1.21Gigawatts
Banned
Since Ellie is of age now things can get heated 

Gay or straight, who cares it's a video game. Will it be fun to play? That's all that should matter.
It's not important. Also The Last Of Us Part 2 is about hate.
Good post.
Sums up my feelings on the hypocrisy when it comes to gay characters in general.
You have people talking about how gay characters shouldn't wear their sexuality on their sleeve but you have NUMEROUS video game, movie, tv show characters who who womanizer's or hopeless romantics, etc.
But as soon as their gay its a problem when they remotely express themselves.
It's hilarious, really.
Well it depends on if you think those folks are actual bigots or if they are trying to make a point that your skipping over.
I admit i am out of my element speaking to certain people here who surely have more experience with these topics than i, but i do know that generalizing folks is not good in any scenario.
There have been a metric fuckton of posts in this thread alone outlining why it's important. But sure, let's just ignore those because reasons.
Gay or straight, who cares it's a video game. Will it be fun to play? That's all that should matter.
gay to the power of gay?
It's not important to me at all. I'm just sharing my opinion like everyone else in this thread.
I'm not accusing anyone of bigotry but merely wondering out loud. People themselves may not even realise why they have that reaction.
You have a character like Geralt in the Witcher series (which I haven't played so I may be way off) who's sexuality seems to be a big part of who he is based on what I know of him. He dalliances with the women in his life seem to play a major role in his character. But people don't seem to see this as problematically shoe-horned in perhaps because it's so normal to them. Look at James Bond as another example or Kratos who has a sex minigame for Christ sake. But when it's a gay character suddenly it's a big issue. It strikes me as odd.
It's not important to me at all. I'm just sharing my opinion like everyone else in this thread.
It's not important to me at all. I'm just sharing my opinion like everyone else in this thread.
I'm not accusing anyone of bigotry but merely wondering out loud. People themselves may not even realise why they have that reaction.
You have a character like Geralt in the Witcher series (which I haven't played so I may be way off) who's sexuality seems to be a big part of who he is based on what I know of him. He dalliances with the women in his life seem to play a major role in his character. But people don't seem to see this as problematically shoe-horned in perhaps because it's so normal to them. Look at James Bond as another example or Kratos who even has a sex minigame. But when it's a gay character suddenly it's a big issue. It strikes me as odd.
It's not important to me at all. I'm just sharing my opinion like everyone else in this thread.
People did have major issues with how Geralt's sexuality and prowess with women was showed in Witcher 1. Turned into its own joke and talking point about game, even developers came out and admitted that they fucked up. His sexuality and that stereotypical chasing of women is still there in Witcher 2 and 3, but it isn't such defining and prominent feature of him anymore.
It can be big issue, was character hetero, bi, gay...
Considering the amount of critically acclaimed films and novels that focus on homosexual romance and do it much better than most games handle heterosexual romances, you're projecting your own insecurity and passing it as the response of the general public, the gaming community and medium is so behind other mediums that it's astounding just reading the differences in gaming side and OT of this forum to any pertinent social issue.Is it rude of me to say that I don't think homosexual relationships in a story can be effectively done exactly like a heterosexual relationship? My view of it is that stories with a heavy romantic element are usually trying to use our feelings of romance to drive some story. If you take that same romance and swap it out for a homosexual romance, I think the majority of people would just not have that emotional reaction that is desired by the storyteller.
That isn't me saying we shouldn't have homosexual relationships in stories. I think we should, and I think those relationships should be meaningful in the story. But I do have my doubts that we will ever have a story so heavily focused on romance as something like Romeo and Juliet with a homosexual couple that will yield the same emotional response from the general public as a heterosexual couple.
Do you think I am thinking about this issue in too simple terms?
Man, I'm sick of straight people's discomfort with queer people being masqueraded (especially to themselves) as progressive concern. Two things I want to say about this:
1. As a gay person, I'm really annoyed by the sentiment that gay characters' sexuality should just be a "sublte" trait that "doesn't define them." My sexuality absolutely friggin defines me. I think about the fact that I'm gay literally every single day. It defines who I love, the TV shows and comics I find myself drawn to, how I relate to society, what my politics are, how I view myself- my insecurities and my pride. It defines how people treat me. And It defines the community I find myself in, who my friends are and what my dating pool is- and our communities absolutely come to define us as people.
And this idea that our sexuality shouldn't define us is also a bullshit double-standard, because straight characters are allowed to have their sexuality define them all the time and nobody complains about it. straight people in the real world too. Straight people talk about their sexuality *all the time* and yet nobody complains that they are "letting" it define them. The only reason straight people don't realize how much your sexuality defines you is because you're all surrounded by people just like you. And when I see people say that gay characters like Ellie can't be too in-your-face, that her sexuality should be "sublte" like some kind of footnote in the textbook of her life, all I see is heterosexuals being uncomfortable.
2. Gay people are a community and subculture, and we have shared practices that we use to express our identites- the way we dress for example. Yes, it's true that clothing is inherently neutral and anybody can wear what they want- but it seems that whenever gay people find a way to express themselves in a way that becomes a shared marker of queerness between us, y'all are complaining about "stereotypes." We can't let certain hairstyles, ways of dressing, etc. becomes markers of queerness, you say, lest we perpetuate stereotypes. But these "stereotypes" aren't just made up stuff, these are real queer people who are adopting styles of presentation to celebrate ourselves. I spend so much time in lesbian circles and so many girls proudly wear flannel as a way to express their sexuality, talking about how gay their fashion is. And yeah, of course plenty of queer women don't wear flannel and dress in ways you moght consider "straight." And no matter how you dress doesn't literally define your sexuality and you should dress however you like. But the fact is that for a sizable portion of the LGBT population, certain things become something we positively mark as being "gay" and for a lot of gay people that becomes a really important part of expressing themselves and loving themselves. And when we talk about these things we love that have become part of our shared gay culture, you get concerned straight people coming in warning us "But clothing and hobbies and music and hair don't have a sexuality!! Stop perpetuating stereotypes!" And you might be well-intentioned in that, but I can't help but feel this is another example of straight people being uncomfortable with us and expressing that discomfort in progressive language.
I say save that stuff for the 3rd game
I want the character to be introduced in this game, set up the chemistry, then have the crazy romance stuff in the next game.
If I don't like the chick Ellie is with, how am I supposed to like the relationship itself?
"Totally inoffensive. Didn't feel challenged once, except in the gameplay. 10/10."I hope Ellie will have a nice, heterosexual romance in part II. Because I love games with nice, heterosexual romances.
I say save that stuff for the 3rd game
I want the character to be introduced in this game, set up the chemistry, then have the crazy romance stuff in the next game.
If I don't like the chick Ellie is with, how am I supposed to like the relationship itself?
Fucking dammit I don't want the plot to be Ellie avenging her lover.
It's almost like it's important for a subset of people that constantly get shafted when it comes to representation in this medium especially in bigger budget triple A games and no one gives it a shit if it's not important to you OR that you only care about the gameplay, how often do you actually say that? "I just care about the gameplay." Likely only when it involves issues of minorities/LBGT getting more equal representation.It's not important to me at all. I'm just sharing my opinion like everyone else in this thread.
Came to share my opinion that it doesn't bother me if a video game character is gay or straight as long as the game is fun to play and I get called a homophobe.
Can someone please invent a time machine and take me back to 1998. Now I know how the native americans felt when they saw what the pilgrims did to their great country.
lmaooooo whatCame to share my opinion that it doesn't bother me if a video game character is gay or straight as long as the game is fun to play and I get called a homophobe.
Can someone please invent a time machine and take me back to 1998. Now I know how the native americans felt when they saw what the pilgrims did to their great country.
I thought the backlash was due to the icky card collecting / binders full of women, not that Geralt slept around a lot?
