1677 réponses à ce sujet

[UsagiVindaloo]

Ramirez Wolfen wrote...

UsagiVindaloo wrote...

coolair74 wrote...




Teenage boyz play as femshep, that is all. And sex sells.

Didn't they actually do a survey that indicated there were fewer teen boys playing FemShep than originally imagined?

And I admit, I am 100% against the idea of breaking down FemShep vs ManShep in terms of gender or sexual preference. I'm a woman, and I play Male Shepard and Female Shepard equally. I love the former's Paragon acting and the latter's Renegade delivery, I love the LIs for both, I find Female Shepard a cool and interesting female character, and I like the look I've created for my male Shepard (hey, if I'm going to be staring at him for ages, may as well like what I'm looking at :3)

I know my experience doesn't speak for everyone, but it's too simplistic to say that Female Shepard is for girl gamers and teenage boys only, any more than Male Shepard is only for manly men who want to enact fantasies of being Captain Kirk and boning hot alien babes. Some manly men enjoy hearing Jennifer Hale's cold and cruel delivery. And some girls want to bang hot alien babes too.

I play as Manshep and Femshep equally, myself. The only reason I prefer Manshep is TALI.  like both of them, really, and I'm a male.

LOL, I'm a girl, and I still slightly prefer ManShep/Tali best of all... I gather that makes me a freak. Having said that, I really get my fangirl squee on for FemShep/Kaidan, FemShep/Thane and FemShep/Garrus, so... er, yes, what was I saying? Oh yeah, this game rocks and more romance FTW.

[coolair74]

[quote]UsagiVindaloo wrote...

[quote]coolair74 wrote...


[/quote]

Teenage boyz play as femshep, that is all. And sex sells.
[/quote]

Didn't they actually do a survey that indicated there were fewer teen boys playing FemShep than originally imagined?

And I admit, I am 100% against the idea of breaking down FemShep vs ManShep in terms of gender or sexual preference. I'm a woman, and I play Male Shepard and Female Shepard equally. I love the former's Paragon acting and the latter's Renegade delivery, I love the LIs for both, I find Female Shepard a cool and interesting female character, and I like the look I've created for my male Shepard (hey, if I'm going to be staring at him for ages, may as well like what I'm looking at :3)

I know my experience doesn't speak for everyone, but it's too simplistic to say that Female Shepard is for girl gamers and teenage boys only, any more than Male Shepard is only for manly men who want to enact fantasies of being Captain Kirk and boning hot alien babes. Some manly men enjoy hearing Jennifer Hale's cold and cruel delivery. And some girls want to bang hot alien babes too.

[/quote]


 Ill admit I cant bring myself to play femshep, its really weird but ME is not Dragon Age, which I played as a female 3 times and took the male LI's. With ME its different, i cant see Shepard as a female. I feel that they just threw in the female one to make women happy. There is several games where you play a female and there is no option to play as a male. Im okay with this. I felt ME should have been male only. But that just me, not being mean but we are just playing an interactive movie. It would be just as weird to watch a female version of Riddick or something.\\

But its cool the way they did it.

[RenownedRyan]

Nyoka wrote...

coolair74 wrote...
femshep...was thrown in to give the girls a heroin.

Right, and the possibility to be black was thrown to give the blacks a hero.

Do you realize that your post is disgusting? I suppose you don't.

You strike me as a person who takes offense way too easily.

The FemShep vs MaleShep argument is not really worth getting mad about. 

And, in truth, wasn't Shepard himself "thrown in" to give us all a hero?

Modifié par RenownedRyan, 22 mars 2011 - 10:09 .

[UsagiVindaloo]

coolair74 wrote...



 Ill admit I cant bring myself to play femshep, its really weird but ME is not Dragon Age, which I played as a female 3 times and took the male LI's. With ME its different, i cant see Shepard as a female. I feel that they just threw in the female one to make women happy. There is several games where you play a female and there is no option to play as a male. Im okay with this. I felt ME should have been male only. But that just me, not being mean but we are just playing an interactive movie. It would be just as weird to watch a female version of Riddick or something.

But its cool the way they did it.

I think we're just having different opinions of ME as an RPG. To me, it isn't that much different in terms of Dragon Age; the main alteration is having a voice actor, which admittedly is pretty big, but I still feel like there's a lot of "blank slate" elements like Dragon Age 1 (which I didn't like, mostly because I found the combat was like pulling teeth while watching paint dry)

So for me, FemShep is just as valid as MaleShep. The only reason MaleShep is in all the marketing is because, I dunno, beefy marines sell games?

