I think the problem with the other thread was that it was seen as being exclusionary. I think the problem was in the title. "LGBT Gamer Zone" implies that it's a reserved space for LGBT gamers only. It'd be akin to somebody making a heterosexual zone.

I agree with you Daling_Jimmy, it's an issue that needs to be discussed. I can think of very few well drawn non-straight characters. Gaming is overwhelming heterosexual. I suppose rather or not you have a problem with this is if you perceive your sexuality as an essential part of your identity.

I'm more than fine playing any characters a developer gives me, but I belong to the heterosexual male population. Perhaps if I were not, then I might feel differently.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AY88BQZWos

First of all, I love that song (Witch in a Ditch is another one of my favorites), and yeah. What you can't see is a lot of the audience is probably dressed similarly.

I think you hit the nail on the head right there. I completely bypassed the original thread since it's title by definition excluded me. The only reason I popped my head in here was that the controversy surrounding the original thread made me curious to see what all the fuss was about.

It's not that straight people aren't allowed to post (of course they are!), it's that discussion and topics are going to revolve around LGBT issues so if anyone wants to come in and go "WHO CARES" it'd be better if they just move on. I'm pretty sure that game is supposed to be ironically hilarious, not actually supporting gay rights or anything. It's like praising The Jazz Singer as a great example of black film.

It wouldn't have been my first choice of title. Then again, I wouldn't have felt it necessary to start a LGBT discussion around here until a couple days ago. I decided to stick with a familiar title as not to interrupt momentum. Also, I never underestimate the power controversy has to bring nmillar into a discussion. :P

Playing as a gay character (in a game where you're romancing people) is way more satisfying for me.

Side note: I'd love to play a game where you're playing as a trans character.

Agreed. The vast majority of video game characters, even those who are given an actual personality, usually are not given any sign of a sexuality.
For all you know, there are actually lots of them who could be gay or bisexual.

And in most RPGs you can roleplay as anything you want, though of course you won't always have the means of expressing that characterization.

But the vast majority of game characters who are given a sexuality are straight, even if it's just an offhanded remark about a woman or a redshirt talking about "his wife back home" before biting it.

And then you have the majority of characters who somehow manage to actually be homosexual either being comic relief or villains.

It'd just be nice to have something resembling more equal representation. Given how they handle other minorities it'd be nice to see Valve take a crack at it.

Quick suggestion for the folks who don't want to see this thread here. Don't visit this thread.

Bam, problem solved. It's all just text, it affects you in absolutely NO way if you don't visit the thread.

The fact is that in real life most people are straight so it's only natural, since art imitates life, that most video game characters would be straight.
Especially since it's highly likely that most gamers and video game developers are straight men, so it's no surprise that video games reflect their views.

I'll agree with you that making a disproportionate number of villains and comic relief characters gay or bisexuals carries strong Unfortunate Implications.
Sadly, they're only a reflection of what many people actually believe about the LGBT community.

Edit: bad link

Rex Nebula and the Cosmic Gender Bender~

This doesn't bother me, but it does bother me that barely any characters are ever gay, or in fact any minority in general. Art imitating life would imply that art would still be a hell of a lot more diverse than it is. This is the real issue. The industry as a whole is run by straight white men, so straight white men are the people being pandered to, so straight white men get into gaming more than anyone else, so straight white men become interested in making games, and the cycle continues. There's nothing inherent in videogames that's more appealing to straight white men than anyone else, it's just that their current execution panders almost exclusively to them so you get a feedback loop. And it's not really someone straight white guys notice, because it's so entrenched as the norm.

This isn't saying there's a problem with straight white guys making, or enjoying, games. Far from it! But it becomes a problem when that's all there is. Even female characters and minorities exist in games primarily to titillate or amuse straight white guys. It does become condescending, but I understand why people don't notice or get offended when it's pointed out... if someone isn't the subject of stuff like this it's easy to brush it off, say "well that's the way it is" or take personal offense because they think they're being attacked.

And yes, I know I'm ignoring Japanese development, but I wouldn't say they're any better regarding gender, sexuality or race. I just don't have the kind of experience with that culture to comment on it in any meaningful way beyond that. But this is another self-fulfilling thing. If gay people are only ever portrayed as wacky sub-human sidekicks or devious (and, subtextually, deviant) villains, then it's an attitude that becomes further and further entrenched.

Personally I'd rather the subject be left alone than attempted and be done totally cack-handedly. Which undoubtedly it would be, as generally speaking more mature subjects in games don't tend to be handled that... maturely.

For some reason I'm reminded of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. When Willow turned out to be a lesbian and got in to a relationship with Tara - it was portrayed (in my opinion, as a straight male) exceptionally well. It didn't pander, it didn't sensationalise. It was just a regular relationship (plus the odd bit of magic, vampires and werewolves - oh my!). Compare that to any other portrayal of homosexuality in popular media. Even when it's trying to be positive, it's undoubtedly naff, poorly written and executed.

I've also yet to see relationships of any kind done all that well in any game. I'm sure there have been one or two that I can't think of, but until the standard of writing improves, I think it'd be a waste of time trying to be more inclusive when they're likely to just fuck it up anyway.