Tropes vs Women in Video Games - Damsel in Distress - General

[QUOTE=mobrockers2;39836969]Such as? I can't remember playing a game that had a damsel in distress trope in ages.[/QUOTE] Near the end of Dragon's Dogma you have to rescue the duchess. The quest name is "Duchess in Distress".

[QUOTE=mobrockers2;39837180]What. Splinter cell conviction is based around sam wanting revenge for his daughters death for the most part.[/QUOTE] [sp]He saves his daughter and the female president at the end.[/sp]

[QUOTE=Shadaez;39837095]uhh what I own at that game and it's clearly uses the damsel in distress trope. I don't see how you could think it's not.[/QUOTE] Watch indie game the movie and you'll get it. The developers explain how they feel about people like you completely misinterpreting the purpose of bandage girl.

Well, being one of the handful of people who finished the episode, I'll take a jab at it. Taking a peek at her other videos shows that she isn't some underfunded person without the resources to make her ideas reality. Which is rather confusing on how she needed (or simply wanted?) more than 100k for this project. Jesus Christ, that smugness; I'm surprised she didn't tape the episode while on an actual horse with stilt-like legs. Production and editing was very professional and neat. On the topic of damsels in distress, it's all about the perspective. Personally, when I see a damsel in distress story I can see it as two things: Horribly overused plots or moral lessons. If the fact that the story is pretty bad, I'll see it as "save the day, HOORAY FOR TESTOSTERONE" story. If the story is well written with all the good stuff being three dimensional, I see it as a moral story. As with my last sentence, saving the damsel in distress can interpreted as a "be the big, damn hero" not just with saving dainty women. Most (which I hope) gamers don't look at things in one dimensions. Just like reading a novel, if the game wasn't just useless drivel, it can and will be applied to daily thinking. "Why should I just be a hero to women?" "Why don't I become a hero to anyone in great distress?" This is all I have to say. So just remember, it all about the perspective, which about an infinite amount exist.

[QUOTE=CoolKingKaso;39837195][sp]He saves his daughter and the female president at the end.[/sp][/QUOTE] That's not what the game is all about, though. It in no way furthers the plot at any point.

[QUOTE=Butthurter;39837119]this is my main gripe with that, its just tiring waving through the same plot it amazes me people are actually defending a washed up trope[/QUOTE] I'm not defending it for being a washed up, lazy trope, I'm just saying it's not something that's indicative of sexism in our culture. Something more indicative of sexism would being something like action oriented woman being cold and dismissive towards men to make them seem "strong and independent" (see: Hollywood, the first Tomb Raider reboot, etc.), or action oriented woman dressing in stupidly revealing clothing that make it look like their character designer drew them specifically for the purpose of being jacked off to by horny men. Or you could look at the way gaming communities treat, talk about and stereotype women. If you want to go after the "damsel and distress" trope for being boring, there are a million other tropes to go after just as much (such as the British action hero sidekick that always betrays the protagonist, etc.)

[QUOTE=mobrockers2;39837209]Watch indie game the movie and you'll get it. The developers explain how they feel about people like you completely misinterpreting the purpose of bandage girl.[/QUOTE] I've seen it though? there is a woman in the game you are trying to rescue the woman maybe it's not the main part of the story or anything but it's a very clear use of the trope, even if ironic or as a throwback to classic games. It doesn't have to be used in a negative way, Anita is just pointing out issues with the gaming industry.

[QUOTE=JustGman;39837090]there's a reason people hate her, and it's not because she's a woman.[/QUOTE] Yes I know I'm just pointing out the comments that are just hating Anita just because she's a women critiquing video games. Comments that are not giving any reasonable reason for the dislike of Anita and not addressing points in her video, that's all.

[QUOTE=Im Crimson;39837157]I still don't see what those 150k was needed for [/QUOTE] psst [img]https://dl.dropbox.com/u/3797350/ShareX/2013-03/2013-03-08_01-29-52.png[/img]

fuck dis bitch

[QUOTE=Key_in_skillee;39837235]I'm not defending it for being a washed up, lazy trope, I'm just saying it's not something that's indicative of sexism in our culture. Something more indicative of sexism would being something like action oriented woman being cold and dismissive towards men to make them seem "strong and independent" (see: Hollywood, the first Tomb Raider reboot, etc.), or action oriented woman dressing in stupidly revealing clothing that make it look like their character designer drew them specifically for the purpose of being jacked off to by horny men. Or you could look at the way gaming communities treat, talk about and stereotype women. If you want to go after the "damsel and distress" trope for being boring, there are a million other tropes to go after just as much (such as the British action hero sidekick that always betrays the protagonist, etc.)[/QUOTE] The issue is that it is a trope that applies mostly to women, women aren't the main part of the story line. It is a trope. It has to do with putting women in a passive role. It isn't inherently bad, but the gaming industry focuses on it too much.

[QUOTE=Butthurter;39837044]is there a reason you purposely skimmed that post or are you trying to tell us to suck it up and put up with it???[/QUOTE] this thread is moving pretty fast and i was still on the last page while i typed that, but i still believe in what i said. these days, nearly anything can be fit into some kind of trope. both men and women have several of these tropes and stereotypes that have basically been ingrained into our culture. when someone uses, for example, the damsel in distress type of idea, no thought went into their mind about how well this will make women feel lesser than a man would. people themselves, though, have decided that these somehow depreciate women as a whole. what i'm trying to understand is why you would think that these 'tropes' are being sexist against women, because nobody besides (and i use this term loosely) feminists think that they are, and they themselves put the idea of it being sexist out there. just my thoughts on the matter. maybe i'm not thinking this through all the way, but the way i see it feminists themselves have created this thought of things being sexist in the media.

