So, how many dudes here roll a female character? Also vice versa?

[Tono Makt]

I tend to roll females more than males because so much of the dialogue is written from the perspective of a Male Protag that I find it hilarious when it comes out in a woman or to a woman.

Also, have you see how FemShep moved? Absolutely hilarious. Unintentional comedy whenever I wanted it.

 

[go-10]

I just go with whatever looks cooler, don't really care what gender the character is. A lot of times thought I play female and if given the option any race other than human. I just like being something different than what I already am, it's a fantasy so I might as well have some fun with it ")

 

[KissingSunlight]

I don't play very many RPG's. So, I don't deal with character customization too much. The last game that gave me that option was Dark Souls. I ended up making the character looking like Lola from the movie Run Lola Run. I guess I knew I was going to repeat the same level over and over again like the movie character.


The game genre that I play the most with gender options are fighting games. I usually play female characters. Unless, there is a male character that I like. If I do play an RPG, it will depend on what kind of game it is. If the game depends on the choices I make, I would make the character male to reflect who I am. If it's just a character on an adventure. I would more likely create a female character. Yes, looking at a visually appealing character does factor in my decision. I know. I am such an evil sexist! *roll eyes*

 

[Fappy]

I used to favor males, then went about 50/50, and now I clearly favor playing females. I suppose my tastes just evolved over time. When it comes to MMOs and story-lite games I find females usually just have more appealing designs. I really have no interest in dressing/gearing up a dude (as I have no interest in doing that to myself IRL), but I find it oddly satisfying for female avatars. In terms of story-driven games, I guess I just like playing females because they're atypical heroes and don't get as much representation. I also prefer getting into the role of characters very different from myself. I can find something I relate to in just about any protagonist I've ever encountered, so the character's sex isn't really a big factor in that regard.

 

[ultrabiome]

If it's a true role-playing game, I pretty much always roll male. I've tried rolling female, but it just doesn't feel right. Maybe I can't step into their shoes like I can with my male characters (who I always try to make look like me).

This does not prevent me from playing as female characters, just not ones I make myself. This includes games where you don't have a choice in gender (Metroid) or even where gender is inconsequential (Diablo 3 - my WD, wizards, barbarians, monks are all male, but my DHs and crusaders are all female).

 

[Fappy]

I'll definitely agree that Tabletops and LARPs are much much harder to gender-swap convincingly. I doubt I'd be able to pull it off under most circumstances. I can do it decently in video games, as the rules and interactions are all streamlined right into the game, but with full RP freedom, I think it would be a lot trickier to do well.

I was mostly talking about creating female characters for video games which is what that chart Phasmal posted was about. Role playing a woman is a lot harder than just writing a woman, I find. Still, this IS just my own personal experience.

I completely agree with this. I can get into the mind of a female character given some extra thought and consideration, but when you have to roleplay off the cuff it becomes much harder. I have played a few female PCs and NPCs in D&D before (probably 50/50 male to female as far as PCs go) and my female characters have always taken a lot more time and effort to flesh out.

Not exactly sure why that is, honestly.

 

[happyninja42]

I'll definitely agree that Tabletops and LARPs are much much harder to gender-swap convincingly. I doubt I'd be able to pull it off under most circumstances. I can do it decently in video games, as the rules and interactions are all streamlined right into the game, but with full RP freedom, I think it would be a lot trickier to do well.

I was mostly talking about creating female characters for video games which is what that chart Phasmal posted was about. Role playing a woman is a lot harder than just writing a woman, I find. Still, this IS just my own personal experience.

I completely agree with this. I can get into the mind of a female character given some extra thought and consideration, but when you have to roleplay off the cuff it becomes much harder. I have played a few female PCs and NPCs in D&D before (probably 50/50 male to female as far as PCs go) and my female characters have always taken a lot more time and effort to flesh out.

Not exactly sure why that is, honestly.

Probably because you are not a woman? And thus you have to run your thought process through an extra step and filter it through likely female responses compared to male responses to any given situation of significance?

I would agree it is harder for some people to roleplay the opposite gender in a tabletop environment, compared to text based. I wouldn't know, because I don't do it. I'm more comfortable playing male characters, so that's what I do.

Oddly enough, my friend, who always plays female, still always plays female even in tabletop. Though he doesn't really roleplay her as a woman. But, to be fair, he hardly roleplays at all, due to near crippling stage fright and performance anxiety at the table. So no matter what kind of character he plays, he has difficulty doing this. But apparently playing a female character doesn't make it any easier for him either.

 

[Fappy]

I'll definitely agree that Tabletops and LARPs are much much harder to gender-swap convincingly. I doubt I'd be able to pull it off under most circumstances. I can do it decently in video games, as the rules and interactions are all streamlined right into the game, but with full RP freedom, I think it would be a lot trickier to do well.

I was mostly talking about creating female characters for video games which is what that chart Phasmal posted was about. Role playing a woman is a lot harder than just writing a woman, I find. Still, this IS just my own personal experience.

I completely agree with this. I can get into the mind of a female character given some extra thought and consideration, but when you have to roleplay off the cuff it becomes much harder. I have played a few female PCs and NPCs in D&D before (probably 50/50 male to female as far as PCs go) and my female characters have always taken a lot more time and effort to flesh out.

Not exactly sure why that is, honestly.

Probably because you are not a woman? And thus you have to run your thought process through an extra step and filter it through likely female responses compared to male responses to any given situation of significance?

I would agree it is harder for some people to roleplay the opposite gender in a tabletop environment, compared to text based. I wouldn't know, because I don't do it. I'm more comfortable playing male characters, so that's what I do.

