Poll: Protagonists of a different race/gender

[Guilherme Zoldan]

This is a simple question really but Id like honesty here, nobody, well at least not me, will call you racist or sexist for saying its hard to relate to someone different from you. I admit I would have a slight problem, not as in rage and revolt but just being slightly put off by playing a non-white male protagonist. Maybe its because I'm so used to them being white males that when they're not its just jarring. Not that I'd refrain from playing a game over that, it would just be weird to me.
Strangely enough I don't feel the same weirdness factor playing as a female of any race. Maybe its some subconscious prejudice of mine or just what I'm used to in games.
What about you guys?

I think there was an issue with the poll. Is it even there? if so the first option is meant to be "No, I wouldn't mind either way"

 

[HassEsser]

I can't say I relate to that whole "disconnect" with a protagonist of a different creed, but what I can say is that I prefer playing as a white female, and I don't really know why, I just kinda go for that option in any game that gives me such a choice, such as Fable, Oblivion or Fallout.

EDIT: Oh, and just to clarify, I am, in fact, male.

 

[Jedoro]

I can go through games with a female protagonist, but it's just less immersive than with a male protagonist because she's that much more different than I am. I also like being able to act in-game how I'd act if I was in that situation, so it's weird seeing female-exclusive options even on the table, i.e. sleeping with Benny when you first meet him at The Tops in New Vegas.

 

[Zhukov]

Yer poll dun got eaten!

...

I personally never had the slightest trouble. Male, female, hermaphrodite, white, black, blue... whatever.

I just don't see why I should have trouble sympathising with someone because they're not a stand-in for my own standard young white male arse. I mean, there are seriously people out there who have trouble enjoying Beyond Good & Evil because Jade is female and kinda Asian-ish looking?

Closest I ever came to something like that was the human section of the 2010 Alien Vs Predator game. You play as a young black male, but he's a silent protagonist and you only see his face right at the end. (Actually you see him once at the start as well, but the game doesn't make it clear that he's the player character. The camera sort of slides into his head sideways.) When I saw him my reaction was, "Huh, I've been a black guy this whole time?" So, in the absence of any clear identification to the contrary, I will still end up projecting my own attributes on the protagonist.

 

[Guilherme Zoldan]

Don't see why anyone should. I just do, wish I didn't though.
Maybe its a social thing or just what I am used to in games and movies and such.

 

[darth.pixie]

I've played as everything from orcs to elves to reptiles to daeva to demons to ...well, whatever else was allowed. Considering my start in role playing was D&D and playing a human is very boring there, I got used to playing anything else but. In fact, if the only option is human in a rich fantasy/sci fi environment I'm a bit dissapointed. I get to be a human every day. I like variety in my games.

 

[Saulkar]

Strangely enough I prefer to play Asian or Black females in games, dunno. I guess I hope for a little sexism from male NPCs giving me an excuse to kick them in the balls. I love hurting virtual bigots.

 

[emeraldrafael]

Considering my favorite game is persona 3 fes, and the protagonists are all japanese (well, the human ones), Im not bothered by it.

in fact, in quite a few of my table top D&D games, I play as opposite gender (female) and occasionally opposite race (something not Caucasian)

 

[Saulkar]

I've played as everything from orcs to elves to reptiles to daeva to demons to ...well, whatever else was allowed. Considering my start in role playing was D&D and playing a human is very boring there, I got used to playing anything else but. In fact, if the only option is human in a rich fantasy/sci fi environment I'm a bit dissapointed. I get to be a human every day. I like variety in my games.

I also share that same sentiment. I am aghast that Bioware is only now including the ability to play as another race in Mass Effect with the upcoming sequel.

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

It doesn't really bother me but I can say that sometimes I roll my eyes at female ones that are played up too much with female power. Way too much sexuality and being some kind of hardcore character. I definitely prefer that kinda crap to be downplayed.

 

[maxmanrules]

Doesn't bother me. Mostly games with a rather fixed storyline force you to be someone of a specific type, like some COD single players, and some others can let you do whatever you want. So I can run through Neverwinter Nights 2 or Mass Effect 2 as a black chick, and Asian dude, or bloody androgynous snake for all I care.

Hiss

 

[Thaluikhain]

I don't see how that works, TBH. Are most gamers 8ft tall maladjusted space marines from the future?

