The Daily Grind: Are MMOs too over-sexualized?

Hehe, funny you mentioned WoW because there is a full patch to make them all nudes ..

@nomanor01: Couldn't agree more. I think it's sometimes hard for folks to remember that simply because something is a game doesn't mean it's automatically for prepubescent children (then again, if I could just teach junior when to double-down at the blackjack table...). When in doubt, parents take charge! If you want your kids to be safe, only let them play child-safe games (some of which are fun enough for me to want to play).


As for the Q's: "That isn't sexy, that's just tacky"? Should skimpy armor come in dude versions so that this sexualization isn't as lopsided? Which class is the biggest offender in your eyes?

Sexy is when you can see the game world and the freedom to express biology in an aethetically pleasing way. That may mean some bare chest/cleavage or bare legs, sure, but it enhances to look of the form.

It gets tacky when you can't realistically see the armor giving much protection in the MMORPG backstory--i.e., it's really just smut for the sake of smut-seeking lonely gamers who need to stare at their toons for jollies.

Now, don't get me wrong: I'm the camp that thinks that PLAYERS should decide how their armor looks (see EQ2, WAR upcoming update), and if that means Sam wants to look like a Himbo, and Janice wants to look like a Bimbo, more power to them! But if folks want to look alluring rather than smutty, or reserved, or even vow-of-celebacy-chaste, then give the players that option. When every set of armor looks like a stripper outfit it's just plain tacky.

I guess the short answer is when in doubt, make it practical.

As for Himbo outfits, I support allowing those.

As for then class being the worst offender? Sheesh... In terms of tacky smut they're all really equal-opportunity-annoyers, given the chance.

That Tera character is just ridiculous. I saw someone playing her at their booth at E3 and just stood their dumbfounded for a minute. As a female gamer my brain just went "WTH". For such a pretty/smooth playing game, that really turned me off of it. And the annoying thing, it looked like the majority of the demo stations available were with that dress-flapping butt bearing ditzy looking caster.

I'm with your fiancée, I do NOT want to stare at a character's butt all day. Frankly, it's just annoying and no I still wouldn't want to stare at a butt all day even if the character was a male in skimpy armor.

Give me practical armor anyday... or at least something with a little support... silly men devs. -_-

To clarify: 'Less clothes = More sexy' seems to be the thing, whereas I'm saying 'less 'sexy' = more sexy'

Male characters in Warrior classes are usually big and tough and buff (and covered in a pile of steel), yes. Male characters in Caster classes are usually slim and weedy and covered in a pile of cloth. Meanwhile, female warriors are Playboy models covered with two strips of steel and female casters are Playboy models covered in two strips of cloth. Hardly any parity there.

I'll use WoW as an example here: it's true that many male characters are overmuscled and whatnot, but they are hardly the definition of "male ideal". In fact, the one race in which the males come close to fitting the conventional idea of male beauty is the one often mocked for "having no men" (blood elves, who very much look male). On the other hand, more of the females of the races ARE created to fit this abstract notion of an 'ideal', even the Tauren. You also have "ugly" NPC races in which you don't see any females, such as the Kalu'ak (walrus people). You have others in which the males have new and unique models (Broken, Taunka) but the females just recycle already in-use models (Draenei and Tauren respectively), even though there really is no logical reason why the women wouldn't look as the men do...I think it's just because either (a) the designers were lazy and decided females didn't matter, or (b) the designers didn't want to make "ugly" women. Perhaps a mix of both.

Honestly, if people want skimpy armor, fine. Just make that armor look the exact same on both genders, no matter how many tender sensibilities might shy from seeing a dwarf man in a bikini. Either make it go both ways, or be more reasonable when designing armor sets. Luckily WoW DID get better at that in WotLK, hopefully we won't see a backsliding in Cataclysm.

Off Topic: A militant feminist troll....this indeed is a rare gem. Most trolls are flaming wingnut Rush Limbaugh types, so this is oddly refreshing. However, Angel ...a troll is still a troll. And all you doing is adding is ugly discourse to the debate and nothing helpful or meaningful. Just saying...

Ooops...wrong place. That should of been filed under, Angel's comment below. My apologies. :(

No, your position is stupid and reactionary.

I voted down your screed b/c it was poorly reasoned and badly written. We are programmed biologically to respond to certain physical characteristics as signs of good mate choice, we fill in everything else later with our over-active brains.

Get over it, you're human and humans copulate to improve/perpetuate the species.

It's not going to change.

Ta,

I did chuckle that you are complaining about censorship, while talking about how you do exactly that. It also takes more than 1 person downvoting to get yourself downranked that much.

If it bothers you that much, then you are as immature as the people you think it appeals to. It's a video game, if you find polygons and pixels that erotic, that is your business. I've never cared that much one way or the other about characters in video games, because they simply aren't real. Now, some of the clothing designs (skimpy or not) I think are very cool, but the people wearing them?

I think a bigger step forward for the human race will be to stop being so uptight about natural biological functions and human anatomy, and actually caring about real issues for a change.

Why is it that only the sexualization of women is brought up? Yeah I get it. In the case of Tera they went out of their way to slap full heavy double d's on sorceresses and tight dresses, but look at fighting games. Men running around topless and glistening. And the male leads in all these games are better looking than your average guy and way better built.

I don't need porn-lite in video games when real porn is a click away. In fact I'm gonna go find some big girl clips as soon as I'm done with this.

I down voted you because you state the solution is violence against those in charge and government regulation. Both of which are absurd, you are talking about video games my friend.

The only reason you say it is poorly reasoned is because you don't agree with it. It is actually very well thought out, very well reasoned, and not reactionary.

FYI "improvement" and "perpetuation" of the human species cannot automatically be conjoined. They are not the same and have no actual relation to one another. one may occur as a result of the other but as a rule it does not.

I am all for attraction, copulation, sex, f*cking, or what have you. I'm all for provocative clothing IRL, as long as it is a choice made by the individual. the objectification of the human form is not abut choice, it is about subjugation and control of another. That is so wrong on so many levels it is tragic.