Maybe I am a prude...or maybe I'm going up or maybe I'm right
- Thread starter bdcjacko
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It's not just about their skin, its about their "assets". I also don't like how much women are depicted as oversexualized. It makes women seem like objects of desire to be obtained by men. It can be demeaning toward women and plays on men's sexual drives. Sure, I may find such images to be stimulating, but no I would not spend money on demeaning garbage.
I agree with the OP. I prefer people to be properly dressed, in real life and in game. I might be to prudish, whatever. I just think that clothing on people looks better.
I get what you're saying OP, and for the most part I agree with you. I think it's a case by case basis on how the character presents themselves. Let me name a few examples.
Blood Rayne. For a while she was the living embodiment of sex appeal in gaming. People were treating her like the new vampiric Lara Croft. She dressed fairly provocatively (not really showing off too much skin) but I never looked at her and thought "Show some respect for yourself you hussy!" Her sex appeal almost seemed more sensual than just trying to get a cheap thrill.
On the opposite side of the coin you have the chick from X-Blades. I don't even know her name because I just don't care. She was so clearly just an attempt at over the top sex appeal that I don't care if X-Blades was the greatest game of all time (from what I've read though, it wasn't lol)
And lastly, one of my favorite examples...Red Sonja. The She-Devil with a Sword. I love Red Sonja, in fact I'm picking up her new One-Shot comic next week. Now Red Sonja is one of the most scantily clad female characters out there.
But because they don't play on that fact (often) it never struck me as out of place. Red Sonja just happens to wear that. She's generally not posing all sultry (cover art exceptions) and she just never looks all that slutty to me.
Xena Warrior Princess wore more clothing than Red Sonja, yet to some people comes across as trashier because almost every guy she talks to speaks of how they wish to bed her. (not Xena's fault, but it happens)
Blood Rayne. For a while she was the living embodiment of sex appeal in gaming. People were treating her like the new vampiric Lara Croft. She dressed fairly provocatively (not really showing off too much skin) but I never looked at her and thought "Show some respect for yourself you hussy!" Her sex appeal almost seemed more sensual than just trying to get a cheap thrill.
On the opposite side of the coin you have the chick from X-Blades. I don't even know her name because I just don't care. She was so clearly just an attempt at over the top sex appeal that I don't care if X-Blades was the greatest game of all time (from what I've read though, it wasn't lol)
And lastly, one of my favorite examples...Red Sonja. The She-Devil with a Sword. I love Red Sonja, in fact I'm picking up her new One-Shot comic next week. Now Red Sonja is one of the most scantily clad female characters out there.
But because they don't play on that fact (often) it never struck me as out of place. Red Sonja just happens to wear that. She's generally not posing all sultry (cover art exceptions) and she just never looks all that slutty to me.
Xena Warrior Princess wore more clothing than Red Sonja, yet to some people comes across as trashier because almost every guy she talks to speaks of how they wish to bed her. (not Xena's fault, but it happens)
I'm pretty much going to second what the other guy said. Boobs are great and all and bigger IS better up to a certain point. After that, they become too big and just unattractive. Enough for a handful is just about right (now it sounds like I'm being crass, but really trying to be honest).Alucard788 said:
Sometimes all the sexuality in games (and everywhere else) can get a little annoying, but usually when it's just there for its own sake. If they make it part of the character and actually give it a purpose, then it can work. A good example is Cat Woman, especially in the Arkham City trailer. Although she's got it all under the wraps of that skintight suit, she exudes sensuality throughout that trailer. She owns it and it's part of who she is. It makes sense.
I guess that's the bottom line: if you are going to use sexuality, have it make sense and not simply exist just to be there.
The whole oversexualization is getting dull and a bit sad. Hell, I'm plenty tired of playing games where the male full plate is proper, thick with padding and the leather under the plate. While the female armor is skin tight aluminum, with boobs! You don't put boobs on armor, it'll just guide the blade to your chest! The whole boobs for the sake of boobs isn't even appealing anymore, I just sigh and move on.
As a general rule I'm going to assume that the majority of gaming and other forms of 'nerd culture' where we often criticise the 'Chainmail Bikini' as it's called tend to be male dominated and thus male oriented by the very nature of what they focus on.
The majority of character design is centered around what looks best or most aesthetically pleasing rather than reality (unless the series in question happens to be something that has a very strong grounding in reality), so it goes without saying that the men are all going to be Olympian supermen and the women are going to be busty Amazons (if no-one liked it then it wouldn't be popular now would it?).
