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Are the most common character portrayals of men and women in video games a problem?
Wednesday, February 01, 2012 |
Comments (15)
POST BY THIS AUTHOR (3)
Are thing really that bad for women gamers? Is there a difference in how they are treated, or are they just over-sensitive?
Friday, January 27, 2012 |
Comments (1)
How can a 15 minute flash game force us to ask tough questions about who we are as gamers and why we play what we do? Is it the games that are fun, or is it something else?
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 |
Comments (0)
COMMENTS BY THIS AUTHOR (4)
"Thanks for the comment! You wrote a rather interesting article, and I enjoyed it!
And well no, I'm not really that sensitive. I just hate trying to defend games as an art form then seeing Ivy's tits used as an advertising campaign."
Saturday, January 28, 2012
"Do you have any suggestions to improve my writing? Thanks again for reading and commenting!"
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
"Thanks! I'm looking forward to posting my stuff here. Right now I'm working on a literary criticism of Super Mario RPG as an extended metaphor."
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
The quote in question is in the context "What do the outfits and stances of the characters convey about them?" Clothing can convey anything. A tux conveys formality. A military uniform conveys strength and discipline. A gi conveys formal training in martial arts. A unitard that is also giving a superb wedgie does not convey being ready to fight.
No matter what, your outfit says something about you. It's an attempt to tell someone about who you are without any verbal clues. It tells someone why you are there. I believe it is the right of women to dress as they wish, but showing up to a fight in the sexiest outfit you can, it most likely, in my opinion, will mean the character there to show off as opposed to fight. I would say the same thing if a dude showed up in a speedo
It needs to be kept in mind that these characters literally have no agency. They are creations of game designers who make the conscious choices of how the characters will look, act, and dress. If a real woman was to show up to a fight dressed like this, that's her perogative. When the only women in the game are dressed in a sexualized manner, it sends the message that women are only there to be objects of sexual desire. There are more alternatives than simply not showing attractive women. A woman can be beautiful and strong without being objectified, and THAT is the balance game designers need to find."