Male or Female SPOILER HEAVY

[Mr. Hanky]

so I've been reading... a dangerous tendency where video games are concerned. Canon states that I am supposed to play as a woman in this game, however I've also read that's because a bunch of people complained that all the star wars heroes were male and none were female. As I've played this game through many times as a male, the game has always felt like it was meant for the male storyline. Between the hinted at romantic angst between the male protaganist and Atris, the handmaiden sub-story (which I really like, not all will agree, but I'm not asking for an argument), and things like that, it always felt like the protaganist was supposed to be, and probably most fulfilling as a male.

That being said I have never really experimented with the game as a female. The problem is that this game is a time investment, a lot of listening to dialogue, and the intro/telos stuff just drags on and on.

My question is this, was this game so expertly crafted that it can feel just as much "this game was meant to be played as a female" as it does playing through as a male? For instance, am I genuinely missing out by not experiencing Mical as a companion, or having Sion lust after me? Or are those things just there to have something for the female characters too?

[Commodore Camacho]

Honestly, no. The big difference is you get Mical as a companion when you're a female and he is romancable. The game is designed to be played as both sexes with compatible story lines for both.

However, with the rise of the story driven Star Wars: The Old Republic the big question people had was who are these people we played before? It was then BioWare stated that, for canon, Revan was a male Jedi and Meetra Surik (KotOR II) was a female Jedi.

[travjon]

I've played as male and female multiple times, and they both fit well. You mention that for male there's the somewhat romance thing with Atris, but as a female exile I see it more as Atris looked up to the exile kind of like a big sister. The relationship with Atton feels more natural as female because Kreia is "forcing" him to protect the exile. I've always hated Mical, so never really talked to him, so I can't comment on that. It doesn't make a huge difference whether you play as male or female; I just like to try both sides, and recommend you do the same if you really enjoy Kotor 2.

[Cooperal]

I would say still play as what you like. The female protagonist wasn't declared canon until 2006, 2 years after game release, from a whole different (but official nonetheless) source from the people who worked on the game. She could've been written down as a female for a reason as simple as the author preferring to play female characters. When her gender was very first mentioned, the author kind of just slipped in the gender specific pronouns like it had already been well established. The role of Exile always felt rather "male" to be but that's beside the point.

To top it all off, the Handmaidens following of the Exile is still considered canon despite being impossible to acquire her as a female character. This mean both playable genders contain a fairly notable part of the canon which the other does not.

[Hassat Hunter]

My answer... as always;
"Screw canon, play whatever you want"

[Ylight94]

I like playing female alot but i cant stand the guy you get in your party as femal and i like handmaid alot XD

[Ylight94]

Originally posted by Mr. Hanky:

so I've been reading... a dangerous tendency where video games are concerned. Canon states at I am supposed to play as a woman in this game, however I've also read that's because a bunch of people complained that all the star wars heroes were male and none were female. As I've played this game through many times as a male, the game has always felt like it was meant for the male storyline. Between the hinted at romantic angst between the male protaganist and Atris, the handmaiden sub-story (which I really like, not all will agree, but I'm not asking for an argument), and things like that, it always felt like the protaganist was supposed to be, and probably most fulfilling as a male.

That being said I have never really experimented with the game as a female. The problem is that this game is a time investment, a lot of listening to dialogue, and the intro/telos stuff just drags on and on.

My question is this, was this game so expertly crafted that it can feel just as much "this game was meant to be played as a female" as it does playing through as a male? For instance, am I genuinely missing out by not experiencing Mical as a companion, or having Sion lust after me? Or are those things just there to have something for the female characters too?

Also try the Intro skip Mod.

[fenke]

You have the choice at character creation, if you choose a male, the Exile is male.

Canon and Role Playing games just don't match, inevitably some backwater writer will come along and break your, completely legit, character and story. Usually for no good reason.

The Exile could have remained the Exile, but for some halfwit writer decided there should be a name, a gender and a future while even ignoring the story and it's implications.

Stay away from canon, better yet, stay away from Star Wars, it ends with KotOR 2.

[Mr. Hanky]

Good point.

[Hassat Hunter]

And if you need more incentive, Disney just canned the whole cannon deal, so there's nothing stopping cannon-obsessed people anymore to play KOTOR2 the way it was intended to be, like you want :)

[Commodore Camacho]

Originally posted by Hassat Hunter:

And if you need more incentive, Disney just canned the whole cannon deal, so there's nothing stopping cannon-obsessed people anymore to play KOTOR2 the way it was intended to be, like you want :)

Slightly wrong. They're only trashing post Return of the Jedi canon.

[Mr. Hanky]

but my question wasn't about the validity of defying canon, it was about how well this game was written. Is this game better playing through as a male or a female? Or is it so well written that it's just as cool playing as a male as a female?

[Commodore Camacho]

Originally posted by Mr. Hanky:

but my question wasn't about the validity of defying canon, it was about how well this game was written. Is this game better playing through as a male or a female? Or is it so well written that it's just as cool playing as a male as a female?

It works well playing both. Only just minor differences such as one party member and who is romancable.

[Xalderin]

If it helps anymore, There is a mod to switch Mical and Handmaiden depending on which gender you are. (meaning, you could be female, and still get handmaiden, and say screw Mical.. o.o") But it's only for those that prefer one over the other...(Which I preferably like/love Handmaiden so much more >___<)
Also, from my Experience, It's fun to play both :D I prefer female for some weird reason, but I just like the style and clothes better xP
And like the others said, The only real difference is the 1 party member change. (Other small differences, but not too much noticable unless you're an amazing GOD of Kotor 2 that played it for over 1000 hours, and still play it... But that's beside the point xD)

[fenke]

Oh, I'd like handmaiden for my Exile, what mod is that?

[Hassat Hunter]

http://deadlystream.com/forum/files/file/226-handmaiden-4-females-disciple-4-males-for-tslrcm-183/