Poll: Gay Main Character

[I Max95]

gay tony from BoGT was an interesting charcter
a grumpy coke fiend as well as a massive drama queen and although they spell it out for you in the title he doesnt fit any of the gay stereotypse
a perfect example how characters can be gay

but gay characters should be optional if your talking about MAIN characters since developers could be fogiven for saying that homosexuals are NOT their target audience and that its much easier to put the option in place but have it never really effect anything

like the gay options in dragon age how BOTH of them do absolutly nothing to the story or gameplay while the straight choices have an impact on the story

 

[Serenegoose]

gay tony from BoGT was an interesting charcter
a grumpy coke fiend as well as a massive drama queen and although they spell it out for you in the title he doesnt fit any of the gay stereotypse
a perfect example how characters can be gay

but gay characters should be optional if your talking about MAIN characters since developers could be fogiven for saying that homosexuals are NOT their target audience and that its much easier to put the option in place but have it never really effect anything

like the gay options in dragon age how BOTH of them do absolutly nothing to the story or gameplay while the straight choices have an impact on the story

Gay players have had to deal with their orientation being sidelined in all media since forever. I think it's frankly insulting to heterosexual people to imply that they'd not buy a game because it had a gay main character. The implication that they're so bigoted and easily offended that the gay characters have to be kept out of the road and optional so as not to offend their dainty sensibilities doesn't do anybody any favours, to be blunt.

 

[Zechnophobe]

It is *really* hard to not play the averages. As refreshing as it might be to see a homosexual main character, there are a LOT of people who would be notably against the game for that fact alone.

Consider this in a light easier for most straight people: If you finally encounter the obvious love-interest of the main character... and they are overweight, and unattractive, do you really think that'd have no effect on your overall enjoyment of the game?

It's hard to admit, but it is unfortunately true.

 

[Airsoftslayer93]

A character should be homosexual if the story calls for him/her to be homosexual. to make a character gay just because there arent enough gay characters sounds quite insulting

 

[Zechnophobe]

So, let me elucidate further.

I think that unless you can make a *truly* compelling argument that there are stories you can only tell with a gay character, then I think having one as a main character of a game is really just alienating a certain section of your player-base.

I haven't played Ballad of Gay Tony, but I would suspect that actually fits the criteria above nicely.

 

[Iandiaeufaieubfeuihfi]

As long as there is no sex scene then I will be fine, and if the character doesnt openly act gay.

 

[Zechnophobe]

gay tony from BoGT was an interesting charcter
a grumpy coke fiend as well as a massive drama queen and although they spell it out for you in the title he doesnt fit any of the gay stereotypse
a perfect example how characters can be gay

but gay characters should be optional if your talking about MAIN characters since developers could be fogiven for saying that homosexuals are NOT their target audience and that its much easier to put the option in place but have it never really effect anything

like the gay options in dragon age how BOTH of them do absolutly nothing to the story or gameplay while the straight choices have an impact on the story

Gay players have had to deal with their orientation being sidelined in all media since forever. I think it's frankly insulting to heterosexual people to imply that they'd not buy a game because it had a gay main character. The implication that they're so bigoted and easily offended that the gay characters have to be kept out of the road and optional so as not to offend their dainty sensibilities doesn't do anybody any favours, to be blunt.

But.. there are plenty of people that ARE like this. I live in California where we just had a major dispute over whether or not gay marraige should remain legal. The smear ads for that were just AWFUL. Finding out your neighbor has a bumper sticker stating that gay marraige is fundamentally immoral is harrowing, let me tell you. These are the people who would likely not pay for that game with the ardent young male couple at center stage.

It sucks that the world is currently like this, but there it is.

 

[Zechnophobe]

As long as there is no sex scene then I will be fine, and if the character doesnt openly act gay.

So as long as its just a footnote in his character bio, with no other impact, it's okay?

 

[_Cake_]

Sure but the only problem is that if there is a gay couple in a game or movie one/both of them has to die. Seriously can you think of any media with gay main characters who both live happily ever after?

 

[Toar]

Personally no. I'm a dude that's into girl romance and I don't want to see male romance. But that's me and I would shy away from games like that if there were a lot of them. So, whatever.

And I'm not trying to offend anyone. I have a reason I am a homophobe. The only person to ask me out in high school was a guy and as a straight guy with the social standard of a rock, that made me question my entire life. So, I'm not just a crazy redneck that hates gays because "They go against the bible!" I'm just a guy that was asked out by a gay guy in high school when I thought I was sending straight signals.

 

[Billion Backs]

Do not care. Most games and movies do not require the generic romantic subplot which is often ridiculously badly written and is just there for the life-less love-starved living stereotypes.

And all the stereotypes about gays somehow being unable to be masculine and violent are ridiculous. If there's any rightful background to this stereotype, it's the culture and not the fact that someone likes to fuck their own gender.

 

[Josdeb]

I'm gay myself, so it'd be nice to have a romantic relationship in a game that I could identify with. For once.

I'm not sure about how it'd fit in with most games (Like, most shooters whicha ren't so character-development-based it wouldn't even make a difference), but I think it would work well to fit in a gay character into a Heavy rain type game.
In Heavy Rain there were 4 protaginists to play as, so if one was gay it wouldn't alienate everyone and since the game was so story oriented it would be able to set up the character as something deeper than "Ooooh, look, I'm the token gay in this story! Let's go shopping!"

