Girls and the games aimed at men

[Nektheritos]

I kinda do agree, and actually did a small write-up on this in my 'page' (I refuse to call it a blog) at http://vikinggamer.wordpress.com/ (shameless self-advertisement, I know).

I guess what the main deal is that, as people has said above, the main demographic after all is men, as sad as it is. You could also twist it and bring race into it and see that sooo many characters in games are white, or white-ish. It kinda does make sense as you as a female gamer say that you want to play a female. The developers look at the fact that people want to play and be able to insert themselves into the role of the game character, and therefore make most 'heroes' based on popular stereotypes and how the probably biggest part of the core demographic looks like: caucasian male.

It's always nice to see games shake it up, if nothing else than the fact that it brings some diversity. Some games doesn't lend themselves to story-telling wise to have this kind of customisation I guess.

 

[Pingieking]

For games that involve character customization, a little more options for females would be nice. For example, the avatars of Halo and such. Most RPGs already has then fairly balanced out.

As for the single player content, I'm fine with whatever the developers show, as long as it's not blatantly sexist. I'm sure not all women are like Peach, but there is at least one girl who is like her. Just like how there's at least one guy who's as stupid (and has the same amount of free time) as Mario. So what if Nintendo keeps making their girls the Damsel-in-distress types? They would have to actually think up new narrative otherwise.

For the insanely-proportioned girls in gaming, I can understand why they do it. It's a fictional character, so they might as well make her impossibly good looking and bad-ass. This actually applies to both sexes. I think that some games (Fallout 3, Dragon Age, Heavy Rain, etc...) do need realistically proportioned characters because they are extremely narrative heavy and the carry a lot of emotional impact by having the player identify with the characters. While others (Gears of War, JRPGs, etc...) don't need to, since they don't use that kind of empathy inducing style of story telling.

 

[AWC Viper]

Well females do join the military, but I know as far as the US military females can't be in combat and are never intentionally put in that position.

Female's can do 90% of military jobs Excluding: Frontline combat, NBC (nuclear, biological and Chemical) work or anythink that has a chance to mess up there internal organs. not sure if the us has the same but since im australian and the US basically trained us i think it might be.

OP: learn to adapt to your surrounding's.

 

[mstickle]

Why are you patronising females by suggesting they are the only ones who would play as females and that they need to play as females to connect with the characters.

There are no females in the SAS, where I live there are none on frontline service, it would be disheartening to many players to have to kill female terrorists-and this is the only area you could expect to see them.

It just seems incredibly silly to me, to suggest that the way to cater a genre which consists of mercilessly slaughtering foes, to the female demographic, is to add more woman. With the inclusion of woman their womanly features will have to be massively played down in order to prevent more woman from complaing that it is sexist for them to have breasts/hips/other comment that will get me in trouble.

Why is it any better to kill a male than a female?

I think overall my point is being missed, I don't see any difference between playing as a male or female other than I would like the option to play as a female and the consideration that there are gils who like these games pretty much the way they are. That's what missing - the idea a female might pop it into the console and enjoy it, the games seem to go out of their way to make sure this never happens.

The games themselves are fine,if you enjoy playing FPS then nothing should be changed.I'll be sexist and i don't care really,so,what do you want in a FPS,a dress?Offcourse not!Camo,face paint,a gun and lots of ammo,that's what you need.Gear up and shoot.

Other than that,i'm one of the few that don't care about "sexist","not sexist","blahblahblahblah" cr@p in games like that.I want shooting,i want blood and i want lots of fun,so yeah.
I dont' know if you own a pc but if you do,make a mod the way you want it.
If we'll end up calling even FPS's sexist then what's next?It'll be illegal to have a d*ck?

I know that i seem rude here but you have to see it from my POV for a moment.



So....who's gonna flame me first...? lol


Edited to fix something.

Exactly. Camo, facepaint, guns lots of ammo is what you need. There is no reason why it has to be on a male.

I want blood, the more the better as I love gore, I just don't understand why this is considered a male only thing. I don't really even want much to change, just a female shaped character who sounds female when she death screams is all I really ask.

 

[mstickle]

The thing that actually got me think about all this was one of the accolades - ALPHA MALE: Killed most of lower rank, I in jest said to my husband "that's a bit sexist".

This is a shining example of modern feminism. When there are no real problems, just start whining about some profoundly trivial and arbitrary bullshit.

As I thought more about it I wondered why there was no option to have a female charater in multiplayer

Because basically females have no place in MW2's setting.

You don't see me complain when the game's protagonist is female. In fact, given the choice I will always play a female character in a game.

I wasn't complaining about the protagonist. When it's fitting to the story it doesn't matter to me what sex they are, just as when it doesn't matter to the story the option is usually available. When you are playing multiplayer you are nobody, so why can't you be a female nobody? And it doesn't matter, it is arbitrary, just some thoughts I have on the multiplayer.

I think it's messed up that people think that females have no place in MW2. Lets face it reprisents modern warfare just like WW2 games reprisent WW2, females have a place in modern wars and it's fucked up that people still think that women can't fight in wars today.

 

[IronicBeet]

I hate to say it, but I couldn't care less about gender issues when it comes to videogames. If I were a girl, I wouldn't care about the actual ability to play as a girl in the game, I'd just care about how fun it is. What's the big deal about this?