Also, FemShep's voice actress is made of win and awesome. Her voice is Renegade distilled.

[Centauri2002]

RenownedRyan wrote...

Nyoka wrote...

RenownedRyan wrote...
The problem there is that, at the end of the day, I didn't romance anyone in ME2.  I romanced Liara in ME1.  My other files have had no romance.  I enjoy the game just as well with no romances.  I dispute the argument that without video game romances people are somehow slighted or they cannot appreciate or enjoy the experience.

So you would rather completely remove romance from the game rather than allowing same sex relationships.

Or did you mean "not romancing is just fine, so gay people can play the game without romancing anyone"? Is that what you're saying? If that's the case, well, you might as well going one step beyond and call Mass effect a straight only game. No gays allowed. I you don't like it, you can git out.

Way to jump to conclusions.  My point was that it is no serious blow to your life if you don't romance someone in ME.  That's no neccessity.  I have the option but don't pursue it.  Nowhere was it insinuated that I belive Mass Effect is a straight only game.  But I sincerely do not believe that the quality of Mass Effect would be negatively effected without romances of any kind.

I agree, it's certainly not a necessary feature in the game. But, for me, it's one of the main reasons why I've enjoyed the Mass Effect series so much. It just makes the story more compelling. Of course, everyone's different though and what I enjoy the next person, like yourself, might not find very important. It would be nice if a game could accommodate us all but that's, unfortunately, never going to be realistic.

[coolair74]

RenownedRyan wrote...

Nyoka wrote...

coolair74 wrote...
femshep...was thrown in to give the girls a heroin.

Right, and the possibility to be black was thrown to give the blacks a hero.

Do you realize that your post is disgusting? I suppose you don't.

You strike me as a person who takes offense way too easily.

I think it left. But it got worse while you were away   Very extremist views and has no idea what equality means.

Even tho I was just stating what the Devs said when Mass effect was just about to launch.

[RenownedRyan]

coolair74 wrote...

RenownedRyan wrote...

Nyoka wrote...

coolair74 wrote...
femshep...was thrown in to give the girls a heroin.

Right, and the possibility to be black was thrown to give the blacks a hero.

Do you realize that your post is disgusting? I suppose you don't.

You strike me as a person who takes offense way too easily.

I think it left. But it got worse while you were away   Very extremist views and has no idea what equality means.

Even tho I was just stating what the Devs said when Mass effect was just about to launch.

Seemed to come in with a chip on her/his shoulder to be sure.

[UsagiVindaloo]

RenownedRyan wrote...

Nyoka wrote...

coolair74 wrote...
femshep...was thrown in to give the girls a heroin.

Right, and the possibility to be black was thrown to give the blacks a hero.

Do you realize that your post is disgusting? I suppose you don't.

You strike me as a person who takes offense way too easily.

To be fair (and sorry about this, coolair), the original post was pretty offensive. Even I got pissed at it. For one, it's totally wrong, and secondly, it really makes the whole thing sound cruel and dismissive ("Awww, there you go, you silly little WIMMINZ, have another silly little wimminz who you can play with!") Of course that wasn't the intent, but that was how it sounded. Rather than writing off not only half the game (the FemShep half) but the needs/experiences/thoughts of all the female gamers (i.e. we got thrown a tiny bone, LOL), why not give FemShep the same respect and thought as a MaleShep playthrough? Win win scenario.

[RenownedRyan]

centauri2002 wrote...

RenownedRyan wrote...

Nyoka wrote...

RenownedRyan wrote...
The problem there is that, at the end of the day, I didn't romance anyone in ME2.  I romanced Liara in ME1.  My other files have had no romance.  I enjoy the game just as well with no romances.  I dispute the argument that without video game romances people are somehow slighted or they cannot appreciate or enjoy the experience.

So you would rather completely remove romance from the game rather than allowing same sex relationships.

Or did you mean "not romancing is just fine, so gay people can play the game without romancing anyone"? Is that what you're saying? If that's the case, well, you might as well going one step beyond and call Mass effect a straight only game. No gays allowed. I you don't like it, you can git out.

