Males playing females & vice versa. Are you treated differently?

[MSchuyler]

No big deal, just a social phenomenon. In another thread on female body types the issue was brought up, and many players insisted there was no difference. I mentioned that my grandson, who is 15, always plays females, and he reported to me that "guys give him stuff" and he thinks it is funny. I mentioned this and people seemed to think it wasn't true.

 

So I tried it. I have always played males, and usually I try to get them to look as old as I can--because I'm old myself (65). So my guys are bald or nearly so with a big grey mustache, etc. But this time I rolled a youngish Inquisitor who looks in her twenties and is petite. I tried to keep my playing style the same and did not approach things any differently than I have in the past. I noticed immediately that I got about twice as many invites to groups and guilds as I ever got playing my other guys.

 

This isn't a scientific study as I did not roll one Male and one Female of exactly the same type and run them more or less parallel with the same answers and all. But I tried hard to make the female work as closely to possible to the other characters I have.

 

I'm not willing to come to any definite conclusions, but my feeling is that there is something to it. What do you guys and gals think. Are you treated any differently by other players depending on what type of character you roll? Just curious is all--not like it's a major issue.

Edited June 6, 2014 by MSchuyler

[SW_display_name]

Only two of my characters get special attention:

• My Sorcerer, a type 1 Hispanic-looking bombshell with long black hair, red lipstick, and a red dress. I don't say or do anything different in chat, and I haven't logged her in like 6 months, but when I was leveling and playing her back then I received multiple affirmations that people wanted to have sex with my character.
  
• My Sentinel, a Type 2 male Sith Pureblood that runs around wearing barely any black leather clothes and is basically "girl prawn" in terms of hotness level. He constantly receives strange flirty whispers and other overly-personal communications. Again, I'm totally silent in most groups and just playing.
  

 

My other bajillion characters are basically background objects to people and get no special attention, including:

• My red Twi'lek Jug in slavegirl lingerie
  
• My evil rainbow-colored raver Chiss Merc in Relaxed Jumpsuit + miniskirt.
  
• My Type 3 Female Twi'lek Commando with no shirt and a Rambo-clone outfit
  
• My sinister-looking short-haired Human Operative in Clandestine Officer
  
• My Drelliad-clad Type 4 girl-next-door brown haired / brown eyed Gunslinger
  
• My black-trenchcoat-clad Type 1 Male Pureblood Powertech
  
• My punky grayscale Type 1 female Rattataki Sage in Casual Vandal with as many piercings as I could cram onto a Rattataki at creation
  

 

They all get zero attention, ever, even when I'm Force Charging around with lovely red buttcheeks hanging out of my little slavegirl flaps.

 

Nope. Just the hot Mexicali girl in an elegant red dress and the "Please take me to your dungeon" leather manhunk Pureblood.

 

Even then, I don't get slathered in free gifts or anything — just creeper whispers or attempts to strike up private conversations, that never happens on any but those 2 characters.

 

But then, I don't look for free crap, encourage it, or attempt to flirt with or manipulate people. I just quietly log in, play, and log out. I suspect that has a lot to do with it.

[Cyberwoman]

I almost always create female characters when it comes to RPGs/MMOs. I do so for a a number of reasons (I like stronger female characters, female avatars have better and more flexible customization options, adds an extra level of fantasy immersion etc) and do men treat me differently? Kinda.

 

I remember on my first MMO (Final Fantasy 11) I really wanted to create a female character (A Mithra, to be exact) but I was terrified, fearing that people would make fun of me if they find out. After a while, I joined a LS (Guild) and met other players who indeed were male but rolled female characters. One guy in particular finally convinced me to create a female alt, and his reasoning revolved entirely around the idea that men treated female players better.

