Thread: Opinions about female players with male characters

Originally Posted by Adder

I've decided that I'd best not reply to threads like this anymore, even those posted tongue-in-cheek. I have so many characters of every race, class, AND gender

Speaking of every gender, I made a startling discovery yesterday. When I went to use the restroom in the restaurant where I had lunch, much to my surprise I discovered *three* (apparent) restrooms, labeled "Men," Women," and "Custodian." I wasn't sure about that last gender, but if they have their own restroom I thought it might be because they didn't meet the criteria of either of the other two. I was very confused. I still am.

So, will Turbine be adding that third gender to the game soon? I think it can create some interesting possibilities. Well, ok. If they have to, they can make it a premium gender.

Originally Posted by Adder

I've decided that I'd best not reply to threads like this anymore, even those posted tongue-in-cheek.

Too bad. You'll miss out on the thread I'm starting next week titled 'Hermaphrodites, isn't it time we ended the discrimination and allowed them to play their gender(s) in game?'.

My sister plays a female Elf hunter and when I played once on her account for a couple of hours I found Her lvl 75 hunter was really fun to play because she was kitted out so well. She was also very easy on the eye.

I think I'll roll one also. A female Elf hunter.

She asked me to try her hunter in exchange for a time on my lvl 75 LM. She couldn't grasp it after 2 hours so we returned our accounts to their rightful owners.

Originally Posted by bigsix66

Speaking of every gender, I made a startling discovery yesterday. When I went to use the restroom in the restaurant where I had lunch, much to my surprise I discovered *three* (apparent) restrooms, labeled "Men," Women," and "Custodian." I wasn't sure about that last gender, but if they have their own restroom I thought it might be because they didn't meet the criteria of either of the other two. I was very confused. I still am.

So, will Turbine be adding that third gender to the game soon? I think it can create some interesting possibilities. Well, ok. If they have to, they can make it a premium gender.

It's the gear locker with the cleaning supplies.

Since I assume most of you can read, have you ever read a novel where the author writes from many points of veiw including characters of both genders? Should you NOT read the chapters devoted to a character of a different gender than your own? No, you wouldn't do that, so why would it be so unusual if people created a fictional game character whose gender was different than their own?

Originally Posted by Ameranth

Do they do it because if they're going to watch someone's butt for hours on end, they'd prefer it be a well-toned male one?

I can tell a story about this, and maybe it is the answer to your question.

Once upon a time, there was a Californian company that heard about a wonderfully decorative MMO that was made in Korea and played there and in Thailand; and they thought 'this could be something new in our portfolio'. So they decided to license it and publish a translated version, so that 'the West' could see this gorgeous game, too.

What they forgot, was to warn the players that it looked like Barbie couldn't live any longer Butterfly-Land and decided to enter Cimmeria! The characters had to run around with a little sister, no matter if they themselves were male or female, and that looked really strange if the toon was a six foot five inches long sleek guy with a quite - well, well-formed behind.

A year later the game was shut down because of the lack of active players.

Maybe they should have advertised it as 'hey girls, this is the first game for you where you can look at an attractive butt of the opposite gender'...

R.I.P. (well deserved), Prius Online.


Greetings, Polymachos, too

I usually play female characters because I think the animations of running, casting, whatever look better. In many games (thinking of wow mainly) male characters move like...I don't know...they just look ridiculous to me (except for dwarfs!). Also, most armour, clothing etc that I like look a lot better on female characters.
Concerning the above mentioned, I'm not yet sure if this is true for lotro, too. Haven't tried it yet. The few male characters I'v played in other games, although I found them awkward-looking most of the time, have been created to give me a time off guys hitting on me, just in case I really was a female player or because they already knew and instead make them think I could actually be a good tank cause my alt was a chainmail wearing, beer-consuming dwarf.

Just out of curiosity, becuase it's making me wonder...

You see, in these threads, a lot of female players who make mention of being hit on, or escaping from getting hit on, or what have you. I'm really curious; does that honestly still happen at all? Maybe it's just me, but, in my entire time playing LotRO, at least, I can honestly say I've only ever been hit on once or twice at most... and I'm quite an overt flirt when I'm feeling so inclined.

Originally Posted by Harla

You see, in these threads, a lot of female players who make mention of being hit on, or escaping from getting hit on, or what have you. I'm really curious; does that honestly still happen at all?

One of my main characters is female and got hit on once, I just ignored it and kept on riding. Due to the older player base here, you don't see that kind of thing too often.

That said, maturity doesn't always mean a game is safe. As a guy I've been hit on a lot more in other games, by middle-aged women wanting some 'adult' chat.

Originally Posted by Ameranth

it's about time we ended the sexist oversight and discussed the topic from the other side.

No it's not, it's as puerile as the discussions about males playing females.

I do.

I've been playing many kinds of video games for over 10 years (I'm 19 now) and I never played a female character. Even in games where you could create your own toon I still chose male. I remember playing Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 about ten years ago and even though there was a female skater available I didn't want to choose her -- she just wasn't "cool" to me.

