Do you actually care what race/sex a main character is?
- Thread starter King of Custard
- Start date
I do, IF they can do something interesting with it.
Say a sequel to red faction guerilla (Yeah I know can't/won't happen). Now I loved that game, but the story meant jack shit to me. The protagonist basically doesn't matter at all to me in any way.
Take Ubisoft for example, yes the game had problems but Aveline in AC Liberation was used in an awesome way. The fact she was black, and female both mattered and was more than just pandering to the idea of a more diverse character set.
If Naughty dogs next IP had a trans or a Middle Eastern protagonist I would be excited because they have proven they can tell a story and create great characters and would use their characters background in a more interesting way than just to get brownie points with those asking for a more diverse character set in the gaming industry. (Not that I'd really give a shit about that either, but would be kinda disappointing in a boring sense).
Say a sequel to red faction guerilla (Yeah I know can't/won't happen). Now I loved that game, but the story meant jack shit to me. The protagonist basically doesn't matter at all to me in any way.
Take Ubisoft for example, yes the game had problems but Aveline in AC Liberation was used in an awesome way. The fact she was black, and female both mattered and was more than just pandering to the idea of a more diverse character set.
If Naughty dogs next IP had a trans or a Middle Eastern protagonist I would be excited because they have proven they can tell a story and create great characters and would use their characters background in a more interesting way than just to get brownie points with those asking for a more diverse character set in the gaming industry. (Not that I'd really give a shit about that either, but would be kinda disappointing in a boring sense).
this. Pretty sure I was the first to admit I actually don't like female leads in this thread on page 4 lol. It took that long. Funny thing is that I have spoken to many irl, that share the same thoughts. Not to say my opinion is of the majority, but it isn't lopsided like this thread is.
Sentenza
Member
No, I don't care.
But let me stress that when I say "I don't care" I don't mean "Oh, it's not a bid deal, I'm eventually open to different things".
I'm literally saying I don't give a damn about it and it doesn't affect my chances to like (or dislike) a character to any degree. Make a character likable (or at least interesting as a deliberate asshole) and I will enjoy interacting with him/her regardless of race and sex.
Oh, and just for the record when I create my own characters I often go for dark skinned ones simply because I generally find them more aesthetically pleasing.
But let me stress that when I say "I don't care" I don't mean "Oh, it's not a bid deal, I'm eventually open to different things".
I'm literally saying I don't give a damn about it and it doesn't affect my chances to like (or dislike) a character to any degree. Make a character likable (or at least interesting as a deliberate asshole) and I will enjoy interacting with him/her regardless of race and sex.
Oh, and just for the record when I create my own characters I often go for dark skinned ones simply because I generally find them more aesthetically pleasing.
Well, I can actually think of several circumstances where I fiercely disliked the character I was playing as... It just never was about race and sex.
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
I sincerely hope this post is a joke.
Someone who has trouble "putting themselves in the shoes" of someone different from themselves isn't necessarily racist or sexist. For some people being able to do that is important from a story telling perspective.
One of my favorite newish books was Red Rising. I wouldn't call my female friend who couldn't relate to him a sexist.
I usually don't have that problem, but I actual did with Mass Effect's female protagonist option. I still enjoyed her writing/voice acting but I enjoyed the male more largely due to the above effect, I felt two steps removed from the scene unlike when I played as her male counterpart.
Wiktor
Member
That list ignores casual games though, which is the category most women play far more than typical mainstream/hardcore titles we discuss here.
SocksForWoks
Banned
Not one bit.
Eclectic Jabber Monkey
Member
The Dead Rising 1 and 3 comparison always cracks me up with how poor it is. The Canadian developed DR3 has a latino guy as the protagonist, while the Japanese developed DR1 has the 30s white guy protagonist.The Servbot Helmet can be worn in all 3 games as well.
Came to post this, though I might have been a bit more discreet.
SocksForWoks
Banned
Why? Would you expect some sort of difference?
Bronetta
Ask me about the moon landing or the temperature at which jet fuel burns. You may be surprised at what you learn.
Preach the truth. Only the finest, most alluring curves.
