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[plasmawave]

Someone has to say it...
Bayonetta.

Those gun heels...

She kicks and fires guns at the same time.
It's like the most practical design ever.

 

[Jotamide]

How did he put his shoes on?

This post killed me LOL.

 

[rhandino]

It's like she accidentally wandered in from some dinner party.

Much better. Don't know why they didn't just make this the default.

They really wanted to make this happen, and I loved them for that since her levels in that dress are so cool.

 

[Dryk]

We know some of the suits dont have the circle shoulder pad and still let her transform into morphball (like hte fusion suit) but the great fuck up here was Retro doing the humongously huge in MP1.
The original and posterior designs have smaller shoulders and puts her back curved making her head more advanced than her shoulders so her vision wouldnt be obstructed by them.

You're thinking of the Power Suit, the Varia Suit has had the shoulders ever since Metroid II

The Varia Suit always look badass and kind of make sense when you know that the Chozo trained and give her part of their genetic material so she can use it without problems... and my controversial opinion is that I prefer the look of the suit in Other M since they give her that shiny and sleek look that make her look like a robot ninja =P

I never realised that not only did Sakurai just stick Samus in a T-pose, he stuck her in a T-pose that already existed. I almost like the Other M suit. The design is fine, but it's a bit too yellow in game and the gun looks a little weak... and they tossed out the traditional differentiations between the Power, Varia and Gravity suits*. Go back to the Prime-style gun and make the shoulders Varia-only and Other M has something good going.

*This is all on Sakamoto too

 

[TheRedSnifit]

Can't tell if you're referencing it or not, but that's her story in RE2. The she was at a dinner party when Zambambos came out.

Well, yeah, but I'm talking about RE4.

But now that I think of it, it makes even less sense in RE2. Her mission was the same as this guy's, but she happened to show up a bit later:

A dress isn't really the best thing to wear when going to steal shit from a deranged scientist, people with guns protecting said deranged scientist, and a group of heavily armed mercenaries trying to beat you to him. Especially when the mission requires them to wear gas masks.

 

[Veelk]

But she clearly has no hang-ups or hesitations about stripping down to that weird metal bikini thing to go all-out when she has to, so one could argue that she's not slowed down by it either way.

That and her hair has magical length. There is no way she'd be able to manifest any of her demons with the amount of hair she has present on her body. She either hides most of her hair somehow or it grows when embed with magic. If she wanted a barrier of hair, she could have one any time and still be clothed.

I think it's more of a magic thing. A constant barrier would be a big drain so she'd prefer have her wicked weaves just ready to go.

 

[Jotamide]

Every thread that has to do with anything negative about character design.... this fucking abomination shall be represented in every one:

Can't wait to main her. The mines shall be open wide for the salt to flow.

 

[Toxi]

Not quite a character, but the Scorpion from Halo has a stupid-ass design.

The way the main cannon is raised up gives it an absurdly high profile to target. The driver's seat is barely protected, while the gunner seat has no protection whatsoever. There is no armor between the front treads. The way the treads are arranged makes the tank too wide to work in cramped environments like cities.

 

[Alx]

Like my friend said the first time she played Dead or alive: why would you fight in high heels?

 

[HTupolev]

The way the treads are arranged makes the tank too wide to work in cramped environments like cities.

They're carefully designed to cinematically knock over light poles in urban environments.

 

[Kinyou]

Warhammer 40k marines always amused me with their over-the-top, impossible suits.

I wouldn't be surprised if they work a bit similar like the one's from Starcraft. Meaning that they're part exoskeleton

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVtXac6if14

 

[xillyriax]

Anyone would see those lights in the dark.

IIRC in the original series, the explanation was so the player was able to locate Sam when he's hiding in the shadow portions

 

[Acinixys]

Not character design but hot damn it makes me mad when females have "boob armor"

Its the most impractical shit and will get you killed, because the curves of the armor channel blades towards and into the chest

 

[Toxi]

I wouldn't be surprised if they work a bit similar like the one's from Starcraft. Meaning that they're part exoskeleton

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVtXac6if14

Nope. The Warhammer 40,000 Space Marines are just crazy swole 8-foot tall implant-loaded super soldiers.

They do have a type of exoskeleton-style armor, but it's even bigger than their standard duds.

 

[rhandino]

Not character design but hot damn it makes me mad when females have "boob armor"

Its the most impractical shit and will get you killed, because the curves of the armor channel blades towards and into the chest

Never played a game in the Mass Effect series but is sword or lance damage a concern?

