The Philosophy, Art, and Social Influence of games
Menegrothx
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Re: Racism and Video Games

by Menegrothx Wed Sep 04, 2013 7:43 am

Retrogamer0001 wrote:Politics and international relations in today's gaming world - do we have the right to create games like Army of Two, Rainbow Six, and Homefront which show unrealistic and violent images of Middle Eastern nations and peoples, as well as spread the stereotype that all such people are terrorists?

Might have something to do with the fact there's a lot of violence going on in the Middle East&muslim world
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Re: Racism and Video Games

by dsheinem Wed Sep 04, 2013 8:28 am

Retrogamer0001 wrote:Sociology and video games? Oh boy, sign me up! If we're moving from women to racism, we might as well include:

Socio-economic representation in video games, including pay inequality, the working poor, and discussions about minimum wage. Just how much did the creators of such games as McKids and the recent Burger King games on 360 make, anyway?

Teenage pregnancy and the single mother - if Lara Croft wanted to adopt, should she have the right, given her career choice?

Politics and international relations in today's gaming world - do we have the right to create games like Army of Two, Rainbow Six, and Homefront which show unrealistic and violent images of Middle Eastern nations and peoples, as well as spread the stereotype that all such people are terrorists?

Finally, let's give a good, hard look at the way children are represented in video games. Where are the parents of children like Alex Kidd, The Goonies, and those loveable raggamuffins in Fallout 3. Are they realistic portrayals, or simply reinforcing stereotypes?

We must discuss!


such masterful sarcasm :lol:
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Re: Racism and Video Games

by Gunstar Green Wed Sep 04, 2013 9:00 am

Menegrothx wrote:
Retrogamer0001 wrote:Politics and international relations in today's gaming world - do we have the right to create games like Army of Two, Rainbow Six, and Homefront which show unrealistic and violent images of Middle Eastern nations and peoples, as well as spread the stereotype that all such people are terrorists?

Might have something to do with the fact there's a lot of violence going on in the Middle East&muslim world


I have to admit that playing a modern war game does make me feel really awkward sometimes and as such I've avoided the entire genre after Call of Duty 4. (Sorry but no blah blah modern games suck, Call of Duty sucks, from me. I don't think they're bad games I just don't enjoy the subject matter.)

Maybe it's a little hypocritical since historical war games generally don't have the same effect on me. I feel like the violence going on in those parts of the world currently shouldn't be something I do for entertainment.

But that's just a personal issue that hinders my own enjoyment of a specific genre, I'm not judging anyone who enjoys those games and I'm not saying I think those games shouldn't be made.
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Re: Racism and Video Games

by Menegrothx Fri Sep 06, 2013 6:54 am

Speaking of my Bush/Obama example and racism in video games, I think most people would say that this qualifies
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(BOF 1->2)
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Original_Name
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Re: Racism and Video Games

by Original_Name Fri Sep 20, 2013 1:26 am

I don't buy the Bush/Obama example because white people do not have a history of having Social Darwinist essays claiming their closer proximity to a lesser species written about them. The offensiveness of that comparison is more rooted in recognition of an ugly part of our past culturally rather than an individualized psychological double-standard. That's why the former was not perceived as racially charged, while the former is.

It should be added that this list is not comprehensive -- Streets of Rage, Quartet, Armed Police Batrider, F-Zero X, and Jet Set Radio feature playable black leads as well. Quartet might be the first representation outside of a sports game, actually... huh, I'd never considered that. The first ever in any genre, I'm convinced, is Heavyweight Champ by Sega in 1976. Though I do not mean this as some insane suggestion that this is a significant representation within the industry.

I think that Ack makes his point in spectacular fashion -- I would love to see the field open up to include many more developers of all types. I hate that Chime (the all-female development team that made Napple Tale) only made their one game before disappearing. I just personally think the current model of everything in the video game industry is broken from the inside out right now. It's unbelievable to me that we're still going through blatant race and gender issues in this medium. The lack of sophistication is incredible.
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Original_Name
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Re: Racism and Video Games

by Original_Name Fri Sep 20, 2013 1:36 am

Retrogamer0001 wrote:Politics and international relations in today's gaming world - do we have the right to create games like Army of Two, Rainbow Six, and Homefront which show unrealistic and violent images of Middle Eastern nations and peoples, as well as spread the stereotype that all such people are terrorists?


I haven't played the games in question, but representation of Middle Eastern nations and peoples in violent video games is actually a legitimate concern.
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Retrogamer0001
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Re: Racism and Video Games

by Retrogamer0001 Fri Sep 20, 2013 10:41 am

Original_Name wrote:
Retrogamer0001 wrote:Politics and international relations in today's gaming world - do we have the right to create games like Army of Two, Rainbow Six, and Homefront which show unrealistic and violent images of Middle Eastern nations and peoples, as well as spread the stereotype that all such people are terrorists?


I haven't played the games in question, but representation of Middle Eastern nations and peoples in violent video games is actually a legitimate concern.


But of course! Weren't you aware that everything in video games is of the highest concern in regard to our social values? To our morality and spiritual well-being? Few things in life are as important, and that's why I'm posting on this excellent thread - to help spread even more awareness of this and other moral epidemics that exist as a result of video gaming! Like I said earlier, we must discuss!
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Original_Name
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Re: Racism and Video Games

by Original_Name Sat Sep 21, 2013 9:57 pm

Retrogamer0001 wrote:But of course! Weren't you aware that everything in video games is of the highest concern in regard to our social values? To our morality and spiritual well-being? Few things in life are as important, and that's why I'm posting on this excellent thread - to help spread even more awareness of this and other moral epidemics that exist as a result of video gaming! Like I said earlier, we must discuss!


:lol: Hahaha, I know that I do somehow come across as humorless on these boards, but I totally get the joke! I'm going to try (and almost assuredly fail) to tread the thin line between making a counter-point and looking like the joke hasn't flown completely over my head. All media is communication -- just because a group uses a less respected medium to convey an idea doesn't excuse it from scrutiny. Video games have become a very influential form of media, so it doesn't make any more sense to disregard it as it does to disregard other influential formats like film and literature.

I completely understand not wanting to talk about anything in games outside of high-scores and anecdotes -- there are a billion things to talk about, choosing game narrative may seem like a waste of time to you, but you're only going to be seeing more of this type of discussion as time goes on. Game narrative is as worthy of discussion as any other type of narrative. /looks like joke has flown completely over head.
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Re: Racism and Video Games

by Violent By Design Tue Oct 08, 2013 11:35 pm

Middle Eastern and Indians get it the worst in video games. I feel like they're always designed to be magicians or technicians who are snake charmers and shit.

I'm a little confused on what we're discussing though. I don't think video games are really racist, they just lack a lot of good characters.

I mean how many good white or asian males are there in gaming? The medium as a narrative is still in its infancy, there just aren't many great characters in general. That's why you have shitty characters like Link and Draven winning those gamefaq polls. Characterization has only recently started to get emphasized in gaming (at least at a mature level).
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Re: Racism and Video Games

by Menegrothx Wed Oct 09, 2013 1:30 pm

Violent By Design wrote:Characterization has only recently started to get emphasized in gaming (at least at a mature level).

Maybe in big budget action titles
My WTB thread (Sega CD/Saturn games)
Also looking to buy: Ys III (TG-16 CD), Shadowrun (Genesis) Hori N64 mini pad and Slayer (3DO) in long box/just the long box
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