Guys, Do You Play Differently When Controlling A Female?

While most guys say they have no trouble playing as a woman in a video game, one wonders if they actually become more protective of that character.

[crazychris4124]

Why would I do that?

[Abash]

Apparently some people get THAT involved with a game, where they actually feel they should behave, act, or go about the game as a woman would <______<

I just see a video game character as a video game character, the developers choose how they control

[TFJWM]

This question would only make sense in an mmorpg. A friend of mine wrote his thesis on RPing a female character and how they are treated differently in a mmo.

[DragonKnight]

Questions like these make me feel old and wonder how this world even functions. Growing up with NES, we didn't put any stock into the idea that the characters we controlled were actual people who could actually be hurt and actually die. They can't. They aren't real and thank the Gaming Gods that they aren't else entire genres of games would not exist. Imagine playing a shooter if the character was forced to behave as someone who's been shot. The game would be boring and over quickly.

These characters are just representations of humans. As such, I treat them like the non-existent medium interaction tool they are. Because I want to succeed at the game, I try not to die, but male or female, they soak up damage the same way so why would I be more "protective" of a non-existent female and try keeping her safe?

How do people seriously think of stuff like this? Maybe the conspiracy theorists were right and there are things in chem trails and fluoride does have an impact on the mind, but instead of mind control it removes the ability to disassociate and suspend disbelief.

[DVAcme]

@TFJWM Wow, I'd be up to reading that, that's a fascinating topic of discussion.

[Ezz2013]

@dragonknight

True
In over 20+ years of gaming
i played tons of games with female as the main character
and never once thought of playing different than playing a game with a male as the main character.

[Unspoken]

And some wonder why gamers have no game...

[Docknoss]

I don't play any differently because I don't play as female characters. This is the only reason I didn't buy Tomb Raider. I have to see myself in the role I'm playing. Just my opinion.

[Dee_91]

the people that do, are the type that stop at stop lights and stop signs in gta v.

[zeuanimals]

... So, basically:

http://static.fjcdn.com/lar...

[rainslacker]

Well...I might try to control the camera more, or stop at certain times when a good view happens to pop up.

Other than that, no.

Becoming connected to a character is all about how well they craft the character and the story. If it's good, you'll care either way. You might have different reactions to the events of the story based on gender, but that's just a psychological thing based on how we feel about a specific gender, and how certain social interactions would affect that character...which we base on our connection to said character.

[himdeel]

Seriously?! Nope, I kill everything as a woman too. Don't do no relationships and remain an equal opportunity ass kicker.

[CarlosX360]

I'm just going to go on the limb to say: Dumbest title, or dumbest article ever. I mean, why would you play differently when controlling a woman? It makes no difference, unless the developer INTENDS that you do.

[saywat247]

wtf is this article supposed to be a about. creepers. this is just a whole new level of dumb.

[player911]

I always play as a chick if I have the option. Yeah I am a dude, but I figure if I am going to be staring at the backside of a character for hours and hours, I want it to be to sexy. My Destiny Hunter is dead sexah

[R6ex]

Spot On !

Staring at a sexy hot butt for a 100 hours beats even Conan's ass LOL

But seriously, for me, I like to craft the prettiest female character and play as her, watch her every move as she progresses through the story & sandbox world, and hope to get involved in girl-on-girl romance. Of the many female leads I crafted, I'm happiest with my customized Hawke of Dragon Age 2.

Signing off,
Dude

[DarkOcelet]

When i played as Ellie after playing as Joel, i was like OMG, i get to play as Ellie WOHOOO!

I loved watching the animation she made that was differnt from Joel's animation.

But there are some game where both male and female act the same, and have the same moveset so it gets boring.

But in the end though, i do not play different at all.

[WeAreLegion]

That was a bold move. Her section was completely different. I loved it.

[OpenGL]

Yeah, you have to play differently as Ellie. With Joel you can beat people to death with a brick, bat, etc. but Ellie cannot.

In general I don't play differently unless the game forces you to like TLOU.

[mike32UK]

The part just after your horse gets shot and you rumble down the hill as Ellie was on of the most tense parts of the game for me. I played alone at night with my headset, because Ellie is young I definitely felt more vulnerable to being killed.

