I've played the last TERA beta weekend. I was happy with the combat system and the stunning graphics, but I want to ask here a more specific question.

I think we all here agree that TERA has a pretty impressive graphics. What intrigued me more was the fine details and gorgeous look the characters have, expecially female chars (probably because I'm male, couldn't say). Maybe someone could argue they exagerated a bit: this is supposed to be a fantasy setting mmorpg, and you find yourself in the middle of a night club party... 

Note, I'm not complaining: I still think (my personal taste) that it's fine with the setting. Sort of an advanced (and maybe a bit decadent) society, where all are beautiful and sophisticated.

Nevertheless it rised a question: what are the feeling about such female chars for female players? Do you find those gorgeous female characters pleasant and good-looking or maybe they feel a bit sexist, too much sexy and evidently male-attracting?

Thanks in advance for any consideration

 

 

Ok, so all in all they liked the graphics feeling. I'ld like to understand if TERA's authors did well with theirs artworks or missed the point and got a disturbing effect. I thought this because you have to admit the female characters are quite explicit.

I have a lvl 28 Warior now on Basilisk Crag (named Mmofo) after much equivocating on what Race/Class to play and deleting Elin Lancer, Castanic Lancer, Human Lancer, etc. Basically I have tried every race Lancer, Warrior and a couple other classes.

I always ask my wife's opinion on my toons, and she has the following observation -

Female Characters in TERA

My wife thinks they are cool.

But they are a bit pervy.

There are only a couple "non-perve" female characters - Elin, Aman and the humans.

My wife wanted me to choose the "doll" race, Elin. She did not like the Aman, and I did not like the human (too stiff of animations).

I ended up choosing the "skanky demon" race Castanic instead though, because they jsut seem to be the most feral of the races. I did not choose a plate wearing class and get the full on tiny bikini thing going.

But all in all, my wife thinks they are cool.

Originally posted by Think01

Ok, so all in all they liked the graphics feeling. I'ld like to understand if TERA's authors did well with they artwork or missed the point and got a disturbing effect. I thought this because you have to admit the female characters are quite explicit.

undefined

As far as I'm concerned, all of the anime, high heels, low-cut skirts crap misses the mark.

But apparently anime-porn in MMOs is where it's at these days. Pathetic.

Originally posted by baritone3k

 

There are only a couple "non-perve" female characters - Elin, Aman and the humans.

Well lot of posters on this board think that Elin are the quintessence of perversion.

It's nice to see someone who doesn't automatically thinks the worst of them.

MMO worlds have a very "uniquish" gravity.

within those worlds it is physically impossible that breasts are influenced by gravity, unless it's for bouncing reasons.

therefor all boobs turn into megaboobs!

ps: shocking news, yes, i am male :>

Don't.

Get.

Me.

Started.

Originally posted by baritone3k

I ended up choosing the "skanky demon" race Castanic instead though, because they jsut seem to be the most feral of the races. I did not choose a plate wearing class and get the full on tiny bikini thing going.

But all in all, my wife thinks they are cool.

So she didn't actually play, you played with a female char? And which class did you use? Talking about bikini, maybe the sorcerer or the mystic?

 

 

Originally posted by Suzie_Ford

Don't.

Get.

Me.

Started.

*encourages*

I'm male so my opinion doesn't apply to your question, but I find that the level of acceptance for the sexualization of 8 year olds to be disturbing.

Originally posted by Suzie_Ford

Don't.

Get.

Me.

Started.

you could have taken those words straight from my own brain. Otherwise I am saying nothing in this thread. I think I already stated my opinion about this elsewhere. It felt good to say it too!

Originally posted by Think01

Ok, so all in all they liked the graphics feeling. I'ld like to understand if TERA's authors did well with they artwork or missed the point and got a disturbing effect. I thought this because you have to admit the female characters are quite explicit.

undefined

Let's call it what it is - pandering to a degree. The main action gaming demo is male. So the guys are supertough andt he girls are supehot. They also allow for the more female desire oriented males too: the Chris Helmsworth male human, the Brad Pitt male Castanic and the Orlanda Bloom male High Elf.

BUT - it is not a porn game by any means.

