The best explanation of female roles in games I've ever seen

[Vampyr]

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/extra-credits/2868-True-Female-Characters

[Angrist]

Hm I'm not convinced yet. Maybe it went too fast without good examples.

[Blix]

Lots of people just can't stand using female characters in video games. I've heard lots of people talk crap about Bayonneta and have a friend who doesn't like women being displayed as independent and confident in games or movies. Some times I think the only reason Samus can get away with it is because people can "forget" that it's a woman under that suit. Until this mentality changes, we can have the greatest female characters ever and they're still not going to get recognition.

[Angrist]

Btw I just LOVED having Alexis around in HL2. But I think that had more romantic reasons. I loved how she would look me in the eyes all the time. :p

But I wouldn't have felt the same if she wasn't a good character. She was very realistic.

[Professor S]

We have to keep in mind that the majority of people who play video games (as we know them) are men. When you play a game, you are inserting yourself into the character. That is why so many great video game protagonists are virtually devoid of personality (Master Chief, the guy from BioShock) or allow you to choose it (Mass Effect). You want to relate to your character, and if you are male, you'll choose the protagonist that best relates to you: The male. I would expect women who play games to choose the female.

Its not "sexist" in a traditional sense. Its about immersion.

Oh, and the fact that most designers make female protagonists look one step away from a hooker doesn't help either.

[Vampyr]

We have to keep in mind that the majority of people who play video games (as we know them) are men. When you play a game, you are inserting yourself into the character. That is why so many great video game protagonists are virtually devoid of personality (Master Chief, the guy from BioShock) or allow you to choose it (Mass Effect). You want to relate to your character, and if you are male, you'll choose the protagonist that best relates to you: The male. I would expect women who play games to choose the female.

Its not "sexist" in a traditional sense. Its about immersion.


I don't buy this argument - I think it's a convenient excuse. The fact that women who do play game are able to play them as male characters and enjoy them, and the fact that us male gamers are able to play the few games with female leads and enjoy them (Metroid, Tomb Raider, Recettear, etc), completely discounts this. Immersion is about good game design. If you're relying on the gender of your lead character for immersion, your game probably isn't that good anyway.

I'm also not about forcing designers to put female characters into their games. I'm a supporter of creative freedom - if you have a story that you want to tell that involves a male character, you shouldn't have to change your story just to suite some arbitrary politically correct demand.

What I'm tired of is designers thinking they can insert any generic female character and simultaneously get girls to play their games and use sex appeal to get guys to play.

I don't think that works from either end. The only guys you're going to get are obnoxious jerks, and girls are just going to be insulted.

If you are going to put a female in your game, do it right.

[Angrist]

When I had the chance, I always played female characters. WoW and Monster Hunter 3 are some recent examples I can think of.

The reason why... I guess I'd like to create a character that could be the woman I'd fall for. Why look at a male character all the time? :p