[Lucid:]

Good for your lead programmer! That's the kind of attitude that more game designers need to have! I don't think games really "need" that kind of hook for them to be interesting, but many oblivious game designers believe that it's necessary. Penny Arcade did a great article on games with female leads here. I was shocked at the numbers. It's total BS that games with female protagonists are given half the marketing budget of other games.
Anyway, best of luck on your game! I hope to see some hardcore female heroes out of you! I'll definitely buy it when you guys get it published. :)

I'm not a huge fan of shooters, but that's just my play preference. Any game with a rich story and background and art, I'll at least sit and watch somebody play, if not play it myself. Virtual pet/dating/garbage games are terribly insulting. They shouldn't even exist. The only virtual life game that's any good is The Sims, and that game is very rich and well done and I not only like making up great characters, but also burning them to death.

I suggest you get a longboard. A girl that lived in my old apartment complex/neigborhood/thing rode one up and down the street on a longboard for fun all the time. She was really cool and I didn't feel like it was a "guy" thing at all. LIVE YOUR DREAMS.