I ...did...????? So...
All I saw was a cheap harem love triangle. The characters were great, their designs were cheap and way too few were unproblematic.
omg lol, this is you right now.
Artistically you've way over-thought this too.
Rex is blue, Nia is yellow, and Pyra is red because that shit will be the only thing you really see on the map. Basic colour theory is another good reason.
Even IF the Holy Grail is a large part of her motif, her design barely backs it up. She looks like a sci-fi stripper more than a regal sword. They absolutely 100% chose to expose the female cast by a very conscious decision.
because the designs are goodLet's say for sake of example that XB2 is actually as good as you say it is. Fair enough, you enjoy it.
Why do you think someone uninterested in anime tit games would look at the designs of these characters, these people you're saddled with for dozens of hours, and then be turned off of wanting to play it?
they can't give it up
just goes to show the staying power of a great game
Maybe some but a ton pander to otakus who love shitty sexualized designs.
Yes I did.It's okay to enjoy XBC2. However, would you say that you enjoyed it because of the character designs or in spite of them?
Not only is this a ridiculous explaination for "Sex Sells" but it's not even accurate. The standards of beauty for women in the medieval period was that of a long and slender person. The idea of curves being attractive came after and is a more modern construct. It certainly has nothing to do with the holy grail.I feel like you're implying here that i'm making the holy grail thing up, or that it wasn't intended. Thanks to Tim Rogers I know that in japanese Pyra is literally referred to as the holy grail, not the Aegis. With the Aegis thing being a part of the general christianity scrubbing of the games translation.
The holy grail is general a shorthand for a symbol of human desire. Most people know that. Something covetable or wanted by all. A cursory wikipedia research about the history of the holy grail, shows some things that may have been part of the inspiration for pyra
Holy Grail - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
Radiating fire you say? Pretty interesting!
You can also see further down that the grail is often linked with fertility, both of the land and humans. At the risk of sounding crass, perhaps making Pyra a large hipped and breasted woman (classical symbols of fertility) was in the character designers mind a brilliant allusion to some interpretations of the Grail. Yeah, I might be giving them too much credit. But the fact I can draw links at all to 12th century and 18th century depections of the same thing might mean someone along the lines was thinking about it.
A lot of these weird designs people criticise like the goddess one have some interesting elements to think about.
Which is why it bugs me that people act like the designs are incohesive or thoughtless. Think about the Nia/Rex/Pyra love triangle. the 3 of them are the three different primary colours Sonic Tails Knuckles style. Nia and Rex in particular are complementary. They are about the same height. Their costumes are alike in that they're jumpsuits made from similar fabric. They together form the classic blue/yellow contrast that errybody loves to see on movie posters. Pyra then sticks out as being way taller, completely different style of costume and looking like she's from another world in general because sheis.
which is probably why it's so frustrating that there's the Rex/Pyra romance plot happens because he's meant to match with nia, damnit!
Why is she wearing a skin tight cybernetic onesie though? Well... It's a Xeno game.
I... Did?
1.) I'm not super serious about this i'm just spitballingNot only is this a ridiculous explaination for "Sex Sells" but it's not even accurate. The standards of beauty for women in the medieval period was that of a long and slender person. The idea of curves being attractive came after and is a more modern construct. It certainly has nothing to do with the holy grail.
2.) You made a specific reference to the 12th Century in your post. That's medieval. Your argument sorta falls apart if you're not referencing the medieval period1.) I'm not super serious about this i'm just spitballing
2.) The game isn't a medival themed game, it's modern so why would you design for medieval beauty standards
3.) The long ass stretch of a bow I'm drawing isn't about beauty. It's about the 2 fold symbology of the holy grail (not specifically jesus's chalice) being used as both a symbol of human desire/something to coveted and a symbol of prosperity/fertility
4.) Fertility symbols have had big hips and breasts since paleolithic times. Come on.
4.) No. They haven't. That's the point. The definition of beauty has changed throughout history. And modern history has retcon past definitions of beauty to fit modern sensibilities
So in addition of saying nothing of substance over a dozen posts, now critics must not have played the game.
