Realism, Except for women or Are there any real girls in video games.

[Tonythion]

Already been taken Lara Croft HERP

uh not that I know of no. They've all been really cookie cutter to me except maybe DARE I SAY IT?! Kat from Halo Reach. I hate her so much but because she actually had some character.
SOME character, not a lot but more than most.

She's a soldier, she's kind of a butch but not totally, she's smart and she can be pretty bitchy ZING no no NO I'M KIDDING DON'T WARN ME AGAIN ESCAPIST!

I don't think I've played many games with women as playable characters or even big characters in the plot.

I liked Kat, you could learn alot about her by using her voice in firefight. For instance: She GIGGLES when you get a good kill streak. So while being a soldier raised from a young age, shes still YOUNG. It does speak alot to her character, plus, robo-arm, common on men, less so on women.

I only hated her when she would scream to get the covenant off her ass when I was being beaten down by elites because she took off in the warthog before I could get on (This happens everytime I was partnered with her. She giggles?! SHE GIGGLES?! Now I have to play her, plus I totally felt bad for what happens to her so I guess I don't completely hate her. Also totally forgot about the arm which I loved when the trailer first came out.

 

[dyre]

Still, men usually come in several shapes and sizes, Gorden Freeman is Different from Default Shepard whose different from Soap in COD, whose different from The protagonist of GTA 4 (forgot his name). Men get several different REAL body types, women get, well, Sticks, sticks with boobs and sticks with boobs and an ass *coughmirandacough*

Eh, I wouldn't say that. I mean, the guys mostly look the same too...they just have varying degrees of muscles, a lot of which is hidden under the scientist outfit or the camo fatigues anyway. But there's a decent amount of exceptions in both sexes, I'd say.

About the games you're talking about, I don't think anyone could call HL2's Alyx "boobs on a stick," and femShep isn't boobs on a stick either. CoD doesn't have female protagonists, so I can't say much there, but GTA 4 does a good job of showing all sorts of people of all proportions, I'd say.

And yes, Miranda is obviously meant to help attract a more juvenile consumer base for the ME series, but that's just an advertising thing. You don't see ugly women in TV commercials either

You're right, I should have quantified my statement, there are some good realish designed girls, but still, the examples are few and far between, and ME2 FemShep seemed to get some uh, slight additions from cerberus.

Well yeah, but guys are rugged, muscled soldierish types just as often as girls are boobs on sticks. I'd say it's personality that's more important, and in good games, both sexes are just about equally well-written.

and lol, I thought that was just my imagination (about ME2's femShep). First they introduce Miranda into the series, then they change femShep? Damn you, Cerberus.

 

[JMeganSnow]

There are "real" women in games almost precisely as much as there are "real" MEN in games.

 

[AdeptaSororitas]

I liked Kat, you could learn alot about her by using her voice in firefight. For instance: She GIGGLES when you get a good kill streak. So while being a soldier raised from a young age, shes still YOUNG. It does speak alot to her character, plus, robo-arm, common on men, less so on women.

I only hated her when she would scream to get the covenant off her ass when I was being beaten down by elites because she took off in the warthog before I could get on (This happens everytime I was partnered with her. She giggles?! SHE GIGGLES?! Now I have to play her, plus I totally felt bad for what happens to her so I guess I don't completely hate her. Also totally forgot about the arm which I loved when the trailer first came out.

Yeah, could just be with the IWBYD Skull but yeah, she giggles then apologizes ^^ It's cute, and that they have it in there at all says alot. She really is a well characterized character, even YAHTZEE agrees.

 

[Samurai Silhouette]

You know, there's all this talk about the scarcity of a "real" female personality... how many games feature a "real" male personality?

Edit:

There are "real" women in games almost precisely as much as there are "real" MEN in games.

Beat me to it.

 

[Beautiful End]

-Bonnie McFarlane (Red Dead Redemption): You can kinda feel an awkward kind of tension between John and Bonnie. But she's got responsibilities; a father to look after, a ranch to run, she's pretty much the man of the house ranch in a time where this was frowned upon. She's gutsy but not...gay? I mean no offense.

Don't get me wrong I like Morrigan and Garnet but Bonnie stands out as the best example of real female character that isn't exploited or shoehorned into any kind of romance. If we're talking about appearance than I'd say there are practically no real male or female characters as both resemble completely unrealstic standards of beauty, though admiteddly females are generally made to wear more exploitative clothing. As for characterisation then females definately got the short end of that stick. But I think there's still hope, using characters like Bonnie as a good archetype to model on.

