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Playable Female Races?
eumenidex
Member Posts: 170
Okies, looking through the screenshots i've seen...i see female character models for Empire, Dwarves and both the Elven races.
Now, I am nearly 100% going to play on the destruction side of things and would very much like to play a Chick. So i'm left wondering if Darkelves are the only real option for this.
I recall there being specific word that there will be NO female greenskins(something about pod babies
)....but i'm currious what the Female Chaos options will be? I see Screenies of chick Magus' and Zealots...but no Marauder or especialy chosen Screenies. Granted, after they start mutating and stacking on moutains of armor, your probably not going to be able to the difference anymore...but i'm realy digging the idea of a tanky Chosen chick 
.
Comments
As a female playing mmorpg'er I prefer the tank type, so I'll be looking for that and not the stupid sounding "Emo Mage" as Mr Barnett so eloquently put it. BIG turn off.
Bollocks!
Female only: Dark Elf Witch Elf
Male only: Chaos Marauder, Chaos Chosen, Greenskin everything (Greenskins are best described as male, I guess, though without any females in their race such distinctions are useless)
So, no "tanky Chosen chick" for you, I am afraid. Destruction is a rather bad side to play on if you want to make a female character, as half of their careers are male only, if you count the Greenskins as male.
Unless the last High Elf career is gender restricted, Order will have no gender restrictions at all.
As an aside, I am quite impressed at EA Mythic sticking to the lore as much as is reasonable and not opening up every career to both genders. It would not look right if a 5'6", 120-pound female Chosen was standing next to a 7'0", 300-pound male Chosen.
You look at it from a MMO point of view and not a Warhammer. Warhammer is mostly guys, there are very few if any female options in the TT. Mythic already had to stretch it with the female Priests of Sigmar and male Dark Elf mages. Shouldn't push it.
Bollocks!
Actually, Paul is pretty amusing in an insane-Brit sort of way. I like him.
And his "descriptions" of the races are a hoot.
~ Elves: snooty, posh people
~ Dark Elves: snooty, posh people on drugs
And so on....
Personally, I am thinking I'll probably play a snooty, posh person.
~ Ancient Membership ~
Actually, Paul is pretty amusing in an insane-Brit sort of way. I like him.
And his "descriptions" of the races are a hoot.
~ Elves: snooty, posh people
~ Dark Elves: snooty, posh people on drugs
And so on....
Personally, I am thinking I'll probably play a snooty, posh person.
But, but... I hoped I could play a Dark Elf. But drugs are bad for you mmmkay. Can't play a person on drugs now; especially not in PvP, going around high in the midst of battle isn't the best idea.
...oh really???
"Commander?! Why are you smoking your honor ribbons?!!"
"Ha...whatever man the elves...man...they're just like us man...but...but not dark...man...like really man...they're so...light...like...like light bulbs man...hey you think we can get Malekith to call them 'bulb elves'?"
Sig by WhiskeyJack1
personaly i think gender restriction is just stupid.....
Well, there isn't realy a lore restriction here. There a number of examples of "female chosen" and not specificly anywhere where GW has said "THER SHALL BE NO CHOSEN CHICKS!"
It certainly makes much MUCH less sense then fighting female dwarves, male dark elf casters and female warrior priests.
Anyway, since i posted earlier i looked into it on the newsletters and discussions(june/july)...Apparently it isn't going to happen due to artistic limitations....Guess they can't draw and build a female character model that "fits" the criteria they want in the chosen.
I Wants Chosen Chicks!
EumenidexI, I found it funny that you avatar is Edward from Cowboy Bebop anime serie. I really never figured it out if that character was male or female. But that does not really matter and kinda off-topic.
Why are there no "female" orcs?
From Paul's E3 Gamespot Interview: Because they are mushrooms from space!
The Orcs come from mushroom/fungi that are left behind after the creation of a WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH. Orcs and goblins are actually asexual creatures but are physically portrayed as masculine. The reason there are no female orcs to play in W.A.R, is because there are none. Mythic included the goblin race to make up for the lack of character options that other races have
Heh, my avatar is pretty ironic for this topic when you think about it. Maybe Chosen are like to Orcs...only they are mutated by chaos to the most suited form...that happens to be masculine.
Radical Edward is a Chick....so...I wants a Chosen Chick
I was under the impression that there are 3 female dark elf choices.
Witch Elf
Sorceress
Disciple of Khaine
You could choose the Melee DPS class and attempt to make it somewhat defensive if you like tanks.
Otherwise you may just have to join the other side (or play a male character)
Althought I think the other side is limited as far as female tanks as well.
But dont worry, I believe they are trying to get rid of caster uselessness in melee.
Nonetheless, I do with they would add a female tank choice to each side.
Unfortunately, brutish looks for tanks may win in WAR.
EDIT: Although, I was hoping they would take female Warrior Priests of Sigmar out ..... /duck
There was a massive, sorching flame-war on numerous forums about this when it was first announced.
