Bringing a Bikini to a swordfight (Girls and games)

[KuwaSanjuro]

I found some of he comments a little annoying though (quote "...no one plays as female shepard" 20% of gamers dosn't count as no-one genius...)

I played as both male and fem-Shep and thought the female Shepard was a hundred times better than the male Shepard, he was boring she was awesome, and I'm a guy. Sorry just thought I'd share.

Damn didn't quote properly

 

[ThatLankyBastard]

I got to 7 characters...

Great article!

 

[WesternGamer]

To all the people thinking Bayonetta was great feminist character

play Bayonetta

No, I have seen and heard enough about it to know not to.

 

[Novus Loyal]

The term "gamer girl" is what us English language students like to call a marked term, aka-- a word which has been changed from the norm' in order to show the people listening/reading that they're talking about a certain group of people. A "lesser" form of the usual "gamer" if you will. Maybe it sounds like I'm simply reading too much into this, but then again, people don't refer to, say, a gamer?s nationality, etc, etc... when talking about other gamers, do they? It seems focused solely on "girl gamers".
On the flip side, I suppose that "girl gamer" doesn't have anything immediately bad to note on at face value. Although it is derogatory to call a "woman" a "girl" -- you wouldn't call a grown man "boy", would you? It would be demeaning and could even be taken as an attack on his ego.

There are plenty of strong female and male characters out there, despite there being more males than females. This might have something to do with the history of the target audience, which is now changing to incorporate females too. Unfortunately gaming seems to still be going through the teething phases and is yet to start consistently creating realistic, interesting and generally more fleshed out female characters. There's still hope!
I read a lot of comic books, which have been in print for way longer than videogames have been produced for; they still don't seem to have got the message of SKINNY GIRLS GENERALLY WON'T HAVE ENOUGH MUSCLE TO DO THAT, NOR BOOBS THAT SIZE!

 

[Thaluikhain]

No, I have seen and heard enough about it to know not to.

I know what you mean. I'd like to think it was a parody of something crazy, rather than a genuine attempt at a serious game.

 

[Saint of M]

I was able to think of more than 10:
1: Cortana (Halo 1, 2, 3, Reach, Books)
2: Dr. Halsey (Halo Reach, Books)
3: Kat (Halo Reach)
4: Miranda Keyes (Halo 2, 3)
5: Alyx Vance (Half-Life 2, E1, E2, E3)
6: Zoey (Left 4 Dead, L4D2)
7: Rochelle (L4D2)
8: Nicolle (Dead Space, 2, comics)
9: Amy (Sonic games, comics, other things)
10: Cream (Sonic games, comics, other things)
11: Veronica (Halo 3: ODST)
12: Veronica (Fallout: New Vegas)
13: Tali (Mass Effect 1, 2, 3)
14: Liara (Mass Effect 1, 2, 3?)
15: Ash (Mass Effect 1, 2, 3?)

Those are off the top of my head.

I wouldn't have Cortana on that list. Yes she sound strong, and intelligent, and has one hell of a sense of humor, but for all intensive purposes she's naked (even by AI standards) and while she is well proportioned, there is an emphasis on a few key parts of her body.

As much as I agree she is more then a par pf pixelated breasts within the universe of video game (you don't see her 90% of the game first two games, and not much below the neckline for 90% of the third game. Yet all things said and done she still has a body like this:

 

[Netrigan]

Yep, but, Alyx Vance also proves that the stereotype that men are slobbering lechers for big tits is bullshit.

Not really. That stereotype is certainly untrue (though has merit) but it is not Vance who disproves it.

There is no character out there for whom there is as much consensus of attractiveness, liking and desirability as Alyx Vance. That means Valve designed her according to the characteristics most men want in a woman. She damn well disproves it.

Except that its an illusion.

They just replaced outward sexual traits with inner personality issues.

Alyx Vance is almost completely defenseless, she almost always makes the Gordan's life harder, rarely ever has a good idea, can't do much on her own, and the only reason Gordan listens to her is because HE CAN'T FUCKING SAY NO!