 

In my long experience of play as female character since then, this is kinda true. I think if you are playing as a female character, then you certainly can get a lot of attention from other players, but it can be very different depending on the other players. A lot of the time, players seem to treat me equally no matter the gender of my character. However, sometimes the male players do indeed give you stuff, or help you on quests only because they think you are a woman in real life. Other times they simply perv around you, either with there avatars or via whispers. There was one time, back on WoW, when I tried to RP as a female character... let us just say I will never visit that server again. On rarer occasion, I have revived abuse, with derogatory comments about woman either said out-loud or whispered to me. Things could get worse, as they did occasionally, when they asked if I was a guy and I answered truthfully. I got a lot of use of the ignore function during those times! Such behavior dose seem to be a little rarer nowadays, but it still exists in some corners.

 

A lot of it simply depends on what game you are playing, and who you are playing with, but such things can and do happen. I look forward to the day when we all treat our fellow players equally, no matter what our characters gender is or whether it matches our own or not.

 

But then, I don't look for free crap, encourage it, or attempt to flirt with or manipulate people. I just quietly log in, play, and log out. I suspect that has a lot to do with it.

 

True. I think a very small minatory of the 'male players, female characters' do try and manipulate such situations to there advantage.

Edited June 6, 2014 by Cyberwoman

[Graydon]

I'm a male, and of course I roll female characters!

 

The game is so much more fun and cheaper playing girl toons. Just find the "right" men and you pay for nothing.

 

I get free cartel packs, power level runs. Millions in free credits. I even got my first Revan's mask from a smitten fellow gamer.

 

Say the right words. Flirt. Call them Honey. Give lots of /hugs and kisses. Amazing how simple it is.

 

Yes, I've ended up with a stalker or two, but that's when it's really fun to share that I'm a dude.

[scratcha]

I'm a male, and of course I roll female characters!

 

The game is so much more fun and cheaper playing girl toons. Just find the "right" men and you pay for nothing.

 

I get free cartel packs, power level runs. Millions in free credits. I even got my first Revan's mask from a smitten fellow gamer.

 

Say the right words. Flirt. Call them Honey. Give lots of /hugs and kisses. Amazing how simple it is.

 

Yes, I've ended up with a stalker or two, but that's when it's really fun to share that I'm a dude.

 

I really do hope you're lying for two reasons.

 

1. If you're being truthful then you're no better than the worst kind of scammer; and
   
2. You're precisely the kind of player who makes MMO'ing more difficult for legitimate female players than is necessary.
   

 

I'm female in real life and choose to play nothing but female characters in games, principally because I identify closely with my characters and doing so with a male alt has never given me any measure of enjoyment. That said, I have nothing particularly against those who roll opposite genders, except in the case of the uniquely reprehensible example given above.

[Damask_Rose]

In the other thread I didn't mean to challenge your son's experiences. I just find it fascinating that some people, both irl men and women experience this and others don't.

 

I've been playing MMOs for about 15 years and have never been treated differently based on the gender of the character I play. My husband plays totally random characters and has, to the best of my knowledge, never been treated differently either. I've known guys who intentionally played females for favors and gifts, and it worked. I've also seen women who played up their gender for the same things, and it worked. But I've known more women who will only play as males because they've been harassed and verbally abused for being women.

 

So, from what I've seen, men playing women are more likely to be treated with favoritism while women playing women are either treated neutrally or poorly. Obviously I"m basing that on a tiny sample and it's far from scientific

[Adaliaya]

I play females only and only my character just walking to people doesn't get whispers besides sometimes normal "what is Iresso wearing" because we cannot inspect companions. Once I got /w from other female toon, she/he wanted to say my outfit is nice. It made me glad, and we had nice long discussion about dyes, outfits etc.

However, weird talk begins when people get to know I am girl in real life. I am not ashamed of what I am, so I am honest if someone asks it. However, I haven't met any really weird stalkers. I have made many friends simply being myself, and

I don't think my gender has anything to do with it. Once or twice I have been offered free stuff, but I have refused because I do not want to make my fellow female player's life any harder, or take stuff that guy has worked for, and I have not.

 

However, I know guy who plays cute female toons, flirts a lot and collects rewards. He disgusts me. He even uses his sister to voice chat ...

[Graydon]

I really do hope you're lying for two reasons.

