#player-sexuality

[alpaca-clouds]

Why I hate the concept of player-sexual characters

Okay, you know what? Let me talk about this. Because it really irks me. Like, it really irks me. I cannot express how much it irks me, to be honest.

I love BG3. And BG3 is doing a lot of stuff right when it comes to queer representation. Not so much in regards to any other form of representation (How is it that there is only one none-white character among your teammates? Why is there literally no body diversity at all? Why is there no fucking combat wheelchair?), but on terms of queer rep the game is doing very good. I mean, literally, most canonical relationships you interact with are queer. You meet a lot more happy queer couples than happy straight couples. Which is nice. And while I could've done with maybe one canonical trans character, you can at least play your player character as trans, which is fucking nice. So yeah, we are getting there.

But for heaven's sake, I will never, ever see player-sexual characters as bi/pan representation. Because they are not. Their universal sexual attraction serves not to define them as characters in their identity, but just for the player to fulfill their own power fantasy in whatever way the player desires. The fact that the characters do not care about what gender the player character has, is not really tied to the character or their story.

Which is why I like it so much more the way that Bioware did it with Dragon Age: Inquisition and some of the later Mass Effect games (is this true for Starfield as well? I have no idea). Where the characters do have a canon sexuality that influences who you can romance and who you cannot romance.

Like, I am in general not a big fan of the Dragon Age games, with the exception of Inquisition, because boy, I got invested into those characters and part of the reason is this. Like, holy hell, I cannot explain to you how invested I got into Dorian and his entire story. Like, back then I was still in egg-mode and I played the game with a female character - but I then did a second playthrough with a male PC just so I could romance Dorian.

Their sexuality is tied to who they are as people.

And sure, yeah, fine. Basically BG3 goes about sexuality in the way of: "The world does not care about it, so neither should you." Like, there is so many queer couples, some have kids that might be their biological kids, because magic, I guess, and nobody really bats an eye. So, I guess something like with Dorian, where part of his story was dealing with a homophobic dad would not happen here. Still, you know, with their supposed bisexuality not playing any role at all, it feels... hollow.

Because it does really feel like this part of them only exists for the player - not as part of their characterization. And I would feel a lot better about it, if it was.

I think it feels partly so offensive to me, because I am a bisexual trans dude and lived as a bi woman for so long. And as that my bisexuality has often been seen by men as something that they can consume in one way or another to act out their personal fantasies. So, player-sexuality/bisexuality in games being used for the player to act out that kinda fantasy feels... wrong.

How could Larian have done it or do it in future games? Well, pretty simple.

Bring in former relationships of different genders, let the characters comment on finding other characters (both in your party and out of it) attractive, allow the non-romanced characters to hook up together or hook up with other NPCs. Make their sexuality part of their story.

I totally would be fine with the characters all being bisexual. Sure, its a bit boring, but I also totally could buy into "in this world bisexuality/pansexuality is the norm" as part of the worldbuilding. But then show it through their interactions outside of being willing/able to hook up with the player character.

Though admittedly, this is in general one of my biggest issue with the writing on the game: Rather than having the characters talk with each other about stuff (outside of the idle banter in your party), they talk to the player character about how they feel about each other. You know, I have seen a lot of comments about how the ending feels unrewarding because apparently (I am closing in on the ending, but I am not quite there yet) after everything is said and done everybody just goes their own way, not acknowledging each other at all. But I think it is a problem in general.

Like, I get that each scene in which the characters interact more significantly than awkwardly standing in front of each other is a ton of work, because you gotta motion capture it - and also rendering it on the system make the workload on the hardware you are using a lot bigger... But it definitely would help the characterization.

To come back to Dragon Age: Inquisition (look, it is the one game I played that worked a lot with this), I had a general feeling for how the other characters related to each other, like, what their relationships were like. I knew how Cassandra felt about Solas and Varric. Or Sera about Cole. Sure, not all character relations were as well defined, but there was a lot happening there. Which here... I mean, I know how Shadowheart and Lae'zel see each other and how that evolves over time. I know how Karlach and Wyll feel about each other. But for example, there is never a scene where Karlach and Astarion argue with each other, even though they are moral-wise fundamentally opposed and probably would argue. Like, when you learn about the ritual and Astarion goes like "I totally should do it!", none of the other characters has an opinion on him planning that, let alone confronts him about it. Or where Gale gets annoyed with Karlach's approach to solving problems by just beating her axe at the problem. Or, like, Halsin and Janeira hanging out with each other, talking about druid stuff. Because outside of single cutscenes and the idle banter, the characters just do not interact a whole lot.

