Girl Gamer's Opinion

[Tsuki Tanaka]

Since everyone seems to be picking on Soul Calibur 4, might I mention that it's also important to remember that this is a Japanese game, and it is important to take in to consideration the Japanese culture.

In my own experience, a lot of the complaints about the characters in general (personality, physique, the whole package pretty much) seem to be a pretty common theme in a lot of games that come out of the land of the rising sun. The Devil May Cry series, a lot of JRPGs in general, Ninja Gaiden, Dead or Alive, hell, even Street Fighter, for the most part, all seem to share this common trait. These are only a few examples, there really are more out there.

Interestingly enough, Western style games don't seem to have this theme occur as often.

The point I'm trying to make is that, perhaps, this is really more of a cultural difference, as opposed to the blatant disrespect of women in general.

 

[Tsuki Tanaka]

Ummmm, but the kind of people they identify with are extremely boring, and honestly don't make for good main characters.

I don't know dude--I'm playing KOTOR right now, and Bastila seems like the kind of character that won't turn off girl gamers. And I totally would be up for a three way with like, her and a Jawa.

ROFLCOPTER. Totally agree.

This comment is full of win.

 

[Drift-Bus]

I was gonna wade into this debate with something pretty good, but seeing that it's nine pages long I can only assume everything that can be said has been.

Twice.

But I'm far to narcissitic to not give you my two yen...


Men and women are designed differently, thier brain functions and chemical levels are set to hugely diffyou know what, fuck it.

Stop crying.

 

[Alex_P]

Men and women are designed differently, thier brain functions and chemical levels are set to hugely diffyou know what, fuck it.

So what proof do you have that all men are biochemically programmed to enjoy the same kind of adolescent wank fantasy?

Moreover, what proof do you have that all men consciously want to?

-- Alex

 

[DannyDamage]

I'm trying to think of the last excellent game which featured a busty sorceress....

Lulu, Final Fantasy 10

 

[flyingwind66]

I dont' think the arguement is completely invalid as I believe that the 'sliders' in games where you can customize your character don't give enough of the full range of body types... in rock band if you crack the 'fatness' slider all the way up, she's still gonna has a wasp-thin waist... same with the sims on console and age of conan.

I think in that sense the slider should be like... a tubular-hourglass slider... or a hip-widtch slider or something. the fact that there IS a slider is good for now, we'll keep moving forward...

also I agree that men are objectified too... it's just people in general. It'd be nice if video games could move away from the 'idealized' look *shrugs* I think assassin's creed managed this... the characters in the 'present' time are all regular looking... heck the main character is even sorta gangly and the girl has a 'real' body... she looks to be a healthy weight and doesn't have gigantic breasts. See? we ARE moving foreward.

in soul calibur it's really only ivy and taki that are out of proportion... xianghua is fully dressed and that new girl is in full plate (as was mentioned before)

 

[Espionage Caterpillar]

I'm getting a horrible feeling that this sort of thinking could lead to The Biggest Loser: The RPG..

 

[Hyzenthlay]

in soul calibur it's really only ivy and taki that are out of proportion... xianghua is fully dressed and that new girl is in full plate (as was mentioned before)

I don't know really if they're indeed out of proportion. Women with a body like that do exist so I guess we'll have to define proper proportions. I know one or two personally. She was rockin some 40 double D at the end of high school and I'm sorry to say that, but she had quite the sucess with the boys.
The male equivalent does exist too. Check out Ronnie Coleman for example.
He can't be out of proportions since he actually exists. He's into his proportions.
However, you could say out of proportions for the depiction of a human being or humanoid that has no chance to ever exist. Hulk for intance, is out of proportions for a human standard. Not to a Hulk standard mind you.

But I think Ivy's and Taki's bodies are not completely out of the leagues of human standard, like deep into science-fiction. I've even seen some adult entertainment stars in REAL LIFE that were actually live humans with EVEN BIGGER boobs than Taki!
Yeah, as a matter of fact, according to those standards, Taki and even Ivy are pretty flat chested girls.

And so Einstein came up with relativity. What an awesome man he was

Just a question: Did you friend get back problems?
Ive never met a girl with breasts that big that didnt hate them because they restricted her from doing things such as sport. In fact most Women I know with breasts that large got reductions...
Hmmm none of my business anyway.I just think its kind of funny to see a woman that busty in a fighting game as they would clearly get in the way. In fact in real life I find my own chest makes some exercise for instance fast punching a punching bag more awkward, and Im slightly below average size in that department. However I guess games arnt real life...but you can get boys without a watermelon sized chest I assure you.

 

[JBX06]

You Are Right There Arnt That Many Respectable Women In Gaming And The Only 2 I Can Think Of Are Jade (Beyond Good & Evil) And Alyx (Half-Life 2).

But Over All Men Like Boobs And Ivy, Lara And Most Fem Fatales Are Going To Have A Massive Pair Because Thats What Makes Sweaty Teens Buy Shitty Games (Bloodrayne)

 

[laikenf]

You think video games are bad, check out some comic books, especially comics from the 90's on up.

 

[Wesker_Chick]

Being a female gamer and somewhat hardcore, I have given up on this argument a long time ago. Obviously the gaming industry is going to be driven more by servicing the men rather than the women, it's in the numbers. Overall more men play games than women.

As for realistic looking women in games, there are a few out there. Resident Evil did a fairly good job of not bowing into fan service. (With the exception being RE3 Nemesis) Even Lara has undergone a makeover to look more realistic. Half-life 2 gave us Alyx, who is one of the most awesome female leads. Honestly though I think Metroid set the bar when they had the protagonist be a woman and players didn't even know it.

Overall, my advice would be to just deal. Some of the women are going to stereotypical, some aren't. The war between woman and men in gaming isn't every going to change...just listen to some of the complaints you here when I stomp a guy in Half-life 2 Deathmatch. Or the whining I hear from some girls about how hard it is to play a Video Game...

SSDD...end of story...

 

[Wewt]

Skinny white guy as gordon freeman and fat Alyx please. It's gawna be fair!
Everything is out of proportion in video games and DAMMIT that's the way it should be. Although with Gordan Freemam it seems that 'normal guy' might become a norm. I saw a lot of people say ''Alyx Vance anyone?'' but they completely forgot about Judith Mossman. Is she ove proportionally hot? N0ep