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Dynheart

Self-requested ban
Member
Oct 31, 2017
658
I feel the issue is finding the line between sexy and objectified. Everyone has a different threshold, thus it makes it hard to determine what is just attractive, and what is sexist.

Someones sexualized and can be another's empowered, and a good design to one can be a terrible design to another.

I feel these kinds of discussions can be really difficult because these things are very subjective and everyone approaches these things from a diffrent point of view.

For example I made a thread a couple of days ago called " Sexualized designs do not equal bad designs."

https://www.resetera.com/threads/sexualized-designs-do-not-equal-bad-designs.4361/

I approached this topic from the viewpoint of an artist and how I judge all designs by their merit as character designs.

One may approach this topic from a feminist theory perspective, like Anita Sarkessian for example .

It can be pretty hard to come to a conclusion, since every one handles this diffrently.

You make a good point about threshold and there being a variance between people. Take my wife for instance, she's a strong level headed female who has who own feminist point of views (to be quite frank, first couple of years were a challenge with her..but well worth it obviously, married 15 years). She enjoys Bayonetta's character and her use of her sexuality (empowerment). However, the internet for the most part, dislike Baynetta's design and her character.

So, like you said, it really comes done to point of view. Even hardcore feminists have their own points of view. It's almost as bad a politics/religion at this point. No one can really agree, other than the blatant stuff.
 

Budi

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,883
Finland
And what would that be? I thought all the female characters in witcher 3 were great, especially the main 3.
I was left confused with Ves, her characterization came out of the left field with the opened up shirt. She's a serious and capable soldier. Was that some rebellion going on against Roche or something? I absolutely agree with the main trio and I really can't see even their outfits to be sexist or even inappropriately sexualized in over the top manner. They are all designed to be attractive though, but I think that's also in the source material. Since the sorceresses even use magic to enhance themselves. They aren't the only women in the game though, there are more characters that are designed to be attractive but also those that aren't. The writing of the game is nothing but excellent when it comes to these issues though, not only with characterization and storylines. But there's a lot of commentary on sexism in the game.
However, the internet for the most part, dislike Baynetta's design and her character.
I really don't think this is true. She's been criticized a lot sure, but I really couldn't say that majority has a problem with her design.
 
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Kin5290

Member
Oct 26, 2017
3,390
Actually, I don't feel like letting this go. People were saying they thought that this:

morag-xenoblade-chronicles-2-59.4.jpg


looked too much like a guy. And actually, can we get more designs like her in general? Because as much as I like Laura, Chole, Elena, and others, they're still wearing semi-generic clothes. This actually is a character designs that looks cool and doesn't have her wearing a two piece and call it a design.
I actually really like the character design of Lt. Mira Nero from the Space Marine third person shooter. And she's wearing a generic, well, uniform.
200
 

Wild Card

Member
Oct 26, 2017
585
I'm only one the first page, but is this an issue that still relevant in western game development, in regards to sexualization? Obviously in Japan it's different, with different creators, goals, and audiences.
 

IwazaruK7

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,155
I just want to point out that this isn't true.

Most AAA games target adult males 18-32.

Western games - yes. But japanese developers aim at teens as auditory (unless it's VERY niche questionable stuff for hardcore otakus)... Partly because, strangely, in Japan they are harsher with "grown up should abandon games" concept.

I don't have articles to link currently, but someone's irl impression from another discussion which was confirmed:

japgrew5xpjw.png


* though portable and mobile gaming is much more socially acceptable for adults there. as with arcade centres.
 
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Dr. Monkey

Member
Oct 25, 2017
15,029
Even hardcore feminists have their own points of view
Yes, turns out "even hardcore feminists" are people with nuanced opinions. I get the sentiment of what you were saying - and it's positive - but phrasing, man, phrasing.

re: perception in Japan - I think that's actually not super uncommon in general. My diss chair streams and is on camera and is obviously middle-aged. A bunch of us here at the university often do charity streams, too, and the amount of "how old are you? why are you playing?" comments is not insignificant. May be more culturally embedded other places, but for all the stats on gamers and purchasers here, there are still attitudes that don't always match up. Which may also be part of why this problem persists.
 