Which leads me to my final statement on the whole issue of objectification of the sexes, why is this always seen as a one sided thing? Yes, modern films, games, television expect women to be slender, have large breasts, wide hips and otherwise physically impossible features but the majority of male protaganists have a simmilar problem of us all being expected to be huge muscular warriors (Gears of War, God of War, pretty much any Fantasy RPG ever where a combat class is avaliable, Turok reboot amongst many others) or to be the maculine hunky man who still has a touch of femininity to him and usually has to look good without a shirt (I'm gonna come out and say the majority of Twilight-esc books and films probably have men like this).
I'll start caring about the singular image of women throughout the media when they don't constantly do it to men too (equality please people, it's for everyone).
The majority of character design is centered around what looks best or most aesthetically pleasing rather than reality (unless the series in question happens to be something that has a very strong grounding in reality), so it goes without saying that the men are all going to be Olympian supermen and the women are going to be busty Amazons (if no-one liked it then it wouldn't be popular now would it?).
Which leads me to my final statement on the whole issue of objectification of the sexes, why is this always seen as a one sided thing? Yes, modern films, games, television expect women to be slender, have large breasts, wide hips and otherwise physically impossible features but the majority of male protaganists have a simmilar problem of us all being expected to be huge muscular warriors (Gears of War, God of War, pretty much any Fantasy RPG ever where a combat class is avaliable, Turok reboot amongst many others) or to be the maculine hunky man who still has a touch of femininity to him and usually has to look good without a shirt (I'm gonna come out and say the majority of Twilight-esc books and films probably have men like this).
I'll start caring about the singular image of women throughout the media when they don't constantly do it to men too (equality please people, it's for everyone).
Well, you chose a supervillian as an example. If it were a realistic historical setting and there was a woman with bikini armour I would be on your side. But, if we are talking about supervillians or elves then I see no problem with scantily clad women.
I guess I am trying to say I am fine with it, as long as it fits in with the tone set by the game/movie/book.
I guess I am trying to say I am fine with it, as long as it fits in with the tone set by the game/movie/book.
Nobody "needs" to tell any woman - or artists drawing them - to put some clothes on. Just as any woman is entitled to wear whatever she wants (barring outright public indecency), then any artist is entitled to depict any character the way (s)he want to (barring patently offensive obscenity in some legal systems).
Don't like it? Don't buy the product then. I'm sure there are offerings for those who like their women depicted burka style as well. Or if not, set up your own business.
Don't like it? Don't buy the product then. I'm sure there are offerings for those who like their women depicted burka style as well. Or if not, set up your own business.
I don't think that's the point though. Hell, if you're comfortable enough with yourself to walk around in nothing but socks, good for you, but are you doing it to look like a whore, or are you doing it because you feel comfortable in yourself and like nakedness.Sexual Harassment Panda said:
It never bothers me in games, but if I meet a person dressing like that, I get a bad idea about the person.
It sells I suppose.
Personally I think it falls under artistic licence, the creator can be free to build a character as pleases them, unhindered by the realism of requiring adequate clothing. Of course because artistic design is so subjective no one person can tell them its not artistic,
(Plus a precedent for it has been set now).
Personally I think it falls under artistic licence, the creator can be free to build a character as pleases them, unhindered by the realism of requiring adequate clothing. Of course because artistic design is so subjective no one person can tell them its not artistic,
(Plus a precedent for it has been set now).
But that's just cultural baggage you're carrying around, and only relevent to our inherited Catholic ideas about shame and modesty.StarStruckStrumpets said:
In other cultures women are topless everyday and nobody accuses them of being a "whore", the men are far less obsessed with breasts as a result too. This strikes me as being superior to our unhealthy and judgemental bullshit. I know people who think breastfeeding publicly is uncouth too...ridiculous.
There's a rather distinct difference between being practically nude for, well, practical reasons, and being clothed in high heels, a thong, and a corset that's kept together with wistful thinking. Just imagine trying to do anything physical except pole dancing in outfits like that.Sexual Harassment Panda said:
Personally I have lost hope a long time ago that designers would some time look up the implication of the word "suggestive". Especially the part where it says that coming on too strong reduces the effect.
Somehow when seeing tribal topless women I'm not having the impression I have to crane my neck to be able to see past two gigantic boobs.
