Dark Jezter
First Post
*casts Summon Teflon Billy.*Ankh-Morpork Guard said:
guys and girls
- Thread starter Ibram
- Start date
Herpes Cineplex
First Post
As a GM, I've played both female and male NPCs, in approximately equal proportions. Judging from GMs in games I've played in, this is pretty much standard.
As a player, I tend to strongly prefer playing male characters. I'm already used to the pronoun, my normal vocal and physical mannerisms fit male characters better, and most of the fictional characters I identify with from books, movies, and TV are male (which makes me more inclined to make a male character to begin with).
So I'd say that at least 95% of my characters tend to be male. Now, if I think there's a good reason for my new character to be female, then that's what she'll be. You know, the same way that if I think there's a good reason for my new character to be an elf or an alien or a locksmith, then I'll make it an elf or an alien or a locksmith. Any character I pick is going to have some kind of "This-Isn't-Me" personality or skillset or background attached to it that I'm going to have to roleplay, and I don't see how being a woman is supposed to be so much weirder and so much more difficult than any of the other weird, difficult things I'll be trying with a given PC. Hey, 51% of the population and 60% of my gaming group are women in real life all the time, and not only do they seem to be coping with it just fine, somehow they don't seem to be too strange for me to understand.
So it's not really that big a deal for me or my friends if someone does a cross-gender character (we don't generally subscribe to the "women are fundamentally incomprehensible to men and vice versa" notion and we all agree that any character who is utterly dominated by her or his genitals is neither interesting nor fun to play). I've been in groups where it would have been a problem, though, and in those cases I've just shelved the character concept that struck me as female and looked for a different one instead.
And I also think there are some players who can make playing a crossgender character a problem, but then, they also seem to usually be those players who will make any character they play a problem.
--
anyway, what a pc does, likes, and believes tends to be more important than anything else
ryan
As a player, I tend to strongly prefer playing male characters. I'm already used to the pronoun, my normal vocal and physical mannerisms fit male characters better, and most of the fictional characters I identify with from books, movies, and TV are male (which makes me more inclined to make a male character to begin with).
So I'd say that at least 95% of my characters tend to be male. Now, if I think there's a good reason for my new character to be female, then that's what she'll be. You know, the same way that if I think there's a good reason for my new character to be an elf or an alien or a locksmith, then I'll make it an elf or an alien or a locksmith. Any character I pick is going to have some kind of "This-Isn't-Me" personality or skillset or background attached to it that I'm going to have to roleplay, and I don't see how being a woman is supposed to be so much weirder and so much more difficult than any of the other weird, difficult things I'll be trying with a given PC. Hey, 51% of the population and 60% of my gaming group are women in real life all the time, and not only do they seem to be coping with it just fine, somehow they don't seem to be too strange for me to understand.
So it's not really that big a deal for me or my friends if someone does a cross-gender character (we don't generally subscribe to the "women are fundamentally incomprehensible to men and vice versa" notion and we all agree that any character who is utterly dominated by her or his genitals is neither interesting nor fun to play). I've been in groups where it would have been a problem, though, and in those cases I've just shelved the character concept that struck me as female and looked for a different one instead.
And I also think there are some players who can make playing a crossgender character a problem, but then, they also seem to usually be those players who will make any character they play a problem.
--
anyway, what a pc does, likes, and believes tends to be more important than anything else
ryan
Umbra
First Post
Queen_Dopplepopolis said:
But it's okay to play a dwarf, or an elf, or an assassin, or divine spell caster, or a lawful evil, or a true neutral. He must mean that it makes him feel weird to address a female player as he and vice versa.
Roleplay = let's pretend.
The players in my group have played characters of opposite genders (or even different genders, for example an asexual draconian who dreamt of being male or female), different races, alignments, sexual orientations, species, etc.
viva la difference (or however you spell it)
omrob
First Post
Game = let's have fun
yeah that's so true.
Currently, I play 2 male PC's and 1 female PC with a female cohort depending on which campaign's rolling that night.
As far as trying to roleplay a girl goes. I have a fun time, but probably come of as a dork :|)...Its a challenging roleplaying experience indeed.
We have intra party romance too so flirtations and weddings have even occured.
And yet since its all pretend and we are havin fun, i dont really think its too big a deal...
We are all freaky californians tho - heh
Umbra said:
yeah that's so true.
Currently, I play 2 male PC's and 1 female PC with a female cohort depending on which campaign's rolling that night.
As far as trying to roleplay a girl goes. I have a fun time, but probably come of as a dork :|)...Its a challenging roleplaying experience indeed.
We have intra party romance too so flirtations and weddings have even occured.
And yet since its all pretend and we are havin fun, i dont really think its too big a deal...
