Share your Shepards and Ryders

I'll go first! (unless someone ninja's me while I write - likely).

I actually managed to make a face I liked, despite the CC's very frustrating limitations However, what I ended up with was plan C.

Plan A was a pale, freckled redhead with green eyes. But since you can't be pale or have freckles or natural-looking red hair (again), that plan was basically shot to pieces Like, that's not a ridiculous looking character idea, Bioware, what the heck.

Plan B was a self-insert to maximize the hilarity of being called Ryder. She would have used a custom name to ensure maximum Ryder-uttering. Obviously, the CC is nowhere near robust enough to recreate any face, when you could at least put up a valiant effort with DA:I's.

So Plan C it was!

Here's Sara Ryder, because I love hearing her first name said aloud, really adds to her feeling like a character and not just an avatar. Plus, I like the name Sara(h). And because I'm not good at thinking of original names. Can't even self-insert my name because that would just be Ryder Ryder

If I had my way, she'd be paler and have more freckles, with slightly different lips, but this is the best I could do.

Way too many screenshots to follow I'm sorry for slowing down your computers.

Some close-ups:

Other stuff:

I have like... way more screenshots, but I can save them for another day

My intent with her character was to make her professional while "on the job", but friendly and empathetic as well. This was fulfilled during many quests relating to the angara, since you can be honest and diplomatic with them as a group, which they'll appreciate, and often very empathetic with individuals, expressing sorrow over lost relatives and surprising them with your kindness. I liked that. I also took every kiss and hug interrupt I could

She'll try to resolve situations peacefully, or at least with as little damage as possible, but also revels in glorious combat to some extent. She bonds with Drack because of this. She's a Sentinel, who alternates between two strategies:

- Defensively using Tech Amour and tech powers and some biotics to strip enemy defenses at a safe distance.
- Vanguarding with a sword, charging and blinking across the battlefield, deflecting enemy attacks and letting out powerful biotic blasts. Great stress relief

Naturally, I took many more Professional options than Casual ones. It worked fairly well in practice, aside from autodialogue ruining things semi-regularly (a DA2-style system of autodialogue would have been infinitely better even if not perfect). Oddly enough, I feel like there were more times you could be really empathetic towards random NPCs than main characters.

This also means I took more Emotional responses than Logical, but the split was a lot more even here, since I also wanted to make a smart and knowledgeable character. The end result was also acceptable.

Finally, I wanted her to be a bit eccentric, and as dorky and geeky as possible, as well as a bit awkward, especially in a romance. This actually worked out better than I thought it would, to my immense delight! Constantly in awe of the things she discovers, wanting to learn more but also knowing some things of her own.

She is a total dork:

And makes lame puns:

And is a Certified Gay Mess™


She is the wondrous explorer, adorkable geek, and awkward lover I always wanted to play! And because of that, my most relatable Bioware protagonist.

I used the default face for Scott, because I quite like it (has nothing to do with looking similar to Cullen, nope), and because there's no way I could create a good male character.

I love Scott. Tom's performance made him one of my favourite characters even as an NPC who barely shows up. Really wish we got to flesh out our sibling relationship more, and tell them things. They should be one of the most important people in Andromeda to Ryder, after all. Talking about how the mission's going, new developments, or introducing them to a romance would be great.

On that note, my character romanced Suvi, in case it wasn't completely obvious by now


Aside from me just liking Suvi and sweet romances, she's a great fit for my Sara (helped by the fact that I happened to roleplay her similarly to Suvi's personality). They have great chemistry, which is always important in a romance. They also have common interests and quirks, amplified by my specific RP.

Thank the Maker she's a lesbian option, my bad luck with Bioware romances is finally breaking! Also, I've never seen a lesbian genius in something before, so that's cool too. I just wish she had as much content as the squadmates. /mandatory salt

I know, I know. Now everyone's going "That's a lot of words..."

And that's when I go "Oh, you don't have to be kind. I know it's barely more than a summary."

DAMDAAMDAAAAAM.

Okay. Oookay.

Here is my Ryder Samuel (his sister has the name Samara - yeah, I found that funny). He is my 'canon' Ryder, my baby.. and my fav.

Screenshotspam incoming




Samuel is more the funny guy. Not really the smartest, but he still tries his best. He goes in the full causual, emotional mode. Childish, a little bit naive but someone with a golden heart. Hurt his people and it doesn't end well for you.
And to be honest, this sentece could come from him.


He lost his heart to a special spikey girl...


... and his bro is a shady bastard.

These are some of mine. (I usually play as Sheploo so these are my custom Shep's.)

Cahal Shepard (Infiltrator) (Used the name originally for a Hawke, liked it so much I used it on him also XD)

Camille Shepard (Adept)

Cain Shepard (Engineer)

Scott Ryder (Ranged Biotics)

Zale Ryder (Melee Biotics)

Your Ryders are all so handsome, I'm not used to that, playing on my laptop on the lowest of the low graphics settings.

BansheeOwnage Yeah, making freckled redheads is a long dream of mine, too, haha. But your Shepard turned out really stunning. I agree Scott and Sara interacting more would have been great. Suvi seems like she was build as a love interest for your kind of Shepard personality-wise, heh.

Sir Drell Having been fighting with the male CC a couple days ago, I'm really in awe how you managed to get him so good-looking. Reyes is lucky. (rofl)

dino was successful, too... it seems I gotta try a little harder with the CC. I like the idea of a Ryder who is really maybe not that meant for the mission from the get-go but tries his best anyway. Also, he is dating my personal Best Waifu Vetra, so good taste, haha.

farferello I had a Vanguard Custom Shep that looked a bit like Cahal! Long-lost brothers. Camille reminds me a little bit of Cassandra from DA, she's really pretty as well.

Oh my god those little hearts and blushing, that's adorable  I have to make something like this now!

Be careful, last time they said they'd improve the hair and only made it shiny/oily/plastic-y...
Improvements

Okay, I went back and took some comparison shots, because I'm on a crusade I mean look:


Sorry, rant

(And I know you meant Ryder, not Shep)

Haha, I know, it's like Sheryl Chee was in my head when she wrote Suvi, ha. And really, I'm tempted to point out to Bioware that you can't make a freckled redhead in ME:A. What's a more concise way to point out how limited the CC is than not being able to make a normal looking variation of a person?

And one Ryder (yet):
Rolph Ryder, Vanguard (started as Biotic), casual/logical

Ready to first contact:

The future teammate wary yet, but seems promishing

The first flare (fire?)
Love with problems:

Has anyone loaded up the new patch yet? Let's see some new Ryders!

Well the CC didn't add much. Female ryder hair options can now be put on for male ryder. Pale skin, one extra head preser maybe? And like 1 or two new complexions perhaps? Then again I didn't customize a ryder much before. But there's no new seperate features to customize I think.

Here's the ryders I did: Not sure which one I like more but one of them will be for Jaal

All the Ryders look phenomenal (given what we have to deal with!)