184: Gangbangers, Victims, and Whores
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I'm not going to buy a game based on how well or how poorly they act on racial stereotypes because by thinking about it in the first place you are wasting gameplay energy.
At the turn of the millenium, I noticed a vast exodus of people watching UPN. If you've heard of that channel, you might have memories of it being called the new B.E.T. because of at the sheer onslaught of black themed shows cropping up. Some people had qualms about saying the truth, that since the characters weren't like them (i.e. black), that they didn't want to look at the shows.
Most of the time, anyone going to the theater to see a Tyler Perry movie, 90% of the audience will be black.
What's all this to mean? Basically the fact that people like to be represented in what they shell out money for. Taking on a completely different role is fine every now and again, but when it's your only choice... it gets taxing. Mass Effect showed that it's not only possible, but seamless to create and represent yourself in a game. Speaking as a non-white male gamer, I can't help but to find it presumptuous and ego-centric when designers speak on their interviews how they'd spent a good deal of time creating a character that players can identify with, when the character himself is stock-square jawed white male action hero #13245.
Again, even Yahtzee himself spoke about it, as he was describing the disconnect he felt with the heroes of Left 4 Dead. The only one he felt some relation towards (and please tell me if I'm misunderstanding) was Louis, a semi hapless middle management type who just happens to be immune to a virus that turns everyone into Infected Murderers.
Then at the end, he mentioned that he was a black guy, so basically throw out the whole idea of relating. Why is it ok for others to say this about non white characters, but some people roll their eyes go "Here we go again" when non white players make the same and true comments about being misrepresented in games which causes a disconnect?
Making a list of 10 NPCs and 3 Playable Characters to represent an entire group of gamers does not match up the the virtual hundreds of Represented Playable characters.
Lastly, to those few that say that it shouldn't matter, I agree with you. But you shouldn't just say it when the non white players speak up. It should start at the design phase of the game, when the team gets together and tries to shape the Player's Character. When they start drawing him (and yes, it's mostly a him), and they start designing him to be white, you can put your hand on that pen and say the same thing: "It doesn't matter what color he is, as long as the game is good".
Most of the time, anyone going to the theater to see a Tyler Perry movie, 90% of the audience will be black.
What's all this to mean? Basically the fact that people like to be represented in what they shell out money for. Taking on a completely different role is fine every now and again, but when it's your only choice... it gets taxing. Mass Effect showed that it's not only possible, but seamless to create and represent yourself in a game. Speaking as a non-white male gamer, I can't help but to find it presumptuous and ego-centric when designers speak on their interviews how they'd spent a good deal of time creating a character that players can identify with, when the character himself is stock-square jawed white male action hero #13245.
Again, even Yahtzee himself spoke about it, as he was describing the disconnect he felt with the heroes of Left 4 Dead. The only one he felt some relation towards (and please tell me if I'm misunderstanding) was Louis, a semi hapless middle management type who just happens to be immune to a virus that turns everyone into Infected Murderers.
Then at the end, he mentioned that he was a black guy, so basically throw out the whole idea of relating. Why is it ok for others to say this about non white characters, but some people roll their eyes go "Here we go again" when non white players make the same and true comments about being misrepresented in games which causes a disconnect?
Making a list of 10 NPCs and 3 Playable Characters to represent an entire group of gamers does not match up the the virtual hundreds of Represented Playable characters.
Lastly, to those few that say that it shouldn't matter, I agree with you. But you shouldn't just say it when the non white players speak up. It should start at the design phase of the game, when the team gets together and tries to shape the Player's Character. When they start drawing him (and yes, it's mostly a him), and they start designing him to be white, you can put your hand on that pen and say the same thing: "It doesn't matter what color he is, as long as the game is good".
how the hell do you exspect me a white midle class nerdy type guy to relate to a super cool white action hero type guy if i where to meet him i wouldent know what to talk about i whould problably make an inaproprite comment about a mole on my pecker
i sereously dont care about the race or gender of a characther in a game
i sereously dont care about the race or gender of a characther in a game
My feeling is that game designers just feel like they should toss a few minorities in, but that they don't really tailor the roles towards those minorities. In other words, if a video game needs 8 gangbangers, 23 victims and 17 whores, they will say, let's make a few black and a few Hispanic. So I don't see much point in talking about how the game industry portrays Hispanics, because I don't think it's appreciably different from how they portray everyone else. In terms of film, this sort of discussion makes sense, because there are such a range of personality types in films, but I could easily write an article on the characterization of white people in video games called "Gangbangers, Victims and Whores."
