This isn't a gotcha thing I'm doing, I was watching this AI vs artist Arch was doing where he did one before with black April O'Neil and he's done another with dark skin Velma this time. Some flaws here and there but a massive improvement over the HBO show, at one point, he puts out the idea with what I like to refer to as 'milfy Velma' was having it that she was detached from the group, is a reporter herself and events brings her back with her old friends, so like the show just, not shit.
One of the immediate things that detached me from even trying to watch it was how ugly the self insert Velma was yet if this AI made hotter Velma was in it, I might at least give it an episode.
But a key part of this is that watching shows is passive, you're not interacting so for games it depends for me. Does it fit the setting as if it's a game about giant mechs then it isn't really a factor. If there's character customisation beyond just selecting outfits, then it becomes a big factor as if I want to create a really hot character, the game itself shouldn't limit me. Same as if there's 'romance' choices and all of them are fugly.
I've gotten to the point where having attractive guys but ugly women in a game is a massive red flag for me as then it means this is a self insert game and there's likely to be a lot of ideology in the narrative too. So just want to hear your guys takes if having attractive female characters even affects the shows and games you play/watch.
Velma is shit no matter how pretty you make it out to be. The ugly and lack of quality go hand in hand like the red flag you mentioned.
But I will say: if someone were to tweak the color levels on Death from that Sandman tv show so she ends up paperwhite, it doesn't even need to look good, just make her a white shape with black hair, I'd watch the show even if its dog shit just to see what the show is about. Hey, maybe deepfake the dialog to clean up the woke shit to boot.
God... now I'm remembering that terrible watchmen tv show, these people really are monsters.
You have a point, when you are creating an attractive or pretty character, you're intentionally thinking what would appeal to an audience so more chance you try to make a good story with it. Whether that lands or not, eh we've seen plenty of flops with good looking characters but no ill will to know that's always a risk.
Compared to a self insert ugly character, you're already putting yourself and/or ideology first so you're already creating an atmosphere of hostility towards a potential audience.