I do not understand the Tali fandom.

[Zhukov]

[sub](Alternative thread title: Ye gods! Apparently some people like something a lot more than I do. This cannot be!)[/sub]

EDIT FOR CLARITY: I am not referring to the whole should-we-see-her-face-or-not thing. I'm fairly neutral on that and it's already been better covered elsewhere.

...

Wait! Calm down. This isn't a hate thread. I'm not out to hang shit on your favourite character. I'm just... bemused is all.

In Mass Effect 1 Tali received almost zero characterization. She had lots of interesting stuff to say about Quarians in general and I was happy to listen to it, but her individual personality didn't get any attention.

And no, I'm not just pulling that out of my arse. Standard characterization test: You should be able to easily describe the character's personality without referring to their appearance or job. With Tali... I got nothing. I guess she's kinda plucky? That's really all I can come up with. With the other characters I can rattle off traits without a problem (Liara: earnest, sincere, awkward, bookish, inexperienced. Wrex: dour, blunt, taciturn, bitter, wry sense of humour, easygoing, casually violent). But Tali? There's just nothing there.

The second game was a considerable improvement in this regard. The loyalty missions allowed for a higher degree of focus on the characters and, in Tali's case, let her express a lot more emotion and become more humanized (alienized...? Whatever, you know what I mean). We learnt more about her role in her society and her concern for her people.

Oh, and then there was the romance thing, present by popular demand. No. Sorry, but... just no. That played out like an exercise in ego-stroking. "Oh Shepard, you're so wonderful but I was always too cute and shy to say so... because you're so awesome!" Yeesh.

So, in a nutshell, a very interesting species and a comfortably-above-average character (by video game standards that is). But I still don't see where the adoration comes from.

Anyone care to explain?

[sub](Alternative end line: I demand that you justify your subjective preferences!)[/sub]

 

[CrashBang]

I wish I could explain but I actually agree with every word you just said, OP. I understand the debate about wanting or not wanting to see her face because it's a very basic mystery which just itches and annoys. I, for one, want to see her face because she's not the big ball of enigma that some make her out to be so I don't see the harm in finding out what she looks like. It might actually help her characterisation... somehow

 

[TheIronRuler]

She's just another character from a video game, nothing more, nothing less.
The fact that she has a mask on and that her entire species appearance was never discussed is the problem here, but I suppose that leaving the mask on would be much better for the developing team, since it'll decrease their chances to fail at it.

 

[Casual Shinji]

She's the awkward nerd girl who's good in a fight, but clumsy with social matters. Nerds eat that shit up.

Plus, she wears a helmet which adds another element of mystery and projection.

 

[Woodsey]

I fucking hated her in the first game (you're right, she herself was very boring), and she becomes "alright" in the second.

 

[HHammond]

Yeah, in Mass Effect she wasn't that great, but in ME2 she was much more interesting.

As for your thing about describing her without mentioning her job or personality: hopeful, strong willed, family orientated, faithful, put upon. I still think she's more interesting then Garrus though. But yeah, she's doesn't have much focus on her in ME1 which is probably why she's the least characterised which might be why she's so popular. Not much was known about Tali herself. We know about the Quarians and their background but not her.

 

[GrizzlerBorno]

Not gonna fall for it Zhukov. However, I will say that her not being heavily characterised in ME1 did not bother me because she was a freaking teenager on a literal voyage of self discovery!! How can we figure out her character, if SHE doesn't know her character yet?! How interesting were YOU in high school?

Also (i'll probably be ninja'd whilst typing this on my phone) if you disliked her as a LI so much.... just don't fucking.... uhh... fuck her?

 

[Kapol]

While I do understand where you're coming from, I disagree with you on a couple things. The first is that Tali received no characterization in the first game. You see, in a lot of ways, I feel her lack of going into personal details really showed what kind of character she was. She was very knowledgeable about technology, but lacked any real social skills (which was due to being raised in basically a giant family setting with no outsider interaction). That's why she mainly talked about facts like the ship's engines and her race... those were the only things she really knew. That also lead to her coming off as a bit naive as well.

Going off you're examples, I'd say she's naive, lacks social skills due to how she was raised which causes her to be shy (given that she spends almost all her time in the engine room away from many of the crew), nerdy (given how she only talks about technology really), and almost constantly at least somewhat worried (given her situation with having to be in her suit).

I think that the romance thing worked well for her, though I do think that it seemed to come out of nowhere when she didn't show much sign of it before. Of course, that could be attributed to the whole reason she seemed more confident in the second one; she'd gained more confidence during the time Shepard was dead by going out and experiencing life, as well as learning from her experiences on the Normandy. Of course, some of the shyness remained, hence how she behaved around Shepard. Of course, the romance thing could have grown from the fact that Tali could have become close to Shepard, then when he died, begin to re-evaluate her feelings for him, maybe thinking along the lines of 'if only I had one more chance...' But that's going into guessing I'd say.

I admit she's one of my favorite crew members, though I do think they could have handled a few details better with her. Still, that's how I view her personality and attitude during the games. I could be wrong though.

captcha: pothate fiber. Pots hate fiber?

 

[TheAmazingHobo]

So you can´t understand why a fuckton of nerds like a female, attractive (judging purely her body via bodysuit), somewhat mysterious person, who likes machines and adores the character which serves as the avatar of the aforementioned nerds ?

I better get a brain-scientist or a rocket-surgeon in here, because I don´t think anyone else will be able to crack that nut.

 

[Still Life]

She's easy, nerdy and practically melts into Shep's arms.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Xenophilia.

Related to Xenophobia, there's something seductive and alien about someone who acts like your type, but isn't. Accents are a wonderful way of seeing this, because Americans love an English accent, while the English say "I really don't have an accent at all". The French just shrug, delightfully or frustratingly, depending.

With characterisation "holes", (Why did she just do that?) you'll tend to put in what you'd do; and then you'll find her more attractive because she's doing something you'd do.

 

[Nomanslander]

Because Tali is a nerd, so a lot of nerds think from any romantic interest in the game, she is one most likely they could have a chance with....lol

 

[Catchy Slogan]

Damn. You pretty much summed up everything I ever wanted to say. Although I might add that I find the Quarians themselves and they're predicament with the Geth rather interesting, so that interest probably extends to Tali.

 

[Zantos]

She's got the nerdy, awkward thing a lot of guys go for. Kind of like Alyx Vance if you never saw her face. I dunno, not my cup of tea.

The thing I didn't like about Tali was that whole "The Geth are evil because of what they did to my people" thing she can't help but bring up every time you see her, conveniently glossing over the whole quarians tried to wipe out the entire race as soon as they became sentient. Seriously, just because they failed at it, it doesn't excuse the whole genocide thing.

 

[Continuity]

Shes got a cute voice...

Yep, thats it.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Anyone care to explain?

Don't look at me, I only went down to Engineering to listen to the two engineers talk shit.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

I think it's because people can related to a shy neurotic outsider. Just sayin'

I related most to Jack. Yeah, don't overthink that.