Poll: What if an RPG used real races?

[Sir Thomas Sean Connery]

I got dibs on the Asian.

And yes, it would be a terrible idea. Humans are only interesting when they are counteracted by other species.

Though now that I think about it, it could be GREAT as a "Cthulhu Saves the World" esc indie RPG.

 

[Something Amyss]

There's actually a tabletop RPG system, I can't remember its name, where you have a slight advantage if you play a black woman.

Male characters can be vulnerable to damage to their testes, apparently no-one factored in that being kicked in the vagina is painful as well, and black characters have resistance to the effects of the sun.

Being kicked anywhere is painful. The gonads are a little more sensitive, though.

I don't think anyone wants to be kicked in the crotch, but the "vagina," which probably means vulva anyway, is not the analogue here.

In politically correct terms; they'd HAVE TO all be equal.
In fact, they should also all have identical facial features even between male and female.

It's a complicated discussion.

I think you mean in strawman terms, personally. That sounds less a real assertion people would make and more that evil bogeyman that's hiding under the bed and in the closet.

And in this case, it sounds practical too. You know, given there is no scientific basis for racial superiority.

 

[Stikibunn]

The only race I've had good contact with and yet still fail to identify without the accent is the Australian. Shockingly, they're not all crocodile-wrestling, bronzed types. All the ones I've met have managed to be ridiculously similar to the current English.

I think you'd struggle to call 'Australian' a race. We're a bit like America in that we're a very new country (Australia is way newer than even America) and our population is so diverse and multicultural that there hasn't been much time, and in this day and age, no separation from the outside world, that has allowed for a general divergence in race throughout the country.
If you're considering the Australian aborigines who have lived here for tens of thousands of years then fair enough, but most families haven't even lived in Australia for more than a few generations.
I don't think it would be possible for someone to be physically distinguishable as Australian on sight alone.

But yes I agree with the general point you were making, race certainly isn't as simple as colour or continent.

And no, I can assure you I avoid crocodiles when possible, and am a healthy gamer-pale hue.

Also there is the White Australia Policy which literally was that the government did not allow non-white immigrants for a large chunk of the 20th century so most people either have the genetic make-up of their ancestry or they are of the few countries that the colonial government allowed to settle in the country (with emphasis on British)

OT: How about gender bonuses or stat differences? Arcanum used to give women a +1 Constitution (as women have a higher pain threshold to survive the pain of childbirth) a +1 Beauty bonus (because everyone knows a lady is always prettier then a man) but a -2 strength bonus (because... well ladies are weak)
How would ya'll feel about THAT?

 

[Bloodstain]

To me, it would not be offensive. I would find it rather funny, actually. Now somebody please make such a game. Maybe I should make a Morrowind mod...

To anyone who would indeed be offended: Grow up and deal with it.

 

[Kahunaburger]

Maybe I should make a Morrowind mod...

They have a Morrowind mod where different "races" of humans have different stats. It's called Morrowind.

 

[gazumped]

OT: How about gender bonuses or stat differences? Arcanum used to give women a +1 Constitution (as women have a higher pain threshold to survive the pain of childbirth) a +1 Beauty bonus (because everyone knows a lady is always prettier then a man) but a -2 strength bonus (because... well ladies are weak)
How would ya'll feel about THAT?

That did make me raise an eyebrow, but then they had an option to choose a background called something like 'tomboy' which reversed the gender advantages on your character. Can't remember if there was a similar choice for male characters, I assumed there was. It did mean that you'd have to spend your background alterations purely on making your character have the same stats as the opposite sex, but then it's not like any of them gave you a real advantage.

 

[oZode]

Only if it doesn't make any of the races overpowered.

 

[AnotherAvatar]

So long as the game avoided negative racist stereo types I think it would be fine. Honestly I feel like the way our culture looks at racism is kind of weird, I mean yes we discourage violence and discrimination but we also totally try and ignore that we even are different. Get this: each race's culture and the location in which that culture grew help shape the skills of it's people, it won't always apply across the board, especially if they have relocated. This isn't something we should try to ignore to say "everyone is equal in every way", it's something we should acknowledge and use. But no, apparently telling people that they are their race is offensive these days....


Anyway, I think it would make for an awesome RPG mechanic, oh, and for the record, Anglo-Saxons (white people, for those not as nerdy as I) should have a bonus to speech, as throughout history we've use the silver tongue of the west to basically enslave every other culture, or at least attempt to... However, years of relying on our rhetoric has left us weak and lazy. See, the trick for this sort of game would be to make any negative racial based stat changes easy to overcome if one choose to do so.

 

[x-machina]

Americans are not a race. An American is simply an individual who is from America, or a citizen thereof. They could be black, white, native American, hispanic, asian, inuit...anything, really. And the same goes with Russians and Africans.

You seem to have your races and nationalities confused. A race is your familial heritage, that is your ancestral bloodlines. The genetic makeup of your ancestors and direct relatives. Nationality (or ethnicity) is simply the culture you are in or the people you are allied to. You can be black and African, or you could be black and American. You could also have been born an African, but later naturalized into an American, or vice versa.

