How do you feel about LGBT characters in games?

[Matseb2611]

I picked a neutral option. I don't mind it so long as it's on the background. In fact, I don't really like the question of characters' sexual orientation coming up in the games I play, since I don't really play them for the romantic side of things. So I guess so long as this is not forced onto me by the game, I am fine with that.

 

[JosephSeraph]

(off topic, but the last canon info in a FFX drama CD shows that they DIDN'T beat sin, and titus died by kicking a bomb thinking it was a blitzball IIRC but somehow wasn't dead or it was an illusion, I forget.)

i hate you

 

[Strange_Dragon_99]

I said I would be positive to it. I think that it would be great, as long as it does not take too much away from the story or game play. Unless the game is about LGBT community itself (which would be fine, too). I don't much play games for love stories (or sex) but if the story has those things in them, that's fine... Just get on with it and let's go kick some bad guy ass! LOL. 

 

[Bonkers]

I made this thread out of sheer curiosity; how comfortable would you feel about these sorts of characters in the games you play?

Does their existance enrichen the game universe to you? Does it add to the characterization? Does it make you relate? Does it abstract you from the game? Does it make you feel uncomfortable? Does it expand or stiffen the characters? Etc.

I feel so comfortable I made two games staring them.

Yes it does.  Any realistic elements added to a fictional story makes it believable.  Yes, it adds a level of characterization where people show affection to those you wouldn't expect.  It's another layer to work with, and make characters interact.  It doesn't need to be positive interaction.

It immerses.  No, but it can make the other players feel uncomfortable.  It can also be used as humor, and as a substitute for a boundary.  It an only expand them, stiffening the characters happens where there isn't enough for a player to feel a connection.  Having a character reveal their interest in either gender establishes perspective and an interest.

EDIT:  That being said racism makes people uncomfortable as well, but it is showcased and a staple of rpgs where orcs and elves are always at odds with one another.

 

[Wavelength]

I feel it's a neat thing to do in your story, as long as you feel like you can write a homosexual character every bit as well as you can write a heterosexual character.  For most of the way this will be easy as the character's sexuality won't inform most of their personality - but there will be times when it will, and it will be times like that where I feel like you will need to have experience (or at least be very informed) to write it well.

I believe would be like writing a character who went through an abusive childhood, a character who devoutly follows an obscure religioun, or a royal character who was completely sheltered from the world their entire life.  These are cool elements of character concepts, but they also make the character harder to write convincingly if the element is something that's completely foreign to your own real-world experience.

TL;DR: Homosexuality can be a great character element but only if you're convinced you can write it well.

 

[Espon]

It doesn't bother me, but I don't think it should be forced down the player's throat or made a big deal out of.  I like it when games and stuff just handle it as a normal thing.

Bioware games tend to do a good job at this.  For example, a guy on your ship mentions his husband, or Iron Bull's friend reveals he's trans, etc. and it's not made into some big event.  Dorian mentions his father doesn't approve of his sexuality—which is typical in some families—and while there's a small quest on it, they don't make you go on some 5 hour adventure fighting for approval.

Some webcomics actually handle the issue quite poorly.  I won't give any names, but I have come across some where they'll dedicate entire chapters to some character being gay and why they're that way.  It's like, who cares?  She likes girls, big deal.  And then you get other webcomics where practically everyone is gay, trans, bi, etc, which isn't very realistic.

If you're going to include a character that is homosexual, bisexual, or transexual, don't make it their defining trait.  They're still people and should be developed as well as anyone else.

 

[Emmych]

Y'know, usually I see these topics, roll my eyes, and then get into an argument about why a lot of the "but this is UNREALISTIC" or "don't SHOVE IT IN MY FACE" arguments are bunk, but I'm gonna take a different angle this time.

I am a game dev who makes games about LGBT people with an audience of LGBT people in mind.  If you're not part of that audience, I actually don't care about how you feel about my choice to write about LGBT people.  You're not part of the intended audience!  So, hey, if you can't enjoy it?  Too bad, I guess.  Hope you find something else you can enjoy.

To other creators who hesitate to tell stories that ring true to their identities because they're afraid of the flak: you are going to get flak, and it really ****in' sucks.  But you're also going to get people who are so, so happy to finally be able to hear the story you're telling.  You will be happy to have been able to tell your story!  And that alone is worth it.  Don't apologize for telling the stories you want to tell.  You're not hurting anyone by making a story starring only LGBT people, I promise.

 

[Natural]

I'm neutral about this, do whatever you want. I probably wouldn't play the game if it was a romantic love story though. I'm not really into those types of games. There have been animes and games with some males acting as females and vice versa and I have been okay with it. But a game where everyone is that way I don't think I would play it not because I don't support it but because it would be weird for me lol. 

 

[CrazyCrab]

To be perfectly honest while I do like seeing these options in games I went with the neutral poll answer, as I feel like when it is included in most AAA games people make such a huge deal out of it it feels out of place. I mean, it just feels somewhat weird that everyone seems to be talking about this one characteristic instead of the character - I remember seeing one review or something where they were talking about the characters in DA Inquisition and when they were talking about the companions Dorian's description was 'the gay mage'. Ugh. That's it? While I haven't played inquisition, I'm sure that there is more to him than that, Bioware isn't this incompetent when it comes to writing good characters - at least I enjoyed their previous games.

