Your video game hot take(s) thread

[Casual Shinji]

Mortal Kombat 1 being slammed by some fans for the "ugly female character models"

In a new trailer for Mortal Kombat 1, NetherRealm Studios unveiled a handful of characters including fan favorites Quan Chi, Ermac, Takeda, Li Mei, Tanya, and Baraka, as well as guest characters, but the new trailers had the fans commenting on the new characters deisgn, specially on Tanya's...

icon-era.com

Stop doing fucking face scans you dumbass western devs. You are either garbage at doing them so much that I have seen better facial models in games from the 2000s, or your acting in bad faith for some BlackRock-based ESG agenda.

Which "dumbass western devs" are you referring to exactly?

https://x.com/Scratch_Point_Z/status/1695081094625087947?s=20

Can’t help but think sometimes this is simply done to spite the vast majority who consider beauty a contributing factor to a product’s entertainment value.

Please try and help it then, because this is sounding an awful lot like a persecution complex. You can just not like a character design like a normal person, you know - you don't have to conjur up some conspiracy about game devs secretly making ugly women to spite gamers. If they were doing that you'd think they'd do a much better job at it.

We've had this conversation before about Fable 4 and Horizon: Forbidden West before that, but just for a memory jog; this is that same character.

Spoiler

And she looks totally fine. Just like Aloy looked totally fine. Gooberish faces and facial expressions have existed in games since games have had faces in them. It's only in the last 5 years that the uncanny valley is apparently added on purpose. Maybe think on that for a minute and then realize how stupid that sounds.

 

[BrawlMan]

Nobody is making these women "intentionally ugly". Those stating that either have an absurd persecution complex or have impossibly absurd and high standards of beauty they impose on women, but never themselves. @Casual Shinji is 100% right on this. I am sick of this shit, and anyone who continues this, really needs to fuck off, get a life, and go touch the actual forest. Form actual relationships and not with digital women that don't exist, nor would give a shit about any of these chuckle fucks if any of these women were real.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

Can’t help but think sometimes this is simply done to spite the vast majority who consider beauty a contributing factor to a product’s entertainment value.

People like this deserve spite, as well as mockery, derision and insults. What they don't deserve? Anything they want.

 

[Casual Shinji]

People like this deserve spite, as well as mockery, derision and insults. What they don't deserve? Anything they want.

'Hey, you notice how english voice acting in Japanese games is always so stilted and awkward compared to Western games. It must be because localizers hate good voice acting and are making the characters sound bad on purpose.'

 

[hanselthecaretaker2]

Couldn’t care less about these particular characters or their looks, but it’s pretty clear at this point that in our post-Sarkeesian gaming climate there is a fairly conscious effort in the west to *desexualize* and reduce the *objectification* of an increasing number of female leads, as if they’re not still made of polygons. If it wasn’t happening then it wouldn’t get to the point of telling people to get over it and get a life for simply pointing it out.

 

[hanselthecaretaker2]

'Hey, you notice how english voice acting in Japanese games is always so stilted and awkward compared to Western games. It must be because localizers hate good voice acting and are making the characters sound bad on purpose.'

Eh, there’s a big logistical difference between finding good native speaking voice talent for massive localization projects and artists simply choosing to design characters a certain way.

 

[BrawlMan]

it’s pretty clear at this point that in our post-Sarkeesian gaming climate there is a fairly conscious effort in the west to *desexualize* and reduce the *objectification* of an increasing number of female leads, as if they’re not still made of polygons. If it wasn’t happening then it wouldn’t get to the point of telling people to get over it and get a life for simply pointing it out.

Some cases yes, in terms of costuming and outfits: MK11 and MK1 (all the women still look pretty or more than hot enough; my big bro wasn't crying about it), Last of Us I & II, and maybe Tomb Raider 2013 (the game was in production long before Sarkeesian ran her mouth off, the sequels you might have a point). Everything else is either no, or you have people that want everything to be like the 90s or 2000s all over again, 24/7. Men who refused to grow up, and still act like horny and obnoxious teenagers or 20 somethings with unrealistic/impossible expectations of beauty on women. Forcing them into their pathetic little category boxes. These women are still either good looking or attractive, but these assholes either want super models giving them blowjobs or anime waifus to "serve them and only them". They want impossible sex objects with little to no personality, other than "hot/sexy".