 

[Acinixys]

Never played a game in the Mass Effect series but is sword or lance damage a concern?

It was the clearest picture i could find ok

Pls no hate

 

[Toxi]

Never played a game in the Mass Effect series but is sword or lance damage a concern?

I'd be more worried about shrapnel.

 

[Burt]

I wouldn't be surprised if they work a bit similar like the one's from Starcraft. Meaning that they're part exoskeleton

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVtXac6if14

40k accepts no substitutes.

 

[Roto13]

Warhammer 40k marines always amused me with their over-the-top, impossible suits.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3puVq6kWNGU

 

[rhandino]

It was the clearest picture i could find ok

Pls no hate

Oh I see, jajajajaja, I would have loved that you said that you can use a sword in Mass Effect, Jedi style...

I really dont mind if the armor curves a little in the chest area since that looks more practical since... well, you know. One of my favorite designs of female armor is the one used by Titania in Fire Emblem:

 

[Forkball]

I love Fire Emblem Awakening and think the designs are great, but I was somewhat taken aback when I realized how many people had miniskirts.

She rides a pegasus into battle with bare legs? Imagine the chafing. Robin just reads books like a nerd yet his pants look way more suitable.

 

[Kinyou]

40k accepts no substitutes.

oh boy.

 

[super-famicom]

Ike's horrible redesign from Fire Emblem Awakening

It looks like Ike died and his head got attached to a new robot body.

"I fight for my friends... for eternity."

 

[zeemumu]

Disguise maybe? Can't really think of any other logical need for it.

Old man Robot?! I never would have guessed!

 

[Brashnir]

Never played a game in the Mass Effect series but is sword or lance damage a concern?

bullets have a tendency to pierce, not unlike a lance without a dude and horse behind them.

 

[Dice//]

Something that bothers me with some character designs is that, while they look really cool, I couldn't even imagine someone walking around in an outfit/armor like that because of real impractical reasons. One example is Samus Aran.

While her armor is real iconic and just awesome looking; how and why would anyone want to wear this? It's the Batman from the Nolan films all over. She can't look left or right without seeing those huge ass shoulder-pads so she has to basically move her entire upper body to look around. Another question is, why are the shoulder pads even so huge? Do they store some kind of battery for her suit or what? They don't make any sense whatsoever from a practical point of view.

What other examples do you have?

Well yeah, but for the 2D games she only has t look straight...!!

Spoiler

I hope no one else maed that joke. I'm too drunk to search..

I like that using that image on this site appplies for like....most posts. x)

 

[Hackworth]

Oh I see, jajajajaja, I would have loved that you said that you can use a sword in Mass Effect, Jedi style...

Pretty sure there are Omni-Blades in ME3 at least

 

[SixMachine]

bullets have a tendency to pierce, not unlike a lance without a dude and horse behind them.

Lorewise, the shape of Femshep's breastplate isn't going to matter much. The guns are a bunch of sci-fi mumbo jumbo that are mass accelerators that shoot particles that move at insane speeds that would make modern anti-tank rifle look tame. The guns in the universe really small amount of mass and using some element zero and space magic, accelerate to rip a man into shreds. This generates a lot of heat that needs to be dispersed. That's why they technically never run out of ammo in ME2 and 3, they just don't have the thermal clips to disperse the heat (even though gameplay wise they just wanted some form of ammo). What's keeping them alive in Mass Effect is the shielding and biotic barriers, if the character is a biotic, who are enhanced by the biotic amps. Also the characters aren't really "naturally" human anymore, since Shepard is basically a cyborg with all the augmentations. A lot of the upgrades you can buy and what not are like enhanced skin weaves, stronger bone materials, and other stuff like that. Basically, boob armor probably doesn't mean squat and is just for style. In ME1 though, not all armors had that armor like look, some looked like formfitting space suits, so it would make sense if it showed the curves of a woman's breast, though in the later games, the space armor looks more armored and solid.

edit: and oh yeah, katanas still seem to cut through everything. Goddamn Phantoms can one shot the player with that damn sword no matter what they have on. Pretty damn weird how in a universe where guns are hand held rail cannons, and the thing that you would be most worried about is a katana. The explanation is that shielding automatically turns on for objects moving a certain speed, but against slower objects, the shield won't protect against. Seems like a pretty bootleg shielding and weird justification to be honest.

 

[ceerob]

It's the Batman from the Nolan films all over. She can't look left or right without seeing those huge ass shoulder-pads so she has to basically move her entire upper body to look around.

A little off topic but you do mean the Tim Burton ones...right? That version the cowl was practically molded onto the upper body, and he couldn't really turn his neck.

