Not that I recall it wasn't. The paraphrase comes from this quote:
Want to is not will.
IMO this is still true. It may not be as much customization as many like, but it is still a full born character creator with appearance, background and stat based customization.
IMO this one is true too. But we've run circles around what makes an RPG before. To keep it short. Stats and TPP do not equal RPG. Making choices as a character within the game and experiencing story consequences as that character based on choices are what make an RPG. That's what role playing is. Making choices as a character and experiencing consequences based on our choices. That clearly is the focus of this game.
Thank you for finding for me that quote because honestly many people accused me about lies when i mentioned that. Indeed that was the intention but you can also agree the end result is nothing even remotely similiar to the pen and paper. They just took all the pen and paper system scrapped it out, adapted some skill all combat and stealth related then building on that and going in the opposite direction.
This is not an adaptation is not even an attemptent to an adaptation it is just create a whole new thing despite what it was in the systems on the pen and paper so different that is even far from the spirit.
About the character creation. No that is not create your character from the ground up because you have a V with a defined personality that even speaks with no player imput. All you have is the decision you take as players on how you move in the world but V is not your character is just an entity with a defined personality. I can be more specific on that.
Fallout new vegas: Where you can truly roleplay and create statistically or even the character with the personality you want because the system allows it. This is called character agency.
Fallout4: You are just nate and nora and those character have even if blandly a defined personality. You can't chose how to answer. You can do quests and take decision but is all about player agency not character agency.
Stats that can be used to build a character with a skill system that is able to customize how you character personality is and act in to the world now that is a optimal roleplay system. ((New Vegas as example))
TPP is nice because it shows your character in the context of the world. You will be your character you will take the decision you will define your character personality and you will even see how you look cool during that ((perfectly in the cyberpunk spirit)
Instead FPP is more good for player agency usually people that approched the newer brand of rpgs the one that are being made for people that dislike rpg.
"Oh this game has no voice acting! Reading is boring!"
"Oh my i failed the quest because my character is not good to persuade people! That so unfair!"
"Oh no! I do play rpg but i don't care about the lore!"
"The character i created has actually flaws this is shocking!"
"I roleplay myself in rpg"
"Oh my i keep missing because my character is not good to handling guns. This is so clumsy!"
"Oh no! i went overboard installing implants and my character went on a rampage because of cyberpsychosis that sucks!"
This is the kind of players i am talking about. The kind of players rpgs should not made for.
But hey this is my unpopular opinion.
Meanwhile any DM-GM-Narrator in his own right will tell you that usually the people that put theirself in theyr character and are no able to design a character with his own distinct personality are and for this awful roleplayers.
Yes FPP is a problem because it means you have to implement twitch fast paced combat and fluid FPS mechanis for people to have fun! You see it yourself the major complain from the people that are okay with fpp is.
"Shooting seems like to shot with softair weapons the shooting needs so punch."
"Oh no they downgraded the graphic of the game!"
It all boils down at what kind of audience CD projekt cather more and for what i saw they are fare more interested on the shooters crowd. It sucks to be a roleplayer in the 2019