Way to jump to conclusions.  My point was that it is no serious blow to your life if you don't romance someone in ME.  That's no neccessity.  I have the option but don't pursue it.  Nowhere was it insinuated that I belive Mass Effect is a straight only game.  But I sincerely do not believe that the quality of Mass Effect would be negatively effected without romances of any kind.

I agree, it's certainly not a necessary feature in the game. But, for me, it's one of the main reasons why I've enjoyed the Mass Effect series so much. It just makes the story more compelling. Of course, everyone's different though and what I enjoy the next person, like yourself, might not find very important. It would be nice if a game could accommodate us all but that's, unfortunately, never going to be realistic.

I approve.  Anything that adds more intrigue to the story is always a plus! 

[RenownedRyan]

UsagiVindaloo wrote...

RenownedRyan wrote...

Nyoka wrote...

coolair74 wrote...
femshep...was thrown in to give the girls a heroin.

Right, and the possibility to be black was thrown to give the blacks a hero.

Do you realize that your post is disgusting? I suppose you don't.

You strike me as a person who takes offense way too easily.

To be fair (and sorry about this, coolair), the original post was pretty offensive. Even I got pissed at it. For one, it's totally wrong, and secondly, it really makes the whole thing sound cruel and dismissive ("Awww, there you go, you silly little WIMMINZ, have another silly little wimminz who you can play with!") Of course that wasn't the intent, but that was how it sounded. Rather than writing off not only half the game (the FemShep half) but the needs/experiences/thoughts of all the female gamers (i.e. we got thrown a tiny bone, LOL), why not give FemShep the same respect and thought as a MaleShep playthrough? Win win scenario.

I don't disrespect FemShep.  Hell.  She saves the galaxy too and if that's how someone wants to play the game more power to em!

[coolair74]

UsagiVindaloo wrote...

coolair74 wrote...



 Ill admit I cant bring myself to play femshep, its really weird but ME is not Dragon Age, which I played as a female 3 times and took the male LI's. With ME its different, i cant see Shepard as a female. I feel that they just threw in the female one to make women happy. There is several games where you play a female and there is no option to play as a male. Im okay with this. I felt ME should have been male only. But that just me, not being mean but we are just playing an interactive movie. It would be just as weird to watch a female version of Riddick or something.

But its cool the way they did it.

I think we're just having different opinions of ME as an RPG. To me, it isn't that much different in terms of Dragon Age; the main alteration is having a voice actor, which admittedly is pretty big, but I still feel like there's a lot of "blank slate" elements like Dragon Age 1 (which I didn't like, mostly because I found the combat was like pulling teeth while watching paint dry)

So for me, FemShep is just as valid as MaleShep. The only reason MaleShep is in all the marketing is because, I dunno, beefy marines sell games?

Also, FemShep's voice actress is made of win and awesome. Her voice is Renegade distilled.

Yeah if still think of it as an RPG therein lies the problem. I didnt care for Edward in Twilight. He no male romance options.  See my meaning?  Its not an RPG, its a book with RPG elements but far far from a true RPG. I think the days of true RPGs are gone.

[UsagiVindaloo]

RenownedRyan wrote...

coolair74 wrote...

RenownedRyan wrote...

Nyoka wrote...

coolair74 wrote...
femshep...was thrown in to give the girls a heroin.

Right, and the possibility to be black was thrown to give the blacks a hero.

Do you realize that your post is disgusting? I suppose you don't.

You strike me as a person who takes offense way too easily.

I think it left. But it got worse while you were away   Very extremist views and has no idea what equality means.

Even tho I was just stating what the Devs said when Mass effect was just about to launch.

Seemed to come in with a chip on her/his shoulder to be sure.

Perhaps, but Nyoka is right in pointing out the inequality. It's not fair to give a single gay LI to gay players and figure that that is somehow equal to having six-eight potential love interests for straight players. Better to aim for the DA:O solution: most LIs shared with one or two purely straight. Of course, then we get into the argument over whether it's "too late" to do that, and we go back to the debate over whether it's out of character or not (you think it is, I think it isn't, whatever).

If I could go back in time and whack Bioware upside the head, I'd have them stick with the original idea of Kaidan and Ashley being bi (ME1 solved there), had Garrus/Jack/Thane/Tali be bi or "Shepard-sexual", and Miranda and Jacob be straight. Everyone happy... plenty of LIs for everyone, avoid the "whole squad is gay/bi" issue with some straight characters, and plenty of alien/human **** and peen for everyone.

[Centauri2002]

UsagiVindaloo wrote...

