Quote:
Originally Posted by HunterKi11er00
Mind you, I think Jayce is one of few recent champs that is quite original and nice design that isn't exploitative.
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Before anyone who is too lazy to use their brain for a couple seconds cries about the size of my post, there's a TL;DR at the bottom for you pussybears.
I'm not going to touch on the rest of your post because this is the only part that really jumped out at me. Unfortunately, it's not in a good way, and while you're entitled to your opinion on the aesthetics of Jayce I would still like to propose the following argument against your claim. So, what I've done is taken a look at every new champion presented on the timeline since Jayce's release, and Jayce is included among them, and compared their aesthetics in terms of originality and whether their design would be viewed as exploitative in the eyes of many. Remember, this comparison is of aesthetics only. It does not take kits, viability, or anything else into account.
Let's start off with Jayce: A human man who follows a very classic aesthetic of handsomeness, one which many people have attributed as similar to Superman. The design of his clothing leaves a lot to the imagination, and his look is your pretty basic steampunk fantasy getup. Not the most original design out there, but a well crafted one nonetheless that doesn't really tread on the grounds of perceived exploitation.
Next would be Zyra: We all know what happened when she came out. We all saw how the forums were flooded with complaints about how she showed off too much, so the perceived exploitation factor is pretty damn high. In terms of the originality of her design, well chances are we all saw this line at some point, too: "She looks like Poison Ivy!" And yes, she does. Mechanically she's interesting, but aesthetically she falls into line with the argument you made. However, I should note that the two female champs released before her, Lulu and Fiora, both broke the ZOMG BOOBS! trend, so she was the first in a few months.
Diana: A very loose take on the Greco-Roman goddess of night and the hunt helped to spawn the character that is the antithesis to Leona in just about every possible way. She's dark and brooding like some of the League's other champs, but brings it in a very different way. From her art to her model, we can see pretty clearly that she is one of RIOT's more original creations. A contrasting color palate that utilizes more subtle green, violet, and silver tones than most of the other eye-popper champs really helps her in that respect. No one else in the League quite compares aesthetically, and while comparisons can be made to characters outside (as with every character in the game), she still manages to stand on firmer ground than most all while breaking the ZOMG BOOBS! trend and keeping clear of many perceived exploitations.
Rengar: The first thing to come to our minds with Rengar's release was the Predator, and it's a natural connection to make. The lines drawn between our Pridestalker and the Predator are pretty clear. However, RIOT still managed to take that basic concept and make it their own, giving us the first truly savage animal champion since Renekton. And while he might not pass the originality test with flying colors, I doubt that anyone with an ounce of sense would view him as exploiting sexuality.
Syndra: Perceived exploitations don't abound with her, but there were a handful of them on account of the small amount of cleavage she showed. Her look has that flair that we've come to recognize as Ionian, which means clear Oriental influences with the League fantasy twist. Of all the League's champs, her look is the most comparable to Diana's, though only in a handful of ways. Her color palate is primarily dark violets contrasted by gold to pop out, a common mix. All in all, she flies the colors of originality a little over half-mast while the issues of exploitation generally pass over her.
Kha'zix: Like Rengar, I'd be ashamed of the person who genuinely viewed Kha'zix as overstepping the unclear lines of what is too much sexuality. More than that, I'd have to question why they find an insect who's only humanoid in his most basic shape sexually attractive, but then again I've heard of people attracted to Geiger's Alien. The counterpart to Rengar, Kha'zix takes us back to the void for a time, a place where all sorts of angry bug-like monsters reign. However, while his overall concept doesn't exactly scream originality, the aesthetic RIOT gave him through his art and model really help to push him in that direction. The sheer level of detail involved in the creation of both his art and model both paint the picture of a creature that will change and adapt to new situations as needed. Like Rengar, Kha'zix doesn't ooze originality, but represents an archetype that RIOT made their own.
Elise: The newest member of the League, and the third with the ability to change forms, Elise brings forth a mix of what is currently being viewed as right and wrong with female champion design. She still has the sexy factor in her human form with the tight waist and the exposed cleavage, but RIOT managed to help push those aspects to the backburner with the careful inclusion of her arachnid traits. This aspect helps make her feel a little more original, but that doesn't mean she truly is. As for the potential for someone to perceive Elise as exploiting the female form, it's really up in the air with her. Whether it's the fact that we know she turns into a spider or it's the presence of the arachnid traits in her human form, I haven't heard much of anything regarding oversexuality in her design.
TL;DR: Your claim is partly false. The originality and exploitative aspects of champion aesthetics are almost as varied now as they were when the game came out.