Padt wrote...
I've actually wondered about this before. My best guess is that it can be difficult to create male characters with a "bad boy" streak that somehow also manage to be affable and appealing to a female audience, so perhaps writers (especially male writers) are more reticent to make the attempt. After all, it's a very careful, fragile balance that you have to maintain. I mean, the "bad boy" label is usually used to describe characters who are rebellious and challenging and perhaps not really mindful of typical social norms, especially towards the player character, but who also possess a certain roguish charm and lovableness that makes them attractive. Swing too far in one direction and you risk making the character completely repugnant. Swing too far in the other and the "bad boy" is essentially neutered.
(It's arguable that the same applies to female characters, as well - I mean, Jack may be the designated "bad girl" character and love interest, but she appears to be fairly unpopular with the audience as a whole, including the male portions of it. I myself am quite fond of Jack, but I've always felt as though I was a part of a minority)
So it's easier to stick with male characters who are more traditionally sweet, romantic and polite towards the PC (particularly the female PC), like Thane, Kaidan or, say, most of the male love interests in the Dragon Age games. The great irony here is that with James Vega they finally seem to have succeeded in creating a "bad boy" character who, near as I can tell (from my admittedly limited vantage point), also manages to be appealing to certain female gamers, but then they went and didn't make him romanceable. It's almost as if they intended for him to be a love interest, but then started to feel unsure as to whether or not the character they made would be able to maintain that fragile balance I mentioned before, so they backed out on the idea at the last minute.
Your response rocks my socks. I actually was thinking this too....maybe it's harder to maintain a bad boy balance that's still appealing. I liked Jack; she scared the **** out of me, but I liked having her aboard, and I like how she "changes" (becomes more reliable and more trustworthy) as the series progresses, which means your influence has an impact on her which makes for great story; but she always maintains her personality and her attitude, just shifts it to a focus. For some reason it doesn't ****** me off as much when Jack says "**** you". Coming from her, it reads more as a sign of "strength" and attitude, whereas if it came from a man I'd actually be seriously offended. Which is interesting, because it means that women who cuss and get tattoos and blow up space stations are just plucky and spirited and acting out a bit. (how cute, head pat.) Whereas when the men do it, they're actually real criminals and douchebags that need to get shot in the face?
That's an interesting difference. Vega's flirting in the beginning of the game actually bothered me a bit, he reminded me of a lot of cocky grunts that I used to work with who basically saw me as a pair of boobs in a uniform; but once the story progressed and he actually comes up to your room to ask about the N7 program and expresses his anxiety over accepting it or failing at it I actually warmed up to him a lot. I realized it was a personality trait and not something malicious pointed at me and the whole exchange and his character became way more enjoyable. I think a natural romance progression for a "bad" boy would be this intial distrust and almost dislike, that eventually grew into an attraction once the two parties began to understand each other better. And I've definitely been in situations where I've absolutely hated a guy and didn't understand why I disliked him so much, only to be dating him a year later, so I know it's a realistic expectation
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That makes me sad.
