tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1808456300359249763.post6364485756773474607..comments2024-01-21T18:25:54.828+00:00Comments on TRANS-SCRIBE: Baldur's Gate Expansion Receives Negative Reviews For Trans CharacterAmy Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402476300192259841noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1808456300359249763.post-47789090568930019532016-04-07T02:39:14.355+01:002016-04-07T02:39:14.355+01:00specifying a character as trans is not about being...specifying a character as trans is not about being inclusive to trans people, its about excluding everyone not comfortable with it.atavaxnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1808456300359249763.post-78941825542593945862016-04-07T02:36:05.834+01:002016-04-07T02:36:05.834+01:00the problem, is that you aren't demanding that...the problem, is that you aren't demanding that trans people feel included. If you were, there is no need to specify characters as trans, they can just assume a non specified character is trans. Specifying that a character is trans is more about forcing everyone to consider it trans. atavaxnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1808456300359249763.post-73550198951787647532016-04-06T11:50:26.385+01:002016-04-06T11:50:26.385+01:00Very well said. If you look through the reviews of...Very well said. If you look through the reviews of all the Beamdog 'Enhanced Edition' versions of original BioWare products you will see a common theme. Criticism for poor coding and weak 'enhancements' that rarely justify the cost of buying the new version, including writing that does not blend well with the original. In the case of Baldur's Gate 2 this is particularly true because some high quality fan-made free mods have improved the original product in many ways and the 'Enhanced' version is poorer for lacking many of them.<br /><br />Had Beamdog been capable of delivering a high quality, polished product the amount of positive reviews would have easily drowned out a few bigots. Sadly they have not managed to learn, grow and improve despite having spent many years now reworking these old products and receiving similar criticisms for each effort.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1808456300359249763.post-4904409030674389382016-04-06T02:00:22.717+01:002016-04-06T02:00:22.717+01:00how appropriate, regressive left referring to me a...how appropriate, regressive left referring to me as an it, incapable of giving someone who disagrees with them the decency of being treated as a human being.atavaxnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1808456300359249763.post-65463627924793495372016-04-06T00:46:23.420+01:002016-04-06T00:46:23.420+01:00Please stop feeding Atavax. It won't listen, i...Please stop feeding Atavax. It won't listen, it cannot process your argument because it does not wish to do so, and it is only perpetuating this conversation because these are the tragically brief, fleeting moments in when it feels relevant and alive.<br /><br />We need to stop reinforcing this poor behaviour so Atavax will move on and find a healthier method of expression.<br /><br />Augusthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12522170570825514214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1808456300359249763.post-48799100442080161812016-04-05T23:52:02.765+01:002016-04-05T23:52:02.765+01:00I don't see a problem with assuming people are...I don't see a problem with assuming people are Cis, given that most data that I've seen indicate that cisgendered individuals are the extreme majority. That isn't bigotry; that's statistics. That said, I don't consider that to mean anything in how I treat people, and I do have a problem with people harming others intentionally, and I don't tolerate it, regardless of various parameters.<br /><br />But that aside, the whole initial backlash over this game was regarding the poor writing, non-baldur's-gate-esque linear gameplay, shoddy UI, and the fact that it was awkward and odd when it came to the Trans character, and came off as politically-motivated token appeasement and virtue signalling.<br /><br />Those people had their concerns addressed as "GamerGate" and immediately the devs went into a frenzy; Well before anyone from GG got into the fray, collectively. A good portion of the negative reviews were already there, and had nothing to do with hating trans-characters or wanting them out of games. It was just an awful expansion, and these devs are using this issue as a way of getting the hyperdefensive regressives to bail them out over their overall sub-par expansion.JwSihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17115021390037488591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1808456300359249763.post-81183393994395408852016-04-05T23:41:13.646+01:002016-04-05T23:41:13.646+01:00The expansion took a dive because the writing was ...The expansion took a dive because the writing was sub-par, the pacing felt rushed, it was buggy as all get-out, and because there was a chunk of cringe-worthy virtue signaling in the form of propping up a token 'trans' character whose only noteworthy example of such is a single piece of dialogue that is awkward and cumbersome in its presentation, along with some lore-unfriendly edits to several characters in the name of being 'progressive'. The GamerGate joke, even, was a bit of a roll-eyes moment because it comes across as pushing personal politics and culture wars into the sphere of a beloved game for relatively little reason, but it'd be forgivable if that were all it was.