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How science can tell when guys are pretending to be women on MMORPGs

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  • starkaosstarkaos Member Posts: 11,556 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    iconians wrote: »
    Even Star Trek's medical technology has not been ironclad. Nog still lost his leg, and even Doctor Bashir admitted that it was possible that a prosthetic leg may not successfully graft to what was left of his limb.

    And Janeway ended up getting severe plasma burns in 'Year of Hell' that the Doctor was unable to successfully treat completely.

    Medical technology is whatever it needs to be for the sake of the episode. ;)

    Regenerating a leg is very different than regenerating a bunch of skin from a knife wound. As far as the Year of Hell episode, Voyager was in dire straits and didn't have enough energy to waste power on frivolous purposes like fixing scars or the equipment was busted.
  • iconiansiconians Member Posts: 6,987 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    starkaos wrote: »
    Regenerating a leg is very different than regenerating a bunch of skin from a knife wound. As far as the Year of Hell episode, Voyager was in dire straits and didn't have enough energy to waste power on frivolous purposes like fixing scars or the equipment was busted.

    Exactly, which makes scars on Federation characters all the more interesting -- since there's usually some story about why it was unable to be properly fixed by dermal regenerator. Likewise, Bashir did not have access to the medical technology needed to possibly save Nog's leg until they could evacuate the planet.

    Scars can push the narrative on how your character (and ship) is in dire straits in STO. :)
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  • adverberoadverbero Member Posts: 2,045 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    Since it was brought up, The thing about scars, Theres a bit of an unfair gender bias about scars, How a scar in almost the same place and same size on a man could be considered sexy, but a bad thing for a female

    I apply a scar to my main toon because I have one, well multiple but the tailor only allows for a single face scar, because that character is supposed to be a fairly close facsimile of me ( some artistic liscence applied of course)

    But my question is this, for most players, would you apply a scar for aesthetic purposes, or for a more RP basis, like a part of the characters history or backstory if you have one that is.
    And in relation to the thread, I think its probably unlikely for most male players to give their female characters scars, probably because it spoils the aetsthetic they are trying to achieve
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  • jonsillsjonsills Member Posts: 10,459 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    Every time I've applied a scar to a toon, it's because it's part of that character's backstory. If you've seen Cars 2 (and really, aside from the contrived argument between Mater and Lightning, it's not that bad), Mater's explanation for why he keeps all his easily-repaired dents and rust spots covers precisely why my toons have scars. They're memories.
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  • adverberoadverbero Member Posts: 2,045 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    jonsills wrote: »
    Every time I've applied a scar to a toon, it's because it's part of that character's backstory. If you've seen Cars 2 (and really, aside from the contrived argument between Mater and Lightning, it's not that bad), Mater's explanation for why he keeps all his easily-repaired dents and rust spots covers precisely why my toons have scars. They're memories.

    I like that way of looking at it
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  • starswordcstarswordc Member Posts: 10,963 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    adverbero wrote: »
    But my question is this, for most players, would you apply a scar for aesthetic purposes, or for a more RP basis, like a part of the characters history or backstory if you have one that is.
    And in relation to the thread, I think its probably unlikely for most male players to give their female characters scars, probably because it spoils the aetsthetic they are trying to achieve

    In TV Tropes terms, it's the difference between Rugged Scar and Every Scar Has a Story. I've used both depending on the situation.
    • Eleya's facial scar, and the matching one on her abdomen, is very heavily tied into her backstory, as seen in the first chapter of Bait and Switch. She was near-fatally wounded while repelling a boarding action during her time in the Bajoran Militia. The knife was poisoned and interfered with the healing process, even with the use of dermal regenerators.
    • My version of K'Gan has an eyepatch with that Y-shaped stitched scar underneath it. My backstory for him is that he lost that eye during the invasion of Gornar. He's a Klingon so it's a mark of past battles and experience.
    • Admiral Amnell Kree, one of my Foundry characters, has some pretty heavy scarring across her left eye. Her backstory has her getting wounded when her Peregrine was hit at the Battle of Cardassia. However, I put it there as more of a characterization thing: I'm trying to indicate without saying anything that she's more of a Patton- or MacArthur-type flag officer than the type we usually see in Star Trek. She's an officer who leads from the front and isn't afraid to get her hands bloody if she has to.
    • Section 31 Agent Grell has a small scar on his forehead. I left that one unexplained.
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  • gulberatgulberat Member Posts: 5,505 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    The character that I have who gets scarred still has her scar for three reasons: first, she went for a long time without full medical treatment for it and natural healing had already started (accelerated by her Reman science officer who was trying to help her function through a multi-day battle). She opted against later treatment beyond what she needed for her eye itself, because it would involve essentially cutting open what was already healing reasonably. Also, Caitians in my universe do not feel a need to hide scars. In the end it will also end up serving as a statement intended against some people who do not approve of the cause she fights for...