 

[Iandiaeufaieubfeuihfi]

As long as there is no sex scene then I will be fine, and if the character doesnt openly act gay.

So as long as its just a footnote in his character bio, with no other impact, it's okay?

No, as long as it doesnt interfere with the storyline and that character acts like a normal human being instead of yelling "IM GAY" every 5 minutes.

 

[Serenegoose]

gay tony from BoGT was an interesting charcter
a grumpy coke fiend as well as a massive drama queen and although they spell it out for you in the title he doesnt fit any of the gay stereotypse
a perfect example how characters can be gay

but gay characters should be optional if your talking about MAIN characters since developers could be fogiven for saying that homosexuals are NOT their target audience and that its much easier to put the option in place but have it never really effect anything

like the gay options in dragon age how BOTH of them do absolutly nothing to the story or gameplay while the straight choices have an impact on the story

Gay players have had to deal with their orientation being sidelined in all media since forever. I think it's frankly insulting to heterosexual people to imply that they'd not buy a game because it had a gay main character. The implication that they're so bigoted and easily offended that the gay characters have to be kept out of the road and optional so as not to offend their dainty sensibilities doesn't do anybody any favours, to be blunt.

But.. there are plenty of people that ARE like this. I live in California where we just had a major dispute over whether or not gay marraige should remain legal. The smear ads for that were just AWFUL. Finding out your neighbor has a bumper sticker stating that gay marraige is fundamentally immoral is harrowing, let me tell you. These are the people who would likely not pay for that game with the ardent young male couple at center stage.

It sucks that the world is currently like this, but there it is.

You say that, and I know where you're coming from but I'm thinking... Six Feet Under, the L Word, Queer as Folk, Brokeback Mountain - all with gay main characters, all successes, but were all controversial just before they came out for having gay main characters. What I see is a whole ton of people saying that OTHER people won't play the game because it's too controversial. And maybe some people won't - I'm sure lots of people didn't watch the shows I mentioned because their fragile worldview couldn't take it (obviously many more people didn't watch because they weren't interested, but they're not the subject of what I'm on about)but the fact remains, these examples were very successful, and I don't see why games can't be, nor do I see why we should give game devs a pass for not being an active participant in the development of our culture. We look to our media for a snapshot of society, to see our world reflected back at us - but we get a whitewashed, heteronormative, male reflection. We should demand that the creators of such works should be braver - not meekly go 'well it would be too much to ask for any bravery from them, bravery isn't profitable.'

It would be profitable as hell if people demanded it.

 

[TastySurvivor]

The character shouldn't be a walking stereotype but obvious that their gay.
(Gay Tony from GTA:BoGT was good)

Sure, but only if their homosexuality was not a main part of the plot. Or if the developers of the game showed him or her off like it was a completely new thing. Otherwise, I see no problem with it.

These two together hit the nail on the head for me.

I totally agree with this. Good points guys

 

[Dr. Gorgenflex]

I dont give a shit if the characters are gay unless its a game about being gay, which I would most likely not play, unless its awesome somehow. Gay characters will probably be used a gimmick if they are used more intead of for a reason like in mass effect, GTA or sims.

 

[I Max95]

gay tony from BoGT was an interesting charcter
a grumpy coke fiend as well as a massive drama queen and although they spell it out for you in the title he doesnt fit any of the gay stereotypse
a perfect example how characters can be gay

but gay characters should be optional if your talking about MAIN characters since developers could be fogiven for saying that homosexuals are NOT their target audience and that its much easier to put the option in place but have it never really effect anything

like the gay options in dragon age how BOTH of them do absolutly nothing to the story or gameplay while the straight choices have an impact on the story

Gay players have had to deal with their orientation being sidelined in all media since forever. I think it's frankly insulting to heterosexual people to imply that they'd not buy a game because it had a gay main character. The implication that they're so bigoted and easily offended that the gay characters have to be kept out of the road and optional so as not to offend their dainty sensibilities doesn't do anybody any favours, to be blunt.

i can tell you that although i dont mind Homosexuals they make me extremely uncomfortable
i would feel way to uncomfortable playing as a gay character in any game and unless the gameplay itself was spectacular i might go so far as to drop the game because of it

i wouldnt feel offended i would just ...not play the game
and this is my point that aiming a game at a small demographic and tailoring the main character accordingly can be problematic so if you create a game where you can tailor make your own character than the option should be present, but if not it might not be the best way to go

 

[Biosophilogical]

Do you think their should me more homosexual characters?

You don't mind if I take this a bit further than you probably intended do you? Cool. Cheers.

Well, there 'should' be more gay main charatcers because if there would only be more homosexual protagonists if it was completely accepted within society in such a manner that it would not affect sales. So yes, there 'should' be more homosexual protagonists as a result of societal equality, but unfortunately, society isn't there yet (emphasis on the yet)

 

[JBarracudaL]

My Bioware game and Fable 2 characters seem to have no issue being gay. That being said, I'd enjoy seeing more homosexual leads, so long as they don't saunter into archetypal territory too badly. It would be nice to see a few leads who struggle with their sexuality or have to make that awkward leap to try and coax a friend until the big question can be dropped. Homosexual romance lends itself so well to tragedy because the potential for plots circling around a lead who loves a straight friend are illimitable and virtually untapped.