![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Not yet bewitched by The Witcher
Nov. 6th, 2013 05:25 pmHalf an hour into playing the Witcher, all I can think about is how much I want to take this woman aside for a few words. ( Cut for non-spoilery image )
Also, while googling (in vain) for a mod that would get this woman into some actual clothes, I found gamers heaping derision on people who "want a medieval setting" and then complain about misogyny. In these guys' minds, misogyny belongs in fantasy video games, because realism.*
Dear historically clueless gamers, this will come as a terrible shock, but none of these games feature a medieval setting. These are fantasy settings, as you can tell by the presence of monsters, magic, gods, demons, dragons, and assorted other absurdly unrealistic elements. The presence of castles and a bunch of dudes in armor swinging around swords does not make a setting medieval. It makes it a fantasy setting with a frosting of pseudo-medieval romanticism.
When building a fantasy setting with a vague, romantic medieval ambience, there is no realism to be preserved. If misogyny exists in a fictional setting, it is there by someone's choice.
* Note that nobody seems to be complaining about the lack of realistic elements like bad teeth, dirty hair, women wearing clothes, women wearing actual medieval clothes, vermin, excrements in the streets, and other such things. Odd.
Also, while googling (in vain) for a mod that would get this woman into some actual clothes, I found gamers heaping derision on people who "want a medieval setting" and then complain about misogyny. In these guys' minds, misogyny belongs in fantasy video games, because realism.*
Dear historically clueless gamers, this will come as a terrible shock, but none of these games feature a medieval setting. These are fantasy settings, as you can tell by the presence of monsters, magic, gods, demons, dragons, and assorted other absurdly unrealistic elements. The presence of castles and a bunch of dudes in armor swinging around swords does not make a setting medieval. It makes it a fantasy setting with a frosting of pseudo-medieval romanticism.
When building a fantasy setting with a vague, romantic medieval ambience, there is no realism to be preserved. If misogyny exists in a fictional setting, it is there by someone's choice.
* Note that nobody seems to be complaining about the lack of realistic elements like bad teeth, dirty hair, women wearing clothes, women wearing actual medieval clothes, vermin, excrements in the streets, and other such things. Odd.