 

1. If you're being truthful then you're no better than the worst kind of scammer; and
   
2. You're precisely the kind of player who makes MMO'ing more difficult for legitimate female players than is necessary.
   

 

I'm female in real life and choose to play nothing but female characters in games, principally because I identify closely with my characters and doing so with a male alt has never given me any measure of enjoyment. That said, I have nothing particularly against those who roll opposite genders, except in the case of the uniquely reprehensible example given above.

 

I think I'm doing you a favor...

 

And please don't judge me. I role play a sexy flirtatious bombshell. The benefits are amazing. I learned how quickly and easy I can get gifts during my SWG days playing my female Twi'lek Entertainer.

 

Don't point the blame on me. It's like gold sellers, I don't blame them, I blame the buyers.

[LostInReverie]

I haven't experienced many instances of other players treating me differently just because I was playing a female character. I think it's because a lot of players just assume I'm a guy in real life. I'm not, but I don't bother to disabuse them of the notion. It's when I do reveal that I am indeed a woman in real life that some players react with a little too much enthusiasm, which can be creepy and unwanted, hence the not bothering to point out I'm not a guy.

[scratcha]

So, from what I've seen, men playing women are more likely to be treated with favoritism while women playing women are either treated neutrally or poorly. Obviously I"m basing that on a tiny sample and it's far from scientific

 

My observations are also purely anecdotal; however, I posit men playing females in MMOs, as a whole, are treated just as marginally as women playing females in MMOs, the chief difference being that male tolerance for marginalizing behavior is greater than that of women, therefore they will report said behavior less frequently.

 

My play style has varied little in the thirteen-plus years I've been doing MMOs -- I converse seldom, stick to business, and don't flirt. I also keep my alts dressed appropriate to their respective in-game missions. Mostly, I have been left alone, but occasionally I've been stalked, have had blatant offers to cyber, and very rarely have been offered gifts to which I invariably decline -- there's no such thing as a free lunch.

[Zoom_VI]

I assume all characters I meet are males until proven otherwise, and I don't think anything of it. I know males that play females and females that play male characters. Just because somebody is playing a opposite gender doesn't mean they are messed up or whatnot. (except the guys running all their toons in slave girl outfits, that's just wrong.)

 

EDIT: that was I abit off-topic, however as someone who has a perfectly even split between male and female characters (intentionally) I haven't really ever encountered much evidence of getting better treatment as a female toon. In the several years I have been playing SWTOR I only have gotten a pair of flirtatious/creepy whispers on my vanguard. Or more memorably some guy whispering my female mirialian juggernaut (in the campaign set, nothing remotely revealing) that I looked "adorable to RP with."

 

Beyond those isolated cases I haven't gotten anything I can peg as differential treatment.

Edited June 6, 2014 by Zoom_VI

[StarSquirrel]

The funniest thing for me in reading this thread is all the female characters I've ever actually befriended turned out to really be female.

 

I know some guys who have female toons (I have them myself) but I've almost never gotten to know a guy on their female toon first, its always been their male toon I met first.

 

That said, when I play a female (I have 3 right now vs. my 9 males characters) I do get treated differently if I try to socialize. At the very least people are less abrasive and more polite, of course I might just get in better groups on female characters but w/e.

 

Also, I'd have to say if you're a female on a starter planet it is ridiculously easy to get someone to help you, far easier than it was on my male toon.

 

I find when you reach 55 and are in WZ's, HM FP's, or OP's people stop caring about gender altogether and they start focusing more on skill and how you play. I might attribute that to the more experienced MMO players being the ones I play with at that point.

[Fontera]

MMORPG =Mostly males online roleplaying girls. I am a male i have 5 toons total only one is female , she is a buxom sith maurder . Personally don't see anything wrong with players playing a character of the opposite sex

[scratcha]

MMORPG =Mostly males online roleplaying girls. I am a male i have 5 toons total only one is female , she is a buxom sith maurder . Personally don't see anything wrong with players playing a character of the opposite sex

 

The following is undoubtedly a troll, but it's based on a long-held belief that has yet to be disproven.

 

Lewdly dressed and heavily endowed female avatars are most frequently played by:

 

• Misogynistic men;
  
• Prepubescent boys;
  
• Thirteen-year-old girls; and
  
• Forty-something divorcees.
  

