Buff women in video games [Mark Story Spoilers not related to Character Design]

jett · Jul 3, 2020

SoundLad said:
Nadine Ross from Uncharted 4 is a persona fave. I really like Abby from TLoU2 as well.

Ngl, I'm a bit disappointed that some of the 'buff' women posted in this thread look like steroid abusers. I'd like to see some more realistic representation of buff women in games. For example, check out Valentina Shevchenko, the current women's MMA flyweight champion in UFC (on the left) and a great representation of what elite-level buff natural physique can look like:

These, on the other hand, look like steroid junkies and not natural at all.

Unfortunately, Street Fighter is an AWFUL example, cmon bruh. They all look like steroid junkies. Those types of physiques simply aren't attainable without HGH, Test, etc.

Also, Tifa actually looks fairly natural (apart from the huge boobs) and would definitely pass for an MMA fighter. She doesn't look like a SF character, and that's a good thing.

Tifa's arms are like twigs, man.

On the subject of SFV:

How do they look like steroid abusers?

Rickenslacker · Jul 3, 2020

Love this thread.

Most choices I can think of have already been used, so I'll go with Barbarian from Diablo 3.

nded · Jul 3, 2020

Pankratous said:
She lives in a massive gym

Her left leg (our right) looks messed up to me. What the hell.

How so? Exaggerated physique aside, it looks like a leg to me.

Pankratous · Jul 3, 2020

nded said:
How so? Exaggerated physique aside, it looks like a leg to me.

Ah that image looks more.. right.

The first image is a slightly different stance I think? It looks like her leg starts further down.

nded · Jul 3, 2020

Pankratous said:
Ah that image looks more.. right.

The first image is a slightly different stance I think? It looks like her leg starts further down.

It's the same figure, so it's the same stance.

The Turbanator · Jul 3, 2020

Even if the game is kinda male gazey, this is definitely Street Fighter, the thread. Especially in SFV, every girl except the youngest ones are noticably ripped, and even the more petite bodies are well toned.

DAB410E24A8C72063EDEADAE6B2D0FAC78AC667B

This isn't even a new thing Capcom's been doing. Saturday Night Slam Masters was made in the mid-90s, featuring character designs by Tetsuo Hara (Hokuto no Ken/Fist of the North Star), and this is what the sole female character in the game looks like:

Pankratous · Jul 3, 2020

nded said:
It's the same figure, so it's the same stance.

Angle, then.

Kazooie · Jul 3, 2020

L Thammy said:
I remember thinking that Mrs. Arrow from F-Zero also had a notably Herculean physique.

Her being a bodybuilder is being shown in an F-Zero GX video.

scitek · Jul 3, 2020

I feel like a lot of the anger over Abby is because they gave her realistic proportions and not DD breasts.

Fliesen · Jul 3, 2020

SoundLad said:
Also, Tifa actually looks fairly natural (apart from the huge boobs) and would definitely pass for an MMA fighter. She doesn't look like a SF character, and that's a good thing.

Yeah, no.

Like, i don't disagree with you that there's "buff" and there's "super buff"
But if we start calling character models like Tifa's "buff", the word has lost all meaning

Like, i have no beef with Tifa - but buff, she is not.

Got Danny · Jul 3, 2020

Kain-Nosgoth said:
Silvia from Ys VIII :

Whoa, haven't made it to her yet in the story, looks really cool

show me your skeleton · Jul 3, 2020

scitek said:
I feel like a lot of the anger over Abby is because they gave her realistic proportions and not DD breasts.

absolutely
i think that plus what she does in the story plus then having to play/empathise with her

dip all of the above in misogyny and bam

Laver · Jul 3, 2020

Pre-pandemic, I had been going to the gym twice a week for about 18 months or so, and I saw in that time maybe two women with buff upper body. Part of the reason is that most women were using almost exclusively cardio machines, and most of the rest who were actually doing resistance training were focused on squats/hip thrusts/deadlifts. Anecdotal evidence and all that, but even in an environment dedicated to getting muscular, you hardly ever encounter buff women.

