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Dead Island Riptide Collector's Edition [NSFW]

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    #92
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 14,344 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    As someone whose never heard of the game until getting bored and randomly clicking in from the Boards home page, I think the bust is pretty cool.

    Union Jack flag was probably a mistake (unless, of course, it's limited to the UK) as I can't imagine many people from other countries wanting another country's flag on their desktop (wouldn't bother me, but I know some people would be against it on those grounds alone. Especially with all the UK/Irl flag controversy at the moment). A generic bra would be the way to go, or a bra with the game logo on it (in my opinion).

    I remember there used to be a line of Resident Evil action figures that I used to pick up every now and again. Wasn't a massive Resident Evil fan or anything, but I used to always collect lots of different things. Was big into WWE and had a huge collection of figures (still do), brother used to have a massive collection of Marvel figures aswell (though they've disappeared over time). I used to buy figures of all sorts. Not any more though, really. The Resident Evil figures took my interest because they were just 'different' looking (if I recall correctly you could get perfect-condition and "battle-damaged" versions of the characters, along with figures of random zombies, dogs, etc.).


    I think the bust statue is pretty cool, though. I wouldn't bother with the sexism argument, as they can't really win that either way, without releasing two versions (male and female) so it's a bit redundant, to me, but the statue itself looks pretty good. Bra must be made of a serious material to be completely intact after what looks like such a vicious attack, so a few 'tears' here and there would add effect.

    Clearly they added the huge chest because it'll be sold to men mostly. I don't see the harm in producing a product that's aimed towards a particular market, though. Should playboy feature a ripped, overly-athetic, sweating man on the cover of their magazines? Of course not (though I've seen that on women's magazines). 50 Shades of Gray could be called sexist. Anytime I see any mention of it on facebook it's someone uploading or commenting on a picture of a barely-dressed man with "lol my mr gray xxx" comments. Does it bother me? Aside from the fact that most of these people are grown women who can't spell; not at all.


    I know a guy who's big into the whole zombie thing and has lots of merchandise relating to it (from action figures to highly detailed statues (along the lines of McFarlane type stuff) and, while I don't think this would make him buy a game he doesn't want, as a stand-alone item I reckon it'd be an impulse purchase for him.

    Lots of videogame female characters are ludicrously busty. Look at Lara Croft or pretty much any female from beat-em-up games like Soul Calibur, Street Fighter, etc., it's obviously because the game is aimed at men. No one ever really complains about that, though; so I don't see why this is so different?


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    #93
    Xzbeat
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 12 ✭Xzbeat


    Just pre-ordered, can't wait to pick it up


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    #94
    Zillah
    Registered Users Posts: 17,371 ✭✭✭✭Zillah


    ahnowbrowncow wrote: »

    It's juvenile but there's nothing misogynistic about, maybe to the hypersensitive or those who don't understand the meaning of misogyny so get off your high horse.

    One can display contempt for the dignity of women without explicitly hating them. Whole bunch of straight white boys quick to announce that they're happy with the status quo in this thread.


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    #95
    Sir Digby Chicken Caesar
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 23,556 ✭✭✭✭Sir Digby Chicken Caesar


    a1199.gif?v11301bss2


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    #96
    ahnowbrowncow
    Registered Users Posts: 2,565 ✭✭✭ahnowbrowncow


    Zillah wrote: »
    One can display contempt for the dignity of women without explicitly hating them. Whole bunch of straight white boys quick to announce that they're happy with the status quo in this thread.

    Oh so you try defend women from fictional contempt because you're trying to fight against the straight male status quo. Go you :rolleyes:


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    #97
    Sir Digby Chicken Caesar
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 23,556 ✭✭✭✭Sir Digby Chicken Caesar


    not just straight male, straight white male.. the ultimate end boss


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    #98
    Zero-Cool
    Registered Users Posts: 29,520 ✭✭✭✭Zero-Cool


    Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »
    not just straight male, straight white male.. the ultimate end boss

    :pac:


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    #99
    hooradiation
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,922 ✭✭✭hooradiation


    Zillah wrote: »
    One can display contempt for the dignity of women without explicitly hating them. Whole bunch of straight white boys quick to announce that they're happy with the status quo in this thread.