Yeah, but the thing is, developers (Or whoever's in charge) are not willing to come up with characters that are not...sexy? You know, boobs showing, voluptuous and whatnot, in fear that it might not sell. Red Dead Redemption had a lot of things in their favor, so taking a gamble with Bonnie was kind of a safe bet, a bet that payed off at the end. But other games might not have the luxury of casting bets left and right, like Rockstar can.

There's also the fact that games that include some sort of player/AI romance will ALWAYS depict voluptuous women or attractive men. Indeed, you'll be hard pressed to find a "realistic" woman. You know, one that looks normal without huge boobs or a huge butt or little clothing. Why? Because I suppose people want that kind of women to appear in the games. If they added someone like Bonnie for a game like Dragon Age (Just roll with me), no one would choose her, mostly because she looks like a mom. And then you'd hear arguments like "Who needs Bonnie when you got 'little clothing' Morrigan?" or "Ew, she looks like a mom. Would you do your mom? What's wrong with you?".

Well, maybe that's a bit too far but you get the idea. Like I learned in my art classes, sex sells, hence why it's so hard to find a real woman in games.
But looking at games that don't force you to have a relationship with NPCs is a good place to start looking, I suppose.

 

[Smooth Operator]

There are no games with real people, and emotionally realistic women... dear god I hope not, if that shit catches on I won't even have games to escape the horrors of reality.

Jade from Beyond Good and Evil is a nicely fleshed out character
Alyx is pretty much your every day girl but get's way too little airtime to tell who she really is
And maybe some RPG characters, but those usually operate on very narrow tracks.

 

[the27thvoice]

I'd say Bioware are doing good things in this regard. Aside from Miranda (seriously, did they HAVE to do that?) they tend to flesh out all their characters with real histories, urges, fears, needs and loyalties.

Take Ashley Williams, the one from ME1 people love to hate. She's into poetry, she's the granddaughter of a nefarious traitor to the alliance (or at least a coward). She bears the shame like a burden, striving to be the perfect soldier, because any flaw would expose her to criticism of her family name. She's hot-tempered and somewhat narrow-minded. Her flaws make her real.
In ME2 we got Jack who grew up in a lab, her childhood spent as a test subject and gladiator. She learned there to always look out for number one, something she re-learned later in life with each betrayal. She's got a softer side tucked away somewhere, but she's mortally afraid to show it. She has learned the hard way that kind people are not strong and strong people are not kind, and to open up she would need someone both strong and kind.

I could name greatly fleshed-out characters all day, I can't really see how there aren't real.

 

[Tonythion]

Yeah, could just be with the IWBYD Skull but yeah, she giggles then apologizes ^^ It's cute, and that they have it in there at all says alot. She really is a well characterized character, even YAHTZEE agrees.

THEN I MUST FIND THIS SKULL if it doesn't work on regular firefight

and no he didn't! Yahtzee doesn't like anything! ...right?

 

[OmniscientOstrich]

snip

Colour me cynical but in a game like Dragon Age, Fallout 3/NV or anything that shares this same characteristic I'm going to relay everyone has exactly the same body type. Wynne may look old but she has the exact same figure as Morrigan so putting them in that kind of clothing when their body types are indistinguishable just seems pointless. Bonnie was good looking but they actually had the balls to put clothes on her. I don't what women's reaction is but personally I don't think the problem is making them attractive, but kitting them out in string bikini slutware. There's no reason you can't have an attractive character without exploiting them. Really I just hate when any form of media tries to use nudity/sex appeal as an incentive. If I want to watch porn, then the Internet has a plentiful supply but I'm here to play a game damnit.

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

Erm

Jill Valentine and Claire Redfield are pretty good female leads. I would argue that 'in game' and not media twisted Lara Croft is a very strong character. Alyx Vance is the one that is always touted. Things where you make your own lead are pretty good, Fallout for example and Jennifer Hale as femshep. Assassins Creed has some great female characters, Caterina Sforza in particular was awesome.

I would say Bioware pretty much have girls down, now all we have to do is get them to work on the men. It's risky... but the priiiize.

I don't what women's reaction is but personally I don't think the problem is making them attractive, but kitting them out in string bikini slutware.

I think that the way Morrigan and, may I add Isabela, dress suits their personalities. It's not the way women dress that it the problem (hell everyone likes to look sexy) its if they are vacuous fanbait.

 

[AdeptaSororitas]

Erm

Jill Valentine and Claire Redfield are pretty good female leads. I would argue that in game and not media twisted Lara Croft is a very strong character. Alyx Vance is the one that is always touted. Things where you make your own lead are pretty good, Fallout for example and Jennifer Hale as femshep. Assassins Creed has some great female characters, Caterina Sforza in particular was awesome.

