Guild Wars 2

To answer the OP’s concerns. It’s not racism, because the races aren’t real.

Racism in real life is framed by society, history and the context of actual human interaction and predjudice.

For example. Imagine there is a planet populated by two races. The red people and the green people.

One red guy says to another, “I hate those green kittens”. Is that racism? Not really, as they are merely theoretical constructs and don’t exist! Nobody gets offended as both parties are purely fictional and bear no relation to real life.

Yes there is fantasy racism in the game, but that just makes it a more believeable world as opposed to some unrealistic social utopia.

If fictional racism between fictional races in a fictional world gets your panties in a twist you sorely need a reality check.

I know its been a while but another conversation made me return to this thought. I was in TS with some people and there was a bit of an argument about how to do a dungeon at one point one guy (who plays a charr) said to woman (who played a sylvari)

“Why don’t you shut your knot hole you no good salad head”

To which we all laughed, thinking this was an attempt to break tension and move on. The woman playing the sylvari then started again explaining her idea for what should be done. and was quickly interrupted by the charr player again who quite gruffly and obviously not joking this time said

“I said shut your G**D**** mouth you F****ing salad bowl. Why don’t you go roll a real toon instead of some hippy F**s lunch.”

At this point all of us were quite shocked and taken back. When we tried to call him out he claimed that he was just RPing and we should chill out since it was just a game…. and at that we all left his TS and went on to other things.

It may be “just a game”. It may have been “in character” but I tell you what else it was it was hurtful. Mean and no less disturbing than real world racism

Mustafa.7684:

You forgot to mention the most racist person in game….. Mad King Thorn

I laughed.

I too find this insulting. Sylvari are clearly not salads, and more closely resemble asparagus sticks with arms and legs.

Those amongst the salad community reject the efforts to try to diminish their varied lifestyles. They are truly the great melting pot of various ingredients both hot and cold, with a conglomerate of ingredients are are certainly not restricted to greens, and in many cases, are not even required to include any leafy vegetables (such as Sylvari) whatsoever.

Darkorical.9213:

I know its been a while but another conversation made me return to this thought. I was in TS with some people and there was a bit of an argument about how to do a dungeon at one point one guy (who plays a charr) said to woman (who played a sylvari)

“Why don’t you shut your knot hole you no good salad head”

To which we all laughed, thinking this was an attempt to break tension and move on. The woman playing the sylvari then started again explaining her idea for what should be done. and was quickly interrupted by the charr player again who quite gruffly and obviously not joking this time said

“I said shut your G**D**** mouth you F****ing salad bowl. Why don’t you go roll a real toon instead of some hippy F**s lunch.”

At this point all of us were quite shocked and taken back. When we tried to call him out he claimed that he was just RPing and we should chill out since it was just a game…. and at that we all left his TS and went on to other things.

It may be “just a game”. It may have been “in character” but I tell you what else it was it was hurtful. Mean and no less disturbing than real world racism

That’s not RPing, that’s insanity. It can’t be RPing unless charr somehow know they and sylvari are toons that have been rolled. :p What a jerk.

Darkorical.9213:

I know its been a while but another conversation made me return to this thought. I was in TS with some people and there was a bit of an argument about how to do a dungeon at one point one guy (who plays a charr) said to woman (who played a sylvari)

“Why don’t you shut your knot hole you no good salad head”

To which we all laughed, thinking this was an attempt to break tension and move on. The woman playing the sylvari then started again explaining her idea for what should be done. and was quickly interrupted by the charr player again who quite gruffly and obviously not joking this time said

“I said shut your G**D**** mouth you F****ing salad bowl. Why don’t you go roll a real toon instead of some hippy F**s lunch.”

At this point all of us were quite shocked and taken back. When we tried to call him out he claimed that he was just RPing and we should chill out since it was just a game…. and at that we all left his TS and went on to other things.

