Masculinity in Video Games

[BreakABone]

This was an interesting article on game design's more to more hyper-masculine characters and worlds, and why they think the trend is sticking around.

http://postdesk.com/blog/masculinity-in-videogames

[Professor S]

Got about half-way down the page and said "I bet this was written by a woman..." I scrolled up and... yup.

[Vampyr]

I think she's picking the wrong examples. Max Payne looks like a good in good shape - there's nothing wrong with depicting that as an ideal, because it is the idea. People should strive to be in good shape vs being in bad shape. Same with the Nord from Skyrim.

If that's hurting peoples feelings and making characters less "real", then people need to get over it. Hell, there are plenty of people in real life more ripped than that Max/Nord.

As for the Warhammer 40k character she mentioned...them being that big is a large part of the narrative. They are genetically altered to be 10ft tall killing machines. It's a core part of the fiction.

[BreakABone]

Originally Posted by Vampyr

I think she's picking the wrong examples. Max Payne looks like a good in good shape - there's nothing wrong with depicting that as an ideal, because it is the idea. People should strive to be in good shape vs being in bad shape. Same with the Nord from Skyrim.

If that's hurting peoples feelings and making characters less "real", then people need to get over it. Hell, there are plenty of people in real life more ripped than that Max/Nord.

As for the Warhammer 40k character she mentioned...them being that big is a large part of the narrative. They are genetically altered to be 10ft tall killing machines. It's a core part of the fiction.

Well the part of Max Payne isn't that he is a bad example, but he went from like an average looking guy to.. well that...

[Typhoid]

Her point is immediately invalid due to the fact she's oblivious to the hyper-feminine male characters of jrpg's, and how they have - if anything, only gotten more feminine as time gone on - if not completely transformed into women with some male tendencies instead (I suppose that's only specific to FF).

What she doesn't realize (I guess) is that hyper-male characters in a war-centred world is the male equivalent of a princess who gets a happy ending. The Cole Train is our Cinderella.

[KillerGremlin]

Was this article poorly written and very incoherent or am I crazy?

Also, this author is clearly a bitchy cunt with no sense of direction. There is no clear thesis, she is a rambling loon, and her links are to Amazon. Thanks for including a hyperlink to the Amazon sales page of Max Payne, you plebeian.

Sorry...this article is worse than feminism pop trash. And a lot of feminism trash is predicated on fancy linguistics and incoherent ramblings that could be summed up in a single paragraph using common language. This article could be summed up in one sentence, but is one long winded fart. Err...I mean queef.

Not only do I think she has no point, but she writes like a bitch. Double whammy.

You could make a legit argument that gaming portrays a falsely masculine archetype...and I bet there are great articles out there on the topic. If she has a journal degree...she should consider a career change.

[Vampyr]

Originally Posted by Typhoid

Her point is immediately invalid due to the fact she's oblivious to the hyper-feminine male characters of jrpg's, and how they have - if anything, only gotten more feminine as time gone on - if not completely transformed into women with some male tendencies instead (I suppose that's only specific to FF).

What she doesn't realize (I guess) is that hyper-male characters in a war-centred world is the male equivalent of a princess who gets a happy ending. The Cole Train is our Cinderella.

I think that the dealio here is that big boobs aren't what makes a character feminine, but I think that's what you mean when you say characters have gotten "more feminine."

Another big cop out when designing female characters that game designers tend to take is to, as you said, just load them up on stereotypically male characteristics. Want a strong female character? Load them up on tattoos and make them rude to everyone, that should do it (case in point: Jack from Mass Effect). They failed so spectacularly with that character. The person who designed her actually said she was supposed to be a strong female character...it's madness. They managed to do everything wrong with her - totally male characteristics (down to the name), plus a sex addiction and skimpy clothing. Jesus Christ.

Games need "strong" female characters that that aren't strong because they represent male stereotypes. A good example is actually Anya, from Gears of War. Her character is almost motherly towards others, especially Marcus, but she's also a fierce fighter and intelligent.

Motherhood is actually a theme that could really be explored in video games that could actually add a ton to female characters. And I don't mean that every female should have a child - exploring the negative of motherhood (women who don't want children, and how they interact with them) is another possibility. As of now it's not really commented on either way in video games.

[Vampyr]

Originally Posted by BreakABone

Well the part of Max Payne isn't that he is a bad example, but he went from like an average looking guy to.. well that...

Was he average then, or did they lack the technology to make him look anything but average and boxy?

[Angrist]

So what about Half Life 2's Alexis, does she count as a strong female? I really loved the game because of her. She was so realistic (graphics and emotions).

[Bond]

I stopped reading after the third grammatical error, but this tells me everything I need to know:

Mariel Hurd is a console-shunning queer feminist with too much time on her hands. She likes to fill it with wargaming, RPGs and forming unpopular opinions.

[Combine 017]

The one who wrote the article?
Do post.

[Professor S]

It's in the comments section of the blog.

[Typhoid]

Would you care to post the transcript in here, simply so those interested in potential hilarity can read along, without having to click any extra pesky links.

[Combine 017]

They are both masterdebaters.

[Angrist]

Combine, do you watch the Day[9] Daily?