Oddly enough, my friend, who always plays female, still always plays female even in tabletop. Though he doesn't really roleplay her as a woman. But, to be fair, he hardly roleplays at all, due to near crippling stage fright and performance anxiety at the table. So no matter what kind of character he plays, he has difficulty doing this. But apparently playing a female character doesn't make it any easier for him either.

Weirdly my sister roleplays male characters in tabletop all the time and doesn't seem to have the same problem that I do playing the opposite gender. Maybe she's just better at roleplaying than I am? Lol.

 

[freaper]

I usually roll 50/50, depending on the archetype I'll roll one sex over the other, but usually I can RP any combination so, meh, I don't really care.

Also, I think that other thread you mentioned was meant solely for games with one main character, not RPG's where you customize your own.

 

[JohnnyDelRay]

On second playthroughs, or when I want to make a big tanky damage-absorbing character, I'll use a male. Females just seem more interesting in the roles that I use them usually - long range sniper, sneaky assassin, mage, hi-dex ranger.

Dude.

Women can be tanks, too.

Especially when we're talking about fantasy settings.

Yeah, I'm aware of that. I loved playing as the Amazon in Dragon's Crown (although she's more of a Barbarian than a tank), there's just no rules to any of that shit in fantasy setting and I like it like that. That's why I carefully worded it to say "the roles that *I* use them usually"
Love the tanky women in my games, just wouldn't roll one myself.

Edit: removed superfluous quote, sorry dementedsheep!

 

[jdogtwodolla]

I finished a visual novel recently that let you choose gender pronouns on an androgynous character, if that counts. I switched back and forth throughout but it didn't really change anything. That's probably the point though.

 

[shrekfan246]

On second playthroughs, or when I want to make a big tanky damage-absorbing character, I'll use a male. Females just seem more interesting in the roles that I use them usually - long range sniper, sneaky assassin, mage, hi-dex ranger.

Dude.

Women can be tanks, too.

Especially when we're talking about fantasy settings.

Yeah, I'm aware of that. I loved playing as the Amazon in Dragon's Crown (although she's more of a Barbarian than a tank), there's just no rules to any of that shit in fantasy setting and I like it like that. That's why I carefully worded it to say "the roles that *I* use them usually"
Love the tanky women in my games, just wouldn't roll one myself.

Edit: removed superfluous quote, sorry dementedsheep!

I'd still say you should try it if you haven't recently. You might find it fun and empowering in a rather different way to play as a woman who could punch out an ox.

 

[JohnnyDelRay]

On second playthroughs, or when I want to make a big tanky damage-absorbing character, I'll use a male. Females just seem more interesting in the roles that I use them usually - long range sniper, sneaky assassin, mage, hi-dex ranger.

Dude.

Women can be tanks, too.

Especially when we're talking about fantasy settings.

Yeah, I'm aware of that. I loved playing as the Amazon in Dragon's Crown (although she's more of a Barbarian than a tank), there's just no rules to any of that shit in fantasy setting and I like it like that. That's why I carefully worded it to say "the roles that *I* use them usually"
Love the tanky women in my games, just wouldn't roll one myself.

Edit: removed superfluous quote, sorry dementedsheep!

I'd still say you should try it if you haven't recently. You might find it fun and empowering in a rather different way to play as a woman who could punch out an ox.

Guess you're right...actually I might just do that. Sounds like it could be pretty awesome now I think of it. But like a REAL tank, max strength stat, unarmed, massive constitution/endurance. Hand out vicious beatdowns at the slightest provocation.

Ok, you're on. Now, whether to do it in a Diablo-esque action RPG, or in a more dialogue driven game like Fallout 4 where I can actually intimidate and smash people in the face...

 

[shrekfan246]

Ok, you're on. Now, whether to do it in a Diablo-esque action RPG, or in a more dialogue driven game like Fallout 4 where I can actually intimidate and smash people in the face...

I haven't played it myself, but I've been watching a playthrough of Fallout 4 and it certainly seems pretty amenable to the "punch people in the face at the slightest provocation" playstyle.

 

[sonicneedslovetoo]

It really depends, most games I'll roll a female avatar just by default but I'll think twice if the game gives me options for more body-types than "Full strength strongman competition" and "if Jabba the Hutt was a bodybuilder". I don't particularly like the look of uber musclely anything in character models, past a certain point it just gets ridiculous.

 

[Dragonlayer]

Nah, because of my crippling fear of cooties because I always prefer to be *me*, or at least some vague pixellated approximation of myself, in games.

Also, I'm surprised to see so many positive answers, but not so surprised most of them are reasoned with "I just want to stare at her arse all day."

 

[Elfgore]

It strangely varies for me between genres.

RPGs- Always a guy. Of my hundred plus Mount and Blade games, never once have I picked female.

Shooters- Usually female if given the option. I always played a female soldier in Titanfall, the only game to give me this option that I've played.

MMOs- A mix. I have several male and female characters in TOR.

 

[FPLOON]

I roll black characters... With that said, I roll both because, dammit, if I can create more than one save[footnote]Unless you're fucking Pokemon, then you must be happy that I bought both versions anyway...[/footnote], you bet your purple dildo bat I'm playing two saves at once! (...Except if it's a porn-based game, ironically-speaking...)

Other than that, if they're voiced, then I slide that meter to the more feminine-sounding regardless... Hale to the queen, baby!

 

[Denamic]

I like to roll characters that are different from myself. More different, more betterer. In games like wow, I'll roll male characters, since I have access to races like the forsaken and tauren. Buf if I only have a choice between male and female, I'll go with female most of the time.