Oversexualization of females in video games

[cosmin haraga]

how about an amazon like comunity of warrior ladies ?

 

clothes should be based on games weather patterns - how 's that?

 

skimpy for warm - furs for cold ?

[Gorth]

The important question for me is, does it make for a game that is more fun to play and stays true to its own internal logic or is it a reflection of a real world agenda unrelated to the game world? The answer to that is also the answer to if I care or not.

 

[HungryHungryOuroboros]

I do like how the conversation shifts to people who support ridiculous oversexualizing females saying the conversation has no merit and must be shut down NOW(the subtext being "because my preference is default").

[D3xter]

That's a very broad generalization. No one is actually condemning eroticism. They're condemning instances when it makes no sense. Not having non-sensical chain bikinis /= no sexuality or sensuality at all.

Yes they are, even though they constantly say "oh, we have NOTHING against sexualization, but IN THIS case...", when you do it EVERY SINGLE TIME you do exactly that.

On this game alone, this was first deemed oversexualized and there was an entire thread full of people going bat**** over it:

 

This was also brought up and criticized for similar reasons:

 

Then people brought up this image and kept complaining till Sawyer said that the concept art "isn't part of this project":

 

Heck, in the last of these threads, near the end someone posted an image of the female dwarf:

and then went on arguing how the "boobs" are apparently too big and should be covered up, otherwise she couldn't be an efficient archer or something.

 

Where exactly is that "room for sexualization" if you people start bitching and throw a mini-****storm every single time it may come up in the slightest or a character shows the slightest bit of female sexual characteristics (since it's oddly never a problem with males, and nobody ever seems to notice it there)?

 

So, apparently there's room for it, except in every single case that has been presented so far and beyond.

Edited October 22, 2012 by D3xter

[cosmin haraga]

you do get fined for wearing a bikini or a speedo on most beaches both in the us and in europe - family approved beaches at least, having been anywhere else,can't speak for others.

 

and in us males should wear shorts - now why would I go to the beach if I want to get my ass tanned with shorts - can do that on the street.

 

 

still - when you DO start with an 18 year old permission game - why the drama ?!?!?!

 

you get what : drugs , alchool, BLOOD AND kILLING and you cry over a little flesh - which isn't straight nudity either.

 

 

it's a sorry waste of kickstarter money should they kill the sexy elf mage because out of tens of thounsands of backers a few vocal ones would like to impose church approved content - go play bunny and pocahontas or grow up

[Jarmo]

you do get fined for wearing a bikini or a speedo on most beaches both in the us and in europe - family approved beaches at least, having been anywhere else,can't speak for others.

 

What, europe, what? Where? That's not the europe I live in!

Please tell me that's not true.

[UncleBourbon]

Well, I can't speak for others, but I've been a proponent of in-setting consistancy, with little influence from real world standards. Hell, I don't care if druidesque NPCs run around with only body paint, provided the climate allows it. On the subject of boobplate, however, it becomes an issue of physics and the armor simply not functioning as well if it has the bulged chest plate. Even then, I wouldn't mind the inclusion, really. She's a priest, not some standard-issue soldier - maybe the armor was a gift to her, or something commissioned to her honor. Parade armor and such is typically depicted as more flashy and personalized, at the drawback of decreased functionality. Given that magic users - at least wizards - are revealed to use an arcane veil with a standard armor as backup against bullets, I could see a lack of emphasis on ergonomic armor design.

 

Also: I've never heard of anyone being fined for wearing a bikini or speedo, unless it was a woman going topless. I've heard of women being accused of abuse for dressing infants in bikinis, and I've heard of dozens of cases of "nudists" or "naturalists" going to public beaches in the buff, but that is different all together. Tourist beaches and private locations I've known to bar service to some, especially on those grounds.

Edited October 22, 2012 by UncleBourbon

[Margaretha]

and then went on arguing how the "boobs" are apparently too big and should be covered up, otherwise she couldn't be an efficient archer or something.