An interesting thing is that I just recently started a similar thread on the SWTOR forums, trying to find other females who play male toons. There had been a conversation in the general in-game chat about guys who play female toons so I wanted to point out I'm the "opposite" by being a girl who plays male toons. I was expecting a few "hey, me too!" replies but instead I got comments like "eww" and "that's perv lol". I was confused and that's what inspired me to start the thread on the SWTOR forums. (Turned out that there actually are a lot of females playing male toons, and also a few who had similar experiences of seeing female characters "uncool".)

Originally Posted by Ameranth

Do they do it because if they're going to watch someone's butt for hours on end, they'd prefer it be a well-toned male one? As a man I feel horribly objectified just thinking about it.

Well, I'm bi so it doesn't really matter to me who's butt I'm watching, but I do think many MMO toons, especially female elves in LOTRO, are horribly sexist. If I had to play a female toon in LOTRO I would only choose a female Hobbit.

Originally Posted by Ameranth

Do they do it because secretly they'd like to be a man? I mean man as in gender, not race. I'm a man, but I can only wish i was a Man. Capitalization matters.

This fits me to some extent. When I was a little kid I wished I was a boy. It might sound weird but it's all just healthy thinking, you know, but it has definitely influenced the way I play video games.

Originally Posted by Ameranth

That said, maturity doesn't always mean a game is safe. As a guy I've been hit on a lot more in other games, by middle-aged women wanting some 'adult' chat.

Oh you poor soul!

Which games are these? I shall go there at once to cure these deprived concubines of the devil.

Originally Posted by Kraggy_Eldar

No it's not, it's as puerile as the discussions about males playing females.

Well said! (And yes, i understand this thread was begun in parody, but somehow got waylaid into a similar discussion as the other!)

Most of my 9 characters are female (i am just more comfortable with that role as a RL female), but i do have two male chars, one on each account. Mostly that is just for the clothes, and perhaps some other aesthetics like screen shots, etc. (also, i wanted to roll a dwarf champ, but a dress just doesn't hang well on that one for some reason). Other folks might have different reasons, but its none of my business what those are. If someone makes it my business by bringing it up or causing trouble in-game i will deal with it then, but most of the time when that is an issue it is with very young players, and as a (sort of) responsible adult i try to keep that in mind.

My take is that people should be able to play the game however and as whomever they want, its their game time let them enjoy it!

Over-analysis is not always a good thing to engage in ...

re-derail

Aah, homophobia. Is it really a misnomer ever? Certainly, as Danno pointed out, it is a fear in many cases. But can a person *really* hate an entire general population of people they've never met, or is that just fear as well?

Short of a personal hate crime, I can't imagine any sort of hatred for an entire group of people that isn't at least based on fear. Not only the fear that people might associate you with the group or the irrational fear that if you don't fight against it that you might *turn* homosexual, but also real fears that their actions will affect your life. I'm sure some people are just afraid that acceptance of open homosexuality will result in a world covered in gay.

Originally Posted by Ameranth

I'd like to bring an important matter to everyone's attention. Did you know there are women playing this game who, *gasp*, play male characters? I know, I know, it's hard to believe, but it's true!

I plead guilty

Originally Posted by Ameranth

Do they do it because if they're going to watch someone's butt for hours on end, they'd prefer it be a well-toned male one? As a man I feel horribly objectified just thinking about it.

I do it, because there are no female dwarves. Beside my beloved dwarves I have only one male charakter, he is Warden and only level 15. He looks strange when sitting on a horse, looks like the horse is too small for him.

Originally Posted by Ameranth

Do they do it because secretly they'd like to be a man? I mean man as in gender, not race. I'm a man, but I can only wish i was a Man. Capitalization matters.

No. I don't wan't to be male, there are many situations you are luckier as girl

Originally Posted by Frisco

re-derail

Aah, homophobia. Is it really a misnomer ever? Certainly, as Danno pointed out, it is a fear in many cases. But can a person *really* hate an entire general population of people they've never met, or is that just fear as well?

Short of a personal hate crime, I can't imagine any sort of hatred for an entire group of people that isn't at least based on fear. Not only the fear that people might associate you with the group or the irrational fear that if you don't fight against it that you might *turn* homosexual, but also real fears that their actions will affect your life. I'm sure some people are just afraid that acceptance of open homosexuality will result in a world covered in gay.

Brooklyn...

Originally Posted by Harla

Just out of curiosity, becuase it's making me wonder...

You see, in these threads, a lot of female players who make mention of being hit on, or escaping from getting hit on, or what have you. I'm really curious; does that honestly still happen at all? Maybe it's just me, but, in my entire time playing LotRO, at least, I can honestly say I've only ever been hit on once or twice at most... and I'm quite an overt flirt when I'm feeling so inclined.

Not very much in my experience - course I rarely play a female toon in games anymore :P Except for one notable cybering request I haven't been hit on in years, that I can recall.

