Solving sexism in games: Fat/ugly human female characters

[Key-Glyph]

Maybe its just me, but if we're going to have female warrior characters, they need to have a warrior build. Hammer from Fable 2 is one of the better examples, and its in Fable. I mean, come on!

^This times a million. Hannah is so fantastic. I considered posting about her during the thread's photo montage, but somehow never got around to it.

[marurun]

This is a problem for me in lots of Japanese action movies as well. They get these pretty girls with such thin arms and have them pathetically pantomime punching, and all I can think is "She'll break her fist before she actually causes any harm." I don't mind SOME disconnect, but that's crazy, and it's in video games all over the place, too.

Still, I agree, I'd like to see more combat-capable female characters who actually LOOK combat-ready. They don't have to look like body builders, even some compact, lean muscle would be nice. Masamune Shirow did a good job with the character Deunan in the Appleseed manga. He draws her working out and she has distinct arm muscles. She actually looks like she can handle things.

[isiolia]

I don't think there is a single game that has credible female warrior characters. A scrawny (even if busty) female character should not be as strong as an inhumanely muscular 2m 200kg male character. Yet they are, except in some CRPGs that give a strength penalty to female characters. So I really don't see much difference between Lenneth and Lightning.

There are plenty of games that have them in there someplace. There just don't tend to be strict rules in place regarding it if players actually get a choice.

Though, in some cases, it could be chalked up to not all characters being human, and thus, not following human "rules"

[Omerta]

This thread is still going?

[marurun]

This thread is still going?

Yes, but it has improved greatly now that the subject has been dispensed with and the underlying issues brought out.

[Hobie-wan]

Yes, but it has improved greatly now that the subject has been dispensed with and the underlying issues brought out.

Gold plated turds are still turds.

[Valkyrie-Favor]

So I really don't see much difference between Lenneth and Lightning.

Lenneth is a Norse goddess specialized for battle. Also, she can fly so high and fast that she can cross the entire world in a matter of seconds. Lightning is a highly skilled but human soldier...at least in the first game
It's worth mentioning that Lenneth is actually rather large - in one cutscene (you know the one), she's only two inches shorter than Lucian, who is as tall as Arngrim! Also, very broad shoulders. In the new PSP FMVs she has skinny arms, but they look rather thick in the PS1 movies.

A divine being doesn't need excuses. Besides, she's always covered up. She might have had a bodybuilder's physique

before she was transferred to that tiny half-elf body that had never lifted anything at all.

Human Paltina as a seasoned warrior? Of course not.

Aaaaanyway...

don't think there is a single game that has credible female warrior characters. A scrawny (even if busty) female character should not be as strong as an inhumanely muscular 2m 200kg male character.

Yep. Skinny guys seem to be ridiculously strong too. Dense muscle can be just as strong as puffed up muscle, but size just cannot be ignored.

They get these pretty girls with such thin arms and have them pathetically pantomime punching, and all I can think is "She'll break her fist before she actually causes any harm."

All they have to do is teach those chicks some boxing and it will be fine. Middleweight boxers never have huge arms, and power comes mostly from the hips and legs anyway. With proper technique and a clean hit, a small woman can knock out a big man.

If she's lucky.

some CRPGs that give a strength penalty to female characters.

Final Fantasy Tactics did this too! Surprising since it came out after FF7. Hardly mattered with the job system though.

[Erik_Twice]

Of all the things JRPGs took from those overwrought, overcomplex 80s roleplaying games, sexual dismorphism was probably the worst one

[MrEco]

Lightning is a highly skilled but human soldier...at least in the first game

Well, technically no. She does become a L'Cie in the fist game, gaining magical powers. Though that is somewhat irrelevant since being a L'Cie is never said in the games story to provide extra physical strength.


But I must argue that Lightnings muscle mass should not be a problem. Her sword is not very big at all, and filled with quite a few holes. Structural integrity aside, it's obvious that her sword is very light and therefor could be functional in anyone's hands. And even then, I still have to say I honestly think she is not twig like in the slightest. For example, she looks like she has some well toned muscles in this picture here:

http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/ ... 0-1100.jpg

[Valkyrie-Favor]

She looks like she has a really strong grip with those forearm muscles, but nothing good for fighting. Look at those rail-thin arms and bony shoulders. I mean...she's flexing in this picture. I think any tone we're seeing is just an extreme lack of body fat. She definitely has great cardio!

We can be pretty sure that being a L'Cie doesn't give you any extra strength, since Sazh is always out of breath.

As for the sword, it's a gun sword. I don't know exactly what it's made of, but if it's as dense as my handgun it would be difficult for me to swing around. No reason to assume the blade part is even made of metal, I suppose it could be rather light. But when she takes that thing out of its holster and it just unfolds...isn't that terrifying? I would never keep a switchblade in my pocket, much less that thing