Arguments on both sides were made, lore was sited and referenced like a librarian convention, there was even a comic.
http://www.secretlivesofmobs.com/index.php?strip_id=21
But Mythic has made their decision and does not look like they're going to change it. I suspect the decision was made years ago during the very early development stage.
I don't mind gender restricted classes, but Mythic has been focusing on male-only classes. There is only one female-only class and 6 (possibly 7) male-only and/or clearly non-female classes. (So far we haven't seen any female Dark Elf Black Guard concept art, and that's been a sign of a gender-restricted class). Traditional Warhmmer lore has always said there are no male Dark Elf sorcerers yet they are in the game, I guess because the last GW rule change now allows them. It's just odd how Mythic passes by chances for female-only classes.
I still think there was another reason for the gender restriction besides artistic or lore reasons. Mythic's other decisions for the game design have been quite rationale, I just can't figure out how this choice was made between allowing female dwarfs but not other female classes.
In the end, this is Mythic's version of Warhammer. There will be differences from the TT game, books, RPG and the rest. As long as the rest of the game rocks, the gender-restrictions shouldn't be a major factor.
But I do think this will be an issue that Mythic will have to explain over and over again as more people become interested in WAR. Not giving any female tank to the Destruction side is something that will take people aback I think.
Well, for one I like Mithyc's decision. I hate MMORPGS with symmetric male-female options. We are not equal. Myabe Mithyc pushed it too far, but anyway I like it.
Does it matter if they did let female be chosen or black guard, in the end your going to be covered in all that bulky armor to notice anyway. Unless they do it like korean mmos where the armor only makes a females breast look bigger and it doesnt cover anything else but the G spot and breast.
I must say I am MOST uncomfortable with the fact some classes/races are male or female only. Once more IP lore wins over reason. A MMO is just a totally different thing than a tabletop game. Unlike in the latter, in the former, the players identify with their characters. Last time I had such a limitation was in the nefarious Archlord. *shudders*
Much I hear about WAR sounds great, but I find this quite a letdown. It was so great fun to roleplay a big Orc Momma - warrior in VG, as are the females in WOW a good addition to these classes. This all sounds quite conservative.
If I look at the restriction of female character roles and see the female design, it looks quite sexist and old-fashioned to me, like some nerds of 1960 invented the whole thing. I am not comfortable with such stereotypes. Lore or no, we have 2008 soon! I just feel it as a big hindrance, and I know quite some female gamers who think the same.
People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert
Think I got quite flamed before for asking if you wasn't able to play female, but that was before they had posted any pictures of female characters. According to some of the posts above there is really no restrictions in lore and well, if there are no restrictions in lore then I see no reason at all why not to add free choice of gender. It seems quite stupid forcing you to play one gender.
However I don't think it will make much difference in the end. It's a slight let down but it won't stop me from playing or make me go emo because the whole game is ruined. It may at the worst be a slight annoyance and probably not more than a "wtf? lol" most of the time.
A lot of what makes MMORPGs charming is the ability to escape into an alternate world that is free from modern issues. The setting of Warhammer is not conducive to female characters in many of the roles, and it detracts from the setting to allow them in those roles.
Though Warhammer exists in its own universe, apart from our own, it is certainly modelled on our own past, particularly the Middles Ages of Europe going into the Renaissance. This was a very male-dominated period of time (then again, what period wasn't/isn't?) and women simply were not in martial roles, barring select exceptions in select periods of time. You can toss out Joan of Arc but she was an exception, not a rule, and makes a poor basis for an argument.
Even today the issue of women in the military is hotly debated, and research shows that while some women are capable of being combat soldiers, as a whole they are physically inferior to men with 50% less upper body strength and 30% less aerobic endurance. This would have been of particular concern back when we fought with melee weapons which meant combat was directly related to physical prowess, something firearms are less affected by. Incidentally, it is the melee roles that are restricted in Chaos, and female Orcs simply do not exist so nothing can be done there. It is not as though these restrictions are entirely arbitrary.
So, you have a history with females in submissive roles, and the fact that women, through no fault of their own, are smaller and physically weaker (though probably a good deal mentally tougher, in my opinion). Is it any surprise that a fantasy game based on warfare has them on the sidelines? It is historical precedent and not purposeful bias.
Anyway, I do not think a fantasy game is a place to bring gender politics and feminism. Let the game be what the game is - a translation of the Warhammer tabletop game into Warhammer Online, with the gist of the setting left intact. That setting may exclude female characters from certain roles, but it does not exclude female players from any of them. Now, I would never play a female character, so I can understand females not wanting to play a male character just to be a certain career, but at the same time I want the setting to reflect the Warhammer world as well as possible.
By the way, I think in the current climate of gender equality we have lost sight of the fact that men and women are in fact different and not equal in everything. That is not to say they should not be treated equally as well - they should be - but trying to force things that make no sense for the sake of political correctness is silly and is a step back rather than a step forward.
