882 réponses à ce sujet

[Zaxares]

I empathise far better with my male characters, but I also enjoy playing female characters (it ends up about a 50:50 ratio overall) to see storylines and character reactions that you don't get as a male character.

[abaris]

Arkitekt wrote...

The idea of roleplaying a different gender without being a homossexual / bissexual (or having any "sexual issue") is just something that you cannot possibly understand. It's beyond your abilities.

Even more so, since homosexuals would be attracted to their own gender.

Personally I find the male hero boring as hell. For about a decade my video game experiences only covered the same obligatory muscled male archetype, something apelike like Rambo without any dimensions to it. I know this is no longer the case, but old prejudices die hardest. I simply got used to choosing the female option when offered the choice.

[brgillespie]

82% of the fanbase doesn't play a female Shepard.

The ones that do probably haven't been laid in a while.

[Chewin]

Variety.

[78stonewobble]

Arkitekt wrote...

Of course these people will deny any homophobia, any mysogeny, any psychological trauma of being considered "less" male on their youth... or something, while at the same time behaving like silly children berating or bullying others for their choices.

My money is on unsolved issues from childhood / teenagedom.

Plenty of people have that... some of them play femshep and other play mshep.

I play mshep because it gives me a better immersion in the game.


My childhood / teenage issues are giving me plenty of problems elsewhere. This is one of the places where it doesn't matter. *lol*

[Arkitekt]

brgillespie wrote...

82% of the fanbase doesn't play a female Shepard.

The ones that do probably haven't been laid in a while.

[Lynata]

Carfax wrote...
And yet the vast majority of video games feature male protagonists.  Why?  Because it's normal for men to identify more with other men and masculinity, as it is for women to identify more with other women and femininity.

Whilst that may be true, I believe this is because a lot of people are still stuck in 20th century thinking, probably due to religious indoctrination or simply the "values" taught during their upbringing. Hell, a couple decades ago, women weren't even allowed to vote. This kind of separation that had remained protected for a few millennia is hard to get out of peoples' heads, especially since it was endorsed by popular religious organizations and incorporated into their dogma.

It's probably some sort of "class warfare", too. People like feeling better than others, so they make up borders separating Earth's population by skin colour, religion or gender - and numerous other categories. Those comfortable with this kind of segregation will naturally feel inclined to preserve it, as the very identification you are referring to makes them feel entitled and superior.

In truth, "masculinity" and "feminity" are nothing but stereotypes imprinted onto people by whatever the contemporary culture teaches them. As Taritu mentioned on page 24, said stereotypes change depending on the era and culture you're looking at. It's not in people's genes, so unsurprisingly you can have macho women just like you can have wimpy men. Which makes steadfast separation by gender instead of character, physique or actual performance just a very obvious bias, just like it would be with race or ethnicity.

Fortunately, all this is in the process of changing towards equality - and the growing number of men and women playing game characters of a different gender is just one of many signs of this development.

Carfax wrote...
S.Korea may have one I think, but since their military is largely inactive, it's not really a good example.

It does, and I'm not sure why South Korea currently not being in a war changes anything about their requirements or training.

The 707th Special Mission Battalion's role is apparently "domestic counter-terrorism and law enforcement, unconventional warfare, direct action and raids", similar to the Delta Force - which they have been doing training exercises with, along with the SAS, GIGN and others. Given their role which is useful even in official peacetime, it stands to reason that the unit has a rather high readyness status, if it isn't even conducting actual combat missions the public simply doesn't hear about.

Lastly, perhaps we should keep in mind that we're talking about Shepard, not Rambo. Whilst raw strength is an asset, this stopped being the most important thing in a soldier the moment humanity switched swords and clubs for firearms, as exemplified by countless female troops in active combat throughout the past century, including both world wars, and just because female fighting formations were dissolved soon after peace was restored doesn't change their stories of success, it only goes to show how big the obstacle is that the idea of a female warrior has to overcome.

And with Shepard in particular, we should keep in mind that he or she isn't just some infantryman. He or she is a leader - this is what sets Shep apart from the others. The ability to inspire, to evaluate others and utilize their potential to the fullest. This has nothing to do with muscles but with intelligence, charisma and determination.

