Equality in Gaming
First, everybody needs to check out this exceptional piece on eroticism in fantasy RPG's. I think many of his points apply to many forms of media meant for group consumption, so thank you satyrblade .
Second, I want to ask my gaming friends out there what they think of this Dragon Age 2 "thing." Specifically, I'd love for someone who's played it to tell me what they think of the "romance" option.
I am, while not surprised, at least saddened that somebody thought to speak for "my demographic." And gladdened at the response of the game developers. I'm all for more options in games, and adding more "life" to a game tends to increase the value of the fantasy for me. On the equality and inclusiveness side, I thought this was a nice start. It doesn't sound like it's perfect, but it's better, moving the industry in the right direction, like if they would stop altering WoW female Armour skins to expose midriffs. I'm just saying, Ive worn real Armour, it doesn't gap over your tender underbelly. But I digress.
Then I read this, and I am made sad again. OK, I'm all for pointing out that not all (most?) homosexual men actively hit on others, and that not all (again most?) attempt to establish a relationship before they verify that the other individual is also homosexual. But some do. Just like some heterosexual males hit on any female they find attractive, without finding out if the girl is strait, or even single. Like the equal rights folks keep trying to point out, in the end, were all the same. Good, bad, enlightened, ignorant, courteous or pigs. From what I can read, this character was written as a relationship aggressor. Maybe that was the lazy way, maybe the only way that fit with the other character elements, heck, for all I know all the romantic possibilities are initiated by the NPC's because it made it simpler to script. And yes, maybe it was a bias on the writers part, thinking he was characterizing the mode of behavior that would be most pleasing to the homosexual audience, which would be sad. But calling for him to be fired? That seems out of proportion.
I'm interested in peoples thoughts. Was this a good step for the gaming world into equality for all gamers, or just more bad treatment of the non-WSM demographic? Has anybody played the game and can tell me how the rest of the characterization was treated?
Second, I want to ask my gaming friends out there what they think of this Dragon Age 2 "thing." Specifically, I'd love for someone who's played it to tell me what they think of the "romance" option.
I am, while not surprised, at least saddened that somebody thought to speak for "my demographic." And gladdened at the response of the game developers. I'm all for more options in games, and adding more "life" to a game tends to increase the value of the fantasy for me. On the equality and inclusiveness side, I thought this was a nice start. It doesn't sound like it's perfect, but it's better, moving the industry in the right direction, like if they would stop altering WoW female Armour skins to expose midriffs. I'm just saying, Ive worn real Armour, it doesn't gap over your tender underbelly. But I digress.
Then I read this, and I am made sad again. OK, I'm all for pointing out that not all (most?) homosexual men actively hit on others, and that not all (again most?) attempt to establish a relationship before they verify that the other individual is also homosexual. But some do. Just like some heterosexual males hit on any female they find attractive, without finding out if the girl is strait, or even single. Like the equal rights folks keep trying to point out, in the end, were all the same. Good, bad, enlightened, ignorant, courteous or pigs. From what I can read, this character was written as a relationship aggressor. Maybe that was the lazy way, maybe the only way that fit with the other character elements, heck, for all I know all the romantic possibilities are initiated by the NPC's because it made it simpler to script. And yes, maybe it was a bias on the writers part, thinking he was characterizing the mode of behavior that would be most pleasing to the homosexual audience, which would be sad. But calling for him to be fired? That seems out of proportion.
I'm interested in peoples thoughts. Was this a good step for the gaming world into equality for all gamers, or just more bad treatment of the non-WSM demographic? Has anybody played the game and can tell me how the rest of the characterization was treated?