Kryta - Too white washed?

Kryta - Too white washed?

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Posted by: Rizzy.8293

Rizzy.8293

Back in the days, Kryta was a simple small fishing settlement themed after south east asian culture, where most people were healthy shade of tan to brown.

These days Kryta is big masonic buildings very reminiscent of medieval Europe just like Ascalon was.

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Posted by: BuddhaKeks.4857

BuddhaKeks.4857

I noticed that too. I always prefered Kryta over Ascalon in GW1 for it’s more unique setting, but now it seems ascalonified. I really miss the mediterranean/pacific look we had.

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Posted by: Zeefa.3915

Zeefa.3915

Actually it got more of a renaissance feel than medieval, but I suppose that is besides the point.
Will say the climate clearly still seem to be mediterranean. Clearly Lions Arch changed, what with being flooded and then rebuild by pirates and becoming a multiracial city.
Now Divinity Reach must have been build after the flooding too. As Lions Arch was the previous human capital of Kryta. What with Ascalonians being driven out by the charr ofc. any living Ascalonians would be either in the old settlement, Ebon Hawke or Divnity. Furthermore there should be Canthans (although their district is a hole in the ground) and Elonians. Or decents thereof.
Looking around you will see variation. Each district of Divinity showing influence of their inherited culture and the people there looking like their ancestors too. Krytans were never really dark, but somewhat tanned. I think you will find that those are still there too.

It has been 250 years since the Kryta we knew in GW1. Ofc. things changed and they grew and whatnot.

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Posted by: Tobias Trueflight.8350

Tobias Trueflight.8350

Back in the days, Kryta was a simple small fishing settlement themed after south east asian culture, where most people were healthy shade of tan to brown.

Kryta was? In what, Beta? First time I found Kryta it was a nice chunk of real estate from Scoundrel’s Rise west to Talmark Wilderness, and then south to Twin Serpent Lakes . . .

These days Kryta is big masonic buildings very reminiscent of medieval Europe just like Ascalon was.

Ascalonians did settle there, and mix into the populace. Strangely, the style doesn’t match Pre-Searing Ascalon. The Lionguard Havens (worldwide) all have their own distinct appearance while the Krytan villages across the countryside still feel “right”. Garrenhoff is probably the only oddity worth mentioning, but it’s also wedged in a tight canyon so some design differences were to be expected. But those settlements on Viathan Lake (Kessex Hills) definitely remind me of older Krytan settlements.

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Posted by: Konig Des Todes.2086

Konig Des Todes.2086

Back in the days, Kryta was a simple small fishing settlement themed after south east asian culture, where most people were healthy shade of tan to brown.

These days Kryta is big masonic buildings very reminiscent of medieval Europe just like Ascalon was.

Uh… when was this? Because it’s been more than a simple fishing settlement for as long as I know of, and never themed after asian culture but western/southern European (typically: Mediterranean).

And I wouldn’t say it feels medieval at all. Definitely more Renaissance like Zeefa said. But that’s just Divinity’s Reach. Going to anywhere else, and the structures still look greatly Krytan in comparison – even just going out to Shaemoor! Yes, there are some exceptions, such as the taverns usually or the Ascalon Settlement kitten , but still they’re not medieval in appearance, nor strickly Ascalonians.

Regarding skin color – do keep in mind that there were paler Krytans before, and similarly we got a LOT of Ascalonians mixing into Kryta, and at the same time, Canthans and a few Orrians who were lighter in color. Not to mention that the tidal wave or even Jormag’s continuous push south seems to have cooled the land a bit, which in turn would also lighten skin over the generations.

Dear ANet writers,
Stop treating GW2 as a single story. Each Season and expansion should be their own story.

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Posted by: Essarious Quw.8946

Essarious Quw.8946

It takes longer than 250 years to lighten the skin due to environmental changes/cultural influx.

As for the huge masonic thing… Old Kryta had huge structures all over the place. Massive towers and citadels that dominated the skyline and the environment, the stone towers in Lions Arch are the remnants we see of this in GW2. It falls completely in line with the lore that Divinity’s Reach would be built along similar lines.

However… I do agree that it has been whitewashed. In a multicultural metropolis such as this, cut off from outside influence etc, the regressive traits such as pale skin, blonde hair and blue eyes would be the ones in the minority. This is probably more to do with marketing and less to do with lore however.

