even though your poll is mucked, i think you can still get decent data.
my thoughts: as long as it isn't gender locked classes (which i despise), i'm generally ok with what ever the choices are. some races, have always been one sex/sexless so adding females of those races feels wrong to me. of course if you're going with male only races (like dwarves), there is no reason why you couldn't also have female only races (like amazons). this somewhat solves the issue of adding sexes to races that otherwise don't/shouldn't have them.
i'm a guy, so i can't really claim to know everything (lol); but i'm pretty sure most women would prefer playing the cute/pretty female type characters. i can't see a female gnoll being really high on the list of any one's play list, much less a female gamer. for rp'ers it's pretty much a given that some races are only playable as one sex.
Let me ask you a question. Why is the amorphous character model exclusive only to the Super Hero sub-genre?
Instead of the seemingly universal fantasy approach of a static character model (of various races) and the equipped gear modifying the image, the amorphous approach should be equally applicable to fantasy games. When I made my character image, I wanted that image for a reason -- to make myself identifiable. But the fantasy model will artificially 'force' the character's appearances to be similar when both equip the same piece of gear. It's almost like the gear's 'look' is given more credence than the player's desires in fantasy games.
So, players have to meticulously use crude dye systems to try to achieve the look they want, but it never looks right compared to what the player really wanted. The nice chest emblem is now the same color as the chest piece, and the aesthetic is gone. The character named Red Medallion now has a green medallion instead of the glowing red gemstone on a silver necklace over his green leather tunic. The gear choice and dye system has potentially altered the character's personal story. It potentially limits the player.
So, why haven't we seen a host of fantasy games where you pick the basic body frame / sex and modify that frame with armor, weapons, clothing, racial features, skin textures, etc.? These character creation systems only seem to be available in the limited number of Super Hero games. Let's have some flexibility in fantasy, too, even if it ends up being monetized (which I don't like).
Logic, my dear, merely enables one to be wrong with great authority.
You might be surprised that many times I played a male character because of the things you mention and to make certain that gender won't play a part in a guild invite. Many times the female characters are just so sexual that it makes me uncomfortable even playing one. In real life I don't even show cleavage, my body is for my lover alone so I'm dressed as close to a quaker as can be done in modern clothing.
This reminds me of the photo floating around about feminism talking about Barbie and how its unrealistic beauty and effecting young girls images of themselves...and then shows a photo of He-man and the word "so?".
There are tons of Male armors that show off buff bodies, abs, pecks...
I hope we shall crush...in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country." ~Thomes Jefferson
I like playing smaller, thinner, "happier" characters. More often than not that means a female toon (although I play male Asure on GW2)
Reason two would be that I don't need to live through my character. I don't need to play a male and pretend its me.
Finally I am going to spend a lot of time looking/listening to my toon. I would rather watch a female toon than a male one.
Just to add after reading more of the thread. I also dislike and don't play overly sexual female toons. See Tera. Now a good female monster type is the Iksar. The only reason you even know its female is because you are told they are.
I am a female gamer in my late 20s. First of all, thank you for caring enough about female players to even post the poll. I prefer to play a female character that looks feminine. I would not play a game where gender was ignored entirely nor would I ever play a male character. I like being female ... in life and while gaming.
Edit ... Greenreen's thoughts and comments are her own and do not reflect the attitude of the average female gamer.
This reminds me of the photo floating around about feminism talking about Barbie and how its unrealistic beauty and effecting young girls images of themselves...and then shows a photo of He-man and the word "so?".
There are tons of Male armors that show off buff bodies, abs, pecks...
Maybe they want to know about that too as an issue.
You might not know the extent that women experience tales that their bodies aren't perfect because they don't match photoshopped women. Men don't get photoshopped to the extent that women do and they don't have as many magazines meant to sell them things. That's ok though, it's easy enough to avoid a magazine unless you are 12 - 17 years old. What magazines were representing a male image that you can recall, for me I had Cosmopolitan and Seventeen which was specifically for girls subscribed to me by my own mother as part of the things women should know. You wouldn't believe all there is to learn for a woman...snip
Double standards to the extreme...you don't know because you aren't a man, you don't look for them and in fact overlook them...thus the entire point of that photo going around. There is He-Man, all buff, blond and handsome and wearing just a loincloth and boots yet there is nothing wrong with it. all during a decade of hair bands filled with guys with long flowing hair and wearing makeup with as many magazines pushin the latest hunky male singer/musician/actor as there were women.
As for that last sentence...please...don't even try going there with that BS.
I hope we shall crush...in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country." ~Thomes Jefferson
"I disagree about men not being concerned about a statement" - In the examples of men you gave who were concerned about how they looked in game, none of them were making a statement. That's the thing, I am not saying men have no concern about what their online toon look like, its just that they are not trying to make some sort of personal statement with a certain look.
"I recall my brother going out to play while I got to stay inside and learn how to cook and how to decorate a house along with clean it." - I think you got the better end of the deal, you were taught valuable life skills, your brother was taught nothing.
