Character Creation Has A Race Problem

[Aana]

To give SE a little credit, some of this is about as silly as demanding LOTR needed more black people. Its a high fantasy set in a fictional european setting. So no, there arent a lot of black people in a europoean geographic set of people. Eorzea is a world SE made up. We have only seen 1 (now 2 in SB) continents on this fictional planet, and only a fraction of the inhabitants on these TWO continents are even human, so no, they dont have the variation of humans that an entire planet of humans has. This is a game set on a portion of a planet with 5 playable species and a multitude of other humanoid species (NPCs). So no, you arent going to see the same variety of humans anymore than seeing a wide variety of Au Ra who all live in 1 mongolian steppe clone region. Races in this game are regional, not global. Not getting global variety in a regional game. We got other non-human species instead of global human variety.

A fantasy game doesnt NEED to have equal representation to the real world for a variety of logistical, practical, and world building reasons. No more than LOTR needs to have a giant african zulu tribe stuffed into their medieval Europe fantasy story.

There is a place for intentional inclusion in media and a notable shortage of diversity in many places. This probably isnt one of them.

[Magic-Mal]

There is a place for intentional inclusion in media and a notable shortage of diversity in many places. This probably isnt one of them.

I see this is still going. Just going to keep it simple then.
-Gay marriage
-Gay characters
-Crossdressing options
-Various outfits from different real world cultures.

All of that seems to be fine?

[Bourne_Endeavor]

The key word in there is discrimination. Discrimination is any unfair or unjust treatment based on your race or gender, which covers all the more insidious forms of racism people like to pretend don't exist because it's not overt, aggressive racism. To assert there's no problem because there's no obvious hostility is not only wrong but incredibly narrow-minded. Exclusion (more or less the point being made here) whitewashing, lack of representation in the media - it all stems from the underlying, semi-subconscious current that one race/ type of beauty is more preferable or better than another... which is the most basic definition of racism.

Or it's an acknowledgement the majority of the Western world is Caucasian, therefore you will have a statistical leaning in that direction unless artificially altered. Attempting to insinuate racism where there isn't any only devalues the word itself. More people nowadays disregard racism, sexism and the like because they have been throw around so carelessly to describe if the slightest offense their meaning has lost significance. Or rather, people simply don't believe even genuine cases.

Racism and representation is a problem, whether you like it or not. Those affected by it do not have to honey their words or not bring it up to make you more comfortable, and the irony in your insistence that they do while calling them whiny and catty is incredible.

Few will argue otherwise. However when, "everything is racist; everything is sexist. And you need to call it all out!" You have the opposite effect: apathy. If everything is something, it holds less significance and people are equally less inclined to believe it.

All of that seems to be fine?

If not, why does anime and JRPGs often depict Caucasian looking characters? Is it racism, bias or Japan simply not actually seeing them as Japanese, White, Black or any other real world race? The former two are assumptions, by the way. The latter has been stated outright by numerous artists.

[Iscah]

If not, why does anime and JRPGs often depict Caucasian looking characters? Is it racism, bias or Japan simply not actually seeing them as Japanese, White, Black or any other real world race? The former two are assumptions, by the way. The latter has been stated outright by numerous artists.

As I linked earlier, Japanese people apparently do see these characters as Japanese (unless context indicates that they aren't). They're just drawn in a way that Western viewers perceive as Caucasian.

[Joven]

As I linked earlier, Japanese people apparently do see these characters as Japanese (unless context indicates that they aren't). They're just drawn in a way that Western viewers perceive as Caucasian.

I thought they primarily drew characters as "white" because it used less ink and was easier for shading?

Yes, it's SE's game. But like all mainstream media with a global audience, it falls to them to ensure a rounded and enjoyable gaming experience for all their fans, not just a select few. It's in their financial and reputational interests to do. Being Japanese isn't a reason not to, but in fact an argument for it - if they're so "clueless" about the issue, how will they know otherwise?

Racism and representation is a problem, whether you like it or not. Those affected by it do not have to honey their words or not bring it up to make you more comfortable, and the irony in your insistence that they do while calling them whiny and catty is incredible.

Well, here this is again. And again I'll point out that works of fiction don't have to represent anybody. The only well rounded and enjoyable gaming experience they HAVE to offer is to make the game playable through gameplay and mechanics. So I'll ask this: why do people feel like fictional characters have to represent them? How does a character not sharing superficial traits like skin color or gender keep you from enjoying a game? Is skin color the only thing you care about in a person?

[Skivvy]

So I'll ask this: why do people feel like fictional characters have to represent them? How does a character not sharing superficial traits like skin color or gender keep you from enjoying a game? Is skin color the only thing you care about in a person?

I mentioned this early on in this thread, but I personally get a bit bummed if I have no option to play as a female character in games. That's normally as far as I'll go in regards to a personal representation of myself, but I can appreciate that others may want to put more of themselves into a character. Especially in an MMO. We spend so much time with the character, it may help feel more connected and invested. I've tried many games where I was unable to make a character to my liking, and my interest in playing plummeted. Bit shallow/strange perhaps, but we all have our ways

[Joven]

I mentioned this early on in this thread, but I personally get a bit bummed if I have no option to play as a female character in games. That's normally as far as I'll go in regards to a personal representation of myself, but I can appreciate that others may want to put more of themselves into a character. Especially in an MMO. We spend so much time with the character, it may help feel more connected and invested. I've tried many games where I was unable to make a character to my liking, and my interest in playing plummeted. Bit shallow/strange perhaps, but we all have our ways

Most games have a set protagonist because that's the story they want to tell. Even MMOs are trying to tell a specific story and you're just along for the ride. I could see getting a little (emphasis on "a little") disappointed if a game promised character customization and then only offered one skin color or gender to work with, but most game that offer this do have those options.

[CainCrimson]

So I'll ask this: why do people feel like fictional characters have to represent them? How does a character not sharing superficial traits like skin color or gender keep you from enjoying a game? Is skin color the only thing you care about in a person?

Whenever a game has a character creator I try to re-create myself for the main play through, if the game allows for alts or multiple accounts then I get crazy with the options.

I think my own personal enjoyment of making a character represent myself visually is related to so many of the in-game choices representing me mentally.

When you come across limiting customization options in various games yet consistent in the fact that they are all limiting in the same way, it can sometimes cause an emotional reaction.

[Rokke]

Well, here this is again. And again I'll point out that works of fiction don't have to represent anybody. The only well rounded and enjoyable gaming experience they HAVE to offer is to make the game playable through gameplay and mechanics. So I'll ask this: why do people feel like fictional characters have to represent them? How does a character not sharing superficial traits like skin color or gender keep you from enjoying a game? Is skin color the only thing you care about in a person?

I don’t see it as an end all be all as much as a nice touch. When I was a kid playing Pokémon I imagined that my trainer looked like me. After a few games they let me play a female trainer. The more recent games now let me pick a skin tone close to my own. Neither of these were mandatory changes I needed, but they improved the overall experience for me.

I think people get too hung up on buzzwords instead of seeing more options for customization.

[Joven]

I don’t see it as an end all be all as much as a nice touch. When I was a kid playing Pokémon I imagined that my trainer looked like me. After a few games they let me play a female trainer. The more recent games now let me pick a skin tone close to my own. Neither of these were mandatory changes I needed, but they improved the overall experience for me.

I think people get too hung up on buzzwords instead of seeing more options for customization.

I guess I'm the Odd Man Out since I don't feel the need to see myself in a game. If I have the option then I usually purposefully choose characters that are different from me. I'm me 99.95% of the day, in that other 0.05% I don't want to have to think about anything related to being me and lose myself in someone else's story.