339 réponses à ce sujet

[YourFunnyUncle]

So far the darker-skinned characters we've had (whose family history we know) all had some connection to the warm northern countries (Tevinter, Rivain and Antiva) and as the games were set in the colder South, there was at least a lore reason for them to be in the minority.

If the next game is set in Tevinter as Trespasser suggests, then that excuse will be gone. I'd expect more companions (depending slightly on the story setup) and certainly the majority of NPCs to be dark-skinned. We shall see...

[Xilizhra]

So far the darker-skinned characters we've had (whose family history we know) all had some connection to the warm northern countries (Tevinter, Rivain and Antiva) and as the games were set in the colder South, there was at least a lore reason for them to be in the minority.

If the next game is set in Tevinter as Trespasser suggests, then that excuse will be gone. I'd expect more companions (depending slightly on the story setup) and certainly the majority of NPCs to be dark-skinned. We shall see...

Tevinter NPCs that we've seen so far appear to include slightly more pale people than dark people, though the mix is certainly more even than it is elsewhere in Thedas.

[GoldenGail3]

Tevinter NPCs that we've seen so far appear to include slightly more pale people than dark people, though the mix is certainly more even than it is elsewhere in Thedas.

Blood Magic!

[TEWR]

She's black but not black enough? I see how it is....

 

That's twisting my words around.

 

I'm not saying Isabela's not black enough. I'm saying that the media portrayals of black women are notoriously skewed to have the people like Lupita Nyongo or Danai Gurira -- in terms of their skin tone -- depicted as mistresses to someone or unromanceable but portrayals of black women such as Halle Berry and others (with a lighter skin tone) are given better treatment, because media tends to say "the darker the skin, the less lovable they are". 

 

The point is that it says to people with skin tones like Vivienne -- the really dark skin tones -- that they're never anything more then second-rate or unlovable. And that's not a message you want to send to anyone.

[TEWR]

So far the darker-skinned characters we've had (whose family history we know) all had some connection to the warm northern countries (Tevinter, Rivain and Antiva) and as the games were set in the colder South, there was at least a lore reason for them to be in the minority.

If the next game is set in Tevinter as Trespasser suggests, then that excuse will be gone. I'd expect more companions (depending slightly on the story setup) and certainly the majority of NPCs to be dark-skinned. We shall see...

 

I see very little reason for them to be in the minority considering countries tend to trade. 

 

**** even Kirkwall was lore-wise stated to be a commercial hub where you could see people from every nation there. And yet DAII did a ******-poor job of showing that, but the lore is still the same.

[GoldenGail3]

That's twisting my words around.
 
I'm not saying Isabela's not black enough. I'm saying that the media portrayals of black women are notoriously skewed to have the people like Lupita Nyongo or Danai Gurira -- in terms of their skin tone -- depicted as mistresses to someone or unromanceable but portrayals of black women such as Halle Berry and others (with a lighter skin tone) are given preferential treatment, because media tends to say "the darker the skin, the less lovable they are".

You should go look at past posts; Vivienne is based off a white woman.

[TEWR]

You should go look at past posts; Vivienne is based off a white woman.

 

You should watch the video where it was stated that originally what they did was go with a rough draft of a concept -- female mage in position of political power as Empress' advisor -- and the concept artists drew a white, blonde-haired woman. But that didn't fly with everyone because it seemed to be the same as Anora so they changed her skin tone to black and THEN started fleshing out her character -- because then the character was assigned.

 

It was "person" then "character", NOT the reverse. From what I recall, Gaider pointedly said that they don't just swap skin tones on a character after they've already been developed -- because really that wouldn't work in the first place.

 

Which means that Vivienne being a Mistress came after she was given to Mary Kirby

[GoldenGail3]

You should watch the video where it was stated that originally what they did was go with a rough draft of a concept -- female mage in position of political power as Empress' advisor -- and the concept artists drew a white, blonde-haired woman. But that didn't fly with everyone because it seemed to be the same so they changed her skin tone to black and THEN started fleshing out her character -- because then the character was assigned.

It was "person" then "character", NOT the reverse.

Which means that Vivienne being a Mistress came after she was given to Mary Kirby

So doesn't that mean that Vivienne's skin color has nothing to do with this? After all, she was based off a white woman, lol.

[TEWR]

I think you need to reread that again because if you fail to see how race came into play then the point flew so far over your head it's now heading into outer space.

[GoldenGail3]

I think you need to reread that again because if you fail to see how race came into play then the point flew so far over your head it's now heading into outer space.

No, I did. You said she was based of a white woman but they changed her skin color. So what's the problem, there, exactly? And I image Vivienne would be the same person if she was white.... So it makes very little difference.

[YourFunnyUncle]

I see very little reason for them to be in the minority considering countries tend to trade. 

 

**** even Kirkwall was lore-wise stated to be a commercial hub where you could see people from every nation there. And yet DAII did a ******-poor job of showing that, but the lore is still the same.

I do agree that the first two games did a poorer job, but in DAI we do see a fair few darker-skinned NPCs dotted around. Trade is what means that there are darker-skinned people there at all, but still one would expect them to be in a minority in Ferelden, Orlais and even Kirkwall. Not so in Tevinter. There it should be the inverse.

[AedanStarfang]

I probably would never romance her anyway even if she were available given her personality and attitude, it would most likely be solely to elevate herself by getting closer to the Inquisitor. 

[YourFunnyUncle]

Tevinter NPCs that we've seen so far appear to include slightly more pale people than dark people, though the mix is certainly more even than it is elsewhere in Thedas.

Well... I understand that Tevinter is supposed to be something like India in terms of climate and how people look, and that country has people with a whole spectrum of skin tones from quite pale to as dark as any sub-Saharan African.

[Jedi Master of Orion]

I believe most Tevinters we've seen are white. And David Gaider said that eastern Tevinters (like Dorian) are darker skinned.

[BaaBaaBlacksheep]

That's twisting my words around.
 
I'm not saying Isabela's not black enough. I'm saying that the media portrayals of black women are notoriously skewed to have the people like Lupita Nyongo or Danai Gurira -- in terms of their skin tone -- depicted as mistresses to someone or unromanceable but portrayals of black women such as Halle Berry and others (with a lighter skin tone) are given better treatment, because media tends to say "the darker the skin, the less lovable they are". 
 
The point is that it says to people with skin tones like Vivienne -- the really dark skin tones -- that they're never anything more then second-rate or unlovable. And that's not a message you want to send to anyone.

Whoop! There it is!