Bioware's strategic diversity

lothar
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Bioware's strategic diversity Jan 26, 2017 21:25:49 GMT amleth likes this

Post by lothar on Jan 26, 2017 21:25:49 GMT

Ashley, Miranda, Jack, Kelly Chambers and Diana Allers are all white just like the new female lead love interest Cora. The romance options for straight male players are designed to be what society deems most desirable.

Who isn't white? Jacob, Steve Cortez, Samantha Traynor and now Liam. Characters that are not meant to be love interests for the big majority of players but serve a function somewhere between friend, subordinate and background decoration.

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Bioware's strategic diversity Jan 26, 2017 21:27:09 GMT FireAndBlood, hammerstorm, and 14 more like this

Post by Wulfram on Jan 26, 2017 21:27:09 GMT

There's Isabela and Josephine in Dragon Age

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Bioware's strategic diversity Jan 26, 2017 21:30:07 GMT FireAndBlood, hammerstorm, and 18 more like this

Post by Xerxes52 on Jan 26, 2017 21:30:07 GMT

Jan 26, 2017 21:27:09 GMT Wulfram said:

There's Isabela and Josephine in Dragon Age

Shh! You're interfering with his "Biovar's Racist!" narrative.

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Bioware's strategic diversity Jan 26, 2017 21:31:00 GMT Draining Dragon, BountyhunterGER, and 53 more like this

Post by cribbian on Jan 26, 2017 21:31:00 GMT

Jan 26, 2017 21:25:49 GMT lothar said:

Diana Allers designed to be what society deems most desirable.

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Bioware's strategic diversity Jan 26, 2017 21:31:26 GMT Hier0phant, Abramsrunner, and 9 more like this

Post by Pearl on Jan 26, 2017 21:31:26 GMT

it's happening

they're turning on their own

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Bioware's strategic diversity Jan 26, 2017 21:32:49 GMT FireAndBlood, hammerstorm, and 15 more like this

Post by saberchic on Jan 26, 2017 21:32:49 GMT

Lots of men wanted Traynor. LOTS. And Jacob was supposed to be a viable option (just look at him), but his dialogue+femSheps interactions were just creepy, so he wasn't popular by choice.

We don't know anything about Liam's romance-availability, so you can't even throw him in here yet.

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Bioware's strategic diversity Jan 26, 2017 21:36:53 GMT maxon, PCthug, and 13 more like this

Post by setecastronomy on Jan 26, 2017 21:36:53 GMT

This may be tangential, and I know what I am about to say is a minor distinction, but I can't not point it out: There is a bit of a difference between straight male players and straight male characters. I am a straight white male player, yet have never (in roughly 40 playthroughs of the first 3 games) played a straight male character.

Many, if not most, players do indeed play as a version of themselves, but a lot of us don't.

Also, I find it strange you put Jacob and Steve in the 'background decoration' camp and put Kelly and Allers in the 'main love interest' camp.

Roll yourself before you role yourself.

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Bioware's strategic diversity Jan 26, 2017 21:38:11 GMT flyingovertrout, saberchic, and 4 more like this

Post by PCthug on Jan 26, 2017 21:38:11 GMT

Jan 26, 2017 21:32:49 GMT saberchic said:

Lots of men wanted Traynor. LOTS. And Jacob was supposed to be a viable option (just look at him), but his dialogue+femSheps interactions were just creepy, so he wasn't popular by choice.

We don't know anything about Liam's romance-availability, so you can't even throw him in here yet.

I started the trilogy after ME3 was released and was so excited when I saw Jacob was a romance option...until I found out his romance was a total bust, not even taking how it ends in ME3 into account.

Always remember that faith sprung from a barren branch.

darcon
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Bioware's strategic diversity Jan 26, 2017 21:39:57 GMT Shinobu and setecastronomy like this

Post by darcon on Jan 26, 2017 21:39:57 GMT

Jan 26, 2017 21:36:53 GMT setecastronomy said:

This may be tangential, and I know what I am about to say is a minor distinction, but I can't not point it out: There is a bit of a difference between straight male players and straight male characters. I am a straight white male player, yet have never (in roughly 40 playthroughs of the first 3 games) played a straight male character.

Many, if not most, players do indeed play as a version of themselves, but a lot of us don't.

Also, I find it strange you put Jacob and Steve in the 'background decoration' camp and put Kelly and Allers in the 'main love interest' camp.

actually I play both male and female characters as well cause why the hell not, also come on who doesn't want to romance Garrus

I hope Vetra will be romanceble for male ryder, female shepard got Garrus now it is our turn.

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Bioware's strategic diversity Jan 26, 2017 21:40:54 GMT Abramsrunner, Gileadan, and 2 more like this

Post by Pearl on Jan 26, 2017 21:40:54 GMT

Jan 26, 2017 21:38:11 GMT PCthug said:

Jan 26, 2017 21:32:49 GMT saberchic said:

Lots of men wanted Traynor. LOTS. And Jacob was supposed to be a viable option (just look at him), but his dialogue+femSheps interactions were just creepy, so he wasn't popular by choice.

We don't know anything about Liam's romance-availability, so you can't even throw him in here yet.

