Topic: Male or female character in gaming

So, I'm curious how you all think about this: why is it that we don't always have the option to choose to play as a female character in games, and even if we do, why are there such differences in how the female character looks as opposed to the male character. And I don't mean the obvious differences, lol!

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The main reason most games don't have an option is because they are like a story being told similar to a book or a movie or even a play. A game like Super Mario Bras or Metal Gear Solid or even Halo is telling the story of a character that the storyteller made. Where as in an RPG like say World of Warcraft or Dragon Age you make the character.

It doesn't matter to me wherever we play as a bloke, girl, frog, mushroom, alien or spore as its just an avatar. Even on the latest and best games the avatar doesn't really feel like an extension of myself - its that things world. The debate has started in relation to women and other groups being the leads. However I believe even without these debates, we would eventually be in a situation were more groups are included - rather than your typical butch male lead. Even for myself watching yet another toned geezer strutting his stuff in 3rd person has become tiresome. Again this is all a recent trend and as we get closer and closer to photographic quality graphics we will see the human form fully explored, but again I never minded playing as a hedgehog or Lara croft in the past and wouldn't mind so again.

Because males and females are different more physically, and you can't just swap out the bodies like that. If you make a character as a male, then he's a male. Then if you put rommace in, you need him to be a make even more. When there is an option, it's because if the aforementioned differences. I've been playing Atelier: Escha and Logy recently, and it lets you choose which one you play. They are definitally different people, and the gender difference is obvious in more than their body parts.

When giving the choice I pretty much always play as a female especially when playing RPG's. I like to play as either a mage or archer and it just feels more fitting playing as a female IMO.

Generally when given the choice between Male or Female characters, its nothing more than cosmetic. There are no differences in terms of interactions with other in game characters - you have the same abilities etc I know there maybe the odd game that have differences depending on in game gender selection but generally it is purely a cosmetic option. Mass Effect did change the potential relationship options depending on if you selected a male or female Shepherd.
In Story based games, It is not always applicable to have a gender choice as the story is told from the perspective of the lead character - in some cases it may not matter what the gender of the lead character is but in others it is more important. The 2013 Tomb Raider game, the story was very much putting a Female in the lead role and I don't think it would have worked as well had Lara been a male.
Even in RPG games where the class is more important, a female barbarian has the same stats as a male barbarian - its purely a cosmetic choice. If 'gender' choice was different in these games, I am sure that would be seen as 'wrong'.If a Barbarian had different stats depending on gender - for example 'higher Strength' as a Male - that would be seen as stereotyping and cause more arguments and negativity to the way gaming perceives gender.

I am kinda the same way when it comes to RPGs or games like Diablo where I can make a character. I almost always go with female because for some reason I can come up with better female sounding names then male ones.

You all make some interesting points. The fact that in most cases it doesn't matter whether you chose to play as a male or female, except for the looks hadn't yet occurred to me. But it's true, nice that you brought it up. There are only a handful games that have a distinctive different person for each gender, and I think they are the ones that get it best!

Of course it's often a matter of what the developers think is attractive to their player base. Just like when you read a romantic novel always has a ruggedly handsome man with a strong chin and a lady that is sophisticated but smart, but still needs the guiding hand of the handsome man. So maybe it's the same everywhere, not just in video games!

Literally came on just to say those two things. I have so many games where I play as a girl called Miiol. I don't even know why.

I can think of two examples right off the bat where I play as a female.

1) Super Mario 3D World. I love playing as Peach. The second or two of levitation in her jump makes a huge difference I find.

2) Tales of Xillia. I've played the game three times and I always pick Milla; the main reason being is that she uses swords for physical attacks whereas Jude is a melee attacker who uses punches and kicks. In the previous two Tales games that I played the main character used swords, so it just seemed wrong to not play Tales of Xillia like that.

That said, whenever I get to create a character (i.e. Diablo 3, Mass Effect, etc) I always choose to play as a male. Often times I name the character after myself (Scott the Barbarian, Scott Shepard, etc lol)

So funny that you chose to play as a girl. Whenever I have a choice I never choose to play as a guy. And while I have some fixed names for my characters, I don't even have one for a guy that I use most often..

I always play as female character when I have a choice, because I like to watch at females forms and lines =).

I've personally chosen both male and female characters in different games when presented a choice, although I've skewed towards male since I like to put a bit of myself in games. Whenever I play fighting games I try to main at least one female character. But honestly I never really cared about gender in games. I'm all for equality yeah, but if a woman is capable of being every bit worth her salt as a man is worth his, then I don't see a problem.

In the context of this thread, I found this hilarious.