It is amusing that women think nothing of the male leads in nearly every TV show getting their top of in every episode they can. While if a women shows a bit of leg it is shocking! We on the other hand are quite the reverse, never thinking it at all odd that a female lead only ever does her laundry in a tshirt and hot pants. This is a case of only seeing things through the eyes of your real life "faction".
Double standards to the extreme...you don't know because you aren't a man, you don't look for them and in fact overlook them...thus the entire point of that photo going around. There is He-Man, all buff, blond and handsome and wearing just a loincloth and boots yet there is nothing wrong with it. all during a decade of hair bands filled with guys with long flowing hair and wearing makeup with as many magazines pushin the latest hunky male singer/musician/actor as there were women.
As for that last sentence...please...don't even try going there with that BS.
Male power trip fantasies do not equate to sexism.
Comments
even though your poll is mucked, i think you can still get decent data.
my thoughts: as long as it isn't gender locked classes (which i despise), i'm generally ok with what ever the choices are. some races, have always been one sex/sexless so adding females of those races feels wrong to me. of course if you're going with male only races (like dwarves), there is no reason why you couldn't also have female only races (like amazons). this somewhat solves the issue of adding sexes to races that otherwise don't/shouldn't have them.
i'm a guy, so i can't really claim to know everything (lol); but i'm pretty sure most women would prefer playing the cute/pretty female type characters. i can't see a female gnoll being really high on the list of any one's play list, much less a female gamer. for rp'ers it's pretty much a given that some races are only playable as one sex.
Let me ask you a question. Why is the amorphous character model exclusive only to the Super Hero sub-genre?
Instead of the seemingly universal fantasy approach of a static character model (of various races) and the equipped gear modifying the image, the amorphous approach should be equally applicable to fantasy games. When I made my character image, I wanted that image for a reason -- to make myself identifiable. But the fantasy model will artificially 'force' the character's appearances to be similar when both equip the same piece of gear. It's almost like the gear's 'look' is given more credence than the player's desires in fantasy games.
So, players have to meticulously use crude dye systems to try to achieve the look they want, but it never looks right compared to what the player really wanted. The nice chest emblem is now the same color as the chest piece, and the aesthetic is gone. The character named Red Medallion now has a green medallion instead of the glowing red gemstone on a silver necklace over his green leather tunic. The gear choice and dye system has potentially altered the character's personal story. It potentially limits the player.
So, why haven't we seen a host of fantasy games where you pick the basic body frame / sex and modify that frame with armor, weapons, clothing, racial features, skin textures, etc.? These character creation systems only seem to be available in the limited number of Super Hero games. Let's have some flexibility in fantasy, too, even if it ends up being monetized (which I don't like).
Logic, my dear, merely enables one to be wrong with great authority.
This reminds me of the photo floating around about feminism talking about Barbie and how its unrealistic beauty and effecting young girls images of themselves...and then shows a photo of He-man and the word "so?".
There are tons of Male armors that show off buff bodies, abs, pecks...
I hope we shall crush...in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country." ~Thomes Jefferson
I like playing smaller, thinner, "happier" characters. More often than not that means a female toon (although I play male Asure on GW2)
Reason two would be that I don't need to live through my character. I don't need to play a male and pretend its me.
Finally I am going to spend a lot of time looking/listening to my toon. I would rather watch a female toon than a male one.
Just to add after reading more of the thread. I also dislike and don't play overly sexual female toons. See Tera. Now a good female monster type is the Iksar. The only reason you even know its female is because you are told they are.
I am a female gamer in my late 20s. First of all, thank you for caring enough about female players to even post the poll. I prefer to play a female character that looks feminine. I would not play a game where gender was ignored entirely nor would I ever play a male character. I like being female ... in life and while gaming.
Edit ... Greenreen's thoughts and comments are her own and do not reflect the attitude of the average female gamer.
Double standards to the extreme...you don't know because you aren't a man, you don't look for them and in fact overlook them...thus the entire point of that photo going around. There is He-Man, all buff, blond and handsome and wearing just a loincloth and boots yet there is nothing wrong with it. all during a decade of hair bands filled with guys with long flowing hair and wearing makeup with as many magazines pushin the latest hunky male singer/musician/actor as there were women.
As for that last sentence...please...don't even try going there with that BS.
I hope we shall crush...in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country." ~Thomes Jefferson
"I disagree about men not being concerned about a statement" - In the examples of men you gave who were concerned about how they looked in game, none of them were making a statement. That's the thing, I am not saying men have no concern about what their online toon look like, its just that they are not trying to make some sort of personal statement with a certain look.
"I recall my brother going out to play while I got to stay inside and learn how to cook and how to decorate a house along with clean it." - I think you got the better end of the deal, you were taught valuable life skills, your brother was taught nothing.
It is amusing that women think nothing of the male leads in nearly every TV show getting their top of in every episode they can. While if a women shows a bit of leg it is shocking! We on the other hand are quite the reverse, never thinking it at all odd that a female lead only ever does her laundry in a tshirt and hot pants. This is a case of only seeing things through the eyes of your real life "faction".
Male power trip fantasies do not equate to sexism.
It's a false equivalence.
"The knowledge of the theory of logic has no tendency whatever to make men good reasoners." - Thomas B. Macaulay
"The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge." - Daniel J. Boorstin