I started the trilogy after ME3 was released and was so excited when I saw Jacob was a romance option...until I found out his romance was a total bust, not even taking how it ends in ME3 into account.

Jacob's romance arc was a true representation of how progressive a company Bioware really is.

“The story so far: In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.” ― Douglas Adams, 1980

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Bioware's strategic diversity Jan 26, 2017 21:46:26 GMT hammerstorm, Gileadan, and 11 more like this

Post by BadgerladDK on Jan 26, 2017 21:46:26 GMT

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Bioware's strategic diversity Jan 26, 2017 21:46:44 GMT

Post by PCthug on Jan 26, 2017 21:46:44 GMT

Jan 26, 2017 21:40:54 GMT Pearl said:

Jan 26, 2017 21:38:11 GMT PCthug said:

I started the trilogy after ME3 was released and was so excited when I saw Jacob was a romance option...until I found out his romance was a total bust, not even taking how it ends in ME3 into account.

Jacob's romance arc was a true representation of how progressive a company Bioware really is.

ME2 was released seven years ago today. They can do better but I think they've made progress since then.

Last Edit: Jan 26, 2017 21:47:23 GMT by PCthug

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Bioware's strategic diversity Jan 26, 2017 22:21:25 GMT

Post by The Elder King on Jan 26, 2017 22:21:25 GMT

Jan 26, 2017 21:31:26 GMT Pearl said:

it's happening

they're turning on their own

Heh, actually there was always complains about Bioware being racists/homophobic (especially against lesbians)/etc. It's not something new.

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Bioware's strategic diversity Jan 26, 2017 22:29:07 GMT The Elder King, hammerstorm, and 7 more like this

Post by Natashina on Jan 26, 2017 22:29:07 GMT

I'll be in the back, munching on some chips. I'm not a big fan of popcorn.

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Bioware's strategic diversity Jan 26, 2017 22:38:19 GMT Treacherous J Slither likes this

Post by Thalandor on Jan 26, 2017 22:38:19 GMT

Obviously they pick the colours more desirable for the main audience. Young men prefer white chicks and black sidekicks.

I'm half joking, please don't hate. I love black chicks and white sidekicks too. Just not as much :-D

Last Edit: Jan 26, 2017 22:40:44 GMT by Thalandor

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Bioware's strategic diversity Jan 26, 2017 22:45:15 GMT pdusen, Shinobu, and 6 more like this

Post by FireAndBlood on Jan 26, 2017 22:45:15 GMT

I always assumed Ashley was part Latina.

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Bioware's strategic diversity Jan 26, 2017 22:50:06 GMT pdusen likes this

Post by The Biotic Trebuchet on Jan 26, 2017 22:50:06 GMT

Who's this?, dutch?, merrill?, 2faces?

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Bioware's strategic diversity Jan 26, 2017 22:57:18 GMT via mobile hammerstorm, PCthug, and 17 more like this

Post by Solas on Jan 26, 2017 22:57:18 GMT

Jan 26, 2017 21:25:49 GMT lothar said:

Ashley, Miranda, Jack, Kelly Chambers and Diana Allers are all white just like the new female lead love interest Cora. The romance options for straight male players are designed to be what society deems most desirable.

Who isn't white? Jacob, Steve Cortez, Samantha Traynor and now Liam. Characters that are not meant to be love interests for the big majority of players but serve a function somewhere between friend, subordinate and background decoration.

Isabela? Josie? Cassandra and Merrill and Ashley arent white depending on who you ask (dont look at me, I'm saying I see this opinion expressed not voicing my own opinion on the matter)

Anyway I can't hear u over the sound of all the dudebros complaining about Cora's short manly lesbian ugly hairstyle, masculine features, apparent age compared to Ryder, possible lesbian predilections due to hanging out with asari.. Bioware can't win lmao. One side says "lead" female romances like Cass and Cora are butch and therefore SJW pandering, the other says Bioware designs them to appeal to straight men

I mean which is it??? Surely it can't be both. Yall live in bizarro land tbh

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Bioware's strategic diversity Jan 26, 2017 23:18:35 GMT Shinobu, BansheeOwnage, and 8 more like this

Post by Wulfram on Jan 26, 2017 23:18:35 GMT

One thing that does bug me a bit about Mass Effect's diversity is where all the Chinese people are? Generally its a very western focused version of diversity.

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Bioware's strategic diversity Jan 26, 2017 23:21:30 GMT hammerstorm likes this

Post by Xerxes52 on Jan 26, 2017 23:21:30 GMT

Jan 26, 2017 23:18:35 GMT Wulfram said:

One thing that does bug me a bit about Mass Effect's diversity is where all the Chinese people are? Generally its a very western focused version of diversity.

I guess they lost World War Three.

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Bioware's strategic diversity Jan 26, 2017 23:24:33 GMT Natashina, The Biotic Trebuchet, and 2 more like this

Post by KaiserShep on Jan 26, 2017 23:24:33 GMT

Jan 26, 2017 22:29:07 GMT Natashina said:

I'll be in the back, munching on some chips. I'm not a big fan of popcorn.

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