Not to mention, there's plenty in the AA, smaller, or indie space with hot looking women, cute looking women, and just regular good looking or average women, yet you rarely see these butt-fucks whining about it nor crying wolf. When they do though, it's just as tiresome and aggravating. If they hate the state of the industry that much, then they might as well look somewhere else and quit AAA altogether. Oh, they can't, because they either lose their echo chamber if it's a rage baiter, or these won't quit until they "win and restore the pecking order". All of these assholes are full shit, have little to no points (if they do, it's barely minor at best and they ruin it by shooting themselves with a shotgun), and just constantly screech until they get what they want. Even when they do, they're never happy, because it's never. Fuck them, fuck their lies and partial truths, fuck their scamming and manipulations, and fuck their pathetic "standards". They have nothing to stand on nor any "points". People are only fooling themselves, if they think all that shit is true, and only helping the rage baiters and alt-right gain some type of credit to manipulate those young, foolish, or blinded by their own hate and insecurities to notice they're being played.

BTW: one of people who "has a point" cried the newest iteration of Lara Craft looking like a "transwoman", even though this next new reboots has her pretty as possible looks near identical to classic Lara with the shorts and everything.

Funny events in anti-woke world

Hmm, you didn't explicitly, because that would have required substantiation. What you did instead was list it among various other things that happened during Biden's tenure... as evidence for why his tenure was destabilising. I didn't say Biden's tenure was destabilizing. What I'm suggesting is...

forums.escapistmagazine.com

 

[Casual Shinji]

Couldn’t care less about these particular characters or their looks, but it’s pretty clear at this point that in our post-Sarkeesian gaming climate there is a fairly conscious effort in the west to *desexualize* and reduce the *objectification* of an increasing number of female leads, as if they’re not still made of polygons. If it wasn’t happening then it wouldn’t get to the point of telling people to get over it and get a life for simply pointing it out.

And how is that spiteful? The fact that desexualizing and reducing objectification (of women) is equated to ugliness by a certain group says far more about them then about game devs. It also says that these people don't care whether a game character actually looks good, just that they look sexual and objectified. Because you can't tell me with a straight face that female characters in Western games today look actively worse then they did in the PS2 era. Western games were notorious for their character models looking like shit back then, sexualized sure, but shit in comparison to Japanese games.

And if as you say these characters are still just made out of polygons, why would making them sexual mean anything more than making them look "ugly"?

You don't like it you don't like it, but this whole thing isn't just people pointing it out. It's people - primarily men - being pissed that women don't look as perfect and sexualized as they think they should look. And seeing this as an attack on them, on men. Seeing it as women not being there for their sexual needs and fantasies. And we have a word for that.

And mind you, this is only a handful of female characters by the way - the vast majority are still sexualized, but just those few are already too much, and a sign of spite apparently for not falling in line.

 

[Chimpzy]

People like this deserve spite, as well as mockery, derision and insults. What they don't deserve? Anything they want.

Obviously someone of Aloy's stature would have a personal stylist and the best skincare routines.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Obviously someone of Aloy's stature would have a personal stylist and the best skincare routines.

Honestly, it makes very little sense that she has such elaborate hair already. She doesn't really strike as a person who cares about looks or culture, yet she has long, finely braided hair, which she would obviously need to take atleast an hour out of every day to maintain.

Maybe if the game allowed you to braid it in certain ways, or tied her skill progression to it, like in Far Cry 3 with the tattoos. But no, the hair is just there because.

Aloy kinda sucks as a character.

 

[hanselthecaretaker2]

And how is that spiteful? The fact that desexualizing and reducing objectification (of women) is equated to ugliness by a certain group says far more about them then about game devs. It also says that these people don't care whether a game character actually looks good, just that they look sexual and objectified. Because you can't tell me with a straight face that female characters in Western games today look actively worse then they did in the PS2 era. Western games were notorious for their character models looking like shit back then, sexualized sure, but shit in comparison to Japanese games.

And if as you say these characters are still just made out of polygons, why would making them sexual mean anything more than making them look "ugly"?

You don't like it you don't like it, but this whole thing isn't just people pointing it out. It's people - primarily men - being pissed that women don't look as perfect and sexualized as they think they should look. And seeing this as an attack on them, on men. Seeing it as women not being there for their sexual needs and fantasies. And we have a word for that.

And mind you, this is only a handful of female characters by the way - the vast majority are still sexualized, but just those few are already too much, and a sign of spite apparently for not falling in line.

The resulting reactions and discourse these changes have garnered make it seem that way, to varying degrees. Even people who don’t care one way or another or that it’s not “personally” affecting apparently have noticed it via more casual observances, both locally and abroad. Like the Japanese reactions in my originally posted link.