Oct 25, 2017
9,006
Canada
However, the internet for the most part, dislike Baynetta's design and her character.

So, like you said, it really comes done to point of view. Even hardcore feminists have their own points of view. It's almost as bad a politics/religion at this point. No one can really agree, other than the blatant stuff.

I'm not sure that's true. A lot of feminists seemed mixed to positive on Bayonetta.
 
Oct 25, 2017
9,006
Canada
I'm not sure anyone is going to feel better based on the notion it's the popular medical term for women, still sounds like you're talking about specimens.
 

kvetcha

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
7,835
I think 'degrading' is the wrong word. The use of 'female' is clinical and somewhat dehumanizing, which is appropriate in a medical context but distancing and a little alienating in the context of interpersonal communication.

It's like referring to couples with children as 'breeders.'
 

seansmith9322

Member
Oct 31, 2017
205
Member was warned for drive by posting
I'm not sure anyone is going to feel better based on the notion it's the popular medical term for women, still sounds like you're talking about specimens.

It's not the popular term. It's the exclusive term. People need to not be so fragile. You could literally call me a specimen, man, boy, bubba. Idc. There are more important things in life than a name.
 

hotcyder

Member
Oct 28, 2017
2,861
Anyone have a particularly strong opinion on the female character designs in the Dishonored games? Outside of the depiction of sex workers in the first game (I don't know whether this was carried over to the second - I can't remember seeing any on my two playthroughs), I think they do a lot to do quite respectful designs without diminishing too much on femininity.

2dd02bc72506ae832314f16811357c9f.jpg

maxresdefault.jpg

hypathia.png



It's an island of pant-suits for sure - but it at least feels tonally consistent for the fiction of the world. They even brought on an actual fashion designer for the second game to add more thought behind the designs.
 

Deleted member 5764

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
6,574
I'm really glad we have this OP, as I feel the same frustrations. Seeing Cindy in FFXV caused me to roll my eyes, and the designs for most of the "Blades" in Xenoblade 2 will most likely make me skip the game entirely.

On this topic, is there any scenario in which boob physics have a place in (non-porn) games? It always grosses me out to think that someone on the dev team took the time to work on that.
 
Oct 25, 2017
9,006
Canada
That sounds weird to me...

Bayonetta is literally "titillation in a catsuit".

Look I can't speak for other people, but I have heard a lot of arguments on behalf of Bayonetta.

She's sexually liberated, she's fighting with powers coming from her own sexual femininity or something.
The enemy is implied to be some kind of patriarchal/religious oppressive force.

Again, I think some other people could provide a much better argument, I'm mostly citing points I recall hearing in the past. I think both sides of the argument on Bayo are justified.

Freedom of speech and expression

The OP is expressing their freedom of speech with this thread.
 

Gotdatmoney

Member
Oct 28, 2017
14,487
On this topic, is there any scenario in which boob physics have a place in (non-porn) games? It always grosses me out to think that someone on the dev team took the time to work on that.

Why wouldn't modern games have boob physics? It's literally a part of a person that moves and reacts like hair. As games get more realistic why wouldn't they model movements and animations more realistically?

The issue is a lot of games are just trying to oggle gamers with tits bouncing everywhere in situations it makes no sense. But its not strange that if you are trying to model realistic movements you would include this.
 
Oct 25, 2017
9,006
Canada
It's not the popular term. It's the exclusive term. People need to not be so fragile. You could literally call me a specimen, man, boy, bubba. Idc. There are more important things in life than a name.

What? Why can't you just respect and acknowledge what some people would prefer to be called.

No one fell-apart or got mad at you, they just asked you to use a different name and you called them fragile.
 

