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ZombiePlatypus · Dec 17, 2015

There's a lot about MGSV that disappointed me, but I think we've all shared and discussed all those issues considerably. Setting all that aside, I'm frankly blown away that in 2015, when gaming as a whole is pushed more into the mainstream than ever before, and trying as a medium to be conscious of how genders are treated and presented, we got something like Quiet in a major, high profile game.

She basically comes across like she was built from the ground up to pander to some forever-alone in a basement. The fact that she was made to innately be seen but not heard as a character trait, for "story" reasons is even more astonishing. She's the only character that has made me cringe in gaming in a long, long time. That dancing in the rain scene was...something else.

Don't get me wrong. I'm all for stupid, and ridiculous fan-service. And I'm all for having fun with objectifying gaming characters (regardless of gender.) I don't personally believe that objectifying a character is inherently a bad thing. But, maybe if the game had more of a sense of humor, and tongue in cheek personality, it could have pulled a character like Quiet off without coming across like some pandering piece of work that doesn't have any self-awareness.

L33T · Dec 17, 2015

bubsy is worse

Gnilres · Dec 17, 2015

This thread is embarrassing.

ZombiePlatypus · Dec 17, 2015

Gnilres said:
This thread is embarrassing.

Ok. Let's pretend waifu's are elevating the medium.

Mudcrab · Dec 17, 2015

"Now that the dust is settled I thought I'd kick that shit right back up." You're not wrong though.

Dimmle · Dec 17, 2015

Agree wholeheartedly!

Just the rain scene. That's all you need to present here.

It's a shame. There are occasional glimpses of a neat character.

JeffGrubb · Dec 17, 2015

It wouldn't be that big of a deal if there were tons and ton of characters that we could be proud of. If Kojima wants to make Quiet, and people want to have her as an AI partner, then good for them. It would just be nice to have so many positive options for everyone that no one has the time to think about what floats other people's boats.

GloriousBagel · Dec 17, 2015

Why are people so mean to people with anxiety issues, those dudes are 'basement dwellers' for a reason you know.

The Lamonster · Dec 17, 2015

Never played the game but as an outside observer she looks like a stripper, which is laughable for a game that takes itself as seriously as MSG. I don't have any problem with T&A in games, just saying she looks sorely out of place because of her outfit and body type.

So...I guess my point is that it's poor character design.

johnnydrama · Dec 17, 2015

Agree completely. What a dreadful character. Can't stand her.

Lothars · Dec 17, 2015

Mudcrab said:
"Now that the dust is settled I thought I'd kick that shit right back up." You're not wrong though.

Yeah he is, I think she was an okay character that got shit on for what she was wearing.

It didn't matter than and it certainly doesn't matter now.

Mesoian · Dec 17, 2015

If Kojima and Konami had owned up to it up front and not minced around it like it was going to be some important piece that would alter the way the world acts around Big Boss, then it wouldn't have been nearly as much of an embarrassment.

It's how the powers that be acted about something that is clearly just a piece of fanservice that was the true embarrassment. A girl in a bikini is standard faire in gaming. Defending the Bikini as an integral piece of story, narrative, and character building makes people question whether you should be in a position of authority.

That shit was dumb.

kiyomi · Dec 17, 2015

The Lamonster said:
Never played the game but as an outside observer she looks like a stripper, which is laughable for a game that takes itself as seriously as MSG.

I don't..

I don't think you've played Metal Gear Solid games.

LiK · Dec 17, 2015

Great character in concept. Poor execution in the way she's presented.

21XX · Dec 17, 2015

ZombiePlatypus said:
There's a lot about MGSV that disappointed me, but I think we've all shared and discussed all those issues considerably. Setting all that aside, I'm frankly blown away that in 2015, when gaming as a whole is pushed more into the mainstream than ever before, and trying as a medium to be conscious of how genders are treated and presented, we got something like Quiet in a major, high profile game.

She basically comes across like she was built from the ground up to pander to some forever-alone in a basement. The fact that she was made to innately be seen but not heard as a character trait, for "story" reasons is even more astonishing. She's the only character that has made me cringe in gaming in a long, long time. That dancing in the rain scene was...something else.