But there does seem to be an assumption that PoC characters are for PoC audience, and nobody else...I read a blog about a US writer complaining that his stories were stuck in the "African American Fiction" section, because he happens to be black, rather than the scifi/fantasy section based on what the books were about.

Then again, there's the usual outcry when you have non white male heteronormative characters, about tokenism and propaganda and shoving it in "our" faces (especially with homosexuality)...if people who aren't heteronormative white males have gotten used to not having characters like them in games, then there's no reason to diversify, all you'll do is lose sales.

 

[Arawn]

As long as the game adapts accordingly to whatever race/sex it really doesn't bother me too much. If you're having trouble with the character's race or sex the game's story is to blame It's playing a role, I will admit most default characters are male and white. There are games were the characters aren't even human. What of those? Are they just a difficult to play? I loved Bayonetta; a woman with an accent, attitude, and weapons to kill you six ways to Sunday. Not once did I think; "Playing a woman is awkward." the character was brought to life through the storytelling.

 

[Guilherme Zoldan]

Its a visual thing for me, its just a bit off-putting to see a main protagonist that doesn't look like a white male. Maybe it is not about being relatable and more about what I'm used to seeing. Since lets be honest I'm not an eight foot tall arian superman like most video-game protagonists.

Also I hope nobody got the impression I was saying that protagonists should not be of different genders or races, I was just telling you about my own knee-jerk reaction to it.

 

[DementedSheep]

Race I don't really care about. I do prefer playing a female if it?s a customisable character in an rpg. I can play a guy but I find it a bit harder to make a male character.
Some games where it was trying to be really immersive like for instance Amnesia (in fact thats the only game I can think of where this was an issue) it might have worked a little better if the protagonist was same gender. I found Justine scarier than much of the main campaign and part of that might be because it?s easier to blur the line between the protagonist freaking out with me freaking out if it?s a female voice. However for the most part I'm not bothered by gender.

 

[Eventidal]

I play games as all sorts of races and genders and species. It really doesn't matter to me. In fact, I found that a tanned female in an MMORPG was my favorite of all the characters I had made. She was a tough pirate girl, probably as close to the opposite of me as I can get. I even had a character fashioned to look like me in real life, and I gave him the class and skills I'd probably have if I were living in that world. He was one of my less interesting characters to play as, really.

 

[Smooth Operator]

I tend to make hummies look close to me or something completely bizarre, but what I prefer are games that let me play non-hummies.

 

[tzimize]

Wasnt there a thread like this a few days ago?

OT: I dont care what race/gender the protagonist is as long as he/she is well written. There are certain cultures I dont like (for example the yo-yo-in tha hood bling culture) and such a protagonist would completely turn me off a game. But thats just personal preference.

In general I'd like to see games make better use of different cultures in games besides stereotyping.
For example one of my biggest "DO WANTS" at the moment is for a Red Dead Redemption with an native American protagonist. Buffalo hunting on the prairie, tests of manhood, smoking peyote on side-quests in south america, hunting with bow and arrow or tomahawk....oh man...so much awesomeness...

 

[Puddleknock]

There may be a difference between protagonists that are created by the player and those created by the developers. When I create a character of the oppersite gender or of a different race still does not alter the fact that its my story. Take Mass Effect, I have a white male shep, which would be more closely aligned with my own gender and race. But I also created a black fem shep, no favouritism between the two different Shepards and have actually enjoyed playing as both.

But if I was given that same character rather than creating it would I feel the same? Something to think about. Trying to remember if I've ever played a game where the given protagonist is a neither white or Japanese and female.

 

[Jandau]

I have a problem playing a character who doesn't resemble me IF AND ONLY IF I created him myself. The exception being non-humanlike races. However, if I'm playing a predefined protagonist I'm fine with it, just as I'm fine with watching a movie or reading a book with a black female lead role. Basically, I can play anything, but I like my blank slates to resemble me if at all possible.

Example: I had no trouble playing Jade in Beyond Good And Evil since she was a character with her own story and past, one which I "borrowed" for a bit. However, if I'm playing, say, an Elder Scrolls game you can bet your arse I'll be making a black-haired white guy with green eyes. Except, of course, if I'm playing a Khajit (cat people, basically), since they are sufficiently non-human.