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8:17 pm
December 18, 2010
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cheesepoof
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Post edited 8:18 pm – December 18, 2010 by cheesepoof
Hi, I'd like you to consider changing the name of the "gypsy" character to "sorcerer", "mage", "blinky shooty", "cat lady", or whatever. Although the term gypsy isn't widely known to be politically incorrect, among the real life Roma people it is largely considered a pejorative term, inseparable from hundreds of years of negative stereotypes (exactly those possessed by your villain–pickpocketing, magic, sneakiness, etc). The Roma have a long history of persecution–like genocide by the Nazis in WWII and sterilization of women in Czechoslovakia in the 70s–and visitors to any Eastern European country can quickly find that prejudice intensely alive today.
I'm sure you mean nothing at all by this–your game's tongue in cheek, I get it–but that's exactly why this real nastiness doesn't fit at all. It's really no different than including a greedy storekeeper* or money lender with a Semitic qualities. It's just left a bad taste in my mouth and I felt I should say something since no one has mentioned it.
More about the Roma, for anyone thinking I'm a wet blanket.
http://www.romarights.net/v2/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R…..ani_people
* nothing against a working store in an update ;)
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11:36 pm
December 18, 2010
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Keith Burgun
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Honestly we've been kicking this idea around for some time. We had only 1 complaint about it though in six months. This now makes two.
We're not referring to the Roma people, we're referring to the fantasy archetype by the same name, but I do understand the issue, and we'll see about changing it for the next version.
We're thinking of calling her "Charlatan".
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2:04 am
December 19, 2010
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jamie
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I have to agree with cheesepoof. Charlatan works for me!
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3:48 pm
December 30, 2010
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cheesepoof
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Thanks Keith, I really appreciate your reply. I like "charlatan" too–and it goes with the odd 1800's / steampunk vibe (robot cowboys, etc)!
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9:38 pm
January 24, 2011
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soulgatex
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Good point.
The change sounds good.
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7:40 am
January 25, 2011
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JohnyR82
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Well, considering they are magic characters, the change might be ok. But if they were just melee opponents, I wouldn't be so sure. I suppose there are some stereotypes that are just "generally used" (sometimes based on truth, sometimes fabricated), and there is no reason to be overly-careful about everything.
You know, guys with dreadlocks are smoking weed, nomadic gypsies are thieves, Jewish people are greedy, Mexicans are lazy (and illegal), Muslims are terrorists, government is evil.. I mean come on. We hear it every day and we surely have our own opinion on this. There is no need to make a mountain out of a molehill.
In other words, there is no need to exaggerate each and every aspect that is not (even remotely) compliant to some twisted ideas of absolute inviolability of everything and everybody. (e.g. these two pixels are boobies, the game is PORN! These characters might offend someone, the game is HARMFUL! And of course, there is no warning "Do not put iPhone with this game to a microwave oven!", so we might SUE YOU!)
Anyway, Charlatan is fine.. or maybe a Witch.. or Augur.. or Medium.. :)
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7:44 am
December 9, 2011
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Bloodbread
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| New Member | posts 2 |
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Enemy characters are still called "Gypsy". And I was just wondering, u are not gonna change that?
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