Why are 'sexy' characters considered bad?

[TuringTest]

I just figure I'd ask this, especially to the 'games are art' crowd that I unfortunately consider myself a member of.

I don't quite understand why characters that are outright sexy or dress provocatively are considered bad - yes, I can understand the value of characters like Alyx Vance and such - strong and not outright provocative characters that are more than just 'females.' But what prevents sexy characters from being good, assuming sexiness isn't their only quality?

Just a thought, really.

 

[Elamdri]

Because usually "Sexy" is their only quality.

Furthermore, "Sexiness" is a lower-level thought process, something that is predicated mostly on instinct and social conditioning. There is nothing especially meaningful about it from an intellectual standpoint. It's simply your body's reaction to something it considers an potential mate.

 

[TuringTest]

Because usually "Sexy" is their only quality.

Furthermore, "Sexiness" is a lower-level thought process, something that is predicated mostly on instinct and social conditioning. There is nothing especially meaningful about it from an intellectual standpoint. It's simply your body's reaction to something it considers an potential mate.

To address the first: I agree that that in itself is quite a problem. But as it is I've seen people jump on insulting any character with anything that could be considered sex appeal and that actually annoys me, because people in real life are, or can be, sexy as well as intelligent/strong/whatever else.

 

[mirasiel]

Because usually "Sexy" is their only quality.

This^^^^

So much.

Sexy is very fine and most desired but for love of the noodly one give them some fucking depth beyond 'nice body'

 

[The Madman]

Sexy isn't bad. I like Sexy.

Pandering is bad. And in most cases of 'sexy' it's just the developers trying to pander to a conceived immature audience, which in the end just makes gaming in general look bad.

If a character is going to dress and like a complete slut or man-whore, give us a reason for that. Give us context. Create a character for which it makes sense! Don't just dress every woman in the game like a whore and every man like some testosterone pumping body-builder then expect any player with a shred of common sense not to notice and feel at least a little condescended towards.

 

[Elamdri]

Because usually "Sexy" is their only quality.

Furthermore, "Sexiness" is a lower-level thought process, something that is predicated mostly on instinct and social conditioning. There is nothing especially meaningful about it from an intellectual standpoint. It's simply your body's reaction to something it considers an potential mate.

To address the first: I agree that that in itself is quite a problem. But as it is I've seen people jump on insulting any character with anything that could be considered sex appeal and that actually annoys me, because people in real life are, or can be, sexy as well as intelligent/strong/whatever else.

It has to do with presumptions. Gaming has a reputation for creating shallow female characters where their only qualities are there sex appeal. Therefore, there is a presumption that the character who is sexy is uni-dimensional, and it falls on the developer to convince us otherwise.

Furthermore, there are problems with characters who would be otherwise good characters being "over-sexed" to the point where it can become a distraction. Here, the problem is not a character where sexiness is the only quality, but rather, it is overshadowing the other qualities to a point where it detracts from the overall character.

 

[TuringTest]

Here, the problem is not a character where sexiness is the only quality, but rather, it is overshadowing the other qualities to a point where it detracts from the overall character.

I've heard this a lot and it just outright confuses me because - again, sexiness is just, when used properly, a quality of a character. It might be a bit distracting, true, but it simply exists and assuming it's not there just to be there, and in fact at the least fits with the character (i.e. the character is actually supposed to be sexy) I can't see how it would really detract from it.

 

[Cecilthedarkknight_234]

It depends on the level people complained about final fantasy IV ds "yes I know some people that did complain about it" but there wasn't the tech part back in the 90's to show what we can now. I also think it's a biased because no one seems to have a problem with male characters with arms the size of his body ripping people apart but as soon as you show some panties or a cleavage shot here comes the "new feminist" marching down. Listen i have nothing against feminism at all or the original standing that is used to stand for, but because everything loose it's sense and touch over the course of time people seem to loose what it meant. Yeah off track I know, There are certain limits however and I can see how it might offend some but if we are all truly equal then what's the point in this debate? Woman have as much as right their body as men do and that's how it should be, in games or not.

 

[Elamdri]

Here, the problem is not a character where sexiness is the only quality, but rather, it is overshadowing the other qualities to a point where it detracts from the overall character.

