Borderlands 2 "Girlfriend Mode" Helps Noobs Win

[Soak]

Sounds interesting, nice concept for Co-Op / introducing someone to the game who's new to the genre.
For the term "girlfriend skill tree", well, i will always point out sexism or unequality wherever it occurs, but i think, looking at it in context, the background of the character, this is funny, kind of a nice pun.

But then again, i think a character being DLC is one of the most crappy moves of the industry to make. Just look at Skylanders, it looks fun and has Spyro - hey, serious, this may not sound like much, but it's Spyro! one of the best jump&runner / adventure characters of gaming history - but i'll NEVER buy it considering the fucking "you gotta' buy them all" mechanism of the game. A Character as DLC is only topped by horse armor.
Also, it blocks/ abuses the casual part of the deal.

Last but not least, i have a bad feeling about this. Borderlands (1) was a realy fun game, but it had huge gameplay flaws (bugs, balance issues, crappy rock/paper/scissor PvP)! In my opinion, this was kinda excusable considering it was a newcomer, but it is not to reproduce the same mistakes on the second try. Looking at Borderlands' development and how they desperately want to kick it out before they have secured its quality, i have doupts this will actually be a better game than its predecessor

 

[m19]

Some people really need to get over themselves. Yes the guy was feeding into a stereotype. What a huge crime... cause they are all the same, right? It's a guy gamer talking about something that guy gamers easily recognize. It's personal anecdote, not a commentary about the abilities of the female sex. It never was. He is alluding to the fact that a lot of us males have girlfriends that aren't particularly into our hobbies, not just games btw.

It's a personal example that enough people have had for the MEANING to be easily understood. And the meaning is easy mode for a noob gamer. It's an example about differing interests and thus levels of experience, not inherent abilities.

It does not say women are worse than men, does not say women are too dumb or too clumsy to play a video game like a man. That is an insecurity you read into it all on your own and that strawman of your own making is what offends you.

No one is offending you, it's your own fetish to be perpetually offended. It's hip or something.

 

[Tippy]

No one is offending you, it's your own fetish to be perpetually offended. It's hip or something.

It's definitely hip to be offended these days. It draws a lot of attention and that's the end goal really, to draw attention by being that one guy/girl who keep screaming "This offends me! Look at meeee, I'm so offended!"

For the thousand'th time, women can have fair and equal representation in gaming when get off their asses and put as much effort into game development as men have. Game developers are still overwhelmingly male.

 

[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?

I think "Best Friends Forever" is actually quite fun as a silly skill tree name.

The title of this post is a bit deceptive. There isn't actually an entire mode that makes the game easier to play (like "Story Mode" in an RPG). It's just one skill tree on one character that's geared towards requiring less skill. So calling that skill tree "Casual Mode" would be a) boring and b) a bit insulting to anyone who uses it!

I was more reacting to the twitter quote than to the actual name of the skill tree. Mainly because I fail at reading comprehension C'est la vie, no more posting before coffee!

 

[Zaik]

Uh oh! That guy detailed a real situation that happens when one partner of a relationship uses a co-op game to introduce the other to playing video games, and the unfamiliar interface makes it difficult! And since, statistically, this would be a male introducing a female to it, he's even decided to call it girlfriend mode. And he didn't even dwell on the topic and obviously had no malice in his comment!

It's time to rev up the PC crybaby machine and start a huge stink. He's got to pay for making a statement grounded in factual data that people don't like.

 

[Ryan Griffiths]

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.

Seriously. That's not a creative way of disguising easy mode so that gamers that don't feel confident in their abilities to play the game - you are calling them girlfriends. Ok, what if a guy sucks at the game, or the girlfriend is better, or how about this - two men are playing, or two women?

Granted, everyone did start out as a newbie at one stage, but then you adjusted the DIFFICULTY not use a specific character and use a specific skill tree. It takes away the making mistakes and learning from them by experimenting with skill tree options.

Classic example, loading all skill points in Skyrim into Speech, Smithing and archery; not boosting your other combat skills, only to use a two handed sword. Or stumbling on a cool spell or skill that may make you think "If I combine that with..." The learning curve is stripped away, giving players only a shell of an experience.

Besides, games are supposed to be somewhat challenging right? If the challenge is taken away, you're playing Heavy Rain.

 

[Lucane]

snip

More toward the first guy you quoted now that I think about it.

Awesome! Except for the whole... you know.

I don't.

Now I'm intrigued.

The part talking about sexy/attractive woman equals dresses kinda like a hooker thing that was mentioned before that we both commented on.

 

[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]