Poll: Why are game characters never given the ability to be left handed?

[Katana314]

Some FPS's where you can play left-handed include Unreal Tournament and Counter-Strike (I think both 1.6 and Source)

 

[HobbyJim]

Link. There, there's a pretty common lefty.

Good Point. Although in the gamecube version of Twilight princess, since the maps and animations did a big 180, so did Link's sword hand, so it's the only game where his sword is in the right hand. How do I know this? Cause I play Zelda so much that it's almost past the point of disconcerting. Almost.

No, the Wii version is the righty-version, since most of the players were right-handed. GC was classic left-handed link.

you're right, you're right.

 

[Xanadu84]

It would require a good deal of extra programming for...not a lot added to the game.

 

[PhiMed]

wall of text in response to accused wall of text

Me (Halfway serious): The Catholic church killed a lot of lefties during the period when a lot of RPG's take place... maybe that's why there aren't a lot of lefty warriors in sword-fighting games.

You: No, because this person who wasn't a warrior who didn't live during that time period was left-handed!!!

Me (annoyed): No, he was ambidextrous, and the Catholi...

You: No! He was left-handed because I'm left-handed so I'm ambidextrous and I know what his situation was and I can write mirror images just like him which is why I'm an accomplished artist and caligrapher.

Me: ... ... ... Jesus Christ, one of those people.

 

[Aeshi]

You can change what hand you character holds their weapon in in the Unreal Tournament games (with the exception of the Dual Assault Rifles/Enforcers, obviously)

 

[Trolldor]

Well, the gun aiming, I can understand. But the swords? In medieval times you either learned to be right-handed or got murderized. So there's that.

Thats nooot entirely true. Left handed dualists has always had the upper hand.

And back in Rome, left handed gladiators were highly priced, due to all gladiators only being taught defense against right-handed opponents.


I'm a left-handed sword fighter my self, and I have won several sparrings because of just that^^




[Edit:] With guns of the other hand, I have a slight handicap, as most firearms are made for right-handed shooters...

You won because your opponents weren't used to fighting left-handed duelists.
I've never lost against a left-handed duelist because they rely far too much on the fact they're left-handed which makes them very easy to beat.

If it weren't for the fact that your name is TROLLdor I would have believed you

Seriously. I move to left, hugging the side of the strip, and move my arm across so my grip is on my left with the blade pointing to the right.
In otherwords, by mimicking a left-hander, I beat left-handers because they're too used to relying on the fact that they're left-handers vs right-handers.

 

[PhiMed]

wall of text in response to accused wall of text

Me (Halfway serious): The Catholic church killed a lot of lefties during the period when a lot of RPG's take place... maybe that's why there aren't a lot of lefty warriors in sword-fighting games.

You: No, because this person who wasn't a warrior who didn't live during that time period was left-handed!!!

Me (annoyed): No, he was ambidextrous, and the Catholi...

You: No! He was left-handed because I'm left-handed so I'm ambidextrous and I know what his situation was and I can write mirror images just like him which is why I'm an accomplished artist and caligrapher.

Me: ... ... ... Jesus Christ, one of those people.

/facepalm

Oh honestly. For fuck's sake.

You: Bla-bla killing lefties.

Me: Depends on period (Technically you specified medieval. However, swords have a 3-4000 year history at the very least, spread across many cultures.) + Throwaway line about ambiguous evidence of left-handedness of some famous historical artists were left-handed (not directly related to any point I was making)

You: Pedantic counter-comment about you talking about medieval times. + OMG YOU MENTIONED AN AMBIDEXTROUS PERSON BEING LEFT-HANDED

Meannoyed at you being pedantic about relating swords + medieval times when one does not follow from the other)
(further annoyed at you attacking a minor side issue, and wondering what your evidence for this was); I point out an informed opinion based on personal experience that historically, 'natural' ambidexterity is probably difficult to separate from 'learned' ambidexterity. (Since we can't actually ask the person involved.). And that' 'learned' ambidexterity is very likely in those forced to be right-handed when it's not natural for them.

You: Leonardo Davinci was Ambidextrous because. (List of reasons that mean nothing in relation to the point I was making, which is that natural ambidexterity and learned ambidexterity are hard to identify from historical information alone.)

Me: (Trying to clarify you completely missing the point): Ambidexterity could be a natural, or learned skill. IF IT IS LEARNED being left-handed is more likely.
(Another throwaway comment about mirror-writing, which you mentioned. Where I point out that text that is mirrored right-to-left is more natural than the convention for a left-handed person.)

You: (Dropping the main issue altogether to focus on the side-question) (Annoyance at my perceived arrogance. Totally missing the point.): I bet you're going to tell me you can do mirror writing as just as well as Leonardo Davinci can, right? (Sarcastic remark about playing the piano like Vladamir Horowitz)

Me (headdesk at your stupid statement): Mirror writing is not comparable in skill to playing the piano.
(Countering your argument of arrogance) - Because mirror writing is not in any way an impressive skill, you inferring that I'm arrogant because I claim to be able to do it. (But not making a statement about how well I can do it). I point out some claims that would be arrogant, about actual things Leonardo Davinci did that required incredible talent.



You: (Throwaway wall of text accusation, because my 'wall of text' spoiler was of the sum total of the entire conversation, not just your most recent quote)

Very brief summary of your view of the argument. (again showing your arrogance because you assume things about me I didn't actually tell you.)

-------
Fundamentally, the biggest flaws of your summary being:
I say: Leonardo might be left-handed, because the evidence is ambiguous. (using myself as a reference point.)

Your interpretation of what I'm saying: Leonardo MUST BE left-handed because I'm left-handed but sort of ambidextrous.

(Seriously, that's such a head-desk moment in and of itself... It shows you have very bad reading comprehension, and are putting a lot of words in my mouth I never said.)

Further to the least important point:
I say: I can do mirror writing
Your interpretation: I'm brilliant at art and calligraphy because I can do mirror writing.

Again... WTF? (Headdesk)


for the record, if you don't get it:

Mirror writing: Ability to write text in perfect mirror image of it's usual writing direction, such that if you look at it in a mirror, it's readable as normal text.

being good at Mirror writing: Being able to write as quickly and efficiently in mirrored writing, and with an end result that looks just as good as your normal writing.

Calligraphy: The ability to create highly ornamental and beautiful writing and lettering. (Being able to create mirror writing is completely independent of how good you are at calligraphy. - If you can write beautiful lettering, you can probably write beautiful mirrored letters. If not, your mirror writing will just look like ordinary hand-writing.)

Art: A really vague term for a very broad range of skills, NONE OF WHICH have anything at all to do with being capable of mirror writing.

Summary: learn to read! And stop assuming things are being said that are not.

Honestly.

(Headdesk)

Wow... Just wow...