This is a site for discussing roleplaying games. Have fun doing so, but there is one major rule: do not discuss political issues that aren't directly and uniquely related to the subject of the thread and about gaming. While this site is dedicated to free speech, the following will not be tolerated: devolving a thread into unrelated political discussion, sockpuppeting (using multiple and/or bogus accounts), disrupting topics without contributing to them, and posting images that could get someone fired in the workplace (an external link is OK, but clearly mark it as Not Safe For Work, or NSFW). If you receive a warning, please take it seriously and either move on to another topic or steer the discussion back to its original RPG-related theme.
The RPGPundit's Own Forum Rules
This part of the site is controlled by the RPGPundit. This is where he discusses topics that he finds interesting. You may post here, but understand that there are limits. The RPGPundit can shut down any thread, topic of discussion, or user in a thread at his pleasure. This part of the site is essentially his house, so keep that in mind. Note that this is the only part of the site where political discussion is permitted, but is regulated by the RPGPundit.

Author Topic: Larian complains about boring players  (Read 5665 times)

Manifestopheles

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 20
Larian complains about boring players
« on: October 10, 2020, 04:00:07 PM »
So Larian decided to make fun of its fanbase by recreating the average character based on their player statistics the most popular choices in Baldur's Gate III. This turned out to be a "white human male," which they compare to the average Vault Dweller.

Obviously, Kotaku and other "gaming" outlets immediately jumped the bandwagon deciding to make this a political issue of some kind. See below:

https://kotaku.com/baldur-s-gate-3-players-called-out-for-their-basic-ass-1845329172

Meanwhile it seems nobody noticed that the favourite class seems to be a Cleric, which I honestly wouldn't have expected (you'd think the Fighter would be the most popular choice).

Honestly I think Larian themselves just made this post to poke some harmless fun. I get no overt political vibes from them in general and as a developer I hold them in fairly high esteem.

Unfortunately, however, this seems to have backfired pretty bad, making me think twice about whether I want to play the game at all.

Any thoughts?

[EDIT: I apologize in advance if this post doesn't belong here. Feel free to move it or delete it if necessary.]
« Last Edit: October 10, 2020, 04:17:33 PM by Manifestopheles »

Thornhammer

  • Seen Your Member
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • T
  • Posts: 859
Re: Larian complains about boring players
« Reply #1 on: October 10, 2020, 05:02:11 PM »
Please, PLEASE tell me most of them are white, male, human lawful good clerics of Lolth...

I don’t know whose head would pop first, but I wanna see.

Manifestopheles

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 20
Re: Larian complains about boring players
« Reply #2 on: October 10, 2020, 05:28:52 PM »
Please, PLEASE tell me most of them are white, male, human lawful good clerics of Lolth...

I don’t know whose head would pop first, but I wanna see.

They're Clerics of Selûne, according to the screenshots Larian posted. Not sure if they're Lawful Good, but probably on the LG/NG/TN spectrum.

Hawkwing7423

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • H
  • Posts: 98
Re: Larian complains about boring players
« Reply #3 on: October 10, 2020, 06:29:02 PM »
The article is asinine, the author must view everything through ism prisms.

If you are a hero, why would you give your hero a disability?
Ex. "Games in modern settings need accessory options to include hearing and mobility aids"

Manifestopheles

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 20
Re: Larian complains about boring players
« Reply #4 on: October 10, 2020, 06:33:20 PM »
The article is asinine, the author must view everything through ism prisms.

If you are a hero, why would you give your hero a disability?
Ex. "Games in modern settings need accessory options to include hearing and mobility aids"

Not only that, the protagonists in BG3 have all been infected by a Mind Flayer parasite, allowing them to casually read each other's minds. Speech is not even strictly a necessity  :o

Hawkwing7423

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • H
  • Posts: 98
Re: Larian complains about boring players
« Reply #5 on: October 10, 2020, 06:38:01 PM »
Those of you who choose to play early access mode, let us know how woke they are.

I loved BG 1 and 2 but that was a long time ago. The lunatics are now mostly running the asylum.

Manifestopheles

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 20
Re: Larian complains about boring players
« Reply #6 on: October 10, 2020, 06:48:58 PM »
Those of you who choose to play early access mode, let us know how woke they are.

I loved BG 1 and 2 but that was a long time ago. The lunatics are now mostly running the asylum.

I'm not playing early access but I've been following the game closely, watching streams and the like. The game honestly doesn't look all that woke at all. As I've said, Larian overall is an exceptional game studio, and the game seems to follow suit in its predecessors' (Divinity: Original Sin 1&2) good reputation. The only caveat for me is that, just like their previous games, it's more of a tactical RPG affair (in the vein of XCOM and similar games), with some more or less hardcore RPG and simulation elements strewn in for good measure.

The comments made by Larian themselves seem to have been mostly made in jest, expressing a somewhat understandable puzzlement at players' one-sidedness when it comes to character creation. Unfortunately this seems to have been taken the wrong way by a lot of leftist journalists, who perceive this as an argument to prove their point.

