Why is my character married to the opposite gender?

Post » Wed Dec 02, 2015 5:04 am

In roleplaying games, I usually have a great opportunity to create a character with the looks, personality, values and backstory that I want - this includes sixuality, as it is a part of a person's identity. Who are you attracted to? Who do you love?

Sometimes, I like to create characters in RPGs that are similar to me, and share some traits with myself. This way, I can imagine myself living an adventure in an immersive world, where I decide what my character does. I can experience a new, exciting, interesting world through the eyes of the character who can be similar to me, or anything I would want them to be. It's like reading a book that you can interact with, with the protagonist you choose to create - that protagonist may even be you. It's not real life, but it is still very engaging and profound.

However, in Fallout 4, even though I have the ability to romance same-six companions; every single one of my character is married to the opposite gender. This is really immersion breaking to me, I don't feel as if I can create a character that is similar to me in that respect, I can't create a male character who is married to a man. I do not have the option to create a character that is similar to me, at least in that way.

This might seem like a trivial, unimportant issue to you if you're straight. But Imagine how would you feel if you were forced to play a character who was FORCED to be married to the same gender at the start of the game. I would really hope if Bethesda heard my voice and created an option where I can roleplay a character who is not married to the opposite gender by default. Thank you for listening.

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Kara Payne
 
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Post » Wed Dec 02, 2015 11:10 am

i get ur complain, but u need to understand too, that they are telling a story about that character, and he is merry to a woman. The good is she die, so after that u can deal with your character the way u like.

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Roberto Gaeta
 
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Post » Tue Dec 01, 2015 9:22 pm

Here we go again. This is a story, and this is the way the developer wanted to present it. You are free to do with it what you want after that.

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cheryl wright
 
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Post » Wed Dec 02, 2015 8:55 am

It's done.

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Your Mum
 
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Post » Wed Dec 02, 2015 10:45 am

I'm a lisbian, and I tend to play lisbians in games (where romance plays a part of the story). I will just RP that I will come out of the closet. And that I married a dude because I wanted a child. Or whatever I need to RP to make it all fit in.

I also tend to play chaotic evil characters, so well see how I can fit that in..

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Taylah Haines
 
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Post » Wed Dec 02, 2015 7:23 am

Aren't Bethesda stories ones where you are free to create YOUR protagonist? With your imagined background and personality? Aren't Bethesda games all about choice when it comes to narrative? Who my character is married to is a big choice, after all.

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Nicholas C
 
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Post » Wed Dec 02, 2015 5:03 am

Sorry but it's just a game...People just need to stop attaching a video game to there real lives.

If it bugs people so much that they can't get past it then oh well don't play it lol
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sw1ss
 
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Post » Wed Dec 02, 2015 3:55 am


Indeed a game devolper can't (and shouldn't) pander to every little wants and needs, some level of integrity is needed, I could have understood this dilemma if all romancing in the game was opposite gender, but it isn't, so the issue kinda vaporates.
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Lil Miss
 
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Post » Tue Dec 01, 2015 10:26 pm

Why wouldn't a game developer, who is famed and praised for their proganonist customization, want to add more customization options for your protagonist?

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Jennifer Munroe
 
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Post » Wed Dec 02, 2015 6:52 am

Their games have always had some sort of beginning detail. FO3, you were the child of a hetero couple with a scientist dad and a dead mother. Couldn't be an orphan, couldn't be the child of a non-het couple, etc. Just the way it is.

This time, they chose a different setup. We'll see where we can go from there. (And the various things said about the companion/romance system suggest that you can define all you want during gameplay.... how you reconcile that with the pre-war life is up to you.)

For all that people (both Beth and fans) keep touting "be who you want/go where you want/do what you want", there've always been limits. All sorts of limits. :shrug:

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Wanda Maximoff
 
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Post » Wed Dec 02, 2015 7:20 am

TES games are but Fallout 3 you didn't get to decide much of your background. You were born in a vault, child of a doctor etc etc like it or not.

Fallout is set in a society that before the bomb dropped was very similar to 50s America when being openly gay was not easy.

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Jynx Anthropic
 
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Post » Wed Dec 02, 2015 5:40 am


The issue I have is that it's an illusion for the gay player, once you leave the vault RP how you want. If your story is you were a closet case and can now come out and be yourself then great. But please don't expect BGS to make everything little equal. Gotta have limits at some point.
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Elisabete Gaspar
 
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Post » Tue Dec 01, 2015 7:06 pm

It's kinda pointless to state that they should not pander, because they already do. They pander to straight players. And if the choice was made for you that your (say) female character was married to a woman it would pander to lisbians. And so on.

It is however Bethesda's story and thus they decide.

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M!KkI
 
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Post » Tue Dec 01, 2015 8:22 pm


Because obviously story reasons why ya needed to be married to the opposite gender and have a biological child.
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Damned_Queen
 
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Post » Wed Dec 02, 2015 4:36 am

You both make a very good point.

However, there is a very big difference between backstory things that happened which your character can't influence and backstory things that happened which your character chose themselves.

