Originally Posted by Nyloth
Originally Posted by CJMPinger
Not to be that guy, but what is an example of a fantasy RPG, cRPGs especially, that doesn't have some politics or political stuff in it WHILE having a story and characters...? It is kinda a thing that is hard to avoid with writing longer stories, and even if something is not intended one can often read into subtext and find something political with anything?

Also this is extremely off topic.

There is a difference between game politics and real politics. (moderators will make a "bonk" for this theme Q_Q)

There are a lot of good games with politics, but it's a custom-made politics for this universe that has nothing to do with real world politics. And I don't like when these two things are mixed up, and when the real world is trying to be embedded in a fictional world, or when people are trying to see the real world in a fictional one.

One day I saw a discussion about slavery in Dragon Age, because it's bad "for the real world". I'm begging you... This is stupid.

In most games, of course, there will be political elements. Because in a well-designed universe, it should be, for a better understanding of how it works. But writers don't necessarily have to make this "politics" as in our world. When people complain about politics in games, they complain about the representation of REAL politics in a FICTIONAL world.

Sometimes it really is, and sometimes they just see what they want to see.

Eh, for me I am genuinely fine with them getting mixed up, even when I vehemently disagree with the politics shown. Also I find it hard to find a separation cause most often there is an overlap between game and real politics, cause most fictional stuff are not made in a vacuum. Thinking to Dragon Age, a lot of its stuff derives from real world issues or conflicts and people. I don't want to go into details of what real world issues, but a lot of things in Dragon Age are actually still relevant in parts of the world or are issues that are still in the cultural memory, and to me that actually grounds the world and makes it feel more real and engrossing. And often times, I actually disagree with some things in the game, but that actually means I am engaging with it more and making my own decisions and interpretations.

When political things become a problem is when they get too... ham fisted about it. When they try to treat the story like a moral and must teach people what is right, instead of letting it flow organically and letting the reader/player determine what is right or wrong. For me the presence is not the problem, just the handling. And even then, something hammy can work if it fits the scene or whatever.

But I think I'll stop here for now on this cause I do want to avoid getting into actual problematic territory.

Last edited by CJMPinger; 05/06/21 03:37 PM.