Ged is an insulting caricature - edit : I was having a bad day

[Lord_Farsight]

EDIT : You guys can stop commenting, I was having a really bad day and had faced several cases of content insulting France and French people on that day, so that colored my understanding. In short, it was bad luck, I got to Ged on a ♥♥♥♥♥♥ day that brought me down and it colored my understanding of the character. Also, to the one that said "go strike" like it was a smart rebutal and to the one that said "this is why no one likes French", people like you are the reason I was having a bad day. I hope all your socks are always moist.

I am French, and I tend to be wary whenever a French/faux-French/French accented character appears in anglophone media due to how we tend to be represented there. I also tend to consume non-French media in English for ease of communication with other people, which is in part why I am far too often exposed to the anglosphere clichés about France.

When Ged popped up, I was a bit iffy, but I could simply tell myself it was a meme'd up version and push past. The second quest though ... I can only describe Ged's behaviour as actively insulting. I have tried to give this depiction the benefit of the doubt, but there is simply no way. And it retroactively recasts his entire behaviour.

Here you have a French-accented character who is overly flirty, thirsts after every woman he encounters and uses incel logic. The fact that he bellowed a loud exclamation of "SEX!" for a non-voiced line really pushes way, way, way past all semblance of meme.

At this point, just go all out and have him molest a yakmel to really go for the Victorian era racist caricature about France.

And to clarify, the above is the tempered version of my comment. My initial reaction was much more intense and far less polite. I am appaled and profoundly insulted.

I've been following Pathea since My Time at Portia was in early access, and I would have offered more support if I had the financial ressources at the time. Now I am questioning a lot of things.

I am, once again, shocked and appaled, and profoundly insulted. I expected better from you.

[Anonymous Helper]

Originally posted by Lord_Farsight:

I am French, and I tend to be wary whenever a French/faux-French/French accented character appears in anglophone media

The developers are Chinese though so it's Chinese depiction of a French person.

[Lord_Farsight]

Originally posted by Anonymous Helper:

The developers are Chinese though so it's Chinese depiction of a French person. :lunar2020thinkingtiger:

1) There is the possibility that this is the result of localization

2) I am aware the developper is Chinese, this does not excuse the use of insulting clichés

[Harris]

I found writing in general falls off a cliff especially in the second half of the story, and starts to be 100% carried by memes. It's as if the writers suddenly felt the unbearable urge to constantly reference something. From a certain point in the story I started to notice that every single quest title is a pun / reference. "Fall from Grace" - ha, ha. "Let's School" - okay, Pathea, there was no need for advertisement. At this point the game becomes, like OP said, a caricature.

Furthermore, I found many characters insufferable in the opening hours. Amirah with her thirsty fans plot giving me -5 relationship for offering "free help"; Justice giving my reward to a cat; Yan expecting me to build fast travel network for free; and to add insult to injury, Unsuur making advances on me even though I'm playing as a male... I swear, together with how inhospitable the setting is with all the sandstorms and water shortages, I really wanted to drop the game there and then.

I think chasing the "3.29 times longer than Portia" is what led to this, the writers started to run out of juice halfway into it. In all honesty, this "sleeping beauty and 7 dwarves" thing was unnecessary and added nothing to the story. Same as the pixelhunting investigation and two bounty hunters in the midgame. Same as bringing back the Geeglers right near the story end. Same as building a ship. There are areas on the map which only exist to provide resources for 1 or 2 recipes. It's bloat, pure and simple.

[JVC]

I've seen French Sandrock players on the beta tester discord comment that they like Ged.

If you take offense at people finding French sounding English funny, never watch 'Allo 'Allo. The rest of Europe loved that comedy show. And it wasn't Victorian, it aired in 1982.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%27Allo_%27Allo!

[Pathetic]

Learn to take a joke when its obviously a joke. Youre choosing to be deeply insulted by what you admit is a classic stereotype.

I also think its hilarious you're calling it classic "anglosphere" racism when the developers are chinese.

[Aepervius]

Originally posted by Pathetic:

Learn to take a joke when its obviously a joke. Youre choosing to be deeply insulted by what you admit is a classic stereotype.

I also think its hilarious you're calling it classic "anglosphere" racism when the developers are chinese.

There is a fine line between a joke and a prejudice.
Pepe le pew was a joke - yet he is alaways thirsty for that black cat, but the surrounding hijink make up for it.
Ged... IMO go over the line.

[Lord_Farsight]

Originally posted by Aepervius:

There is a fine line between a joke and a prejudice.
Pepe le pew was a joke - yet he is alaways thirsty for that black cat, but the surrounding hijink make up for it.
Ged... IMO go over the line.

Exactly. The line is fine, and it can be difficult to see, but Ged is very much one dimensional and over that line. It could go back to being a meme, if a heavy handed and annoying one, if the horny hijinks were toned down.

[Ihateeverybody]

I can understand some peoples outrage. I had a similar reaction to the Slapstic Antics of putting a mop on Ack in Portia.

I have a Workshop that repairs Ancient Tech. Copper/Bronze Pipe and Plate (or more advanced Metal) would work better than a Mop.

It would take 10 minutes to get. Spot Welder and we are done.

That scene left a bad taste in my brain.

[Ghulmeister]

people should just relax and not get pissed about depicitions of a race in an imaginary world that has no actual parallels with real life.

[Lord_Farsight]

Originally posted by Ghulmeister:

people should just relax and not get pissed about depicitions of a race in an imaginary world that has no actual parallels with real life.

Counter point : I see this kind of depiction of France/French/French related people constantly. It's not a "depicitions of a race in an imaginary world that has no actual parallels with real life", it's the insulting and overwhelmingly common depiction of my people, my nation, in a game where I thought I would not have to put up with it.

