I think in most games you just assume the main character is hetrosexual because sexuality doesn't come up, and hetrosexual is the default possition, or it's so unimportant you don't care. Ever wonder if Gorden Freeman is gay?
Poll: Games aren't gay enough.
- Thread starter False Nobility
- Start date
Recommended Videos
Now, I've put it down as "Need more gay", but at the same time, bear in mind that a lot of protagonists are blank slates. They can be gay if you want them to be.
Blank slates aside, I was surprised at the assertion - "What do you mean?" I thought, "We've got WhatsHisFace from..." and then I drew a blank.
Who IS a decent gay character?
Then again, gay characters are unfortunately controversial in the US, so anyone hoping to market to the US either has to have clout to back it up or be so small as to go unnoticed.
Basically it makes selling the game harder, which sucks for everybody (except maybe One Million Moms, but really, fuck them).
Blank slates aside, I was surprised at the assertion - "What do you mean?" I thought, "We've got WhatsHisFace from..." and then I drew a blank.
Who IS a decent gay character?
Then again, gay characters are unfortunately controversial in the US, so anyone hoping to market to the US either has to have clout to back it up or be so small as to go unnoticed.
Basically it makes selling the game harder, which sucks for everybody (except maybe One Million Moms, but really, fuck them).
I couldn't care if my character was gay much in the same way that I wouldn't care if he had brown or blonde hair, black skin or white skin etc.
If a game were to go out of its way to say "Look, our main character is gay!" it'd be ball-bouncingly cringe-worthy. Unless the point of the game was that you were playing a gay character fighting against an army of homophobes or something, at which point the fact becomes relevant.
If a game were to go out of its way to say "Look, our main character is gay!" it'd be ball-bouncingly cringe-worthy. Unless the point of the game was that you were playing a gay character fighting against an army of homophobes or something, at which point the fact becomes relevant.
And I understand what you're saying as well and you're right. But what I was talking about was the OP's apparent view that there aren't any games that have that as a focus. It's entirely possible I misread the intention of the OP, but I was trying to address why there's not many (if any) games that have the main (or supporting) character's sexuality as a primary focus.Vault101 said:
We really shouldn't care what the sexuality of game characters are, as way more often than not their sexuality has nothing to do with the game or the story. There certainly is nothing wrong with putting in a couple homosexual characters, but their homosexuality is not a vital plot-point, but more of a side-note about their character. It doesn't matter if you made Shepard homosexual in ME 3, the story still plays out the same as if he/she is straight.
I really feel like I'm tripping over my own words here, like I'm not expressing what I'm really trying to say. So to put it simply: I just feel like a character's sexuality really doesn't matter one way or the other, and rightfully it shouldn't. As such game creators shouldn't have to draw focus and attention to the fact that a character is gay, keep it as a side note.
Really, my question for the OP is "Define what makes for a "well written gay character"." Do you want them to be a stereotype just so that everyone KNOWS they're gay? Have the character be a limp-wristed interior decorator? Or would you rather them be like they are in real life: normal people who don't force their sexuality on others...they're the same as everyone else, they just happen to be gay as well.
Exactly, are all the gay characters in games supposed to wear out and proud t-shirts or have rainbow ribbons pinned on their armor? I'm all about it, it's fine, it adds realism and can potentially make for great story bits, but seriously, stop making it such a big deal.SecretNegative said:
Also, has the OP actually played ANY story driven games in, say, the last 3-4 years or so? There are (potentially shoehorned in) gay characters everywhere. Even in games like Skyrim, you can choose to be if you like by deciding who to marry with no restrictions by gender (or species). Go play a bioware or bethesda game, seriously.
The people who are saying the characters from Bioware games are gay are wrong. They are bisexual, there IS a difference.
Bisexual is not gay.
Bisexual is not gay.
Bisexual is not gay.
I find it kinda bad that I have to point that out.
Don't get me wrong almost all of them are really well written.
Ander's romance made me cry, and Kaidan I totally fell in love with in ME3. He was so awesome.
The only homosexual characters in any Bioware game ever was Mass Effect 3. Cortez and Traynor. Traynor is awesome, amazing, multifaceted, and just all round great.
Cortez is just a horribly offensive stereotype of what a gay man is. IMO.
Other than Traynor I can not think of any exclusively gay characters that were well written in any game any where.
And considering the estimate for how many gay people there r in the world is around 1 in 10 people; it is kinda sad that we don't have more.
Bisexual is not gay.
Bisexual is not gay.
Bisexual is not gay.
I find it kinda bad that I have to point that out.
Don't get me wrong almost all of them are really well written.
Ander's romance made me cry, and Kaidan I totally fell in love with in ME3. He was so awesome.
The only homosexual characters in any Bioware game ever was Mass Effect 3. Cortez and Traynor. Traynor is awesome, amazing, multifaceted, and just all round great.
Cortez is just a horribly offensive stereotype of what a gay man is. IMO.
Other than Traynor I can not think of any exclusively gay characters that were well written in any game any where.
And considering the estimate for how many gay people there r in the world is around 1 in 10 people; it is kinda sad that we don't have more.
Games are pretty gay, it's just all hidden in thinly veiled homoerotic subtext. What gaming needs is not to be gayer, but to come out of the closet and admit that it's okay to be what it is.
Gah . I said i don't wan it shoved in my face . Having it shoved in my face would turn me off .mgirl said:
And in all honesty , Without relying on emotion . Whats the difference between heterosexuality / homosexuality and pedophilia? Other than the latter is illigal . Homosexuality was once illigal, and homosexuals were once hunted as pedophiles now are . People are ( apparently ) born heterosexuals , born homosexual , and born pedophiles . Yet we expect pedophile to ( sucessfully) renounce their sexual fetish ( everything is a fetish) , something we would never ( or no longer ) ask of homosexuals . Society has evolved from accepting only heterosexuals to accepting every sexual orientation except for pedophilia . Why couldn't it contiue to evolve in such a way that one day we accept pedophilia ? On a basic level , pedophilia is no different from any other orientation , it is society and not nature that rejects it.
