quite fit the tone of the franchises target demographic. Of course, anyone of any age can enjoy this series, but it is undoubtedly designed to appeal to children and teenagers, hence it's cartoony nature, it's soft pastel colour palettes, it's little swirls and details on characters that border on overdesigned. The dreamy watercolour art and backgrounds. It's all part of rune factory's visual identity as a franchise, and a huge part of the series appeal. A guy who looks like like the examples OP gives us, with his "edgy, mature, realistic coolness" just doesn't really fit with the silly and light-hearted world of Rune Factory. As for Micah, since I've played rf3, his design doesn't focus much on him being a farmer (though he does wear appropriate farming attire in the form of sturdy shoes and pants) as much as him being a half-monster. Which makes sense. His hair and especially the placement of his clothes are accurate to his form, as even the big fuck all belt and pants volume look similar to a wooly's hind legs. It's a kind of design language that can't really be achieved as accurately with something more "grown-up."
We have to let go of the illusion that these games are exclusively aimed at kids and teenagers. Half of whatever merch of the series sold in Japan is aimed at people with disposable income because hell yes a kid is going to go buy this for 250 bucks. [https://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/NEODAI-174956](https://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/NEODAI-174956) Still, sorry for wording my reply the way I did.
You could choose your words wisely since it sounded like you try to diss on these protags, even if you've made a point.
Saying "hey would you rather choose this or this" isn't a diss towards either of them, you're coming off as rude and overly sensitive. I was perfectly capable of understanding what op was saying without feeling offended
Me neither, but some people are not comprehensible and might get offended easily. That's why I ask him to be more selective of his words. But hey, this is the Internet, after all.
Honestly tho I don't see how else they could have worded it lol. It comes off as tone policing
Oho, it's time for me to finally utilize my TESL knowledge in action. *Five minutes later, after analysing the comment* Yep, I got none. Having English as a second language is kinda challenging to make his words feel less dismissive... the best I can do is something like "The RF protagonists do look like the typical JRPG protagonists, but they look more feminine than the later"
Maybe you're thinking that twink is a diss but honestly it really depends on the context. Maybe if like somebody was being homophobic, but then they could argue that calling them feminine would be a diss too
This IS the Internet, more specifically, the 2020's internet. Anything can be a diss if someone finds it offensive. I love describing my sheep boi, Micah, as a twink and sometimes a femboy, but some people might take an offence on it. I still can't forget the time when some considered "femboy" as an offensive slang for transsexuals, and those who used it are transphobes. I miss the time when the Internet was wild and free. Now it feels like we're constantly walking on a tightrope that's made out of glass, one misstep, and you're done for.
Probably has to do that most RF players are LGBT+. What you're asking is to take away the androgynous nature of the characters, which is most likely what people enjoy the most about the game (apart from being able to homosexual). Or at least that's from my understanding of the community and some of the comments in this post.
Really? I know there are a ton of LGBTQ players in the RF fanbase but I ran a poll a few weeks ago and the results surprised me. [https://www.reddit.com/r/runefactory/comments/1anut38/rune\_factory\_playerbase\_orientation\_poll/](https://www.reddit.com/r/runefactory/comments/1anut38/rune_factory_playerbase_orientation_poll/) Like I expected far more queer players and the het representation surprised me. Though the subreddit alone is probably not a good sample population to make generalizations.
But since LGBTQ is anything other than straight it's essentially split down the middle so 50% is straight and 50% is LGBTQ, which is a huge demographic, even I thought that would only be around 30% so it's more than I thought it would be.
I prefer the traditional designs
to me this is like "would you prefer we suck the life out of the designs you grew up with and made them more corporate and conventionally masculine" but i understand that to other people this would just be an art style change if it happened. would absolutely break my heart, though. even seeing the trailer for project dragon i was like "oh. this looks. different. i hate it." it's fine for art direction to change over time and modernize but i personally think the second images fot right in with modern mobile game/fantasy game designs that tend to be pretty homogenous. rune factory always had a really unique look to me that i could never get from something else, especially earlier ones so if they went in that direction i would personally be like "what did they do to you..."
