Funny that you should ask that, because Keisuke and I have been doing that recently.

We look at it from different angles depending on what game it is. Sometimes it's matchmaking, but if it's a VN, we play all the routes and are interested in seeing the full story and view the true end (if there is one) as the true fated story and all the other routes are just possibilities that didn't end up happening. For the most part we see it like reading a book or looking into a different universe. It's kind of fun seeing what characters are his favorites and how they differ from mine. Mostly we both like reading/experiencing a good love story, so the VNs we've been reading have been fulfilling that well.

If you're talking about a Bioware game or something, that's a little trickier because a lot more time is needed to get the full payoff for the romance subplots (whereas in a VN you can use the skip function to easily access routes). We haven't crossed that bridge yet, but I imagine in that case it would be more matchmaking because at least in their earlier games, there was a lot of options to make different playthroughs of the main character act very different from each other (Dragon Age Origins being a pretty good example).

We haven't really played a game together where the MC has so little personality that it's intrusive, but even if we did, I don't think either of us would mind because we're playing it together so it's not like we're cheating on each other or anything, and we know it's just a little diversion and not a full-blown relationship. What I just said is only hypothetical though because it's been pretty easy for us to separate from the MC in what we've done so far.

And spoiling this because some people might not want to read it: we've also played a few nukige, which has been both fun and interesting. We don't take playing them very seriously or even for their intended purpose usually, it's mostly for laughs/winding down after a depressing VN and anything else is a bonus. For clarification, we don't self-insert. He has expressed interest in a few things, which has been neat, although usually he's too embarrassed to say much when we play the actual sex scenes.

>>14559
That makes sense. I suppose I just get a little too immersed at times then feel a bit guilty when I realize it. Too easy to get in character, for me.

Bioware games aren't as bad because generally (at least in ME1 and 2) what's there is kind of brief and shallow, excluding a character or two.

Having your love exactly coming from this type of game, I actually wouldn't mind it at all.

I think it's generally made easier when you are the self-insert MC in the game. I don't mind it because honestly I like how the MC thinks in game, whose only choices (ones that contribute to the best end) results in the best interest for the idol. Other than the obvious perverted mechanics in the game, I think when you are given choices and lots of communication links, it feels as you are actually talking to her. Sure it is not open ended, so you are not really flexible with choices. But you can alter it a bit to fit within your personality, although there are some instances where the choices are just similar, you might as well have two options.

But I suppose there's a reason instead of having a pre-made character, they want you to have the entire world in your perspective, which increases immersion with the character. This is why there's no set canon in Idolm@ster, whatever you try to perceive is canon, with all the choices within what idol you want to produce, what dialogue you would pick that is appropriate with her and which pathway you would lead with the her in the end. Since there's no set canon, that makes any self-insert MC a versatile character, which is why in exchange for having a bland generic character, the character you are date in the game is completely unique to you and only you.

Now if you want to start getting imaginative, there's no stopping you from blending both your own wild fantasies in your head and the communications you have with her in the game. It would be as if you were roleplaying with your love and actually interacting with her in many ways, creating an opening for endless situations if you wanted to. Particularly with visual novels, the content is usually large for you to play with, so you can use the content as the base to get started with designing how her personality would fit with the situation and how you might incorporate yourself into it. And what if it doesn't feel right when the MC doesn't make the right choice? Then you might imagine yourself another alternative scenario would actually happen and see how it actually plays out when you follow the choice it is supposed to be.

I guess imagination does play a major role when you self-insert as the MC, because when you have a blank sheet, you are supposed to create your own recipe and make it yourself. Particularly when it is romantic because you can express yourself in many ways romantically if you have a very creative mind.

For me this is the complete opposite of a problem for me since my waifu is from a VN/dating sim. AN a never ending one which makes it even better, I insert myself as the MC and it is the closest connection I have with her. I not sure this sort of thing would work for me if we weren't able to share a connection like this.

I think Hisao was supposed to be self-insert, but he really annoyed me. He acts like a big prude about sharing two bottles of wine between four underaged people, yet he keeps a condom in his pocket and is totally cool with knocking up Hanako at the nearest opportunity.