Do those descriptions actually match the characters' actions, or are they just window dressing like the "plots" of most 80s video games (which were often written after the game was completed for inclusion in the manual)? Are there actually heists that don't devolve into shoot-outs? I was skeptical enough not to buy the game but I did borrow it, and nothing in the introduction led me to believe I'd misjudged the game.
I wouldn't care if gaming hadn't been so shitty about implementing women and people of other races into lead roles. I can do without games starring grizzled, short haired, 30-something dudes for the rest of my life.
On a possibly unrelated note, I like games with beastly or otherwordly protagonists, like Firebrand from Demon's Crest and Sir Daniel Fortesque from MediEvil. It's cool to play as someone literally inhuman.
On a possibly unrelated note, I like games with beastly or otherwordly protagonists, like Firebrand from Demon's Crest and Sir Daniel Fortesque from MediEvil. It's cool to play as someone literally inhuman.
weemadarthur
Member
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Laughing Banana
Weeping Pickle
In games that allow you create your own avatar? Sure. Just so that I can play-pretend that the guy in the screen is me personified in the games' world.
In games that put you in the shoes of an already established characters? Not really.
In games that put you in the shoes of an already established characters? Not really.
BaraSailey
Member
Not really. I care more about the story and gameplay than what the actual character looks like.
I don't care about race or sex, but I don't like playing a modern day gangster (period piece Mafia, for example, is fine). Being black in San Andreas really didn't mean anything (outside of racist cops) and it really didn't define CJ. But I hated his crew, in particular the guy from the beginning who is always taking shit. I enjoy Saints Row, but the only way I can not be turned by the dressings is to use the British Male voice and have my homies wear gentleman attire. But I hate Shandi and Gat was annoying. Pierce was just there to be made fun of.
These quirks aside, I really don't care who I am controlling.
These quirks aside, I really don't care who I am controlling.
IdreamofHIME
Member
Usually no. But I was upset I couldn't play as a wookie in KOTOR. I thought u could play as any race before I bought it
Depends, how do they play? Pretty sure chun li and rose have always been fun to play regardless of how their apparent age over time. Blaire Dane was better for EX specifically though. Those are 20+ year old characters from inception, never mind in game age.
I was bothered that in DA2 I couldnt be a Dwarf or Elf. I am hoping I can be a Krogan in ME4 story, and my favorite race in Baldur's Gate is dwarf. In NWN series I always played as a non human. I generally dont notice much of a difference in how the story is told whether it is male or female so my caring is small.
In terms of male/female/black/while/gay/bi/straight? I dont think there is a romance in video games that I can tolerate(I skip almost all romance in games unless I get something out of it besides a love story) and my preference for my race and sex is non existent. In RPG's I normally play the guy 1st if I have to be a human(cause I kinda sorts impart my philosephy on my 1st character) only because it feels weird to act like me in a different meat suit as a human(why I dont know); but if I have an option of changing his skin color I normally either go for Inuit(since it's my race) facial features and skin tones but I dont actually care(as in bothers me one way or an other).
If video games gave me the option I would almsot never roll human, I always pick alien/different and then the sex of my alien is always different(completely based on aesthetics). Honestly though, I dont play to many main stream games(CoD/GTA/Assassin Creeds, and ect).
Most games I play are RPG's, mmo's, or something in a somewhat familiar vein so I rarely run into the issue of having to play as a human.
In terms of male/female/black/while/gay/bi/straight? I dont think there is a romance in video games that I can tolerate(I skip almost all romance in games unless I get something out of it besides a love story) and my preference for my race and sex is non existent. In RPG's I normally play the guy 1st if I have to be a human(cause I kinda sorts impart my philosephy on my 1st character) only because it feels weird to act like me in a different meat suit as a human(why I dont know); but if I have an option of changing his skin color I normally either go for Inuit(since it's my race) facial features and skin tones but I dont actually care(as in bothers me one way or an other).
If video games gave me the option I would almsot never roll human, I always pick alien/different and then the sex of my alien is always different(completely based on aesthetics). Honestly though, I dont play to many main stream games(CoD/GTA/Assassin Creeds, and ect).
Most games I play are RPG's, mmo's, or something in a somewhat familiar vein so I rarely run into the issue of having to play as a human.
Phat Michael
Banned
dont care one bit - i just like playing games. I dont have to associate with a fictional character to enjoy something.