Deleted member 5764

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
6,574
Why wouldn't modern games have boob physics? It's literally a part of a person that moves and reacts like hair. As games get more realistic why wouldn't they model movements and animations more realistically?

The issue is a lot of games are just trying to oggle gamers with tits bouncing everywhere in situations it makes no sense. But its not strange that if you are trying to model realistic movements you would include this.

Honestly, I'd agree with you if the level of detail were the same on both sides. If a developer wants to go for "realism" by giving physics to female breasts, why not the same for men? Large pectoral muscles are going to move/flex/bounce unless you're flexing 24/7.
 

Gotdatmoney

Member
Oct 28, 2017
14,487
Honestly, I'd agree with you if the level of detail were the same on both sides. If a developer wants to go for "realism" by giving physics to female breasts, why not the same for men? Large pectoral muscles are going to move/flex/bounce unless you're flexing 24/7.

I certainly don't disagree hence why I said its just there to oggle guys which is why it often looks stupid. I was also going to add even as a dude when I run on a treadmill I can literally feel my pectoral muscles moving though its obviously not to the degree of a breasts for obvious reasons.

They could and should animate it on guys (and tbh I think its something that will eventually be animated) but the difference between big pectorals and DDs in terms of movement is quite difference. We're probably just getting a combination of pandering and not bothering to actually observe what males look like when they run
 

Dary

Member
Oct 27, 2017
8,404
The English Wilderness
Jesus.

Xenoblade 2, you didn't have to go full "enthusiast". America already wanted you...

I think the issue might be that Japan didn't, based on the lacklustre sales figures of the last two games over there...

Also, because so many people see things in black and white ("you criticised a design, therefore you must hate all Japanese games and want them to fail to push your secret agenda!!!"), here's my Forever Favourite in female character design...

Amano_Faris_III.jpg
 

Jade

Banned
Nov 8, 2017
116
Anyone have a particularly strong opinion on the female character designs in the Dishonored games? Outside of the depiction of sex workers in the first game (I don't know whether this was carried over to the second - I can't remember seeing any on my two playthroughs), I think they do a lot to do quite respectful designs without diminishing too much on femininity.


For some reason everyone in the Dishonored games is incredibly ugly, even the women. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
 

Mesoian

▲ Legend ▲
Member
Oct 28, 2017
26,426
I think the issue might be that Japan didn't, based on the lacklustre sales figures of the last two games over there...

Also, because so many people see things in black and white ("you criticised a design, therefore you must hate all Japanese games and want them to fail to push your secret agenda!!!"), here's my Forever Favourite in female character design...

I don't use regional terms for art anymore, because there's a lot of western art that's just as bad, it just makes it to a final product less often than it does in the east.

I use the term, "ENTHUSIAST" now, because that's who a lot of this art is for. People who will spend money on wall scrolls and titty statues. ENTHUSIASTS.

For some reason everyone in the Dishonored games is incredibly ugly, even the women. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I mean, you should look so good in a steampunk dystopia where everyone is suffering from one of 9 assorted plagues.
 
Oct 27, 2017
4,290
Nottingham, UK
seansmith9322
Or you could just listen to people...

I'm a medical secretary, and yes in a clinical context female is used often in that sense sometimes (but not at all times).

Given this is a social setting perhaps you should change your language use.

Edited as forgot to add quote
 

Pirate Bae

Edelgard Feet Appreciator
The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
6,792
??
It's not the popular term. It's the exclusive term. People need to not be so fragile. You could literally call me a specimen, man, boy, bubba. Idc. There are more important things in life than a name.
If you asked to be referred to by a specific term, I'd bet you money people would respect your wishes and call you as such. Same applies here. It doesn't really matter if you agree with it, it's not your place to decide what someone else would like to be called.
 

Choppasmith

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,410
Beaumont, CA
I think the issue might be that Japan didn't, based on the lacklustre sales figures of the last two games over there...

Also, because so many people see things in black and white ("you criticised a design, therefore you must hate all Japanese games and want them to fail to push your secret agenda!!!"), here's my Forever Favourite in female character design...