 

[LycanXIII]

Not quite a character, but the Scorpion from Halo has a stupid-ass design.



The way the main cannon is raised up gives it an absurdly high profile to target. The driver's seat is barely protected, while the gunner seat has no protection whatsoever. There is no armor between the front treads. The way the treads are arranged makes the tank too wide to work in cramped environments like cities.

Yeah, but it looks like a Scorpion, and that's what matters, right?

 

[ChronotriggerJM]

I always thought the helghasts in Killzone were an interesting phenomena. The glowing orange lights from their eyes just always gave away where they were. I don't remember, did they serve a function? Same with the ISA and the glowing blue crap all over their bodies lol.

In my head, I'm trying to picture my military friends in full bdu's with huge glowsticks all over their bodies trying to hide in the forest.

 

[SixMachine]

Also forgot to mention, but if you ever take a good look at Jack, she doesn't really wear a shirt ( I didn't notice she basically only had a bondage strap as a top until my second playthrough). Those tattoos work as well as that N7 space armor. Though the reasoning for her durability to bullets is space magic.

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

Honestly, I am glad that video games do sometimes abandon practicality for awesome designs. It would be so boring if all games and characters featured realistic outfits and clothes that made sense. If that was the case, fighting game characters would all look like UFC/MMA rejects and RPG characters would all sport generic bulky medieval armor and helmets with swords and shields. Sure, once in awhile outfits that make no sense whatsoever, but I think that is one of the awesome thing about video games. You never know what to expect, primarily from Japanese developers.

 

[Caronte]

Impractical? Yes, but it's still the only good "belts and zippers!" design he's even done.

I never said I didn't like it. It's my favorite design from FFX actually, along with Auron.

 

[VanillaCakeIsBurning]

I noticed that a lot of random NPC guard/soldier helmets in RPGs feature no holes for sight.

I always thought it was a cool detail that was different from the norm.

 

[Triggerhappytel]

Luso is... ugh.

Yeah, there's impractical and then there's fucking stupid. This is certainly the latter.

 

[Morrigan Stark]

So we're sending Link off to war, tons of moblins n stalfos wielding swords n spears n bows n shit, and we should give him a warrior priestess as an ally. We'll introduce her rallying a regiment of soldiers at a time when the Kingdom is on the brink of collapse.

Also lets expose her entire stomach because its not like there are about a million weapons being pointed right at it at any given point in time.

Well, at least she's better than Cia. At least Lana is dressed comfortably, and she's a sorceress so you could argue she's protecting herself via magic, so might as well be comfortable. Cia, though, looks like she's gonna get sharp spikes in her boobs, not to mention why is she wearing that ridiculous helmet that hides her eyes? >_< I don't expect practicality in Hyrule Warriors or anything, obviously, but Cia's design is just so... obnoxious. Not to mention horribly cliché and overdone.

Honestly, I am glad that video games do sometimes abandon practicality for awesome designs. It would be so boring if all games and characters featured realistic outfits and clothes that made sense.

Or, you know, not.

 

[Lucina]

Not character design but hot damn it makes me mad when females have "boob armor"

Its the most impractical shit and will get you killed, because the curves of the armor channel blades towards and into the chest

I feel dumb for not thinking about this.But yeah, boob armor is really dangerous. I mean, usually female armor is so ridiculous for the sake of sexual appeal, that armor like in Mass Effect is seen as practical. But you are right. This is also impractical and dangerous.

Lorewise, the shape of Femshep's breastplate isn't going to matter much. The guns are a bunch of sci-fi mumbo jumbo that are mass accelerators that shoot particles that move at insane speeds that would make modern anti-tank rifle look tame. The guns in the universe really small amount of mass and using some element zero and space magic, accelerate to rip a man into shreds. This generates a lot of heat that needs to be dispersed. That's why they technically never run out of ammo in ME2 and 3, they just don't have the thermal clips to disperse the heat (even though gameplay wise they just wanted some form of ammo). What's keeping them alive in Mass Effect is the shielding and biotic barriers, if the character is a biotic, who are enhanced by the biotic amps. Also the characters aren't really "naturally" human anymore, since Shepard is basically a cyborg with all the augmentations. A lot of the upgrades you can buy and what not are like enhanced skin weaves, stronger bone materials, and other stuff like that. Basically, boob armor probably doesn't mean squat and is just for style. In ME1 though, not all armors had that armor like look, some looked like formfitting space suits, so it would make sense if it showed the curves of a woman's breast, though in the later games, the space armor looks more armored and solid.

edit: and oh yeah, katanas still seem to cut through everything. Goddamn Phantoms can one shot the player with that damn sword no matter what they have on. Pretty damn weird how in a universe where guns are hand held rail cannons, and the thing that you would be most worried about is a katana. The explanation is that shielding automatically turns on for objects moving a certain speed, but against slower objects, the shield won't protect against. Seems like a pretty bootleg shielding and weird justification to be honest.

