Would you play a game with a gay main charater?

[TOGSolid]

As I said in the last time this question pops up, of course. In fact, I already have.

For a certain definition of "main", naturally.

Aside from that, why not? Probably the main way to show that a character is homosexual would be to give them a love subplot, and I can see many ways that would work brilliantly.

See: Dragon Age: Origins. It's completely possible for your character to have a homosexual romantic subplot. Do I care? Nope. These days, chances are a game with a gay main character would be doing it just for the controversy. I'm kinda surprised Dante's Inferno didn't have it from the onset considering how they're whoring themselves out for attention.

In related news:

 

[Littlee300]

In team fortress 2 there is no girl characters... and the heavy is defiantly digging the scout...

But imagine some guy with a short skirt and lip gloss on *shudders*

 

[Mcupobob]

With all these responses, I'm noticing something.

If you said, as long as the character wasn't gay just because:
Most characters are heterosexuals just because.

If you said, as long as it was pertinent to the story:
Being heterosexual is almost never pertinent to the story.

And one person said that being gay makes a hero not as badass:
Let's say Master Chief was gay (I'm gonna get murdered for that) and that not once in the game did it ever mention he was gay. But then the creators came out (a la J.K. Rowling and Dumbledore) and said he was. Would that make him any less badass?
If a character is badass, they're badass. Whether they end up kissing their female or male interest in the end is irrelevant to that.

Personally, I think all characters should be asexual (if it's a game that doesn't allow romance as an option, like the BioWare games).
Sexuality/sexual orientation shouldn't be the character. If any game makes a point of forcing a character into a sexual situation (without choice) it's just unneeded.
Albeit there are exceptions, such as Indigo Prophecy (where the sexuality adds another layer to the characters) or God of War (where his heterosexuality is important because of what happened to his family, although the gratuitous sex scene was just obnoxious).

To answer your question, I would.
As I said, sexuality/sexual orientation shouldn't be the character. It can be used as a layer in the character's personality, but too much of it is just painful.
And to be honest, I doubt we'll see a gay player character (who was built from the ground up to be gay). The action and shooter games are getting less and less character and story driven while the RPGs are getting more player choice based (as those are the main genres to use character's to their full capacity). The only game I see that would ever come close is GTA. And that game is stuck so far up it's own THIS IS WHAT MEN ARE! ideal that it'd never portray a player character as a gay man.
Especially when the one relatively deep gay character they created was still quite stereotypical on the surface (the pink/purple glasses, running nightclubs, partier, etc.).

Yeah. This is my first real post. I thought I'd make it count. xD

well this is one of the most insightfull post I've seen and welcome to the escapist

 

[lovest harding]

I was wondering would people now adays be ready to play a game with a gay main charater? or lesbain main charater as so not to discrimnate(mispelled).

I'm a gay woman and I'm writing a comic book with a lesbian main character. Her sexuality is not even a remote focus of the story, but this detail does have me wondering how the story will be received.

I don't know but just make sure your work doesn't flop because it sucks and you accuse people of being ignorant when it really is your work that needs improvement. That just worsens the gay cause. Actually, I think if most gay people did not shove their gayness into the faces of others and yell ignorant when someone asks them to stop, gays would be much much much better received in society - just as all the replies on this thread suggest.

I am pretty sure if I went and shoved my straightness in gay peoples faces and went on and on about how great it is to be straight they would as me to stop as well - and they would have every right to.

The fact that you said that is demeaning. Who's to say that she isn't 1) a good comic artist and will be received well and 2) that she is mature enough to handle criticism?
The assumption that she isn't either of those things simply because she's a gay woman, is an insult.

What is perceived as 'shoving their gayness into the faces of others' is a knee-jerk reaction.
Gays and lesbians are told to be quiet about their sexuality while everyone constantly makes fun of it and bad-mouths it. What is the natural reaction? To respond and defend.
The idea of just shutting up and down will do nothing but force millions of people into a closet that they fought to be free from.

Do you honestly, think people will accept homosexuality if it falls off the radar?
They won't. And to think otherwise is ignorant (no offense).

 

[lovest harding]

With all these responses, I'm noticing something.

If you said, as long as the character wasn't gay just because:
Most characters are heterosexuals just because.

If you said, as long as it was pertinent to the story:
Being heterosexual is almost never pertinent to the story.