Also, the only reason she isn't dead is because the G-Man wants her around so he can better mind-fuck people.

Subtract Gordan Freeman from the equation, and Vance doesn't become much more than a quivering blob waiting to be saved.

Oh wait.

You're just determined to make Alyx Vance the same kind of ***** that make Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball popular, aren't you? I've seen a few posts like this, do you have a problem with a likeable female character? And have you played through Episodes 1 and 2? She does shoot and kill enemies, though most of the time you'r too busy killing some to notice, and she does have some good ideas - like using a sniper rifle to defend you while you're on your way to a car.

And just what the hell is wrong with an attractive personality? Nothing. There's more to a girl than sex, and her personality is, you know, what makes a girl more than a pair of breasts.

Alyx is one of the few NPC companions I've enjoyed fighting alongside in video games. She more than holds her own in fights. In fights against the Combine, you can even let her handle the lion's share of the fighting, although you have to watch her back. Try to hide in a corner, she will die.

Compare that with Dom in Gears Of War 2 who has this bad habit of running away when you're desperately trying to get him to heal you... or charging into the middle of a fight and going down inside of two seconds. Then whining about his fucking wife for half the fucking game.

 

[New Vegas Samurai]

well, the lady in beyond good and evil seems pretty plausible, samus aran (before subsequent armor removal fan service) is still a good example i'd reckon, it just scares me to think that maybe beyond good and evil did not do so good because of a female character...

 

[Paragon Fury]

Yep, but, Alyx Vance also proves that the stereotype that men are slobbering lechers for big tits is bullshit.

Not really. That stereotype is certainly untrue (though has merit) but it is not Vance who disproves it.

There is no character out there for whom there is as much consensus of attractiveness, liking and desirability as Alyx Vance. That means Valve designed her according to the characteristics most men want in a woman. She damn well disproves it.

Except that its an illusion.

They just replaced outward sexual traits with inner personality issues.

Alyx Vance is almost completely defenseless, she almost always makes the Gordan's life harder, rarely ever has a good idea, can't do much on her own, and the only reason Gordan listens to her is because HE CAN'T FUCKING SAY NO!

Also, the only reason she isn't dead is because the G-Man wants her around so he can better mind-fuck people.

Subtract Gordan Freeman from the equation, and Vance doesn't become much more than a quivering blob waiting to be saved.

Oh wait.

You're just determined to make Alyx Vance the same kind of ***** that make Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball popular, aren't you? I've seen a few posts like this, do you have a problem with a likeable female character? And have you played through Episodes 1 and 2? She does shoot and kill enemies, though most of the time you'r too busy killing some to notice, and she does have some good ideas - like using a sniper rifle to defend you while you're on your way to a car.

And just what the hell is wrong with an attractive personality? Nothing. There's more to a girl than sex, and her personality is, you know, what makes a girl more than a pair of breasts.

Except the ladies in DoA can handle themselves.

I've played all the Half-Life games.

Funny story, I have just as many recorded Combine-induced deaths as I do deaths attributed to Vance's stupidity.

I could make a montage if I had a capture card.

Seeing Vance in Half-life is never a good thing. She brings no good news, ever, and anytime you see her, you know you life is about to involve fire, pain, being shot at, being asked to do stupidly hard or dangerous things, being made to do things the hard way, or combination of the former.

And she's definitely not helpful. Oh look, I fell into a hole that you failed to warn me about for the 5 fucking time. And now you're going to make snide comments, instead of doing something useful, LIKE PICKING UP THE ROPE WE SAW NOT MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES AGO AND HELPING ME UP.

Female empowerment my ass.

At least Ayane or Lara would've had the common sense to be snide after they helped out of the hole.

And probably would shoot me in the back less too.

 

[GrizzlerBorno]

Yep, but, Alyx Vance also proves that the stereotype that men are slobbering lechers for big tits is bullshit.

Not really. That stereotype is certainly untrue (though has merit) but it is not Vance who disproves it.

Can i ask you a question: What is, to you, a non-sexualiazed female character?
You find that flaw in both Lara Croft and Alyx Vance; two different characters in every sense of the word. So if they are both sexualized what is non-sexualiased. I don't want an example; just humor me and build a hypothesis?

 

[GrizzlerBorno]

Simply, a character in a game not put there to intentionally sexually appeal to the player.
Samus Aran, nude cheat & Zero suit nonwithstanding, is a good example. Faith & her blonde friend whose name I can't recall in Mirror's Edge is another, & Stacey Forsythe in Dead Rising 2.

I feel like you're using "sexually appeal" in a very abstruse way. A lot of men are very strongly attracted to woman who are just "capable". It may not be "sexual attraction" or some carnal instinct. It may just be an appreciation of the person's personality and/or capability.

From where I'm standing....that why people like Alyx. She's not designed to fire up those carnal instincts of sexuality within male players, this you have to agree upon. Instead she is, albeit kinda deliberately, designed to pique the interests of those with a fascination of the specific archetype that she does, admittedly, fit. The tough, but relatable girl, who puts aside her femininity in order to act appropriately for her time of war, but loses her grip on that in times of extreme emotional conflict; like when someone she is clearly enticed by, walks into a Death Trap or when a heavy zombie pins her to the wall, leaving her helpless, forcing you to save her , as she saved you before (which is a fact that some people forget *ahem*).

It's not a unique archetype, or one that hides it's marks of "artificial engineering" particularly well. But it's not the same thing as like a DoA chick, or Lara "ass-kicking in hot pants" Croft, which cater specifically to the stereotype of fulfilling an unreal and twisted male fantasy, of a "sexy but invincible babe". That is sexualised, because it DOES fire carnal male instincts. If that is what you mean by "sexually appeal" then there you go.

 

[GrizzlerBorno]

No, I'll admit that she's not the same as a DOA chick, certainly. But she still designed to be sexually attractive to the player, & hence I do not see her as a good representative for women not being treated as objects in games.

Am I going to get a proper reply stating WHY you think she's "designed to be sexually attractive to the player" and hence disagree with my ENTIRE previous post, detailing how i think that she does NOT, technically, fit a stereotype guilty of that crime? It would be appreciated.

 

[Vault101]

Nonetheless, what men go for obviously isn't Lara Croft.

Stick Croft and Vance in a room together and I guarantee you most men will head straight for croft. Not only is she more attractive than Vance, she's also not useless. Vance is incapable of doing anything on her own, all she ever does is get in your way and then crack jokes about you 'taking the scenic route' when you fall through a hole in the floor for the tenth fucking time.

hmmm I'm sure quite a few people would dissagree about vance being useless, they programmed her very well and she never got in my way...plus she never dose anything on her own because YOU are the player, she trusts gordon enough to follow his lead, and when they did have her yelling encouragement at gordon test players didn't like it...basically they spent alot of time designing her to be one of the least annoying companions and I think they suceeded

 

[Vault101]

Women are beautiful, sexy creatures. (Men are too, but in a different fashion.) I see nothing wrong with beautiful, sexy and provocative females in video games.

Why do we want reality? The idea of escapism is unreal. We see real people every hour of every day of our lives.

Its not just about being real its about having decent charachters who are MORE than fan-service, fan-service will always be around it always has

And I'm sure to some people its all "Beautiful, sexy and provocative" to others however it just makes you roll youre eyes, My point is "Beautiful, sexy and provocative" is good and all but there should be more to charachters than JUST that and I think there are examples

Miranda from ME2 (ok some people are a little unsure about her face but lets just say in-universe she's smoking hot) she is shamless fan service BUT thats ok, its part of her charachter, she was engineered to be "perfect" by her crazy father and this causes her alot of angst, or Morrigan from Dragon age...shes a crazy witch living out in the wilds away from society she dosen't care about dressing modestly, or Bayonetta...ok I've never played it but its bayonetta!