And you might want to get these straight in the future...that is the kind of mistake that many people find incredibly annoying and ignorant, if not downright insulting. The way so many Americans seem to think we are a race is one of the reasons so many countries see us as so arrogant and, well, annoying.

Your right I probably should have said national bonus instead of racial bonus. But, speaking as a non-American myself I think that the reason Americans are perceived as arrogant and ignorant has nothing to do with people's perception of race. And, everything to do with your politics.

Your politicans are simply hilarious to watch. The way they have turned freedom into a slogan like "I'm lovin it". Or how often they try and play the "regular joe" card, instead of trying to saying something intelligent.

 

[Auron225]

Baa Baa Black Sheep has been banned in many nurseries now, for racism. Political Correctness has gone insane so although I'm likely to only find it mildly offensive (depending on how its done) that game would get sued so much, the profit made wouldnt even pay for the lawyers to defend it.

 

[Dfskelleton]

It would be hilarious, but unfortunately it would never see the light of day because a bunch of people would get "offended".
OH BOO-HOO, WHEN WILL THE HURTING STOP!?
P.S. The Americans should have a perk that allows them to run over their opponents with a tractor.

 

[DeltaWolfson]

There is a RPG with real races, it's called Fallout 3. It had Caucasian, African American, Asian, and Hispanic. What you are talking about is Nationality. Major difference.

 

[DeltaEdge]

I imagine people would blow things out of proportion like, "Why the hell are all the black people the melee savages!? YOU RACISTS! or. Why are all the Asians weakbodied sorcerors!? Why do all the middleeaster people use BOMBS and range weapons!? YOU RACISTS!!" And so on, and so on. I personally would have no issue with it, but I would laugh at some of the flaming that would ensue for accidental stereotyping.

 

[Thyunda]

-cut-

Y'know, there's a layman's term for the language you've used for this post.
It's called bullshit.

Basically, you've attempted to use a rational theory to deny empirical fact, and it just doesn't work that way. Your friend is what you would call a racial hybrid. Nothing wrong with that, but your example doesn't exactly destroy my evidence. Sorry. Try again.

 

[Bloodstain]

Maybe I should make a Morrowind mod...

They have a Morrowind mod where different "races" of humans have different stats. It's called Morrowind.

Consider that merely 4 of Morrowind's 10 races are human. Moreover, it's not about stats, it's about stats relating to certain real life stereotypes. And while MW's stats do comply with respective ingame stereotypes, they have little revelance for real life stereotypes.
I was talking about creating races like "Asian", "American", "African" etc.
Even the Redguard is still not stereotypical enough.

 

[SciMal]

-cut-

Y'know, there's a layman's term for the language you've used for this post.
It's called bullshit.

Basically, you've attempted to use a rational theory to deny empirical fact, and it just doesn't work that way. Your friend is what you would call a racial hybrid. Nothing wrong with that, but your example doesn't exactly destroy my evidence. Sorry. Try again.

I love replies like this.

It totally validates my argument without me having to say a word.

Go ahead, quote any peer-reviewed Biology or Medical journal in the past decade that uses the words "racial hybrid" in relation to humans.

I'll be waiting.

 

[DementedSheep]

Well yes it would be racist. As for whether it?s actually offensive it depends on how its done and the game. In a game that isn?t serious it would be hilarious but if it?s played straight I can see why some would get offended tho I would still find it funny.

 

[Kahunaburger]

Maybe I should make a Morrowind mod...

They have a Morrowind mod where different "races" of humans have different stats. It's called Morrowind.

Consider that merely 4 of Morrowind's 10 races are human. Moreover, it's not about stats, it's about stats relating to certain real life stereotypes. And while MW's stats do comply with respective ingame stereotypes, they have little revelance for real life stereotypes.
I was talking about creating races like "Asian", "American", "African" etc.
Even the Redguard is still not stereotypical enough.

Redguards have high physical stats, low mental stats, and an activated ability that causes an adrenaline rush that lets them do things like run fast and jump high. And keep in mind that they weren't going for some kind of satire or anything [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/114776-South-Park-RPG-Class-List-Includes-the-Jew]. For some reason Bethesada didn't get called out on this. Go figure.

 

[Jandau]

And yes, reinforcing any stereotype, even a positive one, is racism. Just as any form of discrimination, even positive discriminatin is racist.

But positive steryotyping isn't really offensive is it?

If I was Black, I'd certainly think it was a good thing if people automatically assumed I could run fast and had a large penis...

Being offended when somebody thinks you're better than them in some way seems a little irratonal doesn't it?

Depends how you look at it. You can't have one steretype in a vacuum. If there is one, that means that there is an atmosphere of stereotyping. So yeah, it would be awesome if people assumed you have a big dick and can run hella fast, but at the same time plenty of people might also assume that you're stupid and unable to be educated for anything more than physical labor.

It's better to avoid all stereotyping.