You can't choose where you are born. You can't choose who gave birth to you. However, choosing to get married and who you get married to is A BIG CHOICE your character consciously makes. It tremendously defines my character by highlighting such a big decision.

I really like the Fallout 3 opening setting, since it introduces you to the world without deciding what your character does. It shapes the circumstances in which your character lives, but you decide how your character lives their life. Which is a big theme of Bethesda games.

EDIT:

I don't see how the story would work any differently with a gay couple and an adopted child. Even though the setting is inspired by the 50's, we don't actually know if the society of the setting was homophic or not.

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Matt Gammond
 
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Post » Wed Dec 02, 2015 1:02 am

Depending on where the story goes, you could theoretically come up with any background for your character up to that point. But like others have pointed out, BGS usually has a story hook that limits your character somewhat. Fallout 3 being a child born in vault 101, Skyrim crossing the boarder, ect. Some are more limiting than others, but you'd be surprised how much you can come up with even when limited.

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Amelia Pritchard
 
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Post » Tue Dec 01, 2015 11:49 pm

I hope they include the "Confirmed bachelor/le femme" perks for those who want to play a gay character.
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Bellismydesi
 
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Post » Wed Dec 02, 2015 5:51 am

You make a valid point C.P. I like to make a variety of characters. I usually have an evil one, a saint, and the 'what would I do in this situation?' characters. I can see the difficulty if you are trying to project yourself into the video game. I know several people say it is just a game and 'stop attaching a video game to there real lives.' There is a difference in styles of games though. I would never attach myself into Grand Theft Auto, or Borderlands, but in games like this gives the player the perfect opprotunity to ask, "What would I do in this situation?" For instance, my first playthrough for New Vegas I used that premise. I am a 'good' person, but not perfect. I am not a thief in real life, but starting out I had very little caps, weapons, and armor. If that was really me, I would steal the items. If I needed a gun and there was one in a box and nobody was looking, I would take it for my survival. After I started being able to support myself in the game, I stopped stealing and went out of my way to help others. As regards to sixuality, why not? I understand that the developers started the introduction and we are free to write the pages, but maybe the idea of sixuality or gender identity could be something to explore in a future game.

I do hope though C.P. you wouldn't let this detail detract from your overall experience though.

Just my thoughts,

Amber

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Tiff Clark
 
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Post » Wed Dec 02, 2015 5:41 am


Hench why I said biological child and not just child, that the fact its a child of your genes might be a plot point. Trust me Beth doesn't just shoot this decision from the hip, there is a reason, one only Beth really knows for now.
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FLYBOYLEAK
 
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Post » Wed Dec 02, 2015 5:44 am

Considering that the Fallout universe is based on the 1950s, it is not surprising that the standard family model was used. Just blame pre-war America for having 1950s values and morality in 2077.
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.X chantelle .x Smith
 
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Post » Wed Dec 02, 2015 9:43 am

well, you're the roleplayer, why did your character marry their spouse? Iirc they've said that all the romance options are player sixual so your character can be strait or gay in the wasteland. Maybe they wanted a kid, maybe 2070s was prejudiced about homosixuality, maybe they didn't realize they were gay until they met someone who was openly gay, maybe they didn't want to disappoint a parent, maybe their marriage is a hollow sham and the kid belongs to the mail man?

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helliehexx
 
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Post » Tue Dec 01, 2015 8:49 pm

It's just the way the game is.

I can't stand the fact that the child is called Shaun, but it's not gonna bother me playing the game.

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Khamaji Taylor
 
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Post » Tue Dec 01, 2015 10:55 pm

Yes, I agree, it is possible to create a good story with the limitations presented by asking these questions. (great ideas btw)

However, those are questions players of heterosixual characters were never forced to ask. And I would like to have the choice to avoid these limitations in creating my character if I want to aswell.

1.) Are you really comparing the set name of your baby to who your character decides to marry? Besides, I'm giving feedback as to how I'd like to see Bethesda improve their game. We should never just "accepted the way the game is", we should always give our feedback and opinions.

2.) Don't worry BTW, Bethesda said you have over 5000 baby names to choose from, and it's all voice acted.

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Annick Charron
 
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Post » Wed Dec 02, 2015 8:55 am


Well, It's the lesser of the two evils here lol. And once the introduction is done play how you want. It's just safer to start out as heterosixual and whatever the player does after via Lafemme/Confirmed Bachelor. Plus again we're dealing with a themed period when being gay and out in majority of america wasn't a smart thing to do.
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Alyna
 
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Post » Wed Dec 02, 2015 4:14 am

Or, they jut don't want to waste resources. We don't know how big a part your spouse plays in this game. Nor in any future dlc. So, hiring two more voice actors to cover same six couples, could be a real waste.

What they did do, is give us a construction kit. I am sure it will be easy enough to change the six of your spouse, although if you want voice acting you will probably be waiting a long time.

All an all, I want them to focus on things that give the biggest impact for time and resources spent creating it. If I had to choose between hiring two new voice actors to create content, I will likely never see.. Or creating two new voiced npcs, that you can put anywhere.. I know which route I'd go.

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Jonathan Windmon
 
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