[DVAcme]

Oh, I LOVED playing as Ellie in TLOU. And from a storyline perspective, it makes sense that she'd be so competent and dangerous to the older male pursuers, since, unlike them, she was born and raised into that world. I love the fact that the bad guys attempted to victimize her but that she was NOT a victim.

[rainslacker]

A general rule of thumb in game development is that male and female avatars(when given the choice between equal characters) have to have the same abilities.

This is more down to the fact that a game shouldn't be gender biased, but more often than not it comes down to simplicity in design. Having two different move sets is twice the amount of testing that needs to be done.

As far as animation, that's just kind of lazy. FemShep especially in ME3 was very masculine in her movement for game play, and there was really no reason for it given her physique other than not having to program and test two separate instances of Sheppard. Actual abilities could be the same. Even the cut scenes she was pretty masculine much of the time. Only the ones that involved things specific to the female character were feminine...like the romance scenes or certain character interactions. If I had to guess, that was due to the facial animations being done separate from the rest of the mocap.

Anyhow, I kind of went off on a tangent there.

[Hoffmann]

Yes of course I do.

I always try to get laid with everyone if I play as a woman.

[rainslacker]

Mordan Solus broke my heart.:(

[ravens52]

Of course I do! I play slow and careful cause they're so weak and dainty...

[GusBricker]

Only if I have to be.

For instance, I just finished Resident Evil Zero again and for whatever reason my Rebecca kept getting severely hurt easily, so I just started leaving her behind in tougher areas, because I didn't have the healing items.

So, it's more strategy than anything.

But for Lara Croft? Hell no, she's more brutal than everyone else combined.

[Kyosuke_Sanada]

Depends on if she has Witch Time or not......

[mixelon]

Depends on the game really. If the game makes you play a certain way. I played uncharted and tomb raider pretty much the same.. I played Joel and Ellie differently but that was mostly because of her different weapon/skill set.

[ifistbrowni]

I'll pan the camera to check out her ass a little bit. Other than that, no...

[DawginTow1]

In all seriousness tho...no, actually, now that I think about it. Maybe initially, the usual "yup, much better view ;P". But once bullets start flying/fit hits the shan, nah gender kinda goes out the window.

I will say tho, playing Tomb RaiderDE, Lara's death animations...sum gory ass tish; think I might've reacted a bit more than if it were a dude. Or maybe not, I mean jagged tree branch to the throat knows no sex xO...

[Fishy Fingers]

Nope. Although I am occasionally a little more animated with the camera movement.

[IIFloodyII]

No, unless they make them actually play differently. Like If they are weaker, but can move around faster, I'll play more stealthy, if they are bullet sponging tanks I'll attack head on. If they just play the same as the male character, I'll play them the same.

[TripleCs]

My playing style is based on how the game is set up and structured, not based on whether the person I'm controlling has a vajay jay! Never cared and still couldn't care less if I'm playing as a female or male. I've never gave it much thought. I just want the game I'm playing to be good.

[annoyedgamer]

In MMOS you can get alot of free stuff with a female character.

[rainslacker]

Yeah, but you have to put up with all the guys hitting on you. Kind of sad really.

I always preferred to stop that before it became creepy...which was usually after the first hint of someone who actually thought I was a girl. I actually do prefer female character design in most MMO's, because many times, the male character designs are kind of dumb or plain looking. Wow humans in particular...they are about as ugly as a person can get. There are some serious gene pool issues going on in Azeroth. Everyone has the same body style, and there is only like 5 variations of any particular trait related to gene pools.

[sephiroth420]

Proper shit post.

[nucky64]

what a ridiculous question - it's a GAME.......of course I don't play differently.

[audiocafe]

Nope

[Lon3wolf]

I play how I play regardless of character I am controlling, wonder what people act/play like when controlling an alien if this affects them :).

[TheColbertinator]

Playing Fallout 4 as a woman was interesting. Her lines showed more care and sympathy about Shaun than playing as a husband

[DVAcme]

I haven't played FO4 as a girl yet, I'll have to make a new file :) Also, since they added the gender perks, girls have always been slightly more effective than guys, since male enemies are more numerous and it allows them to take better advantage of them.