Still, as I writer I understand the need to write about *something* so you can get a paycheck, and the article takes a balanced tone and is far less shrill than some comments on it that appear to have been written by people who read the title and decided to comment without actually reading the article.
Still, as I writer I understand the need to write about *something* so you can get a paycheck, and the article takes a balanced tone and is far less shrill than some comments on it that appear to have been written by people who read the title and decided to comment without actually reading the article.
It's amazing how many people think the author is whining about race. She's not. She's merely stating that perhaps we should move out of sterotypes sometimes and perhaps a Latina woman can take the place of the all American white as milk male protagnist scientist instead of sucking on lollipops on the corner.
Personally, I agree. After a while I start noticing the objectification of women, especially minorities and it's fustrating. It wouldn't bother me at all if all the characters where this way in the game but there not. She's right, in Dead Rising the male lead is fully dressed. I mean really, he's in the middle of a zombie smackdown and he's also an idot - it can't be that hard for him to lose clothing along the way and match his sexy counterpart.
This does go into gender roles and while I am far from a flaming feminist burning my bra on the street corner screaming 'Down with men', I do feel that we really need to drop a lot of these sterotypes. In some games they are called for, and in some stories they have a place but they shouldn't be occuring all the time.
It's tiring to see and makes me think that the designers lacked originality, not that they're racist. Chell and even GlaDOS were refreshing to see not because they were female, but because it was so different.
I think sterotyping just gets us in a rut - it's one of the reasons so many bad games came out last year and most likely will plague the games this year. It's bland, it's old, for me it's unexciting unless there's a true reason behind it like a plot twist etc, and it needs to be dropped period.
Personally, I agree. After a while I start noticing the objectification of women, especially minorities and it's fustrating. It wouldn't bother me at all if all the characters where this way in the game but there not. She's right, in Dead Rising the male lead is fully dressed. I mean really, he's in the middle of a zombie smackdown and he's also an idot - it can't be that hard for him to lose clothing along the way and match his sexy counterpart.
This does go into gender roles and while I am far from a flaming feminist burning my bra on the street corner screaming 'Down with men', I do feel that we really need to drop a lot of these sterotypes. In some games they are called for, and in some stories they have a place but they shouldn't be occuring all the time.
It's tiring to see and makes me think that the designers lacked originality, not that they're racist. Chell and even GlaDOS were refreshing to see not because they were female, but because it was so different.
I think sterotyping just gets us in a rut - it's one of the reasons so many bad games came out last year and most likely will plague the games this year. It's bland, it's old, for me it's unexciting unless there's a true reason behind it like a plot twist etc, and it needs to be dropped period.
It's the same thing you see in Hollywood movies that, regardless of the level of violence, drug use, sex and profanity, still appease the casting call of "Dashing Dark Handsome White Hero," "Emotionally Hostile and Fragile White Woman Who, Despite All Odds Pulls Though In The End," "Shit-Talking Sidekick of Indeterminate Ethnicity Who Dies And Gives Heroes Further Motivation," and "Black Guy." Games are like movies in that they appeal to our steriotypes about others. Say "Criminal" to white kid and the first thing that, steriotypically, comes to mind is some big black dude. Say "Hooker" to the same white kid and she's probably Mexican or of other Spanish Diversity.
