Psychological issues of gender in Eternal Lands

[The_Pale_Elf]

Do you mean perking ears, or are you actually sticking pins in your... Doh!

 

I thought you'd never ask. No, really, I hadn't thought about the actual reasons; I wasn't expecting to qualify my statement. Okay, lesee... Well, I suppose I could make something up about wanting to sympathise with the way the opposite sex is treated, in general. Maybe a few, but nah. I'm sure a few are up for the challenge of playing as not only a fictional character, but also a gender they're not overly familar with. Well, that's also a long shot...

 

<_< My guess is prolly somewhere along the lines of preconcieved notions people have about particular genders. If I were to play a female, why would I do it? Well, I guess to be treated like a lady. Maybe suck up to a guy, get married ingame, take half before the divorce, lol. Why would a female play a male character? Dunno, doesn't seem like it's too commonplace. lol.

 

Okay, I give. I can't come up with much else, being on the spot like this... lol

[Leeloo]

Number 1 (I think) reason for guys playing a female character: Guys are easy. Want something? Just let them know you want it, someone is going to think it will gain him something :lol:

 

Number 1 (I think) reason for girls playing a male charater: Female characters get hit on way too much, but noone would hit on a bald guy with a sword. And not just hit on, sometimes it's more like sexual harrassment. And a girl that wants to PK everyone, how many really believes that she is a girl? Imagine DonPedro with a female character, would you believe he was a girl? So, if they won't believe it anyway, you might as well make a male character, and avoid all the stupid questions

[Lachesis]

Do you mean perking ears, or are you actually sticking pins in your...  Doh!

I took this right off LEO online dictionary as a figurative clause for "starting to listen curiously". If that would be "perking", then LEO is wrong. I'm sorry.

Edit: I changed it into the other term now.

Edited February 12, 2005 by Lachesis

[Lachesis]

So the most popular reason for choosing a character of opposite gender is to be treated like a person of opposite gender yes? Sounds interesting to me, maybe I will try that out

And btw: if anyone is a guy and no guy wants to help you, don't hesitate to pm me

[Entris]

Females always wear fur boots...

Iq fiskmås....

LoL

Inte snällt men roligt :lol:

[Lachesis]

Females always wear fur boots...

Iq fiskmås....

LoL

Inte snällt men roligt :lol:

Please translate.

 

Regards

Lachesis

[The_Pale_Elf]

:lol: Go Lach, be a man for a change!

 

On further thought of the question, I think maybe all the reasons for playing the opposite sex have something to do with our preconcieved notions about society's preconcieved notions about gender. Do I wanna be the damsel in distress, the overbearing bitch, the quiet little boy, or the superman type? Even so much as annoying male players, (scammer, spammers, etc) may play a female character because it reflects their subconscious views of women. "What do you play?" "I play an obnixious ho who cusses at everyone and bagjumps." And I imagine female player could do the same in a single manhating spree, heh.

[Lachesis]

That is an interesting point. But you only considered the role players. I believe that the pragmatical reasons Leeloo stated are even more important.

Edited February 12, 2005 by Lachesis

[The_Pale_Elf]

I don't think I singled out roleplayers... did I? Especially the "annoying male players" who spam and/or scam. The "superman" persona is very suited to the "killer" archetype.

[Lyanna]

You missed out the "refined lady" type...but hey, that's just me.

 

-Lyn-

[The_Pale_Elf]

Well, I was just tossing out a few examples, but it appears that maybe my actual point wasn't too clear either. I meant, whatever you attribute to a particular gender, that fits the character archetype that you want to play, then you would pick that gender of character. So, if I think men are all quiet and shy and women are boastful and annoying, (whether it's true or not, it's a perception), then I pick the gender that fits my perception.

[TheNewestNewbie]

I think some people also roleplay the other gender is to make up for their faults.

 

For example, I'm female and my character is female. If I were to feel that I am immature, then I would make a character and say I'm a 12-year-old male - Somebody I feel is synonymous with immaturity and perverse.

[The_Pale_Elf]

YES! There is proving my theory. If I may, I'll use NewestNewb as my example... She feels that a 12 year old male embodies perverse immaturity, therefore she would play a male character if she wanted to achieve her perception of that male stereotype. Of courese, she doesn't, so she plays a female character, which does not fit that stereotype, to her.

