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[Spring-Loaded]

A companion thread to this older one.

Warning for people who don't like Extra Credits' host's voice — the video is about the game Rust and how players can't choose their race, leading into interesting circumstances in this online game.

Saw someone share this and it immediately thought of the classic GAF thread where users — indirectly and directly — showed they were uncomfortable with the notion of playing as a black character in the then upcoming GTA San Andreas. Iirc, some of those users are still around, and there are surely currently active users who feel the same, so here's hoping they chime in.

If you can answer "yes" to the thread title, you may be asked why. I'm curious whether people even realize they're bothered by something like this, let alone whether they'd admit to it or consider changing their attitude.

EDIT: Here's the GTA: SA thread.

 

[CountAntonius]

I prefer a create a player where I can in all my vanity create a close approximation of myself but if the game doesn't have that option I get used to whoever I'm playing as.

 

[Flandy]

I mean I play as a white guy in nearly every game and I've never felt weird

 

[MattyG]

No, because I'm not the character, I'm just controlling them.

 

[Amused]

No.

 

[dracula_x]

No, never.

 

[kyser73]

I'm white and it doesn't bother me - skini colour, sexual orientation, gender etc, but I can see why if I were BAME/POC or a woman how playing Generic White Hero Guy could get a bit wearing after a while.

 

[Tenebrous]

No, because I'm not the character, I'm just controlling them.

And it's that simple. As long as the gameplay is fun, it can be a he/she/that/it/whatever.

 

[coolasj19]

This thread will be hell for whoever answers yes first. Me, no. Black guy. Been playing non same colored characters my entire life. Doesn't ever bother me.

 

[Rentahamster]

Nope. I play as girls, boys, of all different looks, animals, or the Prince of All Cosmos. I don't care, it's just a game.

 

[benicillin]

Nope, I play as all different races and genders across my games. Variety is best yo

 

[Nosgotham]

nope. my splatoon character is the darkest option. i DO typically play as the whitest option, like elven, vampire white but i myself am no where near that white. i cant imagine feeeling weird playing any race or gender really

 

[params7]

What?! I'm Indian and never felt uncomfortable playing any MC in any game of any gender. Why would anyone else?

 

[Feichaw]

Never. I'm more interested in the gameplay and the story, not in something so silly as skin color. It's just a minor detail that doesn't even affect the game for me.

Actually, before opening this thread, I think I've never even thought about how I've been playing with characters with a different skin color. As I said, it's not important for me, and it'll never be.

 

[Daingurse]

I'm black, I kinda would have to be used to playing other skin colors by now, if I wanted to keep playing games. No, it's never bothered me, nor has it affected my level of immersion in games. I can play any character as long as they're compelling.

 

[Dunkley]

No.

Because generally I don't associate myself with the character I am playing.

Although thinking about it, I prefer to play as a non-white, non-male character if the game gives me the choice, although I have no way of telling if that is me trying to distance the character from myself or if I am just tired of playing white dudes making me opt for the alternative whenever I can.

 

[Vandiger]

No....

 

[Envelope]

lol

nice trap?

 

[Numb]

I'm black, I kinda have to get used to playing other skin colors if I want to play games. No, it's never bothered me, nor has it affected my level of immersion in games. I can play any character as long as they're compelling.

Same boat.

 

[Wiktor]

No. If a game lets me create a character I always pick one that's close to my slavic ethnicity, but I character is created by developers it doesn't really matter to me.

 

[v1lla21]

Nah. Although I'd love to play more games with Latinos.

 

[jailbird20022]

Nope, not at all.

I mean I played as a dragon and a bipedal bandicoot growing up for crying out loud.

 

[Kwansu Dudes]

Yeah. Being an Argonian or Khajit really messed with me as I'm not used to green scales or grey fur.

I have no qualms playing as someone different than me, so long as that person is bearable.

 

[nded]

No, I don't need to think the video game character I'm playing as is some kind of reflection of myself. Not even in games with a character creator.

 

[TheSpoiler]

I mean I play as a white guy in nearly every game and I've never felt weird

There it is.

 

[DocSeuss]

I've never struggled to play as characters of other genders or ethnicities, and I don't understand people who struggle with this.

I do think I would struggle with a game that had, then removed, its character creator, however.

 

[Icyflamez96]

I mean I play as a white guy in nearly every game and I've never felt weird

This

 

[BabyFaceKillah]

nope.

 

[Tohsaka]

No, I don't self-insert into game characters.

 

[diaspora]

I'm brown, 90% of the characters I play are white. It's not that weird as much as the consistency.

 

[Morrigan Stark]

Of course not.

Nope, not at all.

I mean I played as a dragon and a bipedal bandicoot growing up for crying out loud.

Yeah, I can't imagine why anyone would say "yes" to the OP.

 

[NightShift]

When I originally played Saint's Row the third, I made my first character gold like a statue and I wanted to restart and made a normal character the whole time.

 

[Nickle]

I don't know why anyone who actually does feel uncomfortable playing as a different race would post in this thread, they would get mauled to death.

 

[HORRORSHØW]

nope. race, gender, creed does not bother me. the varied the better. i would like to see more protags of my ethnicity, tho

 

[RockTurtle]

no i usually take the work as is presented and immerse myself into the surroundings, which usually means disregarding the character doesnt look like me.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

Jason fucking Brody is the straw that broke the camel's back for me.

It made me keenly aware of how much it should have been bothering me.

 

[kittens]

I often timed find myself wanting to create black and women characters, and as a white guy, sometimes I feel uncomfortable with it. It feels appropriate-y, as in cultural appropriation. I question where I'm coming from in wanting to play these characters, and I'm not entirely sure. I don't worry about it too much, but I definitely wonder.

 

[akidnamededdy]

Nope.

Same for gender too.

And I know lots of girls who love the Zelda series in spite of Link being a male.

Just throwing that out there.

 

[Rubius]

No. I have played characters of all races and all genders and never had a problem with it.

 

[Wonko_C]

Yes, but only when that color is Pastel Blue.

 

[Damerman]

I've been forced to sympathize with white men all my life, surely it's kind of refreshing, therefore easy, to put myself in the shoes of people of different walks of life. I generally don't get upset if i play as another white guy, I'll never notice... but i do find myself getting excited to play as a black woman or a hispanic male or a tomboy-ish teenage girl. it's always fun to see what lengths developers will go to to fully realize a character that isn't frequently portrayed in games.

 

[Veldin]

Absolutely not.

It feels strange to play a character that does look anything like me.

 

[Monster Zero]

I feel most uncomfortable when my character is just a dark shade of a white character

 

[Sparkedglory]

I'm black, I kinda would have to be used to playing other skin colors by now, if I wanted to keep playing games. No, it's never bothered me, nor has it affected my level of immersion in games. I can play any character as long as they're compelling.

Yep. I'm right there with you.

 

[texhnolyze]

What? No.
As an Asian, I play tons of character of a different skin color all the time since I was a child.

 

[bobbychalkers]

I'm black....I'd be fucked if I felt that way about gaming.

 

[KingJ2002]

As a black guy... i've been playing games with different skin color all my life... so no.

but when creators decide to make a black character based on everyday stereotypes... that's usually when I get uncomfortable.

 

[Chaos17]

No

 

[Wiktor]

Jason fucking Brody is the straw that broke the camel's back for me.

It made me keenly aware of how much it should have been bothering me.

Jason Brody was amazing though. One of my favorite FPS characters from last gen.

 

[kingwingin]

I don't see how playing as a different race breaks immersion as pointed out in the video.

Also I hate create a characters, feels cheap. I much prefer a character with a personality