Guild Wars 2

Somehow I get the general feeling that many of the races are becoming homogenized, meaning they are starting to lose their racial identity. Could the writers please put emphasis on de-americanizing, er I mean, de-homogenizing the different races (if that is a term)? It could work in the environment of Lion’s Arch perhaps or you could emphasize it there, but please don’t homogenize the races in general, or rather be cautious that it doesn’t lead to that path. Keep them distinct, keep them interesting, keep their spirit. Enrich their culture if possible.

Homogenization is a very real thing that happens when different culture mix for long enough. It seems very realistic that in a world like tyria where charr, human, sylvari and norn hold hands and go off adventuring together (sorry Asura are too short they can’t hold hands) then cultural boundaries would start to overlap and ideas and believes would start to be shared.

The only way for a culture to not be homogenized is for it to have no sociable interaction with other culture, ideally via complete isolation. The only way for interacting cultures to not be homogenized is if the cultures had a mistrust or dislike of each other (which is not the case in tyria).

In fact the most non-homogenised cultures are the ‘evil’-groups. The nightmare court, inquest (less so perhaps), and flame legion are all very distinct with their own unique feel, attitudes and world views.

CureForLiving.5360:

Homogenization is a very real thing that happens when different culture mix for long enough. It seems very realistic that in a world like tyria where charr, human, sylvari and norn hold hands and go off adventuring together (sorry Asura are too short they can’t hold hands) then cultural boundaries would start to overlap and ideas and believes would start to be shared.

The only way for a culture to not be homogenized is for it to have no sociable interaction with other culture, ideally via complete isolation. The only way for interacting cultures to not be homogenized is if the cultures had a mistrust or dislike of each other (which is not the case in tyria).

In fact the most non-homogenised cultures are the ‘evil’-groups. The nightmare court, inquest (less so perhaps), and flame legion are all very distinct with their own unique feel, attitudes and world views.

I disagree with that. Europe is a prime example, not to mention Asia. Those states have largely retained their cultural uniqueness for over a thousand years, whether in war or peace. Granted that uniqueness is slipping a little more every day, but it’s no where near becoming marginalized yet. And it’s a good thing, too. Losing that heritage to homogenization would not only be unfortunate, but diluting to humanity.

Obsidian.1328:

I disagree with that. Europe is a prime example, not to mention Asia. Those states have largely retained their cultural uniqueness for over a thousand years, whether in war or peace. Granted that uniqueness is slipping a little more every day, but it’s no where near becoming marginalized yet. And it’s a good thing, too. Losing that heritage to homogenization would not only be unfortunate, but diluting to humanity.

I’m referring to a world like Tyria where all the races get along without any problems create a perfect mechanism by which ideas and believes can be shared and adopted, thus leading to homogenization.
Also… not so sure Europe get’s along all that well with… well Europe. I also can think of a couple of Asian countries that really really don’t like each other. I might be wrong on both account… I’m very far from Eurasia, so my perspective is different.

CureForLiving.5360:

Obsidian.1328:

I disagree with that. Europe is a prime example, not to mention Asia. Those states have largely retained their cultural uniqueness for over a thousand years, whether in war or peace. Granted that uniqueness is slipping a little more every day, but it’s no where near becoming marginalized yet. And it’s a good thing, too. Losing that heritage to homogenization would not only be unfortunate, but diluting to humanity.

I’m referring to a world like Tyria where all the races get along without any problems create a perfect mechanism by which ideas and believes can be shared and adopted, thus leading to homogenization.
Also… not so sure Europe get’s along all that well with… well Europe. I also can think of a couple of Asian countries that really really don’t like each other. I might be wrong on both account… I’m very far from Eurasia, so my perspective is different.

This may be true but the main homogenization is in areas such as LA. In the racial heartlands you see much less of it. Not that celebrations like Mad King’s Day isn’t celebrated in Hoelbrak or the Black Citadel.

In areas like LA, racial homogenization would happen and be quite visable. In organisations like the Orders, the Order’s cultural tendancies would override cultural differences for the sake of unity. In these cases, it would be necessary to create harmonious social interactions.

I don’t think if you look at the heartlands of the races you’ll find things as bad as they may seem. Its just we have been hanging out in LA most of the time recently.

CureForLiving.5360:

Obsidian.1328:

I disagree with that. Europe is a prime example, not to mention Asia. Those states have largely retained their cultural uniqueness for over a thousand years, whether in war or peace. Granted that uniqueness is slipping a little more every day, but it’s no where near becoming marginalized yet. And it’s a good thing, too. Losing that heritage to homogenization would not only be unfortunate, but diluting to humanity.