GuessMyUserName
Member
Not one little bit. All I care about is if they're good.
I care in that I want interesting characters and I honestly believe there is a higher chance of getting that if the main character is not a easily marketable white male. It suggests that there is a higher chance of the game not playing it safe. Not to say that interesting characters can't come in any form.
thesolidshark
Member
For the purpose of playing a game, no. For variety's sake, more robotic/alien/non-humanoid characters to play would be awesome.
A lot of the posts in this thread make me wonder if there could be a game full of white people, but the game would go into ethnic details of everyone. Like some sort of European conflict game, showing of the cultural differences of the British, Spanish, Germans, Italians, French, etc. And throw in an American (of any color) to highlight the cultural differences even more.
A lot of the posts in this thread make me wonder if there could be a game full of white people, but the game would go into ethnic details of everyone. Like some sort of European conflict game, showing of the cultural differences of the British, Spanish, Germans, Italians, French, etc. And throw in an American (of any color) to highlight the cultural differences even more.
Pyccko
Member
Wow, yeah, I was about to say. That' just makes that list even sadder.
Interesting idea, but sounds like it would be poking the bear for the sake of poking the bear or at least that is how folks would react to it. In a way it would be not entirely different (but used for different reasons) than the bit in show code monkeys where they were getting pitched a game idea to stop using germans being portrayed as nazis and instead demonstrate that each one is a person
never mind the blatant satire going on the whole time
Ghost King
Neo Member
I don't really care, as long as the main character is interesting in some way.
Omnii-chan
Member
Hell no. If its heavy in story though, I'd want whoever it is to be interesting is all.
TetraGenesis
Member
SparksterMeta0
Member
In a word: No.
HP_Wuvcraft
Banned
thesolidshark
Member
I'd almost prefer to poke the bear, just to remind people that white isn't (and probably never was) as homogeneous as people wanted to use in representation arguments.
Progress despite some progressive people thinking it's not?
And maybe a game that goes into some depth about the cultures of different places would inspire more of that, in other continents and countries.
Not particularly. You could argue that is because I am a straight (mostly) white guy.
Maybe it's partly because of how I was brought up on media. As a young child I didn't really get to watch TV, but the first book I remember reading was Shan's lucky Knife
And I loved that book, and at the time I don't think it ever occurred to me that the main character was I different race to me. Later of course there was the usual media including TV, movies and games. But again I liked Sabriel as much as I did Artemis Fowl. I played Loom as much as Marble Madness. I identified with Lisa more than Bart.
Maybe it's partly because of how I was brought up on media. As a young child I didn't really get to watch TV, but the first book I remember reading was Shan's lucky Knife
And I loved that book, and at the time I don't think it ever occurred to me that the main character was I different race to me. Later of course there was the usual media including TV, movies and games. But again I liked Sabriel as much as I did Artemis Fowl. I played Loom as much as Marble Madness. I identified with Lisa more than Bart.
Mohonky
Member
Hmmmm....no I think its more of a sexual orientation.
Basketball
Member
yes and yes
the intros only going to tell you very little about the characters
you still might not like the game but the characters have much more depth to them then their gender/facial hair
killer rin
Member
Lets put it this way, the Master Chief could be an African American Asian who wears a turban and to me he would still be a badass. I honestly don't care. People are people are people
Mohonky
Member
No. As a white male If the protagonist of the games from here on out were of any other particular race or gender it wouldnt bother me. So long as it fits the theme / location.
I would be more annoyed to play a white dude if he was supposedly indigenous to say South America. That wouldnt make a lot of sense and would irritate me.
I get your point and could imagine settings that would promote it. I just am not confident that it would go over well is all.
Señor Coyote
Banned
No. If the story or the character is believable I will connect with them. If anything is going to take me out of the game it's age. For instance I found it a lot harder to connect with Clem than I did with Lee.
I think you could if you made an "American Gangsters" for video games. As someone who's ancestor came from Alaska, even I thought that shit was incredibly interesting. Made me think that "white america" is more about stripping all culture and being monolithic vs being any specific "thing". Cause after I watched that movie I read up more and god damn did the Irish and the Italians and the French and the English not get the fuck along.