Borderlands 2 "Girlfriend Mode" Helps Noobs Win

[Phisi]

If you can't aim a pistol you shouldn't be playing Borderlands. Period.

You don't want to go there mate, you will get a lot of hate. What it comes down to is you are excluding people from the joy of games. What about the parent who wants to play a game with their disabled kid who lacks to muscle control to aim? Shouldn't they have an option that lets them play and doesn't affect you in any way (you don't have to use it) and helps them be a part of the team? I am quite sure you don't actually stand by that statement in a situation such as this so if I were you I would be a little more careful in what you post.

 

[Sparrow]

Aaaaand I'm suddenly reminded why I wanted this game. Haven't heard much about it lately, nice to get a little news on the Gearbox front.

INB4 bitching about pre-order DLC and calling sexism because he said girlfriend tree.

Anyway. This sounds like a great idea, because my girlfriends main problem with borderlands was that she would die more often than me, and so if this perk tree can tip the scales a bit, we may get a LOT of playtime out of it.

Oh man, the post literally right after yours said it was sexist. It's shameful how ridiculous some of the users are getting on here. It's not sexism, you nit-picking white-knight wannabes. It's a funny name. Yeesh.

I'd be annoyed if that was actually what it was called and I'm a woman... it's not 'funny' and it is sexist.

I think most people would agree.

It really isn't sexist. It's a tongue in cheek joke. It's a funny little poke at the fact some guys play videogames with their girlfriends who have no idea what they're doing. The guy isn't saying "Women can't play videogames!", he's saying "Some folks can relate to this title in a humorous fashion!"

Honestly, if you feel insulted by it then you offend far too easily.

 

[m19]

This is the sort of prejudice we have within the games industry. Not everyone, but that minority that ruins things for everyone else, or gives gaming a bad name. "Girlfriend" mode is both sexist and ludicrous. If you want an easier setting - call it EASY. Not "Girlfriend" mode.

Or how about having enough respect to read things carefully before blaming? The is no "Girlfriend mode" in the game.

 

[MetalMonkey74]

I dont really like the name, however we know its not officially called that.

I do like what it does though. Its a great idea to have someone with less/no skill join you and still have fun!

 

[m19]

If you think it's funny to pretend women are bad at video games, you're the reason so few of us are game enough to speak. Idiotic stereotypes like that are the reason so few women work in IT or the video game industry; it's a boy's club and you make us feel very unwelcome.

Except the poster you quote never said that.

 

[William Dickbringer]

If you can't aim a pistol you shouldn't be playing Borderlands. Period.

if you need to aim at all you're doing it wrong (in borderlands)
O.T. so it sounds like the class may be interesting good way to get new players into the game but I'm not too keen on the aim in the general direction and shoot but then again I'll wait and see

 

[Quellan Thyde]

I know that to expect anything approaching innovation from Gearbox is asking for miracles, but this is a mouth-breather of an idea even for them. Let me join the chorus: sexist, condescending, ignorant.

 

[Sparrow]

Aaaaand I'm suddenly reminded why I wanted this game. Haven't heard much about it lately, nice to get a little news on the Gearbox front.

INB4 bitching about pre-order DLC and calling sexism because he said girlfriend tree.

Anyway. This sounds like a great idea, because my girlfriends main problem with borderlands was that she would die more often than me, and so if this perk tree can tip the scales a bit, we may get a LOT of playtime out of it.

Oh man, the post literally right after yours said it was sexist. It's shameful how ridiculous some of the users are getting on here. It's not sexism, you nit-picking white-knight wannabes. It's a funny name. Yeesh.

I'd be annoyed if that was actually what it was called and I'm a woman... it's not 'funny' and it is sexist.

I think most people would agree.

It really isn't sexist. It's a tongue in cheek joke. It's a funny little poke at the fact some guys play videogames with their girlfriends who have no idea what they're doing. The guy isn't saying "Women can't play videogames!", he's saying "Some folks can relate to this title in a humorous fashion!"

Honestly, if you feel insulted by it then you offend far too easily.

If you think it's funny to pretend women are bad at video games, you're the reason so few of us are game enough to speak. Idiotic stereotypes like that are the reason so few women work in IT or the video game industry; it's a boy's club and you make us feel very unwelcome.

