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Post by AllyKat87 on Nov 10, 2014 8:07:56 GMT
I watched the trailer to the upcoming Blizzard game Overwatch. I was immediately charmed! I was delighted to see a couple of badass gals duking it out! In another vid, I found that one of our badass girls is a WOC! Then later I came across a tweet from Jonathan McIntosh ( @radicalbytes). I have to say that I do agree, but I can't help but feel the tinglies of progress. What do you think? |
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Post by Berserk X #33 on Nov 10, 2014 13:34:43 GMT
It's a start. I think we will be at a good place when the concept of female characters stop being novel. They aren't even bad at this point, it's just that they are too close to basic female model.
The trailer did go through great lenghts to make everyone have a distinct fun personality. With the exception of the 'Butt Expansion' part, it's very light on the fanservice. All in all, a pretty good call.
I liked the designs, and would like to have more variety for character models. I think Jim did a great video where he chose three simple arbitrary diversions of norm to see how much diversity on female characters there where in gaming.
The three rules where:
1 - The player character must be a competent and powerful leader;
2 - The player character must not be plain straight a good person;
3 - The player character must not be conventionally beautiful.
He was surprised that even after searching, the only example he could come up was Vertigo, the Mad Goddess of Sorcery from Primal Rage. She's a playable, smart, competent, powerful, actually evil female character that doesn't offer any kind of fanservice.
He even says that, just like the Bechdel Test, it's more of a observation of the industry, not quality of the works themselves. But it does bring a good point. Why it's so rare to have characters that break those rules? Specially female ones.
When using those same rules on male characters, it's super easy find examples. Bowser is one of the first to get into my mind, Ganondorf in HWs too. Hell, we can use Overlord from the series Overlord, and he's plain straight evil.
That's a good point to be taken.
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Post by shieldmaiden on Nov 10, 2014 16:21:43 GMT
I guess it's good that Blizzard thinking about this stuff, but when all the female characters share the media standard "big boobs, little waist, big hips" shape, all but the armoured lady are in ridiculously skin-tight clothing and half of them are in heels, they're not doing much.
When they've got tall/fat/muscular/broad/pear-shaped/apple-shaped ladies, then I'll consider it progress.
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Post by AllyKat87 on Nov 10, 2014 19:56:37 GMT
The only lady that pops into my head that breaks the usual mold isn't in a video game (that I know of yet) Game of Thrones' BRIENNE OF TARTH!! I freaking LOVE Brienne. She's a big lady and a badass with a sword! I haven't finished reading the books but, boy do I love seeing her in the show. I like that she does not fit the usual criteria of skinny, small, and hourglass-shaped. G.R.R.M. wrote her to be much more unattractive (I think) in the books. I like that we get to see that she does fall in love too, even if it's only one-sided. I think that is something that we could all understand. I think she's tops! We need more characters like Brienne in movies, tv shows, and games! |
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Post by shieldmaiden on Nov 10, 2014 20:10:20 GMT
Yes! I love Brienne. I'm very tall and a LARPer and re-enactor. Tall fighter ladies are very much my thing because I am one! Braga in Rat Queens is another I love dearly. Coincidentally, I just started a thread on that particular comic.
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