And I think that is a shame. Because they are already fun, engaging characters. But they totally would be more fun and engaging if they had a life outside of their backstory and their relationship to the player character. (And mind you, if you play an Origin playsthrough this does not change, because whatever character you play, still is the player character.)

Allow them friendships and romances outside of the player character. And be it just by having them awkwardly stand together and talk in front of the same tent at camp from time to time. lol

When you have that, their sexuality also would feel real - and not just like a device to propell the player's power fantasy.

Also, for fucks sake, just give us some aroace characters. Q-Q

#baldurs gate 3 #bg3 #larian studios #bioware #dragon age #dragon age inquisition #player-sexuality #lgbtq #queer representation #bisexuality #aroace #rant #vent

[silver-horse]

unfortunately I have opinions about the ascendant astarion ending and I have been holding back from saying it. but it's a problem that applies to the whole game and it's been annoying me

what's actually weird about the ascendant "romance" scene is that the writer considers it a tempting option for the player. They wrote it to be bad, but they also think it's a fun and sexy option. Same goes for the haarlep scene which they also wrote that way because they find it sexy. Except finding this sexually appealing entirely hinges on the idea that the player is a submissive. So RIP to a scene that the rest of us could have found sexy because the lead narrative designer was a submissive. lmao

In this game you can have a scene where you have to kneel for a male character. But you can never have a male character do the same for you. (Halsin doesn't count. It's a vanilla scene, he is not submissive there and we are not even asking/telling him to kneel down) You don't get such options, not even if you play a drow female! RIP the number one reason for playing drow female to be honest. lol You can kneel and fully submit to ascendant astarion or fully submit to mizora or fully submit to haarlep or submit to lae'zel or submit to minthara. you can get whipped by abdirak or you can tell him "touch me and lose a hand" he even responds positively to this remark and yet the possibility to flip the dynamic doesn't exist. There is never an option where a male character truly submits to the player. RIP to a scene that would have been the opposite of the traditional dynamic. the potential that existed but they never used the opportunity

By the way, how interesting that Lae'zel is dominant but she is a woman so ofc you get the option to tell her “no you will submit to me”. You never get such switch options with any of the male characters... Obviously it's not ascendant where they could have made that an option. My point is that it's NEVER an option among so many male characters.

It's a cool idea that the bad ending in a romance means "I saw this character as a sex object" except it falls apart when the scene is very sexually unappealing to anyone who is more dominant leaning. If I see a character as a sex object then I would place them in sexual situations which are appealing to me. so the message doesn't quite work. because there isn't anything that I can selfishly choose for myself just because I like it and I find it sexy.

#it's the old traditional setup where male characters are never submissive. either vanilla or they are dominant. and no other options exist. #I just find it a bit funny how they seem oblivious to the fact that these scenes being “sexy”and tempting entirely hinge on the possibility #that the player has the same tastes but a LOT of us don't. and then these scenes aren't even remotely sexy #don't get me wrong it's cool to have these scenes in the game but there could have been something different as well #rather than the same dynamic multiple times. and if you are super not into that then you only have the vanilla options #meanwhile the subs get multiple ''fun'' scenes. I just find this very unequal. if you are not into that well your character #will be placed into situations where characters make these unappealing propositions and sometimes it's fight or submit. that's weird imo #for a game that has storylines about consent. sexually weird scenes would be fine and interesting if it wasn't SO unequal and always the #same dynamic where they mostly give players options where our female characters should submit and NEVER the opposite I will always be salty #bg3 #larian studios #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 mine #haarlep #astarion #my post #abdirak #my thoughts #my posts #it's like the whole reason I like to play drow women if I am honest but it's been so utterly pointless #as a drow female on a rare occasion you may be allowed to say a barely rude dialogue to males and that's all lmfao #mildly rude to men is just what I do in real life but it's a viddy game and I should be able to be a bit of a nasty aggressive female #(sure they can frame it negatively. that's fine. but let the ''fun'' option exist for us as well)

[dayurno]

need exy to have a penalty box and be real bc can you imagine kevin day getting put in timeout being pissed as hell. pulling off his helmet to see the replay better on the jumbotron and the cameras showing his swearing (no audio) because he thinks it’s a bullshit call. yeah

