Female plate armor with or without breast cups.

[BCbrad]

I just asked the wife if she was wearing armor would she want cups? Her reply "why wouldn't I"? A womans perspective, how can you debate that?

[redhorizon09]

@redhorizon09 - To play a "devil's advocate" of sorts, let me argue said annoyance as due not to a lack of consistency with reality, but to a lack of internal consistency. A fantasy world is all well and good, but generally any decent fantasy environment establishes its own rules of logic. The examples you provided concerning small arms and grenades don't mesh with reality, certainly. However, said films and the like generally do not have similar weapons function dramatically different without a rational enough cause. They may not be realistic, but they are consistent with the internal logic of the world the story is set in.

 

The thing which annoys some concerning the at times dramatic difference in armor styling between male and female characters is how the sheer difference in armor effectively breaks the fantasy world's internal consistency, thereby hindering suspension of disbelief. It is difficult to believe males wear armor apparently operating on one set of logic, then see females wearing metal bikinis and believe both types provide the same kind of protection without some additional explanation to explain the inconsistency. If being females granted them magical barriers or something for protection, then this would be well and good. In most cases though, such explanation is never given; we are to believe the metal bikini provides the same protection as a full suit of plate.

 

Skyrim, thankfully, does not possess such glaring schizophrenia. However, it still seems like male plate armor operates on logic somewhat close to reality, while the female plate armor operates on a much different set of logic. It makes it more difficult to suspend disbelief in what I see, which makes me thankful mods which alter such things (one way or the other) exist. They allow us to alter our entertainment to suit our preferences and go back to being entertained, which is what really counts.

 

It's still just entertainment though. And I disagree with you about small arms and grenades in movies being consistent with the internal logic of the world the story is set in. Many times in movies and video games have I seen explosions from grenades/mines/bombs that are suppose to kill or seriously injure people who are within the lethal blast radius, yet you have tons of grenades and mines blow up and heroes or other main characters can get blown back at almost point blank and survive with little or no injuries. Funny thing is that fodder characters would die in the same situation. As I stated before, I'm not bothered by such inconsistencies and lack of "realism" because I'm willing to let go of real world logic, possibilities, and physics when I dive into fantasy and science fiction worlds.

[R3Q]

there were arguments about that? O.O the age of plate armor was dominated by males...women were 2nd, 3rd class citizens. they didn't fight, were told not to fight, and only in rare verging on unique instance did they fight. a little history should have stuffed any argument before it started. and if plate had been made for women, it would have done it as simply as possible. larger chest but no individual cups. basically male versions beaten out in the chest to provide a bit more room.

Yes, on a mod called Less sexual female armor.

[Gyiul]

I think the word I was looking for that breastcubs are actually impractical in battle.