What gender is your avatar?

[Ancalagon]

So......

Something I've always been curious about is what gender people choose for their on screen representation of themselves, and why. I dont mean avatars as in forums or XBox Live, I mean avatars as in game characters. I always choose male avatars because I'm male and I feel they better represent my identity. In fact, if customization is possible, I generally make the avatar resemble myself, or an ideal image of myself, as much as possible.

I'm just curious to see why and how other people choose for their avatars.

[roboninja]

Tend to choose male, but have had dalliances with the fairer sex as well.

[Loki_09]

Male with Male avatar. Not a fan of 13 year olds hitting on me because I have a female avatar.

[DangerousDaze]

I tend to choose female avatars in single-player action games. Don't know why, probably a Lara Croft thing. In MMOs where I interact with other people I choose exclusively male.

[Re3x]

Had a couple friends do female avatars in MMO's because guys thinkt hey are really girls and sometimes they get free stuff, but for me I am a dood.

[TheBrainKills]

I swing both ways, depends on the game.

[KingGorilla]

I believe you mean what sex is your avatar, gender is a social construct.

[Ancalagon]

I believe you mean what sex is your avatar, gender is a social construct.

Surely, with games being virtual, and often social worlds, gender is applicable?

[Savok]

I always make lesbians whenever I can.

[Hotcod]

shame there's not a option for "i do both depending"... for the most part it's what looks cooler and fits the class and so on. Like my ranged classes are almost always female and my big kick ass ones are male. In WAR for example outside of dwarfs, where's the choice, the female avatars almost always look cooler to me and so most of my toons there are female like my highest level shadow warrior... i'm now leveling a dwarf rune priest since i have 2 irl freinds playing who each play one each of the other dwarfs heh but his male since it just looks better i think.

That said now i think about it even if my main in WoW was male i tend to have more female things over games such as guild wars, eve, war and so on... they tend to just be more interesting.

In single player rpgs i tend to do one male and one female run though and make one good and one evil heh

[Lithium Flower]

I usually go with females unless I feel a male better suits my conception of the story and/or will get better romance options!

[Khrymsyn]

I almost always make a male character, unless I'm playing a game through a 2nd time, or am playing a game in which you make multiple characters and being female fits more in the "role" I plan to play the game in.

[NoName]

I'm male and will almost always choose a female avatar.

If I'm going to devote a significant number of hours in a game I much rather spend most of it looking at a girl than a guy.

(Though in D&D, with lack of screen visuals, I generally play a male)

[Nura]

I tend to stick with male avatars. I don't know why, but it just feels wrong when i choose females avatars :/

[Squidbot]

Both. It depends on which looks coolest.

[anakin876]

I believe you mean what sex is your avatar, gender is a social construct.

Surely, with games being virtual, and often social worlds, gender is applicable?

I believe KingGorilla is referring to the fact that sex is biological - an individual has male or female (or both or neither) sexual organs. Gender is looked at as more of what the individual self-identifies with. Generally, sex and gender are used interchangeably and, in the context of games, usually refer to the "biological" definition. While there certainly is an option to choose to play a role that differs from what sex is presented onscreen - I imagine there are relatively few people choosing one sex and then attempting to play as a different gender in most of the MMOs and RPGs out there.

I generally choose to play female characters because I find them to be more interesting - the romance options in game can be more varied and the character models are much more pleasant (for me) to watch over time.

I have a friend who always made female characters in the MMO he played. After he met a girl through this MMO and he started dating her - she insisted that he create some male characters as well. He didn't feel like the female characters were a problem - but she did.

[Bone]

I'm with those who need the "both" option depending on the game. Mostly male, but sometimes the female avatar is the way to go. Especially games that make you stare at your avatar's ass for hours on end.

[Talanvor]

In single player games, I tend to make/choose a female avatar. On the few MMOs I've played I'd set up male personas. So really depends on the game I guess.

[Esquilax1138]

I'm male and will almost always choose a female avatar.

If I'm going to devote a significant number of hours in a game I much rather spend most of it looking at a girl than a guy.

(Though in D&D, with lack of screen visuals, I generally play a male)

I do this as well, especially if you spend a lot of time in 3rd person looking at your characters ass. If I'm looking for countless hours at the backside of my character, I'm always going to pick the nicer looking ass.

