This morning I was taking a look at a GTA:San Andreas forum and there was a topic on the 'gansta' theme of the upcoming game. For those who don't know, unlike GTA3 and Vice City, the main character in San Andreas is a black gang member. I can understand how people could be put off slightly by this change in direction (the gansta theme, not the black character), but I would imagine the whole Mafia thing in games/films being a little overused now. Afterall playing a game with a gansta theme would mean that the player will have to experience the way a stereotyped gansta looks, talks and the rap music (and I don't like rap but it's got to be there for authenticity). But there were people posting about how the black character would put them off playing the game completely (I reckon they'll play it anyway tbh). Now I don't know anything about the people who posted those but I find that hard to swallow. Some people actually think it's a big deal playing a character that's not racially the same as themselves??? Is it because they find it hard to relate to the character? That they can't 'get into' the game? (a problem of immersion?) If you can accept the theme would it easier to accept that you're playing someone who is of whatever race? (trying to generalize there). Fair enough in the whole wide world there going to be all sorts of opinions...but still it's completely opposite to what I am like, I wouldn't give it a second thought, it does not matter. Are they just being unnecessarily picky? What do you think from the point of view of a dev or a player? I'm not wanting to provoke any sort of flame war, so if you're going to post please keep it constructive. Post your opinion but don't go overboard. I'll post the url of the thread if anyone wants it and if I'm around, but there's alot of rubbish in it. Go easy on me :) I don't post often.

I don't know that I would not play a game because the main character is a specific race/color, but it depends on the game. If it is heavily story based and there is some specific reason to make the main character a specific race/color, the I wouldn't mind. If it is just a straight shoot 'em up or no real plot/reason, I would prefer the option to change the main characters race/color. But like I said earlier, it probably would not keep me from playing the game either way.

That said, it looks like your example the problem may not be playing a character that is not the simple race/color as the player (I'm sure there are blacks that play games with white folks and vice versa) but something else.

It's could be a few things:
- some black activist group trying to get the game shot down since it features a black person in a violent roll or they are trying to discourage this type of stereotype.
- the fan base just doesn't like the gansta theme, I mean if I bough a Sci-Fi game and someone made a mod/sequel that was a western, I wouldn't be to happy about the new game. I know the analogy is a bit extreme but some people are picky.
- players in general have just played so many games where they were white that a black player all of a sudden seems weird to play a black character. (it's possible)

Quote: (I'm sure there are blacks that play games with white folks and vice versa)

That's what I was thinking. I know plenty of black guys who love games...and in most all games, the character is white. But I've never heard the guys gripe about it.

As for me...I've played and enjoyed Trespasser, in which you play as a woman. And I'll admit, it was unsual to look down and see a heaving pair of breasts right there, but it was no problem. And certainly, playing as a black guy is a smaller change than growing breasts.

...the only thing that would bother me is the rap music.

I don't have a problem with playing a character of a different race or gender, but with the new GTA, they problem is probably more over a change of theme. I played and enjoyed GTA 3 and Vice City, and it really seems completely out of context to suddenly play some rapper petty-crime type character. Also, while a mafia boss or just someone who works for the mafia can be an intelligent person, it just doesn't seem possible for a gang member to not be dilinquent. After all, pretty much the stupidest thing anyone can do is be part of a gang.

Plenty of non-caucasians played the other GTA's.
Plenty of men played Tomb Raider.

It's a game. It's not as if it is the be-all and end-all of their life. I'm quite looking forward to playing GTA-San Andreas. The mafia thing has been done, twice. It's just another setting and gamers are the biggest whiners on the planet. What ever this game had be there would be a group of people complaining about it. Those same people will most likely play the game all the way through and enjoy it and not give the fact their character is black a second thought.

Quote: Original post by NecroMage
After all, pretty much the stupidest thing anyone can do is be part of a gang.

Then you obviously have no idea what it is like to live in certain areas of the world.

I personally wouldn't play a black character in a game if I had the option to choose my race. I'm not black and so it would be hard to get into it. I can be an elf or a moose, but I simply don't want to play as a black gang member, since I feel their world is inferior to mine in a negative way. I think they talk in a very stupid way and listen to mentally unchallenging music, so they're not very high on my imaginary list of interesting people. Games like these are about being someone you're not, and usually that someone has something you can't have or can do something you can't. It would most likely be a character the player respects or secretly admires in some way. But then, people like different things. Some white girls might date black guys just so people wouldn't think they're racist in some way. Then you've got Token in South Park.

I don't know why the devs picked this setting for their next game, but I hope there was a valid reason. I also hope they consider the fact that there are certain differences in certain attributes between certain races and that those differences should be recognized and not just swept under the carpet. Still, you most likely have your average skinny white male writing the dialogue and a similar male coding the engine, so most likely only the positive things are included and the negative side is left out.

I don't mind them making games like that, but this particular subject doesn't interest me at all and so I would not play the game.

Quote: Original post by infrmtn
I can be an elf or a moose, but I simply don't want to play as a black gang member, since I feel their world is inferior to mine in a negative way.

So you consider 'black gangstas' to be inferior, and therefore unappealing to you, but you consider 'mooses' to be equal (or superior) and therefore acceptable? [smile]

Quote: I think they talk in a very stupid way and listen to mentally unchallenging music, so they're not very high on my imaginary list of interesting people.

What about a black character in a game who did not conform to these stereotypes? Let's suppose the character was a super intelligent scientist who spoke clear english and liked listening to mozart?

As a 23 year old black guy I must say that infrmtn post is the most insulting thing I've ever read.

I've played as white people, asians, blacks, and women in games and I never thought anything of it. Limiting yourself because you don't want to play a black character sounds a little ...

Here's a question, take your favorite game and replace the main character with a black/hispanic person and change none of the story or the character's attributes. Would you still want to play it?

[Edited by - Domini on July 19, 2004 4:18:17 PM]

Yeah, honestly, I'd bet there'd be less uproar over it if they'd decided the next GTA game were to have some green-skinned alien in the starring role, regardless of how poorly the premise were hacked together...

I can see being thrown for a loop for the first few minutes of the game because it's not what you're used to seeing as a main character (games like Blade and Bad Boys, both movie franchises by the way, being excepted).

However, I do kind of agree with infrmtn in that if the writers aren't careful, they could end up writing the character as "the token black guy" or turn it into some poorly made "blaxploitation" endeavour. It seems likely given how female leads are usually handled in games. And if that happens, then I can say people complaining and refusing to play the game might be justifiable.

-Auron