Be that as it may, I think Larian overall are smart enough to stay away from any political misgivings, both in their games as well as in the public sphere.
« Last Edit: October 10, 2020, 06:51:02 PM by Manifestopheles »

Hawkwing7423

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • H
  • Posts: 98
Re: Larian complains about boring players
« Reply #7 on: October 10, 2020, 07:12:59 PM »
Hmm, I got a little bored in Divinity: OS with all the tactics. I think I enjoy most progressing my characters' abilities, levels, gear, and enjoying a good story. No doubt they will have easier modes for lazy players like me.

Manifestopheles

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 20
Re: Larian complains about boring players
« Reply #8 on: October 10, 2020, 07:26:32 PM »
Hmm, I got a little bored in Divinity: OS with all the tactics. I think I enjoy most progressing my characters' abilities, levels, gear, and enjoying a good story. No doubt they will have easier modes for lazy players like me.

Honestly, I have the same problem. DOS1 for me was the best in that regard since the tactical aspect was more straightforward (no double AC rates and the like, making elemental attacks much more lethal). Obviously though, I think the multiplayer co-op is the saving grace for all three of the games and that's in a lot of ways how they're meant to be played.

Trond

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2743
Re: Larian complains about boring players
« Reply #9 on: October 11, 2020, 11:08:45 AM »
Quote
It also means making sure that a game’s world is as diverse as the characters being made for it. We need to see all different kinds of people—short, tall, fat, brown, hard of hearing, blind—in order to create the rich worlds boasted about on the back of game boxes (yes, games hardly come in boxes anymore, but work with me here).

Can't wait to choose a blind character to play. I'll be soo exited to stare at that blank screen with no graphics.


Ratman_tf

  • Alt-Reich Shitlord
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8330
Re: Larian complains about boring players
« Reply #11 on: October 11, 2020, 03:18:18 PM »
The article is asinine, the author must view everything through ism prisms.

I will probably steal this at some point. :)
The notion of an exclusionary and hostile RPG community is a fever dream of zealots who view all social dynamics through a narrow keyhole of structural oppression.
-Haffrung

SHARK

  • The Great Shark Hope
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5043
Re: Larian complains about boring players
« Reply #12 on: October 11, 2020, 06:01:02 PM »
Greetings!

You know, in reading through the article, the clown also discussed how great it would be to have options and accessories for characters that are blind, deaf or disabled. Whatever. It struck me though that Pundit has talked about the whole diabled fetish thing in gaming, and we had at least two threads in the main forum about the growing trend. Then we have it referenced here in this article by some clown complaining about not being supported in these options....it makes me really boggle.

WTF is wrong with these people? I can understand the distinctions between portraying a hero--and being a superhero, ala Superman. I much prefer a "normal" hero, or perhaps a more mythic hero character somewhere *between* normal hero and crazy uber superhero. If you all get what I'm saying.

But the whole, I want to play a disabled character, and the DM, the game world, and everyone else has to kiss my ass and treat me special? WTF is wrong with these people?

Maybe I am showing my grognard, ancient dinosaur roots. *laughing* I just really do not even understand these "gamers" whole motivation for *wanting* fucked up, crippled, weird, socially-ostracized, rebel freak characters. LGBQ, gender-fuck me I'm Fluid, drug-addicted, abused, tattoos everywhere, more piercings than a fucking metalshop, screaming freaks. Why are these people so fucking dysfunctional? They are angry, bitter, full of hatred for everything and everyone around them, while at the same time being utterly soft, emotionally weak, spoiled, entitled and total emotional trainwrecks that are full of self-righteous and smug entitlement.

I remember when we all used to think the "Goths" were dysfunctional and weird. Before that, it was your garden-variety metalheads, stoners, and punks that were a bit rough, stupid, and rebellious, but damn, these new crops of people today have really dialed up the fucking crazy meter to 11, you know? I see this whole ideology and syndrome reaching into *everything* today in a huge way, obviously politics and shit, social fucking media, but also into music, books, film, and even the attitudes and styles and such of gamers in our hobby.

I need to get me some more coffee. ;D

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK
"It is the Marine Corps that will strip away the façade so easily confused with self. It is the Corps that will offer the pain needed to buy the truth. And at last, each will own the privilege of looking inside himself  to discover what truly resides there. Comfort is an illusion. A false security b

HappyDaze

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • H
  • Posts: 5337
Re: Larian complains about boring players
« Reply #13 on: October 11, 2020, 07:43:19 PM »
I just really do not even understand these "gamers" whole motivation for *wanting* fucked up, crippled, weird, socially-ostracized, rebel freak characters. LGBQ, gender-fuck me I'm Fluid, drug-addicted, abused, tattoos everywhere, more piercings than a fucking metalshop, screaming freaks.
In some games, you play such characters for the points you get from taking such disadvantages.

KingCheops

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • K
  • Posts: 1272
Re: Larian complains about boring players
« Reply #14 on: October 12, 2020, 12:00:48 PM »
The comments made by Larian themselves seem to have been mostly made in jest, expressing a somewhat understandable puzzlement at players' one-sidedness when it comes to character creation.

Pretty sure the original comment was more like "We spent all this time and effort giving you guys some crazy funky ways to customize your avatar's appearence and most of you aren't using it!"  So typical developer complaints when their work ends up being unused.