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[Barkley's Justice]

Arguably the most recognized woman in gaming is Lara Croft; the ultimate male fantasy caricature of the female form to grace a polygon to date.

But what if more women were directly involved in the development of games? How would this affect the female form in gaming?

Meet then Nina Kristensen; Chief Development Ninja at Ninja Theory (Heavenly Sword), according to the company's website (whom, if I may, bares somewhat of a resemblance to said game's lead heroin, Noriko...Nina/Noriko...?)

In comparison to Lara Croft, Noriko is much more authentic in form to many women, while still embodying a subtle fantasy idealization:

Certainly having Nina on board at Ninja Theory molded a more "realistic", or in the least, believable lead heroin than Croft. Nina is still thin, fit, scantily clad and sexy. But she's not over the top.

More women in the development of games are certainly welcome. Even GAFs fav female producer, Jade Raymond is carving out an amazing game with Assassin's Creed, lending that magical Woman's Touch -- simply unattainable by the overbearing male presence in the industry.

So this thread is dedicated to the women in games' development. The producers, the development heads, the composers and everyone else.

 

[BSTF]

Seperated at birth??

 

[Oblivion]

Does Noriko have no ass? Every shot I've seen seems flat as a pancake.

 

[Armitage]

But she's not over the top.

Whatever, she's like any other female lead, designed for a product whose audience is 15-35 year old males.

 

[madmook]

So this thread is dedicated to the women in games' development. The producers, the development heads, the composers and everyone else.

I predict an endless stream of Jade pics.

 

[Davidion]

Whatever, she's like any other female lead, designed for a product whose audience is 15-35 year old males.

Bingo

The fact that her breasts aren't growing out of her shoulders is progress, I suppose. But the idea that she's not an obvious scantily-clothed nerd-boy eye candy is just patently false.

 

[arias]

I predict an endless stream of Jade pics.

THREAD BOOKMARKED. WILL COME AGAIN.

 

[Bildi]

Yes, Noriko is much closer in appearance to the supermodels we all go out with.

Whatever, she's like any other female lead, designed for a product whose audience is 15-35 year old males.

Hammer and nail head. You bring them together so succinctly.

 

[Linkup]

I predict an endless stream of Jade pics.

Only one I have,She brings us closer....

 

[jaundicejuice]

Soo...her smaller titties balance out the fact she's covered in thin strips of cloth? Okay.

 

[JavaMava]

/giggles uncontrollably

 

[soco]

from what i've seen i'd say that lara seemed a bit more believable, maybe after i've played this game.

anyway, here's to the women such as this lady, Jade, and all the way back to Roberta Williams.

 

[CrushDance]

The video game business is like most others, not really many females or minorities at the top. That aside it doesn't really make some games more prevalent then others or what say you. Still yes it would be nice to see some more.

And I'm ROLLING MY EYES so much that they are falling out at the Jade Raymond pics already here! *Rolls eyes*

 

[commissar]

I'd be more inlcined to hold up Alyx (and that female scientist I've forgotten the name of) from Half-Life 2 as a better portrayal of women in games.

 

[Ryudo]

I'd be more inlcined to hold up Alyx (and that female scientist I've forgotten the name of) from Half-Life 2 as a better portrayal of women in games.

Agreed, its kind of strange just suddenly creating a thread like this. Its not really, we all know whats behind it.

 

[hukasmokincaterpillar]

Certainly having Nina on board at Ninja Theory molded a more "realistic", or in the least, believable lead heroin than Croft.

NT's lead character artist probably had a little more to do with Nariko's design.
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/21363.html

But yeah, male artists often have their troubles drawing females (heh).

 

[neuroticphil]

This is not subtle. Women do not walk around in panties.

 

[Thoren]

gackt shines hotter than a thousand suns

 

[alistairw]

from what i've seen i'd say that lara seemed a bit more believable, maybe after i've played this game.

anyway, here's to the women such as this lady, Jade, and all the way back to Roberta Williams.

Female designers go back before Roberta - Carol Shaw created 3D TicTacToe in 1979 (though she's best known for 1982's River Raid), and Dona Bailey co-designed Centipede with Ed Logg in 1981.