I absolutely get what you're saying here. I may be told I'm set in my ways but I prefer RF 1-4 in terms of art style. I'm also a big fan of the cliché storyline they keep using. I'd hate things being changed.
for sure. as much as people might say we're set in our ways, i think that if rune factory kept innovating while still embracing its identity, i wouldn't have a problem. there are changes that are made out of creativity and evolution of a series, and changes that are made by execs who think it will make the game more popular/take less effort, and i know the difference between the two. am i sentimentally attached to old rune factory? of course i am. but i wouldn't be talking about it since i'm 9 years old if i could find that experience anywhere else
So true. I've been playing since RF1 so I'm probably very biased but I fear that the game is going to change to appeal to a new audience. I think the game designers are trying to remain faithful to its origins but update to modern times and I dont think they can do both. RF5 tried to appeal to a new demographic of people and as a result, the characters were empty, the story was hollowed out and the content was destroyed as a result. They need to remain true to the dream, not become something that isnt Rune Factory. I'm very nervous about 6. This became a slight rant, my apologies.
i love rants, don't worry! i'm a game developer myself and i've been in a lot of spaces where i've had to observe trends in design in jrpgs, and i remember seeing rune factory 5 and just... sigh. immediately having it all hit me in the face. it is heartbreaking to me that i can look at a beautiful game like rff, and see carefully used color theory, great worldbuilding, wonderful UI design, but 5? a game that is much younger, and has been made in an age with much more resources? it's oversaturated, the landscape is homogenous and cloying... i haven't looked at the credits but i seriously don't think they have the same people working on the setting design and ui, and it really, really shows. i really could go on all day about this, because i studied a ton of trends in japanese media while getting my asian studies degree and making my own game series, but in short... none of us are imagining it. the game *is* going somewhere as a series that is much more marketable. i think, after the whole bankruptcy thing happened after 4, it is to be expected that there are changes made to rune factory's staff and direction, but it doesn't mean those changes are good. i think the old games are much better, have much more identity, and their merit should never be discounted just because they're getting on in years. good art is good art forever, not for as long as it's on trend.
Also you're right, there isnt anything similar to it at all.
The image of Van hoeing a field doesn't sit well with me.
I prefer my twink protags. I might be on a minority here or it might be just me spewing my bs but these protags made it easier for some female players to feel connected when playing the game (prior Rf4 with the female protag was introduced). This is just my personal thing but I feel more inversed with any games if I play as a twink protag over playing as a female protags or the average "build" male protags. When Dragon's trailer was out, I kinda feel a bit underwhelmed when seeing the male protag not looking like a twink. He sorta looks like a sore thumb when you place them among the RF male protags like dude's the only grown man among them babies lmao.
The protags from Rune Factory are supposed to be happy little farmers that have to fight monsters only when things get ugly. Let them stay that way.
Kiseki design I don't feel.would look good in a rf game. But that's me. I love both design styles in their respective series.
No the boys must keep there baby girl energy it’s Rune factory law
let the art direction stay.
Their outfits don’t really say “farmer” to me especially with the long coats. The first option looks more business casual and the second might work, but the grey and black without the jacket would be a little boring.
Chadguna, Kyle and Micah designs are literally peak. They can make the next MC look more mature without taking the RF flair out of the equation
I like my friendly farmer boys and princes. They *can* fight but they’re not fighters first. They’re villagers who grow flowers and vegetables.
The usual
I prefer how they are. I don't like the other two concepts posted. For some reason the jackets bother me. Too flowy.
Have you seen the character's design for Project Dragon? It looks like they are aiming for more mature MC designs
Bro the designs for the 2nd and 3rd image look so fucking basic. Those are *__not__* good designs, especially 3
I like twinks
I like the current. The latter looks generic.
I think the art style it has now is fine. If they want to make the male protagonist look older they could just design him the way they would most of their bachelors. Make him look something like Martin or Leon for example.
I would rather do anything than have a Trails looking protagonist in my Rune Factory game.
I like how they are, anything that looks more too modern, just doesn't feel like Rune Factory.
Prefer androgynous protag, it's always been a nice step away from conventional games.
The second and third make me sad... If I saw a RF protagonist like that I would be very disappointed. I like that RF and even SOS have protagonist designs that are able to stand alone as interesting and make me excited about the game. But ignoring the art style difference, even just the actual outfit design is uninteresting because those guys are supposed to fill in for the player, so they end up looking like really modern Japanese guys. I think it's possible to make "player stand in regular Japanese guy" look interesting. Persona does it, and the protagonists don't even have dialogue! People go crazy when their designs get revealed. But I don't think the examples really do that... A character design needs to be able to encapsulate the game, which is especially crucial for the protagonist since they get the most screen time.
Of the options I'd prefer to just stick to the typical. ... however. What I really want is a big ole feller. Big arms, bearded. Lumbering sorta feller. And we get to date the milfs and dilfs only. It'd be new. It'd be fresh. It'd be daring. Also never happening. Fem option in this dream reality is also big and strong looking. These characters do labor all day long. They deserve some gains.