And one person said that being gay makes a hero not as badass:
Let's say Master Chief was gay (I'm gonna get murdered for that) and that not once in the game did it ever mention he was gay. But then the creators came out (a la J.K. Rowling and Dumbledore) and said he was. Would that make him any less badass?
If a character is badass, they're badass. Whether they end up kissing their female or male interest in the end is irrelevant to that.

Personally, I think all characters should be asexual (if it's a game that doesn't allow romance as an option, like the BioWare games).
Sexuality/sexual orientation shouldn't be the character. If any game makes a point of forcing a character into a sexual situation (without choice) it's just unneeded.
Albeit there are exceptions, such as Indigo Prophecy (where the sexuality adds another layer to the characters) or God of War (where his heterosexuality is important because of what happened to his family, although the gratuitous sex scene was just obnoxious).

To answer your question, I would.
As I said, sexuality/sexual orientation shouldn't be the character. It can be used as a layer in the character's personality, but too much of it is just painful.
And to be honest, I doubt we'll see a gay player character (who was built from the ground up to be gay). The action and shooter games are getting less and less character and story driven while the RPGs are getting more player choice based (as those are the main genres to use character's to their full capacity). The only game I see that would ever come close is GTA. And that game is stuck so far up it's own THIS IS WHAT MEN ARE! ideal that it'd never portray a player character as a gay man.
Especially when the one relatively deep gay character they created was still quite stereotypical on the surface (the pink/purple glasses, running nightclubs, partier, etc.).

Yeah. This is my first real post. I thought I'd make it count. xD

well this is one of the most insightfull post I've seen and welcome to the escapist

Thank you.
I tried. ^^

 

[CoziestPigeon]

No. Just no.

And why not?

 

[Lightnr]

With all these responses, I'm noticing something.

If you said, as long as the character wasn't gay just because:
Most characters are heterosexuals just because.

If you said, as long as it was pertinent to the story:
Being heterosexual is almost never pertinent to the story.

And one person said that being gay makes a hero not as badass:
Let's say Master Chief was gay (I'm gonna get murdered for that) and that not once in the game did it ever mention he was gay. But then the creators came out (a la J.K. Rowling and Dumbledore) and said he was. Would that make him any less badass?
If a character is badass, they're badass. Whether they end up kissing their female or male interest in the end is irrelevant to that.

\

First of all, you did not read jack shit, because most are ok with it as long as the game is good and it is not excessive - both points you did not reply to.

Second, in reply to your question: that wouldn't make Master Chief less badass, that would make him GAY, and the HALO universe would be dead faster than you can say immoral.
And no it would not be dead because everyone hates gay people - dont try to look for a lamb under the bull - I know people like you love to do that.
It would be dead because most people who play it are straight and they like to live out that fantasy the creators of HALO give us. With the main character being gay they would no longer be able to associate with the game, just as much as a gay guy can't associate with a straight guy. If the majority of players were gay then it would be the other way around, but its not, and there is nothing wrong with that either.

 

[lovest harding]

With all these responses, I'm noticing something.

If you said, as long as the character wasn't gay just because:
Most characters are heterosexuals just because.

If you said, as long as it was pertinent to the story:
Being heterosexual is almost never pertinent to the story.

And one person said that being gay makes a hero not as badass:
Let's say Master Chief was gay (I'm gonna get murdered for that) and that not once in the game did it ever mention he was gay. But then the creators came out (a la J.K. Rowling and Dumbledore) and said he was. Would that make him any less badass?
If a character is badass, they're badass. Whether they end up kissing their female or male interest in the end is irrelevant to that.

\

First of all, you did not read jack shit, because most are ok with it as long as the game is good and it is not excessive - both points you did not reply to.

Second, in reply to your question: that wouldn't make Master Chief less badass, that would make him GAY, and the HALO universe would be dead faster than you can say immoral.
And no it would not be dead because everyone hates gay people - dont try to look for a lamb under the bull - I know people like you love to do that.
It would be dead because most people who play it are straight and they like to live out that fantasy the creators of HALO give us. With the main character being gay they would no longer be able to associate with the game, just as much as a gay guy can't associate with a straight guy. If the majority of players were gay then it would be the other way around, but its not, and there is nothing wrong with that either.

I didn't confront that point on purpose because, in a way, I agree. I think all character gay or straight should be held to that standard. There shouldn't be gay or straight sex in a game just because.