I've heard this a lot and it just outright confuses me because - again, sexiness is just, when used properly, a quality of a character. It might be a bit distracting, true, but it simply exists and assuming it's not there just to be there, and in fact at the least fits with the character (i.e. the character is actually supposed to be sexy) I can't see how it would really detract from it.

What I'm trying to get at here is not so much that sexiness in and of itself distracting. I mean, god knows I have done PLENTY of head turns in my life >.>

What I'm trying to get at is that sometimes sexiness can be so exaggerated in a character that it detracts from the character.

Take Alyx Vance. Would she really be as interesting as character if she had DD cups that jiggled like a Flan? Would Elana be as interesting if you could prop up a table on her butt?

It's not that sexiness is a problem, is how they are USING that quality. If it's the only quality, it's a problem. If it's a quality that is overshadowing other important qualities, it's a problem.

Balance is the key.

 

[Dogstile]

Sexy needs to actually be sexy. Slutty does not count.

I don't mind sexy characters at all. I'm actually quite fond of them.

 

[Fawcks]

Sexy with depth is fine. Sexy without depth is just bllarrrghgh.

Most characters who use sexy as their primary character draw have about nothing else going for them.

 

[Valagetti]

It tends to be a compenstating mechanism. As in, hey look at those tits etc and not at our horribly bad game design.

 

[The Apothecarry]

Because usually "Sexy" is their only quality.

This^^^^

So much.

Sexy is very fine and most desired but for love of the noodly one give them some fucking depth beyond 'nice body'

Mass Effect 2 tried that. Everyone hates Miranda, but I guess Samara is less..annoying, for lack of a better word.

As far as character design goes, a designer may give a sexy female character a personality but that isn't what the player sees first unless the personality has a stark parallel to the character's charisma. That didn't really happen with Miranda...

It also depends on what the player envisions as the character's purpose, which ranges from damsel in distress (Cortana in Halo 3) to femme fatale.

What makes a character like Cortana "attractive" for more than her looks is, again, personality. Cortana looks like a bit of a wild card/genius and the combination of jokes she cracks and computer-like analysis in her personality complement her appearance. In the case of Miranda Lawson, we have an attractive character who seems to whine just a bit too much.

The funny thing is that Miranda's character is intended to go much deeper than Cortana's, but everybody seems to love the smart and sexy woman-shaped AI because "she tells better jokes." Maybe I'm just too biased towards Halo, but that's my opinion; the balance of sex appeal and personality can make a character known for their charm or just their body.

 

[kuyo]

It also depends on what the player envisions as the character's purpose, which ranges from damsel in distress (Cortana in Halo) to femme fatale ().

Farah, from the Sands of Time trilogy (mostly at the end)

 

[Dan Steele]

The problem is when you make a woman in a game sexy, thats it. She tends to be more shallow and predictable than michal bay's movies. A sexy character only exists for sex appeal

 

[auronvi]

I say Bayonetta had a lot more going on for her other than sexy. So no, it is not a bad thing that sexy be one of the traits. Plus sexy isn't the same for everyone. I find it sexy when a woman can assert herself and show confidence, something I find rare among women around my age. I find Alyx Vance sexy even though she isn't flaunting her girl parts around. Those jeans are nice a tight in the rear though...

 

[Kevlar Eater]

Because "sexy" characters can get away with anything [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ptitle95epjcl2], up to and including murder. That, and "sexiness" can be used as a deceptive weapon if nothing else works (kinda like reality, and also assuming the seductee isn't asexual, an animal or an abomination).

 

[ShadowsofHope]

They should be treated with the same respect that male characters are given.

..Female characters need to be filled with testosterone, made extremely gruff in appearance and have voices that sound like gravel is pouring out their throat?

Huh.

OT: Sexy is fine. Sexy without anything else is just boring and useless.

Although I may be in the minority opinion for it, I view Miranda from Mass Effect 2 being a decent job with this, save the occasional ass shots during conversation.

 

[Malgan]

I would guess it's because the developers let 'sexy' outshine the other qualities. Appearance is superficial, and therefore considered by the higher intellectuals of society as bad.

There's a big gap between a character being attractive and a character sexy. I think most main characters should be somewhat attractive in most cases, as most people wouldn't want to relate to a downright ugly character.

I just find it plain wrong that a game should market their female characters as sexbombs.
*Looks over at the Tomb Raider series*