It may be “just a game”. It may have been “in character” but I tell you what else it was it was hurtful. Mean and no less disturbing than real world racism

The line between funny “racism” and real racism was crossed when that Charr player began to actually swear and when he told the Sylvari “to roll a real toon”. That can’t be excused with roleplaying, since excessive swearing and insulting is simply inexcusable and also because the Sylvari didn’t roll any toon. A Sylvari is not rolling toons. It’s the player that rolled one, and thus it obviously wasn’t roleplayed, but directed at the player behind the character. Real racism and player disrespect of any kind should be punished accordingly to the severity of the offence.

That being said, I have no problem with the “racism” as it currently is in the game. I actually find it to be quite amusing. It’s for entertainment. No bad intentions there. In the Sylvari personal story where you deal with evil Hylek, your character actually also makes jokes similar to “Yes, we were toad-ally surprised by that.” (I don’t remember the exact wordings, but I had a good laugh). Thing is, it’s not racism if it’s meant in a joking way. People and races should be able to laugh about themselves. As long as it’s not meant in a discriminating and really racist way, it’s okay. It’s funny, as long as it’s not overdone. Also, while some characters in the game really seem to be biased, it’s also always made clear that others don’t like that attitude and sometimes even try to open their eyes. What you also see in game is groups actively working on bringing the races together; the three orders being the most famous examples, I guess. It’s clearly shown in the game that you can achieve way more if you work together instead of against eachother.

So again. The “racism” in the game isn’t problematic in any way. It’s implemented just fine. It makes for some funny moments too, and gives the world some additional depth.

Edit: Haha, Sitkaz has beaten me with the comment about the toon-rolling part while I was typing all that.

I think those comments you’ve mentioned are just funny and were not meant to be taken any other way.

So do u boycott the LOTR movies since there is racial tension between the Dwarves and Elves …

Didnt Gimli say something like : “I will die before I see the ring in the hands of an Elf !”
…“Never trust an Elf !”

Dwarves, Elves, Humans, Orcs, Goblins, Hobbits … wholelotta racial tension up in Middle Earth yo

Darkorical.9213:

Something I have noticed that I find a bit odd.

If I or most people I know see someone in game call another by a racist name we report it and Anet responds with a ban.

and this is the way it should be.

But GW2 is FULL of racism and nobody is bothered by it infact most people laugh at it.
examples.

Take the Asurans for example

“Bookah” is a large, loud, bellowing, and dumb imaginary creature that the Asura used to frighten their children. Since their surfacing, they use the term to refer to those they view as inferior beings, which to them is almost everyone who is not an Asura.

This is a derogatory term that they assign to the races they deem beneath them.

also several people in the game seem to have adopted and accepted calling Sylvari “Salad Heads”

Even members of the lionguard in this latest living story use it.

“You think salad boy can make good on his threat?”

The char and norn both have been known to make other racist comments against humans and other races

I Still have difficulty on how to react to this. On one hand I tend to wish to say its a game and its their culture. but on the other it was created by humans and is thereby an extension of ours. If I was “magically” transported to Tyria I would no sooner call a sylvari a Salad head than I would call a ….. and this is my point I even refuse to pick a race and term to use in an example here. but yet I fear the day when I watch my own toon call someone a name in some cut scene.

“Bookah” is used in lieu of the term “idiot”, just as the humans in-game would use the term “Skritt-head” for the same use. It’s somewhat derogatory, but in no way racist if it’s not used directly against a singular race (well, ‘Skritt-head’ maybe, but not Bookah). In fact, you’ll find that from time to time the Asura within the story arches will even call other Asura a bunch of Bookahs.

Salad jokes are tossed (smirk) around because the Sylvari are basically walking, talking salads. Some are made like bark and trees, others are made like bushes and weeds. They don’t reproduce physically or other, they’re “born” by way of the Pale Tree that grows them, thus they are plants. Being that they are less than 25 years old at most, they are also very young and naive about the world around them. Many of their race express a natural state of obliviousness, and ask so many questions to the point of absurdity. This is why it’s easy to make jokes about the Lettuce-heads.

