Why don't Asian made games have character options for Asian features?

funconn

So, I want to play an MMO I won't list. BTW,  I am Asian. This MMO has Asian style art but none of the character creation options look Asian. WTF is that? I want to make my character look like me. I don't really have this problem with western made MMO's like SWTOR. There are options for Asian, Black and Caucasian appearance for your character. Why don't Asian MMO's have this too?

Dibdabs

They seem fascinated by effeminate-looking  Western male characters and females that look like teen-age schoolgirl hookers.

Retired

 

Have fun playing Archeage.

Thane

not sure, but i actually thought aion had some good "asian looking" options. also blade and soul has some quite asian chars imo.

usualy that changes if they "export" their games tho, removing asian options and adding more and more "western" ones.

Nyghthowler

Originally posted by Dibdabs
They seem fascinated by effeminate-looking  Western male characters and females that look like teen-age schoolgirl hookers.

^^^ This

Unless a game is specifically oriental in theme (i.e. Wushu) the characters almost always look generically Caucasian with at least one race that looks like a pre-pubescent girl wearing outfits that would make a hooker blush.

It comes down to accept it or don't play. The only game I can think of that totally redid their character models was EQ2 ( SOGA models ) .

vanderghast

It comes down to accept it or don't play. The only game I can think of that totally redid their character models was EQ2 ( SOGA models ) .

 

It was almost a contest which models were worse, the originals or the SOGA models.  The original models were pretty bad in most cases but those soga ones?  wow.....

koboldfodder

TV, magazines and especially movies are dominated on a global scale by America and what we would call American style.  It has been that way since the 50s.  You truly do not get a sense of it unless you go to a foreign country, where you will see America's influence everywhere.

 

Eventually that creates an entire sub culture of it's own, and you end up with an entire different social mind set.  It's okay to look ethnic....but not too ethnic.  You see it in this country as well with Asian Americans on TV News Casts getting cosmetic surgery on their eyes.  Ever wonder why national TV newscasters speak without any hint of an accent?  Because that is what their producers want.

 

American cultural ideals really took root in Asia after WWII, especially in Japan but really all over Asia.  Just look at all the fashion magazines.

Nyghthowler

Originally posted by vanderghast

It comes down to accept it or don't play. The only game I can think of that totally redid their character models was EQ2 ( SOGA models ) .

 

It was almost a contest which models were worse, the originals or the SOGA models.  The original models were pretty bad in most cases but those soga ones?  wow.....

I wasn't trying to imply that the SOGA were better, just that its the only one I could think of that totally redid the models after release.

IMO, each set has their flaws. The originals looked like Claymation with oddly lumpy faces. The SOGA are totally generic with less control of features settings via the creation sliders.

ghorgos

Because the ideal asion character in asian countries means to shift several features into the caucasion direction(especially eyes and complexion) instead of focusing on the typical asian features.

Jemcrystal

OP is not being racist.  Racism is saying hurtful hateful things.  Pointing out we have genetic physical differences is not being hateful.  Those differences are beautiful and enjoyable and only an idiot would go around pretending we all look the same.  

 

There are many more racial appearances than just Asian and Western.  Mediterranean and Hawaiian are often left out of the character creation mix.  I personally dream of a game with such detailed character creation that we could represent any real life or imaged race.  Why limit character creation in mmo's at all?  They do seem to lean toward the Germanic Anglo Saxon fantasy (not realist - no freckles or blotchiness or redface or stumpyness).

 

MMO's with Asian face templates don't  have much else.  I want to see a mixture of both.  The last visually Asian mmorpg I remember everyone buzzing about was Age of Wushu.

SamuraiXIV

OP you are Asian complaining about Asian game companies??? Go to those game companies complain in Asian lol

Aeander

I've heard it explained as such:

 

Asian characters (in games and especially anime) tend to resemble Caucasians more than Asians in order to increase visual variety. There is a perceived low variety in Asian hair and facial features, and, as such, they tend to focus on adding variety through Caucasian facial features, various unrealistic hair styles and hair colors, and outlandish clothing. 

