"Are you a boy or a girl?"

[crackdude]

I saw some dude say "I always pick female characters. Why would I want to stare at a dude's ass the whole game?"

Personally, I relate more to the plot if I play a male character.

So guys, are you a boy or a girl?

[Happy Cat]

I play as both. I don't know. Sometimes i wanna be male and sometimes female.. heh

[Randroid]

If I have a choice, like an MMO or RPG where the character is nameless, I build myself (guy) or pick the guy.

If it's a squad based shooter, I'll go for whoever looks the most like myself or most relate-able.

That being said, my favourite single player games are ones with a strong female lead. Bayonetta, Tomb Raider, Phantasy Star, etc. They just seem more interesting as characters than male characters, but it's not a firm rule. Doesn't hurt that they're easy on the eyes.

The way I see it, in an MMO, I am the character. In an action adventure title, I'm helping the main character.

[OriginalName]

Once I got over that weird fear of being judged for being a sissy for it (even when no one else was around), I started doing the honest thing and selecting the character I was most interested in, which is the female character 70% of the time. Blaze in Streets of Rage, Tyris in Golden Axe, Honey in Fighting Vipers, Felicia in Vampire Savior, Selena in Guardian Heroes, Tillis in Burning Rangers, Beltiana in Batsugun, Edie in Elevator Action Returns, Rouge and Ayane in Power Stone, et cetera. It always helped that Sega games sort of have a proud history of respectable female leads: Alis, Arsha, Janet, Ulala, Aika, Gum, Hibana, Orta -- this goes all the way back to Ninja Princess, I suppose. Or, actually, I forgot about this, but the biker in Hang-On!

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/hangon/racinghero-ending.png

That made me happy to find out, since I've been a Hang-On addict since 1995.

Anyway, I'm like Randroid to a certain extent -- if I'm building a character from scratch, I'll make it look like myself. If I'm playing a game that's mostly stat- or technique-based I'll choose the character that best suits my play-style (I love Pai's design and backstory, for instance, but when I'm playing Virtua Fighter Lion is almost always my best bet) -- it's only if I really love a character design (like Blaze, for instance) that I'll work with their flaws out of a desire to see that character succeed, but admittedly if I'm in it for the story or to root for a character arbitrarily I tend to gravitate toward female characters.

What really bothers me is the abundance of hentai for every respectable female character, though. The pictures I've seen of Blaze, Honey, Ulala, and Aika in particular really sting right in the childhood. Not that it wasn't 100% predictable for all of those characters... except Aika. That's just wrong.

[CrazyT]

Most of my avatars have been female characters, so that should give a hint. Its either that or recreating myself in a game. In mass effect I played with a male shepard though. Wouldn't have done otherwise even if the possibility was there from the first game. Can't really give a reason for that...

In fighting games however, I always pick females strangely enough. Cammy in street fighter, Asuka in tekken, Ayane in power stone, Ayame in dead or alive, blaze in streets or rage etc etc. They do all have one thing in common though 

[Shigs]

I'm a muppet.

[nuckles87]

I find myself often picking female characters/avatars these days. A part of it is because I like female protagonists and feel there are not enough good ones in popular fiction, ESPECIALLY video games. Another reason is because, when given the chance, I like to play against type to try to create a character I can remember, rather then Generic Space Marine or Muscular Armored Fantasy Dude. In Skyrim, I actually created a fairly ugly looking, old, pale, while haired Breton man XD. He does NOT look like the kind of dude who could take a dragon down with a couple swings, but he so totally does.

So I'd say I largely lean towards female avatars in single player games. In multiplayer games where I am representing myself to someone else, I always go male.

[Nameless 24]

Girls are easier and more stylish to represent. More often than not, a male is behind the avatar.

So yeah...and I tend to love female characters over males which is the status quo in ANY form of media.

I also hate popular female characters that are utilised wrongly. I am not a feminist, but I agree that females who are interesting aren't always the ones with big tits and revealing clothing.

[Barry the Nomad]

If I'm making an avatar for a game with online play (like PSO) I'll create a male. Also, in the case of a franchise like Sonic the Hedgehog, I'll go for a male because let's be honest, Amy Rose kind of sucks to play as.

However more often than not, I lean towards female because I've found that female characters are typically faster even if they have lower health. I prefer speed over health. Some examples: Bis/Rhyth in JSR/JSRF, Ayame in the Tenchu games, any of the females in Anarchy Reigns, Tyris Flare in Golden Axe, Blaze in Streets of Rage.

[crackdude]

I'll just come out and say it, I choose some chicks cause they look hot. In DoA for example I never play as the dudes (I used to know Kasumi's moves by heart as well). Sometimes a woman character gets my attention for their looks and later wins me over in the heart. Dudes in games more ofter than now lack personality over the grumpy "I'm so badass I shit america" looks.

Others I choose for the velocity and agility Barry mentioned.

I love Blaze because she is good looking, fast, and strong. For example.

I also like doing as nuckles87 and just choosing characters that will be memorable, like my ME's Sheppard with a blue eyes n blonde porno-stash combo. I also enjoy playing as overpowered men.

I guess I'm a pretty tipical dude, but it's fun to see that many males choose to play as females. I guess if that works the other way around as well.

[Nameless 24]

You'll love Dragon's Crown then. An equal amount of females/males.

I picked the elf, because THOSE LEGS!?! 

[pcm92]

I used play video games as a male in the character creation. I started playing as a female when I got older. I sometimes switch in-between, like in Saints Row the Third.

[crackdude]

I've looked up Dragon's Crown, it looks gorgeous. Oldschool gameplay as well!

[Nameless 24]

I've looked up Dragon's Crown, it looks gorgeous. Oldschool gameplay as well!

I have the Artbook, the Sorceress is so suggestive in her eating. Her food dripples on her giant tits...what the?

[Sega Uranus]

I am a cisgendered, heteronormative, heterosexual ally, hypergamistic, level 13 paladin Aryan male.

If given the chance I always pick buff women to play in games. *0*

I'm a muppet.

That is offensive to the fabricated-Americans living in our society today.