    Nerds aren't very bright when it comes to this kind of thing, and even less interested in engaging it.
    "Stop thinking about it" seems to be the order of the day, and can you blame them?

    There's a PC master race to gush over and consoles to spit on, stuff like this is trivial in comparison, and if we stopped to look at problems like this, who'd write long diatribes about how halo is awful and how publishers are the devil?


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    #100
    Reekwind
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,126 ✭✭✭Reekwind


    Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »
    a1199.gif?v11301bss2
    That's only funny if you know what those words actually mean


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    #101
    johnny_ultimate
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 29,147 CMod ✭✭✭✭johnny_ultimate


    hooradiation wrote: »
    Nerds aren't very bright when it comes to this kind of thing, and even less interested in engaging it.
    "Stop thinking about it" seems to be the order of the day, and can you blame them?

    There's a PC master race to gush over and consoles to spit on, stuff like this is trivial in comparison, and if we stopped to look at problems like this, who'd write long diatribes about how halo is awful and how publishers are the devil?

    On the plus side, The Old Republic now has a gay planet where homosexual gamers can happily mingle on their own behind a ghettoized paywall!

    Gaming, that great tango: one step of progress, two steps back.


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    #102
    Zillah
    Registered Users Posts: 17,371 ✭✭✭✭Zillah


    ahnowbrowncow wrote: »
    Oh so you try defend women from fictional contempt because you're trying to fight against the straight male status quo. Go you :rolleyes:

    I'm going to make a good faith attempt to explain why I mentioned straight white men. As minorities go, I have it easy. Modern Western Europe is a pretty great spot to be gay; relatively speaking prejudice is trivial, there are laws of various sorts that protect me, and for every asshole that would abuse me there are twenty that would abuse him back. So I don't for a second compare myself to minorities that genuinely suffer, like Palestinians in Israel or women in Saudi Arabia.

    But when it comes to popular culture and portrayals of different types of people, I have it pretty shitty. Gay men are almost universally portrayed as mincing, girly figures, that speak in high-pitched voices and just adore musicals. They're scared, melodramatic, and entirely incapable of having power, respect or authority. I don't see myself reflected in how media teaches the world to view me. I don't see any of my strengths, and I didn't grow up seeing them either. But that is often who people assume I am, and treat me accordingly, because this is the image they've been fed.

    When a typical straight white man looks at popular culture he sees himself portrayed as a hero, a champion, a boss, a leader, a fighter. Rich, powerful, strong, desirable. Obviously there are exceptions, but that's the trend. They'd never make Bond, for example, be gay - just for no particular reason, he happened to be gay, like in the real world where people are gay for no reason and don't fit stereotypes - that could never happen. Not now, anyway. Because a figure like Bond does not match the popular conception of a gay man.

    All that said, I have it easy. When women look at popular culture, not only do they not get to be the protagonists, they see themselves portrayed as having to perform as sexual objects for men. Objects to be bargained for, attained, controlled, rescued. Even when they get to be the hero they're portrayed as impossibly hot creatures whose main presence on screen is designed to please a male audience. Women grow up being shown that their ideal self is a gorgeous object with little autonomy. Again, there are exceptions, but that is the trend.

    This is why I feel cynical when I see straight white men dismissing something like what we see in the OP, saying they're fine with it and there is no reason to be offended: You've grown up constantly being shown how great and strong you are. This is another drop in the ocean of female dis-empowerment.

    And look, if you're not the type of person who likes talking about cultural theory then go back to playing Halo. If this stuff doesn't interest you and you don't like thinking hard or reflecting on how and why we do things then fine, don't take part, but there's nothing to be gained in calling us names just because we think this stuff matters. There is a difference between thinking that something contributes to a negative aspect of culture and believing it be the devil incarnate in need of destruction by the morality police. I'm leaning more towards the former.


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    #103
    Zillah
    Registered Users Posts: 17,371 ✭✭✭✭Zillah


    And yes I know that turned into a massive post, I am bored in work.


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    #104
    Zero-Cool
    Registered Users Posts: 29,520 ✭✭✭✭Zero-Cool


    Hey look everybody, the teaser trailer for Dead Island: Riptide!

