diversity in computer games - problems and best practice

[petermiller12]

hi there, touching on the articles here in The Escapist I would like to know more about

- how the actual bodies of the game characters get designed, particularily regarding the race/ethnicity and gender of the figure? I'm looking for examples such as Laura Cruz was turned into Lara Croft (that is made white)

- I am also looking for best practices such as FABLE, where you can choose a gay protagonist to identify with. Or where inter-ethnic group dynamics can be experienced?

- are there any activists/protest groups who fight for more diversity in computer games?

Thanks, Peter

 

[Dax317]

i don't fight for diversity i fight for more games like oblivion and saints row 2 were it is up to you to decide your own back story and create your own character.

 

[DazZ.]

The kind of people that protest are usually against gaming itself.

I don't really get bothered about what protagonists backgrounds are, more into gameplay problems and ironing those out first, I'll happily protest to get more fun things put in.

Can I ask why your interested in that particular topic?

 

[SenseOfTumour]

We're still in a very 'young' form of entertainment, and I'm sure if you go back even 20 years in cinema, You'll find most of the leads were white males, and most of the love interests were white females, as it's what the majority of the audience the movies were aimed at would have connected with.

I think over the next few years we'll get more diversity, but, at the same time I think gamers are a fairly cynical bunch, and we'll smell it when they shoehorn in a racial stereotype just to tick boxes.

Essentially I'd rather play a well rounded white straight male, than a badly written bisexual mexican paraplegic, no matter how many special attacks her wheelchair comes with.

Of course, write that character well, in a good game and I'll be playing, and so will FOX news, ready to shout OMG racism.