Where is FFXIV headed in terms of sexism?

[Abriael]

I think that, as usual, some get WAY bent out of shape about this.

Final Fantasy XIV willl never, ever be as bad as Tera (or 90% of korean MMORPG), and the funniest thing is that Tera is probably the MMO with the largest percentage of actually female players I've seen in a long while.

I'm not concerned at all, as the show of male and female skin is pretty much even (so the term "sexism" is absolutely inappropriate here). Don't want to be "objectified" (love how this term gets abused)? All you have to do is not to wear that gear. The game has and looks like will have a very wide variety of looks.

The game needs to appease a variety of audiences to be successful, and sex sells. Note that I used the term "sex", and not "sexism", because that's what it really is. Sexism is something way different than that.

Some like skimpy, and there's no reason at all why they shouldn't be given the option.

[Laiferr]

I think that, as usual, some get WAY bent out of shape about this.

Final Fantasy XIV willl never, ever be as bad as Tera (or 90% of korean MMORPG), and the funniest thing is that Tera is probably the MMO with the largest percentage of actually female players I've seen in a long while.

I'm not concerned at all, as the show of male and female skin is pretty much even. Don't want to be "objectified" (love how this term gets abused)? All you have to do is not to wear that gear. The game has and looks like we'll have a very wide variety of looks.

Some like skimpy, and there's no reason at all why they shouldn't be given the option.

Again this isn't a discussion just about gear and wearing or not wearing gear, it's about the entire attitude. Also, as stated, I have no problem with having the option. By the sounds of it, vanity slots should alleviate most of this issue

[Abriael]

Again this isn't a discussion just about gear and wearing or not wearing gear, it's about the entire attitude. Also, as stated, I have no problem with having the option. By the sounds of it, vanity slots should alleviate most of this issue

What entire attitude? The attitude of having a developer crack a joke while answering a question to lighten the mood?

Not sure what part of the development industry you followed so far, but I tend to remember from my (fairly substantial) experience that being lighthearted is considered a good thing when talking to the fanbase. And if you think something like this is serious, 90% of the gaming industry (including several females that TOTALLY use their femininity to their advantage) will make you pull your hair out.

If you have no problem with having the option, then I'm not sure where the OP wall'o'text came from, considering that it's very clear, from everything we saw so far, that skimpy clothing is just an option, for both genders.

By the way, yes, there are ladies working on the game. While i'm not sure of their numbers.

[Laiferr]

What entire attitude? The attitude of having a developer crack a joke while answering a question to lighten the mood?

Not sure what part of the development industry you followed so far, but I tend to remember from my (fairly substantial) experience that being lighthearted is considered a good thing when talking to the fanbase. And if you think something like this is serious, 90% of the gaming industry (including several females that TOTALLY use their femininity to their advantage) will make you pull your hair out.

If you have no problem with having the option, then I'm not sure where the OP wall'o'text came from, considering that it's very clear, from everything we saw so far, that skimpy clothing is just an option, for both genders.

By the way, yes, there are ladies working on the game. While i'm not sure of their numbers.

I can appreciate maybe it's funny for you, it's not very funny for me, but obviously there are reasons for that I've already outlined on the last page. I don't think saying 'oh well the gaming industry is like that' makes it ok. Should we just not be concerned by things because a lot of people happen to think they're ok? I am concerned by the male dominance in the gaming industry, and I don't think it's ok. That's off on a tangent a bit, though. The OP outlines where my concern (not problem) lies, and outlines some areas where it seems male avatars are not viewed in the same way as female/females seem to be becoming sexualised (and again, no, not just gear). As I already said I don't have a big issue with how things are right now, but a concern for how far it might go. Again, for the record, not a huge deal, just wondering if anyone else is getting a bit pensive over it.

[Abriael]

I can appreciate maybe it's funny for you, it's not very funny for me, but obviously there are reasons for that I've already outlined on the last page. I don't think saying 'oh well the gaming industry is like that' makes it ok. Should we just not be concerned by things because a lot of people happen to think they're ok? I am concerned by the male dominance in the gaming industry, and I don't think it's ok. That's off on a tangent a bit, though. The OP outlines where my concern (not problem) lies, and outlines some areas where it seems male avatars are not viewed in the same way as female/females seem to be becoming sexualised (and again, no, not just gear). As I already said I don't have a big issue with how things are right now, but a concern for how far it might go. Again, for the record, not a huge deal, just wondering if anyone else is getting a bit pensive over it.

For something that's not a huge deal, you sure wrote a huge post Don't get me wrong. Sexism in the gaming industry (or in every industry) IS a problem. But it's not here.

That extremely mild joke was in response to a direct question, and, as I said, it's nothing compared to what you'll see elsewhere. I've heard a ton of ladies do much, much worse themselves.

Mind you, the male dominance in the gaming industry comes mostly from the fact that mostly males try to get into it. I'm sure I'll unleash an hurricane on myself by saying this, but according to every bit of experience I gathered in fifteen years as a game writer, ladies that are determined to "make it" in basically every sector of the game industry normally manage to do so easier than males (mind you, this may be interpreted as sexism as well, depending on how you look at it). I'm not saying that they don't deserve it (far from it, as 99% of ladies I worked with or around have always been competent), so don't get your underwear in a bunch, but in this kind of field, being a lady most often helps more than it hurts.

But I digress...

[Ryuko]

Mind you, the male dominance in the gaming industry comes mostly from the fact that mostly males try to get into it.

I'll agree on this point, but I'm not touching what you said after that with a ten foot pole.

When I was considering doing video game art design, I went for an open house. I was literally the only female there. THE ONLY FEMALE THERE. Granted, this was seven years ago when I was first applying to colleges. Trends could be steadily changing.