MMOExposed

Originally posted by funconn
So, I want to play an MMO I won't list. BTW,  I am Asian. This MMO has Asian style art but none of the character creation options look Asian. WTF is that? I want to make my character look like me. I don't really have this problem with western made MMO's like SWTOR. There are options for Asian, Black and Caucasian appearance for your character. Why don't Asian MMO's have this too?

It's because Asians are cousins of Caucasians. In fact, in the USA the Asian community went to federal court to be classified as CAUCASIANS but lost! So it makes a bit of sense that many Asian developers are comfortable seeing themselves as "White" like Europeans are. 

MMOExposed

Originally posted by Jemcrystal

OP is not being racist.  Racism is saying hurtful hateful things.  Pointing out we have genetic physical differences is not being hateful.  Those differences are beautiful and enjoyable and only an idiot would go around pretending we all look the same.  

 

There are many more racial appearances than just Asian and Western.  Mediterranean and Hawaiian are often left out of the character creation mix.  I personally dream of a game with such detailed character creation that we could represent any real life or imaged race.  Why limit character creation in mmo's at all?  They do seem to lean toward the Germanic Anglo Saxon fantasy (not realist - no freckles or blotchiness or redface or stumpyness).

 

MMO's with Asian face templates don't  have much else.  I want to see a mixture of both.  The last visually Asian mmorpg I remember everyone buzzing about was Age of Wushu.

Racism is thinking you are superior because of race.

flizzer

Since I have started gaming Ive come to understand there is a different Asian/Eastern aesthetic. That does not mean it is wrong.  Westerners may feel uncomfortable with many of the choices but they are not trying to please the Western audience.  I do generally avoid Eastern oriented games. Now ArcheAge, the latest big name game in the mix, is being handled by Trion and they are trying to give AA a facelift for a Western audience. It remains to be seen how well they accomplish that task. 

SamuraiXIV

Originally posted by MMOExposed

Originally posted by Jemcrystal

OP is not being racist.  Racism is saying hurtful hateful things.  Pointing out we have genetic physical differences is not being hateful.  Those differences are beautiful and enjoyable and only an idiot would go around pretending we all look the same.  

 

There are many more racial appearances than just Asian and Western.  Mediterranean and Hawaiian are often left out of the character creation mix.  I personally dream of a game with such detailed character creation that we could represent any real life or imaged race.  Why limit character creation in mmo's at all?  They do seem to lean toward the Germanic Anglo Saxon fantasy (not realist - no freckles or blotchiness or redface or stumpyness).

 

MMO's with Asian face templates don't  have much else.  I want to see a mixture of both.  The last visually Asian mmorpg I remember everyone buzzing about was Age of Wushu.

Racism is thinking you are superior because of race.

Really? If you don't believe you are superior but you hate the other races you are not racist?

MMOExposed

Originally posted by SamuraiXIV

Originally posted by MMOExposed

Originally posted by Jemcrystal

OP is not being racist.  Racism is saying hurtful hateful things.  Pointing out we have genetic physical differences is not being hateful.  Those differences are beautiful and enjoyable and only an idiot would go around pretending we all look the same.  

 

There are many more racial appearances than just Asian and Western.  Mediterranean and Hawaiian are often left out of the character creation mix.  I personally dream of a game with such detailed character creation that we could represent any real life or imaged race.  Why limit character creation in mmo's at all?  They do seem to lean toward the Germanic Anglo Saxon fantasy (not realist - no freckles or blotchiness or redface or stumpyness).

 

MMO's with Asian face templates don't  have much else.  I want to see a mixture of both.  The last visually Asian mmorpg I remember everyone buzzing about was Age of Wushu.

Racism is thinking you are superior because of race.

Really? If you don't believe you are superior but you hate the other races you are not racist?

Racism is systematic . You are thinking a bigot 

Ergload

As an American living in the Philippines, I can testify there is an obsession in Asian culture with appearing "white", from whitening creams and lotions to glutathione pills. They carry umbrellas in the sunlight so they don't tan just walking around outside. The sales-ladies at department stores wear so much whitening makeup, they look like Twilight vampires.

Here, dark skin = "ugly". If you watch Filipino movies you'll hear things like "Oh Maria, you're so dark, you'll never get married!". I can't speak for Korea, Japan, China, etc, but they appear to have the same concepts.

 

I'd imagine this culture of appearing more "western" carries over into their MMO culture too.