So I just completed The Walking Dead Final Season.
In it there’s an obvious lesbian character ( talks about missing a girl, says they were close, carved her initials and the girl’s in a heart, Clementine has the option of explaining to AJ about her missing her girlfriend) around Clementine’s age and she awkwardly sorta hits on Clem though she’s still grieving her Dead ex
And it got me thinking. I’ve always viewed Clementine as my daughter. And last season she Had a major crush and even kissed Javier’s nephew so is it my place to change her sexuality because I have the option when the game puts me in her shoes. There was a WIP on possibly permanent hiatus. You played a parent and child. You could choose their genders and to a degree their personality presumably I the full game when you played as your kid for some chapters you’d further define them. It was an amazing game and the idea of customizing a character who at some points you don’t actually play is fascinating. But again should I in that game be allowed to choose who my kid likes even though they are both technically my character?
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oh. OH. the final season is here? finally. the New Frontier I didn’t even finished. We had a new character that I did not need absolutely, because he played the role of father for Clementine. The problem is that a) Lee has already played this role; b) Clementine has gone through too much to do it again. Their romance with this boy was terrible in my opinion. Besides, Clementine, who worries about some … what was his name? I do not even remember. and did you see her flannel shirt? I mean… yeah, okay. In addition, the game constantly pushed main protagonist to an affair with the WIFE OF MY BROTHER. She was not even divorced. It was terrible. I felt so uncomfortable that after the second episode I just deleted the whole game. And don’t get me even started about the choices from Second season which wasn’t relevant at all, as it turns out. It wasn’t worth it.
As for the choice of orientation for my child … no. I think, let the game itself decide this. Randomize it or whatever. I do not want to interfere in the lives of other characters, except for the choice that my heroine does and that influence someone else. EDIT But if I control him/her/they, then yes, absolutely. I must have a choice of the child’s sexuality.
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Yes, he or she they is a character you control so is great have a choicein how Your character behave if you are controling him her they. I hate when games suppose the characters you control are heterosexual by default. Except if is a no choice story game Like Last of us where is okay. but in a CHOICE gamei have to choose something so important like that. Also Clem could be bisexual you know Have a crush on a dude once doesn’t mean you can not crush a girl or a nb later
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I can see arguments both for and against it, really.
On one hand they would technically be your character, on the other hand, you don’t really have way too much say in it as a parent. A lot of being a parent is dealing with the kid and trying to have them make good choices, and if you’re making a good deal of guaranteed changes for them it can dampen that experience a bit.
There’s the “i don’t really know what to expect” factor. I think influencing personality instead of just choosing it outright is always better, Choice of Robots is a good example of that, at least from what i’ve seen.
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If your fictional child is a second protagonist then there’s definitely nothing wrong with choosing their orientation. Even if it’s not relevant to the rest of the story. Knowing that detail would help me get into character.
If your child is just a secondary character I don’t really see the point. I think all parents are nervous when their sons or daughters start dating boys or girls.
I guess if the story is really heavily focused on the relationships in the family I guess it could be important, and the child’s orientation, could have some impact. A parent might worry more about a gay child, or worry about different things.
I guess after all that my opinion is…If the author wants to give the player that choice there’s no reason they shouldn’t.
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I agree with you always I don’t control it as a character. If is my character is MY character , I want have a say in something as important as love and desire and what romance. Ifit is not my character i don’t need to choose
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I mean I’d prefer it to be randomized honestly.
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If they aren’t a character you control, your child having a random gender and orientation is the best solution to me. Even in the case of controlling them, it still feels kind of sleazy to just… control everything your child has, down to hair color and and style.
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It is not My child. Is My character. I understand that some people think they are they characters I am not. I don’t want control a character hours and find absolutely all set in a stone. I am playing a game based upon choices. Who my character wants and what desires is a big part of it. If I control it is mine .
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I suppose the logical question would be would you do so if you could in real life, cause that opens up a bit of a can of worms there. 
That said, I guess it depends on the context. I know there was a COG WIP where you played as both a parent and their child, in that context it’s cool to have lots of romance options for both of them.
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The question is about a son you CONTROL TOO as a character In a game based upon choices. Not real life issues lol. Of course i don’t want control my son in real life what sick question is that.
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I’m saying if you wouldn’t in reality then you likely wouldn’t want to in a fictional context (unless the context made sense). Sorry if I might have worded that weirdly.
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Why not? is not a npc. IsMY character i am role-playing as him her they. It is me who decided all his her they choices. Choose whom romance is logical.
So i am definitely deciding all their life if they die or not… etc But i can’t choose who they desire??? It has no sense.
The question is About you controlling both characters both are tailored by your choices. It is not that you are their daddy mom parent no you are both same time.
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Moreso that I don’t find any point in choosing their orientation and gender.
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You can never have too much customization, i say!
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A note as the gam mentioned in the first post might be mine:
Yes, you do play as your kid in several chapters, which, knowing how I write, will probably amount to around 300k to 400k words with code on its own.
So, there’ll be stuff that requires (?) customizing the kid in this case.
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If we’re talking about a character in a story (especially if it’s a character the player has control over otherwise) and not an actual real child, I don’t see what the problem is. 
I guess if it’s the only thing the player controls about the character, then it might be a little iffy, but even then I wouldn’t really have a problem with it. 
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If I’m picking their orientation from the beginning I would find it awkward but okay.
If I’m picking at a point that it would pretty much be retconning then I’m strongly against it.
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I just don’t understand why all of you find it awkward. Probably is because I am used to rpg and table rpg parties where you control several characters. YOU ARE ALL YOUR CHARACTERS. it is not x is your real kid.
You control both , you aren’t one tht control his her they kid. If that’s case that is sick for me a big no.
But if I control and decide the characters and control over them I want Control them
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If it’s going to be long enough for the child’s orientation to be all that important they need that planned from part one instead of futzing it up in sequels. Also we usually don’t take the roles of our children so the idea comes off as being too controlling to me.
It’s control and retconning I have an issue with not the orientations themselves. I’m bi with a thing for tomboys and gentle giants.
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