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Posted by: Pixelpumpkin.4608

Pixelpumpkin.4608

Maybe in Tyria paleness and blondness are the dominant genes.

/shrug

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Posted by: Tobias Trueflight.8350

Tobias Trueflight.8350

However… I do agree that it has been whitewashed. In a multicultural metropolis such as this, cut off from outside influence etc, the regressive traits such as pale skin, blonde hair and blue eyes would be the ones in the minority. This is probably more to do with marketing and less to do with lore however.

Are you sure they’re more common? I’ll need to look but I’m fairly certain there’s not a visible majority of blonde blue-eyed caucasian-type people running around Divinity’s Reach.

No, not even Ebonhawk. From what I recall, Ascalonians were pale but not notably blonde. And around the Ascalonian Settlement, there’s still a predominance of dark hair from what I recall. And the odd platinum-blonde . . . no, wait, those are players.

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Posted by: Rizzy.8293

Rizzy.8293

Back in the days, Kryta was a simple small fishing settlement themed after south east asian culture, where most people were healthy shade of tan to brown.

These days Kryta is big masonic buildings very reminiscent of medieval Europe just like Ascalon was.

Uh… when was this? Because it’s been more than a simple fishing settlement for as long as I know of, and never themed after asian culture but western/southern European (typically: Mediterranean).

And I wouldn’t say it feels medieval at all. Definitely more Renaissance like Zeefa said. But that’s just Divinity’s Reach. Going to anywhere else, and the structures still look greatly Krytan in comparison – even just going out to Shaemoor! Yes, there are some exceptions, such as the taverns usually or the Ascalon Settlement kitten , but still they’re not medieval in appearance, nor strickly Ascalonians.

Regarding skin color – do keep in mind that there were paler Krytans before, and similarly we got a LOT of Ascalonians mixing into Kryta, and at the same time, Canthans and a few Orrians who were lighter in color. Not to mention that the tidal wave or even Jormag’s continuous push south seems to have cooled the land a bit, which in turn would also lighten skin over the generations.

Really South Europe?
That look like europe to you?

Atap roofs, stilt houses ontop of water ways.

http://www.canadianarchitect.com/asf/enclosure_design_strategies/moisture_rules/images/mekong_delta_house.jpg

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Posted by: Rizzy.8293

Rizzy.8293

It takes longer than 250 years to lighten the skin due to environmental changes/cultural influx.

As for the huge masonic thing… Old Kryta had huge structures all over the place. Massive towers and citadels that dominated the skyline and the environment, the stone towers in Lions Arch are the remnants we see of this in GW2. It falls completely in line with the lore that Divinity’s Reach would be built along similar lines.

However… I do agree that it has been whitewashed. In a multicultural metropolis such as this, cut off from outside influence etc, the regressive traits such as pale skin, blonde hair and blue eyes would be the ones in the minority. This is probably more to do with marketing and less to do with lore however.

And so did ascalon, but the 2 do not look a like to each other.
The new Kyrta design looks more like Ascalonian architecture than it does Krytan.

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Posted by: Gandarel.5091

Gandarel.5091

The villages still look Krytan.

In PvP however, the Battle of Khylo architectures are all renaissance-Krytan styled…

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Posted by: Konig Des Todes.2086

Konig Des Todes.2086

Really South Europe?
That look like europe to you?

Atap roofs, stilt houses ontop of water ways.

http://www.canadianarchitect.com/asf/enclosure_design_strategies/moisture_rules/images/mekong_delta_house.jpg

Skin tones, naming styles, and overal cultural influences appear to primarily be Spanish and Italian (and likely others I’m not aware of or doesn’t come to mind atm).

The houses are another matter. And I wasn’t talking about the architecture there at all. I was talking about their physical appearance and their culture.

P.S. There are no “Atap roofs, stilt houses ontop of water ways.” in Kryta. Not in GW1, at least (only ones in GW2 are those belonging to fisher families). Furthermore, Concept art != the game’s lore, so pulling those up for “how it was in GW1” is utter bullkitten.

In PvP however, the Battle of Khylo architectures are all renaissance-Krytan styled…

That’s probably a re-use of resources more than anything else.