I don't doubt that women like Stefi Cohen or Serena Williams are natural, but they're an an edge of a spectrum, so I can see how some female character models are brow-raising for some.

Then again, you have maaaany more female characters with hyper-exaggerated female attributes (breasts, hips etc.) that are far more ridiculous.

Adulfzen · Jul 3, 2020

Since people are talking about Tifa I will say it's a little disappointing that she couldn't even get the same treatment as Cloud when you compare their arms since they're both close ranged fighters.

HiLife · Jul 3, 2020

Wasn't the time jump between the TLOU1 and TLOU2 5 years?

If your eyeballs work and you paid attention you can tell that kid Abby was already filling out her tshirt.

And 5 years with the constant access to protein and free weights is still unbelievable to people? When her arms were popping through her polo and you can see she has a stockier build plus defined triceps as a kid? People aren't even arguing in good faith lol.

Fliesen · Jul 3, 2020

Adulfzen said:
Since people are talking about Tifa I will say it's a little disappointing that she couldn't even get the same treatment as Cloud when you compare their arms since they're both close ranged fighters.

Yup, Cloud's arms clearly show some muscles, at least. Like, you can see his bicep.
Tifa's arms are ... just ... smooth.

Gestault · Jul 3, 2020

This is a blessed thread.

Doris from Wild Guns Reloaded comes to mind as a stocky and ripped design that I really appreciate in most of her key art. Estel from Streets of Rage 4 is another awesome design, with the bonus of being representative of a shitty, corrupt PD that leads into a redemption arc.

Tovarisc · Jul 3, 2020

HiLife said:
Wasn't the time jump between the TLOU1 and TLOU2 5 years?

If your eyeballs work and you paid attention you can tell that kid Abby was already filling out her tshirt.

And 5 years with the constant access to protein and free weights is still unbelievable to people? When her arms were popping through her polo and you can see she has a stockier build plus defined triceps as a kid? People aren't even arguing in good faith lol.

Even then why there has to be flawlessly thought out logical and real world based reasons for her muscles?

I don't remember single time anyone had to go such lengths to justify buff and chiseled men in post-apocalyptic settings.

"B-b-b-but men are naturally more muscular!" does not fly.

ClickyCal' · Jul 3, 2020

HiLife said:
Wasn't the time jump between the TLOU1 and TLOU2 5 years?

If your eyeballs work and you paid attention you can tell that kid Abby was already filling out her tshirt.

And 5 years with the constant access to protein and free weights is still unbelievable to people? When her arms were popping through her polo and you can see she has a stockier build plus defined triceps as a kid? People aren't even arguing in good faith lol.

Well 4 years from when we see younger Abby, but still yea. It's not unrealistic at all.

derFeef · Jul 3, 2020

Rickenslacker said:
Love this thread.

Most choices I can think of have already been used, so I'll go with Barbarian from Diablo 3.

I always wished the Norn from Guild Wars would look more like this.

Scruffy8642 · Jul 3, 2020

I was actually quite annoyed at what they did with Tifa in FF7R. I definitely think they should've given her more tone at least. She's had this stigma of being ripped and strong af since her creation, it's a big portion of her character that she keeps in shape, and yet her arms are literally the same as Aeriths.

Adulfzen · Jul 3, 2020

Fliesen said:
Yup, Cloud's arms clearly show some muscles, at least. Like, you can see his bicep.
Tifa's arms are ... just ... smooth.

Yeah would have been amazing if we could have gotten something like this :

Kthulhu · Jul 3, 2020

Yeah I was kinda surprised when I saw some backlash. I was like "Do these people not play a lot of games?" cuz I can think of a ton of buff or at least fit female characters in games.

ArkhamFantasy · Jul 3, 2020

I would love to see a push towards more muscular women in society and to get rid of the stupid stigma surrounding them.

