Alien's Sigourney Weaver Hopes to See More Women in Games

[Something Amyss]

You do know that people who write game story and gameplay are different than those who code the graphics and optimization, right?

[citation needed]?[/quote]

Yup, but since that has zero to do with anything I was talking about, I'll just acknowledge it and move on.

Well my point was, I'd like better writing so I don't HAVE to do that all the time.

It's never going to reach you the same way, though. That content you've created is almost certainly going to be better than what they an create because it's unfeasible (if not impossible) to cater to millions of people individually. You talk about these great experiences, but they come about because you're actively inputting them.

 

[Dizchu]

Kinda sucks that people will (and have) inevitably brought Gamergate discussion into this.

Sigourney Weaver is the female action badass and the Alien series has been essential in bringing female protagonists into action/sci-fi works. Chances are we'd have no Samus without Ripley.

I think her opinions count for a lot more than hyperbolic Tumblr bloggers and is exactly the kind of nourishment the gender discussion needs. She raises excellent points, but not only does she raise them... her filmography is proof that her suggestions have been executed well to critical acclaim.

I think instead of complaining about how there are "no female characters in games that satisfy my criteria" or responses with a list of 10,000 female characters to "prove them wrong", we should understand what made works like Aliens so good.

 

[Something Amyss]

No, it won't be the same. But it will still be enjoyable. Take for instance Borderlands 2 DLC Assault on Dragons Keep. Or was it Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon's Keep (I think it's the latter). The point is, the story was well written, I got wrapped up in it, it made me cry and feel things. I didn't have to add anything to it, and even if I didn't like all the characters in it (I never cared much for Ellie, or Roland honestly), but it was enough to draw me in and empathise with the characters.

Other people might have loved Roland, and it would have been really touching to them. Other people might have hated him and loved Tina and been drawn in by her story in it (like me), or they might have been touched by how Lilith reacted to Tina's story, etc. The point is, there was enough of a story there that the characters were more than just two dimensional cut outs that even if you didn't always like them, you could still enjoy playing them.

Most people I've talked to thought the expansion was crap. Again, I think this is less about the quality of writing and more your investment in the things you have imprinted upon the game.

 

[IamLEAM1983]

Marvel shit on thousands of years of lore and history when they announced a woman Thor and while it perhaps got them a few moral pats on the shoulder, they pissed off a ton of fans and readers for it and sparked arguments everywhere.
Whenever I hear someone say it's a good idea, I ask them why and I never get a straight answer or even one that satisfies themselves.

Maybe you weren't listening when they gave you the answer? Because here's the answer:

Whosoever holds this hammer,
If he be worthy,
Shall possess the power of...
THOR

Anyone is able to become Thor. If they're worthy, that is. Captain America was worthy of wielding Mjolnir, and so was Wonder Woman in a crossover event. Donald Blake fucked up, stopped being worthy. He was no longer Thor. Now we have a woman picking up the hammer. There is literally nothing wrong there. Why? Because Thor was a frog once. And an alien space horse. Shit happens in comics.

Maybe the problem isn't with Marvel. Maybe it's with the "fans" that are shitting all over Marvel because of their own sexism.

Agreed. With so many comic book characters being more of an assembly of tropes and concepts than fully-formed characters, the question of gender is entirely useless. Pepper Potts has her own armor suit (codenamed "Rescue" as she does occasionally save Tony's ass), the Multiverse and Clone Saga shenanigans with Spider-Man gave us Spider-Woman, and Supergirl did eventually push out of her "Betty Davis with Super Strength" predicament once DC actually started to give a damn.

Besides, it's more a question of intellectual ownership than sexism. Marvel owns Thor's rights - at least Thor as a superhero concept. The fans don't. Consequently, Marvel can do whatever it pleases with the Thor concept, including gender-bending it.

The one thing I'd hope for is that it's being done with honest intentions, though. If Gender Equality in Pop Culture is more a fad than a developing consciousness, I don't imagine Female Thor will last that long. I'd love to see the concept endure, even if alternate means are eventually evoked to have her coexist with Classic Thor.

As this is Marvel we're talking about. Progressive outlook or no progressive outlook, someone's eventually going to find a way to stick Mjolnir back into Blake's hand without denying Female Thor her place in the canon.

Speaking of, does she even have a name, as of yet? I think she was rumored to be an Asgardian, right?

 

[Terminate421]

We need a new Metroid essentially.

And then more women as playable protagonists.

There, everyone is happy. (I'd actually like that)

 

[Grumman]

Anyone is able to become Thor. If they're worthy, that is. Captain America was worthy of wielding Mjolnir, and so was Wonder Woman in a crossover event. Donald Blake fucked up, stopped being worthy. He was no longer Thor. Now we have a woman picking up the hammer. There is literally nothing wrong there. Why? Because Thor was a frog once. And an alien space horse. Shit happens in comics.

Maybe the problem isn't with Marvel. Maybe it's with the "fans" that are shitting all over Marvel because of their own sexism.

I will not dispute that this is in keeping with what Marvel created 616-Thor to be, but I still hate this turn of events. This is /not/ because I hate having a female Thor-like character but because I hate the premise that Thor is a title and not a person. I far prefer the approach taken in the movies where Thor is not Donald Blake, Thor is Thor. If they'd just had Lady Sif step in to take up Mjolnir while letting her stay Lady Sif, I would be much happier.