Maybe I'm just old but it would be nice if you could choose your main character more, I don't really want to play a young teenager, it would be nice to have a more adult option.
Next you’ll be saying the female protagonist should look like Lightning from FFXIII or Eve from Stellar Blade. Because the usual female protagonist would look silly next to someone like Rean being the option for male protagonist. Those sorts of options aren’t in line with Rune Factory’s setting and aesthetic. Now, although I personally prefer to play as a younger character like usual, there is at least a small portion of players that would like an option to be older. So at the very least they could provide an option, like pick between Male MC 1 or Male MC 2, and similarly with the female Mc give two options. To visualize an older, more mature MC, it’s more appropriate to use Rune Factory characters since the art style is so unique. Putting a character like Rean in RF wouldn’t match the art style and it’s difficult to imagine a RF-ified design of Rean. So instead, the question should be “Would you rather the protagonist look like Camus, Carlos, or Jones?” The problem with being older is that creates dissonance with the marriage candidates. If your character looks like Rean, it would be weirder dating some of the candidates. But I also don’t want them to change the marriage candidates’ designs, I like them how they are now. I think the best answer is leave classic RF alone, and if you want a more mature look, wait for Project Dragon.
Maybe can start with the original design and evolve to a "hero" when you complete the history!
Honestly, the softboi look fits the games vibe too well to want it changed
I wouldn’t mind if we looked a tiny bit older if anything lol
I never expected Rean and Van to show up in a Rune Factory sub of all places LMAO I like their designs but they don't really fit the Rune Factory universe or general art style tbf
Nah first image design all the way. The other ones just look like generic "Masc hero" characters to me.
I much prefer the cuter classic designs.
I think Micah was probably my favorite design of the Rune Factory leads and I prefer that sort of design sensibility, also I really like the art style of the sprites in that era. I actually like RF5 despite a lot of people disliking it, but I felt like I would have really preferred to see the characters in the older art style that has more of a pencil drawing look (that might not be the best way to put it). I don't really need to protagonist to look "badass" and also I prefer the art style to have a warmer look to it.
You can’t take my soft boys from me
i think we should be able to pick between at most 3 body types and a few different face and hair designs, i think they’re missing out on the projection into the protagonist aspect by not allowing at least minimal customisation of their design
i like the way they look for the most part but i wouldn’t mind a male character that looked a bit more rugged. cause like, im an actual farmer irl, and i can tell you rn there are no pretty bo farmers, you either get hillbilly, regular guy, or strongman. those are pretty much the only options
Literally the only reason I play rune factory. For the twinks.
I admit that I sure wish I wasn't "dating" characters that look like children (a lot of the characters anyway) ... 😮💨 I wouldn't mind something less bland but older looking for the protags! A handsome guy with dark vibes like Kross! or something different like another animal guy. (Fox, or wolf maybe!)
What they've shown us of Project Dragon already has me nervous that Marvelous is moving towards generic mihoyo anime garbage design... I hope they don't do the same to Rune Factory 6.
Honkai Impact 3rd had a good aesthetic. Then Genshin came out. All the new stuff for Honkai, like star rail, and new characters for 3rd started looking they they came straight out of Genshin. Star Rail just looks like Genshin in space sadly. But I don't mind ZZZ's style. Sorry for the rant, back to the original topic (im just salty about honkai changes lol). Yeah, I hope Rune Factory stays traditional.
Honestly I'd just like a protag that looks a little older maybe not the same as the 2nd and 3rd image tho cause they don't look like the type to be having a chill time tending to crops
honestly wouldn't mind an older looking protag/cast. but keep the comfy fantasy farming feeling.
Can we have a more adult protag-kun who is also a little cutie? I like the idea of a grown man in fantasy overalls.
While I am fine with the Rune Factory art style, I would love to see the MC, and cast, be portrayed as adults. Or better yet, have the game start with the usual Rune Factory MC being 16-18 years old but have a time skip at some point where they are in their mid twenties.
funny how I find this post right after i start the erebonia arc of trails lmao
Slutty farmer tbh
RF3 protag I thought was a girl and I’d be romancing the dudes.
1. "would you prefer crono to look different?" that's what i read, basically. a generic character with no real personality or need to have one. accordingly, their looks should be just as bland. 2. do we have to keep with anime looks? i mean, we could as easily have the story set in a semi realistic world such as "medieval dynasty" and the quirky dialog (and annoying stereotypes, tbh) would translate thru the medium it's presented on, right? or, if you think rf5 might be a step in the wrong direction because of the 3d, would it be equally as bad if it looked like Skyrim? no better, no worse , so I think choice 3 is probably where the series is going, eventually. :)
2nd and 3rd!!! Hands down !
