Making CoD protagonists interesting.

[Shoelip]

So we all know the protagonist of CoD. He's a generic voiceless male soldier of usually Caucasian ancestry who for some unexplained reason is some god of war compared to all the other soldiers around him. He kills endless streams of foreigners for the glory or of allied forces or more recently just the good old US of A(even if he's British... still don't quite get how that worked out). In any case I've thought of two suggestions that could make the series a least a little less generic. Every single CoD game bar that one for one of the portable systems(I can't even remember which) has had exclusively male protagonists. Yeah it's understandable considering that most soldiers are male, but it's also missing a huge opportunity for no apparent reason. Female soldiers exist. There doesn't really seem to be any reason why CoD has almost completely ignored this. I can already think of two perfect CoDdish scenarios for a female soldier to find herself in. Either as a Russian sniper in World War Two going around slaughtering dozens upon dozens of German people, or in the next modern warfare styled game having a supply convoy or any other situation where a female soldier would reasonably be getting attacked in Afghanistan. I mean, it's really not some big thing that would require a lot of work, and it seems like the pay out would be a lot bigger than any additional work that might for some reason be needed.

The other thing I've been thinking of is the fact that basically every single single player world war two game in existence has you playing exclusively Caucasian males be they American, British, Russian or German. (is there any game that has you playing any other nation besides those?) They've basically tired WW2 by doing this over and over. Why not do something just a little bit different, instead of concentrating on the soldiers that already have tons of Tom Hanks movies about them, how about basing a campaign around the 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team.

 

[JourneyThroughHell]

1. Alex Mason wasn't voiceless. Neither was Soap.
2. Caucasian? Really? Examples, please.
3. How does a random, not-speaking woman improve the situation? How's that any better than a random, not-speaking man?

We're not pulling Samus Aran 20 years after someone has already done it, are we?

 

[Zhukov]

The problem is the "soldier" part.

Soldier protagonists never have any motivation beyond "I'm a soldier in a war."

Also, I wonder what the CoD fanbase would think of a female protagonist. I have this feeling it wouldn't go down too well. The game would still sell like hot cakes though.

 

[Shoelip]

1. Alex Mason wasn't voiceless. Neither was Soap.
2. Caucasian? Really? Examples, please.
3. How does a random, not-speaking woman improve the situation? How's that any better than a random, not-speaking man?

We're not pulling Samus Aran 20 years after someone has already done it, are we?

1. Alex Mason? Who's that? The protagonist of Black Ops? You can't really argue that the most recent game in the entire series being the only exception somehow disproves the rule. Soap is a very talkative supporting character. He's a voiceless protagonist.
2. Ahem, http://callofduty.wikia.com/wiki/Templatelayable_characters
3. It's not better. It's different. The fact is, CoD has mostly ignored the existence of female soldiers. There has been one playable female character in the history of the game and that was in a console spin-off back when CoD was still a PC game. There have been a few bit NPCs here and there. I really don't see why they shouldn't have a female playable character. Make her slightly shorter than the male characters and give her a female panting actor, and have the characters refer to her as female if an appropriate situation arises and you've acknowledged the existence of female soldiers. You don't even have to do anything deep or meaningful with it. It's basically cheap social karma points. If you were really feeling risky you might actually touch on the actual issues female soldiers face, but I mean, come on, it's Activision...

As for motivations, that's where the 100th infantry would be great. Their motivation isn't just, "I'm a soldier in a war", it's I'm a soldier in a war fighting to prove that Japanese Americans are just as American as Caucasians. Big nationalistic fervor points right there.

 

[TFielding]

The problem with a female American protagonist is that female's are not allowed in frontline combat MOS's. The supply convoy could work, but not for very long. Also, CoD and CoD:UO had the whole diary thing on the loading screen.

 

[kuyo]

it'd be more interesting to have a man who cross-dresses.

 

[JourneyThroughHell]

2. Ahem, http://callofduty.wikia.com/wiki/Templatelayable_characters

And...

I'm looking at Joey Martin and Scott Riley, or Bill Taylor. None of them are Caucasian.

 

[Mr Companion]

I think gammy goose should be the protagonist of the next COD game.
"I find this combat awfully cathartic"
"Shut up and get in line soldier! We need support on the right flank!"
"I wonder if the graffiti on this wall has any bearing on the current political climate in the surrounding regions, perhaps it hold clues to the true ideology of our opponents-"

 

[Shoelip]

True they had diaries, CoD two had them as well, but no voices.

It doesn't even have to be long. Look at the first two levels of MW2. First one was training, second was combat. Third one they switch characters. No reason it needs to be long. On the other hand they could easily make it longer if they wanted to with a bit of creativity.

 

[Kirkby]

I can already think of two perfect CoDdish scenarios for a female soldier to find herself in. Either as a Russian sniper in World War Two going around slaughtering dozens upon dozens of German people, or in the next modern warfare styled game having a supply convoy or any other situation where a female soldier would reasonably be getting attacked in Afghanistan.