I'd suggest checking this guys videos out for a point of view. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6gLmcS3-NI[/media] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpFk5F-S_hI[/media] Edit: These were made pre-episode, but still apply.

[QUOTE=Shadaez;39837251]I've seen it though? there is a woman in the game you are trying to rescue the woman maybe it's not the main part of the story or anything but it's a very clear use of the trope, even if ironic or as a throwback to classic games. It doesn't have to be used in a negative way, Anita is just pointing out issues with the gaming industry.[/QUOTE] You must've skipped that part then, because they very clearly explain that it isn't so much about rescuing her but more about rescuing both of them. He needs her, and she needs him. She is his skin, and he is her flesh. They need each other, which creates a very different dynamic than 'damsel in distress' does. He doesn't rescue her because she's in distress, he rescues her because he needs her to complete himself. He's the one in distress.

[QUOTE=LukeyxD;39837301]I'd suggest checking this guys videos out for a point of view. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6gLmcS3-NI[/media] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpFk5F-S_hI[/media] Edit: These were made pre-episode, but still apply.[/QUOTE] I'm sure everyone here has seen Insti8's videos by now. Here's a cool piece written from a backer's perspective. [url]http://leopirate.com/post/44004741869/tropes-vs-women-in-video-games-a-backers-perspective[/url]

soooo is the video in the OP the outcome of the six grand? or one-hundred fucking thousand dollars or what?

[QUOTE=mobrockers2;39837220]That's not what the game is all about, though. It in no way furthers the plot at any point.[/QUOTE] His motivation/intent does change though, I remember that there was a plot twist halfway in the game.

[QUOTE=Laferio;39837379]soooo is the video in the OP the outcome of the six grand? or one-hundred fucking thousand dollars or what?[/QUOTE] yeah that's literally what it is

[QUOTE=Laferio;39837379]soooo is the video in the OP the outcome of the six grand? or one-hundred fucking thousand dollars or what?[/QUOTE] The $6k was for 5 videos, as in: [quote] Damsel in Distress - Video #1 The Fighting F#@k Toy - Video #2 The Sexy Sidekick - Video #3 The Sexy Villainess - Video #4 Background Decoration - Video #5 [/quote] Now it's for all this too: [quote] Voodoo Priestess/Tribal Sorceress - Video #6 Women as Reward - Video #7 Mrs. Male Character - Video #8 Unattractive Equals Evil - Video #9 Man with Boobs - Video #10 Positive Female Characters! - Video #11 Let's Bump up the Production Quality! Tropes vs Women in Video Games Classroom Curriculum Video #12 - Top 10 Most Common Defenses of Sexism in Games [/quote] I guess 26x the pledge means 2x the amount of videos. The rest is pocketed I assume?

I hope James Vega appears in "Man with Boobs"

I'm not on any side here, I find both sides and their respective arguments incredibly retarded, but holy shit, that show is boring as hell.

Okay after watching through this I don't find it grossly offensive. I'm a little annoyed she lumped Palutena as a damsel in distress from the original Kid Icarus, as far my memory serves, she's just waiting for Pit to finish up kicking ass. I still wonder why this needed THIS much money, that's what bothers me. It just doesn't seem like this whole project needs thousands of dollars to make a series of videos with footage and images that are easily found with a google search. Really I think the resulting shitstorm from this series is what is gonna be making a bigger impact.

[QUOTE=mobrockers2;39836969]Such as? I can't remember playing a game that had a damsel in distress trope in ages.[/QUOTE] far cry 3 max payne 3 dishonored

femanazism: equalizing the sexes through targeted sexual discrimination also don't like the games, go play minecraft or WoW, no damsels in distress there, most games today are just formulated anyway and reuse the same character as a brand, nothing about sexism there

This should probably be moved to Mass Debate or the like. Also in my opinon this arguement has gone on way too long, please stop.

[QUOTE=Sableye;39838476]femanazism: equalizing the sexes through targeted sexual discrimination[/quote] what relevancy does that definition even have here? [quote]also don't like the games, go play minecraft or WoW[/QUOTE] did you even watch the video? [editline]8th March 2013[/editline] she even said she likes the games but that it's important to critique things from a social perspective

[QUOTE=Sableye;39838476]femanazism: equalizing the sexes through targeted sexual discrimination also don't like the games, go play minecraft or WoW, no damsels in distress there, most games today are just formulated anyway and reuse the same character as a brand, nothing about sexism there[/QUOTE] how do you make such mental jumps that this is somehow "targeted sexual discrimination" maybe you should read up on feminism

[QUOTE=ChestyMcGee;39838441]far cry 3[/QUOTE] nop it's not a damsel in distress situation, it's an everyone in distress but you situation

[QUOTE=Im Crimson;39837157]Well color me surprised, that was actually a lot more fair and balanced than I expected back then. I'm glad she assumed a somewhat academic approach to the presentation and really stuck to the job of pointing out overused tropes in a matter-of-fact way without shitting on the games for featuring them. Not intending to damn with faint praise, but I guess this is is indeed a good awareness-creator of overused tropes. I still don't see what those 150k was needed for but that was a pretty good vid. I'm curious as to see her examples of subversion of the trope (I wonder if some Valve game will make it in there; I seem to remember Portal 2 flashing by in the kickstarter campaign video).[/QUOTE] attn everyone in this thread: do everyone else a favour and either make posts like these; or dont post at all [editline]7th March 2013[/editline] i actually read all of these posts before watching the video, and i think it speaks volumes that i still dont know what the video is about i dont believe for one second that any of you took the time to watch this 21 minute video before you said any of the shit you said, and it shows lmao

Replace peach with luigi. Would that still be an issue or is it okay that hes a guy? Im honestly failing to see Anitas fucking point here.