There have been many studies that confirm people judge and respond based on a person's appearance.
Not just skin color and weight but dress as well.
This is a huge factor in initial contact between "Real People" and yet I hardly see it mentioned In Game.

Is this a blind spot or is it intentional?  

Should such a real world factor be included or would that alienate players?

I rarely run a game where most people are as status conscious as they would be in a typical medieval setting (or many other settings, for that matter).  Of course, some people are, and some of those are fairly extreme.  When a character is status conscious, they can play it up as much as they want.  When they meet an NPC that is (or pretends to be for some other reason), I'll do the same.  Otherwise, it's reduced to things such as, "the local folk eye you warily," or whatever is appropriate to minimally convey the scene.  

That's the thing.  I'm mostly a minimalist when it comes to portraying any scene, and thus the way people react to appearance in my games is just another facet of that approach.  Partly this is my natural instincts to run a game, and partly it is how I express drama--drama distinct from real life.  I don't want to talk about everyone's eye color or hair color or skin color or dress--because when I do bring it up for a particular character, I want it to stand out without being over the top.

Depends on each game premise. In D&D it's usually useless. In more social ones like Vampire or Pendragon it's usually more useful. While in games like Monsterhearts it's crucial.

To use D&D 5e as an example, my players know that carrying heavy weapons and wearing heavy armor covered in the mud & blood spatters from adventuring is going to get them, at the least, disadvantage on many social rolls and likely turned away from many civilized areas.

Attractive gives +1 to reaction rolls, Beautiful gives +2 / +4 to the opposite sex, very beautiful +3/+6 but causes other problems.

Quote from: HappyDaze;1123453To use D&D 5e as an example, my players know that carrying heavy weapons and wearing heavy armor covered in the mud & blood spatters from adventuring is going to get them, at the least, disadvantage on many social rolls and likely turned away from many civilized areas.

A good reason to stop outside the city and get cleaned up first before presenting yourself to the gatekeepers.

Quote from: Itachi;1123449Depends on each game premise. In D&D it's usually useless. In more social ones like Vampire or Pendragon it's usually more useful. While in games like Monsterhearts it's crucial.

How so..? I usually run my AD&D games super racist, so any elves/dwarves/halflings going into a human town are going to have a hard time not being ostracized. Also, good luck trying to convince anyone of anything if you look like you just stepped out of the dumpster.

I'd say appearance matters quite a bit in my games, as it should.

Quote from: Brad;1123462How so..? I usually run my AD&D games super racist, so any elves/dwarves/halflings going into a human town are going to have a hard time not being ostracized. Also, good luck trying to convince anyone of anything if you look like you just stepped out of the dumpster.

I'd say appearance matters quite a bit in my games, as it should.

Question: do you use Charisma as an appearance analog? Or do you use the Comeliness attribute?

Quote from: Ghostmaker;1123464Question: do you use Charisma as an appearance analog? Or do you use the Comeliness attribute?

Charisma is associated with appearance In Real Life, so I go that route. I think Comeliness was a needless UA addition. Also, you can be the ugliest mofo ever, but if you're wearing royal apparel and act noble, people will treat you with at least feigned respect. The most beautiful slave girl is still treated like a slave.

For games that have an actual appearance attribute like BRP, GURPS, HERO, etc., I just use that, but tell the players whenever they're negatively/positively affecting the value.

Is fashion a thing?

Do people notice what the people in power wear and try to copy them or at least wear things that they hope those people will like?

Are manicures, pedicures, haircuts and maybe makeup of any importance?
Does loot get spent on them?

Quote from: Greentongue;1123474Is fashion a thing?

Do people notice what the people in power wear and try to copy them or at least wear things that they hope those people will like?

Are manicures, pedicures, haircuts and maybe makeup of any importance?
Does loot get spent on them?

Greetings!

Yes, in my campaigns things like appearance, fashion, cosmetics, beauty, professionalism, class and status are all very important. Just like in our own real world history, virtually everywhere in the ancient and medieval worlds, these things were also very important. They are important right now, to varying degrees.

I have actually experimented at my work in the past. When dressed casually, with say a decent shirt, jeans, and shoes on. People are typically range from indifferent to friendly. Put on a sharp suit, coat, tie, dress shoes, cologne--and the reaction is obviously very different, from both men and women. Work, restaurants, hotels, airports, shops, virtually everywhere, the response is much more positive, formal, and respectful.

In the campaign, all of these things matter in determining how people and businesses and services respond to you. Many refuse to serve rough looking people, poor, or otherwise foreigners or scum. Others give brief, minimal service. Dressing and looking appropriate gains far better reactions. The women are especially keen on pedicures, manicures, getting their hair done, perfume, stylish jewelry, fashionable clothing, and looking as good as possible. Likewise, the men gain benefits when looking dressed up and sharp, or even professionally in a simple, or rustic way. Appropriate dress, being clean and well-groomed, smelling good--these things go over well regardless of actual class, wealth, or status.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Depends on the setting.

In a Star Wars-style space fantasy or a general fantasy kitchen sink with numerous sapient species of different biologies and body plans appearance is generally lumped into a Presence or Charisma stat because its just one of many factors involved with interpersonal relations.

In a more mono-species (ex. human-only) setting allowing it to be a more distinct element with its only pluses and minuses is more worth doing, but it needn't be an actual stat.

In the Mutants & Masterminds campaign I play in most people are presumed to be "comic book average" (i.e. attractive by our standards, but unremarkable as drawn by genre artists) with extreme beauty or ugliness being a Complication (one PC had "Mega-Presence" as their power in that they could almost magically persuade others to do whatever they wanted and part of that was extreme beauty that basically made them the constant focus of attention by Paparazzi and the like).

Quote from: Greentongue;1123447Is this a blind spot or is it intentional?  Should such a real world factor be included or would that alienate players?

I have been working on a game system in which attractiveness is purchased as an advantage. You could also certainly affect a roll based on other factors of presentation (how you dress, 'acting', etc).

Comeliness has come and gone in D&D, so for some in game it certainly factors in.

Quote from: Lynn;1123481I have been working on a game system in which attractiveness is purchased as an advantage.

As SHARK mentioned, attractiveness only goes so far if you are trying to be treated with respect.
Attractiveness can certainly be used for "Femme / Homme Fatale" type of characters not to mention other "Professions".

Quote from: Greentongue;1123502As SHARK mentioned, attractiveness only goes so far if you are trying to be treated with respect.
Attractiveness can certainly be used for "Femme / Homme Fatale" type of characters not to mention other "Professions".

But it can go far and farther in combination. Dressing right and having good manners can go hand in hand with attractiveness. And attractiveness itself can be a handful of different attributes, some of which you can take as sexual and others not.