[Jilinna]

brgillespie wrote...

82% of the fanbase doesn't play a female Shepard.

The ones that do probably haven't been laid in a while.

I am sorry but that must be the single most stupidest thing I have heard in awhile.

I'm female so I can't really contribute to this thread but I know for myself I like to play femshep mostly but I have a few malesheps and they are designed to be my eye candy and for variety. I am sure some guys do the same thing and it doesn't mean that they haven't been "laid in awhile". *facepalm*

Modifié par Jilinna, 28 mars 2012 - 01:56 .

[abaris]

I am sorry but that must be the single most stupidest thing I have heard in awhile.


I'm female so I can't really contribute to this thread but I know for myself I like to play femshep mostly but I have a few malesheps and they are designed to be my eye candy and for variety. I am sure some guys do the same thing and it doesn't mean that they haven't been "laid in awhile". *facepalm*

There are several of these enlightening posts in this very thread. So it's not the single most stupidest, they all are equal in their cavemen approach.

[TheChris92]

brgillespie wrote...

82% of the fanbase doesn't play a female Shepard.

The ones that do probably haven't been laid in a while.

Yes, because clearly the way you play your video games, and the sort, reflects your own actual life. I'm sure people playing Mirror's Edge, Metroid, Portal 2, Silent Hill 3 and what have you, feels the same. /sarcasm 

Modifié par TheChris92, 28 mars 2012 - 02:06 .

[jwalker]

lmao.... this thread again ?
ahh, poor horsie, dug up and beaten up again ...

[DiebytheSword]

I probably answered this thread earlier, but its all about preferences and personal opinion. In addition, if you limit yourself to just one gender shep you limit yourself to half the possibilities in the game in terms of romance and different performances that both Meer and Hale bring to the table.

[Tirigon]

Jezwira wrote...

There were actually some studies about this, is it the possibility of controlling a strong female? Being able to tell her what to do, who to do etc?

Would that not be more appealing with a man then?

I mean, ordering women around is pretty common, people do it every day. Ordering a hard-ass elite soldier around however, that is a rare thing (unless you happen to be General or sth.).

[DoctorEss]

Carfax wrote...

DoctorEss wrote...

Partially that, yeah.  Also partially because the "shaved head, beefcake, generic, white, male, tough marine" is SO, SO tired.  We've seen it a hundred times, played it a hundred times, read it a hundred times.  It's terribly cliched.

It's not common, or cliche, to see a woman of the calibre of Ripley.  That's why it's a shame they didn't go with that for the possible ME movie.  People love Ripley, she's one of the most popular and enduring characters of the last 30 years of film. 

Compare her to say, whats-his-face from Avatar.  Which one is more memorable?

I don't know if I can relate to this way of thinking.  I mean, you could go further and say that Shepard would have been less cliched and more "memorable" if he would have been transgendered or something.

Personally, I think the character should fit the story, and the developer should never make politically correct concessions of any sort.

In fact, giving us the option of having Shepard be female would count as a politically correct concession, because women in that line of work are unheard of......especially since Shepard is the first human Specter...

Thats not to say I don't think Bioware should have given it's consumers the ability to select a female Shepard however..

Has nothing to do with "political correctness".  You completely miss the point.  You're also thinking 21st century.  By this point in time, clearly, women are able to hold combat military roles, so it's not "unheard of", it's absolutely common.

I'm simply saying that in fictional media, the generic white tough guy marine is a tired, done stereotype.  It's boring.  It's not interesting.  In general, people are sick of it.  The only people who still seem to like the gym rat tough guy, are gym rat tough guys, or guys who wish they could be one.

[MegaBadExample]

Arkitekt wrote...

brgillespie wrote...

82% of the fanbase doesn't play a female Shepard.

The ones that do probably haven't been laid in a while.

THIS.

[Owlowiscious]

Why do men like playing femshep? Because we do, it is that simple.

[Janus Prospero]

brgillespie wrote...

82% of the fanbase doesn't play a female Shepard.

The ones that do probably haven't been laid in a while.