Amano_Faris_III.jpg

You have great taste. I recall Amano saying Faris is his favorite design behind Terra.

Also those Xenoblade designs are... Yikes. I mean, I'm looking forward to Xenoblade 2 for the exploration and the gameplay so I still find the game worth buying, but man, I've been on blackout for the most part, hopefully there's blades to choose from that don't make me cringe when I play.
 

Budi

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,883
Finland
"females" rings odd to my ear too, depending how it's used ofc. "female character" sounds right. But I was just yesterday thinking about this because of another topic.

From a news article.
"As a female, and as a mother of three daughters, it should never be okay to rip off an article of clothing off of a female, period," said Abdulla, who is the chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer for Valor Collegiate Academies.

Especially considering her position, it makes it even weirder for me. But ofcourse I'm not gonna tell her how she should refer to herself.
 
Nov 12, 2017
71
Yeah, I'd be very sad if sexualized women in video games, which I love to look at, were removed because it made people feel uncomfortable, or made them chase after unrealistic standards and led them to disappointments, or anything like that. Media has bad effects, yes, but not the same on everyone. It's unfair to want media to fit just one demographic.
 

Dary

Member
Oct 27, 2017
8,404
The English Wilderness
You have great taste. I recall Amano saying Faris is his favorite design behind Terra.

Also those Xenoblade designs are... Yikes. I mean, I'm looking forward to Xenoblade 2 for the exploration and the gameplay so I still find the game worth buying, but man, I've been on blackout for the most part, hopefully there's blades to choose from that don't make me cringe when I play.

Well that's the thing, isn't it? I wouldn't be so vocal about the designs if I wasn't a fan of the series - I've had the game on pre-order the moment it was available! And, because I enjoy it, I'd like the series to reach a wider audience.

Alienating a whole swathe of people just to pander to an otaku niche is not the way to do that, though.
 

Pirate Bae

Edelgard Feet Appreciator
The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
6,792
??
Yeah, I'd be very sad if sexualized women in video games, which I love to look at, were removed because it made people feel uncomfortable, or made them chase after unrealistic standards and led them to disappointments, or anything like that. Media has bad effects, yes, but not the same on everyone. It's unfair to want media to fit just one demographic.
This issue is bigger than just you and your preferences.

What's this about "unrealistic standards" now?
 

Xaszatm

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
10,903
Yeah, I'd be very sad if sexualized women in video games, which I love to look at, were removed because it made people feel uncomfortable, or made them chase after unrealistic standards and led them to disappointments, or anything like that. Media has bad effects, yes, but not the same on everyone. It's unfair to want media to fit just one demographic.

...If, after 19/38 pages of this, you have come to the conclusion that "teh women want to take away my boobies", then you have not read anything about the complaints posted here.
 
Nov 12, 2017
71
The user was banned for this post (3 days). If you don't care about the subject of a thread, and you don't care about the people posting in that thread, then maybe you shouldn't be in that thread trying to shut down discussion.
This issue is bigger than just you and your preferences.

What's this about "unrealistic standards" now?
I care about me and my preferences. Not something bigger. I don't care if anyone is "fucking tired" of seeing such designs. I am not. I don't care how it affects, like any other sort of media, people's psychology or anything. Not everyone minds it. Not every woman, and definitely not me.
 

Joeku

Member
Oct 26, 2017
23,475
Anyone have a particularly strong opinion on the female character designs in the Dishonored games? Outside of the depiction of sex workers in the first game (I don't know whether this was carried over to the second - I can't remember seeing any on my two playthroughs), I think they do a lot to do quite respectful designs without diminishing too much on femininity.

2dd02bc72506ae832314f16811357c9f.jpg



It's an island of pant-suits for sure - but it at least feels tonally consistent for the fiction of the world. They even brought on an actual fashion designer for the second game to add more thought behind the designs.
Delilah's design is like the only cool thing about her in DH2. She looks half ent.
 
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