It reminds me of an interview with the creator, of all things, "Cops" I saw a few years back. The interviewer asked him why the show was endless episodes of white southern sherrifs arresting drugged up hookers or black gangstas, and why there wasn't more footage and stories of corporate crime - white collar stuff like insurance fraud. His answer was simply that that does not play into the large percentage of TV viewers' preconceptions about crime. The image of crime most people have is armed robbery, murder, prostitution, and drug dealing, all at the hands of people who aren't white, and to appeal to that notion "Cops" could only report on crimes that match that vision.
It reminds me of an interview with the creator, of all things, "Cops" I saw a few years back. The interviewer asked him why the show was endless episodes of white southern sherrifs arresting drugged up hookers or black gangstas, and why there wasn't more footage and stories of corporate crime - white collar stuff like insurance fraud. His answer was simply that that does not play into the large percentage of TV viewers' preconceptions about crime. The image of crime most people have is armed robbery, murder, prostitution, and drug dealing, all at the hands of people who aren't white, and to appeal to that notion "Cops" could only report on crimes that match that vision.
talking about he sexualacion of women did you notice you can nerley see down the bra of the women loking at the computer screen that i find ironic
I'm torn on this.
On one hand the author seems to have listed characters from games where one has to expect to find negativity regardless of race.
Yes, the Latino community is portrayed in less than favorable terms in the GTA games but so are the Polynesian, Asian, Caucasian and African communities.
It's a game about interacting with the criminal element and there's very little room for altruistic benevolence in a game about organized crime.
Same with the Silent Hill series, yes the Latina characters in those games are "victims" but it's a horror game. You'd be hard pressed to find a character in any of those games who isn't a victim.
On the other hand outside of games where racial diversity becomes a cartoonish parody of itself. (Such as the GTA series, Street Fighter and Sega Soccer Slam) I can only think of a handful of Latino characters apprearing in any significant heroic role in any other games.
Carlos Olivera and Luis Sera from their Respective Resident Evil titles are the only ones that spring to mind.
At the end of the day I suppose I would like to see some sort of diversity in games but really hate the idea of diversity just for the sake of it, especially when it obviously comes off as forced.
My squad of alien/mutant busting bad-ass marines does not NEED to consist of the asian guy, the black guy, the latino guy and the guy in the wheelchair just so everyone feels invited to the party.
On one hand the author seems to have listed characters from games where one has to expect to find negativity regardless of race.
Yes, the Latino community is portrayed in less than favorable terms in the GTA games but so are the Polynesian, Asian, Caucasian and African communities.
It's a game about interacting with the criminal element and there's very little room for altruistic benevolence in a game about organized crime.
Same with the Silent Hill series, yes the Latina characters in those games are "victims" but it's a horror game. You'd be hard pressed to find a character in any of those games who isn't a victim.
On the other hand outside of games where racial diversity becomes a cartoonish parody of itself. (Such as the GTA series, Street Fighter and Sega Soccer Slam) I can only think of a handful of Latino characters apprearing in any significant heroic role in any other games.
Carlos Olivera and Luis Sera from their Respective Resident Evil titles are the only ones that spring to mind.
At the end of the day I suppose I would like to see some sort of diversity in games but really hate the idea of diversity just for the sake of it, especially when it obviously comes off as forced.
My squad of alien/mutant busting bad-ass marines does not NEED to consist of the asian guy, the black guy, the latino guy and the guy in the wheelchair just so everyone feels invited to the party.
"[...] there is a degree of responsibility shared among all media to represent people of different backgrounds fairly [...]"
- from the article
No there is not! This is America (the writer's from New York, so I'm speaking from an American's perspective), and our economy is based on Capitalism! Purveyors of media have absolutely no responsibility other than to seek their profit in a legal manner. Stereotypes are both entertaining and easy to digest. Those two qualities are somewhat important in a video game.
Let me tell you how you can make a difference in a Capitalist society: Call the video game publishers, and tell them that you will not buy a game from them unless it features a moderately attractive, modestly dressed, good-hearted, responsible Latina who at some point in the game gets a nice promotion at her office job. If you can get enough people who agree with you to do the same thing, the publishers will feel their wallets getting lighter and immediately bend to your will.