[Heretic Machine]

I'm a guy, and I almost always choose female avatars when given the choice. I don't know why; it's not a sex thing. I also almost always play them as smart/agile (with a tiny dash of charisma), if given the opportunity. I guess I tend to see the character more as a partner than as a representation of myself, and I'd rather work with a female.

[astranoir]

I do both, though lately with Mass Effect, Fable 2 and Fallout 3 I've been going more the female route, at least for the first playthrough. I think it's because I often try to make choices as if I were myself for the first playthrough, and so I'm moving toward making my character female like me.

[LongStepMantis]

I'm a guy, so I choose the guy.
I'm old fashioned like that.

Now if more games actually changed based off your gender (Like the some of the dialogue options in Fallout 2) I might branch out. Most games now still don't make any noticeable differentiation between genders.

[Shandor]

I'm a guy and I'll use whatever seems most interesting. If the game has a decent amount of content/dialog that changes based on sex, then I might try both.

[Ghostbear]

I always pick male, since I consider that character me.

[pseudopseudo]

Non-public polls FTL.

I usually pick some representation of myself, so my avatar is always male. (And I generally use the same one for most everything.)

[iHap]

I Null. I create both male and female character.

[pheriannath]

Chalk up another "depends on the game" person.

For instance, in WoW, it's impossible to pick a human male that doesn't look like he's a cro-magnon bodybuilder, and for rogue/mage classes, I'd rather have something a little more... lithe.

[Cpl_Punnishment]

I'm with those who need the "both" option depending on the game. Mostly male, but sometimes the female avatar is the way to go. Especially games that make you stare at your avatar's ass for hours on end.

I agree

must. type. more. characters.

[Bone]

I agree

must. type. more. characters.
Although when we played Vanguard together with our wives, I think we all stuck to our real sex. At least with our mains- I remember rolling all sorts of ridiculous alts. The Ironhammer brothers (clan of dwarves) was the best.

[shodan2020]

It's generally female for me. In fighters I tend to go female, my Pai in Virtua Fighter is unstoppable. :) In other games, like Saints Row I tend to go male. My first character is male, but on my second time through SR2 I was female. I also run around the SR2 multiplayer live stuff as a hot asian chick with dyed hair. :)

[rinichanraar]

I generally tend to pick female avatars that look like me. How boring.

[menage]

I'm a guy, and I almost always choose female avatars when given the choice. I don't know why; it's not a sex thing. I also almost always play them as smart/agile (with a tiny dash of charisma), if given the opportunity. I guess I tend to see the character more as a partner than as a representation of myself, and I'd rather work with a female.

My thoughts exactly.

Although for some reason it's not the case with Fable 2, dunno, didnt feel right, maybe because I CAN have sex:P.

Oh and MGS4 reminded me it's not cool to look at a guys ass all game long.

[TheKeck]

Yeah, I usually stick with males too.

[rinichanraar]

Oh and MGS4 reminded me it's not cool to look at a guys ass all game long.

Man, in MGS4, Snake has the most detailed ass in the video game world. And when you crawl slowly, it kind of looks like he's humping the ground, which is really weird to me.

[Young Al Capone]

I am a male, and I tend to go with female avatars. I typically stick with single player, but in a multiplayer game I would go with a male avatar.

I choose female because that forces me to play a character that is not like myself, as I am about as manly of a man as you can find. Seriously though, even if I typically make the choices that I might make in a given situation I try to make the character seperate from myself.

I play as myself all the time, and it really isn't that fun.

[astranoir]

Man, in MGS4, Snake has the most detailed ass in the video game world. And when you crawl slowly, it kind of looks like he's humping the ground, which is really weird to me.

Exactly! It's horrible, and sometimes my roommate will want to play, and he likes to be excruciatingly slow, so we get to see Snake humping the ground for 3 or 4 hours, blech!

[President Fred]

I am male and always play a male character. I can honestly say that I have never even noticed my characters ass before, I'm sure I will now though, so thanks!

[Thanasimos]

Male, same as me. Except in games where genders handle differently -- so few of those left now, thank you feminazis -- in which case women usually are more agile and the like (and a touch short on strength). Because that fits my play style a healthy bit more; I'll go woman.

[Ancalagon]

Non-public polls FTL.