"I can see her shoulder muscles so she looks like a man" the fuck outta here with that shit, stop bringing women down because they make you feel insecure about yourself.

Jaded Alyx · Jul 3, 2020

jett said:
How do they look like steroid abusers?

Can't lie, I'm eagerly awaiting the response to this.

carlsojo · Jul 3, 2020

I love Abby so much.

Fliesen · Jul 3, 2020

Scruffy8642 said:
I was actually quite annoyed at what they did with Tifa in FF7R. I definitely think they should've given her more tone at least. She's had this stigma of being ripped and strong af since her creation, it's a big portion of her character that she keeps in shape, and yet her arms are literally the same as Aeriths.

She's always looked like this, though. If anything, isn't the remake just very loyal to the original design?

Adulfzen said:
Yeah would have been amazing if we could have gotten something like this :

I don't really mind Tifa looking the way she does. (Like, i don't really care, because i FF7 doesn't really hold a special place in my heart, not today, not back then)
But i'm gonna fight against calling Tifa "buff" in any way shape or form.

SDBurton · Jul 3, 2020

Bless this thread. Shoutouts to Urbosa, Kassandra, and Brigitte. But yeah, SFV has been killing it in this regard.

Skyebaron · Jul 3, 2020

As a fat fuck, I never liked over muscular anyone in games. Still, they exist and are not less of what they identify as. I would die for being squeezed by Chun Li's thighs though.

HiLife · Jul 3, 2020

Kthulhu said:
Yeah I was kinda surprised when I saw some backlash. I was like "Do these people not play a lot of games?" cuz I can think of a ton of buff or at least fit female characters in games.

That's the issue. They play A LOT of video games and think they should look like Leisure Suit Larry models.

They don't interact with any women or go to the gym that often cause if they did this whole ordeal wouldn't be a thing. Watch women's wrestling, women's rugby, women's powerlifting. But mass on women in 4-5 years to the point they look like Abby = unrealistic

Lmao.

Alexhex · Jul 3, 2020

Man those artstations posts make me so cranky. Being an artist is so much more than technical skill, so much of it is being able to actually observe, study, and understand the reality around us. And yet so many artists get caught up in only drawing white, cis, traditionally masculine or feminine body types. They're neglecting the actual world around them and lashing out at correct representations because they didn't train themselves properly. It's kind of scary how easily people can fuck up their own perception of the world

Fliesen · Jul 3, 2020

This thread reminded me of the glory that is WWE2k20's character models
🤣

Desi · Jul 3, 2020

Start a petition to get Tifa more mass in FF7r2! I would sign.

Kazooie said:
Her being a bodybuilder is being shown in an F-Zero GX video.

Makes sense as she is striking a very good stage pose.

Fliesen · Jul 3, 2020

Desi said:
Start a petition to get Tifa more mass in FF7r2! I would sign.

Given that Remake Pt. 2 can

now freely deviate from the story of the original. So can TIFA. Roid her up!

Łazy · Jul 3, 2020

Urbossa looks very cool

I'm laughing seeing people try to put Tifa here.
She's your average thin girl without many clothes.

CelticKennedy · Jul 3, 2020

I think as it is right now, Abby's look can be pretty dramatic for some people. I think it was intentionally designed that way. Is it a bad design? Hell no. ND knew they would get some blow back. People have been conditioned for decades to view male and female characters a specific way...especially in videogames. I think some people would of also had a problem if Joel was some skinny or chunkier older man. For example, Bill from the first game. (man...I would really love some Bill DLC btw)

Hats of to Naughty Dog for pushing things the other way. Maybe if more developers do the same, we won't be having these body image conversations in a couple years.....maybe.....doubtful.

Kain · Jul 3, 2020

I haven't played TLOU2 and don't know much about the game but that girl looks amazing.

electroshockwave · Jul 3, 2020

That's what incels are getting up in arms about? She's not even that buff. It looks like a natural amount of muscle someone might develop from manual labour.

