[NeoTifa]

So I was reading a blog (because I'm procrastinating of course) and I must say, I never really thought about this before. I know some guys like to play as girls for skill set, but I always figured they either liked their pixelated, sexually promiscuous avatars, or because they were trying to troll dudes into thinking they were girls and going all "omg a female asl?" on them. So which gender do you typically pick in a video game and why? Also, what class do you usually pick (added discussion) and why?

Me, when I play DDO I almost always pick female for my main characters. Generally, I like the rogue/ranger/archer/thief/sniper/necromancer/druid classes in video games, you know, something off to a distance where I don't get hurt and usually have peons do the dirty work, and usually they require the most dexterity. Most video game guys are, well, brutes with high strength, low intelligence, and low dexterity. Not trying to be sexist, but that seems to be the case. This also has to do with your race too, but from how I see it, this just generally seems the norm. So when I pick a soloing tank/mule alt, I go with the hack-n-slash guys, because that's what they're meant to be from the industry's perspective.

[gabehabe]

Male wood elf. Thieving, sneaking and archery ftw. Most RPGs have sucky combat, but archery still requires some skill (ie, aiming), so it keeps me interested a little longer.

This post has been edited by gabehabe: 17 January 2012 - 07:11 AM

[bflosabre91]

i usually pick a dude but if theres a choice, i usually don't pick the default male brute. like skyrim i went dark elf. although in soul calibur, Sophitia was my chick. She was the best.

[Utael]

I think it really depends on the game. I know several games that gender has nothing to do with stats. I also know of a game that you don't choose gender just your class (diablo)

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[lordofduct]

Female character

I've always picked female since I was a little kid

Yes, I have gender identity issues

[MrSooty]

I'm not a fan of the huge macho guys you can choose for some games. I prefer small races because not only does running around feel quicker but you just look so dam cool being small.

As for gender, I play both. Usually whoever looks the coolest (e.g with WoW, I have female goblins but male trolls). Note: Coolest =/= boobs. That shit stays on Facebook.

When I make a new character, I don't think "I will make all the females!" but I do flick between both genders before choosing.

[Dormilich]

that issue is not limited to videogames, even in traditional RPG (pen & paper) this is a consideration (pretty much all in the blog said applies as well, from what I can see in RPG conventions).

[NeoTifa]

True, there are some where you can't pick, but hey, if Diablo let us choose gender, I would gladly pick female Necro or Druid.

[creativecoding]

For me I tend to always base my character on the self-image of myself. I prefer a realistic game that I can be sucked into rather than an easy one where all of the options I pick are based on the ones with the highest percentage of success (unless of course it's Super Smash Bros, I kick ass at that game w/ samus). This is why I prefer things first person, and dislike most RPG games (third person). For some reason I've always associated a man using a female character as him trying to express his... feminine side. I've never thought of it as them trying to fit the role they're trying to play. That was quite the interesting article. Good read.

[SpartanGuy07]

I usually aim for a sword and shield character. Up in the front, good damage and good health, not really meant to be the main tank but can hold their own.

My alt tends to be an archer or sharpshooter. When I get bored of playing the frontlines I can then move to a distance killer. I never make the archer my main though, because in most games they are hardest to keep alive.

My characters also tend to be male, most of the time I have them look like me, or a cool style I would like to try (i.e. haircut, hair color, facial hair, tattoos). In a few games I have just gone with a randomly generated character and absolutely no thoughts into their look. Depends more on how I feel as I am starting the character, not much else.

This post has been edited by SpartanGuy07: 17 January 2012 - 08:09 AM

[Dogstopper]

I usually pick a male wood elf (if available). I like archery, thieving, snooping around; that sort of thing.

[Craig328]

BF3 and TF2 solves these issues for me rather effectively.

I pick the character likely to kick the most ass...regardless of whether that ass is masculine or feminine. I'm an equal opportunity abuser like that.

[modi123_1]

If anything I shoot for Raistlin - pure and simple. Usually by the end of it I end with being more of a Verminaard (but with the wandering hands of a kender). The three S's.. scorchy, stabby, stealie.

Gender wise it depends on the 'cool factor' of the character designs.. though, on average, I roll female. Why the hell would I care to remake myself in a video game?

[lordofduct]

Reading article now

Quote

One friend told me that in most RPGs, he prefers to play as a woman. Bear in mind, this is a guy who is biologically male, identifies as male, and presents himself in what I would consider to be a traditionally masculine manner. He found that if the gender of the character didn’t affect the story too much, then female characters were usually easier for him to relate to than their hyper-macho, gravelly-voiced counterparts. The typical portrayal of men in games was so far removed from his own identity that he often found it easier to play a woman.

Agreed

Quote

But the trend that stuck out to me most had nothing to do with combat abilities or aesthetics or relatability. These guys were all about the intrigue of female heroes.

This right here is my biggest reason as well. I like the idea of female heroes. Even when you look at all mine and my buddies own game designs that we do on our home projuects, they all have female leads.

images in spoiler

Spoiler

Apoc w/ Livie



Orbital w/ jetpack girl




Bailamos! (we dance... or wii dance, concept for competition my buddy was in)



I only have a very early video clip of Pearl, she is a porcelain doll who acts as the visual projection of the female lead Livie in "Tegesta" (early name). You only ever would see Livie (same name as in Apoc again) in reflections and the sort

I've spent a lot of time trying to pin-point exactly why female leads attract me most... and I can't actually say it's gender identity issues, I think the gender identity issues are a result of my desire for female heroes. I also don't think it's a simple answer, and not directly related to gaming.

I am very attracted to strong, independent, and determined women. As a punk in highschool I dated the sub-servient kind of girls and douchely basked in the ego massage it came with, but the strong ladies always got my goat. Some of my friends (even girls) look at me cross eyed when they meet some of these girls because they aren't "attractive" (what ever the fuck that means), and I just nod at their strong "attractive" personalities.

I figured out what it was... and strangely has nothing to do with gender, sex, or anything like that; though that stuff does play minor roles. And really comes down to details that need not be discussed here. Let's just say it's quite simply, and obviously, my parents. But not in a "it's all their fault, wahhhhh" kind of way, but instead it's out of admiration for their perseverance in a dauntingly difficult life. They're far from perfect, but maybe I can use their skills to make a better me... and that manifests as a "strong and beautiful woman".

This post has been edited by lordofduct: 17 January 2012 - 08:31 AM

[xclite]

MrSooty, on 17 January 2012 - 09:32 AM, said:

I'm not a fan of the huge macho guys you can choose for some games.

Being a male human priest in World of Warcraft just looked ridiculous.

Also, Command Shepard is pretty kickass as a woman.

For me, a lot of the male models are just unappealing and annoying to play.