the_batman
Banned
it looks like they went all out on creating a game with variety.
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So you can Slave Trade on a Steam game now
- Thread starter DryvBy
- Start date
OverBlood 3
Banned
Seems like this game is working in a weird way.
Also Roots should be compulsory viewing for anyone on earth.
GhostTrick
Banned
Wow. Hahahaha. Wooow. I'm freakin speechless. Oo
Its not even about a game on greenlight, its about a game SOLD on Steam oO
How the heck could they allow this thing to be here in the first place oO
Its not even about a game on greenlight, its about a game SOLD on Steam oO
How the heck could they allow this thing to be here in the first place oO
Neverforget
Member
What the hell is this? How did steam administration approve it?! How could it been green lighted?!
Disgusting!
Disgusting!
0coolclimate0
Member
As a Jew I shouldn't find this funny.. But I laughed quite a bit when I read this.
Steam don't "approve" anything. Some of the community voted for it, so they got it.
TerryLee81
Member
Slave Tetris
I've seen it all now.
I've seen it all now.
First I read the copy paste of the description and thought "Oh, that doesn't sound that racist at all, you're playing as a young slave yourself I assumed it was about some power fantasy with the thread title"
Then I looked at the reviews and went "Man, that's some shit how people are causing this game to get this stigma because of this"
Then I saw fucking slave tetris. I don't even fucking know anymore. How is this shit a thing?
Then I looked at the reviews and went "Man, that's some shit how people are causing this game to get this stigma because of this"
Then I saw fucking slave tetris. I don't even fucking know anymore. How is this shit a thing?
Linkstrikesback
Member
I mean, going by the trailer, it looks like they actually were trying to make a proper edutainment game about that period of history rather than make some racist statement.
The implementation is obviously way off the mark though. Slave tetris, holy cow.
It is actually trying to be educational but aimed at younger kids, and judging by the footage it does try to do that - except for slave tetris - which is a crazy idea to any adult
Trickster
Member
To lazy to have some sort of basic verification system for their greenlight system I think. Dumb as shit I know
Neodiablo22
Member
Frog Fractions 2?
The devs definitely goofed, but I can't help also rolling my eyes at some people who're disgusted at the game even simply touching the subject matter.
Give 10 years tops until racism/xenophobia/slavery-related Papers, Please kind of game appears and look at some of the opinions turn 180
Give 10 years tops until racism/xenophobia/slavery-related Papers, Please kind of game appears and look at some of the opinions turn 180
Steam said:
"Now"
I mean, this is shit that can't be defended. But the outrage is two years late.
September 13, 2013.
Weltall Zero
Member
Gotta love that "family friendly" Steam tag.
Oh, I believe we have quite a way to go, before we reach the bottom of the barrel.
More Fun To Compute
Member
Brenda Brathwaite made an award winning tabletop concentration camp game and IIRC it had some sort of tetris style packing problem. The big problem that many people who make games about "issues" have is that they are completely tone deaf when it comes to game design. They just see game design as some sugar to help the medicine go down and don't think that it is a real vocation that needs any expertise.
Chainsawkitten
Member
Which is just Plague Corpse Tetris from Monty Python & The Quest for the Holy Grail.
akachan ningen
Member
Don't you guys think they did slave tetris just to show how horrifically the slaves were treated? I don't think they were being mean. Not on purpose anyway.
Maiden Voyage
Gold™ Member
Valve really needs to take a look at some of the shit they're allowing on Steam. This is pretty fucked up.
Wow, just wow... Hey, freedom of speech and all... But if I'm valve, I wouldn't want this in my store...
It's not the subject matter, it's the execution...
Here's a similar concept done 'right' in "thralled"
http://www.polygon.com/2014/6/12/5805402/thralled-is-a-beautiful-and-heartbreaking-game
It's not the subject matter, it's the execution...
Here's a similar concept done 'right' in "thralled"
http://www.polygon.com/2014/6/12/5805402/thralled-is-a-beautiful-and-heartbreaking-game
That's how I took it.
Honestly, sure, it doesn't seem like the most sophisticated attempt, but I really don't see the outrage over this one. The intention certainly doesn't seem to be to glorify slave trade.
Edit:
I see this as less problematic than the hundreds of games across all gaming platforms that actively glorify war and violence.
Herbspiceguy
Member
Yes, I do. Not feeling the negative overreaction at all. I really don't see how educating a younger generation on this dark chapter in history through a game is somehow bad.
