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Man Edits Wind Waker so 3-Year Old Daughter Doesn't Feel 2nd Class
- Thread starter Bobby Roberts
- Start date
HylianScribe
Member
Nintendo just needs to give the option to be male or female in new Zelda games. Just give the player the option and everyone will be happy. What gender Link is shouldn't detract from the experience. This guy just tried to do something nice for his daughter.
Good summation.
I think it's brilliant that he could do this with Link and that it works well. I wish Nintendo would have done it originally just to see the ridiculous meltdowns that would ensue. It's such backward crap that there aren't way more female protagonists.
Tell him he has his fans.
faceless007
Member
So I'm curious, to those who are opposed to this on the grounds of artistic integrity, are you also opposed to, for example, someone someone hacking Chrono Trigger to propose to his girlfriend? Should gamers treat games solely as read-only no matter what?
So what is your argument in this case then, good self-esteem is bad? The father isn't sacrificing anything (of real value) by changing a few letters in the game.
witchedwiz
Member
depends...
my father is a tennis maniac...
my sis is a volleyball maniac (actual player in league)
i'm a bb-addict to the bone..
i guess he gave us just some sport addiction
GungHo
Single-handedly caused Exxon-Mobil to sue FOX, start World War 3
Do you think Metroid appeals to 3 year olds?
I imagine the Godfather was a bit of a blow.
1) Some children can read at that age.
2) Even if she can't yet, reading to your children helps them learn to read and to associate it with fun.
Never let a child pick E. Honda.
Tyler Perry Presents Tyler Perry's Tyler Perry's Elder Scrolls: Tyler Perry featuring Tyler Perry.
The whole mentality of art being unchangeable is not only fucking disturbing, it is also completely without historical basis. Art has *always* been remixed and modified to further cgoals both good and bad.
Seriously. Shit, I can see why people think it's a nice but pointless gesture but calling for a faceless corporation to sue a guy over this is just fucking bizarre.
videogames are not art
and even if they were art people really shouldn't give a shit what people privately do with them when it's not hurting anybody else.
And with all the bullying going on these days, self-esteem, and respect for differences in others is an issue in schools.
Clearly this is hurting everybody else.
Don't you see these posters? These forum goers?
Every post here is a person. All of these people are deeply affected by this radical, neo-feminist change. This is literally on the level of raping Tommy Pickles.
According to whom?
Chuckpebble
Member
Damn, my kid's 4 and she wouldn't even know the difference if I simply read it to her as if Link was a girl. Guess I'm a bad dad.
I was expecting this.
The rules of the game of chess have also been modified through the ages. If you play board games I'm sure you've heard of the existence of house rules. Are these examples similar enough?
we.are.the.armada
Member
Adorable. I want the next Zelda game to feature female Link badly.
It's also a little weird, because Tetra/
plays a key role in the game, and helps you defeat the final boss.
While it's been a little while since I've played the best console Zelda game otherwise known as Wind Waker, I remember Tetra saving Link's life multiple times and guiding him many times in the story and in the actual gameplay.
So there's a great female pirate ship captain that is being completely ignored by this father?
Also known as Zelda
While it's been a little while since I've played the best console Zelda game otherwise known as Wind Waker, I remember Tetra saving Link's life multiple times and guiding him many times in the story and in the actual gameplay.
So there's a great female pirate ship captain that is being completely ignored by this father?
I NEED SCISSORS
Banned
It's a bit bizarre. I can see that his intentions are pure, but it will damage the game's consistency and the child's perception of it. When she is musing with other people who played the game, it will just come off as weird that she thinks Link = a girl, unless she is conscious of this whole editing (which then just comes off as a more odd for other people). Why not just view Link as a champion for heroic children in games rather than turn it into a gender issue?
WiiredShawn
Member
No offense to you personally, but it's this kind of attitude that also perpetuates a misunderstanding of the education system and its intentions. Schools still expect children to learn a lot of material, and actually even more material compared to a few decades ago as standards have evolved, but there's a growing research base that understands that children won't actually learn anything if they're too emotionally distracted or detached from the learning environment. The "banking" concept of education is flawed, and it has led educators to realize that children learn best (in some holistic, meaningful way rather than some fragmented, transitory way) when they believe they can actually succeed, when there's the right resources and social support available, and when the learning seems relevant and engaging. Just ask yourself: do you learn well when you feel like shit, physically or emotionally? Probably not.
On topic: I think it's interesting that this father cared enough about the issue of gender equality and his daughter's feelings that he went through the trouble of hacking the game - it's touching when compared to the myriad of parents who carelessly buy their children games like Modern Warfare and Grand Theft Auto and then don't bother to sit down and help them understand what they're actually playing. His efforts might be futile at this stage of life, but one day the child might appreciate this small demonstration of caring. I wouldn't be terribly worried that the child's perception of the game will be skewed beyond recognition - if anything, it might open her up to new interpretations of the experience when she's older. At worst, she'll forget that she watched the game and move on to some other non-gaming hobby.
Personally, I don't think playing as a boy is harmful for a girl - certainly my fiancee and her sister grew up playing Zelda, Pokemon and other games featuring male protagonists. And it's important to consider a game like Wind Waker's cultural influences and mythical heritage. But this kind of consideration for changing gender dynamics is valuable, so kudos to the guy.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
Snow White = Princess
Pinocchio = boy
Dumbo = boy
Bambi = boy
Three Caballeros = boys
Ichabod & Mr. Toad = boys
Cinderella = princess
Alice in Wonderland = girl
Peter Pan = boy
Lady & the Tramp = boy/girl
Sleeping Beauty = Princess
101 Dalmatians = mostly boys
Sword in the Stone = boys
Jungle Book = Boys
Aristocats = Boy
Robin Hood = Boy
Winnie the Pooh = Boy
The Rescuers = Boy/Girl
Fox & the Hound = Boy
Black Cauldron = Boy
Great Mouse Detective = Boy
Oliver & Company = Boy
Little Mermaid = Princess
Beauty & the Beast = Princess
Aladdin = Boy
The Lion King = Boy
Even though Disney is known primarily for Disney Princesses now, historically (not even taking into account their mascot is a male, as is Donald, and Goofy) Disney's heroes have been male, and even the films in which the hero is a female or a princess, the goal is to make sure the dudes in their lives are made happy.
