IrishGirlGamer wrote: »

Snarcasm aside, I don't really understand the male fascination with playing as women. If men had to experience all of womanhood when they played women in video games, there'd be a lot less 16 year old schoolgirl heroes running around Tamriel.

Actually, I can give you one reason, though in hindsight it was kinda naive...

I've been in ESO since 5-day early access, and way back then, PvP was pretty fun for the casual player, everyone was "feeling it out" and you could play in many ways, with many builds, etc.

So, I got this idea in my head that it would be interesting to create some kind of "assassin" character - a dark, small, hard-to-spot nightblade type.

I created a female drow dual-wielding NB at that point, and chose female, literally, so that I could make her as small as possible. Minimized her size, chose the darkest features possible. It can be pretty hard to spot another player in PvP especially in the dark, so I wanted to maximize that concept, and that's why I chose female.

Then of course, PvP evolved into the elite, V12-only Master-Class thing is it now, where only a few builds survive, the NB is broken, stamina-based stuff can't compete, etc, etc... well, anyway, I've shelved her until there's some reason to continue her past lvl 10.

But, that aside, that's why I chose female for that alt... not for the butt. Though, I will admit she's cuter to watch run around than my main sorcerer.

Damn ! Someone is happy on this forum... Time to play money @Las Vegas.

IrishGirlGamer wrote: »

Dear TESO Design Team,

After playing TES games for almost 6 years (and TESO for two hours), I just wanted to say:

Thank you so much for giving me a female walk/run animation that doesn't make embarrassed to play your game.

Yours truly,

Me.

Nice to hear!!! You have a lot more to look forward to!

I was a girl when I first started playing ESO, but the game turned me into a guy.
Don't ask me how. It just happened. One day I was manicuring my nails and the next I was growing a mustache.

IrishGirlGamer wrote: »

Adramelach wrote: »

Actually, I can give you one reason, though in hindsight it was kinda naive...

That's an interesting reason.

I approach RPGs with the emphasis on RP. It makes it a little hard to get immersed in a character if I can't relate to it - and for the life of me I can't relate to guys. When I watch a movie or television show, I might think a male character is cute (or intelligent or clever), but I'm not relating to them, wanting to be them.

Heh, I am with you. For the life of me, I just cant get into playing a male role. I have a couple of male characters that I created, but they are currently my bank mules. :P

Rosveen wrote: »

I'm just going to sit and wait until you meet your first harvester spawning invisible orbs. Let's see how much love you'll have then. *sniggers*

Just kidding. Glad you enjoy the game. Have fun!

Or in a narrow hall way or indoors.

Its cool to hate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4mEgZMxsWA

ers101284b14_ESO wrote: »

frwinters_ESO wrote: »

Its cool to hate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4mEgZMxsWA

Just for you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkKuMnJFx18

At least some one has taste in punk rock.

IrishGirlGamer wrote: »

Adramelach wrote: »

Actually, I can give you one reason, though in hindsight it was kinda naive...

That's an interesting reason.

I approach RPGs with the emphasis on RP. It makes it a little hard to get immersed in a character if I can't relate to it - and for the life of me I can't relate to guys. When I watch a movie or television show, I might think a male character is cute (or intelligent or clever), but I'm not relating to them, wanting to be them.

Quick story: A few years ago, I came across a very cool-looking game called "The Witcher." I decided to buy it. If you've played The Witcher, you know what happens. I installed the game only to discover that my only option for gameplay is as Geralt of Rivia - a guy. That's it. When I asked on a forum, I was literally told, "Play as a man or not at all."

After about 45 minutes of gameplay, I chose the latter option and removed the game from my computer. It sat on a shelf in my closet bookcase until I moved - at which point I gifted it to a male friend. I've never spent another dime on their games and I probably never will.

Good thing, too. The Ditcher (autocorrected, felt appropriate) series is the most onboxuously misogynistic video game in recent memory. It's actually written into the story that women are supernaturally attracted to Geralt/Witchers. You will enter a town, do a small favor for a female, and then she will offer you sex. Taking up the offer rewards you with a Sex Trading Card for "unlocking" sex with that women. Collect them all!

The second title in the series forgoes the Sex Cards for minutes-long *** scenes, on of which involves Geralt banging the supposed empowered female lead of the series in a hot tub because, again, women magically cannot resist him.

The game is created by this really condescending Polish company who could not care less about female gamers. They've carved a niche among lonely male gamers and they're sticking to it. The next game series they're making is a cyberpunk game, and the only information they initially revealed along with the title was a picture of a women kneeling in a street wearing panties and showing a ton of clevage. Because that's all they need to hook their mouth-breathing fans.

Maverick827 wrote: »

Good thing, too. The Ditcher (autocorrected, felt appropriate) series is the most onboxuously misogynistic video game in recent memory. It's actually written into the story that women are supernaturally attracted to Geralt/Witchers. You will enter a town, do a small favor for a female, and then she will offer you sex. Taking up the offer rewards you with a Sex Trading Card for "unlocking" sex with that women. Collect them all!

The second title in the series forgoes the Sex Cards for minutes-long *** scenes, on of which involves Geralt banging the supposed empowered female lead of the series in a hot tub because, again, women magically cannot resist him.

The game is created by this really condescending Polish company who could not care less about female gamers. They've carved a niche among lonely male gamers and they're sticking to it. The next game series they're making is a cyberpunk game, and the only information they initially revealed along with the title was a picture of a women kneeling in a street wearing panties and showing a ton of clevage. Because that's all they need to hook their mouth-breathing fans.

That's funny! I'm in a MFA graduate program in Washington, D.C., studying art in electronic media and I'd come across some references to the near pornographic qualities of the Witcher series. I don't know if you're aware but the director of the newest Witcher game has stated that the game "rewrites the RPG genre." The statement has left a lot of women gamers wondering just what they're writing.

What people don't realize - and I won't get on a soapbox for too long - is that art doesn't define culture as much as reflect it. We like to think we can change the world with a picture or a novel, but really art is just a mirror.

Video games will (have) become the newest (interactive) art form. The museum where I work in D.C. recently featured an exhibit on the art of video games, and even included one of Bethesda's games. It's interesting to see how video games reflect social mores and ideologies.

Back on topic - I think TESO's a fascinating study, from a development perspective, an artistic/creative perspective, and from the perspective of its fan base.

Okay - off soap box now. Sorry.

sevcik.miroslaveb17_ESO wrote: »

AlexDougherty wrote: »

Lukee wrote: »

*Sniff* *Sniff*
What the hell is that.. it smells like.. Happiness..

I HATE HAPPINESS

And I hate hate.

Which leads to hate:-)

Btw walk animation for females really looks good. But male walk is terrible.

Did you ever play Oblivion? Now that was bad male walk animation. They swiveled those hips like the sassiest girl you ever followed.

IrishGirlGamer wrote: »

Snarcasm aside, I don't really understand the male fascination with playing as women. If men had to experience all of womanhood when they played women in video games, there'd be a lot less 16 year old schoolgirl heroes running around Tamriel.

Male players playing female characters has one extremely useful fact that you can't avoid. Females tend to get WAY more free stuff. Friend of mine got the primal motif for free, just because they were a "good person." I can't even get free worms.

Whoa. What's with the Witcher hate?

You need to remember that the games are based on a book series. They decided to continue Geralt's story, so we had to play as Geralt - who happens to be male. And it's okay, some games are more open, some aren't, pre-made characters aren't a wrong design choice in and of themselves. I prefer open character creation too, but I can appreciate other solutions. Who cares if JC Denton is a man, Deus Ex is still an amazing game.

Collecting sex cards in the first game sucks big time, I'll never defend it, it was juvenile and unnecessary. But Geralt as a womanizer is perfectly in line with Sapkowski's books. Want to blame someone for sexism, blame him, not CD Projekt.

I admit I am biased because I was a fan of the Witcher world long before the games were released. I'm used to its deliberate racism, sexism and a few other -isms because they usually serve a purpose. It's very down-to-earth fantasy. It's gripping, intelligently written and funny, even if this humor is trivial sometimes. Too bad the writing is uneven across the series.

Oddly enough, I'm not a great fan of the Witcher games - they aren't my favorite kind of RPG, partially because of the issues you highlighted. But there are things I enjoy about them very much and I'm not going to write CDPR off just yet - I want to see how they'll handle their own story in Cyberpunk (which will let us play as a female, btw).

IrishGirlGamer wrote: »

Then I got the game and my eye rolls started. Female animations made my character look like she was a delicate wallflower afraid to break a nail. The fighting animations were okay, but the walking/running/static animations looked as if they'd been designed by teenage boys. (The funniest is the static animation where the woman stands with her arms pulled back and chest shoved out ... really?) I kept thinking: Why can't I have Irileth's animations?

Haha. Yeah, I never got that "Lydia walks like a man, what have you done Bethesda?!" uprising - warriors walk like warriors, end of. But Skyrim is faaar from being the worst offender. In fact, it's extremely female-friendly both in story and aesthetics. Look at MMOs like TERA, look at the camera conveniently zooming in on Miranda Lawson's ass, that's deigned by teenage boys.

I was more irked by pants automagically turning into dresses, to be honest. Oblivion did it too.

IrishGirlGamer wrote: »

Adramelach wrote: »

Actually, I can give you one reason, though in hindsight it was kinda naive...

That's an interesting reason.

I approach RPGs with the emphasis on RP. It makes it a little hard to get immersed in a character if I can't relate to it - and for the life of me I can't relate to guys. When I watch a movie or television show, I might think a male character is cute (or intelligent or clever), but I'm not relating to them, wanting to be them

I don't find I have that problem too much, perhaps I'm "in touch with my feminine side" or something. Regardless, I tend to only play male characters unless I have some kind of special reason (such as the one I gave, or if it's a game with gender-based differences in bonuses, and I prefer the female bonuses for my build).

Also, I find at least for me, I tend not to interact much with the "population at large" in ESO in my vicinity - I zone chat some, and I guild chat, but I'm not really standing around with people in local chat, RPing or talking too much, so I don't get "Mistaken for a female" as a player. I think if that were the case, it would be odd and uncomfortable and I'd stick pretty carefully to a male character.

Singular wrote: »

Yes. Well, I want fashionable light armor that shows off my character's sexy female body.

I worked hard on that model! And she's a hottie. I want some armor to prove it!

I finally did find some light armor for my Altmer mage that looks good. Couldn't believe it. All from loot of course. There is an aqua trimmed jerkin and a pair of really nice white leather breeches with stitching up the front and back. Both enchanted for health instead of magic but they look good!