A gay protaganist (or side character) wouldn't offset me as much as to not buy the game. However I would find it pretty disturbing, not because I'm intolerant of our gay fellow men, but because I'd feel it messes up the story. The story is a huge driving force in RPG's for me, a romantic sub plot between men just wouldn't get me into the story/characters the way a traditional romatic sub plot does.
Poll: Gay Characters in RPGs
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As a gay male gamer, I do sometimes feel under-represented by the games industry. I explicity picked up Enchanted Arms solely because I'd heard it was one of the few games one could get in the West which actually had a gay character in - usually I wouldn't have even touched it, seeing as it was a classic example of an over-designed JRPG adrogyne-fest. When I was presented with this hideously camp tranny Makoto as the example of the gay character, I practically sacrificed the game to the hideous ichor-beasts of the infernal pit I was raging so hard. Thankfully he disappeared when The Bad Shit happened and I liked to think he died in some horrible fashion, although it's implied he actually becomes an awesome Mysterious Stranger to save the day. (If so then thank Christ his voice drops an octave when he does) Frankly, the game was horrible and flawed as a game without even getting on to how much of an aneurysm-inducer Makoto was, so I didn't play all the way through to find out if he did develop some redeeeming traits. Like testicles.
BUT! My point - and yes, I do have a point - is that this example serves two points.
1) People WILL buy games with gay characters in them, and indeed BECAUSE gay charcters are in them. I know, because I did.
2) Gay characters have to be more than flaming stereotypes if you want people to like them. I was offered Makoto and was apparently expected to be thanking Enchanted Arms for being so progressive and gay-friendly. "No," was my response. "No, I will not thank you for this monstrosity of a one-dimensional, uncharismatic cardboard cut-out." He was just a side-character, but he was a major deal-breaker for me because he was so irritating, nicely ruining pretty much any scene he was in with his whiny voice and shitty dialogue.
This being said, I really appreciate the option of the Fable series (I argue that Mass Effect lesbianism doesn't count since Asari are mono-gendered, and was irritated my Dude-Shephard couldn't go for Kaiden). I didn't have to take it, and usually didn't since there was no story reason or tangible benefit to it (other than one demon door), but it really did feel like it was a choice I could pursue.
I think RPGs should leave certain points up to the players, and romance is one of them. Unless it's somehow plot-important that the character be straight (ie "the Demon King has kidnapped your pregnant wife, go save her!") or gay (ie "the Demon King has kidnapped your inexplicably-pregnant husband, go save him!"), I think that's something for the player to decide for themselves, so long as the game is sculpted in a way to allow for variety, such as multiple potential romances.
BUT! My point - and yes, I do have a point - is that this example serves two points.
1) People WILL buy games with gay characters in them, and indeed BECAUSE gay charcters are in them. I know, because I did.
2) Gay characters have to be more than flaming stereotypes if you want people to like them. I was offered Makoto and was apparently expected to be thanking Enchanted Arms for being so progressive and gay-friendly. "No," was my response. "No, I will not thank you for this monstrosity of a one-dimensional, uncharismatic cardboard cut-out." He was just a side-character, but he was a major deal-breaker for me because he was so irritating, nicely ruining pretty much any scene he was in with his whiny voice and shitty dialogue.
This being said, I really appreciate the option of the Fable series (I argue that Mass Effect lesbianism doesn't count since Asari are mono-gendered, and was irritated my Dude-Shephard couldn't go for Kaiden). I didn't have to take it, and usually didn't since there was no story reason or tangible benefit to it (other than one demon door), but it really did feel like it was a choice I could pursue.
I think RPGs should leave certain points up to the players, and romance is one of them. Unless it's somehow plot-important that the character be straight (ie "the Demon King has kidnapped your pregnant wife, go save her!") or gay (ie "the Demon King has kidnapped your inexplicably-pregnant husband, go save him!"), I think that's something for the player to decide for themselves, so long as the game is sculpted in a way to allow for variety, such as multiple potential romances.
I wouldn't mind what sexuality the character would be, it'd come down to how good the game is.
However, what I'd prefer would be an option to get off with anyone you want regardless of geneder. Not in a slutty way but in a way that grants the player the option to determine sexuality
but i would probly be a right slut anyway if it means more ammo.
However, what I'd prefer would be an option to get off with anyone you want regardless of geneder. Not in a slutty way but in a way that grants the player the option to determine sexuality
but i would probly be a right slut anyway if it means more ammo.
If it had gay characters, I'd play it regardless. There's really nothing wrong with gay, and a gay main character [as an example] would be interesting. In G.U. Endrance does give off the impression of gay, and might even have a crush on Haseo. It's really how they display this homosexuality that makes it "Equality", "Just put in there", or "Gay Game".
