Lack of gaiety in gaming

[mark_n_b]

I just read this brief article on game politics http://www.gamepolitics.com/2009/01/09/journalist-asks-are-games-gay-enough#comments that makes a very valid point about the rut of the games industry and the tendency to fall back on stereotypes and cliches over examining complex issues in a mature and head on fashion (in this case the use of homosexuality)

When I design a game I rarely have gay / lesbian characters, and I will admit to a fondness of including at least one sexy lady whenever I use human (or humanish) characters.

But I do avoid stereotyping (I'd like to think) and try to keep my writing mature / sophisticated while still being accessible to the market (honestly the game I'm working on right now is about a butterfly going from flower to flower, so these things aren't always issues I can face anyway)

But I'm a heterosexual male and the gay / lesbian people I know well enough to know the gender they prefer only constitute a handful of my friends. For me it is not about being cliched as much as it is about being myself and communicating those things that are important to me.

However, I'm not sure that is an attitude that is always reflected in the games industry which seems more about trying to get as many profanities, explosions, and damsels in distress as possible to make the game "marketable".

 

[TheNamlessGuy]

DELETED

 

[shadow skill]

You know I really don't see that much in the way of cursing in videogames, particularly given the situations many action games find the characters in. As far as the industry being too cliched or focusing on cliche's and stereotypes to sell products. You are probably correct in your assesment all I would add is that I do not think the issue even enters their minds.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Does it really matter that much what a character's sexual preference is? Gordon Freeman could quite easily be homosexual, but would it change any part of Half Life 2?

 

[new_age_reject]

Does it really matter that much what a character's sexual preference is? Gordon Freeman could quite easily be homosexual, but would it change any part of Half Life 2?

This, there just isn't really a way that you can insert a particular sexuality into a game without it seeming gimmicky.

 

[PitrDeVries]

The title of this thread made me do a double take, if for nothing else than the the percieved misspelling of 'gaiety.'

Unfortuneately, sterotypes are easy to write and script. In drama, stock characters are often used for comic relief and are prevalent in melodrama. And video games are stuffed full of melodrama themes. In other words, they are taking the easy way out.

Its hard to blame project teams, though. With market pressure and budgets and technological concerns to have "full 3d up the arse," compelling story is usually put down lower on the list.

On a slightly off-topic note, what kinds of games to you design?

 

[I3uster]

Fallout 3 had a gay couple no one noticed, flak & shrapnel

 

[Nimbus]

Does it really matter that much what a character's sexual preference is? Gordon Freeman could quite easily be homosexual, but would it change any part of Half Life 2?

This, there just isn't really a way that you can insert a particular sexuality into a game without it seeming gimmicky.

I'm thirding this. I mean, how would stuff like this even come up whilst fighting aliens. "Eat lead Alien Scum! Also, I'm gay!"

 

[Jandau]

Also, did you notice how lesbians are far more prevalent than male homosexuality?

 

[Slayer_2]

Army of Two anyone?

 

[Fanboy]

Master chief was gay.

I wouldn't feel weird playing a homosexual character in a video game, so long as the game isn't centered around the fact that said character is homosexual. However, I don't think the majority of gamers are ready for something like that, and it would only reach a very limited audience.

I think it would be better to keep the character's sexuality secret, then spring it on the fanbase after the game has become successful. Kind of like what J. K. Rowling did with Dumbledore.

 

[shadow skill]

The world of Resistance 2 is a gay paradise what with the lack of women anywhere in that game.

 

[1337mokro]

The fact that in games romance never gets past the part of conversation or implied actions to avoid the 50 foot 18+ stamp, most of the gayity would quickly revert to lesbian relationships. Most gamers a male and most gamers are teenagers thus ensuring that if there is at least one lesbian scene in any game the little acne bastards will buy it.

But honestly how much would you have liked for Cortana to be a man, Alyx to be Alex, Niko Belik chasing after a hot spunky stud with truck, Mario and Luigi to have been more than co plumbers or think about this one for a second a gay Duke Nukem.

And in any deathmatch shooter there are NO women? Halo, all men, Battlefield, all men, Cod, all men, TF2, all men, and on in infinity it doesn't get gayer than 30+ men playing on one map.

 

[Sennz0r]

I agree with the people that there's no way to let the player know whether a character is homosexual or not without making the NPC explicitly commit an act that is conform with homosexual stereotypes. These kind of acts would be very out of place in let's say Gears of War, though a lot of the characters in there might have different sexual preferences than what you might think (yes, Cole may actually be straight, have you guys thought about that?).

Sure it's possible to do in games like Oblivion (in which the Orc smith in Bliss is clearly interested in your male physique if you're a man) or other RPGs but even then they'd be very corny undertones. In any other type of game it just won't work since you don't want to sit around and see two women cuddle, you want to shoot stuff (just using FPS as an example right now).

 

[jebussaves88]

I think the majority of gamers (the majority being straight I assume) would have trouble relating to the character if they are quite obviously homosexual. Sexuality shouldn't really be an issue in any games anyway, straight or homosexual. Gordon Freeman may well be gay, but it wouldn't benefit the story in anyway if he was outed. Maybe a game like GTA, where the choice is ultimatly yours, they could incorporate gay relationships (rather than being a mission to blind date a bloke, then kill him). Fable has done so, so if you were inclined, then you'd decide the sexuality of the character.

I couldn't care less though.

 

[Susan Arendt]

Does it really matter that much what a character's sexual preference is? Gordon Freeman could quite easily be homosexual, but would it change any part of Half Life 2?

This, there just isn't really a way that you can insert a particular sexuality into a game without it seeming gimmicky.

I'm thirding this. I mean, how would stuff like this even come up whilst fighting aliens. "Eat lead Alien Scum! Also, I'm gay!"

I have to disagree. Take, as an example, Uncharted. Nate and Elena don't have overtly lovey-dovey scenes (that I can remember...maybe he kisses her, I'm not sure), but there is certainly classic romantic comedy tension between them. Why not have Elena's character be male? Or Nate's female?