Also, I would say that this game’s issues are less “Racism”, as you so call it, and more “Specism”. Each of the so called “races” are not a race based on their skin color, national creed, or what have you, but instead are a bunch of different species. These species are: Super intelligent mole-like creatures, Humans, Giant anger-filled cats, human-like Giants from the north, and walking talking vegetables.

What about all those racists centaurs? A couple of days ago one shouted “Die two legs!” at me and proceeded to attack me! That’s more than just racist that is a hate crime!

LOL!

Darkorical.9213:

“I said shut your G**D**** mouth you F****ing salad bowl. Why don’t you go roll a real toon instead of some hippy F**s lunch.”

At this point all of us were quite shocked and taken back. When we tried to call him out he claimed that he was just RPing and we should chill out since it was just a game…. and at that we all left his TS and went on to other things.

It may be “just a game”. It may have been “in character” but I tell you what else it was it was hurtful. Mean and no less disturbing than real world racism

People being shocked and taken back to someone yelling and insulting someone for no reason whatsoever has little to do with racism. No offense intended, but you’re really grasping at straws to keep this argument alive. If anything, the use of “salad bowl” softens the nasty tone of that guy’s statement.

I love the slang humor in this game. This game is so “G” rated that it’s a nice splash of color in a often-times dull landscape.

Actually I was thinking a bit more about the Centaur. They are not only racists but they have slaves as well. I freed a bunch of them working a field in Harathi Hinterlands.

Although the Op makes some fair statements regarding certain issues that permeate certain aspects of everyday life, its this comment that made my day:

“I know its a game and we shouldn’t be bothered by it … but are we sure we shouldn’t?”

Nope we are not sure, we are not sure about anything in life, so please leave all fears and despair at the door, once you come in here, to the luminous world of the internet, things will be better, peace love and understanding take precedence, laughter and joy the front row seat, relax my friend this is after all, just another doorway to the internets, there is nothing to fear, humanity will mature into pure information and…

relax take a deep breath, this is what it is…

OP is comparing racism that hurts real people, with “racism” among fictional characters.

/headhurts

OP, I get what you mean. Like you said, its a game and not real in that the toons and races aren’t real. (except human obviously) Still, its racism. I am obviously not offended. Yet, it’s still a little disturbing. It hits kinda close to home too.

SHM.7628:

OP, I get what you mean. Like you said, its a game and not real in that the toons and races aren’t real. (except human obviously) Still, its racism. I am obviously not offended. Yet, it’s still a little disturbing. It hits kinda close to home too.

Game reflects a bit of reality of life. People are racist on different levels whether they know of it or not and this can be due to many different reasons (trauma, abuse, bad experience, fear, etc). You can’t just pretend racism doesn’t exist, it does and as long as there are people, it always will.

I don’t find it disturbing as we know it doesn’t really mean anything ingame.

Zoldyck.6241:

Game reflects a bit of reality of life. People are racist on different levels whether they know of it or not and this can be due to many different reasons (trauma, abuse, bad experience, fear, etc). You can’t just pretend racism doesn’t exist, it does and as long as there are people, it always will.

I don’t find it disturbing as we know it doesn’t really mean anything ingame.

Maybe so, but that doesn’t mean we should condone it or let it go without consequences. There will always be horrible things in life like theft, murder, war and starvation, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to put a stop to it regardless.

Real life racism is – rightfully – scorned because it ascribes inferior traits to a certain type of people while there is no correlation between those traits and the ethnicity in question. In Gw2 you have different species who ARE very probably quite different in character, temperament and qualities. That is one thing. More important: Ficticious character aren´t necessarily an extension of the author. GW2 depicts a world with interspecies conflict and mistrust, of cause that includes derogatory remarks between members of different species. Accusing the game of racism is like that nonsense of accusing Mark Twain books of racism because of the frequent use of the n-word while the author was a crusader against racism and slavery.

Mimir.4690:

While I can see what the OP is saying, I’m not sure it’s something to really be concerned about. It’s when those words turn into actions against players, however, that I have a problem. For example, there was definite “racism”, or discrimination, against Norns and Charrs during the Mad King Tower Jumping Puzzle… But that was the fault of players, not ANet.