Aside from pandering -

People often want to be cute, powerful or sexy in their fantasy. Even Sam in GOT ends up getting in shape ultimately :).

So they give a wide array of options. Cute, animal based toons, Powerful dragon based toons, smexy humanoid toons and idealized though more modest actual human toons.

The Elin debate is an interesting one in that the Toddlers and Tiaras aspect is pretty offputing to many, and the Castanic lend themselves to porn, but nothing outright offensive is going on. And there is a broad array.

Here is the crazy part, that it still takes a minute to understand - the South Korean GOVERNMENT was involved in the funding of this game. How much cooler is that government when it comes to gaming than in the US or elsewhere. And by "cooler", I mean "cooler but  WTF?".

Originally posted by Suzie_Ford

Don't.

Get.

Me.

Started.

Heh... I think most of the female gamers (my gf included) absolute loathe this game.

TERA is receiving quite some bad press regarding this.... it's also receiving a lot of heat regarding the female child race.

Aion also received a lot of hate back then, but TERA is far worse.

Perhaps they'll have a Chippendale class for the first expansion.

Don't laugh, it could happen! 

What happened to games man, it's so pathetic.

Originally posted by Suzie_Ford

Don't.

Get.

Me.

Started.

Er... excuse me but I don't understand your mood (I'm not english native).

Originally posted by colddog04

I'm male so my opinion doesn't apply to your question, but I find that the level of acceptance for the sexualization of 8 year olds to be disturbing.

8 years old? Do you mean the Elin race?

Originally posted by JeroKane

Originally posted by Suzie_Ford

Don't.

Get.

Me.

Started.

Heh... I think most of the female gamers (my gf included) absolute loathe this game.

TERA is receiving quite some bad press regarding this.... it's also receiving a lot of heat regarding the female child race.

Aion also received a lot of hate back then, but TERA is far worse.

And yet, in my guild we probably have more female players than most out there, and none of them seem to hacked off by the female avatars. I've met a few playing Elin, and a number playing the "less dressed" races like Elves and whatever, and manage to deal just fine with it.

Your GF must just be weird.

Originally posted by Think01

Originally posted by colddog04

I'm male so my opinion doesn't apply to your question, but I find that the level of acceptance for the sexualization of 8 year olds to be disturbing.

8 years old? Do you mean the Elin race?

Yes. They are visually around 8 years old.

Look at the Playboy bunny version of a child in the first post on this forum:

http://tera-forums.enmasse.com/forums/valley-of-titans/topics/Post-a-Screenshot-of-your-Official-Character?page=3

You can look through the rest of that thread and google up some pretty racy stuff.

Originally posted by Think01

Originally posted by baritone3k

I ended up choosing the "skanky demon" race Castanic instead though, because they jsut seem to be the most feral of the races. I did not choose a plate wearing class and get the full on tiny bikini thing going.

But all in all, my wife thinks they are cool.

So she didn't actually play, you played with a female char? And which class did you use? Talking about bikini, maybe the sorcerer or the mystic?

 

 

She went through every aspect of creating the characters with me, which included different faces and hair and the preview outfits. The bikini I am taking about is how the Humana, Castanic and High Elf end up looking (though to an extreme on the Castanic) in the 4th armor option. As coo as that looked, I wanted to play Warrior and ended up with the leather which is more subdued than the metal bikini.

I am playing a Warrior.

I have an Elin Lancer to 9 on a PVE server. The Elin get frilly, nonsuggestive armor at high levels - unlike the other plate wearers.

Though I have to admit, as against being "normal" in a fantasy game and therefore having a bias against playing as a Human, I am drawn to how nice the humans look in plate armor.

The reason I did not choose Castanic for the Lancer and get the superho armor is not because I am shy - it is jus that I thought the Castanic looked silly as a Lancer. They are so frail. If i am going to play that card, I like to go to the extreme and play as the smallest toon - the Elin (I have Gobin toons in WoW). I think it is funny to be so small and yet take all the damage blocking. Also, Elin have the best maneuverability. So lining up the groups of adds is easiest with them.

Still debating the Lancer though. That or the Berserker are my next class. Castanic if I go Berserker. Human, Elin or a small, small, small chance I go Castanic for the Lancer. But again, the Castanic Lancer just doesn't look/feel right to me.