Is this racist?

[8Bit_System]

Originally Posted by Doctanian

Well, Germans are common in games... only they're the bad guys most of the time.

I feel you, and I'm not saying everyone couldn't relate. I'm really happy people loved Lee. I'm just saying the implications of a colored character is more far reaching and positive than you might think, mate.

You know, I grew up in Asia in the 80's ... I was a lot more black (while actually being white and blond ) than you have probably ever been... I really feel you, while at the same time I just can't relate. There is no black, white, red, yellow, green, blue, purple people for me... there is just people.

When I play a game I can't decide on their ethinicity, I gladly go with the developer's choice.

[DreadMagus]

Originally Posted by MaKTaiL

I would love to play with a female character on Season 2.

I agree with this from a storyline standpoint, I think Clem needs a "mother" figure to balance out Lee's "father" figure.

[Doctanian]

Originally Posted by MaKTaiL

I would love to play with a female character on Season 2.

Me too!

[voodoohandbag]

Originally Posted by Bananapatcher

I'd like to see maybe a blonde hair, and blue eyes protagonist kind of like Cloud

With a Buster Sword.

Oh wait, in The Walking Dead?

Brown haired white guys are very generic, that's why a lot of developers use them. The 'everyman' look rather than outlandish design (such as every Japanese protagonist ever).

The one and only time I thought about Lee's skin colour during the game was Kenny's comment about picking the lock. Other than that, it's mostly just people talking about it on forums.

Maybe it's because I'm white, I don't really care about Lee being black. I understand why people do though. Lee's just a fallen hero to me now *sob*

I'd still like to see some good female protagonists, though. And is there any game at all where we play as a mother or a mother figure?

[JabbaDaHuttX7]

Not all of those characters are white Americans. Shepard is costumizable and Niko Bellic is Eastern-European. White does not equal = one ethnicity.

[Doctanian]

Originally Posted by DreadMagus

I agree with this from a storyline standpoint, I think Clem needs a "mother" figure to balance out Lee's "father" figure.

That's genius, actually.

[plaqueconspiracy]

Originally Posted by MsLox

Race should have nothing to do with your opinion of the character. Whether you are disappointed that a character is white or black or whatever, that's still racist.

Don't forget that "white" and "black" isn't just skin color every time. What I think OP said is about culture too.

[Doctanian]

Originally Posted by JabbaDaHuttX7

Not all of those characters are white Americans. Shepard is costumizable and Niko Bellic is is Eastern-European. White does not equal = one ethnicity.

Shepard is white in all the promotional materials, even as a female. Niko does have a extremely different culture, but he's still white and therefore still appeals to the most common demographic.

[Eric Northman]

Originally Posted by Doctanian

Is it racist to wish that the season 2 protagonist will be another minority?

I mean, with Lee, the game broke so many unfortunate traditions in gaming. And with the Walking Dead in general. After that travesty that was T-Dog's character, I was glad to have Lee. But now that he's gone, I fear TellTale will go the typical cut and paste brown-haired white male route.

I know it shouldn't matter, but on a certain level, it does. Especially when it comes to video games and the representation of diversity. I mean, majority of video game protagonists look like this:



We have enough Nathan Drakes. Your thoughts?

Travesty??? I loved T-Dog. I don't know what you mean when you call his character a travesty. T-Dog didn't get to develop as much as some on the show, but I still thought he was a great character. As far as being racist goes, I'm wondering how you would see it if wrote a post hoping that the next protagonist was white, and saying we'd had enough of Lee's kind of character.

[8Bit_System]

Originally Posted by DreadMagus

I agree with this from a storyline standpoint, I think Clem needs a "mother" figure to balance out Lee's "father" figure.

A mother figure? Good Lord, please don't listen to the misleaded DreadMagus. I'd make a terrible mother, 'twas hard enough being a "father".

[voodoohandbag]

And Scottish. The next protagonist should be Scottish, dammit!

Not really. Americans don't seem to be good with British voices.

[DreadMagus]

In defense of Frank West on that picture.... I think Capcom's devs think all NA males look that like.

[DreadMagus]

Originally Posted by 8Bit_System

A mother figure? Good Lord, please don't listen to the misleaded DreadMagus. I'd make a terrible mother, 'twas hard enough being a "father".

Oh come on, you can do it.

[Doctanian]

Originally Posted by Eric Northman

Travesty??? I loved T-Dog. I don't know what you mean when you call his character a travesty. T-Dog didn't get to develop as much as some on the show, but I still thought he was a great character.

I love me some T-Dog, but that was my problem: No character development. Characters introduced in seasons 2 and 3 got more development than him, and he was on the show since season 1. When characters talked the camera went to him... looking at another character speak.

That's why I called it a travesty, lol.

[Doctanian]

Originally Posted by DreadMagus

In defense of Frank West on that picture.... I think Capcom's devs think all NA males look that like.

He's covered wars, you know.

[MsLox]

Originally Posted by plaqueconspiracy

Don't forget that "white" and "black" isn't just skin color every time. What I think OP said is about culture too.

Originally Posted by Doctanian

Shepard is white in all the promotional materials, even as a female. Niko does have a extremely different culture, but he's still white and therefore still appeals to the most common demographic.

Oh really?

[DreadMagus]

Originally Posted by Doctanian

He's covered wars, you know.

rofl. true true

[JabbaDaHuttX7]

Originally Posted by kongdong

non issue for me. never even thought about it before reading this nonsense. i liked lee from the start because he seemed like a cool guy. not because hes black. i liked rick in the show also because of his character. not because hes white. i didn't like t-dog. not because he's black but because i found his character boring. i think it's not racist to make a character white or black but to think you prefer one race over another, thats the racist thought. again, before i read this it didnt even come to my mind to question the races in the game.

Same here. Wow, some of you guys would hate the BioWare forums. All those guys talk about is minority representation.

I do think race and ethnicity are important when creating a character and their meaning shouldn't be immediately discared. (For example, I like TT's choice of making Lee black, even if I wouldn't have hated the idea of playing as a different race.)

[Doctanian]

Originally Posted by MsLox

Oh really?

Lol at you cherrypicking. Niko is still a white character, absorbed in American culture, so he appeals to the American white male demographic.

[JabbaDaHuttX7]

Originally Posted by Doctanian

Lol at you cherrypicking. Niko is still a white character, absorbed in American culture, so he appeals to the American white male demographic.

Absorbed in American culture? He starts the game fresh off the boat... literally.