Poll: Do you question people that play opposite gendered character in games

[MarsProbe]

Nope, because, well again, I am one of those people. I don't really have any reason for picking a female/orc/dward whatever over a human male, it really just depends on the game. In Mass Effect, my first playthrough was as a male Shepard, but I didn't do very well on that one so I started again as a FemShep and well, that's the one that stuck.

My first WoW character was a male human (just to be boring) but when it came to making a Draenai, I went with the female, basically because they look better than the male variants of that race (and luckily, look pretty damn awesome as Death Knights).

 

[BloatedGuppy]

I'm a male, and I almost exclusively will play a female when gaming. Not universally...some of my favorite characters have been male, and I don't have an issue playing a male when that is the only option available. But if given a choice, I tend to play females.

I don't really have a developed reason for it. I guess I could speculate about aesthetics and what not, but at this point it's just habitual.

 

[snekadid]

>.> I think the way you worded it is a bit silly. Playing premade characters isn't weird...so why would anyone care? Like in fighting games...if a girl fits my play style...I'll be a girl.

Now people who create characters of opposite genders might just be speaking volumes about the way they think. ..Not that they need to be questioned. But I think a guy making a Skyrim character to look like his dream girl might be a little out of touch, I don't think it requires a looking in to.

I play both genders because I slightly believe in gender roles in games. Not that I think women belong in the kitchen, but women are typically more agile than guys >> so they work better as rangers, or casters. ..and you know..all that physiological stuff.

So no, I don't question people that do it, nor do i think it deserves questioning. Unless you're trying to really read into someones personality or something.

THERE. Made my own entertainment.

Its the opposite for me, I like to make the big bulky knight characters female and the squishy characters male. Kind of a reverse stance, It just seems more interesting, though for the most part its because female character models just look more detailed and interesting. Its less a sexual thing and more I just prefer looking at it. Of course theres games like WoW where you have to play female because the male humans look like their brain damaged.

 

[The Lunatic]

Depends on reasons.

The whole "I LIKE STARING AT A WOMEN'S ASS" is pretty shallow and often leads me to think these types of people are the stereotypical basement guy playing females.

 

[StriderShinryu]

I never question it as it's generally what I do myself. Often when playing an MMO I'll create both a male character sort of in my own image and a female character with the intention of playing them both. More often than not, however, I end up playing the female character more. And in offline game where there's a choice I almost always go with the female option.

I just really tend to prefer the idea of a female hero for some reason and, yes, I certainly admit to preferring to watch a sexy female avatar as opposed to a sexy male one during my play time.

capcha: silence is golden
Indeed Capcha. On this topic it certainly can be.

 

[217not237]

Do I question myself? Hell no! And if you actually chose to play as a male Shepard (well, before ME3 when you can have some hot man on man action), then I pity you.

 

[JasonBurnout16]

Depends how good the customization is.

If it's a bit lacking, such as in ME3, I play as a female as I'd rather look at a girls bum for the new 30+ hours than a guys.

If it's got great customization, such as Saints Row 3, I will create a character as close to myself as possible for emersion. This would be impossible to do in ME.

 

[neonsword13-ops]

Me? I am one of those people.

My response to people asking why I do it?

"Because I can."

So, yeah, that's all there is to it.

 

[Kizi]

Nope, not at all. Heck, my greatest Fallout 3 character is a Caucasian woman that goes by the name of Sheva.
I sort of played as a female to get that Black Widow perk (most enemies are males) but I soon got quite attached to her.

 

[Tanis]

Nope.
That's normally what I do.

But, that has more to do with most male models/templates looking like, and sounding like, ass.

 

[JediMB]

I play female characters when given the choice because I figure if I am going to see them for the duration of the game they might as well be eye candy.

I am guessing this is a part of the reason guys play as girls.

Personally, I cringe every time I hear someone using that motivation. Mostly because I don't want people to assume the same about me, I suppose. I'm male, but usually (let's say 90% of the time) play roll female characters because... well, I just prefer playing female, even in first-person games.

In contrast to many other people, playing female actually improves my immersion, I feel. (That said, I'm not in any way unhappy with being male IRL. I've just had a thing for strong female protagonists since I became an Alien fan back in the early 90's.)

 

[babinro]

Of course not.