Disclamer: I do not in any way , form or manner support pedophilia , i am just looking at it objectively .
Sure, more gay. 
I'm a big supporter of diversity in games and I'm not a homophobe, so why would I be against more gay characters?
I think you'd have to be really insecure in yourself if you get upset by being flirted with by an ingame dude
... Obviously?
And cause kids can't consent?
I'm a big supporter of diversity in games and I'm not a homophobe, so why would I be against more gay characters?
I think you'd have to be really insecure in yourself if you get upset by being flirted with by an ingame dude
Cause pedophilia is known to cause harm to children?krazykidd said:
... Obviously?
And cause kids can't consent?
The difference is is that heterosexuality and homosexuality is mostly expressed through a loving relationship between 2 consenting adults, and pedophilia is often expressed through the abuse and rape of innocent children and I can't believe I've had to say that more than once now.krazykidd said:
I dunno, I thought Fang and Vanille (FF 13) were fairly well written lesbians. No, they never come out and say that, but actions and body language tells it better anyway.False Nobility said:
Also Lelianna from Dragon Age. Yes, she's technically bi, but her only previous sexual relationship of note is with a woman, so she sort of counts.
Otherwise... um... yeah, I'm having a hard time thinking of any either.
Then again, I'm a big fan of gameplay freedom. I like that I can play gay, straight or bi in Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Skyrim, and even Persona 3 Portable (although only with Elizabeth).
I am sad that there aren't more games that let the player choose their character's sexuality so freely.
Then again, as noted, Mass Effect 3 suffered from "late in the story gay characters". I am still upset that Mass Effect didn't let Tali or Garrus have gay relationships. I mean, Cortez and Samantha were nice, but they weren't your stalwart companions through three games, who you'd fought multiple life or death battles along side. Liara was, which is why her romance always feels more meaningful than any of the other gay options.
So yeah, there are a few good characters besides Kanji out there. But I'd like to see a lot more. And I'd have liked an option to have the MC romance Kanji in addition to his various female conquests.
Edit: Wow. My Report Button just got a lot of exercise in this thread. Yikes. Also a new resident on my Ignore list. Seriously, what is wrong with some people?
I think the problem is that gays are a fairly small minority, so when writing a "closed" main character (a character in which the player doesn't make any choices about them or who they are or what they do), the default is mostly straight, because most of the developers are likely straight, and most of the audience is straight, and I guess they feel the player is more likely to relate to the character if it is his/her same sexuality. I personally wouldn't have a problem playing a gay character but I suppose if it comes down to choice I'd prefer a straight character, so I see the developer's logic.
Another thing that must be considered is that sexuality is not necessary for a lot of characters. Unless romance is involved or it's a specific plot point, I don't think there should be reason to bring up whether the character is straight or gay.
I don't know if it this is a bad thing. I know it's good that game companies show support for gays, but I think if they want to make straight characters for their own reasons it's all up to them. If there was a bigger demand for more gay characters I think it would happen, but like I said, that audience is a minority.
Another thing that must be considered is that sexuality is not necessary for a lot of characters. Unless romance is involved or it's a specific plot point, I don't think there should be reason to bring up whether the character is straight or gay.
I don't know if it this is a bad thing. I know it's good that game companies show support for gays, but I think if they want to make straight characters for their own reasons it's all up to them. If there was a bigger demand for more gay characters I think it would happen, but like I said, that audience is a minority.
K-Krystal...oh god...*vomits*RJ 17 said:
I won't say "herp derp we need to have good heterosexual relationships first" because (in case you haven't noticed) the medium is not a single entity that gets better at writing because one guy wrote something well. MegaGaySexyTimes Games is not waiting to start developing their magnum opus because the games industry hasn't leveled its INT enough. It will happen because somebody does it. And somebody else does it. And somebody else. And somebody else.
Those are the rules of the society we live in . Rules that are constantly changing . It has absolutely nothig to do with the "nature" of things . People didn't like the idea , thus it's illegal . You were taught to hate pedophilia , therefor you do . Just like generation before you were taught to hate homosexuality . Like i said in my previous post . At a basic level , there is no difference . The difference lies on an emotional , therefor subjective level .mgirl said:
It boils my blood when people compare being gay to pedophilia.
Because i honestly don't have as much patience as you.
Don't they teach people this stuff?
I'm just gonna give you a big pointy stick and enough snacks to survive while you repeatedly explain why pedophilia is evil, disgusting crime and doesn't have any relationship to do with being gay, straight or bi any more than if your a vegan - before jabbing them in the eyes till they get it.mgirl said:
Because i honestly don't have as much patience as you.
Don't they teach people this stuff?
Sums it up perfectly.Phaerim said:
Yes, absolutely.
Aside from the ideological points involved, more gay characters is likely to mean developers putting in more effort to make their male characters sexy, and I'm always in favor of that.
Aside from the ideological points involved, more gay characters is likely to mean developers putting in more effort to make their male characters sexy, and I'm always in favor of that.
Do you really think that the rape of a child is completely the same as a consentual sex in every objective way? Really? Never mind the fact they don't consent, don't want to be raped, and it leaves both emotional and physical scars? Never mind the fact that those who suffer from abuse as children often never get over it?krazykidd said:
I already explained the difference in my previous post, and if you claim that is only 'emotional' then you need to reread it.
Hah, I'll get right on it.Sneezeburger said: