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[Vermillion]

Another thing - man the art for this game seems very Rayman Origins-y. They should have gone for Rayman Legends instead, imo. Also, this game seems to be rather... inconsistent with the rest, though I know that it's in the early stages. You see the first two Shantae games leading into the third, and you see how they're trying to add on things and tinker with the formula.

Then you have 1/2 Genie Hero and it's just... "here's HD Shantae, hopefully the series will be bigger because of this." What do they even mean by "chapters"?

EDIT: While I'm up - the artstyle looks... not fluid enough in some areas? Like when she's falling, the stiffness of her hair is mildly jarring. But I'm being all nitpicky.

 

[TheOGB]

Another thing - man the art for this game seems very Rayman Origins-y.

I couldn't stop thinking this when I was doing the recolor. It's like she's one of the nymphs' teenage cousin.

 

[Metal Gear?!]

Was Shantae THE first non white female protagonist ?

Does Japanese count as white for this discussion of minority representation in videogames? THINK HARD

I'm honestly not pledging any money toward this because of her skin being white. I would have otherwise.

Call me a drama queen, but I just don't buy "well a different artist does it every time so we didn't even notice we just leave designs up to the artists." That's not how design works. You don't design Shantae without looking at her old designs first to make sure you're drawing Shantae. You don't do it in a vacuum, it passes through multiple people. And the fact that their "compromise" to "fix it" that they posted today was to it was to keep her as white as possible and change her from pale white skin to a pale white skinned person who was out in the sun or one day just says to me it was an active choice to make her white.

I've known dark-skinned people who have bleached their skin. That kind of thing is dangerous and it happens because of society pushing shit like this, intentionally or not. I'm sure wayforward isn't sitting around and going "we hate brown people, let's make her white" but it's a stupid, conscious decision to lighten her way up like that.

Maybe it's just because I've experienced and seen what this kind of attitude can do but I just can't support something like this, even if I like wayforward. They couldn't let the like...ONE brown girl who's a main character in a game stay brown? Come on.

Well said

 

[Conan-san]

Was Shantae THE first non white female protagonist ?

Not going to lie, probably going to spend the majority of the game in that ninja outfit.

 

[twothunder]

Just to compare:
9/5/2013

2,755
Backers
$91,827
pledged of $400,000 goal
29
days to go

1.5 day later
9/6/2013

4,044
Backers
$152,130
pledged of $400,000 goal
28
days to go

 

[F0rneus]

Come on Wayforward. If Bikini Shantae can have toes, so can Ibuki Shantae. I demand it!

 

[Hero]

I loved the DS design the best, including the first Nintendo Power image. Not a fan of this chibi style but whatever. Want her to be darker skinned.

 

[honorless]

Do you guys think that a game with a lighter complexioned character would actually have higher sales than if everything else were equal and her complexion were darker? And do you actually think this is a calculated decision by WF?

The existence of skin tone bias has been well-documented.

(A lot of these links, though not all, mention black people specifically. Don't disregard them just because Shantae isn't black.)

And yes, I think that was why it happened, even if no one came out and said "tan girls don't sell so let's make her pale as driven snow". WF knows that they will need to appeal to a far greater number of people than just existing Shantae fans to make this kickstarter work, and that most likely factored into all the changes in her design—from the cutsier look to the lighter skin.

It's likely that potential redesigns were trialled among non-fans in particular (since that's the audience WF needs to figure out how to entice) and given the aforementioned bias this one could have easily come out on top.

 

[Cow Mengde]

I'm so torn. I know kickstarter just shows concepts, and comparing it to a nearly finished game is stupid at best, but....

But... Why does the 3DS version look so much more appealing to me? It's got Electrolytes, Pirates, Metroidvania, RPG floaty number bits, less child-looking Shantae, and most important of all, it has Pixels. Piiiixelllllllz.
And those pixels are something that will never get added to this game. Probably. Unless there's a Pixelshantae costume, ...which would not be satisfactory, anyway, with the rest of the world remaining "HD".

Not gonna budge from my pledge, not ever, but between this, steam only, and the skin tone issue (which seems to be in the 3DS version, too, much to my dismay) I do not really feel like upping my pledge, no matter how shiny that Gold Doubloon is.

And the Gold Doubloon is damn shiny. I want it so bad.

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing a few pages earlier. There's also the 3DS Shantae game coming out, though, so it's not all gone. I intend to back this because excellent 2D games deserve more love.

 

[GoofsterStud]

It's a shame that this one isn't doing nearly as well as Mighty. It looks amazing...

 

[weevles]

I'm planning to drop $35 on it later next week...before the end of the campaign at any rate.

 

[Skidd]

$35

Let's do this Wayforward!

 

[Stone Ocean]

It's a shame that this one isn't doing nearly as well as Mighty. It looks amazing...

It'll probably do better once Mighty hits the console stretch goals since people seem to be focusing on that right now.

Either way, it's still going steady so we'll still see a few stretch goals being hit I think. They really need to reveal some of them though.

 

[FlyingSaucer]

I'm planning to up my pledge to 35$ at the end, too, if only to support the project.
But I'm ready to do it right now if WF announce a PC port of the previous episodes

Was Shantae THE first non white female protagonist ?

Do videogames adaptations of Fushigi no Umi no Nadia count ?

 

[Tribes of Trusty]

I've never tried Shantae, but I've always read the first one was a classic platformer, did the sequel changed the series into a metroidvania ?

 

[catabarez]

I need them to have a bundle of their digital download games as a tier. I would get that.

 

[Randam_Hajile]

I've never tried Shantae, but I've always read the first one was a classic platformer, did the sequel changed the series into a metroidvania ?

The first game was a Metroidvania as well, though I'd say they're all a little more like Simon's Quest, having towns, being outdoors, and going into dungeons.

 

[Giolon]

I need them to have a bundle of their digital download games as a tier. I would get that.

That would be great - though I don't know if Nintendo offers that kind of functionality on the eShop? It's too late for me though, I already went and bought them XD

 

[Femmeworth]

Probably the first non white female protagonist in the GBC days, she owns her sexuality with the bely dance moves and is not afraid of fat shaming for turning into an elephant ! >=O

You're adorable.

Was Shantae THE first non white female protagonist ?

If she was, she isn't now.

 

[catabarez]

That would be great - though I don't know if Nintendo offers that kind of functionality on the eShop? It's too late for me though, I already went and bought them XD

I don't see why not. They have download codes for other games. I just hope the game that got greenlit on Steam is included.

 

[wrowa]

I'm honestly not pledging any money toward this because of her skin being white. I would have otherwise.

Call me a drama queen, but I just don't buy "well a different artist does it every time so we didn't even notice we just leave designs up to the artists." That's not how design works. You don't design Shantae without looking at her old designs first to make sure you're drawing Shantae. You don't do it in a vacuum, it passes through multiple people. And the fact that their "compromise" to "fix it" that they posted today was to it was to keep her as white as possible and change her from pale white skin to a pale white skinned person who was out in the sun or one day just says to me it was an active choice to make her white.

I've known dark-skinned people who have bleached their skin. That kind of thing is dangerous and it happens because of society pushing shit like this, intentionally or not. I'm sure wayforward isn't sitting around and going "we hate brown people, let's make her white" but it's a stupid, conscious decision to lighten her way up like that.

Maybe it's just because I've experienced and seen what this kind of attitude can do but I just can't support something like this, even if I like wayforward. They couldn't let the like...ONE brown girl who's a main character in a game stay brown? Come on.

Did it ever come to your mind that the artist and the people at WayForward quite simply never regarded her skin color as a defining factor of the character? Your point only holds true if her color is part of how they define the character; if they solely focus on her hair and costume, it's not a surprise to them changing it without further thought.

 

[TheOGB]

Update 3: Theme song download and interview with Cristina Vee

 

[alstein]

Update 3: Theme song download and interview with Cristina Vee

I knew I recognized the voice, I was just trying to figure out who.

Cerebella needs a Shantae palette now though. Or hell, give Shantae a Cerebella costume.

 

[TheOGB]

put_shantae_in_skullgirls

 

[mullet2000]

Did it ever come to your mind that the artist and the people at WayForward quite simply never regarded her skin color as a defining factor of the character? Your point only holds true if her color is part of how they define the character; if they solely focus on her hair and costume, it's not a surprise to them changing it without further thought.

I would find it odd if any character's skin color changed as dramatically as Shantae's.

Honestly I find it hard to believe an artist for a game that takes so much from Middle eastern mythology (even if it's just as a base point) would just flip the skin colour to white because "it wasn't a defining part of her character." It's a pretty defining thing! Especially when there's so few brown main characters out there, let alone brown female main characters.

 

[Fuzzy]

With her being a 1/2 genie and genies looking like the following, I'd argue it is a defining part of her character.

 

[Psxphile]

It'd be kinda funny if her lack of skin pigment was a plot point.

 

[Fuzzy]

It'd be kinda funny if her lack of skin pigment was a plot point.

I made that comment in the 3DS game thread but I was joking.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=80287801&postcount=60

 

[Kainazzo]

It'd be kinda funny if her lack of skin pigment was a plot point.

She gets browner with each new transformation? Only the truly brown can truly be a genie. Unless you're a male, then it's blue. They're like peacocks.