[TheNewestNewbie]

YES! There is proving my theory. If I may, I'll use NewestNewb as my example... She feels that a 12 year old male embodies perverse immaturity, therefore she would play a male character if she wanted to achieve her perception of that male stereotype. Of courese, she doesn't, so she plays a female character, which does not fit that stereotype, to her.

You are correct.

 

I prefer playing the "overbearing bitch." :lol: It makes me feel less hated when I can blame my personality on my stereotype.

[Malaclypse]

But I never got asked this question while playing a male character, only when playing female characters.

You played a female character? Oh my, can you trust anyone these days?

I actually play 2 female chars Both Mala and Celine are females, at least in-game :lol:

 

<edit>

After reading all the rest, I decided to tell a small story Some time ago, I wanted to started a manufacturer/crafterer combination char. Main focus should go for crafting, because when this happens, it was relatively new and not too much people were doing crafting, but many were doing manu. I looked at the coinces I had (my pre-selection): a male dwarf, mighty, well-known to any weapon and armor smithery that tries to become a crafter too, or a female elven, that is mostly known for her ability to craft fine jewelry but will also do some hard mining and manufacturing. As I didn't figure out a way for the dwarf to get rid of those blinking eyes, whenever he sees any kind of jewelry, I decided to play the female char I feared the dwarf will start eating up all those fine crafted items in the end :lol:

 

Such decisions are very common for me, when it comes to gender selection in an rpg setting. It is most likely that I spent several days on the pro and cons until I finally decide what to play.

 

I think, if people are asking such questions, they are not aware of all the roles, people play in their everydays life continually. Anybody is playing such roles, some more, some less, some without even knowing it, some do it in a deeply designed way. I try to not play roles, in my daily life, as far as possible, but rather restrict this to games or other places, where it is not potentially harmful.

</edit>

Edited February 12, 2005 by Malaclypse

[Lachesis]

What I was trying to say is: players not only choose opposite gender characters because they want to play a role. Please read again Leeloo's post. Maybe they just want to get more gifts or are tired of annoying PMs. There might be even more such pragmatical rules. Don't disregard them please. They might be quite interesting as well.

 

With regards

Lachesis

[The_Pale_Elf]

Well, I suppose I could make something up about wanting to sympathise with the way the opposite sex is treated, in general

Umm, wasn't this part, where I was joking around, a bit related to what Leeloo is saying? I could definately make a female character to learn to appreciate a sugar daddy givin me alla stuff I'd want. lol. Or a girl could learn to appreciate guys not begging her to marry them ingame constantly.

 

My point of view really isn't about playing roles, so much. It was more about revealing your subconscious views of genders.

[Ithilgalen]

When I play a male character in a game, it's because I first tried with a female one and a lot of guys jumped on me to ask if I was really a girl. And most female characters were indeed male, trying to play with other people by letting them believe they were female IRL.

 

The fun part is when a guy playing a female character tries to get the attention of my male character. Why can't these kiddies understand that a real girl is not talking about sex in the ten first sentences?

 

Anyway, about the part "being a girl is easier because people help you", I've found that more true IRL than in-game.

 

my 2 cents

[Leeloo]

Anyway, about the part "being a girl is easier because people help you", I've found that more true IRL than in-game.

But how would they know? :lol:

[Moebird]

I found a website that may be helpful in this thread. Check out http://www.bookblog.net/gender/genie.html. Copy and paste someone's postings or PMs and this site can give you a percentage of whether the writer is male or female. It's amazingly accurate!

[Malaclypse]

What I was trying to say is: players not only choose opposite gender characters because they want to play a role. Please read again Leeloo's post. Maybe they just want to get more gifts or are tired of annoying PMs. There might be even more such pragmatical rules. Don't disregard them please. They might be quite interesting as well.

I didn't disregard the other possibilities. Maybe you misunderstand my post. This was just an example of how I decided which gender to play in only one particular case.

And personally I'm not interested why someone plays a male or female char, nor am I interested if the chosen in-game gender is also the rl gender. At least not in the beginning. Maybe if I know this person very good, or if I feel my belly is filling up with butterflies more and more

But I understand that someone may be interested in the psychological backgrounds of such a decision. To help you gain some insight in such possible backgrounds I posted here. This is of course only one of possibly infinite reasons why someone choses a particular gender.

 

If I see a woman in-game it IS a woman for me, and if I see a man it IS a man for me. Period.