I thought about making it public, oh well. As for the other poll options... well, sorry!

I think it depends on the viewpoint of the game whether I'm comfortable with playing as a girl. In Diablo II and Baldurs Gate 2, because the view is so much more zoomed out, I dont feel as much of a connection to a character, so I dont mind if they dont quite represent me (although they usually at least contain aspects of me). In first and third person games I tend to play as males because the different viewpoint leads me to view the character as being much more of an extension of myself. So I'd feel weird choosing a female character in Fallout 3, although I may do it just for a change and because I never have. Role reversal FTW!

[pseudopseudo]

Just thought I'd add one thing - I played through Saint's Row 2 as Duke Nukem, and I suggest you all do the same. Changes the game immensely. (It almost makes more sense - I feel like I've already played DNF.) :D

[TrackZero]

Where's the poll option to alternate? Someone didn't think this out.

[Lint of Death]

Eh, both, but for asexual reasons. In my first and most-played MMO, Asheron's Call, both my first character and my main were women because I had decided that the men's 3D models for boots looked utterly terrible. In Anarchy Online my main was female because I was recreating my AC character. In WoW I created about a billion characters, but on my main server I had about five Troll characters, so, when I got around to making a Troll warrior I made it a female for the sake of variety - that character proceeded to become my main solely because of the race/class combo. I wonder if Troll/warrior is still the least popular combo in the game?

If it's not for a similarly petty reason, I choose a female character to A) change the story arcs; B) access otherwise unusable classes; or C) because for reasons I don't entirely understand I feel like female characters are harder to judge or pigeonhole into archtypes.

So, in conclusion, I wish this poll allowed one to check multiple boxes.

[Heretic Machine]

I thought about making it public, oh well. As for the other poll options... well, sorry!

I think it depends on the viewpoint of the game whether I'm comfortable with playing as a girl. In Diablo II and Baldurs Gate 2, because the view is so much more zoomed out, I dont feel as much of a connection to a character, so I dont mind if they dont quite represent me (although they usually at least contain aspects of me). In first and third person games I tend to play as males because the different viewpoint leads me to view the character as being much more of an extension of myself. So I'd feel weird choosing a female character in Fallout 3, although I may do it just for a change and because I never have. Role reversal FTW!

It gets a little creepy in Fallout 3; lots of "sweety" and "darling" talk being slung around. I think I get why women hate that.

[KingGorilla]

I generally tend to pick female avatars that look like me. How boring.

Explains why you play so much Dynasty Warriors, HA!

[Bone]

It gets a little creepy in Fallout 3; lots of "sweety" and "darling" talk being slung around. I think I get why women hate that.Dang, in Texas that's considered a term of endearment. Also calling a woman of any age "ma'am", which also backfires at times.

[Dukefrukem]

Mine are usually inanimate objects, dead things or colors.

[JRR006]

I usually choose male avatars because I prefer stories about men. I don't consider the character to be me. Someone mentioned treating the character like a partner - I think that's basically what I do. They're a separate entity from me, emotionally speaking. I'd rather explore a male character.

I know that the RPG genre isn't much made for "exploring" the player-character, but I do. Any time I see a list of responses from which I can pick, I get a hint of who the character I'm controlling is. Their word choice tells me about them. Their body language tells me about them. So it's very easy for me to see that they are not me, and think of them as another character I can explore.

(Starcraft was a wonderful example of how to get around this - you never see your character, never hear them, the other characters speak directly to you via viewscreens instead of to an avatar. That's the only way I've ever been able to feel I "am" my character.)

Because I don't see my characters as me, I have no issue playing male or female avatars. In MMOs it's usually about 50/50 because sometimes the female avatars look pretty cool. In single-player games I almost always go male because it is a much greater commitment and I'd rather spend time with a male character. They're just more interesting to me, I couldn't tell you why.

[LordDon]

For forums I always choose a male avatar because I'm speaking as myself. In MMO's I'm playing a character and I generally choose a female because 1) I play a healer and have this overriding link between healer and female or 2) I play an ass kicking warrior and like turning conventions on their head. (which contradicts number one)

[rinichanraar]

Exactly! It's horrible, and sometimes my roommate will want to play, and he likes to be excruciatingly slow, so we get to see Snake humping the ground for 3 or 4 hours, blech!

