Non-American gamers

[Sebenko]

I am sick of seeing American settings in games, but it's the price you've got to pay if you want the games, I guess.

Play STALKER. It's set in the Ukraine.

Plus developers treating say PC and PS3 audiences like rubbish because xbawx is popular in the US.

Yeah, god damn eggbox ruining our fun.

 

[Kurokami]

It's no secret that, outside of Nintendo (and a couple of mildly successful developers in the UK and elsewhere) most video games are made by American companies, with --primarily-- American gamers in mind. Many of them feature American settings and/or themes.

Now, this doesn't bother me, nor do I necessarily wish it were different. But it makes me wonder if I'm missing out on certain types of reactions/emotional attachments in somegames. I love Fallout 3, and I intellectually appreciate what a destroyed Washington, D.C. symbolizes, but I don't have a visceral response to it. I love World in Conflict, but I don't feel any sort of patriotic wish to beat back "the commies" when they invade Seattle. So, in a way, I feel like I'm not fully "enjoying" those aspects of it.

So, I'm wondering how other "international" gamers feel about this. And, to the American ones, if I'm overestimating the effects I describe above. And, to both, would you rather have a game be set in a real country even if it's not your own, or one set it an imaginary country created for the purposes of the game?

When I was playing Fallout 3 it still struck me quite well, I don't look at it as a home wrecked, I look at it as a Giant, a colossus, falling to waste. I do agree though.

 

[lee1287]

well.

i don't really care.

seeing as my favourite game is set on a planet called sera.

 

[Gethsemani_v1legacy]

But... but Sweden has Battlefield and Mirror's Edge.
[sub]And World in Conflict, hint hint[/sub]

Well...
I don't really care, I make it my own place, that is non-existant

Sweden was recently ranked as the most inventive/adaptive country of 2009. The criteria is how well-integrated technology is in society, the amount of research being done and how quick the population is to embrace new inventions. A contributing factor is also the number of game developers (!) where Sweden has the largest amount of game developers per capita in the world.

To get to the point of the OP though, I don't care much. Looking at some of the examples of games made outside of the US (VietCong, Operation Flashpoint, World in Conflict for example) tells you that the USA is always a good nation to make the protagonists. After all, the western world more or less identifies itself with the USA anyway whatever we like it or not.

As for the world/country a game is set in, it depends on the game entirely. It is one of those issues were a sweeping generalization isn't a good solution.

 

[Labyrinth]

I come from a land down under, where Conroy stalks and plunders. As such, games set here would have nothing but rainbows, butterflies, sunshine, lollipops and degradation of native peoples to work with.

Or not.

Something that I would find interesting is a survival game, either urban or outback. You could have to find resources and fight the dangerous wildlife to survive, battling back to a particular location. Say Sydney. Then you could face the Sydney Funnel Web Apocalypse. It's like the Zompocalypse except faster moving, octpedal and more poisonous. I think it could be great tongue-in-cheek survival horror because if done correctly the atmosphere could be terrifying. To an Australian audience it'd be absolutely hysterical. I mean, we live with the threat of painful Death by Wildlife every day. We'd be giggling.

 

[ZakZak59]

I'm used to playing games that have nothing to do with my country. Australia doesn't really get much of a mention in these kinda things.
I think the only game I've played that is obviously set in Australia is Ty the Tasmanian Tiger
Has anyone outside of Australia ever played that before?

 

[blankedboy]

there are more Japanese and asian game companies than nintendo you know.
Also i dont think i would like a game set in New Zealand, our patriotism really consists of "Fuck you, ye cheetin Aussies!" Yeah its not really game material

There is a game with a level set in New Zealand. Volcano in Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars is set on White Island about 50kms from my house.

 

[Kollega]

So, I'm wondering how other "international" gamers feel about this.

I do not care. There's not much games having truly offensive portrayal of Russia. Filled to the brim with Cold War stereotypes - maybe. But i keep in mind that any and all stereotypes don't just randomly pop into existence.