Hep, that would be me. But you should elaborate the "something" instead of making me say something I did not. What I said was a question. And it was not about "covering up" her boobs, but protecting (or not) the left one, for the sake of a realistic detail. Also, i think it would make her more "cool". As an archer. Now, if you are a fan of boobs, you can think it's cool too, 'cause it would make the impression that the right one is bigger! weehee!

 

So, this detail still confuses me as a former amateur archer. I'm afraid to open a thread just for this, it would quickly be merged with this one - my guess.

[Elerond]

Cadegund's orginal picture is fine example about oversexualization as breast bulges in her armour don't have any practical purpose, but only reason for them to exist is to highlight her gender

Edited October 22, 2012 by Elerond

[AgentOrange]

Cadegund's orginal picture is fine example about oversexualization as breast pumps in her armour don't have any practical purpose, but only reason for them to exist is to high light her gender.

 

But this is a civilization where women warriors, women in armor, is the norm - armor design is obviously going to be different from our world where only men were allowed to be knights...Maybe the women wanted to have stylistically different armor from the men...I mean there are women's t-shirts in our world that accentuate the form and are more comfortable - why not women's armor that does the same? The human form is beautiful, and there's nothing wrong with accentuating certain aspects of it. It's also way more fun for the artist to draw figures like that.

[Margaretha]

But this is a civilization where women warriors, women in armor, is the norm - armor design is obviously going to be different from our world where only men were allowed to be knights...Maybe the women wanted to have stylistically different armor from the men...I mean there are women's t-shirts in our world that accentuate the form and are more comfortable - why not women's armor that does the same? The human form is beautiful, and there's nothing wrong with accentuating certain aspects of it. It's also way more fun for the artist to draw figures like that.

What if... in a world where some women do actually fight, they would also be strong enough to fight without needle heels to please men? Just for... I do not know... the sake of being efficient?

Edited October 22, 2012 by Margaretha

[ImRhoven]

you do get fined for wearing a bikini or a speedo on most beaches both in the us and in europe - family approved beaches at least, having been anywhere else,can't speak for others.

 

What, europe, what? Where? That's not the europe I live in!

Please tell me that's not true.

 

First I hear about that too ...

[jarpie]

He is obvious troll, just ignore him.

[AgentOrange]

But this is a civilization where women warriors, women in armor, is the norm - armor design is obviously going to be different from our world where only men were allowed to be knights...Maybe the women wanted to have stylistically different armor from the men...I mean there are women's t-shirts in our world that accentuate the form and are more comfortable - why not women's armor that does the same? The human form is beautiful, and there's nothing wrong with accentuating certain aspects of it. It's also way more fun for the artist to draw figures like that.

What if... in a world where some women do actually fight, they would also be strong enough to fight without needle heels to please men? Just for... I do not know... the sake of being efficient?

 

Needle heels? What are you talking about. Look at the concept art and stay on topic plz.

[UncleBourbon]

But this is a civilization where women warriors, women in armor, is the norm - armor design is obviously going to be different from our world where only men were allowed to be knights...Maybe the women wanted to have stylistically different armor from the men...I mean there are women's t-shirts in our world that accentuate the form and are more comfortable - why not women's armor that does the same? The human form is beautiful, and there's nothing wrong with accentuating certain aspects of it. It's also way more fun for the artist to draw figures like that.

What if... in a world where some women do actually fight, they would also be strong enough to fight without needle heels to please men? Just for... I do not know... the sake of being efficient?

 

Needle heels? What are you talking about. Look at the concept art and stay on topic plz.

 

Even in a culture primarily of female warriors (which has NOT been confirmed, afaik) unless the laws of physics - especially in the displacement of force and redirection - differ, the design is inferior. A single, realtively smooth plate of metal is simultaneously going to deflect more energy away from the point of impact (as even a standard breastplate has some curvature, and directs away from the vital) and have greater structural integrity.

[Moonlight Butterfly]

This has been hashed out already but as a woman I definitely don't like my playable character to be a sex object. Often I don't even mind if there are other women in the game who are overly sexy as as long as I can dress my character appropriately for what she is doing.