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  • jodarkriderjodarkrider Member Posts: 2,097 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    My character's scar has a backstory as well... as someone who RP'd for over 17 years, (I even RP one character for 6 years by now... but it's in Star Wars setting.. don't throw anything at me), what kind of a RP'er would I be if I didn't have a story for my character here... even though I don't really explicitly RP in STO...

    For some reason, mmo environment seems a bit odd for roleplaying... always prefered written form more... not that I'd not RP if I was walked by on by someone who does it, but generally... just prefer smaller groups. :)
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  • lordvalecortezlordvalecortez Member Posts: 479 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    I'm glad science can tell us things we already knew.

    I'm male. I have 6 toons in STO. 4 Fed, 1 FRom, 1 KDF. I have 1 male, and all my alts are female. I have 3 really good male friends who play STO as well. Except for 1 friend who has 2 male toons, one Fed, 1 KDF, basically the main toon is male and all the alts are female.

    On the subject of scars, my main has a scar but that is part of his back story. 1 female boff also has a scar but that is only because she is one of those ultra rare boffs from the currency conversion so I decided to actually mess around with her appearance.
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  • generalmocogeneralmoco Member Posts: 1,634
    edited May 2014
    I'm sorry but this is too funny, Science is barely noticing this???


    LULZ!!!!


    I'm dead!!! I'm so dead from laughing so hard...

    Anyone want a Sandwich? I'll make my Trill Female give you one... :D
  • lunastolunasto Member Posts: 774 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    What is so special about having a scar? They look ugly? Why not at least something artistic like a tattoo?
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  • grace58grace58 Member Posts: 89 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    iconians wrote: »
    I, on the other hand, have a fascination with scars. My characters usually sport a non-descript blemish here or there, a noticable (but not disfiguring) scar, or an outright battle injury that requires an eyepatch.

    Usually the little blemishes are too small to notice -- someone would really have to be looking hard at my character before realizing, "Oh hey, he really shrunk the X and Y axis on that scar option and put it just below his ear or on the corner of his eyesocket."

    People do look, since I've had it mentioned to me on a few occasions -- but I find beauty in scars.

    Scars tell stories, and I love stories.

    Imperfectness, asymmetry, all things I consider beautiful on various avatars.

    Yes, and there is nothing wrong with scars. As you said they tell stories, it's another way for us to be unique, another way to be beautiful. I want to say my character has a scar but my laptop's graphics are pretty minimal so I couldn't tell very well unless I made it green or something, lol. This is also something that confuses me. Everyone must be running this game better than I am because I get compliments on my character all the time... Then I look at her and I'm like... really? Also, I haven't made a back story for my character, perhaps I'll do that :)
  • iconiansiconians Member Posts: 6,987 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    lunasto wrote: »
    What is so special about having a scar? They look ugly? Why not at least something artistic like a tattoo?

    Scars make you look distinguished. They show you are imperfect, but unique. They can show that you have experienced something extremely painful, but managed to overcome it.

    Scars are memories, and they can be stories. People have scars on the insides of them, sure. People also carry many mental scars too.

    They are a testament to the endurance of the human body. Depending on the scar, they can show how brave and courageous you are, they can show others that you've suffered in a very real way.

    I find scars just as beautiful as one might consider a tat. But they aren't there on purpose. Scars seldomly are there because people want them, they are there because they choose not to care about them -- or they choose to be remembered by them.

    I have scars. Everytime I look at them I am reminded of what happened that resulted in them. Some very stupid decisions to remind me to always use my brain. And some decisions that were outside of my control, but made me a better person for it.

    I think because scars are so ugly is why I find them beautiful. Because they tell a story that tats can't. They say more about a person than a tat does. Tats are voluntary.