Though you should take note the Ascalonian ruins are not the same style as Khylo’s map. So it seems even that got altered.

Dear ANet writers,
Stop treating GW2 as a single story. Each Season and expansion should be their own story.

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Posted by: Rizzy.8293

Rizzy.8293

Skin tones, naming styles, and overal cultural influences appear to primarily be Spanish and Italian (and likely others I’m not aware of or doesn’t come to mind atm).

The houses are another matter. And I wasn’t talking about the architecture there at all. I was talking about their physical appearance and their culture.

P.S. There are no “Atap roofs, stilt houses ontop of water ways.” in Kryta. Not in GW1, at least (only ones in GW2 are those belonging to fisher families). Furthermore, Concept art != the game’s lore, so pulling those up for “how it was in GW1” is utter bullkitten.

.

Oh of course the names. Like SAUL
Yes who can forget such names like Varesh, an INDIAN name being used in their North African Themed expansion, NIGHTFALL.

Or Jora isn’t even a scandinavian name.

But since we’re talking about names.
Queen Salma, believe it or not Salma is actually a name in Southeast Asian culture, malay.

Oh and yeah theres, no such thing as buildings on waterways. /sarcasm.
http://pcmedia.gamespy.com/pc/image/article/537/537774/guild-wars-20040810032519174.jpg

And theres no Similarity between.

http://pcmedia.gamespy.com/pc/image/article/537/537774/guild-wars-20040810032519533.jpg

http://pcmedia.gamespy.com/pc/image/article/537/537774/guild-wars-20040810032520268.jpg

http://www.traveljournals.net/pictures/l/0/7456-balis-famous-terrace-padi-fields-bali-indonesia.jpg

Please don’t be ignorant, theres more than one type of Asian culture.
Theres the Oriental Chinese and Japanese and Mongolian with the Factions Expansion and theres the Southeast Asian with the Prophecies.

Just like Nightfall is culturally diversed into African, Egyptian and Arabian.

(edited by Rizzy.8293)

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Posted by: Narcemus.1348

Narcemus.1348

Yeah, because terracing wasn’t ever used in any other culture?

I mean you don’t see terracing in Machu Picchu
http://7tab.in/2012/10/machu-picchu-peru-pictures-and-facts-15-images/?pid=195#.UWxu_couDm0

Or Italy
http://www.travelblog.org/Photos/1542285

And just because there are shanties found in the coastal areas of Kryta doesn’t make them absolutely southeast asia themed.

BTW Livia has origins in Latin and Salma has origins in spanish as well.

(edited by Narcemus.1348)

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Posted by: Rizzy.8293

Rizzy.8293

Yeah, because terracing wasn’t ever used in any other culture?

I mean you don’t see terracing in Machu Picchu
http://7tab.in/2012/10/machu-picchu-peru-pictures-and-facts-15-images/?pid=195#.UWxu_couDm0

Or Italy
http://www.travelblog.org/Photos/1542285

And just because there are shanties found in the coastal areas of Kryta doesn’t make them absolutely southeast asia themed.

BTW Livia has origins in Latin and Salma has origins in spainish as well.

Oh of course because Italy is renown for its terracing and fisheries in its glorious past.
Or the fact Lions Arch is in reference to an Italian location not unlike Singapore in Southeast Asia.

Which lets face it, was once a fishing village, is named Lion City and also uses strong Merlion Motifs even up to these days which is also found in New Lions Arch.

https://dviw3bl0enbyw.cloudfront.net/uploads/forum_attachment/file/11668/gw194.jpg

But yeah, you’re right its probably italian just because of the names of the locals.
And Palawa Joko is Filipino.

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Posted by: Narcemus.1348

Narcemus.1348

Yes, I’m the obvious idiot here. It couldn’t perhaps be that there is a conglomeration of groups and people that came together to make the Krytans of the past #OMGWTFHOWCANTHISBE. I never stated that there was no reference to Southeast Asia, merely that there were references to areas outside of it as well.

BTW if you had ever lived in Italy, you would definitely take inspiration from them (the terraces), even if they aren’t their biggest sellers as a country.

Also I thought this thread was about the past Kryta and not the present. The presence of lions in Lion’s Arch most likely has to do with the connection they had with Elona than anything else. The Merlion is a connection from the past to the present Lion’s Arch which is a much larger naval power than before. I wouldn’t be surprised if modern LA took some inspiration from southeast asia, but modern LA is not related to Kryta, and old LA doesn’t look much like what I’ve seen of southeast asia at all.

(edited by Narcemus.1348)

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Posted by: Rizzy.8293

Rizzy.8293

Thats rich, resorting to self victimhood after I showed you the flaw in your logic showing you how judging the theme of the area based soley on the name of the Locals.

Like Rurik meaning the whole of ascalon was inspired by medieval russia is ludicrous.

BTW if you ever lived in Southeast Asia you’d see the similarity in landscape, building architecture and so on and the concept art alone is a dead give away to what its inspired by

(edited by Rizzy.8293)

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Posted by: Zeefa.3915

Zeefa.3915

Anyone considered that there is more than one source of inspiration?
Come on. Cantha clearly bore elements from more than one of the well known Asian cultures. Nightfall was not entirely or only African.

Never mind that although Norn clearly are mostly inspired by vikings and the old nordics, they could also be said to have native American influence to them (spirits anyone?). Somehow I find it unliklely that vikings would have known of snowleopards. And if it really should be viking influenced there should be no darkskinned norn. Just saying.

Anet is not bound to just one source of inspiration for anything they make, they mix it up and add it into a completely new world.
So yes. Kryta had and have very mediterannian influences AND Southeast Asian too.
To say it is stricktly Southeast Asian, based on what is only part of the architecture and landscape is as much nonsens as basing otherwise on names.

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Posted by: Konig Des Todes.2086

Konig Des Todes.2086

Oh of course the names. Like SAUL
Yes who can forget such names like Varesh, an INDIAN name being used in their North African Themed expansion, NIGHTFALL.

Or Jora isn’t even a scandinavian name.

But since we’re talking about names.
Queen Salma, believe it or not Salma is actually a name in Southeast Asian culture, malay.

Oh and yeah theres, no such thing as buildings on waterways. /sarcasm.
http://pcmedia.gamespy.com/pc/image/article/537/537774/guild-wars-20040810032519174.jpg

And theres no Similarity between.

http://pcmedia.gamespy.com/pc/image/article/537/537774/guild-wars-20040810032519533.jpg

http://pcmedia.gamespy.com/pc/image/article/537/537774/guild-wars-20040810032520268.jpg

http://www.traveljournals.net/pictures/l/0/7456-balis-famous-terrace-padi-fields-bali-indonesia.jpg

Please don’t be ignorant, theres more than one type of Asian culture.
Theres the Oriental Chinese and Japanese and Mongolian with the Factions Expansion and theres the Southeast Asian with the Prophecies.

Just like Nightfall is culturally diversed into African, Egyptian and Arabian.

1) Not all names, no, and you pull out of the few that aren’t. Take a look at this list and you’ll see a lot – especially last names – are of Mediterranean sounding/spelling.

2) That’s a kittening dock. Not a building.

3) What Narcemus said about the terraces.

4) No kitten there’s more than one Asian culture. And yes, I’m very well aware that they’ve used terracing. But clearly you’re not aware that they aren’t the only ones. So please don’t call me ignorant when you seem to be the ignorant one. Also, fun fact but Asian cultures aren’t the only ones to have houses on waterways. Ever seen houses built along the Amazon River? To name ONE example.

Or the fact Lions Arch is in reference to an Italian location not unlike Singapore in Southeast Asia.

Fun fact: It’s not referencing Singapore. Wanna know how I know? In GW1, there were no merlions. It may be referencing Singapore in GW2 but it wasn’t in GW1.

Don’t get your panties in a twist when you don’t even seem to know what you’re talking about. And I don’t mean that in “you don’t know the facts” but rather “you can’t keep your argument on the same thing” – going from past Kryta to present Kryta thinking that the references used in one must be used for the other too (note: not true).

Like Rurik meaning the whole of ascalon was inspired by medieval russia is ludicrous.

You do realize that’s exactly what you’re doing here, right?

Dear ANet writers,
Stop treating GW2 as a single story. Each Season and expansion should be their own story.

