234: Not That There's Anything Wrong With That

[Robert Yang]

Not That There's Anything Wrong With That

For straight gamers, videogames can often be an escape from a painful reality. But for gay gamers, videogames offer little respite from prejudice and homophobia. Robert Yang recalls his experience developing a Half-Life 2 mod featuring gay characters and the response it provoked.

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[Angerwing]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.

"That's always been one of the things I don't get about homophobia: Just because they like men, doesn't mean they like YOU. Not every woman in the world is clamouring to have sex with every man, just like every gay man doesn't want to jump the bones of every other man. I liked this article a lot. Yet homophobia seems to be the most common intolerance around. A whole bunch of my WoW Guild Mates shat brix when I told them the Spartans were all homosexual, and got annoyed when I told them why. One of them even got quite hostile with me, and still won't use my name without adding some expletive."

The homosexual part of society has to be one of the most spat on by government, in the world.

 

[ben---neb]

Well the first time round I didn't read it because I assumed (accurately) that reading it would make me feel uncomfortable. But putting aside my moral disapproval of homosexuality (yes, I have one and no, it doesn't mean I hate gays or want to beat them up. If I went round hating all homosexuals I'd also have to hate everyone who has sex outside of marriage or as an affair and I have far better things to do with my time) it was an interesting article. I certainly see no reason why you should have made it and I agree that most games tell the same boring stories over and over again.

 

[flaming_squirrel]

I guess the guy who made the mod has never played on XBL (or the internets in general) if he was surprised by the feedback it received.

But hell, everyone gets flamed online at some point so crying about it wont solve much.

But putting aside my moral disapproval of homosexuality

Oh lawd, inb4 shitstorm.

 

[ThrobbingEgo]

Cool article. It always amazes me how an audience feels cheated when an author defies their expectations. It's like they think it's their story, with their characters. The audience doesn't always realize that it's following characters separate from itself, that its just along for the ride.

I've heard a bit about the author's mods on TIGSource, and I think I'll check them out. ...Right after I finish Research and Development.

 

[Sebenko]

Well the first time round I didn't read it because I assumed (accurately) that reading it would make me feel uncomfortable. But putting aside my moral disapproval of homosexuality

I don't understand were you're coming from- why is it you have a moral disapproval of gays?

I "disapprove" of people who have kids. Sounds far more easily justified than your opinion- almost 7 billion people on earth, that's far more than enough, so anyone having more than one child is immoral.

 

[NicolasMarinus]

You can't blame people for not wanting to play a gay man. When playing Prey I felt no attachment to the main character because he was a native American struggling with his ancestry. Nothing could be more remote from my European, all-white background. Except for maybe playing a gay man

I have a Mac, so can't play your mod, but I'm sure I would have found it interesting playing a gay man. Movies can often show you different worlds, different lifestyles. For some reason this technique has not found its way into games. It prevents them from maturing. So I applaud your effort in making games the cultural media they should be, representing and expressing all walks and talks of life.

 

[ThrobbingEgo]

I generally disapprove of people who tell me what their gods disapprove of me doing.

 

[NicolasMarinus]

Cool article. It always amazes me how an audience feels cheated when an author defies their expectations. It's like they think it's their story, with their characters. The audience doesn't always realize that it's following characters separate from itself, that its just along for the ride.

I've heard a bit about the author's mods on TIGSource, and I think I'll check them out. ...Right after I finish Research and Development.

Hm, I disagree. Games are interactive stories where you (ideally) have choices. In part the story is yours. Like modern art, it is a shared experience, only completed when the viewer views and interprets the images as he sees fit.

I do like what you say about the author defying expectations. Well put.

 

[SharPhoe]

I'm honestly surprised this article hasn't gotten more attention since it was published. EDIT: Didn't realize this was the "Best Of" issue. That would be why. >_>

I don't own Half-Life 2, so unfortunately I can't play the mod myself, but the article itself still rings very true for me nonetheless... This part, in particular, is very strong:

When a gay person hears "******," they hear it as a question: "Remember when that mailman spat at you?" or maybe "Remember when your mother cried when you finally managed to come out to her?" It is the sound of pain, confusion and fear...

To this day, I'm still not certain whether or not she looks at me the same way as she does my siblings... but I've learned to live with that.

But putting aside my moral disapproval of homosexuality (yes, I have one and no, it doesn't mean I hate gays or want to beat them up. If I went round hating all homosexuals I'd also have to hate everyone who has sex outside of marriage or as an affair and I have far better things to do with my time)

That's fine, I'm sure no one wants to argue about that, as it would be pointless. Simply agree to disagree, right?

 

[A Pious Cultist]

Well the first time round I didn't read it because I assumed (accurately) that reading it would make me feel uncomfortable. But putting aside my moral disapproval of homosexuality

I don't understand were you're coming from- why is it you have a moral disapproval of gays?