    Scars aren't (for the most part).
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  • jodarkriderjodarkrider Member Posts: 2,097 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    lunasto wrote: »
    What is so special about having a scar? They look ugly? Why not at least something artistic like a tattoo?
    Wow... beauty and personal taste are very personal... I personally would say that tattoos are ugly. Scars can tell a story... and not everyone wants to be a walking picture-book with having tatoos... o_O
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  • catstarstocatstarsto Member Posts: 2,149 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    lunasto wrote: »
    What is so special about having a scar? They look ugly? Why not at least something artistic like a tattoo?

    I prefer to hide my scars, and im not much for tattoos ether.

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  • ldvhlldvhl Member Posts: 26 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    lunasto wrote: »
    What is so special about having a scar? They look ugly? Why not at least something artistic like a tattoo?

    There are artistic scars. Scarification is type of body modification that's been around for a very long time - probably longer than the written word.
  • fmgtorres1979fmgtorres1979 Member Posts: 1,327 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    grace58 wrote: »
    Yes, and there is nothing wrong with scars. As you said they tell stories, it's another way for us to be unique, another way to be beautiful. I want to say my character has a scar but my laptop's graphics are pretty minimal so I couldn't tell very well unless I made it green or something, lol. This is also something that confuses me. Everyone must be running this game better than I am because I get compliments on my character all the time... Then I look at her and I'm like... really? Also, I haven't made a back story for my character, perhaps I'll do that :)

    Well, I don't know what your settings are, but I can tell you they can become very different. I was playing on a computer at 1024x768 with everything on minimum except the character definition. I didn't notice any difference when selecting a scar, complexion had minor differences, the alien head, nose and so on choices made little difference, selecting stockings or bare legs changed nothing, etc, etc..
    Now, on this computer, I play at 1920x1080 with everything on max except shadows and I see things shining, I see wrinkles, lipstick color, scales, etc, etc. It's a whole new world :D
  • worffan101worffan101 Member Posts: 9,518 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    iconians wrote: »
    Scars make you look distinguished. They show you are imperfect, but unique. They can show that you have experienced something extremely painful, but managed to overcome it.

    Scars are memories, and they can be stories. People have scars on the insides of them, sure. People also carry many mental scars too.

    They are a testament to the endurance of the human body. Depending on the scar, they can show how brave and courageous you are, they can show others that you've suffered in a very real way.

    I find scars just as beautiful as one might consider a tat. But they aren't there on purpose. Scars seldomly are there because people want them, they are there because they choose not to care about them -- or they choose to be remembered by them.

    I have scars. Everytime I look at them I am reminded of what happened that resulted in them. Some very stupid decisions to remind me to always use my brain. And some decisions that were outside of my control, but made me a better person for it.

    I think because scars are so ugly is why I find them beautiful. Because they tell a story that tats can't. They say more about a person than a tat does. Tats are voluntary.

    Scars aren't (for the most part).

    In addition to all of the above, scars can make people look super badass and are usable as conversation pieces to get guys/girls.

    And some scars can actually look pretty good. Especially if they're in a cool shape and/or are on Nick Fury's face.
  • ashkrik23ashkrik23 Member Posts: 10,809 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    lunasto wrote: »
    What is so special about having a scar? They look ugly? Why not at least something artistic like a tattoo?

    IMO tattoos are stupid and not artistic at all. They are just dirty.
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  • ldvhlldvhl Member Posts: 26 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    ashkrik23 wrote: »
    IMO tattoos are stupid and not artistic at all. They are just dirty.

    And I'm sure all of the STO players who have tattoos appreciate your open-mindedness and respect for your fellows.
  • grace58grace58 Member Posts: 89 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    Well, I don't know what your settings are, but I can tell you they can become very different. I was playing on a computer at 1024x768 with everything on minimum except the character definition. I didn't notice any difference when selecting a scar, complexion had minor differences, the alien head, nose and so on choices made little difference, selecting stockings or bare legs changed nothing, etc, etc..
    Now, on this computer, I play at 1920x1080 with everything on max except shadows and I see things shining, I see wrinkles, lipstick color, scales, etc, etc. It's a whole new world :D

    Maybe if this laptop ever dies I'll switch to Mac... You can play STO on Mac now right? :rolleyes:

    Also, why does someone having a scar or tattoo bother people so much. Why the F do they care? It's not their body!
  • lunastolunasto Member Posts: 774 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    grace58 wrote: »
    Maybe if this laptop ever dies I'll switch to Mac... You can play STO on Mac now right? :rolleyes:

    Also, why does someone having a scar or tattoo bother people so much. Why the F do they care? It's not their body!