RenownedRyan wrote...

Nyoka wrote...

coolair74 wrote...
femshep...was thrown in to give the girls a heroin.

Right, and the possibility to be black was thrown to give the blacks a hero.

Do you realize that your post is disgusting? I suppose you don't.

You strike me as a person who takes offense way too easily.

To be fair (and sorry about this, coolair), the original post was pretty offensive. Even I got pissed at it. For one, it's totally wrong, and secondly, it really makes the whole thing sound cruel and dismissive ("Awww, there you go, you silly little WIMMINZ, have another silly little wimminz who you can play with!") Of course that wasn't the intent, but that was how it sounded. Rather than writing off not only half the game (the FemShep half) but the needs/experiences/thoughts of all the female gamers (i.e. we got thrown a tiny bone, LOL), why not give FemShep the same respect and thought as a MaleShep playthrough? Win win scenario.

Same here. Even if it's true that BioWare added FemShep to the game to draw in female gamers, it doesn't make her any less of a Commander Shepard. Personally, I can't see Shepard as a male character. >.> I played through as a FemShep so my character IS Shepard. I've tried playing through as MaleShep, I really have, but I can't take the guy seriously. Maybe it's the lack of Jennifer Hale, maybe it's just my own preferences.

But I won't have anything bad to say about anyone finding the game enjoyable to play through in the way they want, even if it's different to my view.

[UsagiVindaloo]

RenownedRyan wrote...

UsagiVindaloo wrote...

RenownedRyan wrote...

Nyoka wrote...

coolair74 wrote...
femshep...was thrown in to give the girls a heroin.

Right, and the possibility to be black was thrown to give the blacks a hero.

Do you realize that your post is disgusting? I suppose you don't.

You strike me as a person who takes offense way too easily.

To be fair (and sorry about this, coolair), the original post was pretty offensive. Even I got pissed at it. For one, it's totally wrong, and secondly, it really makes the whole thing sound cruel and dismissive ("Awww, there you go, you silly little WIMMINZ, have another silly little wimminz who you can play with!") Of course that wasn't the intent, but that was how it sounded. Rather than writing off not only half the game (the FemShep half) but the needs/experiences/thoughts of all the female gamers (i.e. we got thrown a tiny bone, LOL), why not give FemShep the same respect and thought as a MaleShep playthrough? Win win scenario.

I don't disrespect FemShep.  Hell.  She saves the galaxy too and if that's how someone wants to play the game more power to em!

Oh, I wasn't referring to you, don't worry. I was referring more to coolair's original post (that FemShep is just for the girl gamers) and Nyoka's angry response. I'm just saying that, angry though it was, coolair kinda deserved a bit of a smack for that.

[Centauri2002]

coolair74 wrote...

UsagiVindaloo wrote...

coolair74 wrote...



 Ill admit I cant bring myself to play femshep, its really weird but ME is not Dragon Age, which I played as a female 3 times and took the male LI's. With ME its different, i cant see Shepard as a female. I feel that they just threw in the female one to make women happy. There is several games where you play a female and there is no option to play as a male. Im okay with this. I felt ME should have been male only. But that just me, not being mean but we are just playing an interactive movie. It would be just as weird to watch a female version of Riddick or something.

But its cool the way they did it.

I think we're just having different opinions of ME as an RPG. To me, it isn't that much different in terms of Dragon Age; the main alteration is having a voice actor, which admittedly is pretty big, but I still feel like there's a lot of "blank slate" elements like Dragon Age 1 (which I didn't like, mostly because I found the combat was like pulling teeth while watching paint dry)

So for me, FemShep is just as valid as MaleShep. The only reason MaleShep is in all the marketing is because, I dunno, beefy marines sell games?

Also, FemShep's voice actress is made of win and awesome. Her voice is Renegade distilled.

Yeah if still think of it as an RPG therein lies the problem. I didnt care for Edward in Twilight. He no male romance options.  See my meaning?  Its not an RPG, its a book with RPG elements but far far from a true RPG. I think the days of true RPGs are gone.

Uh, I think you missed the 'game' part of role playing game. Twilight is a book, not a game. o_0

And Mass Effect is still an RPG, albeit an action-RPG. You take on the role of Commander Shepard, you make decisions for him/her, you act for him/her, you choose what he/she says. That seems to sum up role playing pretty well.