Thats actually a really good idea.. But i can think of two problems. The first being that an entire game/campaign based around sniping would be ideal for me (cause i love sniping and creeping about) but i think most people would find it boring eventually, especially if you look at your average Ritalin fuelled CoD player

and the second is, when your actually playing in an FPS shooter the person your playing as could be female in any game as far as im concerned. Unless they added dialogue and interactions gender would make no difference.

I think they need to spend more time in cutscenes and explaining the plot in CoD games. I dont even know which country im in half the time, never mind what my characters name and motives are

 

[Malyc]

If i remember right, in COD Finest Hour, you played as a female Russian sniper in WWII, Tanya Pavelovna.
I think the main reason for lack of female characters is that, in America at least, female soldiers are prevented from entering into a combat unit.

 

[Shoelip]

2. Ahem, http://callofduty.wikia.com/wiki/Templatelayable_characters

And...

I'm looking at Joey Martin and Scott Riley, or Bill Taylor. None of them are Caucasian.

Are you using some weird unpopular definition of Caucasian or something? Because being intentionally confusing isn't really a great argument.

I think gammy goose should be the protagonist of the next COD game.
"I find this combat awfully cathartic"
"Shut up and get in line soldier! We need support on the right flank!"
"I wonder if the graffiti on this wall has any bearing on the current political climate in the surrounding regions, perhaps it hold clues to the true ideology of our opponents-"

I have no idea what you're talking about but it's quite funny.

I can already think of two perfect CoDdish scenarios for a female soldier to find herself in. Either as a Russian sniper in World War Two going around slaughtering dozens upon dozens of German people, or in the next modern warfare styled game having a supply convoy or any other situation where a female soldier would reasonably be getting attacked in Afghanistan.

Thats actually a really good idea.. But i can think of two problems. The first being that an entire game/campaign based around sniping would be ideal for me (cause i love sniping and creeping about) but i think most people would find it boring eventually, especially if you look at your average Ritalin fuelled CoD player

and the second is, when your actually playing in an FPS shooter the person your playing as could be female in any game as far as im concerned. Unless they added dialogue and interactions gender would make no difference.

I think they need to spend more time in cutscenes and explaining the plot in CoD games. I dont even know which country im in half the time, never mind what my characters name and motives are

Plot and character motivation in a CoD game? You be trollin! Seriously though, that's kind of asking for a lot more than can reasonably be expected from this series.

If i remember right, in COD Finest Hour, you played as a female Russian sniper in WWII, Tanya Pavelovna.

Right. That's that only playable female character in the entire series that I mentioned.

 

[TFielding]

Wait, women can serve as MP's, so that could work.

 

[JourneyThroughHell]

2. Ahem, http://callofduty.wikia.com/wiki/Templatelayable_characters

And...

I'm looking at Joey Martin and Scott Riley, or Bill Taylor. None of them are Caucasian.

Are you using some weird unpopular definition of Caucasian or something? Because being intentionally confusing isn't really a great argument.

Apparently I am.

Because, in Russia, caucasian people are people from Caucasus.

Y'know? A region?

EDIT: Oh, so it's basically another word for European race. Never heard that.

 

[Shoelip]

2. Ahem, http://callofduty.wikia.com/wiki/Templatelayable_characters

And...

I'm looking at Joey Martin and Scott Riley, or Bill Taylor. None of them are Caucasian.

Are you using some weird unpopular definition of Caucasian or something? Because being intentionally confusing isn't really a great argument.

Apparently I am.

Because, in Russia, caucasian people are people from Caucasus.

Y'know? A region?

EDIT: Oh, so it's basically another word for European race. Never heard that.

Ok. So you were being unintentionally confusing. My mistake. But it's your fault for having such good English I never once considered you might not be a native speaker.

 

[weker]

if you turn them all into francis york morgen then i would think all fps charecters are intresting

 

[mrscott137]

Hows about we make them French? No good reason really, I just think a French superhero would be cool... What?!

 

[teebeeohh]

Either as a Russian sniper in World War Two going around slaughtering dozens upon dozens of German people, or in the next modern warfare styled game having a supply convoy or any other situation where a female soldier would reasonably be getting attacked in Afghanistan.

so the best jobs for female soldiers is either as a sniper, far away from combat and very near to the supply tent or guarding food rations? Dude you have to get your equal opportunities checked out. Women have every right to shoot children while storming a house that men have.
sry this was completely off topic and i rather stretched the content of your post but i couldn't for the love god come up with something relevant on topic.
it's cod, it does not need complex characters, better just let it die now before it goes the way of guitar hero.

 

[Zaik]

I'm not actually aware how other countries do it, however here in the USA women aren't allowed to hold any combat MOS. At all. About the closest they can get on purpose is being Motor Transport and being ambushed on a convoy, or being an MP and getting attacked.

I doubt that too many other countries use women in combat related jobs either.