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Posted by: draxynnic.3719

draxynnic.3719

One thing to consider, on top of the migration aspect:

The description of Kryta in the Prophecies Manuscripts mentions, not surprisingly, that the climate is warmer as you go south – and a warmer climate is going to promote darker skin tones, whether through genetics or simple tanning. Guild Wars 1 did cut corners by using a handful of models (and thus skin tones) for the majority of the Krytan population (the Lionguard and male and female Krytan Villager skin) which gives the impression of their darker skin tones being dominant. While it possibly was at the time if you considered the entire country, a survey of White Mantle models and Shining Blade NPCs shows that there certainly are paler skin tones among Krytan natives.

Now, consider the effect of the tsunami provoked by Zhaitan. Remember that the lands just north of Lion’s Arch used to be called North Kryta Province – while now it’s at the same lattitude as the majority of the Krytan population, back in GW1 Kryta extended around the Sea of Sorrows. By all accounts, the tsunami was a heavy blow to Kryta that involved great loss of life and where it would be fair to say the nation has never recovered from – depending on just what Garrenhoff’s status is, Kryta might no longer have access to the Sea of Sorrows at all. Such devastation of its southern reaches probably hit the darker-skinned portion of the Krytan population more heavily than the lighter-skinned members, resulting in a shift in the overall demographics.

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People don’t hate Scarlet like Game of Thrones fans hate Joffrey.
They hate her the way Star Wars fans hate Jar Jar Binks.

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Posted by: Knox.8462

Knox.8462

The change in architecture marks the progression of time. Like the renaissance period, buildings in major towns have became larger and more opulent, while the rural areas retain the Old Krytan style. Modern Ascalonian architecture has also changed and now shares similarities with Krytan architecture.

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Posted by: exelion.2369

exelion.2369

The villages still look Krytan.

In PvP however, the Battle of Khylo architectures are all renaissance-Krytan styled…

Well the battle for Khylo isn’t meant to be like Kryta as Khylo was in Ascalon and was the base for an in lore Ascalonian guild.

Don’t mess with Ascalon!

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Posted by: Rizzy.8293

Rizzy.8293

Like Rurik meaning the whole of ascalon was inspired by medieval russia is ludicrous.

You do realize that’s exactly what you’re doing here, right?

LOLOLOL

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Posted by: Konig Des Todes.2086

Konig Des Todes.2086

Like Rurik meaning the whole of ascalon was inspired by medieval russia is ludicrous.

You do realize that’s exactly what you’re doing here, right?

LOLOLOL

It’s not that funny, unless you’re laughing at your own silliness. You’re taking a few aspects of a in-game culture and relating it to a single rl culture, while completely ignoring other cultures which share that same aspect.

Dear ANet writers,
Stop treating GW2 as a single story. Each Season and expansion should be their own story.

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Posted by: Tobias Trueflight.8350

Tobias Trueflight.8350

]It’s not that funny, unless you’re laughing at your own silliness. You’re taking a few aspects of a in-game culture and relating it to a single rl culture, while completely ignoring other cultures which share that same aspect.

I think that’s the universal confession for “I was just trolling” but it could just be my time on other forums speaking there.

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Posted by: Lokheit.7943

Lokheit.7943

Skin tones, naming styles, and overal cultural influences appear to primarily be Spanish and Italian (and likely others I’m not aware of or doesn’t come to mind atm).

Sorry Konig but no, this isn’t the first time I had to correct this on this forum and it seems to be a very extended misunderstanding outside of Europe.

Krytans look NOTHING like spaniards.

I’m spanish and I can tell you that most spaniards are caucasian and even pale (most of my friends are actually pale and we’re from the south of Spain, very close to Africa).

The average italian is caucasian too (actually the average italian is a bit more tanned than the average spaniard, but not so much). GW1 krytans don’t resemble average mediterranean people at all. Mediterranean people have a different face structure in general than the rest of Europe and you can differentiate them, but the skin color is generally the same.

The culture (except some random names) isn’t very mediterranean either.

IMO GW1 Kryta resembles more South America because of the mixing of skin tones, culture/architecture and some mediterranean names. But I don’t know enough of South America to be 100% sure about the culture/architecture matching theirs.

(edited by Lokheit.7943)

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Posted by: Konig Des Todes.2086

Konig Des Todes.2086

I’m well aware everything isn’t such; though having been to Italy I know their skin tones and I think that the lighter skin tones of Krytans do match Italians at least a bit. And definitely more than asians. Same goes for culture and names – not everything about them is Mediterranean (rather, definitely not everything), but there certainly are aspects that I see (again, from personal experience and not just common stupido, pigro Americano viewpoints).