Good topic. In short I want to say that I appreciate it when game designers stick to their guns and make the game as close as possible to the original plan.
Not so short...
In contrast you've seen a few recent games that will try anything to give the players what they want even at the sacrifice of the original concepts of their game. Without naming any particular large previously successful three letter corporation, I say that there are pitfalls when trying too hard to please the majority of players and examples have been made of companies that do so.
I am a transgendered person ( Male-to-female) so I am always hot for these topics and some more...Sarnon raises some good points which also makes it so painfully to see that this game is going to be a huge dissapointment for people who like to see gender as merely something that doesnt matter
No, its a huge constraint here
.I personally prefer, although I make exceptions as always. my female characters in traditionally more masculinized roles and me male characters vice versa
. And with looks I try to make them a-typical as well. Most of the time
I mean, I want to play in MY world, with my ideals..not being forced into some environment like real life that tries so hard to define gender in black and white and puts the G in gender importance
Anyway, huge turnoff ( despite knowing this is the lore etc) and probably the reason I wont be playing the game . Something similair yet differents counts for Age of Conan; I wont be playing...the game seems to appeal to an even greater testosterone filled (Not necisarilly all men, I speak from experience :P) audience
2008 is looking bad with these 2 large launches, if you let someone with genderissues and expertice look at it
:P
But hey, the developers are doing it well...they will reach their target audience ^^
Greets
I am overall satisfied with the choices they are making, thought I am not a female so I would not know the trouble it causes.
Regardless, I feel that having a delicate female model wearing heavy armor that most likely weighs as much as she does, is somewhat of a game-killer ( not to mention a solid shield that is the size of a car door ).
Seeing a large man with a shield, covered in heavy armor, and wearing a fearsome helmet will most likely shout Chaos Chosen. Now taking this class and making smaller, thinner, appealing models for females will ruin the solidness of class recognization ( as well as the developer's commitment to the lore). It also befuddles most people when the innocent female tank runs into a group of baddies and takes hits better than a lumbering Black Orc or Chosen.
It just spins things out of line.
On the other hand, I do not see any reason they could not take a dark elf female and turn her into a Blackguard. The male and female dark elves seem rather similar in size and stature (no massive shield either).
Either way, I understand the trouble it causes. But sometimes you just have to play a male character (until MMO companies decide to make some buff females).
Just give him a girly name (though that could certainly confuse some allied players and suprise them in return).
Good luck with whatever you choose.
That's a great point, Shifty, I never thought of it like that. When you see a character in game you can recognize their class by race, build, armor type... if they're male. Females, in a few RPGs at least, regardless of class have a smaller, slender, curvy look. Not that that's bad, but it's harder to make a call on the battle field.
edit:
Actually, since this is Warhammer we're talking about, I'll go ahead and say Dwarves Excluded!
Interesting theory. Mythic has said how important 'Outline Recognition' is for their PvP design. I could understand the decision based on a game design consideration if they had said that they were worried a female Tank outline would not be as reasily recognizable as male version. Particularly with such distinctive Tanks like the Chosen for Chaos.
Female dwarfs on the other hand, appear to be very similar in stature to their male counterparts. So their outlines would be about the same, the main difference would be in the lack of beard
It does explain why they're willing to bend the lore for female dwarfs but not for Chosen. But why not just say so unless they thought people couldn't grasp the importance of Outline Recognition.
Maybe in the end it was just an aesthetic choice and Mark Jacobs likes female dwarfs but not Chaos females lol.
I'm a female gamer and I don't see what the big hoopla is all about. You play a game with existing IP lore which helps build the world around you and you build your character into the world. Lore is Lore..removing LORE restrictions completely makes it something other than Warhammer. If I want to play EQ2 or WoW where there is no gender specific Lore then I'll play those games.
Warhammer is about Warhammer. Granted there are some lore changes but they aren't drastic changes like oh...giving Orcs Females (i'd be like putting female dwarves in Lord of the Rings!) ! Which is SO far fetched and not in any part of Warhammer Universe ever..it'd just be blasphemous to Lore Fans. If Gender is that important to you in a game of all things then perhaps you should reevaluate yourself. I plan to play chaos and orcs and I want them as ugly and nasty and cruel as possible and putting a pair of breasts on them just makes it .... well weird!
I believe their biggest reasons for leaving out classes that involve females from the chaos is due to the GOD they chose to follow and the necessity to keep the game a Teen Rating and Not Mature.
I'm glad this game has Lore even if some of it is changed or ignored atleast they're still keeping fairly true to the Warhammer Universe which I think satisfies many Lore Fans to an extent.
Please Refer to Doom Cat with all conspiracies & evil corporation complaints. He'll give you the simple explination of..WE"RE ALL DOOMED!
I am male and play female toons all the time. . . . Still not gay, Still not a chick. I think if you want to play a chosen go ahead roll a male toon you'll not die from it and no one will care.
"Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one ..." - Thomas Paine