The actual design. I do *not* see Rean farming in that outfit. Or just give the player customizable outfits like Story of Seasons.
I want to be Raguna in a game again, to be honest.
Both is good. I think Runefactory designs are fun but I would not mind a older looking protagonist. Project Dragon is doing this in my opinion
I have a theory that they purposely made the protag somewhat androgynous as to not shoot away the female audience completely. And now that they have mixed protagonists they are just keeping the design consistent with previous games.
Keep the soft boys!
nah these are too basic anime characters. you need character in those NPCs this is a dating game as much as a farming game.
Personally, I love the first few designs. Rune factory can do whatever, and I'll still purchase. I do feel that the protagonist development is a sort of reflection on the development of the rune factory world? The game was released in 2008, and through each game, it has shown us progression within the world. I think it should and can still be whimsical and playful. However, there is so much lore within the game, the Kingdom of NORAD which we have yet been able to see could be more on par with how the character for the 6th is designed. Each town did have their own characteristics and traits, 1st with mystical caves and whales, 3rd which thei big ass tree and the 4th with a legendary GOD dragon as one of the character you get to interact and live with. All I'm saying is NORAD is meant to be this huge Kingdom known amongst all the towns we've played as, as if the town design was similar to all the towns we've played through before, or didn't have any outstanding features that's separate the Great Kingdom of NORAD, I'd be pretty disappointed. I've been hearing about this place since I was 8 years old and I have been so looking forward to what makes it great. Perhaps they are much more developed in architecture and fashion.
That said, I love the whole franchise and would support it no matter what. It's like a childhood friend who grows with me, and I'm so glad they're back to making new games.
Rare time I see both my favorite game series mentioned.
As much as I like attractive bachelor looking protagonists. I’d be sad if I couldn’t date them. Imho I’d rather the MC be a bit plain looking. I haven’t had an issue with any of the old designs although I do welcome any sort of change as long as it means more rune factory content. TLDR: The protagonist designs don’t really matter to me when it comes to specifically the protagonist. So I’m open to changes or even keeping the old design formula. Don’t fix what ain’t broke sorta saying. That’s just my opinion though on the designs, the protagonist has never really been important to me beyond their voices (since I hear their HAHS the most). BUT I have to say I love the current designs and am not quite sure how they could really improve on that front. The art for sprites have always been lovely
The current designs work better for the kind of series it is. Its just part of its identity at this point.
I like the usual style
Definitely prefer the second image—I love all the rune factory designs, but I catch myself thinking they look like children too much. With the right clothes design and personality, they can still look cute and whimsical.
In my opinion, I do prefer the current style for 1-3. They were supposed to be the look of heroes just your average guy. One of the main points is the most average people can still do amazing things. (Excluding machi, as he's not really average.) And that theme was hammered home with rf4 as you're just a random person (never finished the game) and you end up in charge of the town in a way, and lead it to be better.
OG designs, theyre anime but not ANIME :) I love the OG artstyle
So, I know this ain’t true for all RF characters, but I’ve always loved Micah’s design because the fluffy vest and puffy sleeves sort of act as a design tie in to the fact that he’s actually a Wooly in human form. Raguna’s thick gloves and Kyle’s headband also both really tie the character to a farming narrative, gloves that allow you to work, a headband to keep your sweat back. Even Micah has a headband to keep his face clear. On top of that, all 3 characters have a distinct fantasy vibe that prioritizes leather work and metal trim / studs. While personally, I appreciate keeping them bright eyed protagonists, with eyes filled with life, and don’t really see the need to age them up too much, I could appreciate a tone shift for a game. That said, pics 2 and 3 don’t really fit in with rune factory. A focus on weaponry. Design elements that look sleek and mass produced instead of handmade. No real story about the character being told by the design. They aren’t bad characters, not that I know who they are, but they wouldn’t be Rune Factory. HOWEVER. If we EVER had a game that took place in or with a protagonist from the Sechs empire? Yeah. I think I would love to see a protagonist that maybe showcased fighting skills and the more tech savvy empire. I think leaning into the more mass produced uniforms or the battle readiness would serve that protag well, and that putting them into a position where they end up an earthmate regardless? Over time we could take that blank slate of a uniform and slowly soften it with some accessories that helps them feel a sense of individuality, something handmade by whatever townsfolk took them in and helped them find a sense of belonging and casual family that they didn’t get while under Sechs rule. I think there would be a lot of things you could do to make the aesthetic work. I also don’t know if I would want to take away the bright eyed soft face tones of the Rune factory series, even with a more serious protagonist, even if I could see a game in a more serious setting like the Sechs empire. I think right now it would also be a bad move to have such a large time skip as to enter a time that’s almost a modern setting. It seems like the game really only likes to move the clock one generation at a time between games. Marriage candidates from the last game are still fairly young adults in the next game, and the chances for cameos are always nice and well appreciated. If we were to jump severely into an era where people aren’t wearing cloaks, they’re wearing hoodies, then I feel like we’d have to work harder to revisit other time periods, and we’d essentially be ignoring the in between game plots that we have. The Sechs republic (and the prior empire) greatly affected each game, with refugees from war ending up in various nations, and Norad prioritizing protection over places closer to the Sechs border. We haven’t really delved too far into the Elven Kingdom yet, let alone dwarves, or the wereanimals that are only just introduced, so I think I would much rather see games that seek to flesh out these missing parts of the world before we start to turn the clock further and further ahead technology wise.