My main point was that they’re not influenced by Asians – or at least certainly not primarily, let alone solely.

Though I could see South America being a far stronger influence. The concept art certainly would match depictions of South American locals better than elsewhere. Though I wasn’t aware South America has Mediterranean names there outside modern times (though not surprising either).

Dear ANet writers,
Stop treating GW2 as a single story. Each Season and expansion should be their own story.

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Posted by: Lokheit.7943

Lokheit.7943

Sorry if you felt insulted, maybe the caps in NOTHING looked a bit more agressive than what I really intended. For my experience reading your posts I have you for someone with culture so definitely the opposite of stupid

And I coincide with you that they don’t look asian, maybe I should’ve added that given that the main discussion in the moment was about that. I just wanted to clarify that the average krytan etnic group doesn’t resemble the average mediterranean etnic group, but of course they don’t look asian either.

Aditionally even if the lighter ones could resemble the skin tones of some italians a bit, the way they dress and paint their bodies is definitely different than them.

About the names, obviously before the arrival of the first spaniards they didn’t have them, but once that happened, they were very “intrusive” in their culture and rapidly mixed with them. I’m not really sure how far and how fast that happened though, but it’s possible that in Kryta’s case they simply mixed etnicity, cultures and names from different sources to create something unique and different from any other culture.

Some of Krytan NPCs even look like comming from an african culture for the way they dress and paint their bodies.

(edited by Lokheit.7943)

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Posted by: Tobias Trueflight.8350

Tobias Trueflight.8350

Some of Krytan NPCs even look like comming from an african culture for the way they dress and paint their bodies.

I still go by “Mediterranean” myself . . . also some of the Krytan NPCs are probably Elonian expatriates?

Though since I don’t travel I mostly am at the mercy of others’ reports.

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Posted by: Konig Des Todes.2086

Konig Des Todes.2086

Sorry if you felt insulted

Though I forgot to type it, that’s what I was meaning. I didn’t mean to insult you – or anyone else – if I did. I wasn’t insulted at all (the “stupido, pigro Americano” bit was a joke on how I see Americans typically viewed by those who don’t actually visit the US – as stupid and lazy people who just assume).

Aditionally even if the lighter ones could resemble the skin tones of some italians a bit, the way they dress and paint their bodies is definitely different than them.

Oh, certainly. I never meant their clothing was Mediterranean by any means. Nor their tattoos. I was really just meaning (some of) the skin tones, names, and landscape/environment designs (from the terraces to the trees to the large towers) having a more Mediterranean feel and/or influence to them. In clothing, I’d only possibly attribute the White Mantle’s clothing to such (which would be “the riches of Kryta at the time”).

Dear ANet writers,
Stop treating GW2 as a single story. Each Season and expansion should be their own story.

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Posted by: Lokheit.7943

Lokheit.7943

Don’t worry I didn’t felt insulted either it was more about seeing that around many times and instantly jumping to clarify it, but I don’t take that stuff as insulting.

I’ve had the luck of travelling to the US a handful of times and people I’ve met didn’t look stupid and lazy at all, they were great guys (in fact I hope I can work there in the future), though I know that stereotype conception does exist. Probably mostly because how poorly TV series and films apparently inform themselves when representing foreign cities (for example I wanted to kill Tom Cruise and the whole team behind Mission Impossible 2 after what they did to my home city Seville :P) so when people here watch their internationally televised shows, the think “if this is internationally televised and it’s so uninformed probably applies to all of them” (which would make the others assume too).

But hey, as far as stereotypes go people here in my country got a really short stick so I always try not to take that stuff seriously.

I definitely think that gw1’s Kryta is pretty much a mix of a lot of things rather than inspired by 1 or 2 specific cultures like other zones that are more easily identified.

As for the main topic in GW2 Kryta they maintain some of the old architecture and elements in some towns, but as the “last” human kingdom (at least the last free one) everything was mixed with humans from all around Tyria fleeing there. Probably a huge load of Ascalonias fled there causing the “white washing” mentioned in the thread title in both population and architecture in the most recent edifications.