This is real life insults making their way into my relaxation time.

[Harris]

Originally posted by Pathetic:

Learn to take a joke when its obviously a joke. Youre choosing to be deeply insulted by what you admit is a classic stereotype.

I also think its hilarious you're calling it classic "anglosphere" racism when the developers are chinese.

Isn't it what the kids call gaslighting this days? The fact "you're choosing not to be insulted" does not magically invalidate the feelings of others towards this.

French are really sensitive towards those things, what with their historical dislike of English and stuff. Chinese or not, this is not an excuse for ignorance, especially since it's super obvious Sandrock caters towards Western audience and they did their homework in terms of memes and all.

Originally posted by Ghulmeister:

people should just relax and not get pissed about depicitions of a race in an imaginary world that has no actual parallels with real life.

Right, imaginary world which just so happens to be modeled after modern America. Wild West setting, half the ladies are strong and independent businesswomen - one of them Arabic with British accent whose questline revolves around sexual harrassment; another has dark skin AND short hair dyed purple. Same-sex relationships considered the norm and even forced on the player. No parallels at all?

A French-speaking mole makes about as much sense in Sandrock as Burgess' "Mic drop!" line, which is exactly none. That's really the whole point - they ditched the logic and lore in an attempt to entertain, but this attempts comes off as forced and tryhard at best.

[Pathetic]

Originally posted by Harris:

Originally posted by Pathetic:

Learn to take a joke when its obviously a joke. Youre choosing to be deeply insulted by what you admit is a classic stereotype.

I also think its hilarious you're calling it classic "anglosphere" racism when the developers are chinese.

Isn't it what the kids call gaslighting this days? The fact "you're choosing not to be insulted" does not magically invalidate the feelings of others towards this.

French are really sensitive towards those things, what with their historical dislike of English and stuff. Chinese or not, this is not an excuse for ignorance, especially since it's super obvious Sandrock caters towards Western audience and they did their homework in terms of memes and all.

Originally posted by Ghulmeister:

people should just relax and not get pissed about depicitions of a race in an imaginary world that has no actual parallels with real life.

Right, imaginary world which just so happens to be modeled after modern America. Wild West setting, half the ladies are strong and independent businesswomen - one of them Arabic with British accent whose questline revolves around sexual harrassment; another has dark skin AND short hair dyed purple. Same-sex relationships considered the norm and even forced on the player. No parallels at all?

A French-speaking mole makes about as much sense in Sandrock as Burgess' "Mic drop!" line, which is exactly none. That's really the whole point - they ditched the logic and lore in an attempt to entertain, but this attempts comes off as forced and tryhard at best.

No. Gaslighting is more when you are trying to tell someone they're crazy and delusional for thinking something on the basis that its not real.

If I were to say that Ged ISNT a french stereotype and he ISNT written to be a classic stereotype anf the OP is delusional for thinking so then I'd be gaslighting, but I didnt say that.

My tolerance for stereotyping is purely based on the context its being portrayed in. Sandrock does not take itself seriously at all despite multiple quite significant events happening. It is very rarely ever played off seriously. If Sandrock wasnt already chocked full of jokes and other stereotypes, and Ged stood out as this one stereotype I would be inclined to agree.

Again, if you single out this one stereotype because its about your nationality in particular and say "nope this is where I draw the line", you are choosing to be insulted.

[Puchbol]

Why doncha just go on strike or something?

[Adesanya]

Originally posted by Lord_Farsight:

Originally posted by Ghulmeister:

people should just relax and not get pissed about depicitions of a race in an imaginary world that has no actual parallels with real life.

Counter point : I see this kind of depiction of France/French/French related people constantly. It's not a "depicitions of a race in an imaginary world that has no actual parallels with real life", it's the insulting and overwhelmingly common depiction of my people, my nation, in a game where I thought I would not have to put up with it.

This is real life insults making their way into my relaxation time.

Welcome to the struggle of the African American. You have to see the humor in it. There is a point where Justice quotes The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and I am still seriously miffed at Will Smith ... but I didn't get mad. It wasn't racist to my mind, but I have over 50 years of living with it IRL in my country. I was more upset that anyone would dare to mention that poor abused man .... but ... hey, the game is incredible and the Fresh Prince reference didn't upset me.

Now that being said .... that the devs included a depiction of Mansa Musa ... even knew who he WAS ... that forgives damn near everything else Justice might have to say LOL

Just trying to help you by pointing out you're not the only one and the Chinese company meant no harm at all. Relax. It's all gravy, baby!

[Teyore]

Originally posted by Adesanya:

Originally posted by Lord_Farsight:

Counter point : I see this kind of depiction of France/French/French related people constantly. It's not a "depicitions of a race in an imaginary world that has no actual parallels with real life", it's the insulting and overwhelmingly common depiction of my people, my nation, in a game where I thought I would not have to put up with it.

This is real life insults making their way into my relaxation time.

Welcome to the struggle of the African American. You have to see the humor in it. There is a point where Justice quotes The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and I am still seriously miffed at Will Smith ... but I didn't get mad. It wasn't racist to my mind, but I have over 50 years of living with it IRL in my country. I was more upset that anyone would dare to mention that poor abused man .... but ... hey, the game is incredible and the Fresh Prince reference didn't upset me.

Now that being said .... that the devs included a depiction of Mansa Musa ... even knew who he WAS ... that forgives damn near everything else Justice might have to say LOL

Just trying to help you by pointing out you're not the only one and the Chinese company meant no harm at all. Relax. It's all gravy, baby!

It always goes back to the urban people, doesn't it.... It's like a weird internet chatroom rule at this point where people have to boast about their "suffering" being greater than the other guy/gal.