Don't get me wrong. I'm all for stupid, and ridiculous fan-service. And I'm all for having fun with objectifying gaming characters (regardless of gender.) I don't personally believe that objectifying a character is inherently a bad thing. But, maybe if the game had more of a sense of humor, and tongue in cheek personality, it could have pulled a character like Quiet off without coming across like some pandering piece of work that doesn't have any self-awareness.

Well, we disagree there. But on the whole, yes, I think Quiet is extremely embarrassing. If you can sit through her writhing around nearly naked in the rain as the camera pans around her ass and boobs and not feel embarrassed, I just don't understand. She is pure objectified garbage. Worse yet, Kojima apparently felt like there was an excuse for it all with that "you'll be ashamed of your words" bullshit. No, Kojima, you should be ashamed of your work.*

*(On Quiet. I like MGS as a whole.)

maxcriden · Dec 17, 2015

The whole words and deeds thing just makes it all the worse. Talk about hitting granite and continuing to dig.

Nere · Dec 17, 2015

I agree so much with you OP wish she didn't existed in the game. Makes the game look like it was made for 12 year old kids.

KraytarJ · Dec 17, 2015

I don't know about embarrassing but she's certainly one of the most out of place I've ever seen, almost to the point where her character design feels like it must be parody because there's no way someone designed a powerful sniper to look like that and didn't see anything wrong with it.

GRIMREEFZ · Dec 17, 2015

Have you ever seen Sakura clickers? That's worse. 1000001x worse

Kabuki Quantum Lover · Dec 17, 2015

I was fine with Quiet up until the rain scene. That was unnecessary.

Actually, no, fuck Quiet. I feel sorry for Stefanie Joosten.

SageWaterDragon · Dec 17, 2015

The Lamonster said:
Never played the game but as an outside observer she looks like a stripper, which is laughable for a game that takes itself as seriously as MSG.

If you think that MGS is a serious series you CLEARLY haven't played them.

Lashley · Dec 17, 2015

Agree completely.

I had a ton of gamergaters hating on me on Twitter for saying it too a few months back.

Crap character.

Sephzilla · Dec 17, 2015

Quiet is pretty embarrassing but...

...I still think DmC Dante was worse

Soltype · Dec 17, 2015

ZombiePlatypus said:
Ok. Let's pretend waifu's are elevating the medium.

Where exactly are video games supposed to be elevated to?

ElectricBlanketFire · Dec 17, 2015

Other M Samus is worse.

Nickle · Dec 17, 2015

Never play animu games

Mesoian · Dec 17, 2015

LiK said:
Great character in concept. Poor execution in the way she's presented.

Yup.

Let it be stated that I actually like Quiet quite a bit as a character.

She's also fully clothed in my game.

Ants · Dec 17, 2015

the rape scene is top notch in justifying her dumb breathing thing which is enough to make me forgive it

jackissocool · Dec 17, 2015

I agree in the sense that I was literally embarrassed by her presence to the extent that I avoided taking her on missions.

ZombiePlatypus · Dec 17, 2015

kiyomi said:
I don't..

I don't think you've played Metal Gear Solid games.

Yeah, I think she would have been a much easier sell in pervious MGS games, where over the top and ridiculous, tongue in cheek stuff was common-place. It would have been fun, goofy and silly. V though feels insufferably up its own ass, and too serious most of the time to pull off fan-service like her.

Crossing Eden · Dec 17, 2015

SageWaterDragon said:
If you think that MGS is a serious series you CLEARLY haven't played them.

During the story the game takes itself completely seriously 99.9% of the time. Silly gameplay elements were added specifically because of that reason iirc.

ElectricBlanketFire said:
Other M Samus is worse.

Not even. Both are perfect examples of everything wrong with the representation of women in gaming though, I guess Samus is an example of how not to do a main protagonist character and Quiet is an example of how not to do a side character. I mean goddamn.

foxtrot3d · Dec 17, 2015

Most EVER!? No.

Pretty embarrassing. Yes.

What's funny though is she's like the only character in MGSV to go through any type of arc.

Markoman · Dec 17, 2015

No Quiet is fine...
Her real life counterpart's performance at the game awards was embarrassing, though.
Yes, the girl is beautiful, but someone should have told her that singing is not one of her strengths.