It's actually kind of funny if you think about it, but it kind of does weird me out that his ass is so detailed. And I wonder if Kojima realizes that that's what really, really slow crawling looks like. :p

Explains why you play so much Dynasty Warriors, HA!

WOW, okay, that was completely uncalled for. If you think that I play Dynasty Warriors because I'm Asian or that I look like the characters, then you're completely wrong. I thought better of you.

Just kidding. Think I fooled anyone? :D

[Ancalagon]

It's actually kind of funny if you think about it, but it kind of does weird me out that his ass is so detailed. And I wonder if Kojima realizes that that's what really, really slow crawling looks like. :p


You know, when you see those Making Of movies for video games, they always speak to the lead art director, the lead programmer etc, the lead story writer.

I wanna hear from the Ass Modeller.

"Well, it was a real challenge to get it moving right. I mean, getting each cheek to move precisely the right amount meant I had to spend a lot of time staring at another man's bum, but we think it was worth it. We think it moves naturally now."

[rinichanraar]

You know, when you see those Making Of movies for video games, they always speak to the lead art director, the lead programmer etc, the lead story writer.

I wanna hear from the Ass Modeller.

"Well, it was a real challenge to get it moving right. I mean, getting each cheek to move precisely the right amount meant I had to spend a lot of time staring at another man's bum, but we think it was worth it. We think it moves naturally now."

Not gonna' lie--that'd be an awesome interview! :D

[KingGorilla]

Not gonna' lie--that'd be an awesome interview! :D

I think Chris Hansen would be doing the interview for those guys working at Team Ninja or Atlus.

[rinichanraar]

I think Chris Hansen would be doing the interview for those guys working at Team Ninja or Atlus.

Honestly, that doesn't sound like a bad idea. Especially for the Team Ninja guys. I think they at least need a stern talking-to. (Also a physics lesson.)

[KingGorilla]

I firmly believe(heh firm) it is not physics, but rather boob puppet masters in each Team Ninja title.

[Camel]

Always guys.

Always public polls! :D

I find that I can't really get into the character as much if it is not male. I consider the character I am playing to be ME, and he is making the same decisions I would make. For the same reason, I often have problems making my characters do evil or cruel things.

[KamaItachi]

I'm with the 'other/depends' group. For games where I have the option of creating from scratch, I'll usually try male and female characters so I have more options to customize. There's usually differences in how parts of the game unfold for the 2 sexes as well.

[rein]

I always played a male avatar until I rolled an undead character in WoW. My gosh the avatar was ass. I changed to a female undead and it was a little better. Later I rolled some female Blood Elves messing around named after actresses, Tori Spelling, Phoebe Cates and Salma Hayek. I ended up playing Salma Hayek to level 70. It was fun and people seemed to dig the namesake. Most understood I was a guy from the get go, a few I had to tell. No sexual invitations but when I could tell someone was sort of flirting I would let them know that in RL I was swinging a bat.

My answer is not in the poll because I play both. Depends on the game and if I am role-playing or not.

[wyeast]

I go both ways. :o

Sometimes I go male, sometimes I go female - if only because it's more pleasing to stare at a girlie on screen all the time. :D

[Hotcod]

I think that if you are male and see your avatar as you you are far more likely to use male ones but if you see the avatar as a roll you are playing or some one you a guiding then your more likely to pick what you think fits the roll/class/game. With my mmo ones i tend to think of back stories and such when i'm passing time and i don't really ever see them as being me... more like a characters that i write in stories or the like... they are something i've created and have control over but are still 'them selfs' hopefully. Which is going a bit to deep in to it but it's the same basic idea which is why i like using female avatars as most of what i write or use in art or design seems to centre around female characters. There's a heck of a lot of reasons for it that it would a bit pointless to go in to but it dose mean that when i am creating a character to play i'm creating one i can step in to not one that is "me if i was in that world" so to speak.

[Schnoogs]

I pick the underage tranny avatar

[Wasson_]

I wonder what STALKER would be like if you could choose to be a female...

<,< rape-mob defense simulator.

[rinichanraar]

I firmly believe(heh firm) it is not physics, but rather boob puppet masters in each Team Ninja title.

If that's the case, I think they have some really enthusiastic puppet masters. Also jugglers.