 

[Strazdas]

You know, if #Gamergate has taught me one thing, then it's that there's no point in going in to a discussion with someone when all you end up doing is repeating yourself over and over again. And I found myself doing that at first. The words "Like I said" kept popping up, for example. So, euh ... I'm done. If you honestly believe everything you wrote, then that's your right. If you want to keep on playing as a man, then go for it. But don't expect everyone else to just sit by and see the gaming industry become even staler than it already is.

Not sure how this is related to gamergate as gamergate is a movement against corruption in videogame journalism, not gender representation issues.

Yes, "like i said" keep popping up here and there. they do, because the opponent often ignores arguments that they cannot refute or that does not allow them to push their agenda. Repetition is not a bad thing if it is repetition of correct information.

Look, im all for diversity in games, but the last thing i want to happen is to force it. It either has to come naturally via market demand and creative freedom (you know kinda like how it works just fine in indie titles) or its not going to work. last time we tried to force society into a shape we had Soviet Union. Id rather not repeat that.

Maybe you weren't listening when they gave you the answer? Because here's the answer:

Whosoever holds this hammer,
If he be worthy,
Shall possess the power of...
THOR

Have you even read that? here i bolded the part that disagrees and marvel actually changed just to fit the female character.

EDIT: @Smilomaniac This reply to you, son

If you want him to see it, press the quote button. the @ does not notify the person via PM and quote does.

 

[deathbydeath]

I want some suit at Ubisoft to see this and finally greenlight Beyond Good & Evil 2. That's all I'm saying.

 

[Pinkilicious]

Marvel shit on thousands of years of lore and history when they announced a woman Thor and while it perhaps got them a few moral pats on the shoulder, they pissed off a ton of fans and readers for it and sparked arguments everywhere.
Whenever I hear someone say it's a good idea, I ask them why and I never get a straight answer or even one that satisfies themselves.

Maybe you weren't listening when they gave you the answer? Because here's the answer:

Whosoever holds this hammer,
If he be worthy,
Shall possess the power of...
THOR

Anyone is able to become Thor. If they're worthy, that is. Captain America was worthy of wielding Mjolnir, and so was Wonder Woman in a crossover event. Donald Blake fucked up, stopped being worthy. He was no longer Thor. Now we have a woman picking up the hammer. There is literally nothing wrong there. Why? Because Thor was a frog once. And an alien space horse. Shit happens in comics.

Maybe the problem isn't with Marvel. Maybe it's with the "fans" that are shitting all over Marvel because of their own sexism.

Agreed. With so many comic book characters being more of an assembly of tropes and concepts than fully-formed characters, the question of gender is entirely useless. Pepper Potts has her own armor suit (codenamed "Rescue" as she does occasionally save Tony's ass), the Multiverse and Clone Saga shenanigans with Spider-Man gave us Spider-Woman, and Supergirl did eventually push out of her "Betty Davis with Super Strength" predicament once DC actually started to give a damn.

Besides, it's more a question of intellectual ownership than sexism. Marvel owns Thor's rights - at least Thor as a superhero concept. The fans don't. Consequently, Marvel can do whatever it pleases with the Thor concept, including gender-bending it.

The one thing I'd hope for is that it's being done with honest intentions, though. If Gender Equality in Pop Culture is more a fad than a developing consciousness, I don't imagine Female Thor will last that long. I'd love to see the concept endure, even if alternate means are eventually evoked to have her coexist with Classic Thor.

As this is Marvel we're talking about. Progressive outlook or no progressive outlook, someone's eventually going to find a way to stick Mjolnir back into Blake's hand without denying Female Thor her place in the canon.

Speaking of, does she even have a name, as of yet? I think she was rumored to be an Asgardian, right?

It is still quite offputting, they should probably have made an original character from asgard in the first place. Would this still have made sense if anyone who touches Jesus' stick also becomes Jesus? It is still a very real religion, and due to size its adherents are understandably volatile. I don't know, I never invested into comics much, but it seems slightly disrespectful to have used religious figures in such a way.

You know, if #Gamergate has taught me one thing, then it's that there's no point in going in to a discussion with someone when all you end up doing is repeating yourself over and over again. And I found myself doing that at first. The words "Like I said" kept popping up, for example. So, euh ... I'm done. If you honestly believe everything you wrote, then that's your right. If you want to keep on playing as a man, then go for it. But don't expect everyone else to just sit by and see the gaming industry become even staler than it already is.

Not sure how this is related to gamergate as gamergate is a movement against corruption in videogame journalism, not gender representation issues.

Yes, "like i said" keep popping up here and there. they do, because the opponent often ignores arguments that they cannot refute or that does not allow them to push their agenda. Repetition is not a bad thing if it is repetition of correct information.

Look, im all for diversity in games, but the last thing i want to happen is to force it. It either has to come naturally via market demand and creative freedom (you know kinda like how it works just fine in indie titles) or its not going to work. last time we tried to force society into a shape we had Soviet Union. Id rather not repeat that.

Actually does seem like gamergate is interested in representation as well, it seems made up of many who are also fed up with the AAA development process, I have read many complaints of such and seen recommendation back and forth about games with good female leads such as Freedom Planet and Iji, and also pointing out older games like El Viento. Amusingly these are also games the journalists seem to ignore existing, perhaps because they do not fit a narrative?