Breakfast Topic: Should gender change be allowed in-game?
by Dan O'Halloran 
Aug 17th 2007 at 8:00AM
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Players have called for the ability to switch races, switch factions and even switch back to a pre-expansion classic server, but it's the first time I've heard this request. Cryogenics of the Azjol-Nerub server would like to switch the gender of his toon.Other posters supporting his request listed a few reasons for wanting this: they don't like the animations of their toon; they created the character as the opposite sex of themselves and the novelty has worn off; they want to be the opposite sex in the game for some perceived advantage.
Since this is a change that doesn't affect game mechanics, should Blizzard implement this ability? Isn't it no different than changing the outfit or hairstyle of your toon? Or does tinkering with a cornerstone of human identity make this a bad idea? Tell us what you think. And leave out any derogatory or insulting remarks. Those will get immediately deleted.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Virtual selves, Breakfast Topics
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
roguedubb Aug 16th 2007 8:53PM
Sounds like a good idea, but one that would only ever be added as something like a temporary potion/drink/trinket buff.
Tumples Aug 17th 2007 8:13AM
Yeah it's not as simple as getting a haircut really is it, they should make a potion for it.
Piers Aug 17th 2007 8:14AM
Does gender actually have any effect on your character? I've played MUDs where if you're female then you're slightly less stronger than the male counterparts for example.
Melissa Della Aug 17th 2007 8:15AM
@3
No, gender has literally no impact other than aesthetic in WoW.
Vereor Aug 17th 2007 8:21AM
Wait, there are different genders of blood elves? I thought they were all female?!
Chaz Aug 17th 2007 8:23AM
I don't think so, if a guy has a lvl 70 girl toon, purely for the advantage of having other dudes hit on him, he's a sicko and should have to suffer the consequences.
Pex Aug 17th 2007 8:24AM
I would really like to see this as well.
I mean- what the hell did I roll a gnome female for?
She was pretty cute in the beginning with her pink ponytails, but she's pretty ugly too, and I'm getting tired of being the opposite sex AND ugly.
It would feel much better to get a male warlock instead, then it wouldn't give me such an awkward 'ugly'-feeling about my toon.
Tridus Aug 17th 2007 8:28AM
On the whole, Blizzard doesn't seem that keen on letting people change their characters after creation. They relented on the hair thing finally, both because its logical (hair cuts make a lot more sense in a world like WoW then plastic surgery does), and because it lets them bring out new hairstyles.
Something like gender changes are a lot less likely to happen.
IKT Aug 17th 2007 8:34AM
want to change gender, face, class, faction or more?
re-roll!
Pex Aug 17th 2007 8:35AM
I know a guy who rerolled froma level 70 UD female priest to a UD male priest just because she cast ugly.
Would you say that that make sense?
Bradj Aug 17th 2007 8:38AM
I dont believe anyone should be able to change your gender. But, if it is done, it should come with a hefty price tag. At least 1000g. People should have to work for the right to change your gender, and it shouldn't be easy enough to do often.
bwest0526 Aug 17th 2007 8:39AM
Let's face it no matter where you go in the Real world there are always those people who want to be the opposite sex, transgenders are a part of life and so it would only be natural that these people would want that in Azeroth as well. Transgenderation is mostly people who feel mentally that they are the opposite sex anyway, not necessarily homosexuals although most are. It is a part of life and some psychologist believe it is a chemical imbalance in the brain. While others say it is genetic coding.
Whatever the reason is, I agree with #1 that it shouldn't be permanent...you picked the toon from the beging, you had the time and option to pick something else, if you didn't like the animations you should have re-rolled earlier, other than that, permanently changing your gender goes against creation!!
Merely my opinion of course.
Hammer Aug 17th 2007 8:47AM
I wouldn't mind being able to change the gender of a character, but I think it would be a bit disconcerting. You start to recognize people from their toons after all.
Michel Aug 17th 2007 8:51AM
_NO_
or only after a long session talk with a priest of Stormwind because the character is very unhappy and to help him :)
seriously, I'm against it because it's a game, and a game need HARSH choice and only , WE (the others players) need STABILITY to recognize your character.
it's only a few polygons, so if you could change everything everyday , it would be a pain to play with you.
and I really think it would be bad for the game on the long time. you need choice to force players to replay the game differently.
all choice as the same time is in fact no choice at all and a dull game.
forge Aug 17th 2007 9:24AM
Well, i know that gender changes probably are not gonna be an option ever.
Hair cut's i can accept but not gender changes. And this coming from a dranei male shaman who re-rolled from a female one at lvl58 (3 days played, 1 day after release of tbc) because the girl thing didn't just work for enh shammies.
I had a priest as my old main and casting for females works, i like playing a female char if theyr casters (healer/dps) but, not melee dps, no no no, something utterly wrong in that.
And yes, the way she hit mobs with the maces was ugly as hell.
Sylvina Aug 17th 2007 9:16AM
Michel... your point is semi-valid but not. Picking a sex isn't a harsh choice that effects gameplay. Stuff like talents, etc. are the important harsh choices, but even then they allow you to respec. The alliance/horde thing is a HUGE thing that will never be put in unless they create some neutral faction thing some day.
I used to play an MMO where you could get a sex change, but it was a one time deal (just like in the real world I'd assume.) and it cost a good deal of money. If for whatever reason someone wanted to change their characters sex/looks I'm sure this could be a viable approach if it was a SINGLE time thing so people wouldn't swap all their stuff around constantly.
Levi Aug 17th 2007 9:16AM
I rolled a female blood elf paladin just like everybody else, and with the huge dearth of male toons I'd rather have one of those now. Or maybe I just want something to tide me over until Dragonball Z Online.
Zechs Aug 17th 2007 9:17AM
And I bet the reagents required would be [Bucket of Cold Water] and [Teapot of Hot Water]. Zechs 1/2.
Savok Aug 17th 2007 9:23AM
We have transgenders in the real world, why not Azeroth as well? Just give it a nasty price tag, again just like real life. As said it has zero effect on mechanics, unlike race, class and so on, I really don't see how playing the other gender back up to what you have would add anything to the game.
And hey, it'd make for a hell of an RP session.
Morthagrid Aug 17th 2007 9:48AM
I dont care about a sex change but a name change would be welcome.