[Zabyx]

It depends, but I usually stick to male characters in RPG's, while in everything else it doesn't matter to me. Seeing as I play many RPG's and that those are mostly the games were you a)make your character or b)choose from a list of them a la Final Fantasy, you could say that the majority of my characters are male. I am also male.

I thought this thread was going to be about what gender your sackboy or girl was, for some reason. For that, I don't care, whoever looks neat. Medusa is badass, as is a ninja chick, as is a ninja dude, as is Kratos.

[Bone]

I find that I can't really get into the character as much if it is not male. I consider the character I am playing to be ME, and he is making the same decisions I would make. For the same reason, I often have problems making my characters do evil or cruel things.
I see this response a lot, and realize that I've done the same. Lately I'm trying to approach these games from a true role playing aspect, and pick a character type who is nothing like me. It's easy to ask "what would I do in this situation" but takes a bit more thought to get into the mind of your character. On the flipside, it doesn't mean do the opposite of what you would normally do and just be a murderous bastard. Developing a real character with complex reactions is pretty challenging. When I fire up Fallout I think that's going to be my big objective.

[Soap]

I typically pick female characters because they are usually smaller than the male avatars and it allows me to see more of the world around me. Plus I like the /dance animations more when I'm drinking my beers.

It does get a little strange when I start getting random private messages, but the free loot that random stranges give to me more than makes up for it.

[Camel]

I see this response a lot, and realize that I've done the same. Lately I'm trying to approach these games from a true role playing aspect, and pick a character type who is nothing like me. It's easy to ask "what would I do in this situation" but takes a bit more thought to get into the mind of your character. On the flipside, it doesn't mean do the opposite of what you would normally do and just be a murderous bastard. Developing a real character with complex reactions is pretty challenging. When I fire up Fallout I think that's going to be my big objective.
I almost always try your method on subsequent playthroughs, if I have the time. I am enjoying Fallout, but I just can't make the evil decisions without feeling like a piece of crap.

First time through, I've always gotta play the good guy. :)

[ADDGirl]

I will play as either, but I pick female characters because I can make them look cute and unique. I feel like there are more options for modifying a female character's look

[divinechaos]

Female only if there's cooking involved.

*hides*

[astranoir]

I will play as either, but I pick female characters because I can make them look cute and unique. I feel like there are more options for modifying a female character's look

This definitely seems to be the case. In Mass Effect, for example, I was able to make female characters look much more individual and unique and attractive; the male characters just looked bland and mostly the same no matter how much I tweaked them, even though their scars were so much cooler.

[rinichanraar]

Female only if there's cooking involved.

*hides*

Don't make me come over there with my frying pan!

[jpc_theoneandonly]

I am all about the male avatar. Because I am a guy. Although, a good looking female avatar could always suffice. That sounds a little strange I think. But hey, look where I am! It should go un-noticed.

[Schnoogs]

I wonder what STALKER would be like if you could choose to be a female...

<,< rape-mob defense simulator.

"Get out of here stalk....oh wait...come on in" :p

[Purple Santa]

I will play as either, but I pick female characters because I can make them look cute and unique. I feel like there are more options for modifying a female character's look

If you think about it...I believe this is true in real life as well. Certainly as a female there is more to "mod" yourself or available anyway...a guy is well...a guy. Well except to Magnome...but that's different :p

[walkstheplanes]

Male, both. Just whatever concept strikes me as interesting or if I want to stare at a shapeless ass for a few hours vs. otherwise.

[Variable Gear]

It depends upon what the game designers allow.

If they allow character creation, I'll probably have a male avatar. If they don't, I could swing either way.

[ShivaX]

I've actually got a persona thats more or less been created via RPGs that I tend to play. Female, sniper (if applicable, otherwise Rogue/Assassin type), mean as fuck (or at best uncaring about others). Hell even her appearance is fairly stable, short white hair when possible.

She orginated in Fallout 2 and is pretty much the character I tend to play through any given RPG through with the first time. Theres a few others that get playthroughs at times, typically its old PnP characters that I liked (Male Half Orc Warrior, Female Human Necromancer), and usually those are only in fantasy games. Anything modern and Cassandra always gets created.

Oddly enough I rarely play through RPGs as myself. Maybe I'm afraid I'll realize I'm a truely evil fucker that needs to be put down or something. Or maybe I'll end up so middle of the road that its not worth noting.