Venus Figurine
The term Venus figurine is used to describe the more than 200 small statuettes of voluptuous female figures that have been found at Upper Paleolithic sites across Europe and some parts of Asia. “When...www.ancient.eu
why am i wasting time on this
I see a few differences between Venus figures and the designs in Xenoblade. Just a few.Venus Figurine
The term Venus figurine is used to describe the more than 200 small statuettes of voluptuous female figures that have been found at Upper Paleolithic sites across Europe and some parts of Asia. “When...www.ancient.eu
why am i wasting time on this
Again, "changed throughout history". It's gone back and forth based upon a variety of culture and economic values in each century (and location, since this whole topic is obviously eurocentric).Venus Figurine
The term Venus figurine is used to describe the more than 200 small statuettes of voluptuous female figures that have been found at Upper Paleolithic sites across Europe and some parts of Asia. “When...www.ancient.eu
why am i wasting time on this
Xeno threads are a blight on this forum, they merely devolve into spam-wars like a pack of primitive animals flinging shit at each other; all the while taking up precious resources across the world for the data centre space, and dumping CO2 in the atmosphere for the energy needed.
What I was saying is that a famous 12th century painting depicted it as a bowl of fire held by a beautiful woman. Pyra is a beautiful woman who controls fire through a sword, there's the design link. Not literally "pyra is an anime 12th century depectiion of the grail." I'm also trying to communicate (unsuccessfully) that, in "medieval times, the grail was repurposed in poetry and literature to be a symbol of female femininity and fertility" You can see a (crass) example of this in the conspiracy theories that inspired the da vinci code which suggested the grail was mary magedlene's vagina.2.) You made a specific reference to the 12th Century in your post. That's medieval. Your argument sorta falls apart if you're not referencing the medieval period
This is Xenoblade 2. Of course, everything in it is going to be some convoluted, anime reference to relgious mythology. I agree, there's nothing deep about the hentai artist who sat down and said Hmm... Holy Grail, Fertility. I should draw a redhead with big boobs, but I myself am trying to parse the design in my mind.And I'm not sure why you are trying to argue that TITS are some complicated reference to the 12th century when the obvious answer is just TITS
Xeno threads are a blight on this forum, they merely devolve into spam-wars like a pack of primitive animals flinging shit at each other; all the while taking up precious resources across the world for the data centre space, and dumping CO2 in the atmosphere for the energy needed.
The only cure is a complete site wide purge
Exterminatus
Honestly, the caveman who carved these should probably sue for IP rightsI see a few differences between Venus figures and the designs in Xenoblade. Just a few.
I'm not really sure what you're saying anymore. It's late here and I'm half asleep but... do you think Pyra's design is good or not? You seem to be going through a lot of gymnastics to justify the thought processes behind it but does that matter with the end result I ask?
BOLTERS BROTHERS!Xeno threads are a blight on this forum, they merely devolve into spam-wars like a pack of primitive animals flinging shit at each other; all the while taking up precious resources across the world for the data centre space, and dumping CO2 in the atmosphere for the energy needed.
The only cure is a complete site wide purge
Exterminatus
It's a bit of a joke. "Xenos" is the catch all phrase for any species that isn't human; used by the Imperium of Man in the Warhammer 40K Series.Dear lord, a little melodramatic aint it?
If you don't care at all about the topic, why even post
But the idea of the grail and feminine beauty wasn't even a thing until the 19th and 20th centuries. Again, because the definition of beauty changed over time.What I was saying is that a famous 12th century painting depicted it as a bowl of fire held by a beautiful woman. Pyra is a beautiful woman who controls fire through a sword, there's the design link. Not literally "pyra is an anime 12th century depectiion of the grail." I'm also trying to communicate (unsuccessfully) that, in "medieval times, the grail was repurposed in poetry and literature to be a symbol of female femininity and fertility" You can see a (crass) example of this in the conspiracy theories that inspired the da vinci code which suggested the grail was mary magedlene's vagina.