No, it was the result of a bad design decision. Norn and Charr players had equally the same right to do that puzzle as everyone else – but the dev decision to make the clock tower a group event, coupled with tight clustering of players, made it a problem.

Darkorical.9213:

zenleto.6179:

They aren’t even races they’re different species.

actually it does say races on the creation screen.

That’s just a “stoopid RPG mistake”. A holdover from DnD, and possibly Tolkien. It’s what everyone expects to see in an RPG, so its what designers give us. It’s not trying to be biologically correct.

As far as it being an attempt to “make fun of racism” I don’t buy that.

Nope. Me neither. It’s a depiction of a world where biology/Creation has produced sapients of markedly differing physical characteristics that have been engaged in some pretty destructive conflict with each other and haven’t had the time to develop civilised relations. And the Asurans are just unsocialised narcissistic psychos (as you’d expect given their background), even if they haven’t waged any major wars.

Bigotry is a given in such an environment. ANet are just generating immersion.

daimasei.4091:

What’s next? Complains about killing pretty much everything in-game? Should I call the cops whenever someone jump into a centaurs camp and kill everyone inside?

If you notice there ARE limits on what you can kill. that camp of centaurs is going to attack you if you get close to it and therefor you can kill them. BUT you cannot for no reason simply walk into a city and start killing non agressive NPCs.

Neither can you attempt negotiation with those centaurs. It’s an unending cycle of violence, based largely on assumptions about appearances: racism.

Game’s full of it, but the best of the characters reach above and beyond it.

I do know this is a game I do know the toons in it have their own fictitious culture. I also know that in this fictional world racism not only exists. but is quite rampant. and nobody in their world seems to care, not even the members of their world controlled by those of us from our REAL world.

It would be wrong for the player characters to care. They come from the culture, so if they interact with that culture (that’ll be roleplaying), it would jarr if they didn’t roll with it. Failing to set aside C21st Western Hemisphere attitudes is just going to make you look stupid, like protesting against slavery in an RPG set in the Rome of the Ceasars.

Look at it this way if in game I tell someone I think they are a stupid N-word I will most likely see a ban and have lots of people mad at me but I can mean exactly the same thing and instead call them a stupid bookah and everyone laughs even tho everyone in game KNOWS it is a derogatory term to mean that I feel I am talking to someone obviously inferior to myself and want them to know it. But its a game so we don’t care.

The first is intended as an insult to the player (since there is no bigotry based on skin colour within the game’s defined “races”), and thus actionable. The second is a roleplaying insult to the character and thus acceptable. How is that difficult to understand?

I know its a game and we shouldn’t be bothered by it … but are we sure we shouldn’t?

100% sure.

Political correctness is tough and I fear incurable. Once it sets in.
OP you have my bookah-sword.

Bookah please.

I’m tired of being discriminated against for being short. Do you see the tiny swords the vendors try to sell Asura?

So if I think that the best feature in WvW is the ability to kill Quaggans, I’m a racist and should be banned?

Phoenix.7845:

So if I think that the best feature in WvW is the ability to kill Quaggans, I’m a racist and should be banned?

yup.

Phoenix.7845:

So if I think that the best feature in WvW is the ability to kill Quaggans, I’m a racist and should be banned?

You have to consider your race as a racist so that those who are against you are racists against racists.

I bet it was fun growing up with the OP and that he turned out to be a hoot to live with.

What the hell did I just read through?

Wow… “political correctness” has somehow reached an all time low. Gratz OP that’s not easy to pull off!

Now get your Charr butt in a litterbox, furface. Is it true Charr are really scared of water? Yeah, it is – they smell like the rancid meat they are always stuffing in their ugly faces. Have fun chasing a laser. Charr-ree if I offended you, but you’ll live…. 9 lives. XD

Oh about the salad thing, it’s true: Sylvari love being drenched in olive oil, especially the women. “All things have a right to grow,” baby.

Nuage.5230:

Oh about the salad thing, it’s true: Sylvari love being drenched in olive oil, especially the women. “All things have a right to grow,” baby.

