Because I'm female, I cannot play anything else. I don't play games that force you to be a male because I just cannot connect with them. While my characters may not look like me, they need to at least be my gender to feel any sort of connection whatsoever.

Male because I like a bit of eye candy while I play.

Very interesting...

ArchMikem wrote: »

It's curious. I'm beginning to think there's some kind of psychological aspect behind the women here. So many answers with the reason that they literally can't get into a game where they have to play a male character, yet this reason doesn't affect guys pretty much at all.

For me it's two things. First is the way NPCs react to male characters, i.e. all the female NPCs wanna get into your pants and the other guys high-five you for it. Most of the dialogue in games is written for insecure teenage boys and it shows.
Second thing is, especially in games where you can't choose your gender the male protagonists is either a buffed up emotionless killing machine or some dark brooding ***, both I don't like at all. Even in ESO all males are twice as buff as the females for some reason. Makes me feel as if men and women are of different species.
Mind you, I've played games with male protagonists that don't fall into this, but most do.

ArchMikem wrote: »

It's curious. I'm beginning to think there's some kind of psychological aspect behind the women here. So many answers with the reason that they literally can't get into a game where they have to play a male character, yet this reason doesn't affect guys pretty much at all.

The bolded isn't true. There are plenty of guys who insert themselves into the game through their character and want him to be the same gender as them, or insecure guys who feel that playing a female character puts their masculinity in question. The first reason is equally true for many women.

But if we're talking about other games with a predefined protagonist... Well, that's easy. They are predominatly written and designed from a heterosexual male perspective. If you play as a woman, she's young and attractive and will entertain the type of guy who loves staring at virtual asses. If you play as a man, he's gruff and broody and if he's also handsome, we're probably going to see him romancing a woman at some point. I didn't take much pleasure in the option to hit on every woman in sight as a certain rugged white-haired monster hunter. The game was fun, sure, but I can't say I identified with the protagonist.

FoolishHuman wrote: »

Even in ESO all males are twice as buff as the females for some reason. Makes me feel as if men and women are of different species.

i haven't noticed that. Are you talking about NPCs or player characters?

I play female although I'm a male, reason - I'd rather look at my sexy female character than hours of looking at a manky male.

both.

depends on what my view of the character is really.

My "main" in basically every game ever is always a melee paladin type. Games that don't have paladins you can guess the basics... heavy armor, self sustainability, melee, leans toward tanking. Paradoxically, though, i prefer to dual wield unless i'm going sword/board for harder content.

When i make a character like that, its is male. I have a dragon knight and a templar in ESO that are males. And my dragon knight is essentially my author avatar so to speak (blond, goatee, etc.). I was choosing between that and a templar but i love dragons too and loved the graphic on spike armor... *shrug*

Other characters i'm playing more the role of guiding them rather than BEING them. The character i'm playing the most right now is a stam nightblade and in my head i have this whole semi-RP thing about her being this sneaky stabby thief type that got adopted into the dark brotherhood and loved it. She steals everything not nailed down and never misses a black sacrament and generally kills annoying npcs when we get those moral choices in quests. She also doesn't use intimidate hardly at all and i play her in conversations more as a charmer. Think a playable version of Mirabelle in the DB area (my jaw almost dropped when i met her, because that was basically the character i was trying to play before i even knew she was in the game lol).

So yea... males i'm playing AS the character, females i'm "reading the book" THROUGH the character. If that makes sense.

ArchMikem wrote: »

It's curious. I'm beginning to think there's some kind of psychological aspect behind the women here. So many answers with the reason that they literally can't get into a game where they have to play a male character, yet this reason doesn't affect guys pretty much at all.

Eh, that's not the case for me. I've played video games since the age of five, and have never seen the characters I play as extensions of myself (possibly because for SO many years, I had no choice BUT to play as a male in single player games). They're just characters who have nothing in common with me. My main is a badass elderly Breton lady who heals in a Lion's Guard knight outfit. The only thing I can identify with (besides her gender) is her role as a healer (RN in training here). Out of my eight characters, three are male, as the gender just suited the vision I had for those characters.

Female when I can .. even though I'm male I'd rather look at a female arse day in day out playing than a mans .. and I've always loved females that kick arse.. Nothing hotter than a chic with a pair of swords or daggers or a f..k off big great sword looking to do damage!

I usually don't like games that force me to play a specific gender, but as a female I prefer to have a female character as well. (though I did play the Witcher and had great fun doing so, but wish I could make a female witcher)

I say female because (as other females have noted) I am one and you rarely get the chance in games to do so. Second, the men in this game run funny and their armor looks weird in all styles. Maybe its the triangle build with the super big shoulders and the tiny waists, just looks weird to me. Plus its very difficult to make an attractive male character, and the costume options just aren't designed for them in mind. I like to play with clothing.

Because I am a guy, I like women, I like to look at women, not some dude.

All my stamina characters are male and all my magicka characters are female. I didn't do this consciously though someone else had to point it out for me.

My characters are males as I am. But one day I'll create female character (Dunmer for DK I guess) because it will double the value I have in return for my time and money invested in cool motifs and costumes.