A Stab At Compiling Some Data...

[Bluefae]

...confounded, of course, by the fact that the GDB does not represent a perfect microcosm of all those who play ARM, that not everyone will answer acurately, etc.  Still, I'm nerdy enough to desire some numbers to look at before wading into the "Female/Male Character Longevity" discussion.  Please humor an over-analyzing poster.  

In cases of rampant gender-bending (You crazy little non-gender-typed people, you!), I also realize the results may be skewed, i.e., the female PC who plays almost nothing other than male hunters, but it's a start.

Ciao!

[HaiWolfe]

I picked the third option, but how it really breaks down for me is that I'm a female player who has played (so far):
- 1 female non-combatant
- 1 female semi-combatant
- 1 female combatant
- 1 male non-combatant
- 2 male combatants

So.. a real mixed bag, but I guess it evens itself out in a way. Heh.

[Tyriel]

The methodology of this post does not reflect that many female players play male characters, or that many male PCs often play female characters. I don't understand the value of the survey if these two variables are not accounted for.

[vissa]

If by "non-combat" you mean "tavern sitters," then I've only had 2 such characters, both of whom were male.  The rest were female and all engaged in dangerous work to some degree or another (though only two were actively employed as "combat" characters and they all tried to avoid actual physical confrontations as much as possible, not because they were women, but because they had some common sense and wanted to avoid death as much as possible   ).

Oh, and I'm female.  So I guess that makes me a #2.

[mansa]

I agree with Tyriel and Tyriel's large jpg.

I know many males that play a lot of females.  I know many females who play a lot of males.  I honestly think you will not be surprised with the results.

Also.

Large JPG

[Marauder Moe]

I think the idea is to show whether or not the reason female players' characters suposedly live longer is because male players play combat characters more often then female players.

I voted number 4.  The vast majority of my playtime has been spent on non-combat pursuits.  It's not really a preference for me, however.  It's just how things have worked out.

[armplayer]

I voted that I am a female, playing more female non-combats. I simply find city life more intresting.

[Lazloth]

If by "non-combat" you mean "tavern sitters," then I've only had 2 such characters, both of whom were male.

Combat/non-combat is a poor distinction.  How do you account for, minimally,  magickers/etc?

[Delirium]

3 - Combat female characters
3 - Non-combat female mages
2 - Semi-combat females (combat class, in a primarily non-combat role)
1 - non-combat male
1 - non-combat sponsored female role

I guess what this says about me is I like playing badass females.

I am female.

[Larrath]

My total numbers:

Combat characters: 6.
Magickers: 5.
Non-combat characters: 9.

Characters that 'count':
Combat: 6.
Magickers: 3.
Non-combat: 8.

My magickers have all been relatively non-combatant.  I generally don't play combat roles, but they can be fun too.

I am male and my characters have all been male so far.

[Cale_Knight]

Three combat males.
One sponsored non-combat male.

[LauraMars]

2 combat females (one only lasted for about 8 hours though...semi-combat?)
2 non-combat males
1 non-combat female

[Medena]

3 non-combat females

2 combat females

1 semi-combat male


I am female.

[Northlander]

I have no idea, and I am male.
Voted for that 50/50.

[Aldiel]

I'm a male.  I play males, and I do male things like fighting.  I played a female once, but she was an old hag.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

I have played one character that was not involved in some sort of combat.

Every other one of my 15-20 characters have been combatants.

And they were all males.

[Aldiel]

The thing is I'd try female characters more often, but I don't think I'm skilled enough at RPing yet.  Women are -so- complicated you see.    I could RP a one-legged dwarf with a focus to grow the largest wart in Zalanthas, but I couldn't play a woman.  :twisted:

[Twilight]

Something just over 50 characters or so.  Definately less than half actively engaged in combat.

[X-D]

Am male, play males.

And not sure by what is meant by combat chars. But assuming you mean magickers are not then would be....

About 18 combat and 6 magickers on this account.

[Synthesis]

I am male.

I've played 2 female combat-based characters.

I've played 60-some male combat-based characters.

And 1 non-combat character.

As far as I can remember, anyway.

[spawnloser]

F'd if I know any more.

I mean, most of my characters get into combat at one time in their life or another.  Many want to learn how to fight.  The ratio of male to female characters I've played is about even.

It's kinda funny that my female characters tend to live for a decent length of time while my male characters (with the exception of one) have been relatively short-lived.

[Bluefae]

Thanks to everyone who's participated / commented so far.   :wink:

I almost added a "I gender-bend so often that I couldn't give a statistically-relevant reply", or something along those lines.  This poll is by no means definitive, more like a kind of reference point, if you will.  

I concur that the "Combat vs. Non-combat" dichotomy is a bit black-and-white, but opted to stay with those terms, as most seem to have a good idea of what they stand for (in spirit, if nothing else).

The question of magickers (sp?) is a valid one, I think.  Would that best be handled by what the character did during her/his lifetime?  Of course, that begs for a "semi-combat" category, but the I felt the poor little poll already groaned under six options...

[Maybe42or54]

Where are the options to be a male and play more female combat roles?
And be female and play more male combat roles?

[Supreme Allah]

Of my characters I'd say I actually played for any length (longer than a day of playtime), I'd say:

Nine were actively combative characters.
Two were non-combative characters.

And one other who was very much inbetween.

I am male, as are all of my characters, but I am confident that if I ever made a female they'd be just as likely to be combative.

[Ender]

I picked half and half.  Technically I guess I've played more combat oriented characters, but a lot of those characters rarely saw combat.

I once had a character that was supposed to be combat oriented and I didn't see any combat for well over an IRL year, not even sparring or witnessing others engage in acts of violence.  

I still remember the nostalga I felt seeing combat spam come across my screen and saying to myself "Oh combat code, how I've missed you."

I don't have much of a moral or anything.  People are just going to play what they like playing.  Guys on the whole may be more preconditioned to play big beefy fighter types, but I've seen plenty of girls play sword slinging roughnecks and plenty of guys playing foppish dandy merchants who faint at the sight of blood.

I still miss my favorite no nonsense bald militiawoman.  She was the definition of what a grizzled armageddon warrior should be.