 

I even bought the mechromancer dlc for borderlands 2 because the Siren didn't feel very 'me'

 

That's my two gold coins anyway :3

[Elerond]

Cadegund's orginal picture is fine example about oversexualization as breast pumps in her armour don't have any practical purpose, but only reason for them to exist is to high light her gender.

 

But this is a civilization where women warriors, women in armor, is the norm - armor design is obviously going to be different from our world where only men were allowed to be knights...Maybe the women wanted to have stylistically different armor from the men...I mean there are women's t-shirts in our world that accentuate the form and are more comfortable - why not women's armor that does the same? The human form is beautiful, and there's nothing wrong with accentuating certain aspects of it. It's also way more fun for the artist to draw figures like that.

 

But breast bugles weaken breast plate's protective capacities as they don't in all cases guide hits away from vital areas. You can stylized armour to fit women better and be more femine without losing any of it's protectiveness. Breast bluges are similar oversexualisation as breast battings in girls swimsuites.

 

EDIT: There is women in armies now, and they use same armored vests as men, each person chooses that vest which has right messurements to fit and there is no need for make bulges for breast in steel/ceramic plates.

Edited October 22, 2012 by Elerond

[ImRhoven]

Cadegund's orginal picture is fine example about oversexualization as breast pumps in her armour don't have any practical purpose, but only reason for them to exist is to high light her gender.

 

But this is a civilization where women warriors, women in armor, is the norm - armor design is obviously going to be different from our world where only men were allowed to be knights...Maybe the women wanted to have stylistically different armor from the men...I mean there are women's t-shirts in our world that accentuate the form and are more comfortable - why not women's armor that does the same? The human form is beautiful, and there's nothing wrong with accentuating certain aspects of it. It's also way more fun for the artist to draw figures like that.

 

Plate armors are designed to make blows glance off and away from the body. Boob-plates are counter productive to that. Also, taking a blow to the chest while wearing boob-plate is a good way to break your sternum, it guides all the energy from the blow to a single point instead of spreading it across the armor.

 

I agree that the human form is beautiful, and if, for instance, the game would have prostitutes or waitresses/dancers in bars, or even a religious order for a god/goddess of love or some such I wouldn't be opposed to them wearing alluring outfits. But it really has no place in armor design, except maybe in parade armor, but that's hardly something a hardened adventurer/warrior would wear. If what Obsidian wants to create is a believable, mature, internally consistent world, then eroticized armor really has no place in it. (as do huge pauldrons, spikey bits on your elbows you poke your eyes out with if you lift your arms and other such nonsense).

 

And anyone attributing this line of reasoning to "white knighting" is a trollish, moron of the highest order. Seriously, the things I've read in this thread ...

[Forlorn Hope]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/marta_spurgeon/445978342/

[Moonlight Butterfly]

 

And anyone attributing this line of reasoning to "white knighting" is a trollish, moron of the highest order. Seriously, the things I've read in this thread ...

 

The reason they do that is because they themselves would only stand up for women's rights is if they got sex so they project that reason onto more forward thinking men. It's called Malignant Narcissism.

[Moonlight Butterfly]

http://www.flickr.co...geon/445978342/

 

And yet that would not endanger the wearer...ignoring the fact he's probably compensating and can't actually fill it out. I kid I kid.

[Ruka]

I was playing LoL for the fist time the other day and saw that every female had large breast with silly armor. I thought of this thread lol.

 

http://www.flickr.co...geon/445978342/

 

And no man would be caught with that on the battlefield.

Edited October 22, 2012 by Ruka

[Grotesque]

I am on this thread just for the pictures

[Elerond]

http://www.flickr.co...geon/445978342/

 

That armour is for those men who have sore private parts from gonorrhea which they got from cheap prostitute in their last leave

Edited October 22, 2012 by Elerond

[Sykid]

Hey guys, I hear 70 year old members of monastic traditions aren't all built like Bruce Lee and spend their time stripped half naked and flexing their muscles. Where do I sign up to rage?