Men and women have different physiology and therefore are more suited towards different tasks similar to different types of ants in a colony. Thus, sex/gender locked classes is a better representation of the order found in nature: that form and function are related. When seen from this perspective, gender locking makes the game more immersive because it demonstrates that there is a natural order in that world and that the forms represented are not merely superficial costumes. However, since it is a fantasy world, the function of the form does not necessarily have to follow that of our world. But, because a relationship between form and function is represented, the player choice becomes more significant. We unconsciously pickup on the relationship and the choice holds more weight psychologically. This adds to the player investment in the world. For an RP experience, it is a superior design choice.
If you compare eastern cinema to the west, they had women in warrior roles way before the west. While women in western movies were in need of saving, in the eastern movies women were the tough protagonist saving others.
I haven't seen all movies obviously, and I can't recall all of them. But even in Terminator (1984), Sarah O'Conner character was still the same stereotype, and it wasn't until Terminator II (1991) that she became the badass she was.
In the 70s and the 80s, eastern studios, the biggest one being Golden Harvest from Hong Kong, actually did scout US, UK, and Australia for female martial artists to star in their movies, and those women got their fame first in Hong Kong movies because they didn't had many opportunities in their own country.
Hong Kong cinema, with the long and strong history of producing action movies, became the cultural force that all other Asian countries followed. Even Japan, which already had an extremely rich cinema, started introducing female leads and female warriors in their movies, anime, and manga following that change. After martial arts movies, came war movies, crime movies, samurai movies, and so on. South Korea too followed the same trend, but was just got into the game and the fame later on, mostly in 2000s.
A western version of such movies is Kill Bill (2003), I know there have been other action movies with female protagonist, like Point of No Return (1993), but Kill Bill is the movie that really changed the game in the west. First famous (not first one) eastern one is Come Drink With Me (1966).
So while sexism does exist in the east, and Korea has like one of the highest in the world, but their art (whether cinema or video-games) is progressive and has been the pinnacle of change since the early 2000s. Of course there is a lot of room for improvement, but I think they are doing rather well overall.
I know I did a lot of references from the cinema, and not from video games. But they have always been rather close, both in the west and in the east. In my opinion, Japanese games have always been more inclusive. If count the hit games with a female protagonist which also became a series, Japanese ones outnumber the US, Canada, UK, France, combined. I mean when Assassin's Creed let players choose their gender everyone thought a revolution had happened in the gaming industry and that was in 2015!
Game development in Korea follows their gaming culture. That's why there aren't that many Korean single-player games, but a lot of multiplayer and MMORPG games. They are REALLY into group play. I mean when I was there Starcraft had like the same cultural influence as Seinfeld, Sopranos, or Game of Thrones had in the west. Multiplayer competitive games are a major social activity in Korea. It is like Chess in Soviet Union.
Now this post isn't really aimed at anyone, I'm just replying to yours with some of my thoughts.
Of course, I am talking about the norm, not the exception.
Kill Bill didn't start anything, Xena, Warrior Princess (1995) was the original female bad ass on US TV.
Oh yes, she could also kick high.
Used to tell the wife I watched it for "the stories."
I was always more of a Gabrielle person...
This was a much more entertaining show than it's male sibling companion Hercules...
Not that I watched either all that often, but if I had to pick one...
Post edited by Slapshot1188 on
All time classic MY NEW FAVORITE POST! (Keep laying those bricks)
"I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator
Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017.
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Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Interesting a New Zealand program captivated this much (Xena Princess Warrior.) I'm from New Zealand so this tickles me pink & my references to bad ass date back to Wonder Woman & Bionic Woman but more iconic to me were Trinity (Matrix) Dana Scully (Xfiles) & Leeloo (5th Element.)
Bad assery was a vibe found often in musicians also too many to name. My love for Asian film started in the 70's growing up with a Bruce Lee obsessed brother but it wouldn't be until the early 2000's & Memoirs of a Geisha that I became hooked & love every Zhang Ziyi, Michelle Yeoh & Grace Park movie. Since the pandemic Korean pop & film have also climbed to the top of my preferences based on being BA.
Now that I took that massive trip down memory lane, what were we talking about?
Comments
This was a much more entertaining show than it's male sibling companion Hercules...
Not that I watched either all that often, but if I had to pick one...
All time classic MY NEW FAVORITE POST! (Keep laying those bricks)
"I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator
Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017.
Coined the phrase "Role-Playing a Development Team" January 2018
"Oddly Slap is the main reason I stay in these forums." - Mystichaze April 9th 2018
Not everyone enjoys forum PVP so taking a break makes sense, but deleting your account?
Just an overly dramatic way of telling the world they are taking their toys and going home.
Good bye Eric.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Lest we forget, Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman, (1976) no armor but...oh that outfit..
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Bad assery was a vibe found often in musicians also too many to name. My love for Asian film started in the 70's growing up with a Bruce Lee obsessed brother but it wouldn't be until the early 2000's & Memoirs of a Geisha that I became hooked & love every Zhang Ziyi, Michelle Yeoh & Grace Park movie. Since the pandemic Korean pop & film have also climbed to the top of my preferences based on being BA.
Now that I took that massive trip down memory lane, what were we talking about?