Way to twist my words. I never said women are bad at videogames. And I never would say that, because it's simply not true. As a gender, women are equally as good at playing videogames as men.

But the simple fact is, barely* any women play videogames. I've never seen any statistics or figures, but I would put money on the fact that there's a 10:1 ratio of men to women who play videogames. This very situation the article explains (a guy roping his girlfriend into playing a videogame so they can have fun together) has happened to countless guys I know, and in fact has happened to me a few times. It's a simple fact of life that on average more guys are interested in videogames than girls. So it's not sexist. It's a joke.

And honestly, I think you're doing more damage to the feminist community than anyone who thinks that joke is funny. People will look at you, jumping up at the slightest hint of possible sexism, and disregard your opinions instantly. They'll think you're just a feminazi. And then, they might see your posts again and not realise you're the same person who made the previous comment they disliked. They'll start to think "Man, it seems I shouldn't take the opinions of the average feminist seriously."

Quite honestly, you are the reason multiple people can't take feminists seriously. They see people like you getting ridiculously angry at the silliest things and proceed to form a negative opinion of feminists. If you want your opinion to carry weight from here on out, act like a bloody adult when you form an argument. Don't just go throwing the words "sexism" or "misogyny" around because they are far more serious and frankly quite hurtful than you could ever imagine. If you want people to respect your opinions, give them reason to.

[sup]*I was going to edit this out, but I think it's better to just note that I probably went a little overboard by saying "barely". I simply meant "more men play videogames then women".[/sup]

 

[Easton Dark]

But the simple fact is, barely any women play videogames. I've never seen any statistics or figures

Woah. Right there.

That would have been the spot to stop and rethink typing something like that.

 

[Mouse One]

But the simple fact is, barely any women play videogames. I've never seen any statistics or figures, but I would put money on the fact that there's a 10:1 ratio of men to women who play videogames. This very situation the article explains (a guy roping his girlfriend into playing a videogame so they can have fun together) has happened to countless guys I know, and in fact has happened to me a few times. It's a simple fact of life that on average more guys are interested in videogames than girls. So it's not sexist. It's a joke.

Nope. Industry sponsored surveys find that about 40% or so of all gamers are female. Include casual games and it's higher. Average age of gamers is 33 (not the same as age of buyer, which averages in the forties). Percentages are lower for consoles, but still around 25%.

Bottom line, adult women are a larger gamer demographic than teenage boys. So, yeah, they get peeved when they're reminded that gamer culture as a whole has yet to catch up with that fact. One off handed remark by one dev isn't the issue. It's that they hear stuff like that all the time. Heck, just read the Escapist forums



Edit: looks like I got beaten to the statistical punch by the aptly named Boudica.

 

[Ariseishirou]

But the simple fact is, barely any women play videogames. I've never seen any statistics or figures, but I would put money on the fact that there's a 10:1 ratio of men to women who play videogames.

So who do you pony up to with the cash, since you're completely, utterly wrong?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_and_video_games#Female_gamers_as_a_demographic

"According to another study conducted by the Entertainment Software Association in 2010, 40% of the game playing population is female, and women 18 or older now comprise 33% of all gamers."

A simple trip down to Wikipedia would have filled you in on the correct figures, so why are you content to wallow in ignorance and make baseless assumptions about gaming demographics?

Frankly, it's people like you that makes it hard to take people who say things like "you make it hard to take feminism seriously", seriously. At least try to form a credible argument based on facts and figures, rather than pulling imagined statistics directly out of your rectum and staking your case on that.

EDIT: Ninja'd by Boudica, so I suppose you'll be ponying up the cash to her, then?

 

[m19]

The "clueless girlfriend" stereotype is offensive and harmful to the industry.

Only to people who either lack the intelligence or the desire to understand context, intent, and depth in words of other people.

Why do you think he's copped so much shit for saying it?

Because enough people are irrational, kneejerk-jump-to-conclusion beings that can do damage with their collective insanity. There is a reason almost no public figure anywhere would ever share with you what's really on their mind in a straight manner. Not because all of them are evil but because people only hear what they want to.