    Because I usually associate scars with the villains that they turn over ugly, like Miles Quaritch or Chucky. That giraffe pattern on Dax looked better then having cuts and gashes going down her face.

    Yuk 1> http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/124/e/9/Colonel_Miles_Quaritch_by_tiazgriff.jpg

    Yuk 2> http://galeri2.uludagsozluk.com/396/chucky_427307.png
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  • ldvhlldvhl Member Posts: 26 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    lunasto wrote: »
    Because I usually associate scars with the villains that they turn over ugly, like Miles Quaritch or Chucky. That giraffe pattern on Dax looked better then having cuts and gashes going down her face.

    I thought the concept of (subjective) beauty as virtue went out a few centuries ago.

    There are plenty of examples of fictional heroes with scars as well: Inigo Montoya, Marv, Harry Potter, Jonah Hex, Odysseus, et. al.
  • lunastolunasto Member Posts: 774 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    ldvhl wrote: »
    I thought the concept of (subjective) beauty as virtue went out a few centuries ago.

    There are plenty of examples of fictional heroes with scars as well: Inigo Montoya, Marv, Harry Potter, Jonah Hex, Odysseus, et. al.

    That isn't even a fair comparison! Inigo Montoya was not ugly! I do not even remember him being disfigured, now Jonah Hex made me nauseous with his appearance. To answer you, yes, handsome is required for the leading man, who would actually enjoy a romantic scene with bad Ash??!
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  • centersolacecentersolace Member Posts: 11,178 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    ldvhl wrote: »
    And I'm sure all of the STO players who have tattoos appreciate your open-mindedness and respect for your fellows.

    Every single one of his posts are like that. :rolleyes:
    lunasto wrote: »
    That isn't even a fair comparison! Inigo Montoya was not ugly! I do not even remember him being disfigured, now Jonah Hex made me nauseous with his appearance. To answer you, yes, handsome is required for the leading man, who would actually enjoy a romantic scene with bad Ash??!

    When was the last time you've seen the princess bride? :P

    Personally my captain has a scar to make her look like Captain Harlock.
  • ldvhlldvhl Member Posts: 26 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    lunasto wrote: »
    That isn't even a fair comparison! Inigo Montoya was not ugly! I do not even remember him being disfigured, now Jonah Hex made me nauseous with his appearance. To answer you, yes, handsome is required for the leading man, who would actually enjoy a romantic moment with bad Ash??!

    Inigo Montoya had a scar on each cheek from when he dueled Rugen at age 11. Whether or not that makes him beautiful or ugly is a subjective value judgement dependent upon the observer (as in your evaluation of Jonah Hex).

    Bad Ash from Army of Darkness isn't really a fair comparison either - he's a rotting demonic manifestation of the protagonist Ash Williams, who himself had facial scars and a messily-amputated hand.
  • lunastolunasto Member Posts: 774 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    Every single one of his posts are like that. :rolleyes:



    When was the last time you've seen the princess bride? :P

    Personally my captain has a scar to make her look like Captain Harlock.

    I had seen it in class once, during movie day in 7th grade. I seriously don't remember him having scars, just that he was charming just like Zorro, even though he started out as the villain. Hex would freak me out, that face is too much! Ash was a pig, he had his funny moments but I would have to slap him for real!!
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  • fmgtorres1979fmgtorres1979 Member Posts: 1,327 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    grace58 wrote: »
    Maybe if this laptop ever dies I'll switch to Mac... You can play STO on Mac now right? :rolleyes:

    Also, why does someone having a scar or tattoo bother people so much. Why the F do they care? It's not their body!

    Yep, I think you can play in Mac. Your current computer may "have an accident" you know? :P

    Because that's how humans are. Some of us more than others, obviously. It has a lot to do with your upbringing and what you are accostumed to.
  • philipclaybergphilipclayberg Member Posts: 1,680
    edited May 2014
    The biggest tell is a female character who has a frame like an NFL linebacker with no hips, massive shoulders, and two over-inflated basketballs under their shirt.

    lol ... What, not a pair of earth balls instead?
  • kirksplatkirksplat Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    paying to read some text? get real! and the worst bit, its just an opinion of someone and your paying them money for their bile on a website? that exactly like feeding a troll exactly what it wants.

    It's an article in an academic/scientific journal, which publishes through member subscriptions and university access rights. That's the way thousands of academic journals do things these days. If you're a student or a scholar, it's free to read.
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