Poll: Playing Characters of the Opposite Sex

[Gigano]

Doesn't bother me one bit. If there's character creation I'll usually go with a male characters as that's one less factor for suspension of disbelief and thus immersion to overcome, but taking control of female avatar is no problem, and I don't see how it reasonably could be.

 

[Valksy]

Tell your friend not to worry, no one is going to knock on his door and insist on cutting his junk off because he is playing as a female avatar.

Insecurity - how tedious.

 

[the rye]

i might play as a female, actually i choose a female in new veags. Sometimes i just get bored with playing a male and ill go with a female.

 

[TheEndlessSleep]

All the men who say they don't know why they prefer female characters know EXACTLY why...

Me, I can't play as a female character it feels too strange.

 

[Merkavar]

i am not bothered by people playing characters of the opposite choice when they have a choice. like in wow. i dont but thats just cause in most game girls look wierd with the giant boobs and hips and look weaker and thats no good if you want to play a tough armoured character.

 

[Admiral Stukov]

I myself always play a female character given the choice, and anyone who have a problem can take their leave from the internet.

And if your friend thinks playing as the opposite sex is wierd, send him a link to this:

Spoiler: Ultimate Muscle Roller Legend

My E-mail is on my profile page if he wants to send me hate mails.

 

[Thanato5]

Sounds like he isn't very comfortable with his own sexuality. I personally play both sides but the opposite sex has definite pro's. I mean if I have to have someones back on the screen for 40 odd hours I prefer it to be something I don't mind looking at.

with FPS this becomes moot and there isn't any additional value in playing either sex but with RPG's you can miss out on some nice little gems by not doing so.

 

[Treblaine]

Just wondering if anyone else has a problem playing characters of the opposite sex in video games. My friend is always saying how he would never be caught dead playing as a female in video games if given the option to choose, because it feels weird to him. For example, he's never played a Female Shepard in ME because of this reason, so he just watches those parts on Youtube.

Even in some MMOs we play, when he finds out that a guy is playing a female toon, he gets all freaked out by it, and basically calls the guy weird while I shake my head in embarrassment.

I personally think this way of thinking is stupid, but perhaps I'm missing something.

EDIT: Poll got screwed up, sorry.

It does become quite a problem for novices or "new gamers" who are very unused to any kind of "role playing" and even a game like Metal Gear Solid, you are playing a role, the role of Solid Snake.

This became a problem when I tried to introduce my sister to gaming with Zelda Phourglass on the DS. She innocently entered her own name as player name only now she was in this game playing a boy, with a girl's name... her name. And Princess Zelda pawning over link.

It would have saved so much trouble if there was simply an option to play as the opposite gender.

I suppose I need a game where I can teach her the concepts of the 2nd-person-perspective narrative style as most games are played ("you are dead" not "your character is dead") and how to square that with how utterly different her avatar may be from herself.

See in books, films, TV shows there is virtually no introduction to 2nd person perspective storytelling.

So my answer is "kinda" but only for the uninitiated, who don't get that ROLE playing means taking on an uttelry different role.

 

[GrimTuesday]

I don't like playing as females, it makes me feel creepy. Like some pervy old man who plays as females just so he can take off all their clothes and watch the jiggle physics and I don't like those guys, they're creepy.

 

[Yokai]

I usually stick to a male character, but if there are noticeable differences in how a female character plays, I'll certainly give that a whirl. Although sometimes I do play as a female, just for kicks. For example, in Oblivion, I tried to play as the One Physically Attractive Female In All Of Cyrodiil, but the end result was still a hollow-eyed, brick-colored woman with eyebrows the size of small loaves of bread. Got to love that character creator.

 

[cynikles]

I'm generally not that comfortable playing as a female, just a personal thing. I know they are 'role playing' games but I can't seem to detach myself too much from my own personality when I play these games as that's the way I like to play them.

It's a more immersive experience for me personally if I play a personality that is closely mirrored to my own, and that personality is somwhat formed by gender roles in society. Thus, I find it a better expereince personally to play as a male.

 

[Airhead]

If it's an RPG I usually play it at least twice, one time for each sex, to get all the dialogue and quests (which sometimes vary). When the game is more long-term, like an MMO I would usually choose my own sex (male), but I don't consider it especially weird to play a female. I mean c'mon, eye candy.

It's not the same as pretending to be a female in real life and deceiving other people. That would be kinda weird.

 

[Simmo8591]

I play both, doesn't bother me either way. I often use a second play through to play as a girl just to see how different the game becomes

 

[sheogoraththemad]

I always play both ways so I don't see a problem, in dragon age I enjoyed playing like a female over a male, thanks to mods (no not nude mods

And if your friend thinks playing as the opposite sex is wierd, send him a link to this:

Spoiler: Ultimate Muscle Roller Legend

My E-mail is on my profile page if he wants to send me hate mails.

WHAT......THE.....FUCK?!

 

[Dana22]

If you not only play the other sex but also pretend you are one, then yeah its weird.

 

[Flames66]

My character in any game is a projection of myself, I am not female so neither is my character.

 

[rockyoumonkeys]

I almost always play as the opposite sex, but for a couple reasons: a, I'm not one of those people who pretends it's "me" in the game, so I don't make decisions based on what I would do, I make decisions based on what's best for the story. and b, it's just nicer to look at.

 

[Evilsanta]

I dont have a problem with it and sometimes it even changes the story.

And of course if i have to see someones ass for hours it might as well be a female one, Ugh...I feel so dirty after typing that.

 

[Stephanos132]

Not so much bothers me as it never occurs to me to do so. I prefer to play a male lead if given the choice, probably because it gives greater opportunity for me to immerse myself in the game.

 

[Infernostrider]

i'm a heterosexual male..why would i want to stare at a dude all day? ^^