The person doing the interview made a mistake. But not by expressing something offensive, rather by underestimating people's capacity for stupidity.

It's saying that you consider (perhaps subconsciously) the trope to be true.

In relation to the real world most of us live in I do consider it true. What you seem to refuse to understand consciously or otherwise none of it has (or ever had) anything to do with inherent abilities of men and women in general.

 

[Sparrow]

But the simple fact is, barely any women play videogames. I've never seen any statistics or figures

Thank you! That comment will provide me with A LOT of entertaining posts to real later today

But the simple fact is, barely any women play videogames. I've never seen any statistics or figures, but I would put money on the fact that there's a 10:1 ratio of men to women who play videogames. This very situation the article explains (a guy roping his girlfriend into playing a videogame so they can have fun together) has happened to countless guys I know, and in fact has happened to me a few times. It's a simple fact of life that on average more guys are interested in videogames than girls. So it's not sexist. It's a joke.

Nope. Industry sponsored surveys find that about 40% or so of all gamers are female. Include casual games and it's higher. Average age of gamers is 33 (not the same as age of buyer, which averages in the forties). Percentages are lower for consoles, but still around 25%.

Bottom line, adult women are a larger gamer demographic than teenage boys. So, yeah, they get peeved when they're reminded that gamer culture as a whole has yet to catch up with that fact. One off handed remark by one dev isn't the issue. It's that they hear stuff like that all the time. Heck, just read the Escapist forums



Edit: looks like I got beaten to the statistical punch by the aptly named Boudica.

But the simple fact is, barely any women play videogames. I've never seen any statistics or figures

Woah. Right there.

That would have been the spot to stop and rethink typing something like that.

Alright, come on. I wasn't trying to be a dick. I didn't say "No women play videogames!"

I understand "barely" might have been a bit of a stretch, but I stand by my point that the it's still a majority in favour of men.

(Also, to clarify, I wasn't talking about indie or casual games. I'm talking "hardcore" titles. You know, man games!*)

[sup]*Yes, that was a joke.[/sup]

 

[Stealthygamer]

The unfortunate choice of title for this mode aside, this really does sound like a great idea! My wife can't really keep up with me, my son or my daughter. Something like this would allow her to play along with the rest of us and not get frustrated.

Why not just call it Casual-mode or some such?

The name "Girlfriend Mode" wont actually be in the game. As they said in the article its the BFF skill tree

 

[Jhooud]

The unfortunate choice of title for this mode aside, this really does sound like a great idea! My wife can't really keep up with me, my son or my daughter. Something like this would allow her to play along with the rest of us and not get frustrated.

Why not just call it Casual-mode or some such?

The name "Girlfriend Mode" wont actually be in the game. As they said in the article its the BFF skill tree

Damn my lack of reading skill, I know I missed the actual name. Forgive me, oh internets!

Still think the concept is really cool. So there.

 

[Sparrow]

But the simple fact is, barely any women play videogames.

Ugh... Really? Barely any women? You've never seen any facts, but you're willing to pull that out of the air?

Some people wonder why being a woman in this community sucks -_-

A new survey by Ipsos MediaCT for the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) indicates 40% of gamers are female and the average age of gamers is 35.

-http://edugamesresearch.com/blog/2008/07/23/esa-survey-malefemale-gamer-ratio-is-6040-average-age-is-35/

Male video gamers still outnumber women 2 to 1.

Women outnumber men in online games.

-http://news.cnet.com/2100-1043_3-6123172.html

Forty-seven percent of all players are women

-http://www.theesa.com/facts/gameplayer.asp

Pay up.

As I noted earlier, I was referring to "hardcore" titles such as Borderlands. Not casual games played entirely by 40 year old mothers, like everything made by Zynga. I also apologised for wording my argument poorly. You've proven the main point of my argument is still correct, anyway. "Male videogamers still outnumber women 2 to 1". That's what I was getting at.

Also, "some people wonder why being a woman in this community sucks"? Oh, come on. I may have worded my argument poorly, but I was in no way being sexist. Come on, stop playing the victim all the time. You're going out of your way to feel insulted at everything now.