Like most other members have said, I feel like it's a nice inclusion but it cannot be the character's defining trait. When it is it just feels tacky and hamfisted to appeal to the ''PC crowd''. Nope, having a character say 'I'm gay' does not make you all-inclusive and will magically elevate your game to a higher standard. That said having a well developed, interesting character whose sexual orientation plays at least a minor role in their backstory and who fits in the world that you have created does make him or her more memorable than the generic assortment of placeholders for the DPS, Tank and Mage, at least in my opinion.

Naturally the part that's important is a well developed, interesting character, no matter who they find attractive. If your character is not any of those things, I'm afraid that no matter how exotic their sexuality is they'll just end up bland and forgettable.

 

[LootHunter]

I'm inclined to think comparing LGBT to bestiality is...not a good comparison for several reasons.

And what those reasons are?

Btw, you havn't said anything about several romances at once option (polygamy).

@Sated

Totally agree. No one had actually complained about homosexual relationships it Fallout 2. Why? Because in this world with no established morality no one cared. The whole reason, why this topic is drawing attention now, is that gay characters tend to pop up at every turn and without proper context. Seriously,in Dragon Age: Inquisition there are more gay romance option than strait.

 

[SLEEP]

if you're characters arent gay im going to headcanon them that way. its already too late. i ship your two main female protagonists, and your male protagonist with your male antagonist. i cant be stopped. i dont know their names.

 

[trouble time]

if you're characters arent gay im going to headcanon them that way. its already too late. i ship your two main female protagonists, and your male protagonist with your male antagonist. i cant be stopped. i dont know their names.

Not that's something I can't handle, LGBT I can deal with, but crack pairings? What has the world come to?

 

[SLEEP]

Not that's something I can't handle, LGBT I can deal with, but crack pairings? What has the world come to?

now, lbgt crack pairings i can learn to live with, but a straight crack pairings? get off my lawn

 

[Kes]

This discussion is starting to get spammy.  Either keep it as a discussion of principles of game making, or I shall move it to General Lounge.

 

[SuzyCheesedreams]

@LootHunter Regarding DA: Inquisition having more gay than straight romance options, that is entirely hyperbolic. Dorian and Sera are the only strictly gay characters; Bull and Josephine are bisexual, and Solas, Cullen, Cassandra and Blackwall are straight. Technically this means there are four "gay" romance options, but that is still less than the six "straight" options you can have. As for context, I feel that game made an adequate job of addressing the wider attitudes of the game world concerning sexuality, so the characters' orientations didn't feel forced or out of place... that's just me, though.

​I voted for "more characters!" because I don't really believe in the "pandering" argument and generally agree with everything Emmych said.

 

[Emmych]

And what those reasons are?

Btw, you havn't said anything about several romances at once option (polygamy).

@Sated

Totally agree. No one had actually complained about homosexual relationships it Fallout 2. Why? Because in this world with no established morality no one cared. The whole reason, why this topic is drawing attention now, is that gay characters tend to pop up at every turn and without proper context. Seriously,in Dragon Age: Inquisition there are more gay romance option than strait.

1) Because beastiality is, at it's core, non-consensual.  Comparing sexuality that involves 2+ consenting adults to raping animals is incorrect at best and carries some super awful implications about LGB people at worst.  There is absolutely a history of painting LGB folks as sexual predators based on whom we are attracted to, so by invoking comparisons like this, you also call to the surface reminders of reasons LGB people have been historically oppressed, institutionalized, criminalized, etc.  Basically the short version is "it's incorrect" and the long version is "It's incorrect and also tasteless and insulting".

2) polyamory isn't usually categorized under the LGBT+ umbrella, and thus would be part of a separate conversation than this.

3) DA:I had a total of 8 romanceable companions, 2 of which were homosexual (one option for either available gender), 2 of which were bisexual (and could be wooed by both genders), and the remaining 4 were heterosexual.  That makes half of the options straight and half LGB, with one L, one G, and two B, aka one lesbian, one gay man, one bisexual woman, one bisexual man, one straight woman and three straight men.  So like... idk where your'e getting this idea that there are more LGB romance options than straight ones, since it is heterosexual men that dominate the list there.

 

[Brillenpinguin]

@Emmych: I would actually argue that polyamory is a part of the LGBTQ+ spetrum, since it's a romantic orientation that differs from the social norm (heterosexual monogamy). But then again, I'm not sure... (I heard polyamory is a thing in Fallout 4 now btw.)

 

[Bonkers]

@Emmych: I would actually argue that polyamory is a part of the LGBTQ+ spetrum, since it's a romantic orientation that differs from the social norm (heterosexual monogamy). But then again, I'm not sure... (I heard polyamory is a thing in Fallout 4 now btw.)

Stereotyping is not part of the "spectrum". Monogamy and Polyandrous/Polyamory would be towards a different discussion and based on the choices of the individuals, not their orientation.  

 

[stupid enough to like FF13]

Emmych put the rest well, but...

The whole reason, why this topic is drawing attention now, is that gay characters tend to pop up at every turn and without proper context.

...what is "proper context" even supposed to mean? If there are people, there can be gay people. There is no "context" needed.

 

[Brillenpinguin]

@LootHunter:
Out of curiousity: Do heterosexual characters need a "proper context" to be included in a story for you, too?