[FrostedFire]

Yep my first instinct when playing a female character is to look for a loaf of bread,some mayo and ham.

[immabadguy]

Lmfao

[Scrivlar]

I think in a subtle way I do actually take on the personality of the character a little bit for immersion, I can't think of any right now but in GTA I slightly play as if I was that Character, With Trevor I like punching people in the face and shouting at them, With Franklin I'm a little more level headed and passive and feel obligated to use his car a lot and look after Chop, funny I only really noticed now I've thought about it ha. Still love a good random GTA rampage with anyone of course!

[Skankinruby]

Lol this is the stupidest question I've ever seen. Uhm yeah sure I maneuver the angle to get a good ass shot.....smh

[Ferrethat22]

If it's a hot female character I'm using i find myself admiring thw character model more than say when I play as Drake in uncharted.

Although when I got Uncharted 1 back in the day i spent more time than i care to admit staring at Nathan Drake all wet from water. pause.
Back then having Drake dry in real time was incredible.

[Free_Fro]

What the actual f^ck?

[OC_MurphysLaw]

If in game mechanics warrant playing differently than a male character then yes.

[DVAcme]

Exactly.

[DVAcme]

I do the complete opposite: I usually make my female characters more action-oriented than their male counterparts. In Fallout, for example, I will use a gun-based, long distance male sniper, while I will use a bruiser melee/unarmed female. I dunno, I just love the image of a girl exploding a guy into a shower of gore with one punch XD I also played a Renegade female Shepard in Mass Effect, but that's more because Jennifer Hale sounds MUCH more commanding and no-nonsense than Mark Meer, so she fits better.

On a seperate note... jeez, this post sure attracted the Return of Kings community in full force, didn't it? :/

Edit: Wow, now taking a look at my games, I predominantly like to play females in games where you can make your own character. Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Dynasty Warriors Empires, Oblivion, Skyrim, Fallout 3, New Vegas, Dragon's Dogma... I've played as females over males in all of them. And in games that have pre-made female characters, I pick those too, like Borderlands (GO GAIGE!). I honestly never noticed that about myself.

[Der_Kommandant]

Sometimes i stand still just staring at her ass but no i don't play different at all.

[MilkMan]

No, but I like the idea of using female avatars other than the male ones whenever I can. After 33+ years of gaming Im tired of using male avatar at this point. I get a kick out of using my female character playing it as I would a male.

[MasterCornholio]

Not unless the game forces me to play differently.

In Uncharted I shoot up a bunch of dudes in Tomb Raider I do the same. However I do like checking out the character if they are female though.

[Tzuno]

I feel different is the right way to say.

[Duke19]

No

[hiawa23]

I would not say I play differently when playing as Laura as opposed to playing with Drake, but I find myself more concerned with Laura's outfit and hair style than Drake and I think it feels better to me kicking all the male characters ass as a female character as compared if the main character was a man.

[Kallisti]

It's Lara, it's always been Lara. So many people make this mistake though.

[MasterofMagnetism]

Nope.

[Kallisti]

Well, when playing as a male I never try to change the camera angle to see up their skirt, so there's that.

[KingKevo]

I, personally, do not. However I know guys who actually dislike playing as a women (which to me raises the question if they also get bothered when playing as an old guy or black guy (as a young white guy). But i also know women who prefer to play as a woman.

I mean I get why it matters to some people to some extent, but for me it has never been relevant. I just want a good character and a fun game, the sex of the character isn't a "dealmaker/-breaker" to me.

[lildudexst]

Truthful yeah I do alot of thing different. Women side come out 😂☺ the lovely Gemini. But all joke aside I play way more different less rushing more understanding.

[GrimDragon]

I suppose it depends on the type of gamer you are. Some people play games to be the character they are playing I mean like they actually need to feel that's who they are so strong is the connection to the character that to play as a female is impossible because some feel it makes them gay others just don't know how. They cannot separate the gender connection when playing a game. Some gamers view the gender they control as merely an object to control to get the job done they do not feel the need to be the character they control but rather like some deity in a game verse they are manipulating a character as a means to an end. That is the category I fall under. so playing a female is no different than male as I don't play to be the character I play to control a character.

[mochachino]

Not really, but I do like to watch them walk more.