    Not as good as the teaser for the first game (and none of that zomg emotional trailer, no emotion in the game! angry face) but still a lovely little trailer all the same

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEmXLn7mSM8


    Anyway, the sexism discussion in this thread reminds me of

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


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    #105
    farna_boy
    Registered Users Posts: 1,766 ✭✭✭farna_boy


    Am I the only one in this thread to notice the tag "Zombie Bait" next to the torso? Maybe that's the reason for the breasts and not having a male torso?


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    #106
    ahnowbrowncow
    Registered Users Posts: 2,565 ✭✭✭ahnowbrowncow


    Zillah wrote: »
    I'm going to make a good faith attempt to explain why I mentioned straight white men. As minorities go, I have it easy. Modern Western Europe is a pretty great spot to be gay; relatively speaking prejudice is trivial, there are laws of various sorts that protect me, and for every asshole that would abuse me there are twenty that would abuse him back. So I don't for a second compare myself to minorities that genuinely suffer, like Palestinians in Israel or women in Saudi Arabia.

    But when it comes to popular culture and portrayals of different types of people, I have it pretty shitty. Gay men are almost universally portrayed as mincing, girly figures, that speak in high-pitched voices and just adore musicals. They're scared, melodramatic, and entirely incapable of having power, respect or authority. I don't see myself reflected in how media teaches the world to view me. I don't see any of my strengths, and I didn't grow up seeing them either. But that is often who people assume I am, and treat me accordingly, because this is the image they've been fed.

    When a typical straight white man looks at popular culture he sees himself portrayed as a hero, a champion, a boss, a leader, a fighter. Rich, powerful, strong, desirable. Obviously there are exceptions, but that's the trend. They'd never make Bond, for example, be gay - just for no particular reason, he happened to be gay, like in the real world where people are gay for no reason and don't fit stereotypes - that could never happen. Not now, anyway. Because a figure like Bond does not match the popular conception of a gay man.

    All that said, I have it easy. When women look at popular culture, not only do they not get to be the protagonists, they see themselves portrayed as having to perform as sexual objects for men. Objects to be bargained for, attained, controlled, rescued. Even when they get to be the hero they're portrayed as impossibly hot creatures whose main presence on screen is designed to please a male audience. Women grow up being shown that their ideal self is a gorgeous object with little autonomy. Again, there are exceptions, but that is the trend.

    This is why I feel cynical when I see straight white men dismissing something like what we see in the OP, saying they're fine with it and there is no reason to be offended: You've grown up constantly being shown how great and strong you are. This is another drop in the ocean of female dis-empowerment.

    And look, if you're not the type of person who likes talking about cultural theory then go back to playing Halo. If this stuff doesn't interest you and you don't like thinking hard or reflecting on how and why we do things then fine, don't take part, but there's nothing to be gained in calling us names just because we think this stuff matters. There is a difference between thinking that something contributes to a negative aspect of culture and believing it be the devil incarnate in need of destruction by the morality police. I'm leaning more towards the former.

    When did I call anyone names? You're the one being condescending, saying that if I don't agree with you I don't like thinking hard, should go back to playing halo and should not take part?
    Not a great way to get your point across.

    Before the highlighted sentences I did agree with some of what you were saying. But overreacting doesn't help your case, which I think you are doing in regard to this statue, it just makes it look like you have a chip on your shoulder because you're gay.


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    #107
    Zillah
    Registered Users Posts: 17,371 ✭✭✭✭Zillah


    Why do you think I'm addressing you? :confused:

    EDIT: Oh, well, I did quote you at the start of that. That last paragraph was more directed at this sort of thing:
    ShadowHearth wrote: »
    Sexism in middle east, now thats a PROBLEM! We dont talk about this, but hey, some stupid statue? RIGHT! ARM YOURSELF! TO THE RESCUE MORALITY POLICE!


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    #108
    Potential-Monke
    Registered Users Posts: 13,834 ✭✭✭✭Potential-Monke


    Right, explained the game and showed the bust to 8 female colleagues last night. None of them got any sexual or misogynistic undertones. None. Granted, 8 is not a wide target, but still.


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    #109
    hypersquirrel
    Registered Users Posts: 227 ✭✭hypersquirrel


    Potential-Monke wrote: »
    Right, explained the game and showed the bust to 8 female colleagues last night. None of them got any sexual or misogynistic undertones. None. Granted, 8 is not a wide target, but still.

