Bikini Armor

It's not a new question. It's an old one. It seems like a dead certain matter, but people argue about it still. Or maybe it isn't a dead certain matter... oh well...

It is the question related to women, It is related to hot chicks.

It is the question about hot warrior chicks in bikini armor.

...and my mind races back to the few GUYS who said how they hate women portrayed as such. Hyprocrites of Fags, these people I think. The former being that they're just trying to sound 'noble' and deny their own thoughts, and the latter.... well, I don't really need to explain about the latter now, do I?

And as for women who object to this... well, I'm not asking *you* personally to strip down to a bikini, i just simply would like to state, in general, that I like such things. Choice preference.

I recently played a few RPGs, new ones, and to those who know me would know my partialness to making a hot chick character for single player purposes. The idea being that I'd rather see a hot chick walking around, bouncing here and there than some supposedly alter ego of myself, when playing alone. Anyhow some games make incidentally sexy outfits for women, or those that still is considered more or less practical. Mass Effect for example has body armor that covers the chick neck to toe, but it's so body hugging, that it isn't too hard to picture her naked. (on the 'up' side, you actually can get to see your female character naked in the game but thats another thing).

Few actually give modest outfits for women. Fallout 3 for example has several "practical" outfits that does seem little concerned about sexiness (not that the game has none at all). But I'm sure some girls are all reliefed that their avatars can now be not portrayed a sex object. Hurray to you then.

Then there's those that throw most of the practicality out the window and go primarily to make chicks that make you drool. You can see she's a warrior, but you can't help but stare as she decapitate you. Case in point, the Sacred series' Seraphim character. Armored bra, panties with utililty belts and... high heeled combat boots???

I would firstly like to clarify that I am not one of those that brought this matter up to condemn it like so many "that's not proper combat attire" -shouting forumites. In fact, I dare admit I like things that are pleasing to my eyes, and I like sexy women. Even if it does seem impractical for her to be so.

What interests me is that so many people who cry against these are guys, and so many that try defending it seemed... consciously trying not to admit that they liked the sight of a scantily clad babe swingong big swords around. They would try point out facts and examples instead. The 'haters' would of course go for the obvious; in that there's little protection able to be provided by such scanty outfits, and how many vitals are left exposed to injury. Those who stand against them would of course use the argument that the lack of heavy armor enables a more agile and dexterous combatant to totally avoid injury in the first place.

For the former, I have this to say. History has pointed out that people have fought naked before, and how heavy armor has in certain conditions jeapordized, rather than protect their wearer. I think there are times or places or conditions where the lighter dressed troops have superior advantage over their over-encumbered heavily armored foes. Case in point the decimation of Legions in Parthia to hit and run ranged attackers. To say that combatants must be properly covered is therefore not universally true, and if minimal attire can be said feasible, what's to stop it from being designed as..."fashionably appealing?"

That does not mean I support the latter argument fully though. It is worth noting that several nuances of the sexy chick-warrior outfit serves little practical use, like the stiletto combat boots for example. And while minimal armoring can be of use, and even made trendy, let us not forget that even against the environment do we need some protection, like against cold or harsh weather. I don't think therefore that it is entirely proper for a chick to fight in nothing but bra and panties through a forest area for example. While the area does provide good cover that makes full armor superfluous, she would thus be more likely to catch cold.

And they did make such a thing, I recall, in a little game on the Sega Megadrive platform, called Golden Axe. Oh she was hot, no doubt, but she would me more likely to fit in a bikini contest than in battle. And how she survives travelling highlands and even flying into clouds with minimal warm clothing is anyone's guess. Fortunately, in the latest remake of that series, the hot chick has been redesigned to something more closer to practical than before, though still about just as sexy. And from blonde, she's now a red head.... hmm... nice.

The whole thing therefore I think it's not really about balance, but rather fusion. Balance implies that to gain more sexy appeal, bits of practicality should be sacrificed and vice versa. But I believe that a good design would be one that does not eschew practicality that much but still tries to exhibit great appeal to the audiences.

To end it all, I would like to address any who might ask that in terms of these warrior women, why bother at all with the appeal? Why do these women need to be pretty or sexy or gorgeous? The answer is simply, they don't need to. It is never a compulsory rule. It is however a matter of preference. If you love practicality or like attires that is borderline... amish, then go for it. But I feel that women should be pretty. I once wrote that a beautiful woman is among the greatest of God's creation, and whatever form of gorgeous women that I like to see, that is simply a matter of my preference, which I have a right to, and which I want regardless.

And i hope I can't be sued for that. :P

Cheers.


-edit November 14, 2009, additional findings to share.

As I might have implied or mentioned, I love playing Sacred games, despite the bugs and some design flaws, because of the simple, action oriented gameplay, large open map to explore, graphics that are bright but still gorgeous (for Sacred 2) and I can ride wicked cool mounts. And it has sexy females that I like.

I went to the forums looking for any character build tips, among the things i find are comments regarding the Seraphim;

User Ecchi said this, "And what we left in the end is Seraphim.She has good looks (if you don't mind slutty ,well I don't XD) ,she has tones of useful skills and I played her in sacred 1 so that's what I play now.."

I used to mind, but I don't think slutty is too much a hindrance for me anymore. I think acting slutty is ok to a point... don't over do it:P

This guy Aropax was straight and honest saying "I chose her for her slutty looks;..."

Fcera stated, "the male movement animations could use some work, but look at sacred1, the guys were pretty terribly animated in it as well. i think it has more to do with the designers than anything else, they seem to put more effort into the female models."

That's starting to sound like something of a developer studio that would be lead by.... me:D

Also, Fcera included, "they have 3 different female model types to appeal to different people:tall and skinny = high elf, short and stocky = dryad, barbie doll = seraphim". I don't know really. I like tall (but not taller) but skinny means lacking curves, and I like curves. Short and stocky sounds so not my thing. I suppose if barbie doll s the best balanced choice, then so be it. I do mind the term barbie doll...but oh heck, she looks nice :D

Lastly, user FreeBird had this to say, "Seraphim: Decent skills, and a lot more interesting than I thought. Her special mount looks good, but she can only play nice. I prefer naughty girls. I mean bad girls. Still, the lack of a dark side doesn't matter much as she kicks as much butt as everyone else, and I don't think her enemies count her as good anyway"

Now you can probably guess... that is what I like.... hmmmm :D Bad girls are nice.