Request: Non-binary player character

[mandolini]

Hi!

 

Don't know if this has been posted about before (did a quick search which found nothing):

Having the option to make your player character non-binary/gender neutral would be a HUGE enabler for a lot of people. It wouldn't have to be a huge thing mechanics-wise - the same models as for male/female characters could be used, only with the option to have your gender registered as "none/other" and to be addressed with gender neutral pronouns ("they" worked fine for Shakespeare, and should for us) and titles.

 

I'm playing this game with my partner, who is non-binary, and we both love it. However, having to choose one of the binary genders is always a great obstacle for my partner (as well as millions of other gamers). Accommodating non-binary player characters would allow for people like my partner to much easier become immersed in the game and its world.

 

I think the ability to choose any voice, regardless of gender, (which I think has been a thing ever since Baldur's Gate?) is a great step along this path. And non-binary identities are already present in the lore, for example in Berath and Wael.

 

Thanks for a great game, hoping for an even greater sequel! <3

 

Siri 

[Wormerine]

You might like Pyre then:-)

[daven]

To paraphrase Mr Plinkett - When a (game or) movie has to go out of it's way to appease every demographic and type of person possible, it just sucks.

Edited August 18, 2017 by daven

[TheisEjsing]

Oh, this is gonna be one of those threads, huh... Well, personally I'm for it, if it's not ressource consuming to do. Might try to play a non-gendered char at some point if it's in there. It's role-playing after all. I think that saying it's millions of gamers is a bit much tho, and even if it's not going in, then play the game anyways. Just play a role as something you're not in RL, It's part of the fun.

[MortyTheGobbo]

I believe the point is that they have been RPing someone they're not their whole gaming career, so now they'd like to do the other thing, that we've been able to do forever.

 

I wouldn't have anything against this option, myself, but I don't know what would be involved, either. The experience of non-binary individuals is wholly unfamiliar to me.

Edited August 18, 2017 by MortyTheGobbo

[Juodas Varnas]

Just play a Godlike with the background of being from Old Vailia. In Old Vailia Godlikes are considered genderless.

Beyond that, it's a pretty ridiculous request. What's next? Preferred pronouns zee/zer and complaining to NPCs about their microaggressions? Geez...

[Knagur]

I think the game you are after is called dragon age inquisition

[HooAmEye]

Yeah, I'd be down. It isn't really resource consuming, and doesn't change the story at all so there isnt a reason for it not to be there

[MortyTheGobbo]

I think the game you are after is called dragon age inquisition

 

I'm replaying it right now, and the option to play a non-binary character is very much not there.

[CottonWolf]

Just play a Godlike with the background of being from Old Vailia. In Old Vailia Godlikes are considered genderless.

Beyond that, it's a pretty ridiculous request. What's next? Preferred pronouns zee/zer and complaining to NPCs about their microaggressions? Geez...

 

That's very much not the same thing. Being legally genderless in an abstract lore sense with no acknoledgement beyond the theoretical is a completely different actually accounting for it in dialogue etc.

[rjshae]

There are 10 types of people in this world...

[FlintlockJazz]

There are 10 types of people in this world...

[Fluffle]

Before the developers do this, I would like them first to flesh out how the different cultures and societies of Eora treat this subject in general and how they treat people who see themselves as non-binary specifically.

 

If the developers don't do that, then many gamers may be tempted to expect that the societies and cultures of Eora treat this whole topic like we do here in our world.

 

So, for me it's more than just offering a non-binary option and a change of a pronoun.

 

Thinking about this, some questions come to mind:

How do you expect all the NPCs to know that you would like to referred to as "they" ?
What if an NPC called you "he" or "she" instead?

Would you want to be able to call them out on it?

 

[FlintlockJazz]

Before the developers do this, I would like them first to flesh out how the different cultures and societies of Eora treat this subject in general and how they treat people who see themselves as non-binary specifically.

 

If the developers don't do that, then many gamers may be tempted to expect that the societies and cultures of Eora treat this whole topic like we do here in our world.

 

So, for me it's more than just offering a non-binary option and a change of a pronoun.

 

Thinking about this, some questions come to mind:

How do you expect all the NPCs to know that you would like to referred to as "they" ?

What if an NPC called you "he" or "she" instead?

Would you want to be able to call them out on it?

 

 

Indeed, especially since we know souls reincarnate into either physical sex kith doubtless view gender issues very differently.  They clearly already view the actual soul itself as genderless, someone insisting on being refered differently because "inside they feel they are x" would be viewed as strange, and may be treated as an Awakening (previous life in which they were a different gender surfacing in their subconcious).

[esyvjrt]

Before the developers do this, I would like them first to flesh out how the different cultures and societies of Eora treat this subject in general and how they treat people who see themselves as non-binary specifically.