<br /><br />The initial reviews reflected this, and developers responded by attacking those people and labelling them as "GamerGate" while going and shouting to everyone who would listen that they're under attack.<br /><br />No-one minds trans-characters being in games. People don't like pandering, virtue signalling, and ultimately making token appeasements, but that aside, Trans-characters are fine. The real problem was, and continues to be despite every regressive post perpetuating lies like this, is that the expansion was rather awful for such a beloved and renowned series.<br /><br />Strawmen and Ad Hominems don't obscure that. I'm surprised it has come to the point where people are going out of their way to defend an awful product in the spirit of tokenism, and essentially making a statement that said tokenism is a valid excuse for a shitty product, and that anyone who disagrees is transphobic.JwSihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17115021390037488591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1808456300359249763.post-8396823585646668032016-04-05T19:05:24.700+01:002016-04-05T19:05:24.700+01:00lol, says the guy claiming i don't want trans ...lol, says the guy claiming i don't want trans people in gaming. Oh, the hypocrisy! <br /><br />Society is split. Many people don't think by default everyone is cis, hense, the widespread use of the cis term. Do you deny the use of Cis in the west? Seems like the culture of not making that assumption is pretty common. You said that most videogame characters are cis. I pointed out you shouldn't be making that assumption. I pointed out the value that you shouldn't be assuming people as cis. And you shot that down. atavaxnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1808456300359249763.post-36713525292029672892016-04-05T18:55:34.679+01:002016-04-05T18:55:34.679+01:00I did not say that assuming people are cis is what...I did not say that assuming people are cis is what should happen or what I want, I said it is what society does. Read what I actually wrote rather than just trying to make my words fit your point. <br /><br />I do not want white/cis/straight to be the standard, but that is what society does.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309384791585093371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1808456300359249763.post-60100229848372712612016-04-05T18:53:22.675+01:002016-04-05T18:53:22.675+01:00you're a bigot for pushing the standard that w...you're a bigot for pushing the standard that we assume everyone is cis by default and trivializing the inclusive concept of that there isn't a default.atavaxnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1808456300359249763.post-5633228402175640322016-04-05T18:48:44.599+01:002016-04-05T18:48:44.599+01:00Yeah, sure, I'm a bigot for wanting more trans...Yeah, sure, I'm a bigot for wanting more trans representation. Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309384791585093371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1808456300359249763.post-16237570477155471092016-04-05T18:47:46.447+01:002016-04-05T18:47:46.447+01:00what am i twisting? i questioned assuming trans ar...what am i twisting? i questioned assuming trans are underrepresented because most characters don't specify. And you pushed that we have to assume everyone is cis that doesn't specify. You trivialized the concept of not assuming cis as default and you not only yourself make that assumption, you pressured me to make the same assumption. You are spreading hate and are a bigot.atavaxnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1808456300359249763.post-84794482814536789802016-04-05T18:37:29.044+01:002016-04-05T18:37:29.044+01:00Now you're just twisting around arguments to f...Now you're just twisting around arguments to fit your view. You're a fucking idiot.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309384791585093371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1808456300359249763.post-14585093878094811862016-04-05T18:36:31.064+01:002016-04-05T18:36:31.064+01:00that is such a disgusting lie.
Your standard tha...that is such a disgusting lie. <br /><br />Your standard that you have to assume every character by default is cis contradicts progressive values. You accepting the standard that everyone is cis unless otherwise mentioned is oppressive. By accepting the standard of assuming every character is cis that isn't specified as trans, you are manufacturing the oppression.<br /><br />I didn't say that there shouldn't be characters that are specified as trans either. Simply that devs shouldn't feel compelled to specify characters as trans.<br />atavaxnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1808456300359249763.post-75943570562443805452016-04-05T18:17:03.302+01:002016-04-05T18:17:03.302+01:00So you don't want trans characters for trans p...So you don't want trans characters for trans people to identify with, and you're saying it's trans people's fault for not just assuming characters are trans? <br /><br />That's so disgusting that's unbelievable.<br /><br />Would you tell people of colour to just imagine characters aren't Caucasian rather than letting them have characters that represent them?Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309384791585093371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1808456300359249763.post-64794755859095864372016-04-05T18:14:45.988+01:002016-04-05T18:14:45.988+01:00Every single person in the world doesn't need ...Every single person in the world doesn't need to think that. The only person that needs to think that is the trans person playing the videogame in order for them to feel trans people are being included. So whose fault is it when a trans person assumes a person isn't trans despite the game not specifying? Its the trans person's fault. No one else's. atavaxnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1808456300359249763.post-50431822029277253302016-04-05T18:10:41.953+01:002016-04-05T18:10:41.953+01:00But that isn't how the world works. Until tha...But that isn't how the world works. Until that's how every single person in the world thinks everyone (or at least the vast majority) will assume that everyone else is cis unless stated otherwise. And until those people change that view trans people need representation.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309384791585093371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1808456300359249763.post-71685923344566412022016-04-05T18:08:36.382+01:002016-04-05T18:08:36.382+01:00Isn't the whole point of "cis" that ...Isn't the whole point of "cis" that there isn't a default? That you shouldn't assume someone isn't trans by default? Isn't that the most effective way to make it more inclusive, not to accept that standard that if they don't specify, the character is cis? Is it the developer's fault that people assume a character is cis if the character doesn't tell them otherwise? Maybe thats part of the problem. IRL its not like every trans person i see comes up to me and tells me they're trans. Developers being forced to do that can create a forced feeling because its not naturally what happens.atavaxnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1808456300359249763.post-88871356850363052502016-04-05T18:00:50.585+01:002016-04-05T18:00:50.585+01:00It's fairly standard that unless a character i...It's fairly standard that unless a character is stated to be trans every one is assumed to be cis, because that's the 'normal' standard. You know that, you know that that's what's expected. <br /><br />You can't turn around and say 'because no one says they're cis they could be trans so there's your representation' because that's not how it works at all.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309384791585093371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1808456300359249763.post-45664386375972499402016-04-05T17:58:26.604+01:002016-04-05T17:58:26.604+01:00Also how can you say that trans have so little rep...Also how can you say that trans have so little representation in games? How many characters are specified as Cis? not many characters tell you they were born with their penis.atavaxnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1808456300359249763.post-21545785454250185652016-04-05T17:56:52.033+01:002016-04-05T17:56:52.033+01:00No one is defined by their race or gender or sexua...No one is defined by their race or gender or sexuality, but if there are little to no trans people in media, and those representations that their are are poor then of course it's poor representation.<br /><br />'The only way trans are less represented than me', okay, so what are you, if you want to get into race, gender, sexuality, what are you? Because I'm willing to bet you'll have more representation than trans people.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309384791585093371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1808456300359249763.post-6311675858594259152016-04-05T17:50:18.761+01:002016-04-05T17:50:18.761+01:00i didn't say they shouldn't have 30 second...i didn't say they shouldn't have 30 seconds of dialogue, i said developers shouldn't feel compelled to make a trans person with 30 seconds of dialogue in their game.<br /><br />i don't feel represented or catered to in the last 10 years at least in the videogame industry. The only way trans are less represented than me is if you define me as a person by my race or gender or sexual orientation, which as a progressive, you should clearly oppose.atavaxnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1808456300359249763.post-34575426421912804882016-04-05T17:43:28.936+01:002016-04-05T17:43:28.936+01:00Trans people have so little representation, and no...Trans people have so little representation, and now you're saying they shouldn't have 30 seconds of optional dialogue because they should just identify with characters that aren't trans? <br /><br />That's the most stupid fucking argument I've ever heard.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309384791585093371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1808456300359249763.post-80519885461156628372016-04-05T17:40:16.073+01:002016-04-05T17:40:16.073+01:00trans isn't a sexual orientation so how can we...trans isn't a sexual orientation so how can we even assume that he means trans when he says its anti straight?atavaxnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1808456300359249763.post-63224761922076124812016-04-05T17:29:02.864+01:002016-04-05T17:29:02.864+01:00I am pro artistic expression. I don't think de...I am pro artistic expression. I don't think devs should feel compelled to include or not include specific groups. I see the cost of development sky rocket as pressure mounts for developers to needlessly provide as much variety as possible. I think people that feel excluded for lack of their race or gender or sexual orientation or transgender are largely at fault for defining characters and themselves by those qualities. I don't need to be the same sex or race or sexual orientation of Laura Croft to feel represented by her and to identify with her.atavaxnoreply@blogger.com