- from the article
No there is not! This is America (the writer's from New York, so I'm speaking from an American's perspective), and our economy is based on Capitalism! Purveyors of media have absolutely no responsibility other than to seek their profit in a legal manner. Stereotypes are both entertaining and easy to digest. Those two qualities are somewhat important in a video game.
Let me tell you how you can make a difference in a Capitalist society: Call the video game publishers, and tell them that you will not buy a game from them unless it features a moderately attractive, modestly dressed, good-hearted, responsible Latina who at some point in the game gets a nice promotion at her office job. If you can get enough people who agree with you to do the same thing, the publishers will feel their wallets getting lighter and immediately bend to your will.
I didn't like the way this article was heading and I couldn't place it until I read:
"The good news is there are some characters that are portrayed positively, or at the very least, with more realism and nuance."
That, right there, is part of the problem. How would portraying them positively be any better than the current stereotypes? The stereotypes are bad all the way around and the best achievable would be with more realism and nuance. Otherwise we'll have the opposite problem.
It's not like there's that many character roles in computer games to begin with.
"The good news is there are some characters that are portrayed positively, or at the very least, with more realism and nuance."
That, right there, is part of the problem. How would portraying them positively be any better than the current stereotypes? The stereotypes are bad all the way around and the best achievable would be with more realism and nuance. Otherwise we'll have the opposite problem.
It's not like there's that many character roles in computer games to begin with.
Another day, another minority group exposed as being stereotyped by the games industry.
I should write an essay about how skinny, pale, pubescent men are always portrayed as nerds and never as a genuine, serious hero. Or how marines are only portrayed as fighting machines - how do you think that makes marines feel? There are plenty of marines that aren't unstoppable killers.
Seriously though, everyone just stop writing these.
I should write an essay about how skinny, pale, pubescent men are always portrayed as nerds and never as a genuine, serious hero. Or how marines are only portrayed as fighting machines - how do you think that makes marines feel? There are plenty of marines that aren't unstoppable killers.
Seriously though, everyone just stop writing these.
I have to say I don't agree with a lot of this article.
I'm Irish and if our stereotype was tall, dark, sexy rebels like those two siblings from Dead Rising I'd be delighted lol!
Imagine how we have it... having an uneducated psychopathic drunkard pub brawler as your stereotype!!
(packie anyone????)
Yes, Isabella is objectified to an extent but not as much as the blonde caucasian agent with massive boobs whose skirt frank can take photos up.
Isabella's brother is objectified in exactly the same way she is, her clothes and look are no more sexual or revealing than his.
as for GTA, EVERYONE is those games is involved in crime and debauchery!!! not just the latin characters!
I'm Irish and if our stereotype was tall, dark, sexy rebels like those two siblings from Dead Rising I'd be delighted lol!
Imagine how we have it... having an uneducated psychopathic drunkard pub brawler as your stereotype!!
(packie anyone????) Yes, Isabella is objectified to an extent but not as much as the blonde caucasian agent with massive boobs whose skirt frank can take photos up.
Isabella's brother is objectified in exactly the same way she is, her clothes and look are no more sexual or revealing than his.
as for GTA, EVERYONE is those games is involved in crime and debauchery!!! not just the latin characters!
Naw, they already beat you to it. It's not "white", it's "Caucasian"CPLWeeks said:
My reaction to this article was a solid "meh". I wasn't surprised and didn't find it strange that I haven't played, and likely never will, any of the games listed, including any of the tiresome Croft series, or GTA. I've no desire to play punks or thugs, I'd rather be the one killing punks and thugs. Oh, wait, GTA is both, right? I'll never know . . .
Frankly, the more "anti-PC" and fringe the game is the more I often enjoy it. Let journalists and television wrestle over political correctness and do their best to sanitize their offerings (they've already ruined 90% of cartoons). . . . and leave my computer games alone. Diversity for diversity's sake is not more interesting or entertaining.