Don't determine kerbal gender from name.

[Tw1]

I'm suggesting Squad should use a line in the persistent file, or a separate CFG to set a kerbal's gender. This would give players who want to go that far a lot more control.

Some players are have favourite Kerbals, others have stories or videos they're working on. It would be a bit of a bother if a Kerbal who they've long though of as girl or guy ends up with the incorrect model, with no simple way to change this.

[sumghai]

Agreed wholeheartedly.

[klgraham1013]

I'll give this a thumbs up as well.

[Wabbit]

You could always change the default.cfg in TextureReplacer... But it takes a lot of work and looking. Support.

[dryer_lint]

Yes please.

[J.Random]

Also, KXP has to be redone with this in mind. Kerbal specialty should be specified in persistent file, not generated from the name. Watching OverloadUT fighting this idiotic randomness when he recreated "The Martian" roster on KSPTV was painful.

[LABHOUSE]

I agree, the jobs should be the same way.

[GreeningGalaxy]

I'm all for this too - I don't think it would make a lot of sense for kerbal gender to be based on name anyway, since there are so many androgynous names out there. Having it done as a hash of the name like occupation would certainly be interesting, but I can't imagine the community reacting to that any more politely than they've been to female kerbals in the first place. In general, I think lines in the persistence file are good. We should see one for gender, one for occupation, one for experience, and, if other textures/model shapes get added beyond just one scheme for each gender, one for determining that too.

[Brotoro]

If you mean they should not determine the gender of a kerbal by some algorithim based upon the kerbal's name (as they did with kerbal roles), then I agree completely. (And change the way roles are assigned while you're adding the "GENDER =" line in the files by adding a "ROLE =" line as well, please, Squad.)

But I think female kerbals need their own name genarator lists that are likely to give them female sounding names.

[RainDreamer]

I don't really mind it either way, but I hope whatever method they implement, it should be easy for them to do, and easily moddable too.

[Superfluous J]

I agree with all of the everything in this thread.

[Tw1]

Also, KXP has to be redone with this in mind. Kerbal specialty should be specified in persistent file, not generated from the name.

I think a lot of the damage has been done, but agree. The current set up is too cumbersome and hard to customise. I have at least one Kerbal who I'd like to give a composite/custom class, but doing so under the current system would mess up the rest of the roster, and I'd probably have to change the kerbal's identity.

I am no programmer, but the game does generate identical entries for Jeb, Bill, and Bob each time a new persistence file is made, so it should be possible to do the same, but with role and gender lines included.

the current role deciding algorithms could be used during the save conversion process,

But I think female kerbals need their own name genarator lists that are likely to give them female sounding names.

I'm not 100% sure about this. In languages I'm familiar with, that tends to be to do with the end of the name, but there are also names that are ambiguous. Maybe the list could be sorted into male, female, and neutral suffixes. But as long as a Kerbal can be edited what ever their name is, I think it will be alright.

Edited January 25, 2015 by Tw1

[Sirrobert]

I fully agree

[KSK]

Why they decided to add genders in first place? They inviting another "shirt" scandal.

I prefer to think that Kerbals are asexual and immortal.

Fair enough, but judging from the multitudinous threads on this topic over the years, a significant portion of the player base disagrees. Anyhow - lets not derail this thread into another rehash of that debate.

Agree with having gender determined by configuration file rather than algorithm. If it hasn't already been confirmed, I also think it would be good to seed the name database with names of notable women astronauts (or other space pioneers for that matter), so that Valentina Kerman or Sally Kerman could appear alongside Neil or Buzz Kerman. After that I'm not sure. As already pointed out, a lot of the randomly generated names are androgynous, but some of them really aren't. There's a limit to how feminine (or androgynous) you can make Billybob*something* for example.

[RogueMason]

When I found that jobs didn't have a line in the configs, I was a little disappointed, so if gender does end up being based on the names instead... ugh, I won't be pleased, especially as I do have a self-made Kerbal at the moment who is supposed to be female.

[klgraham1013]

Why they decided to add genders in first place? They inviting another "shirt" scandal.

I prefer to think that Kerbals are asexual and immortal.

I prefer Diverse Kerbal Heads which adds a sense of gender without relying on lipstick and eyelashes.

edit: P.S. Squad, please don't rely on lipstick and eyelashes.

Edited January 25, 2015 by klgraham1013

[Brotoro]

I recall reading that Squad said they weren't going to use lipstick.

And eyelashes are kind of silly when your kerbals don't even have eyelids.

[Sirrobert]

Why they decided to add genders in first place? They inviting another "shirt" scandal.

I prefer to think that Kerbals are asexual and immortal.

Because some people deceided that without gender identificating features, Kerbals are male, and thus there should be females.

Those people shouted loud enough, and here we are

[Tomski]

5 o'clock shadows are not "androgynous features"

Edited January 26, 2015 by Tomski
I realized the issue I wanted to raise has already been brought up

[Kelderek]

Pat Kerman

Chris Kerman

etc.?

(nostalgically remembering SNL skits)

[Tw1]

Because some people deceided that without gender identificating features, Kerbals are male, and thus there should be females.

Those people shouted loud enough, and here we are

I disagree that they lack gender Identifying characteristics:

Examine this base model kerbal:

Kebals are based on humans.

Not the features of this kerbal specimen:

-Squarish jaw

-Blockish face silhouette

-Male type hairline,

-Loosely male figure (wide at shoulders, no "curves".)

Plenty of secondary characteristics suggesting male gender, despite a lack of primary characteristics.

I recall reading that Squad said they weren't going to use lipstick.

And eyelashes are kind of silly when your kerbals don't even have eyelids.

Yes, there have been so many good drawings and photoshops of how a female kerbal should look, which have been going around for some time. I will be disappointed if squad's model isn't up to scratch.

[Frozen_Heart]

^ The second to last concept is my favourite. Subtle changes are often better than obvious ones.

[Pthigrivi]

I mean if they're going to do this pass they should really do it right and make a system for unique kerbals, with several different hairstyles randomized with a few different colors. There are some weedier issues about gender norms but I actually don't mind the rounded head idea. That way you could have some hairstyles that are unique to males, (beards and male pattern baldness), hairstyles that are unique to females (a few girlyish hair styles) and then a swath in the middle that could be used for either. I think they could throw in a few different styles of glasses but skip jewelry. Names too could end up being either on the girl side of the spectrum or the male side.

I don't know how the coding effects this, basically just mechanism that won't give a mustache to Hermanina Kerman. Having a swath of gender ambiguous names and hairstyles I think softens things nicely.

Also... just sayin, KSC is gonna need some female staff

[Tw1]

I mean if they're going to do this pass they should really do it right and make a system for unique kerbals, with several different hairstyles randomized with a few different colors.

-snip-.

Also... just sayin, KSC is gonna need some female staff

I agree, kerbal customisation would be a great thing. These factors would be easier to make customisable if the data was stored in a separate file, or even in the save, even if it is not included in the 'first' release of the game, so please take note squad.

And yeah, I hope there is room for at least one more kerbal in the admin building.

In my Oceans of Eve, I made KSC's legal advisor female, (Though she's only a bit character). That could be a good admin role.

Edited January 26, 2015 by Tw1