 

If the developers don't do that, then many gamers may be tempted to expect that the societies and cultures of Eora treat this whole topic like we do here in our world.

 

So, for me it's more than just offering a non-binary option and a change of a pronoun.

 

Thinking about this, some questions come to mind:

How do you expect all the NPCs to know that you would like to referred to as "they" ?

What if an NPC called you "he" or "she" instead?

Would you want to be able to call them out on it?

 

 

Indeed, but i think the op is mainly asking for not have to identify yourself as male or female, non-specified gender, it generates the problem of give expectations of reactivity to this choice, but it this problem could be easily fixed by specifying that this choice doesn't have special content and is just to so don't have to select a gender, i mean, doing this solve the problems that you mentioned, doesn't bother those who doesn't use it, but makes better the experience of those who want it

[PangaeaACDC]

 

I think the game you are after is called dragon age inquisition

 

I'm replaying it right now, and the option to play a non-binary character is very much not there.

 

I'm sorry to hear that Why would you want to play it, never mind RE-play it?

[algroth]

As Fluffle and FlintlockJazz mention, the issue with using gender politics terminology directly in the game is that you are therefore directly transposing these issues as present in the modern world into a Renaissance-based fantasy setting, and I cannot see how that would not clash. However, it does not mean the subject of gender neutrality, fluidity and transgenderism couldn't be approached using terms and concepts that would better fit the world of Eora: FlintlockJazz has mentioned how awakenings could lead to a character having memories of a past life in an opposite sex, and thus affecting their present-day perspective of their gender. Even without considering more soul-related business, you can also have cases like Pallegina's where a biologically female godlike could be accepted into a male-only society due to her infertility, which can also lead to that character growing up and being treated essentially as a man in a man's society. These things could lead to interesting discussions involving identity, but I would for the sake of immersion either use terminology that is more adequate to the world of Eora in-game, or have it up to the players to discuss outside the game what to 'label' each of these characters.

Edited August 18, 2017 by algroth

[algroth]

Also I think I would be happier if games in general asked for 'sex' instead of 'gender' as that implies a more biological element that therefore leaves open to the player to identify and play their character as they wish (funny enough, in the Spanish version of Baldur's Gate they do just that, as in Spanish 'sexo' is used as both 'sex' and 'gender' and is thus far more commonly used, whilst 'género' also exists as a translation for the latter).

Edited August 18, 2017 by algroth

[Sakai]

Something i don't get is when exactly male/female started meaning anything other than someones genitals? Why are some people so obsessed with this non-binary stuff, when that choice is literally just a choice of a character model and doesn't describe your personality in any way whatsoever. 

[MortyTheGobbo]

 

 

I think the game you are after is called dragon age inquisition

 

I'm replaying it right now, and the option to play a non-binary character is very much not there.

 

I'm sorry to hear that Why would you want to play it, never mind RE-play it?

 

 

You may have confused me with the someone else there. I don't need a non-binary PC. All I'm doing is correcting an entirely incorrect statement.

Edited August 18, 2017 by MortyTheGobbo

[PugPug]

How would this be implemented? Everyone you meet is going to use the pronoun you look like at first, just like in the real world. So add conversations with your party members that change the pronoun they use for you?

 

I could see haircut options. Enable all of them for both sexes.

 

There is no gender-restricted clothing or even gendered clothing (dresses, suits, etc.), as far as I know.

[rjshae]

Female dwarven beard technology. I'm sure the lab guys have the necessary skills.

[algroth]

Something i don't get is when exactly male/female started meaning anything other than someones genitals? Why are some people so obsessed with this non-binary stuff, when that choice is literally just a choice of a character model and doesn't describe your personality in any way whatsoever. 

Well, it does affect the way some characters will interact with you and the kind of options you are given to interact with them, in some specific cases. Case in point, romances.

[ThatUndeadLegacy]

What no, id rather they spend the resources on the game instead of that. and have you chopped your genitals off to become a non sex person? they would have to change so much already implemented words.  just to make a handful of others feel special? the people of this world have more to worry about than their gender. 

 

 

tldr: waste of resources for a modern "problem" that will only make a few people happy, not worth the effort

 

Of course if you gather a few thousands of dollars of funds, they might add it.

 

A lot of people play games to escape reality, seeing a non binary sex just makes me think of reality :D

Edited August 19, 2017 by ThatUndeadLegacy

[Fluffle]

It's true enough that the game asks you for your "sex" and not your "gender".

Those two are not the same and should not be confused.

 

There is not an option to choose your gender identity in the game.

Just as you cannot choose to be "cisgender", you cannot choose to be "transgender" in the game.

 

Now back to sex.  Sex is not clear cut binary as some may think, the keyword here is "intersex"

 

But being an intersex person and a transgender person are two different, separate things.

Edited August 19, 2017 by Fluffle