 

[Sparrow]

Also, "some people wonder why being a woman in this community sucks"? Oh, come on. I may have worded my argument poorly, but I was in no way being sexist. Come on, stop playing the victim all the time. You're going out of your way to feel insulted at everything now.

Mouse One summed it up very nicely:

Bottom line, adult women are a larger gamer demographic than teenage boys. So, yeah, they get peeved when they're reminded that gamer culture as a whole has yet to catch up with that fact. One off handed remark by one dev isn't the issue. It's that they hear stuff like that all the time. Heck, just read the Escapist forums

We're either told we don't exist, that we're some kind of rarity, yelled at for speaking out against something we feel is insulting or sexist, or are bombarded with shit the second we dare to talk (http://fatuglyorslutty.com/).

"Dare to talk about"? Oh come on. This is an internet forum. People are going to disagree with you, others are going to agree with you. I've never seen someone on this forum being sexist. NEVER. They're mostly all white knights, wanting to stand up for women.

You are making yourself look stupid, but worst of all you are making feminists look stupid. This isn't some battle of the ages, in which you're defending women everywhere by standing up to the misogynist hordes of men. I disagreed with something you said. I'm not sexist. I'm anti-sexist, would you believe. You can disagree with what I say, by all means please disagree with what I say whenever you want to. However, you're conducting yourself like a child.

TL;DR: Yes, sexism exists in the videogame community. But it doesn't exist on this site. Stop acting like it does. This is the most well rounded, intelligent community I've ever come across who are willing to listen and debate with you if you give them the chance.

 

[trlkly]

It's called Easy Mode, and it's nothing new, other than the exact way you'll bring it up. There's no reason to be upset about this at all.

 

[Easton Dark]

Alright, come on. I wasn't trying to be a dick. I didn't say "No women play videogames!"

I understand "barely" might have been a bit of a stretch, but I stand by my point that the it's still a majority in favour of men.

Naw you weren't being a dick or sexist about anything. It just sounded stupid. "This fact, which has nothing to back it up" you know?

I've never seen someone on this forum being sexist. NEVER. They're mostly all white knights, wanting to stand up for women.

I think the first time I've seen actual sexism here is... two days ago, I think the guy was from Russia, and it was either in this thread or the one about nice girls, and he said that women's opinions are inherently worth less because they lie a lot.

edit: Fucking coincidence, Boudica found the quote two posts up ^^

edit 2: Lots of white knights, but you should know there are also stalkers on here as well. I can name one I know personally, but I'll save that bullet.

 

[Sparrow]

But it doesn't exist on this site. Stop acting like it does. This is the most well rounded, intelligent community.

I am not racist, but I generally don't care about what women think, its just never interesting. I am sorry for bruising your inferiority complex, but it's just the way I am.
CAPCHA: men in suits :O

Edit: perhaps I should clarify - I don't care about expressed female opinions, cause statistical surveys show that women lie 3 times more than men, and women are generally much more manipulative than men (although they suck at it).

That was yesterday. On this site.

Yeah, ok. You got me there. That... yeah.

But seriously, for the most part can't we just agree that the majority of people on this site are forward thinking, smart and gender-respecting people?

Alright, come on. I wasn't trying to be a dick. I didn't say "No women play videogames!"

I understand "barely" might have been a bit of a stretch, but I stand by my point that the it's still a majority in favour of men.

Naw you weren't being a dick or sexist about anything. It just sounded stupid. "This fact, which has nothing to back it up" you know?

I've never seen someone on this forum being sexist. NEVER. They're mostly all white knights, wanting to stand up for women.

I think the first time I've seen actual sexism here is... two days ago, I think the guy was from Russia, and it was either in this thread or the one about nice girls, and he said that women's opinions are inherently worth less because they lie a lot.

edit: Fucking coincidence, Boudica found the quote two posts up ^^

edit 2: Lots of white knights, but you should know there are also stalkers on here as well. I can name one I know personally, but I'll save that bullet.

Yeah, that quote is... I honestly don't know what to say. I've never seen anyone say anything like that on here.

Honestly, the white knight thing kind of irks me. Defending women as if they can't be defended themselves is pretty darn sexist. Women don't need men to defend them, they can do it themselves.