So why would it die? You've found yourself in a hole. You said that if Master Chief was gay, his series would be dead.
But it wouldn't be dead because he was gay.
If the only change to the series is that he's gay, how in the world would his series be dead if it wasn't because of that change?

If you are straight (which I'm assuming) how do you know what a gay male can and cannot relate to?
If a gay male couldn't relate to a heterosexual character then there would be no gay male gamers. And I know of two sites off hand that prove that point wrong.
As you said, games are fantasies. If a gay male can play a straight male with ease the reverse can be said.
As long as the player had enough maturity to realize that a gay player character cannot make a player gay.

 

[Lightnr]

I was wondering would people now adays be ready to play a game with a gay main charater? or lesbain main charater as so not to discrimnate(mispelled).

I'm a gay woman and I'm writing a comic book with a lesbian main character. Her sexuality is not even a remote focus of the story, but this detail does have me wondering how the story will be received.

I don't know but just make sure your work doesn't flop because it sucks and you accuse people of being ignorant when it really is your work that needs improvement. That just worsens the gay cause. Actually, I think if most gay people did not shove their gayness into the faces of others and yell ignorant when someone asks them to stop, gays would be much much much better received in society - just as all the replies on this thread suggest.

I am pretty sure if I went and shoved my straightness in gay peoples faces and went on and on about how great it is to be straight they would as me to stop as well - and they would have every right to.

The fact that you said that is demeaning. Who's to say that she isn't 1) a good comic artist and will be received well and 2) that she is mature enough to handle criticism?
The assumption that she isn't either of those things simply because she's a gay woman, is an insult.

What is perceived as 'shoving their gayness into the faces of others' is a knee-jerk reaction.
Gays and lesbians are told to be quiet about their sexuality while everyone constantly makes fun of it and bad-mouths it. What is the natural reaction? To respond and defend.
The idea of just shutting up and down will do nothing but force millions of people into a closet that they fought to be free from.

Do you honestly, think people will accept homosexuality if it falls off the radar?
They won't. And to think otherwise is ignorant (no offense).

You seriously need some schooling:
First take a logic/reasoning course - because no one EVER said she WILL do any of those things, I just said the some other people do it and it is wrong. You have absolutely nothing in my post to deduce that from. And actually thinking I am out to insult her is what is more ignorant - which can exactly be deduced from your reply.

Second take a History course - you would know that the most openly gay society that ever existed were the ancient Greeks - where every man was pretty much expected to be bisexual - and homosexuality as a topic was not on the radar then in any sort of controversial ways it is on the radar today.

Thirdly - if someone makes fun of my sexuality I would laugh about it and move on - the fact that you bring up saying gay people are offended left an right just shows how insecure they are about their sexuality. Maybe the problem lies in building up that security without having to step all over straight people and sensor free speech, demand special treatment, and criminally disrupt church congregations. Have you thought about that???

 

[RandV80]

Well, unless you're just going for the flamboyant stereotypical gay character, having a gay main character in a game would mean the question of sexual orientation will come up within the game. Generally there should be three reasons for this:

1. Provides backstory to the character
2. A player choice romance option is added to the game to add depth to your characters
3. Romance is an integral part of the game's story

From these, option #1, if the main character within the story happens to be gay but the game is about something else, like say a Grand Theft Auto game, then that's fine. Option #2, which is Bioware's long time specialty, it doesn't really matter because its player choice, gay options are sometimes included but you can skip right past them.

The tricky one is #3, the Final Fantasy type of games where the romance is on rails and an integral part of the overall story. Like FFX for example, instead of Tidus and Yuna, what if Wakka was the summoner and the romance part is now Tidus and Wakka? Now that FFX would be a definate pass for me. And anyone who thinks a straight guy should be able to play it and enjoy it just the same is pushing way to hard for acceptance and conformity.

 

[Hussmann54]

I say : "Should it matter?" If the game has to try that hard then its not worth it at all. (if thats its selling point or its just some gay right propaganda hidden with the face of a game then no)

Im not for gay rights but thats a different discussion, the point is if I can enjoy the game without being bombarded with some subliminal political or civil rights agenda then I really dont care.

I can hear the flame war starting already
*GASP* He is against homosexuality! *double GASP* he would accept a gay game!

