E3 2005 Booth Babes

My opinion is a tad bit split. First, I like the idea of models acting as game characters, whichever gender it is. Posing to photos... well, like celebrity photos: who wouldn't like one? I mean, at least with one's favourite actor or writer or whomever. So when it's kept decent, it's all right and even nice.

As for girls who don't keep it decent... okay, girls are supposed to be beautiful and all, but that stuff reeks with sex. Arousing people sexually for monetary gain is a form of prostitution. It's also cheating for anyone who's in a relationship. Not like it's all right for single people, but anyway. You get the point.

Not only the models bear the blame -- most likely they don't think they're being bad girls -- except maybe those who pose to thong butt close-ups and close cleavage close-ups. So: photographers are to blame. Those guys' attitude sucks. They don't deserve a woman. Guys who hire them have a sucky attitude, as well. They should one day see their daughters in that position -- this would show them. Finally, guys who have girlfriends or wives but still drool over booth babes and get out of their skins to touch one, they don't deserve a woman. Especially if they take photos in which they are touching booth babes in questionable ways. That sucks. They deserve a slap across the kisser and a solid kick in the ass from their girlfriend's brother.

If I were a girl, I would understand a boyfriend getting a photo with Lara or Jaheira, whoever plays them, because it's his favourite character and all. But when a guy who is in a relationship starts drooling over a random booth babe who isn't playing anyone and gets a photo with his hand around her chest? That's wrong. Those guys will probably never grow up.

 

Well, I don't really know what to say about it. I don't much care for it -- and am not sure what the purpose is (other to take a few sleazy photos and post them). I mean, I always thought people went to these conventions to see what's new and up and coming. This is nothing but sleaze and it would probably stop me from going there. I wonder how many female gamers do go to these conventions and have to be faced with this crap?

And you're right chev -- it's one thing to dress like that -- it's another thing to pose for pictures like what we've seen. 2 very different things.

[ May 20, 2005, 22:38: Message edited by: Spellbound ]

 

I found some of the photos very sleazy but that was the photographer. Where there were women dressed in 'fantasy costumes' I found them silly.

All these photos did was reinforce my idea that game developers/publishers don't take women seriously except as sex objects.

 

I really don't see why it's necessary at a game expo - surely if you wanted to see scantilly clad women you would go to a strip show or nightclub or something. It kinda takes away from the purpose of having such an expo.

 

If you need booth babes to sell your games, your games must suck very much indeed! This is about on par with the annual Sex Expos! In fact replace "Activision" with "Vivid" and you wouldn't know it was a games convention.

 

You make my heart grow, as I listen to you...

 

Tal, what did you mean with 'some pictures are gross'?

 

This stuff can really piss me off. Not because I take an especially moralistic stance (girls wanna get paid for wearing hotpants? Good luck to 'em.) but because it contributes to the stereotype of gamers as single, geeky males. As a single, geeky male gamer, I would really like to see more single, geeky females involved in the hobby. For some reason (I wonder what that would be? ) I can only see this putting women off, as well as reinforcing negative stereotypes of gamers.

@ Tassadar: no, this is way off Sex Expos. I remember taking the tube from Earl's Court when the last "Erotica" was on... there were legions of bondage gear clad ladies on the same platform as schoolkids! If chev'd been there, he'd probably have exploded!

 

And called the police.

 

Aaahhh........That actually pretty much answered my questioned since Chev wrote it. Anyway I'll present the minority for this one. First of all how anyone can see the female body as 'gross' is beyond me. Chev you probably meant that the way in this case the female is pictured is gross, but I guess that's the religion talking again. I cannot see any reason why woman cannot walk about like that on a gameshow, in fact any show for that matter. There is absolutely no harm done in any way and how anyone could see this as even slightly offending in any way is beyond me.

Tal's theory is actually quite a good one considering the appearence of the crowd appearing on E3 and if there are woman who want to make a money by walking around all day, by all means give me one reason why not.

ROFL, I had to laugh so hard about this.......and only because I know how serious you take this

 

Apeman, female body isn't gross. Whole screen butt close-ups are gross, so are whole screen breasts close-ups.

There are reasons why this world is so ****ed up and not taking things like proper conduct or fidelity seriously is one. Lewdness is gross, it sucks and it reduces people to animal level.

 

What's the difference between butts and breasts being shown with close-ups and without close-ups? Sure the intentions of the photographer might be questioned but besides that..........I do not see the problem.

It's interesting to read that you put humans above animals, as we are basically the same, except for a slight difference in intelligence. In fact we according to you are worse because I've never seen an animal taking a close up picture of a 'booth-babe'.

Anyway, I haven't the slightest intention to discuss this with you because of the following two reason:

1) IMO your 'holier than thou' approach to the world has given you even something worse than a biased view.
2) I care little about discussing a subject with someone who, judging from your postcount, has an opinion on *every subject imaginable on these boards*

 

The difference is that one is bad and the other is worse....and yes it goes to intent. As a female -- I don't want to look at it -- whether in picture form or at the convention itself. There ARE women who like to game, but I can't imagine many women being very comfortable in that kind of environment. Those closeups were very pointed -- they were taken for one reason only -- titillation. And you certainly can't deny it objectifies the female body -- regardless of the fact that it's a common practice these days. Many women find it insulting.

Uh, speak for yourself, please. It has been documented by many studies, that apes and chimps have the brains of a 2-3 year old. I'd like to think most of us are a bit beyond that. We have evolved into creatures that hopefully have a sense of appropriate behavior in situations where more is called for than a grunt or two.

 

@Tassador;

actally, Vivid has more class.

On a more general note, I eagerly wait for the day we get scantily-clad, good-looking young men as booth-bunnies as well....

Or something like that.

 

And men as well. There is something, some kind of affiliation that everyone shares with everyone. We are the same species, after all. Kind of one great family, in a certain sense. When I see women treated like that, I am personally offended.

If such objectification is consensual, then someone who objectifies his or her body, also objectifies the spectator's senses somehow. The photograph objectifies both the woman in it and the guys who will be looking at it. What's that butt supposed to do? Make me drool? Eyes do more for more. Or a smile.