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Forums » Smalltalk » Why Bioware Deserves My Money

Dylan Topic Starter

mross wrote:
Also if the mods direct us to a different thread for this, I'll be happy to follow.

As long as the comments keep with the original post in this thread, that's fine. People are welcome to create a seperate thread to discuss other things not directly related to the OP here, as long as it keeps to the PG theme of the public RPR forums.
I'd respond to your other points, but I'm afraid that'd veer everything off-topic again, and I've already done that enough for a day.

I never said Bioware did a bad thing, or should not have done what they did. I expressed an opinion about the reactions and also about the post itself, and posed a few things that might be worth thinking about to the thread. Let me quote my first post again.
Wizard wrote:
In Mr. Straight Male Manguy's defense, somebody shouldn't have to put up with unwanted attention in a video game, no matter who they are or what their orientation is. Of course, I'd personally advocate for leaving all that romancey nonsense out entirely.

Either way, the true absurdity here is that people are treating video game romances like serious business and getting their knickers all in a bunch--both Mr. Straight Male Manguy and the opposition. It's a blasted video game. And anyway--my two cents--if a gaming company truly wanted to actually, effectively turn the gaming industry around in regards to who it caters to, they'd stop perpetually objectifying a considerable portion of their fan base and start designing more, interesting female characters that are not based entirely or mostly on sex appeal. That's the biggest (and most annoying) issue we have right now, not whose pixels yours will get flirted at by.

Carry on.
Dylan Topic Starter

I'm going to have to read over the original post regarding the player's complaint. I haven't had the time to read it over and I'm curious what the wide spread reaction, (not necessarily the comments here), is.

This is really making me want to play some DA:II. Simply because I've been roleplaying instead of playing pc games. SIGH. ;p
PC roleplaying games: THE CURE TO YOUR DILEMMA.
Dylan Topic Starter

I'm putting this out there because people certainly have their own opions and do want to discuss such topics! Check out this thread.
Dylan Topic Starter

Wizard wrote:
PC roleplaying games: THE CURE TO YOUR DILEMMA.
HIGHLY SUPERIOR TO ALL OTHER GAMING PLAT-
I won't even go there.
Sanne Moderator

My, looks like I missed an interesting debate! I think female characters have become so heavily sexualized in games because a lot of games were intended for a male player base. Perhaps that is also the issue the 'straight male gamer' has with the idea that relationships are accessible to literally everyone in the game. Suddenly, the game's concept of relationships is no longer based on just hot chicks in skimpy clothing who represent nothing more than eyecandy. The game's relationship aspect suddenly has DEPTH and DIVERSITY and that might make the fellow feel left out.

As far as girls in revealing outfits go in games, while it can be a concern, the issue starts with the upbringing of our children. If we teach them early on that looks are superficial and mean little to nothing in a real relationship, skimpy outfits on girls in games don't matter much. They're just there to look pretty but bear no substance. It becomes bad when we let children look up to these fictional and mirror them or set them as a standard for our real life experiences, setting these unrealistic beings as rolemodels, because then we get people like the Straight Male Gamer.

Bioware has been smart by turning away from the idea that skimpily clad girls are sufficient, because there comes a point where we've seen it all. Our generations have moved on to different ideas and desires in games. Just look at the Sims. Homosexual relationships became possible in the second version of the game to adapt to the growing diversity and desires of the gamers. It's not the skimpy girls we want anymore, we want substance, we want realism. We want to be able to live our real lives in a fictional world where we can take actions and experience consequences in a safe, controlled environment where the consequences don't matter.

Slowly but surely game designers are taking that path. Diverse relationships are only the first step of many. I think, rather than worry about the fact females are turned into sexual objects in games (that is something we can't really stop, it's been around for as long as mankind exists and is the portrayal of a human's natural urges to mate to a suitable partner), we should worry (and perhaps debate) the consequences these games have if they become more and more real. Where does it stop? How soon will we tumble into the Matrix if this keeps up?


(I hope this is still fairly on topic, I'm trying to delve into the whole... relationship thing and stuff.... If I'm derailing again Dylan just kick my hiney!)
Darth_Angelus Moderator

Dylan wrote:
Wizard wrote:
PC roleplaying games: THE CURE TO YOUR DILEMMA.
HIGHLY SUPERIOR TO ALL OTHER GAMING PLAT-
I won't even go there.

Yeah, let's not start that :P
Dylan Topic Starter

XD I am kidding! I am going to make a joke tag.
[joke]
[/joke]
Dragonfire Moderator

Quote:
I'd respond to your other points, but I'm afraid that'd veer everything off-topic again, and I've already done that enough for a day.

I find myself facing this dilemma, too, which is why I kind of haven't said anything further in this thread, hehe. I do just want to say that if you state an opinion, don't be surprised when people who disagree with that opinion make it clear that they disagree, and why - much like our little exchange here began with Straight Male Gamer and Gaider.
Dragonfire wrote:
I find myself facing this dilemma, too, which is why I kind of haven't said anything further in this thread, hehe. I do just want to say that if you state an opinion, don't be surprised when people who disagree with that opinion make it clear that they disagree, and why - much like our little exchange here began with Straight Male Gamer and Gaider.

Of course. x) I was clarifying what I had said. You seemed to have thought I'd expressed something different.
Darth_Angelus Moderator

I just thought I'd mention that a few minutes ago, a male elf working at the establishment in the red lantern district started hitting on my character, much to my amusement :)

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