    As a female gamer myself I don't see the problem. I think it's tacky and wouldn't bother getting it but I would actually commend them for doing a proper collector's edition rather then a steelbook with a bunch of pointless DLC.


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    #110
    Potential-Monke
    Registered Users Posts: 13,834 ✭✭✭✭Potential-Monke


    hypersquirrel wrote: »
    As a female gamer myself I don't see the problem. I think it's tacky and wouldn't bother getting it but I would actually commend them for doing a proper collector's edition rather then a steelbook with a bunch of pointless DLC.

    Single? :P

    Couldn't help myself, sorry!


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    #111
    ShadowHearth
    Registered Users Posts: 22,929 ✭✭✭✭ShadowHearth


    hypersquirrel wrote: »
    As a female gamer myself I don't see the problem. I think it's tacky and wouldn't bother getting it but I would actually commend them for doing a proper collector's edition rather then a steelbook with a bunch of pointless DLC.

    I plan to do that at work too. I am really interested to hear opinion of non gaming females in wide range of age.

    So far it looks like Male population is roaring how sexist it is to females, then females themselfs. In fact i dont hear females roar about it at all.
    What is more sexist in my books, is that some males telling what is sexist to females, like it is happening in this thread. "look at this woman, this should be sexist and insulting to you!"
    Zillah wrote: »
    People sometimes take a rather laughable position that because we're talking about something we're angry or getting carried away with it. Ehhh, it's a discussion forum, you don't want to discuss this topic then there are plenty of others. Like it or not but people take their queue from how people are portrayed in popular culture. I was joking about the indoctrination thing, but then again, whether your girlfriend realises it or not, this statue and things like it are doing her a disservice.

    the amount of "high horseism" in this thread is actually goes out of proportion, even for boards.ie.


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    #112
    ShooterSF
    Registered Users Posts: 8,824 ✭✭✭ShooterSF


    Zillah wrote: »
    Even when they get to be the hero they're portrayed as impossibly hot creatures whose main presence on screen is designed to please a male audience. Women grow up being shown that their ideal self is a gorgeous object with little autonomy. Again, there are exceptions, but that is the trend.

    Just on that point I don't see many games where the protagonist is male, where he's also not some kind of idealised male that you could say is to please the female market, tough, chiselled, brave, smart male leads tend to outnumber fat, shy slobs. But we say that's a fantasy setting for men. It's only that most gamers are male that we take those perspectives. If a majority of gamers were women the points would swap imo.


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    #113
    Reekwind
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,126 ✭✭✭Reekwind


    ShooterSF wrote: »
    Just on that point I don't see many games where the protagonist is male, where he's also not some kind of idealised male that you could say is to please the female market...
    Male protagonists are not designed to "please the female market". Quite the opposite: those "tough, chiselled, brave, smart male leads" pander to a male power fantasy, one in which the player is a "tough, chiselled, brave, smart" man

    Which of course there's nothing inherently wrong with (even if it becomes boring after a while). The problem occurs when female gamers are denied such representations, with female characters reduced to sexual objects (literally so in the case at hand) or passive princesses to be rescued
    ShadowHearth wrote:
    So far it looks like Male population is roaring how sexist it is to females, then females themselfs. In fact i dont hear females roar about it at all
    Yeah, I'm sure that you've got your finger on the pulse of female gaming circles :rolleyes:


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    #114
    ShadowHearth
    Registered Users Posts: 22,929 ✭✭✭✭ShadowHearth


    And you do have finger on pulse?


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    #115
    ShooterSF
    Registered Users Posts: 8,824 ✭✭✭ShooterSF


    Reekwind wrote: »
    Male protagonists are not designed to "please the female market". Quite the opposite: those "tough, chiselled, brave, smart male leads" pander to a male power fantasy, one in which the player is a "tough, chiselled, brave, smart" man

    Which of course there's nothing inherently wrong with (even if it becomes boring after a while). The problem occurs when female gamers are denied such representations, with female characters reduced to sexual objects (literally so in the case at hand) or passive princesses to be rescued

    Well let me re-phrase my point, what would you have to change about most lead male characters to make them solely to please the female market?