I'm good as long as it's not insulting, like having them running around in their underwaer humping everything and shouting "hello sailor!" in a high pitched voice. I'm pretty sure that's just a stupid stereotype.
Well I really don't care. I would slightly detest any sexual scenes simply because I don't roll that way, but if the game itself is good, I see no problems with this.
I think half the reason homosexual characters aren't common in games is because of the barrier that it creates.
For the most part; and my own personal encounters, homosexuals are a lot more open minded than heterosexuals. This translates to them being easier to engage with in subjects they have an opinion on for example, as they open are for discussion as opposed to a clash.
What this boils down to here; is that a homosexual can accept a hetero role, whereas there is a large percentage of heteros that will not tolerate a homo role.
Obviously I'm generalising, and I realise there will be homosexuals with narrow minds as well.
But bear this in mind: A world that constantly forces hetero behaviours in your throat. Thus, a game that haves the same ideologies is more "safe" and thus more attractive to the main stream.
None of the above should be the norm of course, but until the mainstream takes a leap and makes an effort to change it, it shall so remain.
But change involves risk, and risk potentially means the loss of money.
For the most part; and my own personal encounters, homosexuals are a lot more open minded than heterosexuals. This translates to them being easier to engage with in subjects they have an opinion on for example, as they open are for discussion as opposed to a clash.
What this boils down to here; is that a homosexual can accept a hetero role, whereas there is a large percentage of heteros that will not tolerate a homo role.
Obviously I'm generalising, and I realise there will be homosexuals with narrow minds as well.
But bear this in mind: A world that constantly forces hetero behaviours in your throat. Thus, a game that haves the same ideologies is more "safe" and thus more attractive to the main stream.
None of the above should be the norm of course, but until the mainstream takes a leap and makes an effort to change it, it shall so remain.
But change involves risk, and risk potentially means the loss of money.
You've not been paying attention, have you? The point is that gay characters are under-represented, examples of them being extremely rare. You can't really claim that they're being 'shovelled.. for no damn reason'.ForgottenPr0digy said:
Also, for the most part, games are constructed narratives which means there is a thought process behind each scene, character and line. There won't be 'no damn reason' if a designer chooses to make a character gay. There will be a reasoned out thought process.
If it fits the story and the character then it is fine with me. I just don't want them shoe-horned into a game just for the sake of having gay characters in a game. I do think that more should be in games though. They, like most minorities, are an under represented group of people. But again, it must fit the game's story line or it is just as lame as anything else that is put into a game for no other reason but to just be there.
There is only one reason i'd ever be put off playing an RPG with a gay protagonist, i like the whole self-immersion thing, and since i'm straight it'd ruin it slightly.
JRPGs would work well with the previously mentioned consequence system, where through choosing different actions you're lead to being gay, straight or bisexual.
As for more western RPGs, like ES:Oblivion, A character choice for being gay or straight would be better.
On a side note, i often find that romance plots are very non-conclusive. Take my latest RPG addiction, Tales of Vesperia. From the very beginning you know Yuri and Estelle are the main love interests. Though nothing other than a few hints really prove this.
Then of course, Yuri actually flirts with the other two female characters on several occasions.
There was just no sort of ending to it. Kinda bugs me. Like reading a book and discovering the last chapter is missing.
JRPGs would work well with the previously mentioned consequence system, where through choosing different actions you're lead to being gay, straight or bisexual.
As for more western RPGs, like ES:Oblivion, A character choice for being gay or straight would be better.
On a side note, i often find that romance plots are very non-conclusive. Take my latest RPG addiction, Tales of Vesperia. From the very beginning you know Yuri and Estelle are the main love interests. Though nothing other than a few hints really prove this.
Then of course, Yuri actually flirts with the other two female characters on several occasions.
There was just no sort of ending to it. Kinda bugs me. Like reading a book and discovering the last chapter is missing.
I think the problem is gay characters only seem to exist because they are gay rather than characters that happen to be gay I can't really think of any hetrosexual characters that are the same.
Mulder and Scully from the X-files were both hetrosexual characters (with a mostly off camera relationship) and yet the story has nothing to do with their sexuality where gay characters seem to constantly get involved in issue's and situations that only occur because they are gay and thus can only really be related to by a gay audience whereas any gays in the X-files audience are unlikly to have a problem relating to the protagonist's since their struggles in the narative are seperate from their sexual orientation and more to do with the conflict against those with a lot more power and influence than they do.
Mulder and Scully from the X-files were both hetrosexual characters (with a mostly off camera relationship) and yet the story has nothing to do with their sexuality where gay characters seem to constantly get involved in issue's and situations that only occur because they are gay and thus can only really be related to by a gay audience whereas any gays in the X-files audience are unlikly to have a problem relating to the protagonist's since their struggles in the narative are seperate from their sexual orientation and more to do with the conflict against those with a lot more power and influence than they do.