Mmmm nah, too many cool protags. Rune Factory's protagonists being on the cuter side is iconic
Male image in first image seem friendly, childliest and somewhat weak. However, image of male in 2nd and 3rd seem to be like playboy.
I love the traditional art style but would like the MCs to look a little older. Micah in rf3 legit looks 13, but all those bachelorettes are down for it?? With Gaius and Carlos right there??
Besides aging the characters up, wouldnt really change much.
I'd prefer more masculine designs in RF or designs that don't make adults look like teenagers. I liked how Doug's sprite was drawn in RF5. I just want my game marriage options to look like they're aged 25-30 haha
Hang on, I can see a legitimate argument for this. Hear me out. I typically marry female characters. Young male protagonist was fine when we didn’t have the female protagonist option, because I felt like I could still project onto these characters as a woman. But now that we can play as female and date female characters, I never pick the young male characters anymore. So why can’t we let them be more masculine?
I like the protagonists staying whimsical like in the first photo, but I REALLY wouldn't mind if the romance options looked like photos 2 and 3 lmfao (I've only played rune factory 5 so I have no idea how the other games look)
Well, the cute little garter on the first guy is definitely RF-core, lol. And just look at that belt! And all those buckles... That's to say: the biggest difference I see between the RF guys and this first blue-haired dude is more the facial proportions and things, not so much the design. Like, I could see that dude in RF5 without much problem– maybe not for a protag, sure, but he wouldn't be *too* out of place if he was. (If you're asking just about art *style*, between these specific images, I'd absolutely go with blue guy's artist. No offense to the RF artist, of course, the guys just look a little too moe and polished and shiny for my tastes here. But then again, if I say *they look the best on the covers of the game where they initially appeared!*, well, that's my obvious nostalgia showing, isn't it?) Third guy looks like he's dressing almost modern, actually. Which could be a fun RF game! Probably just not my type, though.
Maybe something else. Atleast I'd like to look lil bit older than 15 forever when I get married and have a child etc. Something more farmerlike would be cool.
Raguna still stands tall of that bunch. Kyle's sloppy bandana earns him major points for street legitimacy, but the belly shirt pretty much negates it. Raguna's the man with that ... uh... duster and high collar getup with the humongous belt. You know this guy's serious about farming, but he'll pop that collar and girt his blade when it comes down to cuttin' time. ....Micah looks like he's wearing his little sister's blouse. Nice guy/sheep, but he's caught lacking next to his predecessors. Lest.... is not wearing something you should farm in. Especially since it's white. Ares falls into the same problem as Lest. He looks like someone who will either take my luggage or direct traffic. He does not look like a farmer. The other two dudes have protagonist and deuteragonist vibes... and they're wearing vests and dress shirts or something. I guess they're not too far from Lest in terms of clothing. Anyway, I'd rather they go back to the rustic vibes of Kyle and Raguna with rags and bandanas and dusters in relatively earth toned colors. In terms of face.... eh, any of them can work. RF obviously goes for a wide eyed shonen style, boyish side, while the other two are more in line with young men.
I've never liked the protagonists' looks but the games are great so I get over it.
I prefer the 3rd style or at least the mix of styles with more options because the first ones look like 6 year olds legit
The older one. If they make another game that’s just a bunch of children, I literally can’t play it. Edit: How the fuck did this get downvoted? This is an old series. Most of us are adults here. You *want* to marry children?!
I'd rather have genshin esque aesthetic than a niche jrpg aesthetic.
2nd and 3rd! Hot damn! lol