We are all freaky californians tho - heh
Wombat
First Post
My group is pretty gender non-specific when it comes to gaming, but I did find one interesting aspect. When I first played a female character (I am male) one of the other female players freaked out ... even though she was playing a male character.
Since that time, things have been mellow and we just play whatever feels appropriate.
Is it that much greater of a stretch to play an opposite gender character than to play a same-gender character of another race?
Since that time, things have been mellow and we just play whatever feels appropriate.
Is it that much greater of a stretch to play an opposite gender character than to play a same-gender character of another race?
der_kluge
Adventurer
I'm a guy, and statistically speaking, 50% of my characters are female.
From my college, let's-make-a-new-character-every-week days, I had a folder chock full of PCs that I'd played, many of them once.
I counted them. 50% were male, and 50% were female.
I even had 4 Shadowrun characters. Yes, you guess it, a female rigger, a male decker, a female decker, and a male physical adept. Yep - 50/50.
I've played two characters in 3rd edition. What's that you say? Yep, a male gnome cleric/illusionist and a female rog/sor.
I think for me, I have a hard time with the whole "I'm a real big badass" persona kind of character. I've never played a barbarian, and could never see myself doing that. My male PCs tend to be scholarly, or aloof, or shadowy, and I've played a variety of female personas - low int female paladin, or a lusty priestess of Sune, or a naive street urchin. You name it.
From my college, let's-make-a-new-character-every-week days, I had a folder chock full of PCs that I'd played, many of them once.
I counted them. 50% were male, and 50% were female.
I even had 4 Shadowrun characters. Yes, you guess it, a female rigger, a male decker, a female decker, and a male physical adept. Yep - 50/50.
I've played two characters in 3rd edition. What's that you say? Yep, a male gnome cleric/illusionist and a female rog/sor.
I think for me, I have a hard time with the whole "I'm a real big badass" persona kind of character. I've never played a barbarian, and could never see myself doing that. My male PCs tend to be scholarly, or aloof, or shadowy, and I've played a variety of female personas - low int female paladin, or a lusty priestess of Sune, or a naive street urchin. You name it.
the Jester
Legend
I mostly dm, but am currently playing a female alienist pc in the one active game of someone else's that I'm playing.
That same dm has a dusty, unused campaign that I'm going to force him to pick up again- at gunpoint if I have to!
In that one I'm a male dwarf.
Other pcs I've played in the last coupla years:
-In a one-shot PC ran, I played a male (but the chars were pregenned, and only one was female).
-In Angelsboi's game, I played a male bard.
-In Olgar's game, I played a female halfling.
-During my first Call of Cthulhu game, I played a male eccentric.
-During a short-lived one-shot that didn't go anywhere I played a female elven monk with snipped ears.
-My character before the female epic alienist was a male cleric of Lucifer.
Soooo... lessee.... that's three females of eight pcs in the last coupla years. Hm, next one should be female too to try to even things out. I like to keep it at about half and half.
(I'm male, btw.)
That same dm has a dusty, unused campaign that I'm going to force him to pick up again- at gunpoint if I have to!
In that one I'm a male dwarf.Other pcs I've played in the last coupla years:
-In a one-shot PC ran, I played a male (but the chars were pregenned, and only one was female).
-In Angelsboi's game, I played a male bard.
-In Olgar's game, I played a female halfling.
-During my first Call of Cthulhu game, I played a male eccentric.
-During a short-lived one-shot that didn't go anywhere I played a female elven monk with snipped ears.
-My character before the female epic alienist was a male cleric of Lucifer.
Soooo... lessee.... that's three females of eight pcs in the last coupla years. Hm, next one should be female too to try to even things out. I like to keep it at about half and half.
(I'm male, btw.)
Caspian Moon Prince
First Post
As a DM, like others have said, I have to play everybody. Not only that, but having to play them quite often as I have a group with just one other character. If it ends up that player has a love interest...I've got to play them.
Beyond DMing, I have played the occasional female character. One of my favorite characters I've ever played was a 2ed female halfling rogue named Serralee Lighfoot.
Beyond DMing, I have played the occasional female character. One of my favorite characters I've ever played was a 2ed female halfling rogue named Serralee Lighfoot.
Wormwood
Adventurer
If I play a female, it's always a goof.
Notable chicks I've played:
1. Ilsa, She-Wolf of the SS (stolen directly from the film of the same name and used in a Vampire/Werewolf game).
2. Ursa Spinecrusher (half-orc barbarian in a D&D game. Allowed me to use my 'me crush puny males' voice. Comedy torture)
Notable chicks I've played:
1. Ilsa, She-Wolf of the SS (stolen directly from the film of the same name and used in a Vampire/Werewolf game).
2. Ursa Spinecrusher (half-orc barbarian in a D&D game. Allowed me to use my 'me crush puny males' voice. Comedy torture)
