Friday Facts #40

[funktapus]

I think Red Faction is stylistically the closest comparison. There were no air tanks needed in later games, although its understood that this is after terraforming efforts. I didn't know any of the backstory with regards to the PC's status with a fleet, but I understand he is a marooned member of some advanced society. I think the current version is appropriately utilitarian, and should definitely look more futuristic when the player gets access to power armor. However, given that the early equipment you get is basically steel body armor and machine guns, this concept just works for me.

[squisher]

I'd also like to chime in for a female model. It would directly encourage my daughter to play the game, to be a gamer, and to be an engineer. She's just not interested in anything involving a male character.

[RawCode]

She's just not interested in anything involving a male character.

I wont evaluate mental health of anyone, but this exactly the case i predicted.
If someone dont want to play becouse there is no female (or male) (or negroid\asian) avatar ignoring everything else, that "human" shoud not operate personal computer at all.

[bonob]

A nice story for squisher and other people who think the hero gender question is important: http://www.plan8.tv/201303101502/donkey ... o-princess

RawCode, I sure hope you are not serious, but if you are, are you sure you should operate a personal computer?

[SMOKEYBRUCE]

Wow people seem to be really bothered about the character. I'm not sure it even matters to me for there to be a character at all and just play it like a top down strategy game. It doesn't add that much to the game at the moment. I'm sure it will further down the line when you can customise the character add more vehicles and of course for multi-player. But I'm not sure you need to add a skirt and pink hair bow and a tie and trousers to differentiate between. Besides that would only upset transgender people.

As always just my opinion.

[RawCode]

A nice story for squisher and other people who think the hero gender question is important: http://www.plan8.tv/201303101502/donkey ... o-princess

RawCode, I sure hope you are not serious, but if you are, are you sure you should operate a personal computer?

target case is "kenny princess", not random geek hotwiring game data.

[RawCode]

Wow people seem to be really bothered about the character. I'm not sure it even matters to me for there to be a character at all and just play it like a top down strategy game. It doesn't add that much to the game at the moment. I'm sure it will further down the line when you can customise the character add more vehicles and of course for multi-player. But I'm not sure you need to add a skirt and pink hair bow and a tie and trousers to differentiate between. Besides that would only upset transgender people.

As always just my opinion.

no matter what you are doing and how, this will upset some people.
always some people upset, no matter what and no matter how.

they dont want new furnaces or improved belt mechanic (like line blockers or line shifters) they want female character and "custumization" (hats included), that have no sense for game like factorio.

[Gammro]

Wow people seem to be really bothered about the character. I'm not sure it even matters to me for there to be a character at all and just play it like a top down strategy game. It doesn't add that much to the game at the moment. I'm sure it will further down the line when you can customise the character add more vehicles and of course for multi-player. But I'm not sure you need to add a skirt and pink hair bow and a tie and trousers to differentiate between. Besides that would only upset transgender people.

Nobody said the female character needs to have a skirt and a pink hairtie(the notion that you'd need this for a female sprite is sexist in itself, btw). The primary concern was that the current model used for the player is obviously male, and the previous sprite was sexless(and possibly a robot). I don't care too much about playing with a female character, but I understand people wanting to be able to identify with the character they play more easily. And in terms of that, this is regression.
To add to that: Strong female characters are underrepresented in video games, so if Factorio wants to do something about it, I fully support them. After all, women are about 50% of the human population

Cube's reaction does reassure me: You might not be able to discern in the final (pixelated) sprite. I think we'll just have to see how it will turn out. And if it doesn't, I think this is a valid topic for the suggestions board.

btw: Most transgendered people identify as a male or female, not as transgenders.(There are some that identify as something else, but I don't fully understand those). So "having to add transgender sprites" are practically out of the question.

[SMOKEYBRUCE]

SMOKEYBRUCE wrote:
Wow people seem to be really bothered about the character. I'm not sure it even matters to me for there to be a character at all and just play it like a top down strategy game. It doesn't add that much to the game at the moment. I'm sure it will further down the line when you can customise the character add more vehicles and of course for multi-player. But I'm not sure you need to add a skirt and pink hair bow and a tie and trousers to differentiate between. Besides that would only upset transgender people.

Nobody said the female character needs to have a skirt and a pink hairtie(the notion that you'd need this for a female sprite is sexist in itself, btw). The primary concern was that the current model used for the player is obviously male, and the previous sprite was sexless(and possibly a robot). I don't care too much about playing with a female character, but I understand people wanting to be able to identify with the character they play more easily. And in terms of that, this is regression.
To add to that: Strong female characters are underrepresented in video games, so if Factorio wants to do something about it, I fully support them. After all, women are about 50% of the human population

Cube's reaction does reassure me: You might not be able to discern in the final (pixelated) sprite. I think we'll just have to see how it will turn out. And if it doesn't, I think this is a valid topic for the suggestions board.

Why was it obviously male? that is your interpretation of what a male worker looks like by the fact that the character is wearing what appears to be very operational engineering uniform.
I suggest that is your view on what men look like at work!

That is what that role would need whether male or female.So to andrognise the character would not look correct in that environment and lose the immersion for me, than the old character running around in a blue leotard and bike helmet.

But its just my opinion.

[Gammro]

Why was it obviously male? that is your interpretation of what a male worker looks like by the fact that the character is wearing what appears to be very operational engineering uniform.
I suggest that is your view on what men look like at work!

He has a 5 o'clock shadow. Not many women have that. And he has an overall male build(it's not the clothing).

But anyway, it did make me think: What do we expect a female sprite to look like, if we exclude the skimpy unprotective "armor" and fake Melon-size breasts?
I don't have an answer to that yet, I'll get back to you when I remember after my RL duties.

[SMOKEYBRUCE]

Exactly my point! Maybe not pink bow, but pink helmet? I'm not sure it would bring any value to the game.

[Nova]

Pink helmet? You mean bright pink, so every enemy in 100 kilometer knows you're there?

The only difference between the male and the female model can be the form and something like the walking animation. Anything else doesn't make sense in a realistic view.

[Gammro]

It wasn't necessarily the hairtie that was a "do not do" for a female character, but the fact that some people(including you, Smokeybruce) still think a female sprite can only rely on female stereotyping. For example: "it should have pink in it and clothing that favors aesthetics over functionality". This means the pink helmet is also a bad idea. I don't think you really "got" what I meant.

As Nova said: Form and posture are distinct between men and women. But then again: Cube said you might not even be able to discern after the sprite is rendered for the game.

[SMOKEYBRUCE]

I think we have exactly the same point but you and you are missing the point of me being facetious about the pink. I'm saying that the character doesn't need to be distinguished and by doing so you may as well be putting a pink hat on such as pacman which should be gender-less accept i'ts got "man" in the name(i don't know why a yellow circle has gender) so ms pacman had a pink bow when it wasn't needed in the first place. What i'm saying is you 'the player' decide the gender of the character when you start playing and the new model does not convey Male unless you decide it does.

You said yourself you wouldn't know how to separate the genders in a non offensive way (big boobs, blond pony tail, wide hips etc pink bow?!?) so why do it in the first place. Let the player decide.

But hey ho. My original point was i'd rather see the developers concentrate on other things than the character.