The Elonian district is a good example that it’s not all about “medieval” ascalonians though and that every human culture from Tyria has a say (and if they ever rebuild the big hole probably the Canthan district too).

(edited by Lokheit.7943)

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Posted by: Narcemus.1348

Narcemus.1348

Renaissance, lol. Ascalonian and Krytan architecture had some kind of revival within the city. Medieval architecture was a lot more bland, it was a time of strife and war so much of the architecture was built for needs only, renaissance brought beauty back to architecture.

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Posted by: BuddhaKeks.4857

BuddhaKeks.4857

Renaissance, lol. Ascalonian and Krytan architecture had some kind of revival within the city. Medieval architecture was a lot more bland, it was a time of strife and war so much of the architecture was built for needs only, renaissance brought beauty back to architecture.

You have never seen a romanesque cathedral haven’t you? My personal favortie architecture style by the way, it’s simple yet majestic.

You don’t win friends with salad! Sorry I just got caught up in the rhythm.

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Posted by: Narcemus.1348

Narcemus.1348

Of course I have, interesting note that it was called Romanesque because of people’s (critics) dislike of it, and somehow the name stuck. But you said it yourself, SIMPLE. If you look at the tower on the Palace of Divinity’s Reach it speaks closer to either Gothic or Renaissance. I would say the rest of the city is more Renaissance because of the more open and inviting feel. Gothic architecture attempted to get this, but in general it was still darker and more oppressive then the Renaissance Architecture that followed.

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Posted by: BuddhaKeks.4857

BuddhaKeks.4857

I wouldn’t know that romanesque is a demeaning term, the german version “romanisch” is just descriptive without judging it. However, yes I said simple, but simple isn’t negative in my eyes either, in fact I prefer the simple style over the at times cluttered renaissance architecture (I outright dislike baroque and rococo for that reason).
In the end it’s in the eye of the beholder I guess.

You don’t win friends with salad! Sorry I just got caught up in the rhythm.

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Posted by: Narcemus.1348

Narcemus.1348

I agree, baroque is terrible, but I do not believe that Romanesque is terrible. I am merely stating that in my mind the style of grand architecture reads more to me on the level of late gothic/early renaissance, especially when you look at the palace and all of it’s roman features (and the purpose of renaissance being the rebirth of the golden roman era). I was not laying any judgement down on the simplicity of Romanesque architecture. I am a graduate of a college of architecture, and because of this I have a love of a great many architectural things. It is indeed very beautiful.

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Posted by: BuddhaKeks.4857

BuddhaKeks.4857

I wasn’t meaning to imply that you dislike it, I was just opposed to saying romanesque is bland. Simple yes, but not bland.

You don’t win friends with salad! Sorry I just got caught up in the rhythm.

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Posted by: GODHOWSAE.5237

GODHOWSAE.5237

Honestly, I don’t have a big problem with it.

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Posted by: Aethgar.1784

Aethgar.1784

I would argue that Kryta is decidedly whitewashed, myself. If Kryta was originally formed as a colony of Elona, the nucleus of the culture is going to be fairly dark skinned. Yes, the representation of most re-used models in GW1 look dark skinned, usually adorned with body paints.

If I was going to compare it to any modern culture, I’d likely eye Brazil thoughtfully, given the impact of over 5 million enslaved Africans shipped over during the Trans-Atlantic Trade.(http://www.slavevoyages.org/tast/assessment/estimates.faces) That is a society which subsequently had a great many European immigrants and individuals arriving from a very wide variety of cultures. Yet the Brazilians I’ve met TEND, very generally, to be darker skinned, ranging from light olive skinned to indistinguishable from one of my Congolese friends.
The argument that a huge influx of Ascalonians would equate to the majority of NPCs suddenly looking caucasian in their appearance is, I’m sorry to say, ahistorical. I’d love to see which modern culture you’d use to prove that one.
Jamaica, where the white elite vented every imaginable vice sexually upon their captive female population? Brazil, which I already mentioned? You can’t eradicate darker skinned individuals within a little over two centuries. I’m sorry, but it doesn’t work that way in our world at least. The premise would also require the existing dark-skinned population to have no similarly dark-skinned influxes in the intervening years. The waves of refugees from Elona would suggest this could not be so.