ROFL!
I'd say that it increases the frequency that I get laid actually. My fiancée thinks it's hot that my primary Shepard is a chick.

Modifié par Janus Prospero, 28 mars 2012 - 04:49 .

[mybudgee]

I haven't had sex in 6 months. (with a partner) It is not a problem, as women are nothing but trouble IMO..
edit: I AM SO LONELY!!

Modifié par mybudgee, 28 mars 2012 - 04:46 .

[ShinsFortress]

I don't. I never play a female character.

[Tirigon]

brgillespie wrote...

82% of the fanbase doesn't play a female Shepard.

The ones that do probably haven't been laid in a while.

Now I will be honest: I havent. But I wouldnt stop playing FemShep if I had a girlfriend (well aside of probably spending less time on videogames overall, which means I am kinda happy I dont have one).

[Neria Rose]

Janus Prospero wrote...

ROFL!
I'd say that it increases the frequency that I get laid actually. My fiancée thinks it's hot that my primary Shepard is a chick.

I'd find it repulsive (sorry, just being honest) if my husband primarily played female characters, but he's known that since we first started dating nearly 7 years ago. Hell, the fact that all of his characters were straight males was a pretty big point of attraction. Admittedly, this was after a very unpleasant experience dating a guy who played female characters almost exclusively (especially in MMOs, where he would tell people he was a girl IRL). So there are women on both sides of that coin.

[78stonewobble]

mybudgee wrote...

I haven't had sex in 6 months. (with a partner) It is not a problem, as women are nothing but trouble IMO..
edit: I AM SO LONELY!!

-.-

I stopped counting at a year...

[Janus Prospero]

Neria Rose wrote...

Janus Prospero wrote...

ROFL!
I'd say that it increases the frequency that I get laid actually. My fiancée thinks it's hot that my primary Shepard is a chick.

I'd find it repulsive (sorry, just being honest) if my husband primarily played female characters, but he's known that since we first started dating nearly 7 years ago. Hell, the fact that all of his characters were straight males was a pretty big point of attraction. Admittedly, this was after a very unpleasant experience dating a guy who played female characters almost exclusively (especially in MMOs, where he would tell people he was a girl IRL). So there are women on both sides of that coin.

I think you've misunderstood me. I don't primarily play female charcaters. All the characters I played in WoW were male. My primary character in SWTOR is male and all but one of the rest are as well. The one that wasn't was my female Trooper (voiced by Jennifer Hale), and I never gave anyone the impression that I was female IRL. In fact, most guys that play female characters in MMOs make it fairly clear that they're actually dudes. I'm sorry that you had a bad experience with a guy pretending to be female online, but those incidents are in the minority.

I have three Shepards. Two of them are male, but the one I played through ME1 with first, the one I have spent the most time with, and the one I am most attached to is female. It's called a role playing game for a reason. It allows us to explore characters with qualities and societal pressures that we might not otherwise experience in real life. I love female Shepard. She is not defined by her gender or by the men around her. Sigourney Weaver has said things concerning Ellen Ripley that could just as easily be applied to the female Shepard. Aliens is probably one of the top geek culture movies out there, loved and lauded by men everywhere. Yet the protagonist is a female. Strange that no one finds that weird, but a guy playing a female character in a video game is somehow taboo.

Modifié par Janus Prospero, 28 mars 2012 - 05:39 .

[Neria Rose]

Janus Prospero wrote...

I think you've misunderstood me. I don't primarily play female charcaters. All the characters I played in WoW were male. My primary character in SWTOR is male and all but one of the rest are as well. The one that wasn't was my female Trooper (voiced by Jennifer Hale), and I never gave anyone the impression that I was female IRL. In fact, most guys that play female characters in MMOs make it fairly clear that they're actually dudes. I'm sorry that you had a bad experience with a guy pretending to be female online, but those incidents are in the minority.

