Note: Please don't turn this into another "But I love boobz!" topic. I would like to appreciate the game for doing some things that should be much more common in video games, but isn't.

I can finally announce to the world how happy I am that ESO has the best representation of women I have seen in an MMO, and possibly any video game I've played, EVER.

*Sensible attire. Every armor I tried on covered everything, including cleavage. Light armor and clothing showed more skin, but it was mostly arms and midriff, and the men had their chests bared in a sixualized, roguish way. I felt like I had a good option for dressing down and up, while remaining feminine and attractive. I didn't get to check out every race available, but what I did see made me happy. No high heeled battle boots, of course. Hell, my Bosmer didn't even wear shoes, and neither did the Khajiit I saw, which was a nice touch, lore-wise.

*IMPORTANT FEMALE NPCS. So many! Not just a few token characters, but probably as close to a 50/50 split as I've ever seen in a game, although I didn't count. They acted with agency and had their own interests, goals, and places in the world that didn't revolve around men. Well, perhaps a couple did, but there were gender role reversals going on there that made them more than met the eye. It felt like women were a fully integrated, seamless part of the game world, and not afterthoughts or motivations for the male characters.

*No awkward sixism trying to pass itself off as an opportunity for empowerment. Doesn't mean it's not somewhere in the game, but I didn't see it. If you don't know what I mean, sometimes RPGs have NPCs sixually harass your character like that's a novel thing you'd enjoy, and not a bitter, crushing daily reminder of what happens every time you leave your house without a guy on your arm.

*The 'fat' slider made a female char fatter than most games allow for, and actually added fat to the body in more or less appropriate proportions - not just on the briasts and butt.

*Not quite as many disfigurement options open to females as the males had, but there was still plenty. Character creation felt like an opportunity to make your character look however you wanted, and not just different shades of hawt.

*The briast slider had a reasonable size range that reflected average sizes. No having to wonder where that Altmer sorceress got her implants. (No offense intended to women who do have them, and the many who would prefer larger options, but I find the trend towards a more realistic average to be different and refreshing.)

There's an empress title too. If you watched AngryJoe's review on PvP, you'll see the title.

Yeah won't post any story spoilers but I'll just say I doubt this game will have many if any complaints about not enough strong female characters, or how females are represented in this game.

I didn't even consider that. You mean the PvP emperor title?

Every single female i know that plays video games loves to six their toon up. finding the most revealing armor possible largest briast option and making the most exotic facial features possible, i have never seen a lack of ugly options in a MMO.I dont see what the actual problem is in other Video games males make their toons as close to Arnold in his prime as possible or unrealistically evil looking with scars and eye patches . Ive never understood this sixism stuff with women. It is clearly plain in life women control men with the appearances. they really hold all the power. women are not held back anymore, an ugly man gets treated the same as an ugly women will. but a beautiful women will get extreme compensation opposed in most aspects of daily living to a male of equal caliber.

The gap only occours when we age and then it becomes about finances . but then again a rich cougar will do just as well as a rich sugar daddy. back to video games its fantasy of course we want unrealistic stuff , if i wanted to create a blond male in his 40's with a widows peak and a bit of flab where muscles were id make myself some tin foil armor and go crash the L A R P crew at the community parks.

I couldn't agree more.

I was not surprised, though. I expect most of that things to be like that on modern MMOs, and I would be surprised if it wasn't that way, specially for a TES game.

Give it some time...

There's optional slots for costumes/disguises, and I highly doubt it'll stick just to disguises alone. I could be wrong. But six sells, and it will continue to sell no matter the lore, or game. Actually, I'd imagine Skyrim is still doing incredibly well based off of the mods itself. And I'm willing to bet over half of the people playing Skyrim with mods, have some sort of skimpy attire modded along with their games.

As you see in Skyrim Nexus, most popular mods are all female related.

And no, not every piece of armor my character has worn has covered Cleavage. In fact if while in character creation, you should have looked at all the veteran armor. There was more than one armor set that actually did show cleavage. Orcish armor comes to mind. And the beginning Wood Elven (plate for both) armor shows cleavage as well. Mind you though, they're not stripped down to their bra, and panties, just pointing out cleavage still shows within some armor.