HED BE SO PISSED OFF but honestly it would be so delicious.......................... sweaty and panting in the penalty box with a scowl that could freeze hell over its seriously.............. we'd have to stop the game i would get too horny to keep going. theyd need to lock me up id foam at the mouth like a dog with rabies

#posts written by jean moreau #BUT YEAH. I KNOW. yeahg. #the absolute joy of being a player from the opposite team and getting stuck in the penalty box with prissy sweaty angry kevin day #sexuality-defining moment #also would be delicious for any pairing #asks #kevin

[kitsu-katsu]

Being able to actually read and understand portuguese yesterday felt like such a curse, because MAN was the shit that Forever said both in those og messages and in his addressing of it fucking awful

He literally just went "it's all the haters! I'm gonna sue you all!" And then compared himself to a girl who actually commited suicide recently because of online harassment

And the people's reactions over on twitter? Fucking awful. It's just like the Dream situation but more blatant in a way

Minors themselves were going on twitter.com just to say how the law would let a 21 year old doing things with 14 year olds pass. Or they made up that he had already apologized (he hasn't, they brought up the transphobia apology from months ago) and also it wasn't a big deal at the same time. Or they went "YOU'RE ALL HATERS! BRINGING UP SOMETHING FROM 2017!! YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED"

Buddy, please, for your safety, TALK TO AN ADULT ABOUT THIS. It is not ok, it's very serious and trying to bury it and now burning the evidence on Forever's part is not a way to say that "he moved past it! It was 7 years ago, we all have flaws!!" Like yeah, we do all have flaws, but this isn't a case of "my parents brought me up with homophobic rhetoric so I grew up saying homophobic things but I've changed to be better" you know? No, this is a man who at 21 years old contantly messaged (and even met up at least once with one of them) 14 and 15 year olds talking about very sexual things involving them and him

I do not give a shit how many years have passed, you don't get to just "move past" that. Much less as he's doing trying to delete all evidence, threatening decryers with legal action and acting as a victim

This man needs deplatforming QUICK

#tw suicide mention #forever situation #qsmp #tw sexualization of minors #forevitao #forever qsmp #forever player

[gottagobackintime]

I've seen some people say: “Trent shouldn’t have been gay, he should have just supported Colin anyway.” And it's such a weird (and bad) take.

Had Trent been straight we wouldn’t have gotten the scenes we did. Colin could have opened up and told Trent how he felt, but Trent wouldn’t have understood, he could have been supportive. But he wouldn’t understand where Colin is coming from. But because Trent is also gay he knows what it’s like being in the closet, living with fear and dread. Living with thoughts like “if I tell the people I love about my sexuality, will they hate me?”. You can’t get that from a straight ally, no matter how supportive and well meaning they are. Because they don't know what it's like. We need straight allies, we need all the straight allies we can get. But what Colin needs RIGHT NOW is someone who, while not a professional athlete, is involved in the world of football. Knows about homophobic fans, knows that there are a culture of toxic masculinity and homophobia in the clubs. That is why it’s important that Trent himself is gay.

Colin almost got runover by a cyclist in his desperate attempt to run away from Trent at the gay bar. But the relief when he understands what Trent is saying "I must have a good reason for that, mustn't I?" is so clear. Trent is also queer, Trent is safe, I can let Trent in.

And I think some people might read that line as "I haven't outed you because I'm gay too, but if I had been straight I would have" which isn't what Trent means, Trent is using that phrase to be subtle, to let Colin come to his own conclusion, because Colin is stressed out, he's scared. By letting Colin think for himself it gives Colin an opportunity to calm down (which is also why Trent holds his hands out as if calming a frightened animal, he also makes himself slightly smaller by bending his knees and leaning forward slightly). And he does, he realises what Trent is saying and he calms down. It's also an added layer of security it's not just, "I haven't outed you" it's "I haven't outed you because I am also queer". A straight person saying that they haven't outed you doesn't hold as much weight as a queer person saying it. Because you know that the queer person knows how important it is to be safe and to come out on your own terms wheras a straight person, especially an eager well meaning ally might try and encourage you to come out because "hey, it's gonna be fine", even when that's not the support you need at the moment (there are ofc exceptions, both when it comes to straight people and queer people).

But because Trent is also gay, Colin now has someone in his corner at work, who knows him, knows his secret. Who also carried that secret himself once. We’ll most likely get straight allies in the other players and the leaders at Richmond.