This is Xenoblade 2. Of course, everything in it is going to be some convoluted, anime reference to relgious mythology. I agree, there's nothing deep about the hentai artist who sat down and said Hmm... Holy Grail, Fertility. I should draw a redhead with big boobs, but I myself am trying to parse the design in my mind.
I think trying to understand why a seemingly fucking OUT THERE insane character design made it to ship and what the designer was trying to communicate is more interesting then just being like "this is fucking stupid" and moving on
Lol this is the same argument about the big tiddy sorcerer in Dragon's Crown. There's no symbolism, my guy, it's just big tiddies for the sake of big tiddies.
Objectified and sexualized designs are good? Okay.
Literal words verbatim from the creators of Azure Lane.It should be apparent why they did it when we live in a world where you can slap some titties on a WWII battleship and people will worship it.
nia is good, morag is good, rex is good, zeke is good, vast majority of the blade are good
Nia's fine until near end of the game.nia is good, morag is good, rex is good, zeke is good, vast majority of the blade are good
bunny lady is ridic, sure, but whatever
the scheme is blown out of proportion and we re-address this shit like 3 times a month since dec 2017
its old
nia is good, morag is good, rex is good, zeke is good, vast majority of the blade are good
bunny lady is ridic, sure, but whatever
the scheme is blown out of proportion and we re-address this shit like 3 times a month since dec 2017
its old
You're right! Some people do prefer sexist designs, and they also love games that objectify most of their female characters! I guess you're one of them.
nah i'll do what i wantYou should probably stay out of threads specifically designed to call out the worst aspects of a game you otherwise enjoy if it bothers you, then.
You are ignoring the very reason this thread exists. No one is saying that EVERY design in the game is bad. Read the OP for once.nia is good, morag is good, rex is good, zeke is good, vast majority of the blade are good
bunny lady is ridic, sure, but whatever
the scheme is blown out of proportion and we re-address this shit like 3 times a month since dec 2017
its old
I'm not saying that she has to be anything, You're hung up on the time period. It's obvious if you play the game that the designers aren't taking from any particular point in history, but rather sampling ideas from different religious and mythologies like a cheese board. I'm saying that rather than a completely thoughtless horny anime girl drawing, the artist probably looked for historical depictions of the holy grail and sought to filter it through their own horny anime lens.But the idea of the grail and feminine beauty wasn't even a thing until the 19th and 20th centuries. Again, because the definition of beauty changed over time.
This is like arguing that every female lawyer has to be busty & in a revealing outfit because law = impartial = Lady Justice = women = BOOBS
When I first played the game, one of the things that stuck in my brain is "why does pyra look like this?" Other characters in the game have designs that very clearly communicate who they are and what they're about (wannabe anime Hero Zeke, Androgynous Military Lady Morag) Rex is a kid who dives so naturally he wears shorts and a diving suit, right (Wait that's actually really stu-) So to me it's most interesting to try and understand what they're going for when something totally baffles me then just write it off as stupid.I'm not really sure what you're saying anymore. It's late here and I'm half asleep but... do you think Pyra's design is good or not? You seem to be going through a lot of gymnastics to justify the thought processes behind it but does that matter with the end result I ask?
She can be a representation of the grail and fire etc but the end design was a tiny short thong wearing waifu bait design no?
Yeah, the 2D art is obviously different, because it was drawn by different people. That's just stuff you see in the menus, though, so...Artistically they are massively inconsistant.
Here is pyra's art.
Here's Boreas
Here's Azumi
It's all over the place and it's like that because they used guest artists for nearly everything not related to main plot. It's easy to get caught up on the fact that the art work both in game and out is so extremely different from piece to piece, and the contextualization of everyone being a light image doesn't really wave that fact off. It's even more jarring when you have someone like Poppi, who is an exaggerated version of the artwork used on the core characters next to guest blades like Gorg or Jivaro. Hell, even Morag doesn't fit half the time.
It's completely dissonant.
Something something Mary Magdalene something something