Well, 1998 was a great year for homophobes.Came to share my opinion that it doesn't bother me if a video game character is gay or straight as long as the game is fun to play and I get called a homophobe.
Can someone please invent a time machine and take me back to 1998. Now I know how the native americans felt when they saw what the pilgrims did to their great country.
Came to share my opinion that it doesn't bother me if a video game character is gay or straight as long as the game is fun to play and I get called a homophobe.
Can someone please invent a time machine and take me back to 1998. Now I know how the native americans felt when they saw what the pilgrims did to their great country.
http://www.vomzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/free-wow-gif-777.gifCame to share my opinion that it doesn't bother me if a video game character is gay or straight as long as the game is fun to play and I get called a homophobe.
Can someone please invent a time machine and take me back to 1998. Now I know how the native americans felt when they saw what the pilgrims did to their great country.
Came to share my opinion that it doesn't bother me if a video game character is gay or straight as long as the game is fun to play and I get called a homophobe.
Can someone please invent a time machine and take me back to 1998. Now I know how the native americans felt when they saw what the pilgrims did to their great country.
Is it rude of me to say that I don't think homosexual relationships in a story can be effectively done exactly like a heterosexual relationship? My view of it is that stories with a heavy romantic element are usually trying to use our feelings of romance to drive some story. If you take that same romance and swap it out for a homosexual romance, I think the majority of people would just not have that emotional reaction that is desired by the storyteller.
That isn't me saying we shouldn't have homosexual relationships in stories. I think we should, and I think those relationships should be meaningful in the story. But I do have my doubts that we will ever have a story so heavily focused on romance as something like Romeo and Juliet with a homosexual couple that will yield the same emotional response from the general public as a heterosexual couple.
Do you think I am thinking about this issue in too simple terms?
Is this a standard you expect of every character with a pre-existing relationship when a story starts? Did you care about Joel and Sarah's relationship with one another when she's in the game for about 10 minutes?
I'd play the fuck outta this.Can we all just get a grip please.
This game isn't going to be set on a beech in California. Ellie isn't going to be driving a VW Beetle convertible around with Duran Duran blaring out of the speakers drinking a frappuccino with a rainbow flag draped around her neck.
Man, I'm sick of straight people's discomfort with queer people being masqueraded (especially to themselves) as progressive concern. Two things I want to say about this:
1. As a gay person, I'm really annoyed by the sentiment that gay characters' sexuality should just be a "sublte" trait that "doesn't define them." My sexuality absolutely friggin defines me. I think about the fact that I'm gay literally every single day. It defines who I love, the TV shows and comics I find myself drawn to, how I relate to society, what my politics are, how I view myself- my insecurities and my pride. It defines how people treat me. And It defines the community I find myself in, who my friends are and what my dating pool is- and our communities absolutely come to define us as people.
And this idea that our sexuality shouldn't define us is also a bullshit double-standard, because straight characters are allowed to have their sexuality define them all the time and nobody complains about it. straight people in the real world too. Straight people talk about their sexuality *all the time* and yet nobody complains that they are "letting" it define them. The only reason straight people don't realize how much your sexuality defines you is because you're all surrounded by people just like you. And when I see people say that gay characters like Ellie can't be too in-your-face, that her sexuality should be "sublte" like some kind of footnote in the textbook of her life, all I see is heterosexuals being uncomfortable.