So no, Trent shouldn’t have been straight. Because that is not the support Colin needed at that moment. He needed queer solidarity.

#ted lasso #ted lasso spoilers #colin hughes #trent crimm #I saw someone on reddit saying that this whole thing with colin being scared of coming out was a bad storyline in 2023 #because it's not a big deal #and I was baffled #thankfully some people called them out on that #because colin just wants to live his life #he says he doesn't want to be a spokesperson but that's what he'll become if he comes out whether he wants to or not #because he'll always be the first active gay premier league player #and it's also arrogant to say that it's accepted to be queer in 2023 so it's not a big deal #when queer and trans people are stripped of their rights and their right to express themselves in the US for example #and queer and trans people are killed all over the world simply because of their sexuality and/or gender identity #and even if you live in a fairly accepting country like I do for example #it's still the fear that YOUR OWN family and friends will reject you #because to quote monty python ''we're all individuals'' #it doesn't matter how accepting society at large is because society are made up of individuals who has their own beliefs #so no the world isn't as accepting as people are led to believe and that's what I mean when I talk about straight people #no matter how well-meaning they are they will have a hard time understanding #nicole watches stuff

[violottie]

dumb fuck man: antagonises lesbians publically for harmlessly calling a female character a lesbian by making a secually aggressive tweet about said character

lesbians/sapphics: are antagonised, accordingly, and call out how weird he's being

dumb fuck man: "omg youre so cringe for being antagonised by my antagonism. i cant believe you guys are so stupid for being antagonised by me antagonising you. see everyone? lesbians are so weird!! this is why everyone hates lesbians because theyre all freaks and (r slurs)!!! they ruin everything for men like me and my chat who just wanna beat off to female characters by saying those characters are lesbians. isnt this so funny how stupid lesbians are for being antagonised by my antagonism?! hell yeah im so based!!! they literally took the "bait" of my lesbophobia by being upset at my lesbophobia isnt that so fucking cringe chat?! and its not lesbophobia to make fun of lesbians liking a female character and calling them slurs on my livestream for liking a female character and for me and all my friends to make the exact same video how it's actually the lesbians who are being weird about this character the lesbians RUINED by headcanoning her a lesbian. what about all the men who like this character?! what about us?!"

#yes this is about tectone making a disgusting sexually violent tweet about robin after lesbian hsr players were enjoying her lesbian hc #and then getting all his followers to barage lesbians for understandably being fucking upset. and then saying its the lesbians who are wrong #im so tired of fucking lesbophobia man. idc if its 'just a game'. their behaviour is clear and disgusting. #honkai star rail #hsr #hsr robin #lesbian #wlw #sapphic #lesbophobia #fuck tectone #fuck lesbophobia #im not fucking over this cos the more i think about it the more pissed off i get

[staticstratosphere]

I adore the concept of recording a mixtape full of love songs. Imagine creating a tape that reminds you of your cassette player, a hand-crafted and lyrical love letter to them and them alone. 

Maybe they get a bit flustered while recording it. Particularly sweet lyrics are lined with static, maybe there’s quite a few skips throughout the songs. You don’t mind, it’s just your way of knowing exactly how they feel about you and your relationship. 

They can’t even manage to record it clearly, so imagine how embarassed they get when you play it back to them. You two can listen to it together afterward, holding them in your arms and listening to all the little skips and stalls they can’t help but make. 

To anyone else, it’s just a normal mixtape, but to you, it’s a testament to your relationship with the very object that made it’s creation possible. 

#sorry this is so embarassing #i've been recording a lot of tapes lately and my head is filled with Thoughts #objectum #objectum sexuality #objecto #objectophilia #objectum romantic #osor #cassette player #cassette players #cassettes #technosexual

[whywalkwhenyoucanride]

happy pride to all the player-sexual NPCs out there

#rip off of that skyrim post #but player-sexual is a real phenomenon #there's a lot of characters you can romance regardless of gender #but there are few that are actually queer #you feel?