 

[Tiktaalik]

I'd be more inlcined to hold up Alyx (and that female scientist I've forgotten the name of) from Half-Life 2 as a better portrayal of women in games.

Yes and Jade from Beyond Good and Evil.

 

[Davidion]

I'd be more inlcined to hold up Alyx (and that female scientist I've forgotten the name of) from Half-Life 2 as a better portrayal of women in games.

I think the same can also be said of the lead from "Beyond Good and Evil".

A better portrayal of women in games would have to involve the character not being a caricature of her gender, be it in a social, physical, or mental way. A medieval version of a whale tail really doesn't deviate too far from said caricature.

Agreed, its kind of strange just suddenly creating a thread like this. Its not really, we all know whats behind it.

Hehehe :lol :lol :lol

 

[Son of Godzilla]

This is not subtle. Women do not walk around in panties.

Plus she's modeled after a porn star.

 

[Mammothtank]

I wonder if she pressed for more groin destroying moves in Heavenly Sword...

 

[Jasoco]

I think the same can also be said of the lead from "Beyond Good and Evil".

The perfect female video game character.

 

[Haunted]

Whatever, she's like any other (clichéd) female lead, designed for a product whose audience is 15-35 year old males.

/thread

 

[Armitage]

Alyx is better but it's still obvious she's created for a male audience. All the female rebels are running around a battle zone in combat gear but Alyx looks like she's going to the mall or something.

Samus used to be a pretty good female lead but now that they've sexed her up with her zero suit doppleganger she's as bad as all the rest.

 

[SolidSnakex]

 

[USD]

*theboss.jpg*

Now this is a good pick.

 

[Davidion]

Samus used to be a pretty good female lead but now that they've sexed her up with her zero suit doppleganger she's as bad as all the rest.

HATE that stupid ugly baby blue bodysuit nonsense. ugh...

Now this is a good pick.

Agreed

 

[Pokeylongo]

 

[Oblivion]

She's more shapely than Noriko. :drool

edit: though we need to do something with that manjaw...

 

[BuG]

THREAD BOOKMARKED. WILL COME AGAIN.

I'll bet you will.

My girlfriend loves Beyond Good & Evil's lead simply because she is the complete opposite of what you would usually expect in a female video game character. She desperately wants a second game so she can run around doing whatever you do in BG&E as her all over again.

 

[DCharlie]

the girl from Dreamfall or whatever it was called was the most believable ordinary female protagonist i`ve seen.

Noriko/Nyko or whatever here name? hmm.
The Boss would have made it if her back story wasn`t so retarded and she didn`t ride around dense forest on a white horse...

 

[The M.O.B]

It's amazing how Valve found the perfect voice actor for Alyx

MerleDandridge,She is half asian/African american and she fits Alyx's character perfectly.

Alyx looks like she's going to the mall or something.

Who goes to the mall with dirty pants? Bum's aside

 

[superbank]

Ass cheek hanging out of dress = over the top.

edit: wait, this thread is about the female designers and directors in gaming. Why was so much focus on the characters?

 

[Y2Kev]

A lot of the design team at Ninja Theory is female, based on some of the specials we've seen on their studio and their game. That's pretty cool. You can definitely see the influence on the game with a lot of strong, powerful women, both good and bad.

There's something alluring about playing as a female. I don't know what it is, though.

The ULTIMATE female character is Aya Brea.

 

[Armitage]

Who goes to the mall with dirty pants? Bum's aside

I'm thinking more of the tight jeans and mid riff showing.

Also, I really hope women can bring more to video games than just correcting the extremes of male designed characters. Reducing breast sizes from DD to C is hardly "a woman's touch."

 

[The M.O.B]

I'm thinking more of the tight jeans and mid riff showing.

Then again you do see that everyday. Making her even more believable than the majority of VG women.

 

[Bildi]

I'll bet you will.

My girlfriend loves Beyond Good & Evil's lead simply because she is the complete opposite of what you would usually expect in a female video game character. She desperately wants a second game so she can run around doing whatever you do in BG&E as her all over again.