Not sure about that. The developers oppressed the female sylvari by removing their quirky, alien pain sound.

Ahh… this thread reminds me of the guy (or girl) complaining about how killing ambient creatures pose a bad example to children.

Another completely lopsided example is a specific green herb that is smoked as a legal drug.

This drug is legal where I live.

Not only that, but it’s legal in Seattle too, which means people could legally smoke it in the A.net office. That’s the voice of democracy speaking in Seattle.

And yet, mentioning a specific herb is forbidden per the forum rules because it’s an illegal substance (newsflash: it’s not).

So discussions about game related substance abuse are completely fine, as long as it’s limited to alcohol. Strikes me as extremely odd.

marnick.4305:

So discussions about game related substance abuse are completely fine, as long as it’s limited to alcohol. Strikes me as extremely odd.

the kittenty world we live in 2013.

Wow, I’m kind of speechless…

I mean really? This is an issue?

This is a video game, its fantasy. It’s poking fun at the issues in the real world, and you can see this in ALL kinds of games, not just this one. Kitten, comedians do it all the time in their jokes, and that’s ok.

If you are finding that you are having (real, honest) issues with this stuff, then you might need to take a step back and breathe. The game is intended to be fun and laid back, not taken seriously in any real sense of the word. Its for enjoyment, the separation of fantasy from reality. If that line is blurring, then I think you need a break.

Salad boy is nothing compared to the names Gixx (asuran, leader of priory order) has for Sieran (sylvari, priory order, lower in rank): “you blasted weed”, “you leaf-addled reprobate”, “you whomp-leaved lunatic”, and “you pernicious petal-brain”.

While I found this very funny, I must admit I did wonder the same thing as the OP.

I just came by to say this thread made my day <3

Racism don’t exist as we are all one species IRL. Its a human construct, a imaginative idea used to attack others out of ignorance of pure scientific facts. If races were real in real life, we couldn’t donate blood (aside from blood types, yet anyone can be any blood type at birth) or breed with each other as we’d all be different as cats and dogs or night and day.

Black Person= kitten Sapiens
White person = kitten Sapiens
other nationality/ color of skin= kitten Sapiens

No kittening difference at all to me!

Color of skin is just a genetic trick to shield us form the sun based on our ancestral locations and latitude where we lived.. given enough time, we will never need this pigmentation as we can all travel at will by sea air etc. We may all end up as all Asian or white or a middle tan skin type from interbreeding or mixing of so called “races”.

Humans are humans regardless of color or national origin.

In GW 2 and fantasy in general, racism actually exists and makes sense as you have various sentient beings that are radically different and by Anet’s standards, cannot interbreed. A race is actually a word meaning a different species that has the same or comparable sentience as another comparable species. The various “races” of GW 2 will naturally fear each other and be jealous of one another hence, Prejudices will form and hatreds will brew for one another.

Even if they can interbreed, (see Eleves and humans.) there is enough differences that each side wants (nigh immortality, human’s body strength) for their own kind or fears that racism will form naturally. Half-elves must be proud of themselves!

Humans in real life are no different in abilities from one another even if their skin color variances used to offer protection ( or lack there of) from the harmful sun’s rays in ancient times.

All of us can body build equally or become athletes of we tried very hard.

Until we evolve like X-men or something like aliens arrive to this tiny blue sphere we call home, race in real life is a myth.

Yumiko Ishida.3769:

Black Person= kitten Sapiens
White person = kitten Sapiens
other nationality/ color of skin= kitten Sapiens

Ahh, a nice dish of censorship fail, haha.

In all seriousness though, that was a really good post, Yumiko. I agree race doesn’t exist, it’s just a social construct; lines drawn in the genetic sand. Race, the color line, etc. is as grounded in genetic reality as the border of, say, Colorado is grounded in a geologic reality —- it’s a political concept; hence political and physical maps. Anyway, good read. “Kitten” sapiens, hahaha…..

About your opening statement: Racism, however, does exist sadly. I hope you mean to say race doesn’t exist. I think you do. +1

We’re all fluffy kittens?

In GW 2 and fantasy in general, racism actually exists and makes sense as you have various sentient beings that are radically different and by Anet’s standards, cannot interbreed. A race is actually a word meaning a different species that has the same or comparable sentience as another comparable species. The various “races” of GW 2 will naturally fear each other and be jealous of one another hence, Prejudices will form and hatreds will brew for one another.

So that makes it ok to treat each other without any form of respect?

I must say I find it quite interesting the assumptions that have been made about me and my character.

I am neither liberal, or a hippy, nor am I a bleeding heart or a easily offended weeny.
I never once claimed to be actually offended by what the actions in the game.
I have however been known to be cold, heartless, and even mean spirited. While at other times I have been praised as having the patients of a saint and the kindness and generosity to match. I strive to maintain order and calm in life yet those who know me tend to agree that some of the most chaotic and random comments have come from me.
Tho I may bring up topics that appear to be in complaint of an offensive topic I am quick to make a off the wall and even dirty comment in the name of jest. Many people I know agree with the idea that there is none with a dirtier mind than myself. but the most important aspect of what I am is the fact that I am an observer of a persons nature and actions. I pay attention to those around me and the things they do and say to gauge a more proper interaction with them. Through this I manage to balance the things I say and do while interacting with people to avoid offending people for the most part.

In fact my comments were never as much of a complaint about racism’s existence in the game but more intended to put it out in the open and see what others had noticed it and begin a general discussion on its existence. I would enjoy continuing the discussion but I do not wished to have assumptions made about myself because of your perception of the validity of the argument.

now to continue the discussion…

Does anyone believe there to be any level of hypocrisy when it comes to the things the players are allowed to do and say in game when the developers themselves have coded a similar action into the game directly.

Seriously people like you make me ill, this “political correctness” crap needs to stop, it is suppose to be a free country with free expression. Grow up, it is part of life, I agree name calling of any kind isn’t nice, calling someone “stupid” is just as bad as anything, but that is just how it is. I’m sure you never said anything bad to someone in all your life have you?

Yumiko Ishida.3769:

…aside from blood types, yet anyone can be any blood type at birth…

Nope. Your blood type is determined by the blood types of your parents. It’s purely genetic. Same as your eye color.

Sokar Rostau.7316:

Kichwas.7152:

If for example… this game were to make people who chose avatars of certain skin shades have a max level lower than others, or weaker stats, or not allowed to join guilds… that would be real world racism.

By that definition, playing Dungeons & Dragons, which has all of the things you listed and more, is real world racism.

You will get very few minority writers or minority political / social scientists who would disagree with that.

D&D pretty much is based in racism, especially when you look at the descriptions given to many of the races. Some editions went so far as to use the horrendous ‘myth of how Africans got black’ that was used during slavery by slavers to “justify” their actions as the myth for the Drow… while also giving the Orcs the “fabricated fashions and false culture myths” used from the 1600s through 1950s to justify the ‘Indian Wars’.

Why do you think so many minorities have written up about the racism in that game, and why there are so few minority roleplayers?

I’ve written articles on that myself in years past. And the lack of this racism was a part of my early reviews of GW1, which was and sadly still is the only game to come out of the video game industry without using stereotypes for ethnic groups: either patronizing or condescending.

In GW1, every Acalonian, Krytan, Elonian, and Canthan was an individual, and not a stereotype. Even Koss with his hair, still had a distinct personality not based on a stereotype. And when we finally met some Charr – they were distinct people… though by Eye of the North some of this was breaking down and stereotypes were creeping in (the Norn are basically one big ethnic joke…).

GW1 got some reviews noting its distinction in this regard as a ‘maybe finally gamers are willing to move past the racism everyone else has thrown out.’

Sorry, I couldn’t be bothered to dignify this topic by reading the OP past a certain point so I shall drop this instead

Rule of thumb for any mmorpg…..keep the in-game totally separate from the out-game. Never should the two mix for if they do you will fail.