[forcedhesitation]

that one bozo who made the gender swapped dame aylin mod: it's unrealistic for minorities to exist in this game because it's supposed to take place in medieval europe!!!!

aasimar, vampires, devils, and dragons aside....

bg3:

#bg3 #thoughts about media #where's the outrage over the existence of a 1950s québécois dish in a medieval european setting? hm?? #canada...canada doesn't exist in the forgotten realms. the land which this country occupies does- but the concept of the nation does not. #also! in the forgotten realms- bisexuality is the canonical norm and gender is much more complicated than just a clear cut binary. #several races have words in their languages specifically for transgender people. #and it's not viewed as strange in any way for someone to be transgender. transition is also super easy- as magic exists. #in fact. it's very probable that dame aylin CHOSE the form of a woman. based on what I've read- the divine can easily change their form. #and devils are all varying flavours of non-binary. primarily genderfluid it seems. it's totally normal for them to change form and pronouns #the majority of elven societies practice total gender equality- they do not see one gender as better/worse than the other in any way. #and bg3 actually does reflect the forgotten realms canon. pretty strongly. in this respect. #the illithid are genderless and referred to as such. your elven companions are all bisexual & polyamorous... #...duke stelmane has this title because it's a canonically genderless title. there is no use of sorceress/wizardess for the same reason. #and of course- your player character can swap gender & pronouns midway through the game and no one will care. at all. #like. for all the terrible problems with the forgotten realms- it's become FAR more aware of the fact that it's ridiculous for... #...a fantasy world to restrict gender and sexuality in the all-encompassing & discriminatory way that bigots demand. #also this isn't ammunition for anyone to pick on people who have lesbian/gay or straight tavs or durges. #my own main tav is a gay man.

[txicyuri]

i think it’s about time we eradicate straight men from the overwatch fandom. they’re always making EVERYTHING about them.

#yes this is about straight men sexualizing tracer #then turning around and hating on queer players #overwatch #tracer

[hexblooddruid]

It’s giving CR campaign 2 discourse

#it’s just so condescending to think that a player as talented as Lou hasn’t thought about his character’s sexuality #and that you know better #lou has three heart wrenching scenes about his loneliness #fandom: how can I ignore that and make it about my ship?

[rat-rosemary]

In my head minecraft players have a separate language then any other creature in the world and it has:

- no word for any sexuality, because all romantic relationships as viewed as the same and no one though to categorize them

- a specific word for "absent parent"

#minecraft #i think so much about minecraft lore #They're so fun #i could talk about minecraft language and body language for ages #mcyt #dsmp #this is not a dig at minecraft players btw #its just that ive seen a trend of people always having absent parents in their mc roleplays #also no name for sexuality because nothing naturally has gender in minecraft

[fiddles-ifs]

I have a gender question for the cyberpunk IF!

Does Rider's sex have to be the same we select for Fury or can they be separate? I'm so excited! Identity crisis MC my beloved.

It will be generally assumed by other characters that Fury is cis -- but you'll have options to gradually change their gender expression throughout the course of that story. Starting with their hair, which can deviate from Rider's right off the bat. (The Initiative and Marik aren't pleased. With that.)

#fury in the askbox #a lot of fury's story is being righteously frustrated and angry with being forced into a role they never wanted #and getting revenge for constantly being made to play barbie doll ashes of hope urn for the masses #who see them as a non-person. it's an experience that i hope resonates with a lot of people #but for me its a specifically transgender one #lane black kettle will especially have some words for a fury who is questioning their gender and sexuality #specifically marik and the Rider Initiative want Fury to look and act exactly like rider did in life #but maybe rider was trans and closeted!! or maybe they weren't. does it matter? fury is their own person #i feel strongly enough about it that im considering making fury trans without player input #but if m*lin r*den can work with the variables needed to write a coming out B plot i can write a better one #oops!! anyway. moving on.

[ruidisborn]

Erika Ishii climbing most of the way onto the table after the Dusk reveal is a mood.

#cr3 #cr spoilers #critical role #critical role spoilers #dusk #cr dusk #erika ishii #my sexuality is them #any and all presentations of Erika are my favorite #she is such a brilliant player #I can't imagine anyone else doing this level of justice to an antagonistic PC

[lenacopperleaf]

I am wearing my Travis Dermott jersey this Avs pride night

#avs lb #in this era of no avs rainbow tape I will appreciate our rainbow tape king #I am not judging the players even though I think it’s likely none of them had the tape during warm ups #I’ve heard the owners are very…not queer friendly #and I wouldn’t-and don’t-draw attention to my queerness at work where it also isn’t the friendliest environment imaginable #so like I get it (I am also not speculating on anyones sexuality-we all know how no homo hockey can be)