I would say Bioware pretty much have girls down, now all we have to do is get them to work on the men. It's risky... but the priiiize.

I thought the same of Jill until...

 

[conflictofinterests]

Real women? No, not really. The simple fact of the matter is that there's no solid statistics connecting women to any sort of gaming beyond the casual, so for the most part what you get is an industry beyond the casual platform that's largely made by nerds for nerds.

I not nerd? :<

 

[Moromillas]

Like a documentary or something? I'm not sure I get the question. There isn't exactly anything real in video games. Maybe depictions of tech or locations can be somewhat real, but real people?

Um, rephrase the question?

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

Erm

Jill Valentine and Claire Redfield are pretty good female leads. I would argue that in game and not media twisted Lara Croft is a very strong character. Alyx Vance is the one that is always touted. Things where you make your own lead are pretty good, Fallout for example and Jennifer Hale as femshep. Assassins Creed has some great female characters, Caterina Sforza in particular was awesome.

I would say Bioware pretty much have girls down, now all we have to do is get them to work on the men. It's risky... but the priiiize.

I thought the same of Jill until... snip

What? I think she looks cool. If I had that ass and I was an ex military assassin that's what I would wear.

 

[AdeptaSororitas]

Like a documentary or something? I'm not sure I get the question. There isn't exactly anything real in video games. Maybe depictions of tech or locations can be somewhat real, but real people?

Um, rephrase the question?

I spell it out quiet clearly in my OP buuut. What I mean is women who look and or emote like real women, not just ice queens, sex objects, or kiddy girls. And not just boobs on sticks.

 

[AdeptaSororitas]

Erm

Jill Valentine and Claire Redfield are pretty good female leads. I would argue that in game and not media twisted Lara Croft is a very strong character. Alyx Vance is the one that is always touted. Things where you make your own lead are pretty good, Fallout for example and Jennifer Hale as femshep. Assassins Creed has some great female characters, Caterina Sforza in particular was awesome.

I would say Bioware pretty much have girls down, now all we have to do is get them to work on the men. It's risky... but the priiiize.

I thought the same of Jill until... snip

What? I think she looks cool. If I had that ass and I was an ex military assassin that's what I would wear.

But shes not "real" They took one of the few interesting girls in games and slapped a big ass, skinny waist, and knockers that could well, knock you out. Shes less "Wow, shes an interesting characters girls can relate to on more then a Double X chromosome level and on an actually physical "hey I look average too" level

 

[Denamic]

Because the rugged musclebound ultra-badass is a realistic portrayal of men.
To the point though, The Longest Journey and TLJ: Dreamfall comes to mind.

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

Erm

Jill Valentine and Claire Redfield are pretty good female leads. I would argue that in game and not media twisted Lara Croft is a very strong character. Alyx Vance is the one that is always touted. Things where you make your own lead are pretty good, Fallout for example and Jennifer Hale as femshep. Assassins Creed has some great female characters, Caterina Sforza in particular was awesome.

I would say Bioware pretty much have girls down, now all we have to do is get them to work on the men. It's risky... but the priiiize.

I thought the same of Jill until... snip

What? I think she looks cool. If I had that ass and I was an ex military assassin that's what I would wear.

But shes not "real" They took one of the few interesting girls in games and slapped a big ass, skinny waist, and knockers that could well, knock you out. Shes less "Wow, shes an interesting characters girls can relate to on more then a Double X chromosome level and on an actually physical "hey I look average too" level

I have to admit the blonde hair was a bit of a strange move but her storyline wasn't really effected by Resident Evil 5

Spoiler

She just kind of got rescued from Wesker

and hell Jill always had a nice figure its not like she was chubby or anything.

 

[Moromillas]

Like a documentary or something? I'm not sure I get the question. There isn't exactly anything real in video games. Maybe depictions of tech or locations can be somewhat real, but real people?

Um, rephrase the question?

I spell it out quiet clearly in my OP buuut. What I mean is women who look and or emote like real women, not just ice queens, sex objects, or kiddy girls. And not just boobs on sticks.

Oh, you speak of characterization and design. Well, you're not gonna find a game that has characters depicted exactly how you wish. With characterization and the character design you really have to work hard in order to create something interesting or likable, and even then it's all subjective, in the eye of the beholder. It's tricky because there's no status quo for how each and every character should look and behave. If they don't have many character traits, some might think them boring, while others think they're great. If they're not very attractive, some might think them ugly, while others think they're an accurate depiction. Too much or too little of both (including how they interact with others) and it starts getting really messy, and this just isn't the case for female characters only.