Genderfluid MC - Thoughts?

Game Development Writing and Content
1

I’m working on a game and considering working in an option for the MC to be explicitly genderfluid (allowing the player to change personal pronouns throughout the game).

I have code to create a pronoun selection screen on the stats page (below), but I’m wondering if that’s the best way to implement this. It would allow players to change their pronouns at any time, but that would also happen in a vacuum – other characters would automatically switch pronouns without the MC saying anything.

Would it be better to, e.g., give an option to switch pronouns (and presentation, if desired) every few chapters, so that the MC has a chance to explicitly state their pronouns?

(All ROs are some flavor of bi/pan, so that’s not an issue. If I were to just use the pronoun selection screen on the stats page, there would be a few chances to define presentation where story-relevant.)

Thanks!

Rough and dirty code:

*choice
  #Change Pronouns
    You are currently using [b]${mc_they}[/b]. Would you like to change your pronouns?
    *fake_choice
      #Yes
        *label changepronouns
        What is your subject pronoun? (e.g. "[b]They[/b] laughed.")
        *input_text mc_they	
        What is your object pronoun? (e.g. "We just saw [b]them[/b].")
        *input_text mc_them	
        What is your possessive determiner? (e.g. "[b]Their[/b] laughter was loud.")
        *input_text mc_their
        What is your possessive pronoun? (e.g. "That is [b]theirs[/b].")
        *input_text mc_theirs	
        What is your reflexive pronoun? (e.g. "They like [b]themself[/b].")
        *input_text mc_self	
        What is the contraction for "<pronoun> is/are"? (e.g. "[b]They're[/b] laughing.")
        *input_text mc_theyre
        Your pronouns are ${mc_they}/${mc_them}/${mc_their}/${mc_theirs}/${mc_self}/${mc_theyre}, correct?
        *fake_choice
          #Yes, those are correct.
            *goto screen
          #No, those are wrong.
            *goto changepronouns
      #No
        *goto screen
    *goto screen

(Coding to procrastinate writing? Me? Never.)

2 Likes
2

I would recommend checking out Eagle’s Heir, which has an option for a gender fluid PC. Essentially they had set points where you could change presentation and pronouns, which would influence the story.

8 Likes
3

Codewise this looks fine to me.
I’m doing this in my game, too, and I opted for a sub_scene every time the pronouns change.

1 Like
4

Thanks! I haven’t played that.

5

May I ask why? To tie in better to the game/make more relevant? Thank you!

6

I dont know how Eagles Heir did it (havent done a gf run) but in my case its cause there’s always a bit of text leading into it, while the choice body is always the same.
(Also i have 2 mcs…)

7

Ah, gotcha. Thanks :slight_smile: