• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Worst Female Character Design in Gaming?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Gestault

Member
Ok that's just really bad design.

I've mostly concluded that the artist has shoddy taste, especially in key-art portraits. Which is a terrible pairing, considering the job. When they're on a series with characters I care about, I find examples of that shoddy work extra annoying. It bothers me when conversations are herded around the idea that "the designs are bad because of big boobs." It's much more than that.

Oh, a perfect example just popped up. Insincere or just plain oblivious posts like this. This train of thought is barely worth responding to, when you break it down:

So you really, seriously believe that there are no woman out there with this large natural breast?

I mean, I know I'm in a difficult position with what I said and not everyone can agree on that, which is totally fine, but this is nonsense, I don't know what to say, answers like this just make me speechless.

The above premise is a rhetorical device; it isn't tied to the character design, and is barely intelligible as an extension of the conversation behind the thread. It's posed as a strawman.

Frankly, looking back to their original comment:

What do you have against woman with natural big breast?
Did they not deserve to exist in videogames at all? Just because they have big breast? Isn't that not kind of sexist?

She is not even naked, come on.

This person is either playing sardonic as a bit, or is so far gone, they're not worth the breath. Again, it's so obviously in the "acting aghast" routine, using the format of "ha! you're actually being sexist because you don't see women as equals enough to act sexist toward them!"
 
Amazing that there have been dudes posting this shit without shame. The problem is that her tits are bigger than her head. Show me when that is natural.


So you really, seriously believe that there are no woman out there with this large natural breast?

I mean, I know I'm in a difficult position with what I said and not everyone can agree on that, which is totally fine, but this is nonsense, I don't know what to say, answers like this just make me speechless.


And yes, I know it's a stupid discussion but something about these breasts looks complete natural for me, they did a good job here.

Valkyria-4-2.jpg




They are not perfectly round, not as high as silicone breast would be and more like hanging on their own weight.

And I just don't understand why woman like this are not allowed to exist in games without getting critisized for just being there. If they don't do dubious things with the character like with Quiet or several other anime figures, why not? She's even wearing normal things and still when people see, "oh she has big breast". They come out with their sexist pitchforks and want to know why she exist, why she has big breast, how is that explained in the story, does that makes even sense? I mean come on people, come on. What the heck.
 
So you really, seriously believe that there are no woman out there with this large natural breast?

I mean, I know I'm in a difficult position with what I said and not everyone can agree on that, which is totally fine, but this is nonsense, I don't know what to say, answers like this just make me speechless.

Cheesus Crust dude, give a rest. You like waifu tits, we get it. Yes, there are real women with natural breasts that are larger than their heads. No, it's neither common nor do their breasts look like your waifu's. No, women's tops aren't designed with individual boob pouches to maintain that level of cleavage while clothed. Yes, everyone thinks that image is over the top and pandering because everything about the character design, attire, posture, and composition of the frame is designed to emphasize her breasts over even her face.
 

LordKasual

Banned
There's definitely a reason why it would be considered illogical for her to choose to dress that way: she works with cars.
When does this ever happen?

Nobody in the world ever acknowledges the way Cindy is dressed. I found that a lot creepier than whatever was happening with Quiet.

Nobody directly addresses her body or choice of clothing, but her sexuality is absolutely acknowledged. Characters like Cindy will usually be designed to be really sexy, but either be uncomfortably provocative, completely oblivious to the effects of her surroundings, or the game will just refuse to acknowledge the fact that she's clearly trying to be attractive. I think at that point, the argument of agency does come into the picture, because the character's sexuality is intended to exist in a vacuum that only the player is intended to interact with, where there couldn't have possibly been any input from the character herself because it's of no consequence in the actual game.

Cindy doesn't really fit this. Unfortunately the Episode Duscae cutscene was removed from the actual game (i think), but that's probably the best example. She clearly knows she's being hit on. She's just really good at curving the fuck out of them. Watch how she pauses before curving Gladio, and look at his face in the background when she shoots him down. Noctis laughs at Prompto's failure. Prompto stays looking desperate as fuck when they drive off. Everyone is fully aware of what's going on, the most of which Cindy, because if she were to directly address any of their advances, the conversation would become personal.

If you've ever tried to like, hit on a hot bartender (or watched someone try), or observed a bikini carwash, or simply been to a Hooters before, then you'd be able to identify this lol. It's absurd, but it isn't at all unrealistic.


I'll also note that even if it were perfectly justified within the context of the characterization and her place within the narrative, it'd still be yet another example of how female characters are required to be sexy even in roles where it'd be completely unnecessary. Like, even if every example of a sexy female character in all types of media were well-justified and decently characterized (and to be clear, at least 95% of the time they are not)... I'd still be really fuckin' pissed if fully 1/2 of all female characters fell into that mold. It's boring, it's lazy, it's trite, and it's utterly played out.

Variety, as they say, is the spice of life.

Well i mean that's a different argument...

...but if that's the case, you can apply that argument to literally any situation that involves a sexualized character and it would be valid. A game could have 10 completely regular female characters, and one hypersexualized one, and you could successfully argue that it's perpetuating a negative stereotype.

And i guess you'd be right, but...i mean.
 

Mister Wolf

Member
Several of the women I've dated had breast that big, it happens.



Ok that's just really bad design.

886846-vc_selvaria_bles_lance.jpg


I think her actual in game model is a better representation. She is the star of Valkyria Chronicles the aforementioned valkyrie and is a huge contributor to the success of the franchise's advertising, selling games, and merchandise. Calling her a bad design seems a bit silly.
 

PK Gaming

Member
So you really, seriously believe that there are no woman out there with this large natural breast?

I mean, I know I'm in a difficult position with what I said and not everyone can agree on that, which is totally fine, but this is nonsense, I don't know what to say, answers like this just make me speechless.

Of course they exist. You just how a profound misunderstanding of how breasts work if you think big breasts like that don't come with extra baggage (tons of arm fat, backpain and sagging), which clashes with the hyper powerful and speedy Selvaria, rocking perky tight double D's.

There's nothing natural about them.
 

DrArchon

Member
What is going on with her nipples? They look like hooves!

Selvaria has always been busty, but her old design looked fine.

That's the artwork of her from the fighting game Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax, where she appears as a guest character.

Why she has two watermelons strapped to her chest in that game, I have no idea.
 
886846-vc_selvaria_bles_lance.jpg


I think her actual in game model is a better representation. She is the star of Valkyria Chronicles the aforementioned valkyrie and is a huge contributor to the success of the franchise's advertising, selling games, and merchandise. Calling her a bad design seems a bit silly.
Cmon you're being deliberately obtuse.

He was clearly talking about that particular piece of art that has Selvaria in a really uncomfrotable position with colossal tits bigger than her head (while being as thin as a toothpick).

I don't think anyone is arguing that Selvaria's actual in-game model was bad! Quite the contrary, I love it! But that art and its artist can get lost.
 

Kolibri

Member
She's a muscular woman...what's wrong with that exactly?

There's muscular, and there's comically-deformed muscular, when you leg is thicker than your torso lol. (I know you're trying to turn it into a "sexism" thing. But not today, my friend)

She looks like a Gears character. Which I also find ugly as fuck.
 
886846-vc_selvaria_bles_lance.jpg


I think her actual in game model is a better representation. She is the star of Valkyria Chronicles the aforementioned valkyrie and is a huge contributor to the success of the franchise selling games and merchandise. Calling her a bad design seems a bit silly.
Even her concept art is good:
Selvaria_Bles.jpg

The thing is that Raita draws her now more like his other NSFW works:
VC3CA_other_2.jpg

... I really wish I'd knew why images look so small when I post the here.
 

PK Gaming

Member
There's muscular, and there's comically-deformed muscular, when you leg is thicker than your torso lol. (I know you're trying to turn it into a "sexism" thing. But not today, my friend)

She looks like a Gears character. Which I also find ugly as fuck.

She's cartoony, which fits Overwatch's aesthetic, and really refreshing in a sea of extremely cute and sexy women (not that I dislike the latter of course)
 

tkscz

Member
I've mostly concluded that the artist has shoddy taste, especially in key-art portraits. Which is a terrible pairing, considering the job. When they're on a series with characters I care about, I find examples of that shoddy work extra annoying. It bothers me when conversations are herded around the idea that "the designs are bad because of big boobs." It's much more than that.

I know it's more than "It's big boobs" that make this piece of art bad. Things like the waste size, the breast's direction compared to where the body is facing, the very forced thigh gap for the with of her thighs, there is a lot to point out when it comes to anatomy of this design.

886846-vc_selvaria_bles_lance.jpg


I think her actual in game model is a better representation. She is the star of Valkyria Chronicles the aforementioned valkyrie and is a huge contributor to the success of the franchise's advertising, selling games, and merchandise. Calling her a bad design seems a bit silly.

Glad to see the character design is better in the game, but I'm most focused on the drawing than what she looks like in game.
 

Jacqli

Member
There's muscular, and there's comically-deformed muscular, when you leg is thicker than your torso lol. (I know you're trying to turn it into a "sexism" thing. But not today, my friend)

She looks like a Gears character. Which I also find ugly as fuck.
7XdsbgJ.jpg

i think her trousers give that impression.
 
Of course they exist. You just how a profound misunderstanding of how breasts work if you think big breasts like that don't come with extra baggage (tons of arm fat, backpain and sagging), which clashes with the hyper powerful and speedy Selvaria, rocking perky tight double D's.

There's nothing natural about them.


I can accept that, I haven't played the game but you have valid points here. I just think that this artwork doesn't look as bad for me as it could.
 

Mister Wolf

Member
Cmon you're being deliberately obtuse.

He was clearly talking about that particular piece of art that has Selvaria in a really uncomfrotable position with colossal tits bigger than her head (while being as thin as a toothpick).

I don't think anyone is arguing that Selvaria's actual in-game model was bad! Quite the contrary, I love it! But that art and its artist can get lost.

That artist is the one who designed/created Selvaria. Dude knows what he's doing no matter how he draws her. The popularity of Selvaria speaks for itself.
 

Crossing Eden

Hello, my name is Yves Guillemot, Vivendi S.A.'s Employee of the Month!
you don't understand
she has big breasts that must mean everything else about her is invalid
If you're a straight male gamer how can you get anything of value from the character if your brain is just focused on her chest.
Only 12 year olds like ze boobies
You realize that none of the examples in this thread have anything even remotely resembling natural breasts right and that they look tacky as fuck? So yes, the final statement is quite true as that's the mindset of the target audience. NO ONE in this thread has a problem with natural looking large breasts. Those exist outside the realm of videogames.
 

Kayhan

Member
I really hate everything about Bayonetta's design.

Including hating that there are people who think her design is great.
 
Quiet is gorgeous and one of the most badass characters ever. For those who've played the true endings:
She's the hero of the game and incredibly brave and noble.

The obsession over how underdressed she is, ignores her merits outside of her appearance.

Now you could say "that's the danger of underdressing her in the first place." I call bull. The character deserves to be seen for more than looks, regardless.

To me, the exaggerated bodies of Dragon's Crown are something the induces cringe. They just went nuts. That said, I still evaluate the game on its merits...gorgeous but repetitive and ultimately not for me.
 

Laiza

Member
Nobody directly addresses her body or choice of clothing, but her sexuality is absolutely acknowledged. Characters like Cindy will usually be designed to be really sexy, but either be uncomfortably provocative, completely oblivious to the effects of her surroundings, or the game will just refuse to acknowledge the fact that she's clearly trying to be attractive. I think at that point, the argument of agency does come into the picture, because the character's sexuality is intended to exist in a vacuum that only the player is intended to interact with, where there couldn't have possibly been any input from the character herself because it's of no consequence in the actual game.

Cindy doesn't really fit this. Unfortunately the Episode Duscae cutscene was removed from the actual game (i think), but that's probably the best example. She clearly knows she's being hit on. She's just really good at curving the fuck out of them. Watch how she pauses before curving Gladio, and look at his face in the background when she shoots him down. Noctis laughs at Prompto's failure. Prompto stays looking desperate as fuck when they drive off. Everyone is fully aware of what's going on, the most of which Cindy, because if she were to directly address any of their advances, the conversation would become personal.

If you've ever tried to like, hit on a hot bartender (or watched someone try), or observed a bikini carwash, or simply been to a Hooters before, then you'd be able to identify this lol. It's absurd, but it isn't at all unrealistic.
That's better than nothing, I suppose, but it's still a difficult pill to swallow when it comes to someone who works with machines. All that effort to look good and you just get burned or covered in grease, for what? (I mean, my brother works as a car mechanic and he always comes home looking filthy after a busy day...)

I just can't buy this brand of character writing because all logic dictates that, at the very least, she has to be an extremely vain and irrational individual to be doing something like that with her particular brand of work, which is obviously not a good look.

Well i mean that's a different argument...

...but if that's the case, you can apply that argument to literally any situation that involves a sexualized character and it would be valid. A game could have 10 completely regular female characters, and one hypersexualized one, and you could successfully argue that it's perpetuating a negative stereotype.

And i guess you'd be right, but...i mean.
And that's the thing, too. None of this exists in a vacuum. It's all part of the greater cultural sphere of our popular media, and right now things are still chock full of pandering sexist bullshit, to the point where, once again, I actually have no choice but to put up with at least some of it to participate in the hobby.

It's really goddamn tiresome.

Of course they exist. You just how a profound misunderstanding of how breasts work if you think big breasts like that don't come with extra baggage (tons of arm fat, backpain and sagging), which clashes with the hyper powerful and speedy Selvaria, rocking perky tight double D's.

There's nothing natural about them.
Just want to take a moment to point out that those aren't even close to double Ds. They're more like Ks, which is bloody terrifying for someone who's supposed to be engaging in combat and athletic activity - and also for someone of her frame (seriously, she is way too skinny to be supporting those)!
 

Crossing Eden

Hello, my name is Yves Guillemot, Vivendi S.A.'s Employee of the Month!
Quiet is gorgeous and one of the most badass characters ever. For those who've played the true endings:
She's the hero of the game and incredibly brave and noble.

The obsession over how underdressed she is, ignores her merits outside of her appearance.
There are no merits because everything about her story makes no sense from the onset.

Now you could say "that's the danger of underdressing her in the first place." I call bull. The character deserves to be seen for more than looks, regardless.
Her story is first and foremost about her appearance. It's literally written to justify it. Right down the rape and torture scenes.
 

cuate

Banned
Quiet is gorgeous and one of the most badass characters ever. For those who've played the true endings:
She's the hero of the game and incredibly brave and noble.

The obsession over how underdressed she is, ignores her merits outside of her appearance.

Now you could say "that's the danger of underdressing her in the first place." I call bull. The character deserves to be seen for more than looks, regardless.

she get on all fours while showing her ass to the camera. such merits.
 

dralla

Member
Not the "worst" per say but having recently finished Nier Automata, 2B and A2 are pretty bad when it comes to over-sexualization and trying to appeal to straight dudes. Especially considering they're androids and were specifically designed that way by the humans which makes it extra worse. They're supposed to be combat androids but nah, gotta show them ass and titties and have them in high heels.
 

Mister Wolf

Member
Not the "worst" per say but having recently finished Nier Automata, 2B and A2 are pretty bad when it comes to over-sexualization and trying to appeal to straight dudes. Especially considering they're androids and were specifically designed that way by the humans which makes it extra worse. They're supposed to be combat androids but nah, gotta show them ass and titties and have them in high heels.

You better be careful you're gonna upset the Automata fans. They're gonna give you a rundown of the plot reasons why she has an exploding skirt with a slit up the side that goes to her navel and a attractive shapely butt paired with a thong leotard that would make Cammy jealous.
 

Raging Spaniard

If they are Dutch, upright and breathing they are more racist than your favorite player
Some of the replies here ... my god

Just because you dont want to fap to a certain character does not make it a bad design, how is that not obvious?

Lots of good character designs in this thread, oh well.
 

DylanEno

Member
Not the "worst" per say but having recently finished Nier Automata, 2B and A2 are pretty bad when it comes to over-sexualization and trying to appeal to straight dudes. Especially considering they're androids and were specifically designed that way by the humans which makes it extra worse. They're supposed to be combat androids but nah, gotta show them ass and titties and have them in high heels.
You know 2B appeals not just to straight dudes, right?

Look up the hordes of 2B cosplayers at this year's AX. They're not all dressing that way because they were hired by some early 2000s booth babe recruiter. They love her both as a character and because of the way she looks, not because it'll cause some nerd to pitch a tent.
 

Antiwhippy

the holder of the trombone
You better be careful you're gonna upset the Automata fans. They're gonna give you a rundown of the plot reasons why she has an exploding skirt with a slit up the side that goes to her navel and a attractive shapely butt paired with a thong leotard that would make Cammy jealous.

I mean feel free to reply to the posts we made instead of being passive aggressive lol. I enjoy the discussion.
 

Wild Card

Member
You better be careful you're gonna upset the Automata fans. They're gonna give you a rundown of the plot reasons why she has an exploding skirt with a slit up the side that goes to her navel and a attractive shapely butt paired with a thong leotard that would make Cammy jealous.

And they'd be right.
 

Garlador

Member
I love how showing some skin = absolute worst design ever.


Come on guys.
Actually... yes, c'mon.

Design factors in CONTEXT. Character motivation, background, personality, profession, etc.

It's like how a girl in a bikini on the beach isn't inherently bad or sexist, but a girl in a bikini fighting in a war probably is bad design.

Most of us are not sex-negative. We just don't like stupid designs that ill-fit their respective characters.

Batonetta's outfit is perfect for her perfsonality and background, but Sonya Blade fighting in a stripper outfit and thong as part of a military operation is embarrassing. It's not complicated or a mere aversion to sexy skin.
 

Antiwhippy

the holder of the trombone
Lol that post came out of nowhere

I mean I don't even think we were that unreasonable?

I mean the designs are definitely sexually charged and pandering but it's not entirely without a purpose in the story. You're free to think that there is sexuality in the designs that pander to people who find it hot because well, it is, but I can also tell you why I think it works in the context of the game that speaks a lot about desires, including sexual ones.
 

Crossing Eden

Hello, my name is Yves Guillemot, Vivendi S.A.'s Employee of the Month!
Some of the replies here ... my god

Just because you dont want to fap to a certain character does not make it a bad design, how is that not obvious?

Lots of good character designs in this thread, oh well.
Just because you want to fap to a design doesn't make it good.
 
Well, there are quite a few "realistic" women in gaming, although they are among many, many other "non-realistic" ones.

Just to be sure, when you say realistic, what do you mean, exactly?

Realism is an excuse to damn devs who put a warrior woman with her cleavage on display, because this leaves a glaring weak spot which no real warrior would do. Then the character goes and does inhuman stuff (when mean to be human and have no special abilities) and nobody bats an eyelid. Seems a bit hypocritical.

Another variation is Lara Croft. The original wasn't the most practical or realistic and the new one is better if that what are aiming for.

The problem is the actions of each are pretty much equally ridiculous and unrealistic. For the old Lara this didn't matter, larger than life design and larger than life actions to go with it, old Lara fit into her world. For the new Lara there is a big disconnect between design and actions which makes her a bad design that doesn't fit her world.

Despite old Lara fitting new Lara's world better, old Lara would get more criticism because of reasons that actually apply less to her.
 

Antiwhippy

the holder of the trombone
And contradict the creators explicit reason for having it make straight dudes' penis happy

A creator who puts out mostly trolling and self-deprecating interviews.

Not to say there isn't some truth to it, but don't tell me you only take that answer as the whole context of the designs. It'll be pretty intellectually dishonest.
 

Keinning

Member
Quiet is gorgeous and one of the most badass characters ever. For those who've played the true endings:
She's the hero of the game and incredibly brave and noble.

The obsession over how underdressed she is, ignores her merits outside of her appearance.

Now you could say "that's the danger of underdressing her in the first place." I call bull. The character deserves to be seen for more than looks, regardless.

To me, the exaggerated bodies of Dragon's Crown are something the induces cringe. They just went nuts. That said, I still evaluate the game on its merits...gorgeous but repetitive and ultimately not for me.

K-Kojima-san?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom