Gender Games

All too often the representation of women in video games is sexualised.

Very rarely will the portrayal of a female in a video game be represented by a powerful lead character.

More than likely a female in a video game will be included for titillation or trauma. More frequently a female character even if a positive representation will turn out to be a love interest or a damsel in distress.

There are few series that have a history of distastefully flaunting female sexualisation. Dead or Alive, Grand Theft Auto, Lollipop Chainsaw and Soulcalibur are prime suspects.

Some particularly poor form by Team Ninja when they wrote code into Dead or Alive that dealt specifically with ‘jiggle physics’ and yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like.

What entailed was a particularly humorous state of affairs which looked far more like two gigantic watermelons being carried around in a shopping bag, than breasts. I’m not saying I’m against breasts, I’m a big fan of the boobies, but have some respect.

More recently we have seen the re-imagination of some female characters and it reflects the change in the industry as a whole. Moving away from overtly sexualised designs and constructing a far fairer representation of a female character.

Lara Croft has now been re-imagined as a powerful, intelligent woman with far more realistic proportions. She is a skull cracking badass and by the end of Tomb Raider (2013) she has become a woman, a feminist would be proud of.

Croft Evolution

I will however add that, once it was revealed Lara would feature a far more proportionate structure in lieu of her significantly top heavy frame, there was community outrage. The news that Lara would feature far more realistic proportions had some people questioning whether or not she would be well enough endowed. Guys you are making us look stupid.

This is the kind of attitude that holds gamers back. It’s disappointing but I’d like to think it’s far more the minority than the consensus.

Luckily there are a few characters that break the mould. Samus Aran (Metroid), Female Commander Shepard (Mass Effect), Jodie Holmes (Beyond: Two Souls), Chell (Portal), Ellie (Last of Us), Faith (Mirrors Edge) and Lara Croft (Tomb Raider 2013) are just some of the fearsome females leading the charge.

There will always be a divide in the gaming community about female characters and their role in video games. However we are moving in the right direction with the influx of strong female characters entering the gaming landscape in the last decade.

More importantly the attitude towards those female characters has changed and with each new heroine we make positive steps in the right direction.

Living with a Gamer

I’ve been a gamer far longer than I’ve been a boyfriend.

I’d like to say I’m equally good at both, but truthfully I’m probably a better gamer than partner.

I don’t think my partner fully realised the extent of my obsession until it was too late. Like any addict I covered it up, hidden beneath the surface knowing in some way it would be a sticking point if it was revealed.

My partner is a non gamer. Sometimes she falls in the ‘casual gamer’ category but it usually only goes as far as getting briefly addicted to Plants vs Zombies, Candy Crush or Angry Birds. I will add one exemption to this rule. For some reason she is phenomenally good at Mariokart 64, this will forever baffle me. It could also be that I’m phenomenally bad at Mariokart and just not willing to admit it, but I’d never admit that.

On occasion (all the time) I have prioritised video games over chores. I am now the master of cleaning between death matches. As the game loads I will wash some dishes, when I hear the start tone I madly run to the controller. The jobs still get done, eventually.

My partner has always had to relinquish storage space to exorbitant sized laptops and desktops, numerous consoles and stacks of video games. I distinctly remember her coming home to see my latest desktop computer and inquiring if it was a heater. We haven’t lived in a house where the TV and Xbox weren’t given pride of place, pushing her crafty fabrics and lentils out of the way to make space for the collection I have amassed.

The common discussion after I purchase a new game is “surely you don’t need any more games?” I have no rebuttal to this, as this is more than likely a fair point. Usually I’ll respond with “surely you don’t need any more clothes or shoes?” Stale mate.

She puts up with my bizarre references to video games she has never played and would never dream of playing. I have, on several occasions told her “the cake is a lie” or asked her “would you kindly?” only to be met with a blank stare. Trying to understand either of those references out of context is near impossible. “So, there is this super computer A.I called GlaDos and she tries to kill you during experiments but you have a gun that can fire portals that is like a teleportation device and she makes you do all these experiments for cake, but there is no cake…” Yep I definitely sound stupid.

Often I will tell her about a concept of a videogame, the fundamental story or game play that sets it apart. I know she tries her hardest to stay with it but let’s be fair, games have some pretty bizarre concepts. Mass Effect more colloquially became called “the game where you talk lots”. Which is actually a pretty fair summation of that game when I think about it.

At the end of it all I think my partner understands. Through all the years I’d like to think I’ve found a happy medium. Everybody has to have a passion and the few gamers who read this article will understand.

For all my weird behaviour, obscure quotes, library of games, numerous gaming consoles, excessively big computers and meaningless information, she still loves me.

My Life as a Gamer: Toshiba P300

In 2009 I purchased a “gaming laptop.” It was a Toshiba 17” P300 Satellite and it really was a trooper. I used it for everything, gaming, work, music and video. Not many laptops will ever do as many kilometres as my old laptop did.

It opened up the ability to play a number of PC dominant games, such as; Fallout 3, Dragon Age: Origins and Portal.

Fallout 3

Portal

 

 

 

 

 

It’s hard not to consider Portal as one of my all time favourite games. In terms of level design and game play mechanics it sets a benchmark few other videogames will ever reach. Add to that some of the most intelligent banter from a crazy AI, played by none other than GlaDos, and you’re in for one hell of a sweet ride.

Join me next week as I get back to my roots and buy a Super Nintendo.