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"Gaming: Unfair Beliefs"

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Sat 30/06/01 at 21:22
Regular
Posts: 787
This is my first part of the Gaming: series of posts.

Cruelty and unfairness because of race or colour still happens in the real world, but is always trying to be prevented. Fines, even jail sentences are dished out to ‘racist’ offenders. You would never have thought that unfairness because of your religion would occur in the gaming world, would you? Well the truth is is that it does.

Although racism doesn’t happen 100% wise in the gaming world, there is still unfairness that goes on. It is very easy to spot actually, and I would have thought this topic had been brought up before. It’s mainly based in the characters. Try and think of one main character that isn’t white (so that leaves Indian, African, and Asian). There’s none is there – Zelda, Link, Mario, Peach, and Lara, all prime examples, are white. So therefore if there had to be one main character in a new game my money would go on him/her being white.

Although main characters are white, there may be some exceptions in ‘side kick’ characters like those in beat ‘em ups or as bystanders, because if there wasn’t, I’m sure videogame producers would be taken to court to withgo racism charges, like Tekken, ISS or WWF Smackdown for example. Even though that has been said, there is still a larger amount of white ‘side kick’ characters than black.

What also baffles me is the fact that the majority of games developers are Japanese, like Nintendo. So why don’t they make their (main) characters Japanese? Take Link from Zelda, he looks American/British, yet Japanese developers – Nintendo, made the game. White might be thought of as the ‘neutral’ race, which is also wrong, but even so, this doesn’t give an exception to make everyone white really, does it? No.

I’m not saying that from now on everyone created for a game should be either fictional (like Crashy B), or a colour other than white, black, because quite frankly, I think this would be boring. What I am suggesting, however, is that the colours should be more balanced, and games should include perhaps more coloured characters. I’d prefer to be a hard, black man, than a white one, because I personally think they look better. If things like this happened in real life, and someone was left out of a game like football, because of his race/colour, not only would that person feel really unhappy, but the people behind the game would be due for a scrape with the law. So why don’t the likes of Nintendo, Rare, or Acclaim appear in the courtrooms for this? Is it that people don’t care what the characters look like as long as the game is good? I don’t know, but I for one would like to see the whole race gaming unfairness thing sorted out a bit fairer.

If you have different views, whether they’re for or against, do tell, I feel like a good argument right about now!

Anyway - thanks for reading,
Namo.

Right, time to get up from this chair and see if my legs still work after 2 hours of not using them. CHHHRRRK. Nope.
Sat 30/06/01 at 21:53
Regular
"Fishing For Reddies"
Posts: 4,986
Perhaps we all need to take a breath before embarking on a discussion on the issue of racism in gaming. Particularly because a lot of observers or site visitors might take our use of the word "racism" quite literally.

I don't see anything wrong with expressing opinions, but just be careful, yeah?

GAME
Sat 30/06/01 at 21:45
Regular
"You've upset me"
Posts: 21,152
Good point well made, both you Game and you Swish.
Sat 30/06/01 at 21:41
Regular
"Fishing For Reddies"
Posts: 4,986
Racism has changed a lot over the last few years. We went from being Anti-Anythingotherthatwhite, to okay, you can live here to, now.

The thing is, you can't really class games as being racist... a posh, English, well-spoken, female Secret Agent wouldn't really be black would she... common sense will tell you that. But black and asian people are present in games.

Sports games have them in abundance. Mark Henry, D-Lo Brown and K-Kwik are just some of the Brown wrestlers in games. And where football is concerned, FIFA games have 'coloured' players where appropriate.

The 'funny' thing is, there is more racial conflict between the asian community and african/black community than there is between the white community and anyother race. I am not saying white people are erfect, because they're not and they're in no way better than any other race. But if these two communities (Asian and Black) will 'fight' for the 'respect' of the white man imagine how many different opinions there must be!