[Ancalagon]

If you think about it...I believe this is true in real life as well. Certainly as a female there is more to "mod" yourself or available anyway...a guy is well...a guy. Well except to Magnome...but that's different :p

Females have more slots for loot, thats all. Its like Diablo 2 inventory compared to WoW inventory - theres much more to change.

[SilentScreams]

For me, it depends entirely on looks.
For example in WoW, I have two Trolls and they are both female, but my main is a male Undead. I think female trolls look better than the males, and likewise, I think the male Undead look better than the females.
There's no deep reason for my choices. I'm completely shallow. :)

Blood Elves however, I can play either, as there's no difference...

[Rilav]

I am Male and pick Female Avatars,

3 reasons

a)as mentioned before and will be mentioned again, if I am going to be staring at a character for hours then that character shall be female and attractive(see above, I am male with hormones, I can't help that)

b) I like to write character bios, and I find that if I choose a male avatar the stories tend to be either cliched or based a bit much on my life, where as I seem to come up with interesting stories for the female avatars

c) I've found that most RPG's these days give female characters more options not only in looks but also when you interact with characters in the game world.

[VerseD]

I never understood guys who say they play a chick so they can look at a nice ass for hours. Being sexually attracted to a virtual aspect of yourself is a weird Freudian road I don't want to go down.

I always play male in MMOs. While you can write a story for your toon, there's usually little opportunity for character role-playing, since most missions are straightforward and without choice. The main objective is always to look super badass. I want my super badass game guy to be a dude just like I'm a super badass dude in real life.

With single-player games I usually play a male character for the above reasons, but sometimes a female character just to see a different side of the game and the character interactions, or if I want to develop a specific character.

[Variable Gear]

I never understood guys who say they play a chick so they can look at a nice ass for hours. Being sexually attracted to a virtual aspect of yourself is a weird Freudian road I don't want to go down.
Some guys like looking at female ass for hours on end, and some like to look at male ass.

There's nothing wrong with either group.

[Vanifae]

I used to play only male avatars; but my latest and favorite WoW avatar is female simply because everyone else was making male blood elf paladins in my guild.

In computer role playing games I usually make male characters but I dabble with females as well.

[mesh]

Especially with 3rd person view I've never considered it's me on screen, I'm more an omnipresent being watching from the sideline. Probably why I hate 1st person views too.

[KingGorilla]

I go both ways. If I want to go for the butt-ugliest possible solution I find that a deformed female accomplishes this better. One of the greatest compliments I got in WoW was that my female undead Warlock scared someone.

[BlackPete]

Generally male -- I'd choose a female avatar if I had to (e.g. Mirror's Edge, Mithra in FFXI) but I honestly don't care one way or another.

Although it was hilarious when a guy actually proposed to me in FFXI... even kneeled in front of me and traded me a ring. :D

[Variable Gear]

I have no sexual preference in terms of avatars.

[Purple Santa]

Generally male -- I'd choose a female avatar if I had to (e.g. Mirror's Edge, Mithra in FFXI) but I honestly don't care one way or another.

Although it was hilarious when a guy actually proposed to me in FFXI... even kneeled in front of me and traded me a ring. :D

Did you say yes? Should we be thinking about the shower? :p

I started FO 3 and just for the hell of it I went with a female avatar.

[tombofsoldier]

Err, either or? I chose a female for my first playthrough of Fable 2 and my character in Saints Row 2 is a slick looking British guy. It all depends on whatever I feel like at the moment. I like to roleplay in actual roleplaying games, but that being said even their I think I'll choose about 60% female and 40% male. Often because I like to roleplay as something I can't be in real life. I almost never make the "evil" choice in games, but it still gives me opportunities to do things I wouldn't normally do even given the chance. What else are video games for but the fantasy of things you can't or wouldn't do?

[JRR006]

I always wonder why male players continue to give free stuff to female avatars. Isn't it common knowledge by now that most of the female avatars are being controlled by men? (Okay, probably not *most*, but a not negligible percentage?) I haven't stayed more than a few weeks in any given MMO for several years, maybe it's changed.

[Wraitheist]

Whenever I have to create an avatar or an in-game character, I almost always try to make him look like I do in real life for some reason. I guess I have no imagination.