Character creation has long been a key component of role-playing games (RPGs), allowing players to join imaginative worlds as avatars of their own invention. The popularity of RPGs stems from the ability for players to construct characters that represent their own personalities or goals. Some players want their avatars to resemble their own look and personality, but others want to construct identities that are utterly unlike their real life. By adding personal touches, gamers may strengthen their connection to the game and make it feel more immersive. However, the complete range of player identities has frequently not been well represented by conventional character creation systems, especially for people who don’t cleanly fit into binary gender classifications.
Character growth in Demon’s Souls, a game that has garnered a cult following due to its tough gameplay and dismal fantasy atmosphere, is especially remarkable. Although it’s not the only game that pushes inclusion limitations, its character creation system is a significant demonstration of how games may adapt over time to better represent their diversified user base. It is hard to exaggerate the value of this since character development is more than merely a decorative aspect; it acts as a tool for players to identify and feel welcomed in the game environment.
The Traditional Gender Binary in Character Creation
When creating their character, players usually start by choosing their gender, which often defaults to “male” or “female.” Such binary choice inevitably excludes part of the gaming population–something that has been traditional in video games. A survey by Nielsen in August 2020 found that over 10% of gamers aged 18 and older identify as LGBTQ; of these, 10% identify as transgender or non-binary. While 10% might not seem like a big number, that still translates to an awfully large player base for something so regularly overlooked by standard methods of character creation. Also, choosing a gender in a game usually has repercussions that go beyond appearance.
For example, in some games, a character’s gender even determines the abilities, traits, and movements they can make within the game. Such constraints just ignore the complexity of expression found in humans and tend only to stereotype them. Such strict approaches always fail as women who do not walk in ‘feminine’ ways and men who walk in what might be perceived in society as ‘feminine’ ways are usual phenomena.
Demon’s Souls’ Inclusive Character Creation
Demon’s Souls includes a unique method to character building. Instead of picking a gender in the game, the players are offered with the opportunity to choose a “body type”. Because it detached physical appearance from gendered expectations, this apparently little alteration had significant repercussions. Players may pick a ‘feminine’ or ‘masculine’ body type and then are free to modify their identity. While a character with a masculine body type may use cosmetics and typically feminine hairstyles, a character with a feminine body type may flaunt a full beard.
But Demon’s Souls is more than simply a gorgeous face. Regardless of physical type, gamers may also pick the voice and walking movement of their in-game avatar. The players may put together and combine three voice choices, generally linked with a certain gender, in order to build an identity that speaks to who they are as people. This amount of versatility is one of the major breakthroughs in inclusive gaming and a blessing for many players who felt confined by earlier games’ character development approaches.
The Impact of Demon’s Souls’ Character Creation
The character creation mechanism in Demon’s Souls is a statement rather than merely a feature. It recognizes the value of having a varied player base that encompasses individuals of different genders, sizes, and forms. Demon’s Souls improves the immersive experience of the game by offering a more inclusive approach, allowing players to design characters that accurately reflect themselves.For players who identify as LGBTQ, transgender, or non-binary, this is particularly important because they can see their representation in a field that often overlooks them.
The way the characters are created in the game also forces other developers to think about how their methods could unintentionally leave out or misrepresent people. Games must change to represent the many identities of their audience as the gaming business expands and diversifies. Demon’s Souls pioneered the interpretation of how video games can and should embrace diversity, opening the door to a more inclusive and representative gaming community.
Demon’s Souls is now available on PS5, allowing players to experience its vast universe and inclusive character development up close. We look forward to the further development of character creation systems that acknowledge and appreciate the entire range of human variation, even as we welcome the advancements achieved by games like Demon’s Souls.
Ripple Effect: The Future of Other Games and Inclusive Gaming Inspired by “Demon’s Souls”
And with each new game comes an opportunity to push boundaries and set new standards. “Demon’s Souls” innovated character creation with its gender slider; that was not the end, as its progressive design went on to influence many games in quest of making their virtual worlds more inclusive, representative of their diverse user bases.
For example, “Cyberpunk 2077” has been in the news for allowing players to create their character’s genitals independently from other body parts. Flaws and technological shortcomings apart, the character development technique of “Cyberpunk 2077” definitely takes some notable inspiration from “Demon’s Souls.”
The Sims brand has also been pioneering in terms of character-inclusive options. Indeed, one of the very first non-binary characters to be developed in The Sims 4 is Lia, a non-binary stock character who breaks traditional gender norms with her features and dress choices. This feature is a great achievement in relation to the broadness of gender identities that players could want to delve into within the game.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons also had a more inclusive policy of removing gender-specific limits on clothing and allowing players to choose a style rather than a gender when making their characters. That option, which can be changed at any moment during gameplay, feels like a fresh change from the binary options that have dominated character creation screens for so long.
Even with these developments, there is always a long way to go before real inclusion in gaming is reached. Most of them still employ archaic and restrictive character generation procedures, such as in cases like “Demon’s Souls” and “Cyberpunk 2077.” Apart from constricting the speech of players, such techniques also ostracize a considerable portion of the gaming population and further stereotypes.
The findings of the Nielsen research on LGBTQ+ representation in video games underscore how vital it is to build inclusive characters. It is apparent that a substantial part of gamers are seeking for games that embrace and celebrate their identities, given about 10% of gamers over the age of 18 identify as LGBTQ+ and 10% as transgender or non-binary.
Looking forward, game makers must consistently push limits, not just in terms of gameplay and visual effects but also in how they represent and service varied customers. It’s time for the games we play to more truly represent the varied demographics within the gaming community.
Creating inclusive characters is a message rather than merely a feature. It’s a proclamation that every player should be able to identify with the games they prefer, regardless of gender identity or expression. It’s a devotion to building virtual worlds that are as varied and active as the real-life people.
Related posts:
Demon’s Souls Shows Character Creation Is Becoming More Inclusive
Demon’s Souls Review (2009) < Games Are Evil
Waypoint: CDPR Won’t Commit to Gender Fluidity in ‘Cyberpunk 2077’ (Yet)