Now, when UO was young... different story. Then it really was self defense to play a male toon. Although that lead to a very memorable occasion when my husband, playing a girl, was getting hit on, and I, the obligatory male, felt honour bound to defend "her"... we were laughing at the guy hitting on him so hard we literally rolled out of our chairs!

Anyway, it doesn't seem to happen that often anymore judging from my hubby's experience (still playing girls).

Honestly, the number of these threads from downtime and whatnot... granted they come and go in cycles, as anyone who's been on any forum can probably attest... I feel like making a thread, "Opinions on players playing pixelated avatars?!" lol

Originally Posted by Beleg-Of-Doriath

Brooklyn...

Are you insinuating that you hate all people from Brooklyn? You must be afraid of hipsters! Well, actually, there are plenty of places in Brooklyn where one should have very rational fears for their life.

Originally Posted by Beleg-Of-Doriath

Brooklyn...

Brooklyn, New York? Brooklyn, Iowa? Or Brooklyn, New Zealand?

I grew up in one, and have visited the other two. Do you you know something about one of them that I don't?

Originally Posted by bigsix66

Brooklyn, New York? Brooklyn, Iowa? Or Brooklyn, New Zealand?

Neither.

They were obviously referring to Brooklyn, the Gargoyle.

Originally Posted by bigsix66

Brooklyn, New York? Brooklyn, Iowa? Or Brooklyn, New Zealand?

I grew up in one, and have visited the other two. Do you you know something about one of them that I don't?

Brooklyn, New York. From what I've heard a wannabe Scandinavia in some regards.

In my case the reasons were purely cosmetical. So many clothing items and armor pieces look better on male characters, for example the Bladecatcher Pauldrons. I have the same opinion hoodless cloaks, and I can't escape the thought that they make female characters appear like they have a hunchback. But that's just me being picky.

I have experienced different behavior sometimes when other players find out I'm a girl, such as extra levels of politeness when inviting me to their kinship, but so far it's mostly been a positive thing and possibly just a case of common courtesy. However, this happens so rarely that I don't really think me being a girl has any impact on how other players treat me.

Originally Posted by Beleg-Of-Doriath

Brooklyn, New York. From what I've heard a wannabe Scandinavia in some regards.

In what way? I mean, we have an Ikea, but that's as close as I've gotten to associating Brooklyn with the Norse.

Originally Posted by Frisco

In what way? I mean, we have an Ikea, but that's as close as I've gotten to associating Brooklyn with the Norse.

My sister-in-law has been trying to find a good recipe for Swedish Meatballs. Maybe that's what's been going on.

I have only played males in LotRO though I did play a few females in D&D. Honestly, I just don't think I could, if needed to, role-play them especially PMS (not kidding, I am serious), besides how does anyone know if elven, dwarven, hobbit PMS is the same as Man PMS.

Originally Posted by Harmat

personally i am male and will only play male charaters except the drarves who have no gender.

Originally Posted by Lyrilo

I'm a woman and I only play female characters. I'm not sure why, but it has become a weird little point of pride for me. A few months ago I did create a dwarf alt because I thought I'd check out the whole starting dwarf line, but once I created him, I just wasn't interested in taking him into the game. Now he just sits there as a sad level 1 hunter who has never seen Middle Earth. Every time I log in I think I should starting running him through his paces but then I think, "nah, I'll do it later" and I never do.

Dwarves have gender, from a Middle-Earth Dwarf wiki entry:
In The Lord of the Rings Tolkien writes that they breed slowly, for no more than a third of them are female, and not all marry; also, female Dwarves look and sound (and dress, if journeying—which is rare) so alike to Dwarf-males that other folk cannot distinguish them, and thus others wrongly believe Dwarves grow out of stone. Tolkien names only one female, Dís. In The War of the Jewels Tolkien says both males and females have beards.

Originally Posted by Ameranth

Discussing men playing female characters has generated thousands of posts, it's about time we ended the sexist oversight and discussed the topic from the other side.

Epic fail attempt at trolling. Sorry.

Originally Posted by Saxzon

Epic fail attempt at trolling. Sorry.

=p

64 posts disagree with you

Originally Posted by Frisco

In what way? I mean, we have an Ikea, but that's as close as I've gotten to associating Brooklyn with the Norse.

I'm sure you'll figure it out.

I love playing male toons! and am a girl. Oh sure, this game doesnt have many males from me, but usually I make most my mains 'male'. Yes, for the butt factor, and yes, i hit on girl toons only because it amuses me. On the other hand, one of my RL male kinnies likes to play female for the same reasons I like to play male. Because it's fun. Frequently our females hit on one another, again, because it's funny.

I secretly want to be a man, as much as a man wants to be a woman. Sure, it's fun for a day or two, but in the end, I want my stuff back in it's right place, and size.

Originally Posted by Glicyn

Tolkien writes that they breed slowly, for no more than a third of them are female

This. This explains why Dwarves drink so much, and are borderline homicidal maniacs at the best of times.