Also, please. ‘African style’? I really take issue with that as an Africanist historian professionally. It’s not a country, people. Do you mean Maasai style? Xhosa style? Hausa style? Fulani style? Berber style? One thing I ADORE about the aesthetics of the original GW1 was the clear use of actual historical regions of influence in Elona. Kournan architecture bears some lovely similarities to the Mosque at Djenne, for one easy example.

But. To the OP’s point: absolutely. Kryta and the playable human race have bee whitewashed. You need only open up the character creation and consider the almost insane variety of caucasian skin tones available. From my own Scots paleness to albinism and every shade in between, yet when I go to create a really dark Elonian character, I have two very dark options only, one of which is inhumanly gray. If you’ve met people from Nigeria versus Senegal, Congo versus Sierra Leone, you’d know that ‘black’ can have blue undertones, red undertones, golden undertones, and can have some absolutely incredible tonal variations and really rich nuances. That is by no stretch of any imagination reflected in the choices for character creation. But every possible slight variation of ‘white’ definitely is. Midtones are also heavily under-represented, as when I’ve tried to make oldschool Krytans or darker Canthans. More options than really dark, yes, but nothing near the full row of pales and lights.

Tarnished Coast| House Corvidae
Lord Ahrwit Valdyr/Isambard FitzValdyr/many more…

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Posted by: Crossplay.2067

Crossplay.2067

One thing you have to remember is that Kryta is the last great human city. The dragons, centaurs and charr have pretty much driven all the humans into one spot. I imagine many humans have died over the past 250 years due to all the conflicts. Those that survived would be more likely to seek comfort in any other humans remaining, even if they are of different ethnicity. Interracial coupling is bound to happen and it would only take 2 generations for skintones to homogenize.

If you really want to follow racial heritage, it may be better to go by skull type but even then, you’d have to keep in mind that Africans have all three (caucasoid, mongoloid and kittenid). I’m not even sure how that would translate into the races in GW2.

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Posted by: Knox.8462

Knox.8462

I would argue that Kryta is decidedly whitewashed, myself. If Kryta was originally formed as a colony of Elona, the nucleus of the culture is going to be fairly dark skinned. Yes, the representation of most re-used models in GW1 look dark skinned, usually adorned with body paints.

Kryta predates it’s colonisation by Elona. It was first settled by Orrians, and Mazdak was the first king of Kryta. Remember at the time of King Doric the three kingdoms of Tyria were essentially one united kingdom under one ruler, and humanity had settled from Orr all the way up the coast towards Lion’s Arch (and Ascalon of course). So in reality, skin tones should have been more mixed in the first game (and the second).

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Posted by: Konig Des Todes.2086

Konig Des Todes.2086

Or rather, skin tones throughout continental Tyria should appear more Arabic/middle eastern, unless Orr was full of white folks with Arabic names.

Lorewise, “white” probably shouldn’t exist in known human kingdoms. Unless there’s that much of a difference in climate for skin tone changes between Orr and Ascalon… Which I’m doubtful, personally.

Dear ANet writers,
Stop treating GW2 as a single story. Each Season and expansion should be their own story.

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Posted by: Narcemus.1348

Narcemus.1348

I would believe that there is plenty of reason for major climate differences between Orr and Ascalon, although I do not know very much about the effects of climate on skin tone.

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Posted by: BuddhaKeks.4857

BuddhaKeks.4857

Well we don’t know what the weather in Orr was like, but south Kryta was subtropical to tropical, as are it’s bordering regions, like the Tarnished Coast. Also Orr had Gorillas, which usually live in tropical (and mountainous) regions, so I guess it’s pretty save to say that Orr had a similar climate to south Kryta.

You don’t win friends with salad! Sorry I just got caught up in the rhythm.

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Posted by: draxynnic.3719

draxynnic.3719

Or the gods brought the full range of skin tones to Orr, and they distributed according to their own climate preferences afterwards (for instance, those representing the more Europeanesque part of the population might have gone for the nearest temperate regions available – Ascalon and northern Kryta – because they’d be more comfortable there than in (sub)tropical Orr and Elona).

To those who think Scarlet hate means she’s succeeded as a villain:
People don’t hate Scarlet like Game of Thrones fans hate Joffrey.
They hate her the way Star Wars fans hate Jar Jar Binks.