From personal experiences, Asian people I know seem to be full of pride. Stereotypically, they're arrogant and obnoxious... where as black people seem to think everyone should like them because they're black.. and the white people, well, they'll just side with everyone...

Of course there are also different religions which will seperate the races into more groups... you can have white Chrisitans, Black Hindus, Asian atheists and Asian christians, so there will be even more seclution in that sense. But over all we have to find a truce... we are all human... we need to live together, whatever our faith, what ever our race, we've got to live together and just have faith. Faith in who is up to you, but as it stands now, rasicm is still around... more so in old people. So it may be safe to suggest that because the games developers nowadays are getting older they might still have that 'thing' inside them that says "He's not like you, he's different, alienate him!" Which is worng... and the only way we'll get rid of rasicm is to fade it out over the generations.

Like Michael Jackson said - "It doesn't matter of you're Black or White"

GAME
Sat 30/06/01 at 21:36
Posts: 0
As you say, America and Britain make up a big part of the gaming market, and this is probably why Japanese developers design english characters instead of Japanese - so it appeals more to them, therefore increasing buyers, which increases profit.
Sat 30/06/01 at 21:27
Regular
"You've upset me"
Posts: 21,152
Greta post Swish! And on a topic that hasn't been discussed on here before... I don't think!

anyway, now you say it, you're right! However I don't think it's intentional. As you say most games are made in Japan but the makers are trying to appeal the British and American markets. The American because it's bigger thna the Japenese one and the British becuase... becuase it's the American ones younger twin.
Sat 30/06/01 at 21:22
Posts: 0
This is my first part of the Gaming: series of posts.

Cruelty and unfairness because of race or colour still happens in the real world, but is always trying to be prevented. Fines, even jail sentences are dished out to ‘racist’ offenders. You would never have thought that unfairness because of your religion would occur in the gaming world, would you? Well the truth is is that it does.

Although racism doesn’t happen 100% wise in the gaming world, there is still unfairness that goes on. It is very easy to spot actually, and I would have thought this topic had been brought up before. It’s mainly based in the characters. Try and think of one main character that isn’t white (so that leaves Indian, African, and Asian). There’s none is there – Zelda, Link, Mario, Peach, and Lara, all prime examples, are white. So therefore if there had to be one main character in a new game my money would go on him/her being white.

Although main characters are white, there may be some exceptions in ‘side kick’ characters like those in beat ‘em ups or as bystanders, because if there wasn’t, I’m sure videogame producers would be taken to court to withgo racism charges, like Tekken, ISS or WWF Smackdown for example. Even though that has been said, there is still a larger amount of white ‘side kick’ characters than black.

What also baffles me is the fact that the majority of games developers are Japanese, like Nintendo. So why don’t they make their (main) characters Japanese? Take Link from Zelda, he looks American/British, yet Japanese developers – Nintendo, made the game. White might be thought of as the ‘neutral’ race, which is also wrong, but even so, this doesn’t give an exception to make everyone white really, does it? No.

I’m not saying that from now on everyone created for a game should be either fictional (like Crashy B), or a colour other than white, black, because quite frankly, I think this would be boring. What I am suggesting, however, is that the colours should be more balanced, and games should include perhaps more coloured characters. I’d prefer to be a hard, black man, than a white one, because I personally think they look better. If things like this happened in real life, and someone was left out of a game like football, because of his race/colour, not only would that person feel really unhappy, but the people behind the game would be due for a scrape with the law. So why don’t the likes of Nintendo, Rare, or Acclaim appear in the courtrooms for this? Is it that people don’t care what the characters look like as long as the game is good? I don’t know, but I for one would like to see the whole race gaming unfairness thing sorted out a bit fairer.

If you have different views, whether they’re for or against, do tell, I feel like a good argument right about now!

Anyway - thanks for reading,
Namo.

Right, time to get up from this chair and see if my legs still work after 2 hours of not using them. CHHHRRRK. Nope.

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