I think it’s just because it’s with videogames now, and the gaming community at-large loves to identify with characters moreso than with movies, which like you’ve said before, have a wider variety of highly revered female characters whose sole focus isn’t their looks. Sarah Connor, Ripley, etc. They also generally have a more discerning range of and perhaps less discriminatory audiences.

It also makes one wonder how this would shake out if it happened more in foreign made games, with foreign fans. Guessing the result probably wouldn’t be much different than how it’s been in the west. Perhaps even worse given the cultural differences.

 

[Casual Shinji]

The resulting reactions and discourse these changes have garnered make it seem that way, to varying degrees. Even people who don’t care one way or another or that it’s not “personally” affecting apparently have noticed it via more casual observances, both locally and abroad. Like the Japanese reactions in my originally posted link.

I think it’s just because it’s with videogames now, and the gaming community at-large loves to identify with characters moreso than with movies, which like you’ve said before, have a wider variety of highly revered female characters whose sole focus isn’t their looks. Sarah Connor, Ripley, etc. They also generally have a more discerning range of and perhaps less discriminatory audiences.

It also makes one wonder how this would shake out if it happened more in foreign made games, with foreign fans. Guessing the result probably wouldn’t be much different than how it’s been in the west. Perhaps even worse given the cultural differences.

You're ignoring the media outrage economy on which many youtube channels have propped up their entire business. Not to mention the whole MGTOW/manosphere movement. This shit extends outside of gaming and entertainment, with Western women today being considered too ugly/too much of a hassle by certain groups due to feminism, and then point to East Asia as some kind of Promised Land.

Again, this isn't just people noticing a difference in how women are portrayed in gaming, it's this misogyny fueled rage at the slightest whiff of women in mainstream media not falling in line with traditional feminine standards.

 

[BrawlMan]

I think it’s just because it’s with videogames now, and the gaming community at-large loves to identify with characters moreso than with movies, which like you’ve said before, have a wider variety of highly revered female characters whose sole focus isn’t their looks. Sarah Connor, Ripley, etc. They also generally have a more discerning range of and perhaps less discriminatory audiences.

That's full shit and you know it. Identify with characters or not, these are men who refused to grow up, and became whiny, cowardly, bitches who attack, harass, send death/rape threats, and act like spoiled man children who never moved passed high school or early college mentally. The same assholes who harassed sent death threats to Lily Gao, because she didn't play Ada Wong "good enough", and for the crime of the actress being Asian. Because apparently it's wrong to these fuckers that the character is no longer voiced by a white woman. Even though Ada Wong herself is Asian, and was implied at one point to be part Vietnamese and part Chinese. Yet assholes, also cried "censorship/woke", because she was know longer in some Chinese cocktail dress, even though it wouldn't make sense to be in the middle of rural Spain during the fall season.

@hanselthecaretaker2, I like you and all, but stop making excuses for these assholes nor downplaying their actions. For as much as you said you don't care for their views or how a characters looks, you seem more than willing to say "they have a point" (when they don't) or somewhat believe there is some dumb ass conspiracy at large. For the last time, attractive women have not been lost. These assholes are spoiled bitches with nothing better to do in their lives, and are more than likely not good looking themselves. You are better than this. I'll leave you to think on what I said.

You're ignoring the media outrage economy on which many youtube channels have propped up their entire business. Not to mention the whole MGTOW/manosphere movement. This shit extends outside of gaming and entertainment, with Western women today being considered too ugly/too much of a hassle by certain groups due to feminism, and then point to East Asia as some kind of Promised Land.

Again, this isn't just people noticing a difference in how women are portrayed in gaming, it's this misogyny fueled rage at the slightest whiff of women in mainstream media not falling in line with traditional feminine standards.

Took words right of my mouth.

 

[Hades]

Obviously someone of Aloy's stature would have a personal stylist and the best skincare routines.

I think its really funny that the same people saying ''Its the post apocalypse so Abby cannot have gained muscles!'' are also the same people who say ''Just because its the post apocalypse doesn't mean Alloy shouldn't have full access to beauty cosmetics!''

 

[Casual Shinji]

I think its really funny that the same people saying ''Its the post apocalypse so Abby cannot have gained muscles!'' are also the same people who say ''Just because its the post apocalypse doesn't mean Alloy shouldn't have full access to beauty cosmetics!''

To play devil's advocate; they are two very different post-apocalypses, and the one in Horizon shows a handful of cultures that do extensively practice cosmetics. But then no one leveled that same scrutiny toward Joel who is also big and burly. There's a lot of things that realistically couldn't happen in TLoU, but we all know why only Abby gets targeted on this.