Now as far as Sylvari are concerned…… they are derived from plants, from a tree in fact. So how does one explain that female Sylvari have mammary glands?

Theftwind.8976:

Rule of thumb for any mmorpg…..keep the in-game totally separate from the out-game. Never should the two mix for if they do you will fail.

Now as far as Sylvari are concerned…… they are derived from plants, from a tree in fact. So how does one explain that female Sylvari have mammary glands?

Those glands supply coconut milk.

This is good!

Someone got REALLY immersed!

Nuage.5230:

Yumiko Ishida.3769:

Black Person= kitten Sapiens
White person = kitten Sapiens
other nationality/ color of skin= kitten Sapiens

Ahh, a nice dish of censorship fail, haha.

In all seriousness though, that was a really good post, Yumiko. I agree race doesn’t exist, it’s just a social construct; lines drawn in the genetic sand. Race, the color line, etc. is as grounded in genetic reality as the border of, say, Colorado is grounded in a geologic reality —- it’s a political concept; hence political and physical maps. Anyway, good read. “Kitten” sapiens, hahaha…..

About your opening statement: Racism, however, does exist sadly. I hope you mean to say race doesn’t exist. I think you do. +1

I do and thanks for the +1. Yeah that censor is very funny at what it does at times…

Ballistic.4531:

Yumiko Ishida.3769:

…aside from blood types, yet anyone can be any blood type at birth…

Nope. Your blood type is determined by the blood types of your parents. It’s purely genetic. Same as your eye color.

Yeah that I think I fell flat on. Thanks for that correction. (+1 for you.) Yeah its true blood type is given by the parents genes at birth, yet no one so called “race” of human is limited to one blood type I meant to say. Which is why in real life, blood can be donated from any nationality without any problems aside from blood type compatibilities (though before equal rights based on “race” were made, blood was segregated and given less weight on stockpiling as well).

At least in GW 2, we use magic for healing, and restoring life and blood loss, so not sure if we need Charr Blood, Asuran blood, or human or sylvari “sap” banks… just for sake of argument of races and racism in the GW universe.

Maybe GW 3? I dunno… but it will be dark days for Tyria and Anet if they go that route of garbage for lore and sociopolitical problems and medical issues.

Sokar Rostau.7316:

Kichwas.7152:

If for example… this game were to make people who chose avatars of certain skin shades have a max level lower than others, or weaker stats, or not allowed to join guilds… that would be real world racism.

By that definition, playing Dungeons & Dragons, which has all of the things you listed and more, is real world racism.

Yet having say, females of a certain “race” in a game especially humans have less physical carrying capacity is just a fact of genetics and species morphology. They are the lighter (usually) half of the human being or targeted race in question (Read up on sexual dimorphism). Its just biological facts of life, but lesser intelligence stat or w/e because you think women are stupider than men (they are not and some games do reverse sexism like Sega’s Phantasy Star Series making humans the average race and females slightly better in terms of mental power compared to attack power and health) is wrong.

Its why sports are segregated by sex still and not national origin.

I made this mistake especially in a design plan for a now dead Single Player RPG + MMO idea for my book series that I am trying to work on. I gave females less health and stats when that is wrong yet, carrying capacity might be correct and non sexist/racist unless that “race”/Species has identical females and males physically (like bugs or some animal-humanoid hybrid). I do not have a greatly sexist bone or racist bone in my body and I was like, what was I thinking, when it came to game mechanics.

This thread has proven to me at least that the ban on words has become ridiculous. A person has to say N-Word or obfuscate in some other way just because someone might be offended by the real word.

Honestly, it is ridiculous in the extreme that the same PC bullpuckey is infiltrating a game. The Asura calling a human Bookah is 100% appropriate given the structure of the game and the various races. The very fact that someone might be remotely concerned about a word like Bookah used in a game tells me that people concern themselves with words far too much.

A word only has as much power as you give it over you. That is why most people couldn’t care less what ‘names’ they are called. They laugh and say, “Yeah, whatever” and go on with their day.