That is ridiculous. A natural human function shouldn't be seen as wrong, especially one as tender as breastfeed. Obviously, I don't condone crapping in public but...Sexual Harassment Panda said:
Hey, if everyone walked around naked, I'd be down with that. I'd love for a society to work like that, but it doesn't, unfortunately. I think it's still good to have a bit of class though, I've seen plenty of people who looked really sexy in business attire, and it wasn't the slutty kind either, she's a really sweet girl who was just dressed extraordinarily well. My problem is with people trying to sell themselves on an entirely sexual basis, rather than on personal merits too, but hey, that's just me.
I'm tired of blatant pandering. I'm a girl, so maybe my point won't count as much to some, but I've been put off games that otherwise seemed pretty good just because the trailers/screenshots/cover art/whatever were covered in boobs and cleavage. It's really the primary reason why I can't stand to play Soul Calibur anymore. Although it is kind of ironic that the bigger Ivy's boobs get, the uglier her face gets. Seriously, she's just a zombie with a really bad makeup artist now.
But the whole showing skin thing is out of hand. Metal bikinis aside, I had a mage in WoW. So mages are all robes and stuff, kind of hard to mess that up. But no. My friend who had a male mage puts on a robe, it looks cool. My female mage puts on the robe, it had the midriff cut out. Now, first of all, I thought that midriff thing had stopped being attractive in the 90s. And second, why the hell does the middle section of a female mage's robe have to be missing anyway? Is there a point to that? Why not just put it back on? It was seriously the most pointless display of skin I had ever seen in a videogame, and yet there it was. That, to me, was far more ridiculous and offensive than metal bikinis because the only thing it showed off was a bellybutton! The rest of the outfit was long sleeves, high collar, ankle-length skirt, just no stomach area.
Incidentally, I wouldn't give two shits about the boobs in Soul Calibur if they would just bring back Siegfried's shirtless "costume". Seriously, that man's got abs. Not Thor abs, but they still do the job.
But the whole showing skin thing is out of hand. Metal bikinis aside, I had a mage in WoW. So mages are all robes and stuff, kind of hard to mess that up. But no. My friend who had a male mage puts on a robe, it looks cool. My female mage puts on the robe, it had the midriff cut out. Now, first of all, I thought that midriff thing had stopped being attractive in the 90s. And second, why the hell does the middle section of a female mage's robe have to be missing anyway? Is there a point to that? Why not just put it back on? It was seriously the most pointless display of skin I had ever seen in a videogame, and yet there it was. That, to me, was far more ridiculous and offensive than metal bikinis because the only thing it showed off was a bellybutton! The rest of the outfit was long sleeves, high collar, ankle-length skirt, just no stomach area.
Incidentally, I wouldn't give two shits about the boobs in Soul Calibur if they would just bring back Siegfried's shirtless "costume". Seriously, that man's got abs. Not Thor abs, but they still do the job.
I find it pretty silly these days. Just look at any ad for Terra (some MMO) and it's always some 3/4 naked woman looking all slutty. I mean I get that they're just pandering to the one-eyed monster, but really I'd rather just get intimate with my gf or, barring that, beat it to porn and get back to enjoying the game.
I liked Witcher 2 a lot, but having every single female all sexied up was definitely a huge distraction and mostly unnesessary. At least Saskia had decent plate armour... and cleavage.
I will say that I don't mind it in a game like Duke Nukem (haven't played it, just from trailers and such) because the game is supposed to be silly and ridiculous and of course, he's all about T&A. I think that's ok because it's kind of the point. But when it invades games (or comics I guess) where it's not really the point, but rather just an attempt to catch your eye, that's when I don't like it much. Going back to the OP's post, I thought Harley looked good and sexy, but not distractingly so, in her Batman: AA outfit. I can't see how putting her in that skimpy little thing is an improvement. There's hot, and then there's slutty.
(Captcha: "today knewslat" lol)
I liked Witcher 2 a lot, but having every single female all sexied up was definitely a huge distraction and mostly unnesessary. At least Saskia had decent plate armour... and cleavage.
I will say that I don't mind it in a game like Duke Nukem (haven't played it, just from trailers and such) because the game is supposed to be silly and ridiculous and of course, he's all about T&A. I think that's ok because it's kind of the point. But when it invades games (or comics I guess) where it's not really the point, but rather just an attempt to catch your eye, that's when I don't like it much. Going back to the OP's post, I thought Harley looked good and sexy, but not distractingly so, in her Batman: AA outfit. I can't see how putting her in that skimpy little thing is an improvement. There's hot, and then there's slutty.
(Captcha: "today knewslat" lol)