Why Video Game Designers Are Missing The Mark With Women

[VentilatorOfDoom]

<p>Why do other websites not adhere to the american capitalization rules? A mystery.</p>
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<p>In urgent news it became apparent that the website Geeks Are Sexy opposes <a href="http://www.geeksaresexy.net/2010/07/28/why-video-game-designers-are-missing-the-mark-with-women/" target="_blank">boobs in videogames.</a></p>
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<p><strong>Sexuality and Choice</strong>

I will not deny that sexuality plays an important role in video games, especially those in the fantasy genre (heck, the whole fantasy genre is replete with sex and gender stereotypes, so it&rsquo;s not falling far from the tree to say the least). But, from my point of view, there&rsquo;s something rather insidious about not having a choice&mdash;like how much skin to show on your avatar&mdash;no matter what you do. It&rsquo;s saying, sight unseen, that your character&rsquo;s body is the center of the story. What if I want my mage to be really conservative? Oh, it doesn&rsquo;t matter. I can&rsquo;t. No choice, none at all. She dresses slutty. I mean, in Dragon Age all the women are built like porn stars, and the outfits on the Chantry priestesses even accentuate their boobs. It makes it abundantly clear that straight men were the number one consideration during design.

Guys, think about this. What would it be like if you logged on to your favorite game, and every piece of armor your warrior tried on was nothing more than a metal jock strap and a halter top? Sure, I might not mind looking at it&mdash;but you probably wouldn&rsquo;t find it that thrilling. With no choice other than slutty, the whole armor issue treads into some very dark territory. Objectification and sexualization to the nth degree.</p>
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<p>Spotted at: <a href="http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/98981-why-video-game-designers-are-missing-the-mark-with-women.html">Gamebanshee</a></p>

 

[CrimHead]

logged on to your favorite game

Therein lies your problem, good sir.

 

[Stalin]

women are too busy screwing their brains out to play games

 

[Elzair]

women are too busy screwing their brains out to play games

Removed misogynist bullshit trying to be “edgy”.

 

[Metro]

I hate this kind of stuff -- always reads like some undergraduate level psych paper... from a bad university.

 

[DarkUnderlord]

I never really got into games much until I was able to play women.

I'm certain many at the Codex can relate.

 

[Jim Profit]

Well considering women ruin fucking everything and have shitty opinions, maybe it's better they're not a targeted demographic.

Besides, everytime a girl signs on any server all the fat neckbeards start breathing heavily and go silent when otherwise we'd all be trolling and having fun. She doesn't live near you, even if she did she wouldn't want anything to do with you, so who gives a fuck?

Unfourtanately, it's not enough to just ignore a cunt. Because a cunt will fight tooth and nail to be the center of attention, and will make sure you don't have any fun unless your idea of fun involves kissing her ass. Thats why women get the bare minimum in videogames, and should in life. If you ask me faggots are being too integrated into videogames as well. And fags are even worse then women!

 

[Yeesh]

I hate this kind of stuff -- always reads like some undergraduate level psych paper... from a bad university.

Would your opinion change if it were brilliantly written and had the same point? Or do you think truly intelligent people would just "get it" that the idea that gender stereotypes and sexual objectification could be harmful or alienating is just silly, and not write a paper about it in the first place?

 

[funkadelik]

This kind of shit must be why we haven't seen an epic RPG since BG2. Fuck political correctness. If I can get a heavy stat-based game, with a deep, involved storyline, with hundreds of sidequests, where your choices matter, fuck yeah I'd play as a guy with a halter top and a metal jockstrap. Who said the jockstrap was a bad idea in the first place? It's an issue that has not been touched in ANY game where swinging blades might clip your nuts.

 

[Silellak]

women are too busy screwing their brains out to play games

No, women are to busy getting screwed, playing sick mind games, and making me some fucking dinner to play games.

 

[Stalin]

name one good book written by a woman

 

[VentilatorOfDoom]

harry potter?

 

[Haba]

The two most popular Japanese porn game heroines of the past decade:

 

[Luzur]

feminist gamers.

 

[Serious_Business]

I hate this kind of stuff -- always reads like some undergraduate level psych paper... from a bad university.

Would your opinion change if it were brilliantly written and had the same point? Or do you think truly intelligent people would just "get it" that the idea that gender stereotypes and sexual objectification could be harmful or alienating is just silly, and not write a paper about it in the first place?

Pretty much. This isn't an academic paper, it's not even a pseudo-academic paper. It's just a paper written by a woman, I guess. Why bother hiding the mysoginic comment? Just say it : "I hate this kind of stuff, women should stay in the kitchen". Embrace your stupidity, this is rpgcodex

This kind of shit must be why we haven't seen an epic RPG since BG2. Fuck political correctness. If I can get a heavy stat-based game, with a deep, involved storyline, with hundreds of sidequests, where your choices matter, fuck yeah I'd play as a guy with a halter top and a metal jockstrap. Who said the jockstrap was a bad idea in the first place? It's an issue that has not been touched in ANY game where swinging blades might clip your nuts.

What the hell does hypersexualisation has anything to do with stat-heavy games? Also, BG2 is a bad game and not stat-heavy

 

[Jack]

Guys, think about this. What would it be like if you logged on to your favorite game, and every piece of armor your warrior tried on was nothing more than a metal jock strap and a halter top? Sure, I might not mind looking at it—but you probably wouldn’t find it that thrilling. With no choice other than slutty, the whole armor issue treads into some very dark territory. Objectification and sexualization to the nth degree

Barbarians?

 

[grotsnik]

Behold, the slutty, hypersexualised female mage outfits of Dragon Age the blogger speaks of.

http://news.softpedia.com/newsImage/One ... tor-2.jpg/

Now, I'm as open-minded as the next person, but this sort of absurdly revealing, highly explicit costume is sinister and distinctly anti-feminist.

You can see her hands, AND her entire face - completely unveiled. It's a disgrace. Germaine Greer must be spinning in her career's grave.

 

[Jaesun]

Guys, think about this. What would it be like if you logged on to your favorite game, and every piece of armor your warrior tried on was nothing more than a metal jock strap and a halter top?

Finally. My dream video game.

 

[Stalin]

The Codex has spoken: character customization is great except for making women look less like whores.

women are whores

 

[Stalin]

 

[Melcar]

Fucking whores, always fucking up shit.

 

[ortucis]

Those evil game designers..

 

[Abelon Blanchetourbe]

I mean, in Dragon Age all the women are built like porn stars

 

[Phelot]

First off, the majority of girls that actually play games beyond WoW and Farmville would love nothing more then to fantasize about being a huge tittied whore that men absolutely love.

But yeah, it's a mark of poor design in my opinion. Women looked retarded in PST and they still look retarded in DA:O

But I guess that's part of the fantasy. IF a game isn't shooting for an engrossing, no fucking joke story line that is super serious then why shouldn't the heroes have big arms and tits?

But I still think it would be cool to play a fat guy. Maybe a survival horror game, something like Silent Hill except you play as a 56 year old virgin that weighs 400 pounds and has chronic body odor issues. Maybe make him a postal worker.

 

[Melcar]

Women like being treated like sluts.