Was the CoH "Nipple Controversy" Another Dimension or Something I Dreamed Up?

[Attache]

I have a vague recollection of the female character models in the early game (we're talking alpha or maybe even just some concepts) being a bit over-the-top with visible nipple. I definitely recall seeing some Countess Crey concept art that looked like it was drawn by 13-year old Robert Crumb. I even recall one of the Devs saying something like "Yeah, we had to grow up a bit" when NC Soft pushed back on the design ideas.

I can't seem to (easily) find anything about it out there any more. Was this really a thing? Or am I conflating two different things? 

[starro]

Yes, but it was nipped in the bud 

[biostem]

I vaguely recall a time period where the lighting or the way lights reflected off of character models would make the female models look like they had visible nipples, but nothing quite so obvious as the OP describes.  I mean, there's a male torso pattern with pierced nipples, so I doubt it was quite that severe...

Edited March 29, 2023 by biostem

[AboveTheChemist]

I started playing shortly after launch and I remember certain costume options and lighting being quite revealing to underlying female anatomy in general. I distinctly remember someone approaching a female teammate and making some lewd comments in local about it. I also recall a patch (perhaps a few months later?) where it was toned down. I need to have a dig through my old archives soon anyway so I will see if I have any old logs and/or screenshots.

[Luminara]

Female Tights 2 chest.  No extra polygons, but the texture was there and visible with certain costume colors.

 

Chest surgery ruined one nipple, Cryptic nerfed my diginipples, now I'm down to 1/4th the nipple potential I had.  Still mad.

[Attache]

1 hour ago, biostem said:

I vaguely recall a time period where the lighting or the way lights reflected off of character models would make the female models look like they had visible nipples, but nothing quite so obvious as the OP describes.  I mean, there's a male torso pattern with pierced nipples, so I doubt it was quite that severe...

 

To clarify this vague recollection - it wasn't like the female character models had nipples that were just outright exposed but the costumes mostly made them appear erect and there was a very slight color shading that even suggested the size and shape of areola. It was more prominent on lighter colored costumes, of course.

[Zep]

Are you thinking of The Secret World - I believe that game did have such a controversy. 

[High_Beam]

2 hours ago, Luminara said:

Female Tights 2 chest.  No extra polygons, but the texture was there and visible with certain costume colors.

 

Chest surgery ruined one nipple, Cryptic nerfed my diginipples, now I'm down to 1/4th the nipple potential I had.  Still mad.

Nerf regen nipples

[biostem]

I mean, we got the Carnival of Shadows, which are like walking wardrobe malfunctions, so I don't think depicting scantily clad women is the issue, which is why I'm more leaning toward an earlier lighting rig making certain costume look fully nude...

[BraveDecoy]

While I joined after the initial stuff, sometime around Issue 4 or 5, the only Costume Design Kerfluffle I remember was the first draft of Penelope Yin's grown up look.  There was a whole lot more bare skin, which obviously didn't mesh with the idea of a freshly promoted teen hero.

 

Though I've never really been a fan of Sister Psyche's outfit, what with the green nipple tape lines.

[Gobbledygook]

3 hours ago, Luminara said:

Female Tights 2 chest.  No extra polygons, but the texture was there and visible with certain costume colors.

 

Chest surgery ruined one nipple, Cryptic nerfed my diginipples, now I'm down to 1/4th the nipple potential I had.  Still mad.

My nipple got burned off when I caught fire.

It healed back though...

BRB, making a Fa/Fm tank

[High_Beam]

49 minutes ago, BraveDecoy said:

Though I've never really been a fan of Sister Psyche's outfit, what with the green nipple tape lines.

The real crime were those freaking platform boots.  Cheater!

[Attache]

18 hours ago, Zep said:

Are you thinking of The Secret World - I believe that game did have such a controversy. 

 

My memory is that it was definitely City of Heroes although my memory could be faulty. I was also under the impression that this was all pre-launch and resolved before open beta but the lighting costume issue that @biostem mentioned could have been some remnant of the original models. But mainly I recall it being CoH because of the Countess Crey character art included in the post / article that I saw ages back that discussed all this. Again, my impression was that art was actual concept art but it could just as easily been some fan art thrown in because it fit the subject matter and I just misunderstood/misremembered.

[Scarlet Shocker]

 

Espcially noticeable on ice-based characters

 

 

On 3/29/2023 at 9:50 PM, starro said:

Yes, but it was nipped in the bud 

 

Suck it up! 😎

 

 

[Clave Dark 5]

On 3/29/2023 at 2:46 PM, Attache said:

I definitely recall seeing some Countess Crey concept art that looked like it was drawn by 13-year old Robert Crumb. I even recall one of the Devs saying something like "Yeah, we had to grow up a bit" when NC Soft pushed back on the design ideas.

*coughs*

[Luminara]

2 minutes ago, Clave Dark 5 said:

*coughs*

 

She definitely grew up.

[High_Beam]

41 minutes ago, Clave Dark 5 said:

I want to have her babies.  But I also covet her costume in its entirety.

 

I love you Praetor Tillman 💞

[Luminara]

Just now, High_Beam said:

I love you Praetor Tillman 💞

 

Praetor TillMILF.

[Attache]

On 3/29/2023 at 6:51 PM, biostem said:

I mean, we got the Carnival of Shadows, which are like walking wardrobe malfunctions, so I don't think depicting scantily clad women is the issue, which is why I'm more leaning toward an earlier lighting rig making certain costume look fully nude...

Scantily-clad woman and men (I think painted-on bodysuits that show every ripple of musculature beneath qualify) have long been part of the superhero genre. My recollection is that the original models seemed to imply that every female character and a lot of the female AVs would have consistently been depicted with "happy" nipples and some variation of see-through on the costume, depending on the coloration. And this would have been along with the female character options generally having more skin available.

While it is far from unheard of in superhero comics art, having "happy" be the default female option may have just been seen as a bit too much. It wouldn't be the first time that the powers that be zeroed in on one (well, two) things to have an issue with while hypocritically ignoring scores of others. That seems to be humanity's default setting.

Assuming of course, this wasn't some fevered dream I had. The internet is supposed to be forever so I'm surprised I can't even find the Countess Crey picture.

Edited March 31, 2023 by Attache

[High_Beam]

1 hour ago, Luminara said:

 

Praetor TillMILF.

Well she is also called Mother Mayhem so totally . . . now I am even more tingly.  You make me think naughty thoughts Lum.

[High_Beam]

25 minutes ago, Attache said:

Assuming of course, this wasn't some fevered dream I had. The internet is supposed to be forever so I'm surprised I can't even find the Countess Crey picture.

I liked Countess Crey the first time I saw her . . . when she was the Baroness and she was yelling Cobra!

[Scarlet Shocker]

1 hour ago, Luminara said:

 

Praetor TillMILF.

 

If all the female signature heroines were laid end to end, nobody would be at all surprised!

[tidge]

A balcony suitable for delivering Shakespeare!

 

5 hours ago, Clave Dark 5 said:

*coughs*

 

[Scarlet Shocker]

On 3/31/2023 at 9:27 PM, tidge said:

A balcony suitable for delivering Shakespeare!

 

 

 

You've made a happy man very old

[srmalloy]

On 3/31/2023 at 9:00 AM, Luminara said:

Praetor TillMILF.

In the cutscene for the BAF trial, it looks as if she's been hitting the doughnuts a little hard; you can almost hear the creaking of her outfit as the seams strain not to let go...