[Ramirez Wolfen]

I am glad that this thread has taken a friendlier turn than earlier. I guess SOME people can't handle viewpoints being different than others.

Modifié par Ramirez Wolfen, 22 mars 2011 - 10:22 .

[coolair74]

UsagiVindaloo wrote...

RenownedRyan wrote...

Nyoka wrote...

coolair74 wrote...
femshep...was thrown in to give the girls a heroin.

Right, and the possibility to be black was thrown to give the blacks a hero.

Do you realize that your post is disgusting? I suppose you don't.

You strike me as a person who takes offense way too easily.

To be fair (and sorry about this, coolair), the original post was pretty offensive. Even I got pissed at it. For one, it's totally wrong, and secondly, it really makes the whole thing sound cruel and dismissive ("Awww, there you go, you silly little WIMMINZ, have another silly little wimminz who you can play with!") Of course that wasn't the intent, but that was how it sounded. Rather than writing off not only half the game (the FemShep half) but the needs/experiences/thoughts of all the female gamers (i.e. we got thrown a tiny bone, LOL), why not give FemShep the same respect and thought as a MaleShep playthrough? Win win scenario.

The lead Developer for Mass Effect stated that originally there was no scripting for a female shepard.  They had 1 month to write her in, which wasnt hard she had the same script the male one had with a few changes when it came to her LI's.

It was added due to specualtion that females were expecting a female shepard even though Bioware stated they werent including one. But they relented and it was a win for them as it turned out to win them an award for best V/o work.

So they indeed threw you a bone. Now its common to have a female heroin. I just dont like pandering. You write a game, stick to your guns and dont give in to pressure and change what it took you years to write.
 

[coolair74]

Ramirez Wolfen wrote...

I am glad that this thread has taken a friendlier term than earlier. I guess SOME people can't handle viewpoints being different than others.

YOU WILL GIVE EQUALITY OR DIE!

[coolair74]

centauri2002 wrote...

coolair74 wrote...

UsagiVindaloo wrote...

coolair74 wrote...



 Ill admit I cant bring myself to play femshep, its really weird but ME is not Dragon Age, which I played as a female 3 times and took the male LI's. With ME its different, i cant see Shepard as a female. I feel that they just threw in the female one to make women happy. There is several games where you play a female and there is no option to play as a male. Im okay with this. I felt ME should have been male only. But that just me, not being mean but we are just playing an interactive movie. It would be just as weird to watch a female version of Riddick or something.

But its cool the way they did it.

I think we're just having different opinions of ME as an RPG. To me, it isn't that much different in terms of Dragon Age; the main alteration is having a voice actor, which admittedly is pretty big, but I still feel like there's a lot of "blank slate" elements like Dragon Age 1 (which I didn't like, mostly because I found the combat was like pulling teeth while watching paint dry)

So for me, FemShep is just as valid as MaleShep. The only reason MaleShep is in all the marketing is because, I dunno, beefy marines sell games?

Also, FemShep's voice actress is made of win and awesome. Her voice is Renegade distilled.

Yeah if still think of it as an RPG therein lies the problem. I didnt care for Edward in Twilight. He no male romance options.  See my meaning?  Its not an RPG, its a book with RPG elements but far far from a true RPG. I think the days of true RPGs are gone.

Uh, I think you missed the 'game' part of role playing game. Twilight is a book, not a game. o_0

And Mass Effect is still an RPG, albeit an action-RPG. You take on the role of Commander Shepard, you make decisions for him/her, you act for him/her, you choose what he/she says. That seems to sum up role playing pretty well.

Exactly, Commander Shepard is straight though. You didnt create him, see my point now? Some things you can change , some you cant.

[Ramirez Wolfen]

coolair74 wrote...

Ramirez Wolfen wrote...

I am glad that this thread has taken a friendlier term than earlier. I guess SOME people can't handle viewpoints being different than others.

YOU WILL GIVE EQUALITY OR DIE!

LOL

[coolair74]

Ramirez Wolfen wrote...

coolair74 wrote...

Ramirez Wolfen wrote...

I am glad that this thread has taken a friendlier term than earlier. I guess SOME people can't handle viewpoints being different than others.

YOU WILL GIVE EQUALITY OR DIE!

LOL

Bye LOL does that mean your a racist homophobe?  ARE YOU?

[Centauri2002]

coolair74 wrote...

UsagiVindaloo wrote...

RenownedRyan wrote...