And, to both, would you rather have a game be set in a real country even if it's not your own, or one set it an imaginary country created for the purposes of the game?

I'll rather play in an outright made-up setting. On some distant planet, for example. Real world is boring, unless it's heavily stylized.

 

[bigolbear]

The one that bugs me is the sid meier games - especialy colonisation. As an englishman id quite like to try playing out the history from an alternative perspective and accepting the taxes to build a strong colony abroard rather that having to fight the war of independance.

 

[f0re1gn]

It's not that I really care where the game is set... It's just always funny to see stereotyped Russians in games :d I still live in Estonia though.. and the only media environment that had Estonia in it was an 80's movie with Brendan Frazer.. Encino Man, I think.

But well yeah, non-existant countries are cooler than USA imo. So many games set in the US that I think it'd be cool to just see a game set in idk.. Rwanda?

 

[Bobbovski]

I don't really care... I'm pretty used to it. I grew up watching movies/playing games set in the US/with American main characters. Sure it would be fun to see more games with non-american main characters/places... But I usually don't notice it that much.

 

[Daniel_Rosamilia]

Yeah, well we have sharks, snakes, scorpions, bogans, swarms of flies, epic heat, crocodiles, Rolf Harris (you probably won't get the joke)...

I could say another 50-odd things, but these are the worst for ANYONE wanting to travel here and/or invade, so don't mess with us, because we WILL win.

 

[GoodEyeSniper]

Also i dont think i would like a game set in New Zealand, our patriotism really consists of "Fuck you, ye cheetin Aussies!" Yeah its not really game material

Hehe, ditto.

OP: America generally dominates the media. A lot of non-Americans, especially those from (relatively) small countries, have a higher familiarity with America than they do their own countries. A Media Studies lecturer once told me that over 60% of the content on New Zealand TV is from America, and as citizens of the Information Age, TV rules us all.

 

[teijakool]

Computer games are and always have been a (temporary) escape. As such, most America-vs-Something gives the developers an accepted setting of who is good and who is bad (although this is also changing, what with MW2, BFBC). If you take any other setting, you always have to point out to the player who is the good and who is the bad side, and why, and what makes them good/bad.
Esp. in shooters, I seldomly think about the setting. I want to have good gameplay, and have my reflexes and aiming tested. IF the story is interesting, I pay attention; if it is the usual "somehow you must save the world", I seldomly care.
I might lack some sensation of patriotism here (i am german), but I think that's just alright. Shouting "Got you, commie" at a AI-driven enemy feels just ... childish.

Conclusion: I'd love to see another try like FarCry2, BFBC2 also looks promising.
Also: Make games more personal, gtfo about "you need to save the world". Always cited example: Baldurs Gate 2.

 

[Mr.Squishy]

There needs to be more games set in Norway. Period.
Why? Because, 1000 years ago we had vikings, we have kick-ass scenery and stuff, we have awesome mythology/lore and our folk music is pwn. Imagine setting a fantasy rpg in other parts of Europe than England for once. Maybe it wouldn't be all that much a difference...I just feel patriotic today

 

[Chesterfield Snapdragon McFisticuffs]

there are more Japanese and asian game companies than nintendo you know.
Also i dont think i would like a game set in New Zealand, our patriotism really consists of "Fuck you, ye cheetin Aussies!" Yeah its not really game material

Actually, that gives me an idea.
The Kiwis invade Australia!
Although apparently, you don't have much of an Army so I;m not sure exactly how that would go... No offense to you guys

Hey! This one time they found an escaped zoo otter it cost them several thousand dollars but THEY GOT THERE!

 

[Dudemeister]

It's no secret that, outside of Nintendo (and a couple of mildly successful developers in the UK and elsewhere) most video games are made by American companies

There are thousands of non-American game developers in the world.
Also, "mildy successful"? Lionhead, Square Enix, Ubisoft, Konami, Capcom, Sony, Namco, Criterion, Traveller's Tales, Sega, Media Molacule, Free Radical, Crytek, Rare; to name just a few, are some of the most important developers out there.