Is your character the same sex as you?

Well, I think SOE did a decent job with both PS and PS2 in that regard. There really isn't much difference between the two other than voice.

To be completely honest, When I play a game (especially FPSs), I only look at other characters in terms of Friend or Foe. As for my characters, I choose them based on tactical advantages first. My choice of M/F is the least important of the choices I've made about my character. I don't role-play or care about immersion... even in RPGs. Nowadays, most games have taken out any tactical differences between the two. I mostly play Female avatars out of habit (IE, PS & PS2) from the days that they still had tactical differences. If it comes down to purely aesthetic reasons... and there is no tactical benefit, then it comes down to personal preference. My personal preference is to view the female form more than the male form. (Again, not really relevant in PS2) I won't go out of my way to dress it any differently (unless there is a tactical advantage to doing so).

There are a lot of idiots out there. For me it's just a matter of respect. I won't tolerate those that disrespect others. This includes those that aren't respectful of gender, race, sexual orientation, etc.

That's one of the reasons we have a trial period for outfit recruits. It's also one of the reasons I prefer squading with outfits rather than public squads. Even if my own outfit members are not online, I'd rather squad with another outfit than take the chances with a random public squad. From my experience, they seem to be filled with a majority of idiots.

Eventually pink camo will be released and then I will be a pretty pretty princess

Reminds me of a guy (homosexual) who lived next door to us when l when I was in college. We both owned guild wars so he invited me to do a dungeon with his guild. At one point during conversation I referred to him as "he" and he came running into the room telling me to call him a "she" cause apparently that's what his guild thought he was.

Anyways more on topic, I think it's more telling of a man's inner sexuality if he uses a feminine name, than if he uses a female avatar.

Yeah, all 3 chars are male. But wish I made my vs female because I like how she cries when saying "I require medical attention !".

Last discovery about play as female char when you are man > nobody of female can be ALFA ^^

Don't google "schlongs of skyrim" if you are underage.
Just saying, it works both ways.

Btw, I always pick females while a male IRL, simply because females seem to always look better, whether they are cladded in bikini armor or in full body suits. I'm also way past the age where I associated myself with the in-game avatar. The avatar is more of a protagonist in an interesting story I enjoy to watch and well, I prefer my protagonists females.

I never understood why men chose to play as women, It's all just a bit creepy if you ask me.

Plus it gives you that image

I think it comes a time (I wonder if it's age related), where you don't psychologically feel the need to identify yourself with your ingame avatar. In other words, your avatar stops being an ingame representation of you. Therefore picking a female character is not creepy or weird or unnatural, but a matter of personal taste of what your protagonists in the game you play would rather be.

I dunno man, Personally it just seems creepy. It's like... E-cross dressing.

There was a good Jimquisition video (From the Escapist) on this very subject, but from what I gathered the /primary/ reason that developers don't do female protagonists in games is the very same "problem" that the OP and several other people here have voiced. They think the player needs to identify themselves as the protagonist and they believe that a primarily male player base will be creeped out if that protagonist should be female.

And sadly what you can see from what's in this post is that these developers are not wrong because a lot of people who've posted here have basically identified that, yes, it /would/ creep them out. And that's why Elizabeth isn't the technical protagonist of Bioshock even though she was written to be that.

With a big big gun.

You say that, but i find it's not strange if the character you're forced to play is a female. It's the act of CHOOSING to be one. Reeks of repressed sexual issues to me

One can argue the other way round as easily tbh. (sexual insecurity for example)

As far as Bioshock goes, the primal fatherly rage I felt when somebody was attacking my little girls in Bioshock 2 was not duplicated in Bioshock 3. Elizabeth was likeable but I never felt she was really in need of me at any point in the game.

Yeah, because clearly rolling a female toon with a female name when you are male IRL means something is wrong with you, it possibly even betrays your homosexuality. Here I was thinking being a homosexual meant you want it shove your wang up another man's rectum, possibly because you are in love with him.

You are not the first to say, imply or even hint at this, in this tread, you won't be the last. I find the notion utterly juvenile, but then again, I can't tell if statements like this is done seriously or is some sad attempt at trolling for attention and/or drama. I suspect there may be allot of trolls in this tread. Then again it don't matter to much in the long run because opinions like this are the kind I afford precious little respect anyhow.



To be more on topic, my in-game toons are female, just cause. It makes absolutely no difference to me, it makes no practical difference in game, and by now it's a long-standing tradition of sort that I do.

First EVE character, Male. All alts Female.
First WoW character, Female. All alts Female.
First L2 character, Female. Second toon, Male.
First SW-TOR character, Female. Second toon, Male.
First GW2 character, Female. Alts, Female.
First TERA character, Female. Alts, some Male some Female.

Mass Effect 1-2-3? FemShep. Jennifer Hale = Best voice actress I've heard so far.
Pretty much any RPG after BG2? Female. Because reasons.
BG2? Male. Aerie romance = interesting, Viconia romance = entertaining.

Over the years it has simply become something that I do for the hell of it, mostly for it's own sake than anything else, and other than "Because I've been doing it for years" I have little to no explanation.

The term you're looking for is "Autogynephilia".

While most people here cerainly are idiots, especially when it comes to women, the reason why we don't see many girls is because there's not many women playing this game, simple as that.

Haha sorry i don't want to rub anyone the wrong way (Take that how you will ), I'm not typing these things with any malice!

It's just i've played too many games, where too many males have not just chosen a female character they've then proceeded to pretend to be a girl. It's left a lasting impression and because of that i cant shake the off feeling i get.

Can you see where i'm coming from at least?

On the other hand, generally speaking, male players seem to be more polite and less aggressive towards female avatars, even though at no point the people that play the female avatars disclosed or hinted on their actual gender. In all honesty, I'm considerably more annoyed by RL seeking attention females, than guys playing female toons.

Btw, I either treat all avatars in the game as males or as their ingame gender, regardless of what they actually are. Although I've kept contact with people I've been playing via facebook or other social media even after I stopped playing, meeting those people in person are pretty slim, even if we were in the same country (it happened, but I consider it the exception rather than the rule and it was with people I've been playing for 4+ years).

For me it's like trying to argue that I should care if Lydia on Skyrim is played by a male guy. Well, I don't really care if people prefer to play as Lydia or Vargas, their actual gender is as relevant as the gender of my houscarls in Skyrim.

Unless someone is pointing a gun at your head and forcing you to play a game with a female protagonist, then when you choose to play a game with a female protagonist in it you're choosing to play as that character.

If you do live in a world where people are forcing you to play awesome video games at gunpoint, then can you please tell me where that is because I wanna move there!

Edit: Anyway, the point I was trying to make is the way you feel is the reason developers don't do female protagonists in their games.

Yes it is.

But i would like to turn into a female char.
A trick i found very usefull in Left 4 Dead 2: always take the gril, because when she scream for help is more noticeable.
I always think that a female voice caught attention far more than a male one (in videogames as in real life!).

To hear a female voice telling "i need ammo" or "i need a medic" is always something you notice...undeniable!

Hey now! If i want to play something like erm.. Tomb raider or whichever Final Fantasy it was with that lightning bird as the main character (I've stopped keeping count with those things) I don't have any choice! It's not like i'm going to avoid a game because you have to have an E-gina.

But when you get to pick your gender, Y'know... It's just odd. Well in online games i find it so, You're choosing something that represents you to all the other players.

The amount of people i've seen who have a female avatar, and a name like "PoniesRnice" who then proceed to talk via voice chat and display their eerily deep clearly male ray winstone-esque voice saying "Alright mate, My names Brenda"...

I find it odd is all.