Avatars and Sex

Will you play a game that restricts you to playing the opposite gender?

  • Yes

    Votes: 112 85.5%
  • No

    Votes: 19 14.5%

  • Total voters
    131
I wonder if the gender bias is from the distaff perception? More females have a problem with it than males. Would our ladies like to comment on this!! :)
 
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Been there, done that, got the T-shirt. Well, okay, I'd actually like the T-shirt, since I never did get one.

I've played a few RPGs (mainly indie ones) that restricted me to a female character. And then there's that whole Final Fantasy X-2 thing where you play the whole team of female characters...

So is this in any way related to certain complaints about Eschalon: Book 1?
 
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Of course, if it's a good game.

I have a friend who refuses to play any game where you are forced to be a female character. I frequently remind him that he's an idiot and is lucky that there aren't many good games that do that.

Personally, I don't really care. I can understand the need to force the player to *be* a certain character. It makes writing the story easier (and is neccessary in some games like The Witcher that are based on already developed characters). If the game itself was good I'd play a mongoloid lesbian goat-person if it required it. I mean who the hell cares really? Especially with role-playing games you are playing a *role* that is NOT you (even if you get to create the character completely). If some developer chooses to force me to be a specific character then I can deal with that if the game is worth it.
 
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I don't mind at all; male or female, or wacky game with shemale as a protagonist, or character that have capability to change gender at will/unwillingly (Ranma, anyone?); and as a ghost, monster, Alien/ET with unique characters. Heck, i thought that's would be more refreshing, interesting, different, or hilarious...
 
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I wonder if the gender bias is from the distaff perception? More females have a problem with it than males. Would our ladies like to comment on this!! :)

I've commented on this in the past, so I didnt post, but since Corwin asks :D ..

I prefer playing female over male, and have never completed an RPG that forced me to play a male character because of lack of immersion.
while I don't mind it in adventure and FPS games, in my RPGs I'd like the avatar to be female because I can relate to her better that way.

Different people play RPGs in a different way, and for me the avatar is a reflection of myself, and I do tend to have the character resemble me in a way. For some reason both sex and alignment are important to me, I've tried playing evil characters and male characters, and it just doesn't keep my attention.
Playing a different race doesn't seem to cause this problem for some reason, I have no idea why.

Anyway, so i tend to prefer sandbox games over railroaded stories (there are exceptions, KoTOR for example) but if I'm forced to play a male, I don't even buy the game anymore, because I know I'll never finish it :)

I can't speak for female players in general though, this is just me and my opinion ;)
 
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I will always buy and play a good game, regardless of the gender of the avatar I must play. I think the poll may be too limiting in its wording. Ask if the females/males would pick a female/male if the option was there. I always prefer playing a female if I can. I agree with Sorcha, it gives me a better feeling of immersion.

But I would never deny myself the experience of a great game just because I can't.
I think women are more intouch with how gender roles effect behavior. We know we act a certain way because we are females. Gender is more closely tied to identity for females.

Men find it easier to change the outside avatar and keep playing as they don't feel that exterior look affects their actions. Men put less import on the male appearance being linked to their internal gender identity.

This is a lingering effect of social sterotyping of the genders perhaps, but the effect is deeply ingrained and despite all the changes made for womens lib, it is far from gone today.

Anyway, just my thoughts and now the ramblings will end. ;)
 
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I can play female or male without issue ... I have a harder time with good vs. evil.
 
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Very true--don't know how many games I've tried to play evil, but I end up being unable to make the right choices...interesting that it's easier to ignore your gender than your ethics. :)
 
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There should be an option: yes, but only if other aspects of the game make up for it.

Being forced to play a female character for no reason other than the lazyness of the developers, or more commonly because they want to bait the vast number of prepubertal male gamers drooling over a set of CGI boobs, is just annoying to me. Not that I mind drooling - I did play Drakan and incarnated female avatars in Nomad Soul. I still voted 'no', though, as usually, like Sorcha, I prefer to play same gendered characters in RPGs which I find easier to identify with, which in turn improves my immersion into the game.

Consequently, I am also terrible at roleplaying evil characters, and I do not mind at all playing female characters in other genres like action, adventure or strategy games, whose focus does not lie in immersion primarily.
 
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Probably no surprize to most that most times I have no trouble with the evil stuff. But I have a line I won't cross even in game play. :)
 
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Jaz
slightly editing dialogues would have done the trick, and giving male and female different cyborg stats later on would have been a nice addition.
True and who could say no to cyborg boobs! :biggrin:

Couldn't, can't, don't, won't play evil. :)
 
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I have a really hard time playing evil characters. It just feels unnatural... far worse than playing badly dressed characcters ;).
 
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If a game forces me to play a female, but is good otherwise, I will go along with the ride. But if given the choice, I will always play a male (I don't do "evil" either).

I really feel for you Sorsha because your restrictions make you miss out on some good games (Gothic series, Arx Fatalis, Witcher). I realize that guys have it easier and rarely have to think about the "gender" issue in this genre. I have found, though, that most ladies hardcore enough to know about this board seem to have found a way to get past this issue and enjoy games for what they are.
 
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Does it say something about this site that most of us don't play evil? Is this common among rpg players? If so, why is there such concern about providing an evil path? Perhaps this could form the basis for another poll!!
 
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Does it say something about this site that most of us don't play evil? Is this common among rpg players? If so, why is there such concern about providing an evil path? Perhaps this could form the basis for another poll!!

You'll find a lot of discussion about evil options on the Bioware boards & RPG Codex. Generally, I find that those who want to play evil seem to be deeper into the role-playing aspect. They are able to completely divorce their own personality and morals from that of their avatar. Personally, I cannot do this. I tend always end up on the good side of things. Maybe not "paladin" good, but good nonetheless.

That doesn't mean that every now and then I don't save the game and see what would happen if I went on a killing spree. :)
 
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You'll find a lot of discussion about evil options on the Bioware boards & RPG Codex. Generally, I find that those who want to play evil seem to be deeper into the role-playing aspect. They are able to completely divorce their own personality and morals from that of their avatar. Personally, I cannot do this. I tend always end up on the good side of things. Maybe not "paladin" good, but good nonetheless.

That doesn't mean that every now and then I don't save the game and see what would happen if I went on a killing spree. :)

Hmmm ... interesting ... I dunno, I find that I can vent my need for wanton destruction through shooters ;)
 
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even tough I haven't played a lot of games were I had to play a girl, except Beyond good and evil, I wouldn't have a problem playing as a girl. Although I have to admit that if I can choose any class or any gender for the same char, I will always play as a male
 
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I think people like to put a little of themselves or how they would like to be in their role-playing - their ideal. It can be fun not to do this though, after all, it is role-playing.
 
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Yes, we had a poll on a tangentially related subject at RPGDot (actually, it's still there - they've never changed the poll). I don't pretend to be a perfect roleplayer but I try to create different characters and follow those personalities. A good chunk of people simply play themselves (hence the references to "immersion"). I imagine this type of player places more emphasis on the visualisation of the avatar.
 
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