So that's probably why you weren't alienated.
Trogdor1123
Member
Isnt that normal? My 2 year old can read some things and my 3 year old (albeit almost 4) can read not too bad at all.
what about when the english changed the board pieces to resemble chivalric characters
are you implying that they ruined chess
what are you saying
Yes, they are. How does music, drawn art, and storywriting suddenly become NOT art because they're on a screen?
Jake Tower
Banned
Zoe
Member
Uh.
When I was a kid, reading and writing were taught in kindergarten. I always got sent off to the first grade class during those lessons cause I already knew both >_<
Bobby Roberts
Banned
Vermillion
Banned
Sgt.Pepper
Banned
The Sleeping Beauty is a bad example anyway, since she appears like 15 mins only. The prince and the fairies were the main characters.
Still, I think it is a nice gesture. Albeit pointless if he wants her to play more Zelda games since Link it is becoming much more his own character than just an avatar.
If there is a female protagonist in a Zelda game, it won't be a female Link.
Zoe
Member
And it's been ages since I've seen it, but isn't Peter Pan as much from Wendy's perspective as it is from Peter's?
KingItachi
Member
It's cute but it is meaningless.
Eppy Thatcher
God's had his chance.
Anyone who actually has kids can pretty quickly look at this and realize that - just as much as he wanted do something nice for his little girl - he was probably DIEING ON THE INSIDE for something of a challenge/learning/tech toying around with something ... and has probably wanted to do something like this for a while (fux with a games hex values and so forth) and was simply given a light bulb that illuminated a reason/chance/opportunity.
Good on em if it pulled him through another morning of stepping on buildo blocks and listening to fucking Fresh Beats Band and Dora.
Just another damsel in distress being taught life lessons from a world weary boy.
Good on em if it pulled him through another morning of stepping on buildo blocks and listening to fucking Fresh Beats Band and Dora.
Just another damsel in distress being taught life lessons from a world weary boy.
WiiredShawn
Member
I'm not really sure what you're implying, except to sarcastically suggest that children's drawings are not art even though they have these elements. And that's true, they probably shouldn't be considered art in a higher sense - but that's because art is about intention, the intention to create meaning, the intention to resist expectations. Videogames have that potential - and theoretically, so could a children's drawing, although children are not usually interested in expressing anything other than their immediate feelings or imaginative thoughts.
Anyway, I'd play a Zelda game with a female protagonist - and I mean an actual mainline game, and not Tetra's Trackers.
Zelda has had more focus on story and character lately, and in the last few games his gender has actually mattered, ESPECIALLY the latest game. Wind Waker has a 10 year old girl leading a crew of adult male pirates. It's not exactly a bastion of gender lines.
Freshmaker
I am Korean.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/jesus-painting-restoration-makes-christ-1276477
Just as valid as the source if not more meaningful a contribution.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
Seems kind of a specious comparison. Are you arguing that that lady's "restoration" of a public painting is exactly the same as this guy's editing of a single copy of a game?
Freshmaker
I am Korean.
I was more commenting on how remix culture is some kinda viable artistic movement in its own right. Source > Remix every single time.
The only thing that bugs me about the WW edit is he just changed the text. Still shows a dude on screen. (WW looks like butt so maybe he figured nobody's notice.) Seems kinda flimsy. I also wince at the thought of the arguments she'll get into in ~3rd grade over whether or not Link's a girl vs everyone else she meets.
Pretty cool thing for a dad to do. I do have to wonder what the point is in the long run since people who have played the game and other Zelda games will tell her Link is a guy. As such, wouldn't it cancel the whole point of doing this?
Kids are smarter these days, uh. When I was four I beat Super Mario Bros but I can't imagine I would be able to play something complex like a 3D Zelda.
Kids are smarter these days, uh. When I was four I beat Super Mario Bros but I can't imagine I would be able to play something complex like a 3D Zelda.
Freshmaker
I am Korean.
Polishing a turd.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
Ugh. that's a pretty terrible example. The Phantom Edit is just as bad as the movie it's "Fixing" just in different ways.
There are loads of examples of artists stealing/being inspired, remixing/remaking based on already existing source material. it's just that this particular generation is using terminology for it that hasn't been used before.
Hell, the terminology itself is quickly becoming meaningless. 95% of the stuff on OCRemix isn't even a remix. There's no scrap of the original recording left in much of that stuff. That doesn't make the works there bad - they're just not "remixes" at that point. Lots of stuff lumped into "remix culture" as it's understood now isn't a remix. As "remix culture" is used now, films like "The Magnificent Seven" qualify. Songs like "Smells Like Teen Spirit" or "The Lemon Song."
But this is an argument that is tangential to the topic itself, really.
Aquamarine
Member
Link is a "boy" in clothing-only in the Wind Waker.
Kids at a young age are ambiguous when it comes to gender. It's just his male tunic and the male pronouns in the text that suggests he's a boy.
I find it empowering that the dad would teach his daughter to transcend male-oriented clothing through video games.
The sooner that gender-specific social constructs disappear, the better.