Also, you can apply a variety of make-up to Aloy, it's just her default that lacks cosmetics.

 

[BrawlMan]

I think its really funny that the same people saying ''Its the post apocalypse so Abby cannot have gained muscles!'' are also the same people who say ''Just because its the post apocalypse doesn't mean Alloy shouldn't have full access to beauty cosmetics!''

You can't win with these contradictory assholes either way, and they want to have it both ways. Note how both are women, regardless of circumstances of both settings. If either of them were male or young men, there would be less complaints from these bitches.

To play devil's advocate; they are two very different post-apocalypses, and the one in Horizon shows a handful of cultures that do extensively practice cosmetics. But then no one leveled that same scrutiny toward Joel who is also big and burly. There's a lot of things that realistically couldn't happen in TLoU, but we all know why only Abby gets targeted on this.

Also, you can apply a variety of make-up on Aloy, it's just her default that lacks cosmetics.

That too, but it's still hypocritical bullshit either way.

 

[XsjadoBlayde]

Starting to reckon FF7 Remakey Rebirth could effortlessly shave 20 hours off its runtime merely by not halting the out-of-combat character model's movement to a stop whenever you attack various environment objects to see what treats may fall out. A simple running kick or spinning elbow combo or whatever will do: as long as we can move past Mr 'one-swipe one-stop n breathe from inhaler' currently weighing down joys of exploration with its micro-cumbersomes

 

[BrawlMan]

Capcom charging for third person mode in REVIII is bullshit. I'm surprised no one called them out or complained about it. If you bought the Gold Edition, it comes with a code. If not, or if you bought the vanilla release, they charge $20 for it. FTR, it is on sale for 50% off (until 3/14/24); it's the only reason why I bought it. Yeah, it comes with Mercenaries and Shadow of Rose DLC, but 3rd Person Mode should be free. The VR mode is free. Why not third person? Evil Within 2 has a first person mode that got added as an free update. It was based off a mod PC players did, but the fact that Tango nor Bethesda charged extra for it, speaks volumes. Mainly for Tango, and why I respect them so much. This only further proves EW2 is better than REVII & VIII, and the superior survival horror package, despite not having as many bonuses.

 

[Old_Hunter_77]

So there was this viral tweet from some game dev or journo or someone about how they want cheaper games that are uglier and smaller and lower tech and pays workers better, and every gamer content creator was quoting it, and folks are saying they are sick of chasing tech and graphics and huge games.

I don't buy it. Games with less than stellar graphics are still knocked for it. Critical darling long games are praised for how much stuff is in them.

Of course I agree with the paying and treating workers better part, but I dunno if just dumping on the idea of tech and graphics and of themselves is honest or productive.

I know the industry is maybe imploding. I know the current situation of spending literally hundreds of millions of dollars and upwards of a decade to make a marquee game is insane. But surely the answer can't just be "make them shittier."

 

[BrawlMan]

So there was this viral tweet from some game dev or journo or someone about how they want cheaper games that are uglier and smaller and lower tech and pays workers better, and every gamer content creator was quoting it, and folks are saying they are sick of chasing tech and graphics and huge games.

I don't buy it. Games with less than stellar graphics are still knocked for it. Critical darling long games are praised for how much stuff is in them.

Of course I agree with the paying and treating workers better part, but I dunno if just dumping on the idea of tech and graphics and of themselves is honest or productive.

I know the industry is maybe imploding. I know the current situation of spending literally hundreds of millions of dollars and upwards of a decade to make a marquee game is insane. But surely the answer can't just be "make them shittier."

Well I don't mind detail graphics I'm more of a art style and design presentation person. What people want is that, but without having to sacrifice a whole lot but that sacrifice is going to have to come somewhere. Aside from the employees. They should always be treated fairly, better, and given much more pay when it keeps getting sucked out of them. Programming isn't easy, so they deserve an actual hefty paycheck. Especially if you're going to have them crunch or do all that grinding. Neither of that is actually necessary to get a game completed. It's called managing your time and developers people, with reasonable goals! I don't look at Twitter much, and all I'm seeing is just another fad statement. It'll go away within a few weeks or so, and go back to "we need high graphics to justify buying these games!" from some Yahoo or idiot. Or some other contrary variation or whatever. At this point I really don't give a damn. I only play the games I know there aren't going to screw me over and made by people who care. If this industry does implode it's going to be a lot of the high end Western publishers that suffer from this. All I have to say is tell Sony better get their act together as well.