As for female NPC's, and being important. Quite a few games have lots of female NPC's that are important. You just don't notice them because usually you're reading a wall of text, and just skip along your merry way. TES actually does well telling their stories, even if you're like me, read the text cause voices are too slow... You're screen isn't filled with a giant wall of words. So it's nice that it's broken down for players, makes it a bit easier to read, and keeps the players attention more.

I dunno, out of the many mmorpg's I've played, I don't notice anything different really. Just that I'm paying attention more. FF 14 also does a really good job with their female NPC's. Loved the storyline in that game.

My only complaint about female armor thus far is the bosmer heavy, it features a very large hole to get your bowels punctured ;P

Check out veteran heavy armour Orc style (seen on Dragon Knight and Templar) in character creation next time. It has a boob window. I was so annoyed. I had been planning to play a warror Orc lady at some point wearing their native stuff but of course that's not going to happen now unless they fix it.

Agreeing with the rest of your points though, more or less.

I also applaud the mature approach this game as taken.

I still like boobs.

Yeah, this is what I didn't want to talk about.

I'm not an idiot. I know people like boobz. I am not arguing that people don't like boobz. I am not saying there will never be boobz in the game, or that I wouldn't want boobz. I am not trying to take away your precious boobz. I am saying that so far armor is the most SENSIBLE, COMFORTABLE, NON-sixUALIZED attire I've seen in an MMO. That makes me happy.

Please don't tell me I don't notice female NPCs. I actually COUNT the ratio of male to female NPCs in most games. I am far more aware than most. Do the actual math and most games fail miserably, even TES games and those that otherwise have strong female NPCs. They are token characters dotted around the story and rarely make it into the background. This game has female merchants, pirates, sailors, layabouts in addition to quest NPCs that fill up the world much more than normal. ESO deserves praise for that.

Edit: Above is aimed at wifeaggro and Humor.

Voices, that seems strange. Wouldn't have expected that. There are of course some things I would have preferred in the game that were not there, like hulkier, more muscular options. I think the female orcs look more slight that I was expecting.

And let's not forget how awesome Queen Ayrenn is in the game! She's the reason I fully converted from the EP to the AD

Ayreen totally ended any hesitation I had about joining the Dominion. I'm in love with her. And Razum-dar. Maybe after the MQ the three of us can go wander off together.

I completely forgot about Razam-dar, he really feels like a close friend by the time you leave the first started island.

That's because TES itself has always treated female characters in such a way.

All ZOS did was stick to that... so far.

Anyway, it might look all nice and sweet now, but I'm almost sure that the closer we reach end game, the skimpier the armors for females will get.

Strenght equals skimpiness is the golden rule of most MMOs out there.
I don't really have much faith in ESO. The end game armors probably having something to do with Molag Bal gives one helluva excuse to come up with the skimpy armors.

Yeah, when I played I loved how fair the game was to women as well as black folks. There were plenty of NPCs that where women and/or black. I personally hate how so many games, including WoW do a very poor job representing everyone except white heterosixual males.

speaking of which, I have not seen any gay NPCs yet. I hope there are some. I hope ESO is not one of those game that are like "lets pretend gay people don't exist". At least with the ring of mara you can marry whoever you want to.

Luckily the game is full of Altmer!

Again won't post spoilers, but i can confirm there are same six attractions and relationships represented in the game.

Oh my god. WOW. I'm gonna tear up here.

Aeon Blue, I agree with your assessment. Very well said. I never expected any less. TES has always been practical in it's treatment and representation of women.

Indeed.

I just wanted to add my applauding for Zenimax and its treatment of the fairer six. I also greatly appreciate the OPs comments about this and totally support they direction Zenimax has taken.

I agree and like others I was expecting it. The TES games have generally shied away from the g-string chainmail bikini business.

If nothing else, it's nice for being more realistic.

Having a female leader of a faction is also nice. Is is just me or were there two originally though? I thought Almalexia was in charge of the EP at one point. I remember thinking - two of the three factions headed by women. That's very progressive. Then recently I noticed a dude (sort of) in charge. Did I misremember that? I may not have looked closely enough because I wasn't interested in EP back then.

I know theres a gay pirate somewhere in EP turf. and in one of the alliances theres a woman asking you to look for her life partner who is also a woman. other than that im not sure though. and not giving anything away

I don't think its "shying" away as much as not wanting to use revealing armour to lure in perverts. I love the armour in this because it still looks badass, more badass than other games that do the pervert thing anyway.