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

If you aim at stereotypes you get games either made for mindless frat boys,geeks or generalized girly cooking thingy.

Instead of stereotypes and generations make the game based on whatever the game is based on then for online play maybe add a bit more customization option, from atypical warfare war to more anime'ish in style battle skirts more colors, accessories ect then of course be able to change gender and body types to suit what the player wants to be, basically outside the set fictional world of the single player champagne let the online stuff be alot more customizable if just only in looks...then of course they can ruin it via micro transactions....

 

[ReinofFire]

I agree that females should have a place in games but how they are shown should change. Some people may like it but I myself am not drawn to the girl who wears too little clothing and knows how to take down 10 enemy soldiers in seconds. Neither do I care for the one that is portrayed as too weak and needs help. Its the same for guy characters in my opinion but lately I complain more about girls so I'll stay there. They both should be equal not in direct strengths and weaknesses but in how they are shown.

Also why is it that in most video games the girls can do all sorts of flips and twirls in the air along with martial arts while the guys best is punching something really hard. I agree with showing females more because of this.

 

[CerealKiller]

If those are exactly what you need then where's the point of this?

Other than that,let's face it,it's in mens nature to do all those things.Shoot,kill etc.I know,i know,"damn stereotypes","damn nature" but hey,that's how things are.It makes sense having male figures in those games.I don't care if there's not a single person to agree with me in this,that's how things are.

 

[PiCroft]

I agree that women should be catered to more often in games.

I am actually struggling to think of FPSs which have female leads, Perfect Dark which someone has already mentioned being the only one I can think of off the top of my head.

I'm curious though, what are the demographics for female players? I remember looking stats up once but I think they were for quite a few years ago and I can no longer remember them (plus I'm too lazy to google them)

 

[NIHILHATE]

My pet hate is how women are depicted in fantasy RPGs: Dainty little things who can lift a sword and fight despite having the figure of a fashion model.

Hehe, you should see my sister. Ten years old and 4'6" and she knocked her dad out with a big fucking plank, just for shits and giggles.

 

[mstickle]

If you aim at stereotypes you get games either made for mindless frat boys,geeks or generalized girly cooking thingy.

Instead of stereotypes and generations make the game based on whatever the game is based on then for online play maybe add a bit more customization option, from atypical warfare war to more anime'ish in style battle skirts more colors, accessories ect then of course be able to change gender and body types to suit what the player wants to be, basically outside the set fictional world of the single player champagne let the online stuff be alot more customizable if just only in looks...then of course they can ruin it via micro transactions....

This is what I mean. I don't like the fact that there have to be girl games and boy games. I'm sure there's some guy out there that plays Barbie horse adventures or whatever that just wishes that it could be a tiny bit less pink XD

I just wish there was a customisation for MW2 online that allows for a female soldier. I can't see why not.

 

[DannyBoy451]

My pet hate is how women are depicted in fantasy RPGs: Dainty little things who can lift a sword and fight despite having the figure of a fashion model.

Hehe, you should see my sister. Ten years old and 4'6" and she knocked her dad out with a big fucking plank, just for shits and giggles.

Your dad must have rolled real low on the saving throw...

 

[Valiance]

I don't know, I don't pick character models based upon their death screams?

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

If you aim at stereotypes you get games either made for mindless frat boys,geeks or generalized girly cooking thingy.

Instead of stereotypes and generations make the game based on whatever the game is based on then for online play maybe add a bit more customization option, from atypical warfare war to more anime'ish in style battle skirts more colors, accessories ect then of course be able to change gender and body types to suit what the player wants to be, basically outside the set fictional world of the single player champagne let the online stuff be alot more customizable if just only in looks...then of course they can ruin it via micro transactions....

This is what I mean. I don't like the fact that there have to be girl games and boy games. I'm sure there's some guy out there that plays Barbie horse adventures or whatever that just wishes that it could be a tiny bit less pink XD

I just wish there was a customisation for MW2 online that allows for a female soldier. I can't see why not.

Same reason we don't have quick save or more button customization options, its not part of normal designer curriculum, you'd be rather surprised at how rather one denominational modern designers and their themes can be(its not like older designers were much better at customization but at least gameplay and level design was deeper when pretty was not the absolute focus of gaming.... ).

mmm sorry for the rantage >>

 

[Halo Fanboy]

I wish there were more women involved in making games. The reason I'm not so concerned is that this seems to be slowly changing.

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

I think it's messed up that people think that females have no place in MW2. Lets face it reprisents modern warfare just like WW2 games reprisent WW2, females have a place in modern wars and it's fucked up that people still think that women can't fight in wars today.

They don't fight in wars. They may incidentally end up fighting in places like Iraq/Afghanistan, but it's not like they're running around sabotaging military bases with SAS or Delta. Having female soldiers in MW2 multiplayer wouldn't fit the setting. As Run DMC once sang, it's like that and that's the way it is.

Yes and no, its one more of where perspective,assumption and fiction collide , war for the most part is fought on the ground by males, while not strictly true it is perceived that way and msot fiction is wrote along that perspective.

Its difficult enough for modern game writers to write in gender roles without cocking things up if you will...but not assigning people roles and to ignore their gender and societal assumptions is an impossibility.... sure I would like to see it done.... but I don't think they could handle it... their lil generic brains would fry....

 

[SyphonX]

The title is off a smidge. These games you listed are not aimed at men, they are aimed at boys.