steve
3021
A larger percentage of blacks play games relative to their actual population percentage in the US, and they play them more, so while you picked the dumbest example to make the cheapest point possible (good job!), the question of representation is actually legitimate one.
steve
3022
Yes, that’s the major problem.
Wait, what?
There’s no “hard news” in gaming, but let’s be real: people have no issue with injecting politics into hard news when it’s their own politics. I understand how conservatives might feel they’re under attack by all of those mighty alpha powerful liberals destroying America by having the audacity to mention sexism from time-to-time, yet they will happily link to Breitbart’s wonderful coverage.
The actual criticism of that game was couched in the softest terms imaginable and was supported by facts, the victim of that criticism faced no consequences whatsoever(beyond becoming a cause celebre among white nationalists lol racism is over), but Desslock STILL has a grudge about liberals airing their sincere opinions in public. That’s the alpha and omega of the sin there, some people wrote, on reddit where even the children could see, VIEWS THAT DESSLOCK DOES NOT SHARE.
Literally true, in terms of perceived reality of events like this where you both have very different preconceptions and filtered media channels ready to serve you in reinforcing them.
I get your point and agree with the underlying sentiment, but I must add that I do try to avoid filtered media. I’m not a fan of either Fox News or MSNBC, for example. Facts matter to me more than spin or party affiliation.
Unsure what you’re trying to say, other than people would like to play avatars that look like themselves, regardless of how out of context that might be? The fact that you can’t be the Tomb Raider is problematic to you? That’s absurd.
It’s a game that is designed to be a historically accurate, realistic RPG with no fantasy elements - an extremely rare game that will likely have niche appeal, as other than Darklands and some indie products, it’s never even been attempted, and for the niche crowd interested in that sort of game, its historical accuracy is fundamental to that appeal, regardless of what groups the player identifies with.
It’s the most imbecilic complaint ever - it’s not a modern military game, or sports game, or game set in any modern setting - it’s like complaining your can’t play a Japanese dude in a game set in the Aztec jungles, or being unable to play a Swede in an RPG about being a Comanche community, or a Polish Samurai.
As you know as well as anyone, I want the ability to create as varied and diverse characters as possible in RPGs - I’ve written dozens of columns over the years on that exact point. But context matters, and I want developers to make the games they most want to make, and we’re free to judge them accordingly. But if your criticism comes down to berating God of War because you can’t play an old Hispanic lady, don’t be surprised if you lose some of your audience and get mocked.
CraigM
3027
I agree, context does matter. And the context here is that there were people of other nationalities and skin colors in Europe. Hell even the literature of the time had characters of different races, one of the major characters in Le Morte de Arthur is Sir Palomides the Saracen. Opting not to allow customization of skin color isn’t a deal breaker, after all even though it wasn’t the only skin color in Bohemia it was the vast majority, but acting like there is no historical basis for other races is revisionist history. So if you don’t have the time and resources to do so, admit it. The attacks from the devs and the community were simply bonkers though. Seriously the subject was brought up under the mildest possible terms.
steve
3028
Some dudes won’t play Tomb Raider because they don’t want to play as a woman, or they won’t play JRPGs because they aren’t “dark and manly.” So is it really weird that some people might like to play as an angry Asian guy killing brown people in the middle east instead of the usual angry white guy? But yes, context matters. Very few reasonable people say otherwise.
It’s a game that is designed to be a historically accurate,
Blah blah blah. Ugh, dude, just stop. Once again, agreed. Dumb example. Context matters.
But context matters, and I want developers to make the games they most want to make, and we’re free to judge them accordingly. But if your criticism comes down to berating God of War because you can’t play an old Hispanic lady, don’t be surprised if you lose some of your audience and get mocked.
I’m not sure why you feel compelled to use an imaginary argument to dismiss legitimate calls for diversity, particularly since you yourself have made arguments for diversity. Arguing in this manner undermines your own calls for exclusion and diversity in RPGs.
I wasn’t thinking of left-right politics. I was thinking more in terms of a news article that should be simply a factual report having a lot of editorial/writer speculation injected into the article.
LMN8R
3030
As a game developer, surely you understand that this means every gaming site would just regurgitate the same developer-written press releases over and over again? How boring.
(And how convenient for game developers)
steve
3031
Considering a large percentage of news reporting is just as you describe (in the case of games, it’s summarizing press releases), it’s hard to see any real issue. But when it comes to much of the “good stuff” in news, people don’t want straight factual reporting, or if they claim they do they want to make sure “both sides” are equally represented even when one side is batshit crazy. Without equal representation, either side of an issue will claim it’s not factual, and is in fact biased.
Whilst medieval non-whites are a historical fact, and whilst the article in question is mild, I was lead to believe the accompanying flock of outraged tumbristas bombarded Daniel and his team of racist, sexist, shitlords with the type of insults and aggressive accusations we are familiar with in this thread.
Although their PR left much to be desired, and its interpretation was missing the nuances of the Tumblrina-Czech cultural interface clash they did make a good point, would a historically accurate non-white be common enough to found in 9 sq km of map? That is open to question. I only have to drive out to one of the villages in my county and I’m the only non-white for miles.
magnet
3033
How many vengeful bards on horseback would be common enough to be found in a 9 sq km map? I only have to step outside to see that I’m the only one in my whole school district.
Timex
3034
Medieval europe had SHITTONS of bards dude. You couldn’t throw a witches cat without hitting some drunk bard falling out of a tavern.
magnet
3035
And how many of those could parry your cat and then shoot you with a crossbow?
Seriously. Haven’t you guys been watching Galavant? Everyone was a bard. Kings, knights, monks, cooks, executioners, everyone!
Timex
3037
Bards were the lolcats of the middle ages.
You were led to believe it, but it’s hard, very hard, to find any evidence of that happening. The evidence points to the abuse flowing mainly the other way. Rather we only have Vavra’s rather difficult to believe contention that he was getting blacklisted in the mainstream gaming media because he wasn’t including playable women or people of colour in his game.
Although their PR left much to be desired, and its interpretation was missing the nuances of the Tumblrina-Czech cultural interface clash they did make a good point, would a historically accurate non-white be common enough to found in 9 sq km of map? That is open to question. I only have to drive out to one of the villages in my county and I’m the only non-white for miles.
Watch out for those no-go zones man.
AFAIK the only straight news reporting in video games journalism are corporate reorganizations, changes in personnel, etc. So certainly it would be grossly unfair for the media to pick sides in something like the Infinity Ward meltdown.
But perhaps I, like pwk and his limitless sympathy for the imaginary suffering of white dudes, have been lead to believe absolute fiction.
Could someone provide an example of a “news article” in video games journalism that is inappropriately politicized?
