Extra Punctuation: Roleplaying Homosexual in Dragon Age 2
- Thread starter Yahtzee Croshaw
- Start date
I find this tendency a lot when writing, that a character I hadn't originally intended to make gay or who I hadn't planned on thinking about their sxcuality at all suddenly just revealed themselves to be naturally gay. It wasn't like a stereotype that I gave them or even a conscious decision, it's just that when you spend a lot of time using a character (either that someone else has written or that you're writing) it becomes almost instinctual. 'Is Shepard a lesbian? Of course she is, I don't even need to think about it, she just is.' (For FemShep/Liara, which is basically my go to setting)
And if I play the character differently deliberately, then sometimes it changes. When I played my renegade FemShep with a ruthless background it just didn't make sense that she would get with anyone, because all of the options were just not tough enough for her, whereas for my Paragon who automatically tried to make everyone she encountered feel better, Liara needed some cheering up dammit!
I think that a good story well told (I'm not saying my writing is good but I like it so to me it is good story well told) will leave just enough blanks that you fill them in yourself, and this is why the videogame is such a perfect medium, because it can allow for every possible outcome of a blank being filled. Is your character good or bad or neutral? The game designer can fill in the blank, if your character introvert or extrovert? The game designer can give you an experience to fit both.
There are of course technological restrictions and there is still a lot that we can't do, but that the potential is there for people to almost write their own stories as they play is incredible. I don't think there'll ever be a desire for only open games with no linearity, but I think it's always good to be able to take a step back and say 'look how far we've come.' When I started gaming you could make a blocky representation of a woman climb things and shoot tigers, nowadays I can make a nearly photorealistic man have a deep and meaningful relationship with any number of characters I choose. It's like comparing a cave painting to the Mona Lisa, or The Roundhay Garden Scene to Black Swan.
And if I play the character differently deliberately, then sometimes it changes. When I played my renegade FemShep with a ruthless background it just didn't make sense that she would get with anyone, because all of the options were just not tough enough for her, whereas for my Paragon who automatically tried to make everyone she encountered feel better, Liara needed some cheering up dammit!
I think that a good story well told (I'm not saying my writing is good but I like it so to me it is good story well told) will leave just enough blanks that you fill them in yourself, and this is why the videogame is such a perfect medium, because it can allow for every possible outcome of a blank being filled. Is your character good or bad or neutral? The game designer can fill in the blank, if your character introvert or extrovert? The game designer can give you an experience to fit both.
There are of course technological restrictions and there is still a lot that we can't do, but that the potential is there for people to almost write their own stories as they play is incredible. I don't think there'll ever be a desire for only open games with no linearity, but I think it's always good to be able to take a step back and say 'look how far we've come.' When I started gaming you could make a blocky representation of a woman climb things and shoot tigers, nowadays I can make a nearly photorealistic man have a deep and meaningful relationship with any number of characters I choose. It's like comparing a cave painting to the Mona Lisa, or The Roundhay Garden Scene to Black Swan.
That last bit was actually rather adorable to be honest. I was actually thinking back to that Extra Credits episode about Diversity in games, and was thinking that games would be more and more interesting if they actually went out of their way to do this kind of thing.
Reading this article, it seems that was this games apparent grace.
Reading this article, it seems that was this games apparent grace.
Wow... Mister Yathzee, Sir, is that... could it be? ... gentle emotions and kind thoughts?
Are you sick or something? Normally the only emotions we get to hear about from you are rage and disgust.
Naa, I am just kidding. It is just unusuall to see Yathzee approach something so wierd as attatchment to characters in Videogames in such a gentle way.
But I liked it, made up for a good read.
Are you sick or something? Normally the only emotions we get to hear about from you are rage and disgust.
Naa, I am just kidding. It is just unusuall to see Yathzee approach something so wierd as attatchment to characters in Videogames in such a gentle way.
But I liked it, made up for a good read.
My issue with the love interests in Dragon Age 2 wasn't that there were too many gays, it was that all of them were bisexual. They are clear-written characters you're not supposed to make decisions for, but still all of them are bisexuall. I find this a bit odd.
Also, there's actually only 2 female love interests, and counting day 1 dlc, there's 3 male ones.
Although this is a bit besides the point, I felt the characters were pretty badly written, with the exception of Varric, and possibly Aveline (who is not a love interest).
Also, I might have been imagining things, but I felt Anders and Fenris were both pretty sexually aggressive, which didn't really seem to fit with their personalities.
Also, there's actually only 2 female love interests, and counting day 1 dlc, there's 3 male ones.
Although this is a bit besides the point, I felt the characters were pretty badly written, with the exception of Varric, and possibly Aveline (who is not a love interest).
Also, I might have been imagining things, but I felt Anders and Fenris were both pretty sexually aggressive, which didn't really seem to fit with their personalities.
the thing with anders is that he is the only proper healer in the game unless you make your hawke a healer. so if you are the kind of person who has a problem with homosexuality you probably also didn't picture your character to be a healer and are stuck with a gay character at all times.
Very interesting to say the least. It's nice to read something where someone isn't A-whining about DA2 or B- Whining they were being asked for some 'taboo' love.
I'm still trying to get into DA2 but what I have played I love. I say trying to get into not because I dislike the game, but because I have DA1 ME2, Breath of Fire 4, Tactics Ogre L.U.C.T, Parasite Eve 1 and 3 to beat. That said I'm playing female Hawke named Neige (because of my comic character) and I honestly have no plans of romance but if staying with her character ...well I'm not gonna say actually.
But it'll be fun whatever happens I imagine since the characters have been awesome.
I'm still trying to get into DA2 but what I have played I love. I say trying to get into not because I dislike the game, but because I have DA1 ME2, Breath of Fire 4, Tactics Ogre L.U.C.T, Parasite Eve 1 and 3 to beat. That said I'm playing female Hawke named Neige (because of my comic character) and I honestly have no plans of romance but if staying with her character ...well I'm not gonna say actually.
But it'll be fun whatever happens I imagine since the characters have been awesome.
If anyone is wondering if there's a word for it, Yahtzee seems to be describing himself as heterosexual and biromantic.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=biromantic
http://www.asexuality.org/wiki/index.php?title=Biromantic
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=biromantic
http://www.asexuality.org/wiki/index.php?title=Biromantic
At least the gay romance felt legal, I knew i was going into jail bait territory when I went straight for merril.
Wow hold on there. There are only two female LIs(Isabela and Merrill) and 3 male LIs(Anders, Fenris, and Sebastian).
Thank you for ruining Pokemon Black & White for me.Ravison said:
And speaking of Pokemon, was the Tepig reference a hint at tomorrow's episode? I hope so, I wonder what his opinion is on Pookeymon (because honestly, review the newest game and you've reviewed them all (not that it's a bad thing, I fucking love Pokemon)).