Pai Pai Master · Dec 17, 2015

Good character, laughably bad execution. I get what Kojima wanted to say with her, but he either tried to have his cake and eat it too, or he completely failed in presenting her to the audience.

I've said it before but the naked sniper concept fits right in with the MGS world, and would be interesting to see, but they went about it in the entirely wrong way.

Tapejara · Dec 17, 2015

My biggest problem with Quiet is that she feels completely out of place with the rest of the game. I have no issue with fanservice, but she's quite jarring for what's supposed to be an dark, moody war/espionage drama.

Falcs · Dec 17, 2015

She's one of the main reasons why I no longer respect Hideo Kojima.
I haven't played the game, but I've seen enough of it to see that she looks totally out of place. A practically naked woman in the middle of a battlefield... So stupid.

"But Cosplays!!"

CO_Andy · Dec 17, 2015

Rain and shower scene were definitely embarrassing, but her final scene in the game was very beautifully done.

The Lamonster · Dec 17, 2015

kiyomi said:
I don't..

I don't think you've played Metal Gear Solid games.

SageWaterDragon said:
If you think that MGS is a serious series you CLEARLY haven't played them.

This is true. But I have seen that microwave scene that everyone says is so emotional. It sure is something!

MechaX · Dec 17, 2015

At first, I did think that they would handle Quiet in a good manner.

But then she started presenting her ass to Big Boss like she was a mandrill on the helicopter a lot. Yeah, that was my fault for expecting anything more than what I got.

Silver-tongued · Dec 17, 2015

most embarrassing gaming character

brianjones · Dec 17, 2015

making her literally "quiet" was a bad choice

ZombiePlatypus · Dec 17, 2015

Soltype said:
Where exactly are video games supposed to be elevated to?

Something not cringe-inducing would be a start.

Whompa02 · Dec 17, 2015

ZombiePlatypus said:
Ok. Let's pretend waifu's are elevating the medium.

Why does it have to be viewed as one or the other? Some people just like the character. Do they all have to be viewed as horny gob-smacking perverts, or are they just allowed to not be offended by a girl's attire and like the character?

She fits into the narrative and has a design that some women actually try to emulate. She also has one of the only scenes in the game that makes you feel something (the helicopter rescue/end scene).

21XX · Dec 17, 2015

Soltype said:
Where exactly are video games supposed to be elevated to?

A basic standard of decency?

Fury451 · Dec 17, 2015

She's set up to have great moments, some of which actually turn out really well, but yeah the fanservicey stuff never works for me. I don't like it and I find it distracting too.

Overall, a big misstep, but that fits in well with the game overall.

blankempathy · Dec 17, 2015

Quiet herself isn't embarrassing. Shes just another character designed with T&A in mind. The most embarrassing thing about her was the way Kojima acted like there was some kind of deeper meaning to her design. Now I don't mind fan service but just be upfront with it.

Vlaphor · Dec 17, 2015

Having survived 90's mascot characters, I'd say there are far worse out there IMO. Still, what one finds embarrassing is personal, and thus it wouldn't be right to say if you are correct or incorrect. I personally really enjoyed Quiet, but mileage may vary.

BibiMaghoo · Dec 17, 2015

Agree, it actually put me off buying the game, that I can put her in some actual clothes on PC is the only thing tempting me with changing my mind, but even then I am rewarding that bullshit with a purchase. He has always had some cheeky shit in his games, but this is too much.

blankempathy said:
Quiet herself isn't embarrassing. Shes just another character designed with T&A in mind. The most embarrassing thing about her was the way Kojima acted like there was some kind of deeper meaning to her design. Now I don't mind fan service but just be upfront with it.

Sadly she wasn't. She was redesigned on the instructions of Kojima to adhear to the T&A model.

brianjones · Dec 17, 2015

blankempathy said:
Quiet herself isn't embarrassing. Shes just another character designed with T&A in mind. The most embarrassing thing about her was the way Kojima acted like there was some kind of deeper meaning to her design. Now I don't mind fan service but just be upfront with it.

clothing suffocates her.. lol

that was ridiculous

LiK · Dec 17, 2015

brianjones said:
making her literally "quiet" was a bad choice

There's a reason doe and it actually makes her pretty awesome when you know why.

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