Female Gamers: Are you tired of being presented with no dignity?

[Programmed_For_Damage]

The one big factor here is when you buy a game you are going to spend the next 5-1000 hours looking at these people. So now who here wants to look at an attractive character for the next 5-1000 hours and who wants to look at a character where the only thing running through you mind is I wouldn't do her with Bill's dick and John pushing?

You make a valid point, however zeroing in on the essence of what the OP said, they don't have to be overly-endowed and scantily clad to be "attractive". I'd quite happily play as Alyx Vance for 5-1000 hours and she is trim and modestly attired.

Why? You wouldn't even get to see her feet.

This is what bugs me. Alyx was modestly dressed and attractive. Along with a ton of other games that portray women wearing modest clothes. And there is a few games that have big bouncing breast physics hiding behind a piece of dental floss. Now if we can agree on that then we just blew away the OT as a piece of stereotypical ramblings. Just because a game like DOA Extreme Volleyball or X-Blades exists doesn't mean anything. Not when you want to throw them in as "this is how the entire industry works." If you want to discuss how the game X-Blades hoped to trick gamers by putting the blonde on the cover wearing next to nothing. Or how whoever developed X-Blades attempted to use sex to sell thier game. I can't argue that. What I can argue is that X-Blades or any other single title is not a fair representation of the industry either. Even combined they are still not a fair representation of the industry as a whole.

I see what you're saying. My question is, which is the exception to the rule these days? For every Faith there is an Ayane. Perhaps it's a cultural thing; most of the female gaming characters that have raised peoples' ire come from Japanese developers. I'm struggling to think of an example that has come from say, Ubisoft Montreal.
However, as the ads for that stupid Evony game prove, sex sells. We're never going to escape it. With any luck gamers are voting with their wallets and we'll see less games like X-Blades.

 

[squid5580]

Sorry I simplified it for you. Since that is alot of what the OT is about. These types of games wouldn't get made if there wasn't these hordes of sex depraved gamers would they? I mean a market isn't really a market without consumers is it.

Sure they would--just as long as they *think* this is what the market wants, but it's not enough to turn the customers off. The market might not be "hordes of sex depraved gamers" but they're not the "bra burning feminists" you seem to think are such a big problem, either.

Not every feature of a product that succeeds in the market is necessary to its success. Maybe the market is made up of people who get sex yet are feminists but don't see these games worthy of being boycotted but would like to see the market offer an improved version of the game.

In other words, your argument missed the middle ground, and assumed everyone either falls into the 'OMG B00BZ I must buy it' category or the 'OMG B00BZ I must boycott it' category. That's where your mistake is.

This is what bugs me. Alyx was modestly dressed and attractive. Along with a ton of other games that portray women wearing modest clothes. And there is a few games that have big bouncing breast physics hiding behind a piece of dental floss. Now if we can agree on that then we just blew away the OT as a piece of stereotypical ramblings.

Sure, but do we agree?

If you don't then the only other option is all games are jam packed with sexual themes, scantily clad women and breasts the size of small planets. Then I will know you are just arguing for the sake of arguing and boosting my post count doesn't mean that much to me.

 

[Kriptonite]

I'm guessing that most women are indeed unhappy with the way things are going. I encourage you to do something about it. I'm not saying this in a haha, you're powerless kinda way but in a I'd like to see one single person make a difference. I wholeheartedly encourage you to try and make that difference so that in-game-girls are represented fairly and only exaggerated if the need arises(can't think of one but my point stands).

 

[Dragonblade146]

To be totally honest.
I'm tired of this.
Everyone I know.
All the gaming women. Complain about this all the time.
You want control?
Start making your own games and create a symbol for women.

 

[Dragonchixx]

Being a recreational female gamer I would much prefer to have a nice looking character... tbh what game characters are realistic? male characters from gears of war for example... so unrealistic of a male body... i dont know any male that is that big.

Now if we were to have a female realistic body to do all the kick ass moves and strength to be able to do at least half the things they make these girls do, this is what she would most likely look like:

http://www.groupstalk.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/female-bodybuildersimage010.jpg

hmm nice...

All games are unrealistic, whole point of gaming, we do it to go off in to our own little fantasy world and escape from the real world and it's ugliness (In more ways than one )

 

[Dragonchixx]

To be totally honest.
I'm tired of this.
Everyone I know.
All the gaming women. Complain about this all the time.
You want control?
Start making your own games and create a symbol for women.

*cough* ALL gaming women? You'd be surprised.

 

[Dragonblade146]

To be totally honest.
I'm tired of this.
Everyone I know.
All the gaming women. Complain about this all the time.
You want control?
Start making your own games and create a symbol for women.

*cough* ALL gaming women? You'd be surprised.

Sorry.
I forgot to put a word inbetween there.
I loose track of thought quickly.
"most"

 

[wasalp]

So what if, because of this, a guy expects me to have giant boobles and a waist small enough to use his watch like a belt? Should I feel sorry for myself because he's been brainwashed into this ridiculous standard for beauty?

you know we can see real people, we don't base all our assumption on the female body from the media.

