I'm going to address a lot of points but I'll try to keep everything concise.
Firstly, I am a woman who was put off, concerned and disappointed by the lack of clothing on the original design of the female character. I speak only for myself and my experience as a woman and not for women as a whole.
The reason I'm uncomfortable with the lack of armor is because it makes me feel like the developers would rather sell a game based on sex appeal rather than make a game where men and women are treated like humans.
Destello: “But also women love to show themselves, dressing fashion and wearing bikinis in real life! Google “cosplay” and prepare to be amazed.“
There are some women who are comfortable wearing more revealing clothing, and there are those who are not comfortable. I am very proud of my body, but when I wear mini skirts or bikinis or the like I feel exposed rather than sexy. I feel sexier wearing clothes I am comfortable in. I have always wanted to cosplay but there are very few options for me as a woman to choose from that I could feel at ease in. There are also many women who feel obligated to wear these types of clothes, or portray themselves in this type of way because as gamers, they want to feel accepted and sexy. This is not the only way to be sexy, but it often times feels like it for women because we are so bombarded with it every day of our lives.
TheBlackDragon: “Fact is women like to feel sexy just as much as men like to feel badass, as such the original art wasn't just pandering to drooling male gamers but also to an assumed "standard" (or "stereotype") which is just as likely to not apply to your specific case for men and women alike (at leas *I* can't identify with mr. Hulk on the cover art). “
I want to play a character that looks badass just as much as men want to play a character that looks badass. I don't really care if my character is “sexy,” I'm sure some women do, and I'm sure some men like it better if the women look sexier, the same as some women like it better when male characters look sexier.
I'm going to point out that even with the new armor, she is as unrealistic looking as the man. While some men and some women can get to those proportions, most people can't, for both genders. Personally, for me, I don't mind the unrealistic proportions, because I don't want to be playing a game with normal people, I play games to escape reality and go on adventure and learn new things. But I don't play games to stare at a woman's midriff or breasts the whole time. There are games out there for this sort of thing if you're into that. And I want the focus to be on the story, not making the characters sexy, unless that is related to the story.
The original character model has been called badass and feminine. It's been said that people can't see it as sexist. And it's been said that it's not as bad as other things in existence. It has also been said that it offends some women and some men, it makes them uncomfortable and reluctant in buying the game.
The new character model basically eliminates the latter part of that concern. If changing her to wear a bit more armor does nothing to the playing style of the game, wouldn't it be better to make women as comfortable in playing the character rather than scaring them off?
Destello: “There are so many games with real sexism to criticize this one. “
Just because there are more sexist things out there doesn't mean that we can't fight to make games less sexist in general. Especially with an open developer who is willing to listen to its fan base. This is where things change, if developers who are less open see profits from developers who are willing to stand against the stereotype, then they might be more willing to change in the future. It all has to start somewhere. A popular game is a great place to be progressive.
Von_Rotten: “ Now this is not aimed at the OP specifically, but I do find it odd that people come into a “Fantasy” game and complain about a naked belly, a partially bare arm and slight cleavage.
I see these complaints all over the place where artwork or in game visuals in, again a “Fantasy” game is slightly revealing… and I mean slightly here.
Yes I am aware that it may not be “realistic” but then I’m not going play this game or another “Fantasy” game for realism .
If you look at any Dungeon & Dragons artwork or Fantasy design, you will see a certain pattern of revealing armor and clothing, a lot of the time on the male as well. It’s really not meant to be sexist, it’s just part of the genre and the artist’s depiction of fantastical places / people.”
Two things
1. Just because things have always been this way doesn't mean they are correct, and it doesn't mean they shouldn't or can't change in the future.
2. More importantly. The Fantasy genre in particular has been run by male developers since its creation. With male perspectives and male audiences being the main concern for most games in development. Things are starting to change slowly, with Laura Croft being a good example. And if you want to count them, Mass Effect and Dragon Age (1&2) female character choices. But even with these changes toward pro female attitudes there is still a heavy underline of “women don't play games and men won't play games with women in them.” The game
Remember Me was told to drop their female lead because “...that's not going to succeed. You can't have a female character in games. It has to be a male character, simple as that.” (
http://penny-arcade.com/report/arti...-to-facebook-and-why-its-protagonist-had)
This attitude needs to change. And by making positive female characters, it will prove to these publishers that it will sell, and that they'll gain a new audience and stop offending and excluding so many people.
Kein: “Too bad due to excessive whining the design was (and will be more surely) already changed to calm down that whining.”
I honestly think that the change has absolutely nothing to do with “whining” and more to do with respect. Which women haven't gotten a lot of in this industry. And it is commendable that Lorian is respecting its female fans.