I have three Shepards. Two of them are male, but the one I played through ME1 with first, the one I have spent the most time with, and the one I am most attached to is female. It's called a role playing game for a reason. It allows us to explore characters with qualities and societal pressures that we might not otherwise experience in real life. I love female Shepard. She is not defined by her gender or by the men around her. Sigourney Weaver has said things concerning Ellen Ripley that could just as easily be applied to the female Shepard. Aliens is probably one of the top geek culture movies out there, loved and lauded by men everywhere. Yet the protagonist is a female. Strange that no one finds that weird, but a guy playing a female character in a video game is somehow taboo.

Appreciating a strong female character and playing a strong female character are two different things, though. At least for me. I've heard some people consider their characters as puppets or actors they're directing and that's fine. Personally, I like to get into my character's head and make their decisions that way. And I've said this in a million threads like this before, but since I love being female and viewing and interacting with my environment as a female, I completely lack any interest in trying it as any gender but my own.

Another thing is just perspective. A man may play as a woman or a woman as a man, but because most of us lack the same proportion of hormones and social upbringing as the opposite sex, I believe the odds we'd guess the 'most likely' response for our opposite gender character is unlikely. Obviously, you can always say "Well, I created this character and only I know how he/she will respond to x stimulus", and of course everyone is free to do that. But when I'm playing a character, I like being able to think that the character is acting in a way that would be typical for someone with her upbringing/background.

Things that are fantastical don't bother me. Biotic soldiers don't exist, turians and elves don't exist (to our knowledge), etc. So you could quite literally say your character makes all kinds of crazy decisions because he/she is a biotic or grew up offworld or was in love with a Batarian or whatever as long as it doesn't go too far outside of the lore. But gender and gender differences aren't fantasy.

This took a turn to me explaining why I don't play the opposite gender. My apologies.

[StephanieBengal]

Neria Rose wrote...

Janus Prospero wrote...

I think you've misunderstood me. I don't primarily play female charcaters. All the characters I played in WoW were male. My primary character in SWTOR is male and all but one of the rest are as well. The one that wasn't was my female Trooper (voiced by Jennifer Hale), and I never gave anyone the impression that I was female IRL. In fact, most guys that play female characters in MMOs make it fairly clear that they're actually dudes. I'm sorry that you had a bad experience with a guy pretending to be female online, but those incidents are in the minority.

I have three Shepards. Two of them are male, but the one I played through ME1 with first, the one I have spent the most time with, and the one I am most attached to is female. It's called a role playing game for a reason. It allows us to explore characters with qualities and societal pressures that we might not otherwise experience in real life. I love female Shepard. She is not defined by her gender or by the men around her. Sigourney Weaver has said things concerning Ellen Ripley that could just as easily be applied to the female Shepard. Aliens is probably one of the top geek culture movies out there, loved and lauded by men everywhere. Yet the protagonist is a female. Strange that no one finds that weird, but a guy playing a female character in a video game is somehow taboo.

Appreciating a strong female character and playing a strong female character are two different things, though. At least for me. I've heard some people consider their characters as puppets or actors they're directing and that's fine. Personally, I like to get into my character's head and make their decisions that way. And I've said this in a million threads like this before, but since I love being female and viewing and interacting with my environment as a female, I completely lack any interest in trying it as any gender but my own.

Another thing is just perspective. A man may play as a woman or a woman as a man, but because most of us lack the same proportion of hormones and social upbringing as the opposite sex, I believe the odds we'd guess the 'most likely' response for our opposite gender character is unlikely. Obviously, you can always say "Well, I created this character and only I know how he/she will respond to x stimulus", and of course everyone is free to do that. But when I'm playing a character, I like being able to think that the character is acting in a way that would be typical for someone with her upbringing/background.

Things that are fantastical don't bother me. Biotic soldiers don't exist, turians and elves don't exist (to our knowledge), etc. So you could quite literally say your character makes all kinds of crazy decisions because he/she is a biotic or grew up offworld or was in love with a Batarian or whatever as long as it doesn't go too far outside of the lore. But gender and gender differences aren't fantasy.

This took a turn to me explaining why I don't play the opposite gender. My apologies.

Yeah this got a little too serious, but thanks for your outlook. I play both gender's in the game, but I don't really think beyond the spectrum of why people play who and what and honestly it shouldn't matter. But that's just what I think.