 

[squid5580]

The one big factor here is when you buy a game you are going to spend the next 5-1000 hours looking at these people. So now who here wants to look at an attractive character for the next 5-1000 hours and who wants to look at a character where the only thing running through you mind is I wouldn't do her with Bill's dick and John pushing?

You make a valid point, however zeroing in on the essence of what the OP said, they don't have to be overly-endowed and scantily clad to be "attractive". I'd quite happily play as Alyx Vance for 5-1000 hours and she is trim and modestly attired.

Why? You wouldn't even get to see her feet.

This is what bugs me. Alyx was modestly dressed and attractive. Along with a ton of other games that portray women wearing modest clothes. And there is a few games that have big bouncing breast physics hiding behind a piece of dental floss. Now if we can agree on that then we just blew away the OT as a piece of stereotypical ramblings. Just because a game like DOA Extreme Volleyball or X-Blades exists doesn't mean anything. Not when you want to throw them in as "this is how the entire industry works." If you want to discuss how the game X-Blades hoped to trick gamers by putting the blonde on the cover wearing next to nothing. Or how whoever developed X-Blades attempted to use sex to sell thier game. I can't argue that. What I can argue is that X-Blades or any other single title is not a fair representation of the industry either. Even combined they are still not a fair representation of the industry as a whole.

I see what you're saying. My question is, which is the exception to the rule these days? For every Faith there is an Ayane. Perhaps it's a cultural thing; most of the female gaming characters that have raised peoples' ire come from Japanese developers. I'm struggling to think of an example that has come from say, Ubisoft Montreal.
However, as the ads for that stupid Evony game prove, sex sells. We're never going to escape it. With any luck gamers are voting with their wallets and we'll see less games like X-Blades.

You sir have hit that poor nail very close to its head. I had completely forgotten the whole cultural differences involved in this. And they are very important. Other countries look at sex differently than we do. And us westerners do have a tendency of forgetting that. Or trying to change it. I just think there is so many games that if you are lucky you might see a girl (racing games, any sports game other than football or volleyball, tons of FPSs) that the games we are refering to are already in a minority group. Well at least in Western store shelves. If these types of games were a majority I could understand but what we have named 3 or 4 games here out of how many millions of titles? It just doesn't make sense.

As for Evony I can almost understand why they would use such ads. It is simple marketing. They are trying to advertise on the internet. Where you can go to almost any site and see an "I'm single and horny join this site" and if you are lucky the women in said ad will be wearing a piece of dental floss.

I also think Evony's ads may turn off as many people as it "tuns on"

 

[Dragonchixx]

Most western women are their own worst enemy... it's their own fashion. The female magazines, television, etc show women with stupidly small body and big fake boobs. Point out to me what fashion magazine is full of women with "realistic" bodies. Don't go complaining that games are unrealistic. Fashion magazines however make women think that is what they should look like.

To be fair it is mainly only JRPG'S with unrealistic bodies, which ironic as it is... is what the majourity of female gamers play.

 

[Programmed_For_Damage]

Now if we were to have a female realistic body to do all the kick ass moves and strength to be able to do at least half the things they make these girls do, this is what she would most likely look like:

http://www.groupstalk.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/female-bodybuildersimage010.jpg

That would be "interesting" to say the least. It would be fascinating to see the results of a focus group study if you presented a she-hulk as the protagonist for a game.

I think it's up to the game developer where to apply fantasy or realism. Realistically (and I've got a fairly decent build for a guy) if I was plonked into Gears of War I would have trouble holding up the Lancer and firing it for a sustained period; not to mention the fact that roadie-running in armour would leave me gasping for breath by the time I reached the corner. The Locust would just need to come around and smack me in the face and it would be game over (player throws controller in disgust). In situations like this, roided up meathead bulletshields for characters make perfect sense and you could argue are "realistic".

Anyway, I've gotten really off track...

 

[Zer_]

I'm sorry, but you just need to get over it. This happens everywhere and not just with games. Even crap that's marketed *for* women showcases an unrealistic image of feminine perfection. Ignore it, move on.

 

[ryuutchi]

Who the hell cares.

I want my female side kicks to look hot even if just for the sake of having something interesting to look at in case the level design becomes bland and uninteresting.

And I'd like all of the male characters to look hot so I have something to look at. I don't always get that, in favor of more diverse range of male principals, so I don't see why I should be forced to constantly and inevitably look at female characters created specifically so you could get a damn hard on.

I'm sorry, but you just need to get over it. This happens everywhere and not just with games. Even crap that's marketed *for* women showcases an unrealistic image of feminine perfection. Ignore it, move on.