2. Gay people are a community and subculture, and we have shared practices that we use to express our identites- the way we dress for example. Yes, it's true that clothing is inherently neutral and anybody can wear what they want- but it seems that whenever gay people find a way to express themselves in a way that becomes a shared marker of queerness between us, y'all are complaining about "stereotypes." We can't let certain hairstyles, ways of dressing, etc. becomes markers of queerness, you say, lest we perpetuate stereotypes. But these "stereotypes" aren't just made up stuff, these are real queer people who are adopting styles of presentation to celebrate ourselves. I spend so much time in lesbian circles and so many girls proudly wear flannel as a way to express their sexuality, talking about how gay their fashion is. And yeah, of course plenty of queer women don't wear flannel and dress in ways you moght consider "straight." And no matter how you dress doesn't literally define your sexuality and you should dress however you like. But the fact is that for a sizable portion of the LGBT population, certain things become something we positively mark as being "gay" and for a lot of gay people that becomes a really important part of expressing themselves and loving themselves. And when we talk about these things we love that have become part of our shared gay culture, you get concerned straight people coming in warning us "But clothing and hobbies and music and hair don't have a sexuality!! Stop perpetuating stereotypes!" And you might be well-intentioned in that, but I can't help but feel this is another example of straight people being uncomfortable with us and expressing that discomfort in progressive language.
I'll bring up the Bill/Frank situation again.
Bill is an outwardly stoic character. His relationship with Frank serves to contrast the facade he puts up versus what's beneath it. It also shows that even during these kinds of trying times, people will inevitably look for intimacy.
Bill is also a character who is utterly focused on survival. His relationship, and the eventual failure thereof, serves to show what the consequence might be of putting (sorry for the schmaltz) survival over actually living your life.
There's probably more, but those are just connections I can quite easily make about just one aspect of Bill as a character, which is the relationship between him and Frank.
As long as I can make connections like that, they're doing a good job.
Oh and, I don't have a problem with her being explicit in her display or sexual interest in a woman, as long as her character has a well reasoned impetus to be showing sexual or relational interest at that point in the story to begin with, and as long as there is a greater point that carries through to either the plot or a sub-plot, or the telling of the narrative. It's no different that any other thing that happens in any other story.
I'm just going off of the cuff here, so this analogy might not entirely work, but: replace showing sexual/romantic interest with telling a joke. They both pretty explicitly relay an emotional state. So in terms of the story, does it feel right for the character to be making a joke right now? Does it even feel right for the character to tell jokes, full stop? Does telling a joke right now actually add anything to the overall narrative, or this subplot? Or does it serve whatever I'm trying to do with the pacing at this particular point?
Came to share my opinion that it doesn't bother me if a video game character is gay or straight as long as the game is fun to play and I get called a homophobe.
Can someone please invent a time machine and take me back to 1998. Now I know how the native americans felt when they saw what the pilgrims did to their great country.
I feel you. It'd be way more fun to watch it grow. But the love interest (if there is a love interest), can be introduced in TLOU2 and have a good, meaty contribution. Then they can continue the story in TLOU3.That first scene made me super depressed, so I'd say yes.
I guess a pre-existing relationship wouldn't be bad either. Naughty Dog's amazing at doing that stuff.
I guess I just want to see the beginning of the relationship, like Joel and Ellie. I don't want some random character be introduced out of nowhere in the beginning and right off the bat be the most important person in Ellie's life. Not that it would be bad, I just want to see it come to life, you know what I mean?
I would say its a problem for those properties as well.
Granted, from what i know of the Witcher, while it has prominent progressive females as well, but so many times, due to the medieval gritty nature of the game series, females are treated like sex objects for men and little else and generally speaking is off putting to myself. Witcher 3 is much more of step in the right direction as it features less of that and more empowerment in other ways.
007 is much less nuanced and in that its just a male power fantasy of a man getting a bunch of women into his bed and society being molded with the expectation that such a thing means he's a badass and worth something, when if it was a woman in his position, she would be considered a whorebag or a slut. The same goes for Kratos, which is why i'm glad they are redoing him in a much less dudebro and much more nuanced individual focused on emotional resonance.
I think there are far more important issues at hand for social progressive ideology than trying to see whether gay relationships or straight relationships can be more regressive in their overtly stereotypical aspects.
Why does something gay have to feel 'natural' when some of the romance crammed into video game stories don't produce an ounce of emotion.
That analogy really really really doesn't work.
You're going way out of your way to say "I hope her sexuality is written well," when that's a standard that literally every element of every game is held to, so I'm not sure why the qualifier in this instance was necessary.