Female Avatars in Bio-Tech 4e vs. Transhuman Space: Bioroid Bazaar

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by WholesomeMadScientist

Also, if a man has “Exaggerated sexual characteristics: Enhanced Male Primary Sexual Characteristics”, but not “blatantly muscular with abundant body and facial hair” which of the following or combo “Racial Skill Bonus (Sex Appeal +3) [6], Distinctive Features [-1], Extreme Sexual Dimorphism 1 or 2 or 3” would he have?

None, because he can wear pants.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

None, because he can wear pants.

Well this is extreme dimorphism, pants might not help.

[WholesomeMadScientist]

Originally Posted by TGLS

Well this is extreme dimorphism, pants might not help.

He could say it’s the pleats, that it's actually an optical illusion, it's the pattern on the pants.

[awesomenessofme1]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

None, because he can wear pants.

Yeah, ESD has always been something that's puzzled me when applied to male characters. It seems like in the vast majority of situations (at least in most settings), there's no way it would have a positive *or* negative effect.

[ericthered]

I know drawing guides advise keeping female faces closer to the human average, while exaggerating the shapes on men, especially chins. So a distinctive/prominent chin might count

Would baldness count?

[awesomenessofme1]

Originally Posted by ericthered

I know drawing guides advise keeping female faces closer to the human average, while exaggerating the shapes on men, especially chins. So a distinctive/prominent chin might count

Would baldness count?

The original description for the perk explicitly states "primary male or secondary female" sexual characteristics.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Would baldness count?

With all due respect to bald people I don't think they get pluses to Sex Appeal unless the target has a quirk.

[Tyneras]

ESD is primarily about shape, proportion and visual texture for both sexes (in humans, at least). In the real world it overlaps quite a bit with appearance, but if you are looking for male examples look at people like Fabio in their prime, boy bands, shirtless firefighter calendars, etc.

Basically ESD works even if there's nothing at all in your pants. ESD is more about convincing the lizard brain that you are extra special mating material, not necessarily delivering on that.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by Tyneras

ESD is primarily about shape, proportion and visual texture for both sexes (in humans, at least). In the real world it overlaps quite a bit with appearance, but if you are looking for male examples look at people like Fabio in their prime, boy bands, shirtless firefighter calendars, etc.

Basically ESD works even if there's nothing at all in your pants. ESD is more about convincing the lizard brain that you are extra special mating material, not necessarily delivering on that.

There are two problems with that:

The broader one is that attractiveness is not that strongly coupled to sexual dimorphism, and the quirk is very specific about being about sexual dimorphism.

The more specific one is the textual bit about male ESD being displayed in 'primary sexual characteristics'. Look up what that one means - it's exactly what people have been obliquely saying WRT pants.

[Tyneras]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

There are two problems with that:

The broader one is that attractiveness is not that strongly coupled to sexual dimorphism, and the quirk is very specific about being about sexual dimorphism.

The more specific one is the textual bit about male ESD being displayed in 'primary sexual characteristics'. Look up what that one means - it's exactly what people have been obliquely saying WRT pants.

It's one of those descriptions that's rather ridiculous, since it'd mean ESD for males would be completely negated by a waist high fence. That's a feature at best. So either the description for ESD is wrong, or ESD is not available/a feature for humanoid males.