Now there's a hallmark of male privilege. "Just ignore it"? Seriously, dude, I'd love for unrealistic portrayals of female perfection to be so rare that I could just dismiss them. But when it's important that every single female character (no matter how well-rounded the damn character is) has to be jerk-off material-- that's really hard to ignore. Maybe it's easy for YOU to ignore, because it doesn't reflect on your gender anything but men feeling entitled to have all women they look at be jerk-off perfection, but it certainly reflects certain assumptions about women that I (and I'll go out on a limb-- most female gamers) certainly find it damn hard to ignore.

 

[Zer_]

Who the hell cares.

I want my female side kicks to look hot even if just for the sake of having something interesting to look at in case the level design becomes bland and uninteresting.

And I'd like all of the male characters to look hot so I have something to look at. I don't always get that, in favor of more diverse range of male principles, so I don't see why I should be forced to constantly and inevitably look at female characters created specifically so you could get a damn hard on.

I'm sorry, but you just need to get over it. This happens everywhere and not just with games. Even crap that's marketed *for* women showcases an unrealistic image of feminine perfection. Ignore it, move on.

Now there's a hallmark of male privilege. "Just ignore it"? Seriously, dude, I'd love for unrealistic portrayals of female perfection to be so rare that I could just dismiss them. But when it's important that every single female character (no matter how well-rounded the damn character is) has to be jerk-off material-- that's really hard to ignore. Maybe it's easy for YOU to ignore, because it doesn't reflect on your gender anything but male entitlement to all women they look off having to be jerk-off perfection, but it certainly reflects certain assumptions about women that I (and I'll go out on a limb-- most female gamers) certainly find it damn hard to ignore.

Oh don't spew out that crap. In the porn business all the men have really big dicks, and do I give a crap? No I don't. I'm capable of ignoring it, maybe you should learn to ignore things a little better.

I'd bet you my entire life savings that if men portrayed in video games were all nude they'd all have large 7-8 inch dicks too. Heck even when they *do* show a male character in a game with a huge bulge, we end up laughing. I've seen quite a few of them with rather large bulges... I'm a skinny guy, but you don't see me going nuts over Sam Fisher, or even Duke Nukem.

Unrealistic portrayals of people in any fiction is everywhere. You can't make it go away, so you ignore it and learn how to enjoy a movie, game or comic book without having to compare yourself to the characters they portray.

I'll admit, I love it when women are portrayed as strong, yet realistic characters in games; Women who aren't unbeatable breast-a-thons. Most of the games that portray women as unrealistically curvy tend to be quite bland or stale to begin with. They still sell like hotcakes because the majority of this world is filled with mouth foaming apes, but what can we do about that? Nothing. I've learned to accept myself for who I am and as a result I don't compare myself to the fictional characters I find myself watching, playing or reading about.

This topic has been beaten to death much like religion has.

 

[Zombie Izzard]

How are these women without dignity? Sure they have gravity deifying boobage and waist small enough to hula hoop with a cheerio but in most games they are portrayed as woman who can kick ass with the best of men and still look awesome doing it. They are not shown as small fragile little creatures who run shrieking away from spiders, that appear that they need a man taken care of them because without men they wouldn't be able to do anything.

As a girl gamer I would be more offended by seeing a game based on a normal looking woman who got attacked by a small bug called in a man to kill it then preserve to fetch him slippers, a pipe and a drink then fix him dinner and pop out babies while making sure the man stayed happy.

And honestly if anyone looks towards video game characters for role models then they should be smacked with a large brick. Why look to fictitious characters who've done fictitious things when you can look to real life role models. Its just silly to look towards video games as anything other then tools to entertain us.

 

[Zer_]

Oh don't spew out that crap. In the porn business all the men have really big dicks, and do I give a crap? No I don't. I'm capable of ignoring it, maybe you should learn to ignore things a little better.

Men have no problem ignoring large dicks because large dicks...don't really get men women.

Money and power gets men lots of women.

Looks too, but most women will take Brad Pitt with an average size dick over a fat Ron Jeremy any day.

Hmm, maybe the way we always start out as the Lone Wanderer with 0 XP and no bottle caps or something makes more sense now.

It's easy to say to women "ignore it" when so many games are about the male wish fulfillment of beating the odds and defeating the powerful and becoming triumphant.

Some women really do dig the big dicks. Your argument can go for both male assets and female assets... Why even bring it up?

How are these women without dignity? Sure they have gravity deifying boobage and waist small enough to hula hoop with a cheerio but in most games they are portrayed as woman who can kick ass with the best of men and still look awesome doing it. They are not shown as small fragile little creatures who run shrieking away from spiders, that appear that they need a man taken care of them because without men they wouldn't be able to do anything.

As a girl gamer I would be more offended by seeing a game based on a normal looking woman who got attacked by a small bug called in a man to kill it then preserve to fetch him slippers, a pipe and a drink then fix him dinner and pop out babies while making sure the man stayed happy.

And honestly if anyone looks towards video game characters for role models then they should be smacked with a large brick. Why look to fictitious characters who've done fictitious things when you can look to real life role models. Its just silly to look towards video games as anything other then tools to entertain us.

I totally agree with you... That's what I mean by get over it. They're called fictitious characters for a reason.