"Because god's book said so". :/

Putting my mild religious baiting aside I played through the two Radiator games and to be honest the implied homosexual relationship really didn't bother me at all. Why should it? If anything I was far more affected by how shoddy the gameplay was.

 

[Angerwing]

You can't blame people for not wanting to play a gay man. When playing Prey I felt no attachment to the main character because he was a native American struggling with his ancestry. Nothing could be more remote from my European, all-white background.

May I assume that you're not a drugged up super-soldier? If you aren't, then how could relate to this character even if he was white? What about playing as Lara Croft (for example)?

Are you saying that you don't like playing characters who aren't copies of you?

I know, I know, logical fallacy, but still. Your point has little basis.

Edit: I got Prey confused with Haze. Doesn't change the point, but I just thought I'd clear that up.

 

[ThrobbingEgo]

Cool article. It always amazes me how an audience feels cheated when an author defies their expectations. It's like they think it's their story, with their characters. The audience doesn't always realize that it's following characters separate from itself, that its just along for the ride.

I've heard a bit about the author's mods on TIGSource, and I think I'll check them out. ...Right after I finish Research and Development.

Hm, I disagree. Games are interactive stories where you (ideally) have choices. In part the story is yours. Like modern art, it is a shared experience, only completed when the viewer views and interprets the images as he sees fit.

I do like what you say about the author defying expectations. Well put.

And who defines what those possible choices are? The author. A game's a constructed medium.

The author's control just becomes more obvious when a game follows a linear plot.

 

[ThrobbingEgo]

You can't blame people for not wanting to play a gay man. When playing Prey I felt no attachment to the main character because he was a native American struggling with his ancestry. Nothing could be more remote from my European, all-white background.

May I assume that you're not a drugged up super-soldier? If you aren't, then how could relate to this character even if he was white? What about playing as Lara Croft (for example)?

Are you saying that you don't like playing characters who aren't copies of you?

I know, I know, logical fallacy, but still. Your point has little basis.

Hint: Sarcasm.

 

[Legion]

Cool article. It always amazes me how an audience feels cheated when an author defies their expectations. It's like they think it's their story, with their characters. The audience doesn't always realize that it's following characters separate from itself, that its just along for the ride.

I've heard a bit about the author's mods on TIGSource, and I think I'll check them out. ...Right after I finish Research and Development.

Hm, I disagree. Games are interactive stories where you (ideally) have choices. In part the story is yours. Like modern art, it is a shared experience, only completed when the viewer views and interprets the images as he sees fit.

I do like what you say about the author defying expectations. Well put.

And who defines what those possible choices are? The author. A game's a constructed medium.

I agree, it's what always irritated me back in school when teachers used to get you reading books/poetry and then saying "What does 'X' mean" and "What is symbolic about 'Y'?", which you can pretty much guarantee that the original author didn't intend when they originally created it.

 

[Angerwing]

Hint: Sarcasm.

Irrelevant. I've heard the aforementioned argument many times before. "I'm not gay, I don't want to play as gays. Not homophobic, I just can't relate."

It doesn't matter whether he was being sarcastic, I was addressing the argument, not the arguer.

 

[ThrobbingEgo]

Hint: Sarcasm.

Irrelevant. I've heard the aforementioned argument many times before. "I'm not gay, I don't want to play as gays. Not homophobic, I just can't relate."

It doesn't matter whether he was being sarcastic, I was addressing the argument, not the arguer.

Yes, but the point of the argument was that it was flawed. If you took the whole quote, you'd see it was followed by a smiley, and then a request for a mac-friendly version of the mod so he could play it. (Try WINE or crossover games.)

Your reply is redundant to the author's intent.

 

[ben---neb]

Well the first time round I didn't read it because I assumed (accurately) that reading it would make me feel uncomfortable. But putting aside my moral disapproval of homosexuality

I don't understand were you're coming from- why is it you have a moral disapproval of gays?

I "disapprove" of people who have kids. Sounds far more easily justified than your opinion- almost 7 billion people on earth, that's far more than enough, so anyone having more than one child is immoral.

Because, as the Bible says, marriage should only be between a man and a woman. Sex should only happen in marriage. Therefore homosexuality is a sin. But Christians shouldn't discriminate against homosexuals because we all sin, homosexulaity is just another to add to the list of the sins of mankind.

 

[Angerwing]

Because, as the Bible says, marriage should only be between a man and a woman. Sex should only happen in marriage. Therefore homosexuality is a sin. But Christians shouldn't discriminate against homosexuals because we all sin, homosexulaity is just another to add to the list of the sins of mankind.

Along with wearing mixed threads and shaving. Is that a cotton/polyester blend? Straight to hell.

Yes, but the point of the argument was that it was flawed. If you took the whole quote, you'd see it was followed by a smiley, and then a request for a mac-friendly version of the mod so he could play it.

Your reply is redundant to the author's intent.

And your reply is redundant to mine.