Increasingly skinny women in video games?

[LookAtYouHacker]

Lately I have been briefly paying attention to female characters in NEW video games (excluding the female Barbarian in Diablo 3) and nearly if not all are portrayed as physically weak.

Call me paranoid, but I think this is to somehow appeal to the modernistic ideal of beauty (skinny equals perfection); the idea that even menial/healthy amounts of fat define morbid obesity.

It's not that I have some prejudice towards slender women (beauty is subjective and comes in many forms), it's the fact they're in my paranoid mind conforming to such attitudes.

Additionally, I think this is an attempt to degrade sexualisation of women, which has only lead to more objectification in itself. -_-

 

[Kahunaburger]

Next you'll be telling us that female characters in video games tend to have big boobs.

(Yeah, it's stupid. Reminds me of this podcast with a Tribes: Ascend dev where they talked about adding female armor types, but ran into a snag where they couldn't figure out how to make them attractive.)

 

[spectrenihlus]

Next you'll be telling us that female characters in video games tend to have big boobs.

My God, the horror.

 

[Zhukov]

Well... yeah. Don't fictional characters usually conform to ideals of physical appearance?

You'll notice that most guys in video games are tall and muscular.

That said, it would be cool to see some more chunky and/or chubby characters in games, if only for the sake of variety.

 

[Vegosiux]

That said, it would be cool to see some more chunky and/or chubby characters in games, if only for the sake of variety.

You mean, in main roles, not the generic "nerd virgin" role, I assume.

But yeah, that'd be interesting to see how successful it is...

 

[Strain42]

Now this is a woman!

Spoiler

I get what you mean though.

Y'know what I'd like to see? A fat character where the subject of their weight is never once addressed. Not the dorky comic sidekick or anything. Just a normal dude (or dudette) who just happens to be a bit overweight.

 

[dyre]

It reminds me of how most females in films look like idealized images of women. Pop culture is out to get us, man!

 

[370999]

Well... yeah. Don't fictional characters usually conform to ideals of physical appearance?

You'll notice that most guys in video games are tall and muscular.

That said, it would be cool to see some more chunky and/or chubby characters in games, if only for the sake of variety.

Well in fairness women do get it a tad worse.

But yeah people do like to look at attractive people. Shocker. And yes there should be more equal representation of people.

 

[WoW Killer]

Yes I find it increasingly silly. It's nothing really to do with weight though, it's just a consequence of weight being related to attractiveness socially. Women are made up to be attractive in games, despite how impractical that may be...

 

[Emiscary]

BUT IT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE HISTORY-

Except yeah, you're right. It's ridiculous. By all means ***** as loud as you please up until they cut this BS out.

 

[Ordinaryundone]

That said, it would be cool to see some more chunky and/or chubby characters in games, if only for the sake of variety.

You mean, in main roles, not the generic "nerd virgin" role, I assume.

But yeah, that'd be interesting to see how successful it is...

Max Payne in the third game is a little on the chunky side. And there is always Mario!

 

[BloatedGuppy]

TOR had the option for thicker characters, both male and female. The male one was almost comically broad.

[HEADING=2]May the Torte Be With You[/HEADING]​

Interestingly the female equivalent for this body type was only slightly voluptuous, not hugely fat. The biggest female character was broad shouldered/Amazonian.

Spoiler: As pictured

 

[irmasterlol]

Well... yeah. Don't fictional characters usually conform to ideals of physical appearance?

You'll notice that most guys in video games are tall and muscular.

That said, it would be cool to see some more chunky and/or chubby characters in games, if only for the sake of variety.

Well in fairness women do get it a tad worse.

But yeah people do like to look at attractive people. Shocker. And yes there should be more equal representation of people.

Sorry I can't hear you over Taylor Lautner's abdominal muscles.

 

[370999]

Well... yeah. Don't fictional characters usually conform to ideals of physical appearance?

You'll notice that most guys in video games are tall and muscular.

That said, it would be cool to see some more chunky and/or chubby characters in games, if only for the sake of variety.

Well in fairness women do get it a tad worse.

How?

Can you give a reason other than "because I say so"?