Nyoka wrote...

coolair74 wrote...
femshep...was thrown in to give the girls a heroin.

Right, and the possibility to be black was thrown to give the blacks a hero.

Do you realize that your post is disgusting? I suppose you don't.

You strike me as a person who takes offense way too easily.

To be fair (and sorry about this, coolair), the original post was pretty offensive. Even I got pissed at it. For one, it's totally wrong, and secondly, it really makes the whole thing sound cruel and dismissive ("Awww, there you go, you silly little WIMMINZ, have another silly little wimminz who you can play with!") Of course that wasn't the intent, but that was how it sounded. Rather than writing off not only half the game (the FemShep half) but the needs/experiences/thoughts of all the female gamers (i.e. we got thrown a tiny bone, LOL), why not give FemShep the same respect and thought as a MaleShep playthrough? Win win scenario.

The lead Developer for Mass Effect stated that originally there was no scripting for a female shepard.  They had 1 month to write her in, which wasnt hard she had the same script the male one had with a few changes when it came to her LI's.

It was added due to specualtion that females were expecting a female shepard even though Bioware stated they werent including one. But they relented and it was a win for them as it turned out to win them an award for best V/o work.

So they indeed threw you a bone. Now its common to have a female heroin. I just dont like pandering. You write a game, stick to your guns and dont give in to pressure and change what it took you years to write.
 

To be honest, if there were no FemShep in Mass Effect, it's likely I'd never have bought the second game. The game didn't lose anything from adding a female Shepard, it's the same character and you don't have to play as her. So I don't see it as pandering. If they'd diminished the integrity of the game to add FemShep, then that's another matter. 

[Gavinthelocust]

I personally support homosexual romances beyond the obligatory hot lesbians, all it's doing is reinforcing the frat boy attitude that surrounds mainstream gaming. Give us the option, don't care if it's just one character, and make your game much more credible as an RPG rather than a summer block buster.

Modifié par Gavinthelocust, 22 mars 2011 - 10:28 .

[Ramirez Wolfen]

coolair74 wrote...

Ramirez Wolfen wrote...

coolair74 wrote...

Ramirez Wolfen wrote...

I am glad that this thread has taken a friendlier term than earlier. I guess SOME people can't handle viewpoints being different than others.

YOU WILL GIVE EQUALITY OR DIE!

LOL

Bye LOL does that mean your a racist homophobe?  ARE YOU?

Haha, no.

[UsagiVindaloo]

centauri2002 wrote...

coolair74 wrote...

UsagiVindaloo wrote...

RenownedRyan wrote...

Nyoka wrote...

coolair74 wrote...
femshep...was thrown in to give the girls a heroin.

Right, and the possibility to be black was thrown to give the blacks a hero.

Do you realize that your post is disgusting? I suppose you don't.

You strike me as a person who takes offense way too easily.

To be fair (and sorry about this, coolair), the original post was pretty offensive. Even I got pissed at it. For one, it's totally wrong, and secondly, it really makes the whole thing sound cruel and dismissive ("Awww, there you go, you silly little WIMMINZ, have another silly little wimminz who you can play with!") Of course that wasn't the intent, but that was how it sounded. Rather than writing off not only half the game (the FemShep half) but the needs/experiences/thoughts of all the female gamers (i.e. we got thrown a tiny bone, LOL), why not give FemShep the same respect and thought as a MaleShep playthrough? Win win scenario.

The lead Developer for Mass Effect stated that originally there was no scripting for a female shepard.  They had 1 month to write her in, which wasnt hard she had the same script the male one had with a few changes when it came to her LI's.

It was added due to specualtion that females were expecting a female shepard even though Bioware stated they werent including one. But they relented and it was a win for them as it turned out to win them an award for best V/o work.

So they indeed threw you a bone. Now its common to have a female heroin. I just dont like pandering. You write a game, stick to your guns and dont give in to pressure and change what it took you years to write.
 

To be honest, if there were no FemShep in Mass Effect, it's likely I'd never have bought the second game. The game didn't lose anything from adding a female Shepard, it's the same character and you don't have to play as her. So I don't see it as pandering. If they'd diminished the integrity of the game to add FemShep, then that's another matter. 

Yes, this. I would hope that everyone agrees that the presence of a FemShepard does not weaken the game and, in fact, makes it better, opens up new narrative pathways, romances, etc. Sometimes "pandering" is not a bad thing if what the fans want is a *better game*.