Oh. Okay. But would boob armor in general, be impractical/dangerous. Like out of context of Mass Effect and it's guns/worlds etc? His post sounded reasonable.

 

[Kinyou]

Or, you know, not.

The outfit is stylish, but I could see why someone might find it boring compared to something like Lulu from FFX.
One is something you can see in everyday life, the other is not.
It simply depends on if it fits the tone of the game. If the game strives for realism then the characters should reflect that. If it doesn't, the characters should also reflect that.

 

[Morrigan Stark]

The outfit is stylish, but I could see why someone might find it boring compared to something like Lulu from FFX.

Lulu looks insanely stupid with all those belts, though. Anyway it's just an example but my point was more general, that you can be stylish without being "boring". Titania posted earlier looks very stylish without wearing a skirt made of belts or sharp metal spikes around otherwise naked breasts (now the latter, THAT is boring, especially since it's fucking everywhere). No one, I hope, would call Titania "boring"...

 

[kavanf1]

Mario wearing a hat that helps him fly. As most helicopters could tell you, without a tail rotor to counteract the torque effect of the main rotor, Mario would probably end up going into a death spiral shortly after going airborne.

 

[HGH]

You're thinking of the Power Suit, the Varia Suit has had the shoulders ever since Metroid II



I never realised that not only did Sakurai just stick Samus in a T-pose, he stuck her in a T-pose that already existed. I almost like the Other M suit. The design is fine, but it's a bit too yellow in game and the gun looks a little weak... and they tossed out the traditional differentiations between the Power, Varia and Gravity suits*. Go back to the Prime-style gun and make the shoulders Varia-only and Other M has something good going.

*This is all on Sakamoto too

The worst part about that is this one quote on why they ditched the gravity suit and made it a "gravity feature":

S: Why is Samus' armor purple?
Designer: That's the way it was back in Super Metroid.
S: That's stupid, change it back.

A conversation that actually happened. Ugh.

 

[Ein Bear]

Ike's horrible redesign from Fire Emblem Awakening

Is the perspective on this picture just a bit funny, or does Ike actually have a sword arm in Fire Emblem Awakening?

 

[unknownstranger]

The best thing is as much as Nomura loves zippers the dress doesn't have one so it is impossible for her to take it off (if it is please enlighten me because I can't imagine how).

I've been playing through FFX HD and somehow never noticed all the straps. Thought it was a gown.

 

[Mdk7]

I don't really mind if the design of the character in a work of fiction is practical BUT sometimes the most random things caught my attention like this one:

That connected sleeve in between her legs bother me so much =/

THIS.
I mean what is the point of that? That's seriously unnerving.

 

[Genryu]

I always thought the belt that Iori had going between his knees was dumb, and then they changed his outfit when he lost his powers.
I wanted the belt back. When Classic Iori was in KOFXIII, I took back everything bad I said about that belt.

 

[Pinko Marx]

Clipping between articulations helps a lot, doesn't it?

Hilde from Soul Calibur IV

Even if i like her design a lot, i always thought how impractical would be fighting with BOTH a sword and a pole arm ("usually" two-handed).

Not the most impractical out there, but it always itched me...

I remember reading somewhere that the lane + short sword was an actual combat style used.

 

[Crossing Eden]

I've been playing through FFX HD and somehow never noticed all the straps. Thought it was a gown.

It's all one flat texture, Nomura apparently designed it that way to challenge his team but didn't take into account that no game had good physics at the time.

 

[flohen95]

Is the perspective on this picture just a bit funny, or does Ike actually have a sword arm in Fire Emblem Awakening?

We don't know. Ike is barely a character in Awakening - he's only DLC and has almost no dialogue. The character art also has no influence on the game whatsoever aside from being used as Ike's portrait. For the DLC characters, they had guest artists reimagine them, and this is what the artist brought in to draw Ike had in mind. That's really all there is to it.

 

[hey_monkey]

You do realize there are real tops like that, right? Strapless dresses...

Come the apocalypse, if I'm wearing a tube top, the first thing I'm going to do when I have a hot minute is change my friggen clothes. See also: any skirt or dress, because pants. See also: heels.