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    #116
    calex71
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,126 ✭✭✭✭calex71


    I don't know about the rest of you but I play games because they are not real life and to be entertained and am of a sound enough mind to separate fact and fiction, and realise that how a male/female gay/straight black/white person is portrayed in a media is not representative of the real world nor does it make me view them differently in the real world because of a stereotypical portrayal of them in a film/game.

    At the end of the day if you don't like it don't play it, if you are not entertained by it don't play it, there is no stereotypical female market when it comes to games, unless they are under 12 .... there is a small one but most girls I know who play games play what the boys play for the same reasons the boys play, if you were in the industry launching a product that appealed to the biggest demographic it would be aimed at men between 15-30, if you wanted a female audience you would make eastenders or something .... stereotypically speaking of course.


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    #117
    hooradiation
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,922 ✭✭✭hooradiation


    calex71 wrote: »
    if you wanted a female audience you would make eastenders or something .... stereotypically speaking of course.

    And people wonder why it is, exactly, that the games industry has such a hard time attracting and holding women.

    It's such a mystery......


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    #118
    danthefan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,770 ✭✭✭danthefan


    hypersquirrel wrote: »
    As a female gamer myself I don't see the problem. I think it's tacky and wouldn't bother getting it but I would actually commend them for doing a proper collector's edition rather then a steelbook with a bunch of pointless DLC.

    That would be my (male) view on it, there is absolutely not a chance in hell I'd buy it because it looks **** really but all this misogyny talk is way over the top.


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    #119
    Potential-Monke
    Registered Users Posts: 13,834 ✭✭✭✭Potential-Monke


    hooradiation wrote: »
    And people wonder why it is, exactly, that the games industry has such a hard time attracting and holding women.

    It's such a mystery......

    Because gamers are the only group in society that make stereotypical comments?


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    #120
    pixelburp
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 35,941 CMod ✭✭✭✭pixelburp


    Potential-Monke wrote: »
    Because gamers are the only group in society that make stereotypical comments?

    Gamers seem to have more trouble than most accepting that their hobby is pretty male-oriented (and a specific agegroup / demographic at that), and at times it's about as inclusive as a copy of Nuts magazine.


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    #121
    johnny_ultimate
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 29,147 CMod ✭✭✭✭johnny_ultimate


    The whole inclusiveness argument goes well beyond this statue, TBH. As far as diversity goes, gaming is depressingly backwards. A vocal minority ensure anyone but straight males are unwelcome on Xbox Live. Female gamers still face prejudice and condescension in many respects, some illustrated in this thread (Potential-Monke's 'are you single' comment really made me cringe, I have to say, in jest or not). Game developers repeatedly fail to have protagonists or heroes who don't conform to certain 'types' - apart from Commander Shepard, has there ever been a gay character in a game that wasn't an exaggerated stereotype? Even Bioware / EA - who are by far the most forward-thinking studio / developer in that regard - made the foolish faux pas that they would be at least temporarily restricting same-sex relationships in the Old Republic to a single planet rather than integrating it into the full game. That's solving the wrong problem. Characters from different cultures or nations, meanwhile, are also extremely thin on the ground, especially as anything more than stereotyped support characters, if not actually vilified.

    Game development remains male-dominated, and female developers recently spoke out about the inequality and sexism they still face (although at least also spoke up about why games still interest them). How many high-profile female developers are there, after all? A handful. I don't even need to go into the horrific abuse faced by the woman who had the cheek to start a kickstarter campaign looking into these issues. And while there are undeniably a collection of well-developed female characters in games, they are no doubt a significant minority (although completely agree that male characters are more often than not hugely exaggerated too - after all, the Unreal Engines actively encourage characters of absurd bodymasses ;)).

    I'm not at all saying these aren't symptoms of society-wide issues, and other mediums undoubtedly share the same problems, Hollywood cinema particularly. And the development of an indie scene and general efforts at inclusiveness by companies such as Nintendo are ensuring things are improving in some respects. But I know as a gamer I'd love to see different voices, more efforts at diversifying games and gamers / the industry being more welcoming towards people of all persuasions. I simply think it would make our hobby better and more interesting for everyone.


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