If the player changes their personality to reflect the opposite gender in a non-rp environment it irks me. I don't care for that level of misdirection or deceit.

 

[JediMB]

The only games I recall that averts that issue is Mass Effect 2/3. Femshep looks just as bad ass as Default Shep in all her outfits (apart from the N7 leather outfit in 3. That's just silly). My personal favourite is the Serrice Council chest piece.

It's a damn shame female Shepards didn't get that cool leather jacket too. I'd almost (almost!) be willing to pay for a DLC that adds that... along with maybe a tux (or skintight equivalent of FemShep's dress ;D) for male Shepard, I guess?

 

[Numb1lp]

Noone gave it a second thought when male gamers played female characters in the 90s - Lara Croft, Jill Valentine, Samus Aran, half the roster of every fighting game ever...

This is only a 'thing' because of online gaming, and geeks who treat World of Warcraft as a dating site.

I have no sympathy for them.

I agree; that is definitely different. Playing a game from another perspective (i.e. me playing Dragon Age II as a female Champion) is one thing, but those who play as another gender on MMO's is different.

 

[JediMB]

Of course not.

If the player changes their personality to reflect the opposite gender in a non-rp environment it irks me. I don't care for that level of misdirection or deceit.

This reminds me of the time when I casually started chatting with some random person in Final Fantasy XI. Just lightly touching on some personal issues, while keeping in mind that this was a complete stranger I was talking to.

Then the guy clearly started flirting, thinking I was as female as my avatar in the game.

What would you think to be the most kind course of action... just going with it, knowing that I'm unlikely to every encounter the guy again, or telling him I'm a guy and possibly making him feel bad or creeped out?

For the record, I went with the former. No harm done. Not something I'd do with guild members or online friends, though.

 

[babinro]

Of course not.

If the player changes their personality to reflect the opposite gender in a non-rp environment it irks me. I don't care for that level of misdirection or deceit.

This reminds me of the time when I casually started chatting with some random person in Final Fantasy XI. Just lightly touching on some personal issues, while keeping in mind that this was a complete stranger I was talking to.

Then the guy clearly started flirting, thinking I was as female as my avatar in the game.

What would you think to be the most kind course of action... just going with it, knowing that I'm unlikely to every encounter the guy again, or telling him I'm a guy and possibly making him feel bad or creeped out?

For the record, I went with the former. No harm done. Not something I'd do with guild members or online friends, though.

While I'm sure there would be no harm done either way, I'm an honest a person by nature. I'd make my real life gender quite clear shortly after talking about any personal matters.

Of course you get those creepy messages like, "RU F/S/18?" Anything like that I'll gladly never respond to as opposed to being honest or start a verbal confrontation.

 

[Tony2077]

no i question why some people care what gender we play as. its not like it hurts anyone well in some cases it does but there are other problems i don't want to get into

 

[Reincarnatedwolfgod]

i don't see the point of questioning it in single player games.
i personally don't care that much
skyrim for exaple
i play in first person 95% of the time in skyrim so i baerly see how i look
in skyrim my first character was male because i am a male
second character was female because why not
third male
forth female
5th(have not made one but the pattern so far is saying it would be male)
i switch back and forth because i can
it felt a bit more immersive when i was play a male on my first character but playing as a female is a nice change of pace

but that is a single player game
i don't play a mmo's but if i did i would only be a male. it would be a lie if i didn't
i would question it there if it taken to an extreme extent

like this

I took issue with a friend of mine playing a chick in WoW though. Because he started referring to himself as "Jay" (Being a unisex name) and actually pretending to be a female using very elaborate ruses, including voice modulating software for Ventrillo and the like. It is a bit creepy when a male friend of yours is pretending to be female, convincing other people that he is female, cyboring people under the pretense that he is female and doing all of the above to get favourable treatment.

i agree that is pretty creepy and worth questioning

 

[Mauso88]

The majority of genders in games is simply aesthetic, actual stats, skills etc. are usually defined by class.

 

[chadachada123]

I play as a female in plenty of games, probably half of the games that give me the option.

Not because I want eye candy or anything like that, but just because I like putting myself in the game...and certain roles make more sense in my mind as a female.

It really depends on the amount of immersion I'm looking for, but I've certainly got nothing against people that play as a gender other than their own.