Edit: Beaten long ago.

 

[Het_Nkik]

You're adorable.

If she was, she isn't now.

They added some color back into her on the latest pics of her in the Updates tab.

 

[Five]

With her being a 1/2 genie and genies looking like the following, I'd argue it is a defining part of her character.

lol

The most famous genie, from Disney's Aladdin, is blue. If you Google "female genie", more than half of the images show a white girl.

Nice try though.

 

[bon]

Update 3: Theme song download and interview with Cristina Vee

I bet one of the mystery stretch goals will be voiced cutscenes with Cristina Vee as Shantae.

 

[Giolon]

I bet one of the mystery stretch goals will be voiced cutscenes with Cristina Vee as Shantae.

No, no we already figured out it's Shantae eating chicken:

I think that's a chicken drumstick, for unlocking protein mode. You need to eat chicken every minute or so to restore stomach muscles (from belly dancing and hair whipping) and repair your luscious hair.

A number of other people have also pointed out that they think it's a microphone, thus voice acting tier, so you could be right, but personally I'm hoping for protein mode.

Maybe Christina will perform the lip-smacking sound effects.

 

[Metal Gear?!]

Did it ever come to your mind that the artist and the people at WayForward quite simply never regarded her skin color as a defining factor of the character?

Being blind to your own prejudices doesn't mean they don't exist

 

[Morrigan Stark]

Was Shantae THE first non white female protagonist ?

Well, there was Vanessa from VF4, but she turned white too, so... :\

Skin colour aside, the art itself is also much worse compared to the GBA and DS versions. She went from cute and sassy-looking to this chibi giant-eyed look. Meh. :\

 

[TheFLYINGManga_Ka]

Well, there was Vanessa from VF4, but she turned white too, so... :

Skin colour aside, the art itself is also much worse compared to the GBA and DS versions. She went from cute and sassy-looking to this chibi giant-eyed look. Meh. :

The game is still going to be great regardless, but I do like the older styles more.

I can see it this way. These are just HD sprites, so maybe she'll look different during the cut scenes instead of this chibi look.

 

[Bladenic]

lol

The most famous genie, from Disney's Aladdin, is blue. If you Google "female genie", more than half of the images show a white girl.

Nice try though.

Lmao yes tell them

 

[Giolon]

The game is still going to be great regardless, but I do like the older styles more.

I can see it this way. These are just HD sprites, so maybe she'll look different during the cut scenes instead of this chibi look.

I doubt it, b/c if you look at Shantae's cutscene appearance in the upcoming Pirate's Curse, her appearance is pretty similar to what they've gone with for Half-Genie Hero. I linked to it a page or so back.

 

[Fuzzy]

lol

The most famous genie, from Disney's Aladdin, is blue. If you Google "female genie", more than half of the images show a white girl.

Nice try though.

Are you actually arguing what genies look like in a post where I posted what genies look like in Shantae by posting a sprite from the actual game? :lol

 

[Theonik]

They just posted a new update that seems to further improve the colour palette:

It also explains the additive lighting they are using.
Edit: Forgot the link

 

[catabarez]

Looking much better.

 

[Fuzzy]

They just posted a new update that seems to further improve the colour palette:

And none of these changes would've happened if people didn't bring it up. Now people need to complain more about her looking like a small child.

 

[GuardianE]

Lookin' good, Shantae.

 

[Eusis]

And none of these changes would've happened if people didn't bring it up. Now people need to complain more about her looking like a small child.

Given the last and next entries (hell even the first) and the fact it's part of the style I wouldn't get your hopes up there.

 

[Lissar]

And none of these changes would've happened if people didn't bring it up. Now people need to complain more about her looking like a small child.

Given that she was miniaturized in the actual gameplay of previous games, I'm not sure how this is much different. I think it looks fine, personally, but maybe I'm in the minority?

 

[mullet2000]

They just posted a new update that seems to further improve the colour palette:

It also explains the additive lighting they are using.
Edit: Forgot the link

Much better.

 

[Muzy72]

Good ol' brown Shantae. She's looking really good now ^^

 

[Bladenic]

I like all of her looks, but her Risky's Revenge look is definitely her best.

 

[Ferrio]

They just posted a new update that seems to further improve the colour palette:

It also explains the additive lighting they are using.
Edit: Forgot the link

might be my first kickstarter now...

 

[Hastati]

might be my first kickstarter now...

Please back it!!
Wayforward is an awesome developer, and I think they mesh well with the kickstarter funding model. Not sure how simple it is for a developer like them to get funding...but I can't imagine their development budget is ever very high, so hopefully this kickstarter is a success.