So Far to Go Still

I've been pretty happy with Runes of Magic. This game isn't necessarily going to set the MMO world alight with innovation, but it's free(ish) and engaging. All told, I probably average around 10 hours a week of play time. That's been enough to get my Warrior/Priest to level 20/15. My female Warrior/Priest that is.

Why is the gender distinction important? Well good question. Being a girl in real life, I must admit, that the gender of my virtual "self" doesn't matter a whole hill o' beans to me. I would say that I play male and female toons in equal measure. I don't care if my toon has boobs or not. I would also say that I generally don't play MMOs for any sort of intense social interactions or social agendas (e.g., finding a real life mate), which would lead me playing a specific gender. Let me preface this by saying, I have friends who will only play certain genders but that is generally because they like the looks of the toon more than having other "agendas." Whatever. Play what you want and what you like. End of story.

I got to tell you though, Runes has got me embarressed to, as a woman, play a woman toon. This is my, "OMG! WTF!" post to Runes of Magic.

So I got my first set of blue armor pants the other day. My little Warrior/Priest was looking a bit peasant- like in the drab sort of brown gear that you get at lower levels. I was pretty excited to don this statalicious new armor. But seriously? No wait a minute...seriously? C'mon! Who's maladjusted wet-dream came up with the assless chaps?

The mutated wolves are attacking the farm, you say? Well hold on, let me go get my assless chaps because nothing says "fierce" like two ass cheeks hangin in the wind.

Oh say, is there a draft in here or is it just my assless armor!!

The front view is even better. Notice the super nice 80's style ho boots, which was also an upgrade from my last, more modest, armor. Granted Tivy and I were seriously amused at first but now, the more I have to look at this, the more uncomfortable this really is. Why does my character have to be almost naked? Or conversly, why do I have to pay to use the Aggregator to make myself more comfortable?

If you're going to put the female toons in crap like this, why don't we see the male toons in banana hammocks? No, I'm serious. Oh don't even start with the, "don't be so uptight," arguments. Or the, "what's wrong with showing a little ass?" bullshit. I am not a prude. I generally am amused by the "slight" differences in armor in the various games I've played. It is not a perfect, MMO world. I know this. We all know where conventional wisdom thinks the money is who the games are MOSTLY geared toward. As a girl gamer, I may not be happy with this, but I generally don't get my panties in a twist neither. But can we just back up the Neanderthal bus just a bit?

Girls do play these games. We do make money. We do spend our disposable income on entertainment such as this, and after an annoying day at the fucking office I wanna come home and play a goddamn game where I don't have to feel like a second class citizen! Seriously. And I suppose WoW hasn't been much better, but at least they give the ladies some decent armor.

/sigh.