Does that make me hypocrite? Well have any of you played a first person shooter or any game in whoch people are killed? Do you actually kill people in real life?

 

[Lightnr]

If a gay male couldn't relate to a heterosexual character then there would be no gay male gamers. And I know of two sites off hand that prove that point wrong.
As you said, games are fantasies. If a gay male can play a straight male with ease the reverse can be said.
As long as the player had enough maturity to realize that a gay player character cannot make a player gay.

Minorities dont get to pick and choose - fact of life - nothing to do with this discussion.

No one is talking about making anyone anything.

 

[mjc0961]

Yes. As long as the gay character is not gay just for the sake of having a gay character in the game.

And if the game didn't suck. If it was a bad game, then no.

That pretty much sums up my thoughts. If the game looks fun, I don't care if the main character is gay, straight, transvestite, whatever.

 

[IanBrazen]

after reading the artical "not that theres anything wrong with that" I was wondering would people now adays be ready to play a game with a gay main charater? or lesbain main charater as so not to discrimnate(mispelled).

After Note: To be clear the charater is gay to being with, not rpg style where you choose the sexuall ortation(misspeled)

I wouldn't care about their preference, that's their business.
As long as they are a compelling character, and likeable, I would think that would be awesome.
Gay tony could have been A cool guy to play as, if he hadn't been a junkie and had more guts.

 

[lhin]

if he (or she?) is badass enough then why not?

 

[lovest harding]

The fact that you said that is demeaning. Who's to say that she isn't 1) a good comic artist and will be received well and 2) that she is mature enough to handle criticism?
The assumption that she isn't either of those things simply because she's a gay woman, is an insult.

What is perceived as 'shoving their gayness into the faces of others' is a knee-jerk reaction.
Gays and lesbians are told to be quiet about their sexuality while everyone constantly makes fun of it and bad-mouths it. What is the natural reaction? To respond and defend.
The idea of just shutting up and down will do nothing but force millions of people into a closet that they fought to be free from.

Do you honestly, think people will accept homosexuality if it falls off the radar?
They won't. And to think otherwise is ignorant (no offense).

I am going to take this opportunity to thank you.
Your knee jerk reaction saying that he was implying she sucks or can not handle criticism just because she is a lesbian is exactly the type of thing he was talking about. It is perfectly clear to the rest of us that her sexuality meant nothing to him and he was just trying to tell her not to do this as playing the sexuality card just worsens their cause. So you go and do exactly that for her.
Awesome. Just awesome.

Anyway, yes. If gays would shut up about their "rights" then maybe people would stop caring and if not accept then at least tolerate it.
I know far too many people whose only problem with gays is that they force the issue with them constantly so they oppose it just out of spite. So everyone insulting it non stop is actually the natural reaction to being told we have no choice but to accept them.
I know a few gay people who can see this and just want people like chriscrocker and the idiots who made the Prop 8 commercials to die.

That was not my intent and I apologize to her if she feels that way.
My intent was to show that I inferred his words to be thinly veiled assumptions that showed what I was saying before.


Those who base their opinions on religious beliefs would not let it be. It would then be those people fighting to remove rights without opposition.
This is a circular fallacy, but in all honesty it's true. Neither is going to back down because of the other.

I know plenty of gay people who don't appreciate Chris Crocker either, not because he's stereotypically gay, but because he's a vapid excuse for human. His sexuality shouldn't be on the table. Why? Because in his rant about Britney Spears (the thing that brought him to the forefront of attention) wasn't based on him being gay. He didn't say "Stop picking on Britney Spears because I'm gay." His personality is not gay. It's socially awkward, vapid, random, and nonsensical.
You can't just paint him gay (whether he is or not) and say he needs to shut up about being gay.

This idea of pinning a gay male as a gay male and nothing more is ludicrous.
A straight male is not simply a straight male. Sexual orientation isn't personality. Ergo, it's completely incorrect to say something like "I hate the loud gays." Because there are plenty of straight males who party and have sex as much as those gay males.
There are plenty of straight males who do nothing but think of the stereotypically straight male ideals (sports, etc.).

The world needs to learn to separate personality and sexual orientation.

 

[DarkRyter]

I have.

It was a yuri dating sim.

 

[Enzeru92]

I could careless about the sexual orientation of the character if the game had a good story and game play that would entice me to play it.