[DarkAngelRiku]

Honestly...I'm a guy who has four fem toons while the rest are female. Why do I do it? Honestly my Marauder and my sorc are me going through the Warrior and Inq stories my Jugg and Assassin did already. So..to maybe get a different perspective on the story, I rolled my Sorc and marauder as females. You'd be surprised how the dialogue can be slightly different from the NPC's you previously interacted with. Also as a roleplayer, I enjoy the slight challenge it brings to RP in general trying to get into the head and mindset of the opposite gender.

 

As for am I treated differently? From what I've noticed no. Apart from one dude in my guild wanting to hook up with my Sorc...but that's about it.

[Fontera]

Ah i see you like to put people in boxes how sad.

[scratcha]

Ah i see you like to put people in boxes how sad.

 

In a psychosexual context that would imply a sadistic proclivity on my part, to which I respectfully demure. However, from a purely sociologic perspective you may consider those enumerated groupings as cohorts. But with respect to this thread, one man's box is another's mound of Venus, so to speak.

[OddballEasyEight]

I play about 50/50 when it comes to gender... and admittedly, most of my female toons are dressed modestly, but I don't feel it's any different.

 

I get innundated by group and guild requests on any new toon I make. Usually to the degree that I just turn on auto decline in options.

[jpscjpsc]

I might be sexist but I can't make any character in any game where the class relies on strength to be a female - ever. If they have to swing a sword then I'll never make them a female.

 

If they can use a gun/magic/the force on the other hand I don't mind them being a female so much but I still prefer to play a male anyway.

 

And I have female characters that are never treated differently.

[Zoom_VI]

In a psychosexual context that would imply a sadistic proclivity on my part, to which I respectfully demure. However, from a purely sociologic perspective you may consider those enumerated groupings as cohorts. But with respect to this thread, one man's box is another's mound of Venus, so to speak.

 

Oh, I thought this was the English forums

[scratcha]

Oh, I thought this was the English forums

 

OMG dude that was like totally rude IMHO just saying.

[Kulyok]

I'm a girl, and most of my chars are female. Two of them are male, though. I haven't noticed anything different, except that people often call me "dude" and "he", while I play on my female chars. I usually correct them "she, actually", but it's as far as it goes.

 

My male toons sometimes get winks when we fight that Mandalorian dude during Esseles, someone says "he's ugly", and I(forgetting I'm on a male char) say "he's kind of hot, actually". That doesn't bother me much, but it's funny.

[OddballEasyEight]

I might be sexist but I can't make any character in any game where the class relies on strength to be a female - ever. If they have to swing a sword then I'll never make them a female.

 

If they can use a gun/magic/the force on the other hand I don't mind them being a female so much but I still prefer to play a male anyway.

 

And I have female characters that are never treated differently.

 

Somebody wants to have a word with you about females with swords...

[OddballEasyEight]

I'm a girl, and most of my chars are female. Two of them are male, though. I haven't noticed anything different, except that people often call me "dude" and "he", while I play on my female chars. I usually correct them "she, actually", but it's as far as it goes.

 

My male toons sometimes get winks when we fight that Mandalorian dude during Esseles, someone says "he's ugly", and I(forgetting I'm on a male char) say "he's kind of hot, actually". That doesn't bother me much, but it's funny.

 

Heh, I get the same thing when playing my female characters... lots of "she" and "girl" stuff

I don't mind really, since they are referring to my character.

[Adaliaya]

I might be sexist but I can't make any character in any game where the class relies on strength to be a female - ever. If they have to swing a sword then I'll never make them a female.

 

If they can use a gun/magic/the force on the other hand I don't mind them being a female so much but I still prefer to play a male anyway.

 

And I have female characters that are never treated differently.

 

I somewhat understand this, if you want to be very realistic class with heavy equipment may be better off as male. Swords is where I disagree. Especially in case of Star Wars. Lightsabers do not have weight on blade, only hilt. So swinging them do not require bodybuilder strenght. I find female Commandos way more "unrealistic" ... I play 2 of them myself tough