I’m referring to a world like Tyria where all the races get along without any problems create a perfect mechanism by which ideas and believes can be shared and adopted, thus leading to homogenization.
Also… not so sure Europe get’s along all that well with… well Europe. I also can think of a couple of Asian countries that really really don’t like each other. I might be wrong on both account… I’m very far from Eurasia, so my perspective is different.

Well true, but that’s a modern, in-game, phenomenon. They hardly used to get along at all, even within the same race. It actually led to a much more interesting(and believable) setting. This universal hand-holding is swell and all, but I think limiting it to LA and the Orders is the right thing to do. Sometimes I feel like this game exists in a Coke commercial.

Obsidian.1328:

CureForLiving.5360:

Obsidian.1328:

I disagree with that. Europe is a prime example, not to mention Asia. Those states have largely retained their cultural uniqueness for over a thousand years, whether in war or peace. Granted that uniqueness is slipping a little more every day, but it’s no where near becoming marginalized yet. And it’s a good thing, too. Losing that heritage to homogenization would not only be unfortunate, but diluting to humanity.

I’m referring to a world like Tyria where all the races get along without any problems create a perfect mechanism by which ideas and believes can be shared and adopted, thus leading to homogenization.
Also… not so sure Europe get’s along all that well with… well Europe. I also can think of a couple of Asian countries that really really don’t like each other. I might be wrong on both account… I’m very far from Eurasia, so my perspective is different.

Well true, but that’s a modern, in-game, phenomenon. They hardly used to get along at all, even within the same race. It actually led to a much more interesting(and believable) setting. This universal hand-holding is swell and all, but I think limiting it to LA and the Orders is the right thing to do. Sometimes I feel like this game exists in a Coke commercial.

If you play as a Sylvari and talk to some NPCs around Lion’s Arch some will be a bit aggressive towards you because of your race.

Well, each order has a rather specific mindset and goal.
If a person does not agree/have interest in the said ideals and goals of their order, they wouldn’t have joined in the first place.

It would be rather realistic for the culture of the order to be unified and to supersede that of the it’s member’s race. It would also mean that people within any order are rather like minded and not an example of their entire race’s culture.

Lutinz.6915:

This may be true but the main homogenization is in areas such as LA. In the racial heartlands you see much less of it. Not that celebrations like Mad King’s Day isn’t celebrated in Hoelbrak or the Black Citadel.

Well Hoelbrak and Black Citadel never seem to really put up any decoration :P

But yes in the homelands there is less homogenization since there is less interaction with other cultures, with the extreme being (like I previously noted) the hostile factions like the flame legion, Sons or Nightmare court, all of whom (without the interference of a certain super-genius sylvari) don’t particularly like anyone other than themselves.
And again a lot of this is, as others have noted, because we’ve spend a lot of time in very mixed areas (like LA, or running around with the Orders).

Some more racial tension would however work very well in creating more distinction between races i.e. if charr experience a lot of hatred from other races, they’d be more incline to only mix with other charr, they’d possible even start viewing other races with some hostility themselves and associate the cultural practices, habits and believes of other cultures with distrust and thus be more willing to conform to and live their own cultures. Of course introducing racism might be effective, but not necessarily desirable.

I think narratively speaking we need less Orders and more involvement of the racial military factions. For example I think the Blood Legion would be far more Charr-ish than say a Vigil group with a couple of Charrs, some Norns, a human or two and the token Asura.

I also think that homogenization of races is bad thing. Why bother creating different races in the first place. Sole fact that races are working hand in hand without any major frictions is hardly believable, but instance when races with different life philosophies, not to mention biological differences, are so unified is nearly impossible.
We can blame fact that it’s not a real world etc. but such utopian world will simply become boring.

sAdam.5876:

I also think that homogenization of races is bad thing. Why bother creating different races in the first place. Sole fact that races are working hand in hand without any major frictions is hardly believable, but instance when races with different life philosophies, not to mention biological differences, are so unified is nearly impossible.
We can blame fact that it’s not a real world etc. but such utopian world will simply become boring.

I completely agree.
Whi- I mean, Asura shouldn’t have to work, interact and treat any of those lesser races as equals.

^Hahaha fantastical racism at it’s finest :P

I don’t expect GW2 to be so heavy and realistic in that topic as for example Witcher but some twists would be appreciated.

Anet is probably worried about leaving other races out in the cold if they do an update about humans and Charr going at it, or Krytan politics or whatever. But this just leads to the multi-racial factions, orders/Pact and LA mostly, getting all the attention (I mean why is there Pact in CoF explorable go fight dragons you babies). So it’s not that the world is homogeneous, but that most of the story is.