Mass Effect/Bioware Might Be Too Inclusive...but

Pretty much how I feel about this.

I think this Awakened Saxon (wonder if this name has something to do with white and proud of it, to put it mildly) has the same problem so many people have with games these days. Not playing them because they might offer some enjoyment, but to see their own set of values represented or their own prejudices.

The same shit MEA had to face at release and still has to face at certain instances. I wonder how all these people would react if the roles were reversed. What about muslims demanding games to change because they're not presented well in their imagination? What about atheists or the LGBT community?

I can only imagine the ensuing shitstorm.

Yeah, mark off the myriad check-boxes representing every tiny little niche of humanity, but completely overlook the actual minorities in these science fiction and fantasy titles; namely the non-human elements. Oh look, we can now have a half Spanish, quarter Asian, quarter African, transgender, bisexual character but we totally ignore a setting filled with aliens and fantastical creatures that operate on another level compared to us.

If I wanted to learn about the latest in social/political issues, or what current topic plagues the LGBT community I could turn on the news or load up Twitter. I don't buy into science fiction or high fantasy settings (especially those that make a point of having non-human elements) to just look at the humans and near-humans inhabiting them and focus on their 'daddy issues' or who they find sexually attractive.

For all of their parading around and soap-boxing about inclusiveness and diversity BioWare is rather hypocritical when it comes to their game worlds. Namely how they all operate on the shallow notion that if you are not human; or near enough that you can pass for one in a rubber costume you are either:

1) A mindless/evil monster that we can kill by the truckload with zero remorse for XP/loot

or

2) A comedic stooge that we get to make fun of for having the 'audacity' of being inherently different from us.


Yay we now have more 'inclusiveness' but we make practically zero effort in exploring those things that set the given setting apart from the boring hum-drum of the real world. Sure, special interest characters like Steve Cortez and Samantha Traynor are a great and all, but the fact that just one of said characters got more screen time in a single game than aliens like the Thorian, Rachni, Elcor, and Hanar got in the entire trilogy combined is just sad.

Wow. That Awakened Saxon thing is hilarious.

The issue with the thorian is one that it just thinks as us as tool. Elcor and Hanar is animation and environment.the hanar are water being for goodness sake. And the rachni is more of a culture issue of the milkyway.
If your going complain that the aliens are not alien enough not the issue with making them that alien.

I know, right?  I was like totally shocked and saddened that members of the crew had more screen time than not members of the crew!

Miranda's butt got more screen time then your crew out of Garrus, Tali and Liara. Her ass is in every cut scene that involves Miranda. Like you it just as much as her face.

That vein of hypocrisy was indeed there too.

What always amazes me in these discussions is that this even is a thing. I don't play any game looking for hidden political or social agendas. I'm always like there's a gay character, fine, I'm not gay, but great to have him. There's a transgendered person, I'm not transgender, but I appreciate the effort. There's a militarist, a patriot, a nationalist, such as in ME2 with the Turian politician, earth supremacists in ME1 or later on human supremacists like Cerberus, great, let us have them.

I also like to experiment with my own characters. Black, white, asian, anything in between, male, female. The only thing that would have me worried would be if any game was to transport exclusivness. Inclusion never disturbed me in any way, shape or form.

Same goes for that twitter bullshit over an American being the villain in Far Cry. Well, guess what, villains also come in all shapes and colors and aren't exclusive to any race, color or nationality.

that only change who this is going to be  directed at. point stands

Funny, isn't it?

 So long, and thanks for all the fish.