Guild Wars 2

Last night I made my first human character and it is a female Mesmer. I was greatly amused at default starter clothing.

Default male and female human mesmers

While they both look like Mardi Gras rejects, at least the male has sensible travel clothing that looks like it offers a little protection. In particular, notice that his skin is almost completely covered. The female, on the other hand, has been given a full set of battle lingerie, and is clearly ready for any bedroom combat that might arise.

sigh

I’ve been gaming since the early 80’s, so I’m accustomed to it, but really now, don’t you think it’s time to move beyond these juvenille sterotypes of women? The other classes have reasonable looking starting outfits, so why can’t the Mesmer, Thief, and Elementalist? If people want to dress up their characters in cheesecake outfits, let it be an option, not the default!

I almost didn’t bother posting this, but then another player in the game began telling me that my character had sexy legs and was beautiful to watch in combat. That was just a little creepy and it feels wrong that the default armor would invite that kind of behavior.

Great post, but unfortunately it runs a lot deeper than the starter armor. I was really disappointed to see the high-end options really further the “battle lingerie” theme across both light & medium female armor. Here is a prime example of the Tier 3 medium racial armor.

Glad to know I’m not the only one eye-rolling over these dated designs. I agree that can certainly be an option, but by all means don’t make it the default.

I think this is an issue throughout the game- and it’s way worse in GW2 that it was in GW1. I play a ranger as my main, and was really interested in the cultural armor until I looked at the tier 3 leather armor. It would make me uncomfortable to play an character wearing that armor and I agree that it can generate unwanted attention from other players upon occasion as well.

I guess my big issue with this is that ‘lingerie armor’ is not something that, on the whole, a woman would actually CHOOSE to wear. The reason that armor like this is available is ENTIRELY for viewing pleasure. The sole purpose of these types of armor is to objectify. While I don’t have an issue with some armors like this being available, the prevalence of them in this game as well as the fact that starting armors and a large amount of high-tier armors seem to be following this trend is disturbing. It basically says that yes, the female avatars are around to be objectified and disregards the fact that there are women playing this game (as well as men) who probably don’t view their characters in that light.

At this point I am just frustrated. I had hoped that Arenanet was above things like this, and would really just like a response from them. Is this how they intended female characters to be viewed in-game? Did they not consider the growing number of women in their audience, as well as many men who are tired of the lingerie armor and sexist stereotypes as well?

Check your privilege

GW2 is far better than most games, to the point that I am content with the overall layout of the armor designs, minus the starter armor since it is mandatory. Something a tiny bit more… realistic would have been preferable for that.

Asking that there be NO skimpy armor, for either male or female, in the game is a bit unrealistic as well. It’s a fantasy game, and some players (including female players) may desire to have their character look that way. The option should and is available to them. That tier 3 armor is just one example. On the other hand, very conservative and completely covering armor is also available for those who wish it. A female warrior in this game can be covered from head to toe, not an inch of armor showing. In fact, the female heavy heritage armor covers MORE skin than the male armor.

Unlike most games, there are a lot of options for everyone.

There are only Pixels, the main problems is with the person that your character has sexy legs, Well they have issues if the think pixels are sexy. Kinda reminds me of this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=urNyg1ftMIU#!

Sceye.5836:

Check your privilege

What do you mean? And who were you responding to?

drifter.8453:

Kinda reminds me of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=urNyg1ftMIU#!

Nice! The only thing that would make that better would be a reveal of a big hairy guy at the end playing that avatar.

Tolmos.8395:

Asking that there be NO skimpy armor, for either male or female, in the game is a bit unrealistic as well. It’s a fantasy game, and some players (including female players) may desire to have their character look that way. The option should and is available to them. That tier 3 armor is just one example. On the other hand, very conservative and completely covering armor is also available for those who wish it. A female warrior in this game can be covered from head to toe, not an inch of armor showing. In fact, the female heavy heritage armor covers MORE skin than the male armor.

Moriel.1843:

If people want to dress up their characters in cheesecake outfits, let it be an option, not the default!

mdoucet.8735:

Glad to know I’m not the only one eye-rolling over these dated designs. I agree that can certainly be an option, but by all means don’t make it the default.

I didn’t see anyone in the thread asking that all skimpy armour be removed. There seems to be universal agreement that there should be options in both directions of the skimpiness spectrum. What the OP and others are asking for are that non-skimpy options be provided at points they currently are not available – early game being the main example given.

Heritage armour is not available many players (a figure which I think is reasonable to assume is the majority). Many (I would go so far as to say “most”) of the current options available both during the leveling process and upon reaching level cap and seeking out snazzy-looking endgame gear can be categorized as “battle lingerie,” and there’s definite under-representation of more sensible, covered armor choices.

I agree with the OP and others that the staring gear cheerleader fetish outfit needs an alternative, and that sensible female armour should exist throughout.

I can’t really saying anything about GW2 being better or worse than other games since this is the first MMO that I’ve ever played. (I’ve always played single player RPGS before this.) Mostly I’m having a lot of fun, and there’s only a few things that I’d do differently. But this issue of female clothing just struck me as really transparently sexist, especialy since my primary character is a female sylvari ranger, for which all of the clothing is great. (Except for the “town clothes” which is basically a bikini. I’ve just ignored that since a) I suppose plants don’t feel a need for clothing, and b) the town clothes are entirely optional.)

Another thing that irks me about the human female armors is that a lot of the female NPCs have normal clothing on, which means that the models and textures I want actually exist in the game, they just aren’t available to choose from! That’s really irritating.

Moriel.1843:

Last night I made my first human character and it is a female Mesmer. I was greatly amused at default starter clothing…

…I’ve been gaming since the early 80’s, so I’m accustomed to it, but really now, don’t you think it’s time to move beyond these juvenille sterotypes of women? …

I totally agree with your post. Every game I’ve ever played has dressed the women up like harlots. I don’t want to be viewed as cheap in a game… I want to be viewed as strong and tough, and yes sexy, and dressed appropriately for the part.

Also, have you ever noticed when you are talking to Queen Jennah in a cut scene that her triple D’s are almost falling out of her dress. Really Anet?

What bugs me the most is that it’s not even between male and female. If the set were equally revealing/tough-looking between the genders I would be 100% okay with it.

CapN Biku.6024:

What bugs me the most is that it’s not even between male and female. If the set were equally revealing/tough-looking between the genders I would be 100% okay with it.

I hear you there.

Hey Areanet! How about a little beefcake to go along with that cheesecake?

;)

@Moriel. cute video. My fantasy is to have a perfect body and wear barely there clothing. starter armor is generic, all scholar classes start with same armor (just looks different on some races). Country armor has more coverage for those who want that. Drops as loot and you can get it very early. Don’t remember exactly but I know I was getting those drops by level 10. There are enough armor choices in the game to satisfy almost everyone. (some ppl just are never satisfied)

Lianesse Modief.2683:

My fantasy is to have a perfect body and wear barely there clothing. starter armor is generic, all scholar classes start with same armor (just looks different on some races). Country armor has more coverage for those who want that.

Kindof. I already have some Country armor, but it is still extremely revealing and not really what I’d call armor.

And the starter armor is most definitely not “generic” It’s fetish wear. If that’s what you want then so be it. I don’t object to it being present in the game and one of the reasons I created a human mesmer in the first place was to have access to more interesting looking clothing options. (That and blink, which is awesome.)

All I want are more choices. Honestly, I wish each class/race had a choice of 2 or 3 different armors to start with. They would have the same stats, of course, but there could be something skimpy, something like normal clothing, and something very armor-like. That would not only satisfy the objections that I and others have raised, but it would also give people another way to customize their new character’s look besides just the color.

And like I said in an earlier post – the graphics assets to acheive this are in some cases already included in the game, so it would not be that difficult to make them available. (And for the record, when I say “not that difficult” I am speaking from 20 years experience as a programmer. I may not know the specifics of the GW2 toolset, but I’m not completely ignorant either.)