Gender Diversity / Politics in games (was Tropes Vs. Women)

[Alex W.]

These are worthless! Get me crotch shots! Crotch shots of Spider-Man!

[NEG]

Boobs did indeed sell newspapers, but there's the internet now.

[deerokus]

Racism and mock outrage sells newspapers. Nothing else does.

[Anne Summers]

I don't think DOA volleyball was ever a franchise that was intended for the West ... the first game got picked up and sold well because it was ostensibly a volleyball game and it had the DOA name attached. But it's pretty clear it's now basically one of those weird Japanese perv games which are acceptable to the sort of people who like to objectify and sexualise teenage girls but most people find pretty distasteful and, at the end of the day, boring if you're not sexually excited by ridiculously unrealistically proportioned CG teen girls.

[Alex W.]

I wonder if they would've got Western releases at all of they hadn't been Xbox exclusives.

[NEG]

Back when DOA was known to be good (DOA4), yes. A spin-off is a spin-off.

[Made of Ghosts]

I agree the latest video isn't Anita's best. The emphasis on Tomb Raider's camera being behind Lara and showing her whole body is a bit silly - I mean, that's just the best way to do things in a platformer. It wouldn't be a problem if she wasn't wearing hotpants. That's the real issue there but Anita seems to give it reduced emphasis compared to the camera angle. Likewise I think Batman's cape covering his butt at all times is probably a result of limited fabric physics rather than a deliberate butt-hiding choice. She kinda plays into her critics' hands by making such a big deal out of that. Then again, she seems to do that by breathing and existing so maybe it doesn't really matter.

It's interesting she mentions being interested in a character's personality and goals when that's something I always never care about in games. I guess it's a sign she's more interested in character-led games like Life is Strange than action games where the protagonist is usually just a cypher.

[Delargey]

I agree is more a costume design issue than camera angles. There really isn't a need for those choices.

Lara Crofts wet suit was ridiculous.

I think these are lazy decision by the designers, in the same way I don't want all my movie posters to be orange and blue.

[Delargey]

I think it would be interesting if they did an episode focusing on modern games to see how much has been taken on board.

I think Marvel have been really good at this, the designs of their female characters are far more practical and deverse than they used to be.

[ryodi]

Lara Crofts wet suit was ridiculous.

It's probably more to do with where the games are set but the reboot Tomb Raider games are the only games in the series that don't feature Lara in a swimsuit as a selectable outfit. So some progress it being made in that game series at least.

[NEG]

The wet suit example in the video was at least at sea, mind. You know, where you'd expect to use one.

[Delargey]

So why did "Lara" pick a wet suit that covered her arms from the harsh sea but left her ass and legs entirely exposed?

It doesn't even make sense. Do you ever think they would dress a male character like that?

[Wiper]

A good example of that is Xenoblade Chronicles X - a game where all clothing is unisex, but changes in design depending on what sex is wearing it. There is 'diving gear' available, which on men takes the form of a full body wetsuit. And on women, of course, looks like this:

Most outfits take a similar approach, with even heavy armour frequently finding a way to show off female characters' arses and/or chest, while doing their utmost to cover male characters in as many layers of metal as possible.

[NEG]

So why did "Lara" pick a wet suit that covered her arms from the harsh sea but left her ass and legs entirely exposed?

It doesn't even make sense. Do you ever think they would dress a male character like that?

No idea of proper wet suit design to critique if a wet suit should have either arms or legs covered or not as 'proper', to be fair.

Roll in the real life examples.

[RossW]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=wet+suit&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiYz_LE1cPKAhUFvRQKHUbqCGAQsxgIIA&biw=1708&bih=951

Edit : Highlight your 'wet suit', right click, search google. Wetsuits cover your body. They are there to keep heat in

[Delargey]

No idea of proper wet suit design to critique if a wet suit should have either arms or legs covered or not as 'proper', to be fair.

Roll in the real life examples.

I know you are just trolling. Please don't, what is the point, man?

Even if this was a "proper" wetsuit design though I've never seen one like it before, why do you think the designers chose that particular version over the more traditional full body wetsuit?

Do you think that if there was a male option in that game he would have the same type of wetsuit?

Do you see how the skippy ass showing design is unnecessary?

Why bother drawing this conversation out?

[Broker]

Why bother responding to Neg?

[SqueakyG]

Every time Toby Gard has been interviewed he talks tosh about how his original design for Lara Croft wasn't supposed to look sexualized, and they only took her in that direction in later installments once he left, etc etc. However, I remember the very first game, the training level in the mansion, which finishes after you get out of the swimming pool. Lara says, "Right! Now I'd better take off these wet clothes..." and it fades slowly to black. They knew. They always knew.

[Jarik]

The thing with Female Wetsuits is the same as it is with female suits of Armor. The point of both types of wear is to cover & protect the body from outside forces (The cold of the water, the enemies attacks) so if the male version does that & the female version doesn't, it must be for a reason other than protection, & the only reason I can think of is to show the body off.

Or put it this way. Why don't female spacesuits show exposed skin? Because of the dangers of vacuum right? Then why should female wetsuits or armor be so unsuited (no pun intended) to their purpose either?

[Broker]

The other major problem with shorties is that in the UK your arms and legs will fucking freeze. Wasn't Lara using her skimpy wetsuit in the arctic?

[Hexx]

On the subject of wetsuits - that always annoyed in Revelations. And she's in a quasi military group as well.

Nevermind the chuffin ridiculous pose here

[Delargey]

Did she lose an arm to exposure?

[Mr Cochese]

When you realise the reason for her bare leg, you will be ashamed of your et cetera et cetera...

[PaB]

You lot have no idea about fashion, do you.

[Hexx]

I don't even know how to begin to describe my opinion of the world now

[Delargey]

"Call in...the suit."

[Rowan Morrison]

I've got the perfect comic strip for that, but you'll have to take my word for it until I get home.

[Mr Cochese]

I'd fucking love it if the next Bond looked like that. The Mail would run the picture on the front cover, with the outraged headline "Bond Should Not Have A Beard".

[Opinionated Ham Scarecrow]

That Joaquin Phoenix is soooooo wacky.

[Rowan Morrison]

Bond himself could be the sexy silhouette dancer swinging off a Luger, with a surprise beard reveal at the end of the titles.