I could see that, however making it a game element is just distasteful. It would be different in the context of a parodying game like South Park and likes, but this is meant to be taken seriously. It's like teaching the cruelity of the Nazireich by letting the player take control of an officier, leading jews into the chamber, beating everyone who doesn't comply and pull the gas lever. It's not funny and engaging in the wrong way.
It was an inherently good idea to let the player play a black boy, but don't make it fun. Make it frustrating and difficult. And when the player throws his or her controller at the wall and screams: "This game is unfair!". Then you can nod and say: "Yes. It really is, isn't it?"
You don't see the issue with merging slave ship management with the worlds most addicting mini-game? It's a piss poor way to highlight the misery slaves went through... It is, however, a great way to showcase how much fun slave traders had maximizing their profits...
Regardless of what the devs intentions were, which is unclear to me, the execution was shameful... If they wanted it to be educational, being a slave shouldnt be fun...
Educational games are valuable tools for teaching children. Nothing in history should be off limits. But the presentation here is self-defeating. It's like an honest attempt was made to create an educational game about the slave trade from someone who has only read about black people on FOX news.
joey_bone_bomb
Member
You think a fun little game like Tetris is fit to communicate the horrific treatment of slaves then?
Yeah no, don't bring fun into something as horrific as the topic at hand if you want to educate children. Save your slave Tetris for an episode of South Park.
Also, it's not only the distasteful Tetris mini game that's the only questionable design decision the developers made here. I find the mouse character's lines and voiceover even more sickening, trying to make the player feel like they're embarking on an exciting and joyful slave trade adventure.
hobblygobbly
Member
I don't think there is intentional harm here. The slave tetris part is preceded by a educational/history voice over that describes how slaves were seen as simple commodities/cargo and were placed on top of each other a lot of the time, not seated like people. Then you proceed to play the tetris where you see the cargo hold and loading people into it. I think presentation is trying to be too much of a game while still providing the historical/educational part. I don't think this is straight up intentional racism by racists for racists. It includes effort put into voice overs by multiple men/women and the writing doesn't come off as racist but your general educational tone.
It shouldn't have tried to add a lot of gamification and instead focus more on a point and click or something.
It shouldn't have tried to add a lot of gamification and instead focus more on a point and click or something.
Yeah I don't think it's intentionally offensive but its still a very naive and tone death attempt at making learning fun.
joey_bone_bomb
Member
I don't think anyone really is saying it is or treating it as such.
It's just a horribly misguided mess, and it's rightfully being pointed out.
http://youtu.be/3E7iWYXnf8s
Thralled is a completely different game. This is an edutainment game aimed at schoolkids learning about that period in time, Thralled is an art-game trying to make a big statement. Could it been handled better? Yes. But Thralled is in no way a good comparison.
Enter the Dragon Punch
Banned
Greenlight was a mistake. It's nothing but trash
ITT: People having zero clue about what content is suitable for young kids & taking things 100% literal (omglol an anthropomorphic mouse).
I assume this is a case of overblown political correctness, I'm european and I see absolutely no problem with this game. The creator took some bold choices (like the slave tetris), but chose very well in how you assume the role of a slave, and the mechanics like trying not to lose the captains trust while trying to save as many slaves as possible is a very clever way of teaching. Seriously, watch a play through.
PS: I absolutely would let my children play this, this is way more informative & teaching important things, rather than 99% of all games that simply glorify greed & violence.
I assume this is a case of overblown political correctness, I'm european and I see absolutely no problem with this game. The creator took some bold choices (like the slave tetris), but chose very well in how you assume the role of a slave, and the mechanics like trying not to lose the captains trust while trying to save as many slaves as possible is a very clever way of teaching. Seriously, watch a play through.
PS: I absolutely would let my children play this, this is way more informative & teaching important things, rather than 99% of all games that simply glorify greed & violence.
His Majesty
Banned
Might as well cancel every WW2 game ever made then.
Gnome Scat
Member
That tetris mini-game is fucked up.
ClaptoVaughn
Member
They'll only step in if something causes enough of a ruckus. They took off Hatred, but then put it back on.
They should burn offensive books as well !
His Majesty
Banned
And I think that is the message the game is trying to convey. That Tetris image is pretty shocking and so is the act of stacking slaves in the ship.
Honestly I don't see too much problems with this game. It aims to be educational, not glorify slave trade.
I'm referring to this
Didn't see the game screenshot until now
BumblebeeCody
Member
Don't tell people that. Let'em keep thinking it was made with ill intent. Jim Sterling needs to get paid. The developers are gonna get fucked though.
Bruh, you'd love Horrible Histories here in the UK.