Also, bit nsfw I guess: https://i.imgur.com/HnILq9b.gifv

The Turbanator · Jul 3, 2020

Fliesen said:
Yeah, no.

Like, i don't disagree with you that there's "buff" and there's "super buff"
But if we start calling character models like Tifa's "buff", the word has lost all meaning

Like, i have no beef with Tifa - but buff, she is not.

You have no clue how disappointed I am that she doesn't have clearly defined abs or at least biceps.

Outrun · Jul 3, 2020

Anya Stroud Gears 3 buffed up

Dice · Jul 3, 2020

Melpomene said:
I mean, there's Sakura Ogami from the first Danganronpa, who thanks to the uniform and DR's tone you think is just going to be a slightly-offensive visual gag or something, but somehow manages to subvert those expectations and be one of the best characters in the game.

I love Sakura but yeah, I feel the design was more joke. Or rather, it felt like a maaassssiiive blind spot when the game, on several occasions, has guys do something because "they're stronger", Sakura literally holds her own in any/every situation.

bbg_g · Jul 3, 2020

OHCOMMON said:
i didn't miss those, but it seemed food was rationed heavily. 1 Burito a day isn't enough, also yeah i saw the gym but even with proper modern diet and workout she would need more than 3 years to go from flashback to her current muscle mass and very probably steroids too.

My head cannon is that she is indeed on roids, but that really isn't a fact since the game never tell you. Also why is no one attacking zarya or other examples in this thread, i feel like it's unfair to just attack people for hating women with muscles just because someone said that abby is kinda unrealistic in the context of the game.

Crossing Eden said:

It's also possible she'd be on steroids because you literally pick up supplements to upgrade your character stats.

Abby is now one of my favourite new characters of all time.

SoundLad · Jul 3, 2020

Nvm, my post was dumb

SchrodingerC · Jul 3, 2020

Incels were so warped by the idea women can't have muscles, especially during an apocalypse(proven wrong fools), that they convinced themselves Abby was trans. Just a stew of high tier sexism and transphobia.

Also, ain't it funny how the female characters are being questioned for their muscles in TLOU2 but not the male characters.

Chopchop · Jul 3, 2020

Roegadyn women in ffxiv are mostly muscular. They look similar to Gerudo warriors in physique.

AaronMT · Jul 3, 2020

Ayla – Chrono Trigger (Super Nintendo)

Garlador · Jul 3, 2020

SoundLad said:
These, on the other hand, look like steroid junkies and not natural at all.

I know a few girls with Chun-li's torso shape that are definitely not "steroid junkies". Just gym girls.

You should see some of her cosplayers.

Pankratous said:
Her left leg (our right) looks messed up to me. What the hell.

Just the shadow making it look detached. It's fine.

NinjaTrouiLLe · Jul 3, 2020

No love for Dragon's Crown amazon?

Axon · Jul 3, 2020

Abby just looks so fuckin cool. The only "issue" with her design that I have, if you can even call it an issue, is that her muscles look like muscles trained for looks, not muscles trained for strength. Basically you can pump in a way that makes your muscles attain a maximum amout of volume so you look super buff without actually beeing as strong as the size of the muscles would imply. Muscles trained for strength are usually less large (but look more robust), which is why MMA fighters usually look less buff than models pumping just for looks.

Obviously if Abby pumped her muscles to specifically look like that and this is the look she prefers for herself thats fine, but Im not sure thats what the devs were actually going for.

808s & Villainy · Jul 3, 2020

SoundLad said:
1. Cloud (somehow) wields a massive steel sword whereas Tifa uses her fists. He's bound to get good resistance training with that thing. 2. Hormonal differences between men and women I guess?

You realize neither of them have realistic bodies. No one with Cloud's physique could wield anything remotely close to that large a sword (not like anyone in real life could), so the musculature is entirely up to the artists/modelers

Buff women in video games [Mark Story Spoilers not related to Character Design]

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