Most writers are male at the moment, and most o the people who have paid for fiction have been male (well off as well but that is another matter)

Both genders have societal expectations imposed upon them, however due to "maleness" being explored more, we can see there being more of a precedent for their being an examination of how men respond to societal roles, and their rejection of it.

This isn't anyone's fault, it's how society has just turned out. But it's true. Now I'm not a feminist, but there it is...

You get me?

 

[Muspelheim]

Yes I find it increasingly silly. It's nothing really to do with weight though, it's just a consequence of weight being related to attractiveness socially. Women are made up to be attractive in games, despite how impractical that may be...

Wha..? ._.

And let me guess... The men in that game all got real armour, can't have male nudity scaring away all the teenaged boys, can we?

Agreed, it's a silly beauty ideal, but it's not exactly exclusive to games. Personally, I'm alright with it as longs as it conforms to one rule: does the bodytype make sense for the role? I doubt few powerful mêlée warriors have arms like spagetti. A mage-type might get away with looking a bit more slender, but still... Those people aren't walking down a catwalk before being assaulted by ten different stylists all day long. They fight battles, which tend to be fairly sweaty and exhausting affairs.
Nothing wrong with some curves, but I'd prefer them to A) be attached to some muscle and basic bodyfat and B) covered in something that seems like reasonable equipment for actual fighting.

A second houserule of mine is that I'm prepared to overlook that, I can totally buy overidealized bodies, hulking Aaahhrnolds in little fur pants fighting skellingtons side by side with a Playboy bunny wearing a few bits of parchment.
But note how both Aaaaahrnooold and Ms. Fanservice are wearing revealing fantasy-armour. If we've got a realistic setting with realistic expectations of protection, then both sexes should be equipped with it, because it makes no bloody sense otherwise. If the setting is more fantastic, where a bikini won't equal a casualty in five minutes, then there is no reason to cover the blokes up in plate. It's just so blatant and sleazy what you're trying to do if you choose that option; "Aaaaaarrrr, check out dat ass! An' dem jugs! Oh, noes! I saw a bare chest! I might be gaaaaaaay! Hide it! Hiiide it!"

In short: Plate thongs for EVERYONE, or plate thongs for noone. It is that simple.

 

[Kahunaburger]

And let me guess... The men in that game all got real armour, can't have male nudity scaring away all the teenaged boys, can we?

But to be fair, they have dudes wearing stripper clothes, too. But to be actually fair, they also have characters designed to look like little girls wearing stripper clothes because they are creepy people who make games for creepy people.

 

[Vault101]

to be honest? its not the thing that most concerns me when you have "women and agmes" in the same sentence

the problem is within the rest of our culture

 

[Tuesday Night Fever]

A pathetic creature of meat and bone, panting and sweating as you run through my corridors. How can you challenge a perfect, immortal machine?

I guess what I'm trying to say is: awesome name!

Anywho... on topic...

Yeah, this has been going on for a loooong time now. Now... I'm not really trying to justify it or anything... but how come everyone always gets so upset over the female characters with unrealistic proportions, yet no one seems to care about the male characters with hilariously unrealistic proportions?

Remember Chris Redfield? He used to look like this...

Spoiler

And now he looks like this...

Spoiler

And people don't seem to be upset about stuff like that? Really?

Fact of the matter is that neither gender tends to be represented particularly well in games.

 

[Muspelheim]

And let me guess... The men in that game all got real armour, can't have male nudity scaring away all the teenaged boys, can we?

But to be fair, they have dudes wearing stripper clothes, too. But to be actually fair, they also have characters designed to look like little girls wearing stripper clothes because they are creepy people who make games for creepy people.

Indeed. Honestly, this is the sleaziest game I've ever seen (well, apart from Custer's Revenge and whatnot). Well, good to know my prejudice was warranted this time.

And of course, this game is going to sell like nobody's business and prove to the creepdevs that all they have to do is stick babes on the box to get 'em sold. Everyone involved, -everyone-, loses.

And reguarding Chris up there... Dearie me, it -is- Johnny Bravo. ._.

It could be worse, however. He doesn't have an unlock bonus which is a leopard bikini, at least.