How is she different? She's thin, attractive, strong and out to save the world. That doesn't sound the opposite of any other characters in this thread.

Green lipstick?

 

[Armitage]

Then again you do see that everyday. Making her even more believable than the majority of VG women.

I don't think a fascist dystopian war zone is what I would consider an 'everyday' scenario.

 

[BuG]

I haven't played the game so I don't know about her character but she doesn't appear to have bosoms exploding out of her shirt or any of the characteristics of a Team Ninja female character. That's pretty much my measuring stick as far as typical video game females go; Team Ninja females.

 

[Son of Godzilla]

How is she different? She's thin, attractive, strong and out to save the world. That doesn't sound the opposite of any other characters in this thread.

Green lipstick?

She's Blasian.

 

[Bildi]

I haven't played the game so I don't know about her character but she doesn't appear to have bosoms exploding out of her shirt or any of the characteristics of a Team Ninja female character. That's pretty much my measuring stick as far as typical video game females go; Team Ninja females.

Yes, her character probably doesn't scream 'sex machine' so that's a fair enough call.

She's Blasian.

I think Alyx is too (?)

 

[Thoren]

I haven't played the game so I don't know about her character but she doesn't appear to have bosoms exploding out of her shirt or any of the characteristics of a Team Ninja female character. That's pretty much my measuring stick as far as typical video game females go; Team Ninja females.

And this is a good thing.. why?

?

 

[CrushDance]

A lot of the design team at Ninja Theory is female, based on some of the specials we've seen on their studio and their game. That's pretty cool. You can definitely see the influence on the game with a lot of strong, powerful women, both good and bad.

There's something alluring about playing as a female. I don't know what it is, though.

The ULTIMATE female character is Aya Brea.

Yup that's true. When I used to play MMORPG's I almost always made a female. And I think that's why I like Heavenly Sword so much, it's just fresh and fun to use the opposite sex after playing something like gears for 10 hours straight.:lol

Female characters are usually portrayed as trash though.

Games where female characters are done (better)right are : Beyond Good and Evil, Resident Evil series, Unreal tournament three, Zelda(Although Zelda is usually made to look useless 24/7), and generally sci fi/real shooters such as Syphon Filter.

Everything else is trash in that regard for the most part. It's either Big boobed, blonde, gullible, treacherous, weak, damsel, manipulated, race to the finish.

Seeing a decent female character is nigh impossible in things like most RPG's(Look at White Knight Story) and even Final Fantasy which is my favourite. 13 is looking decent though.

 

[The M.O.B]

I don't think a fascist dystopian war zone is what I would consider an 'everyday' scenario.

I don't want to get into a big thing just over this but, before the combine came,the place was just like any other place on earth. Her clothes represent what she wore before they came.

I think Alyx is too (?)

Yep,she is.

 

[Thoren]

Yup that's true. When I used to play MMORPG's I almost always made a female. And I think that's why I like Heavenly Sword so much, it's just fresh and fun to use the opposite sex after playing something like gears for 10 hours straight.:lol

I hope you're not one of those gamers that makes the excuse about not wanting to "stare at a guy's ass all day"

 

[CrushDance]

I hope you're not one of those gamers that makes the excuse about not wanting to "stare at a guy's ass all day"

No. I usually made females in mmorpg's because I enjoy staying at the back and buff/heal. Not much of a fighter

 

[hey_monkey]

Alyx is better but it's still obvious she's created for a male audience. All the female rebels are running around a battle zone in combat gear but Alyx looks like she's going to the mall or something.

Samus used to be a pretty good female lead but now that they've sexed her up with her zero suit doppleganger she's as bad as all the rest.

Yeah, speaking as a female-type, pre-zero suit Samus was pretty much the pinnacle of all that is good and female for us to look up to in video games. I still love her, but sometimes now I want to hand her a blanket or something.

I still love the fact that when she's in her real suit, she's just the suit, and gender ceases to matter.

 

[rollingstart]

How is she different? She's thin, attractive, strong and out to save the world. That doesn't sound the opposite of any other characters in this thread.

Green lipstick?

she is a photographer