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More avatars representing people of colour

Would you like to have more avatars of colour in the game?

  • Yes

    Votes: 12 57.1%
  • No

    Votes: 9 42.9%

  • Total voters
    21
Status
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Proposal

Right now there are only a few avatars in the game that represent people of colour. This is not representative of the world we live in, or of the many famous people of colour throughout history. I propose to add more avatars of colour so that this imbalance is addressed.

Have you checked the forums for the same or similar idea

I have searched for similar ideas but could not find one.

Reason

As most people are aware by now, Black people, indigenous people, and people of colour don't get accurate representation in many areas of life. While we can't expect to fix these issues overnight, there is no reason for a fantasy game world to participate in injustice. The game only has 72 non-white avatars out of 380 total, including aging up, event avatars and avatars that are no longer available.

Screenshot from 2020-06-16 19-12-38.png


Details

There are many famous people in history who can be used as character portraits. I'll include a short list as examples.

- Sundiata Keita
- Oba Ewuare the Great
- Toussaint Louverture
- Alexandre Dumas
- Sojourner Truth
- Harriet Tubman
- Malcolm X
- Frederick Douglass
- Langston Hughes
- Maya Angelou
- James Baldwin
- Alexander Pushkin
- Sibylle Agrippina
- Queen Nanny
- Nganga Nzumbi
- Gabriel Prosser
- Jack Johnson
- Jesse Owens
- Usain Bolt
- Muhammad Ali
- Alice Coachman
- Ella Fitzgerald
- Louis Armstrong

These are famous African and African-American historical figures, but the same goes for Middle Eastern, South East Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American, or Indigenous Australian historical figures. There are plenty to choose from.
 
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DeletedUser

It certainly would provide any racists onboard with the ability to discriminate in FL and Guild. Would you also make lists for all racial groups? How about every tribe and religion while you're about it, don't they too deserve to be represented? Let's get some serious "outing" and segregation on the go.
 
It certainly would provide any racists onboard with the ability to discriminate in FL and Guild. Would you also make lists for all racial groups? How about every tribe and religion while you're about it, don't they too deserve to be represented? Let's get some serious "outing" and segregation on the go.

Your answer to combat racism is to make everyone look like they're white?

I don't think it works that way.
 

DeletedUser

My answer is more about: non-politicisation of the Game and Forum. Whilst you feel the need for Affirmative Action, I believe it could lead to that which I cautioned. I've never given a damn about colour, race religion or any other bloody minded nonsense.
Beware you don't provide weapons for your enemies: That was the meaning of my response, get it now? Or is it simply that you will brook no response other than those in total support? Avatars provide anonymity regardless of colour but, if you insist; how about 50 Avatars of each Racial/Colour Group extant in the World today?

Amendment: I disagree with everything you say and have voted against. Bringing politics, colour and race into the Forum and the Game is the act of an unscrupulous and divisory mentality. You must be resisted at all costs from introducing your poisons into a place of fun and relaxation.
 
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My answer is more about: non-politicisation of the Game and Forum. Whilst you feel the need for Affirmative Action, I believe it could lead to that which I cautioned. I've never given a damn about colour, race religion or any other bloody minded nonsense.
Beware you don't provide weapons for your enemies: That was the meaning of my response, get it now? Or is it simply that you will brook no response other than those in total support? Avatars provide anonymity regardless of colour but, if you insist; how about 50 Avatars of each Racial/Colour Group extant in the World today?
I will not vote on this, although I do not disagree.

Making almost all the avatars white is also a political choice, don't you agree? It's not about affirmative action, it's about challenging the idea that only a white avatar is somehow "neutral" or anonymous.

You forgot the LGBT Community. Don't they count?

Did you actually check how many avatars there are of people of colour, or are you just running along with the masses that tell you you should be outraged now?

I'm queer myself so no, I'm not "forgetting" the LGBT community. Queer people can recognise themselves in any number of avatars, of ALL skin colours.

I used the overview of character portraits on the FoE fandom wiki to count how many people of colour there were.
 

DeletedUser

No, I don't think the number of white avatars a political choice. I cannot see into the minds of the Devs and Designers, nor anyone else. Perhaps there is an evil conspiracy, who knows? Maybe there was consideration given in an attempt to avoid racial profiling and stereotyping accusations being levelled. There are no Burka-wearing avatars, nor Yarmulkes...How far do you wish this to go and, have you considered a negative use at all?
 

Agent327

Overlord
Making almost all the avatars white is also a political choice, don't you agree? It's not about affirmative action, it's about challenging the idea that only a white avatar is somehow "neutral" or anonymous.

It actually is a historical choice. Early ages are European based and that is the reason for the large number of white avatars. There were not that many black knights. Only one in a movie, but that was not historical correct. Even GB's are European oriented. That does not change till Industrial and from there the avatars also change.

I used the overview of character portraits on the FoE fandom wiki to count how many people of colour there were.

And you did not notice there are more famous coloured people than white people?
 

Agent327

Overlord
I think there should be a third choice for voting.
E.g.: "I don´t know" and/or "I leave it up to the developers"

Very short article. and apparently have not seen all the Avatars of the game.
[/URL]

Does anybody have a full FoE Avatar Collection or a place to see them all in one overview?.


View attachment 21305View attachment 21306View attachment 21307View attachment 21308View attachment 21309

Go to the fandom wiki and type "portraits" in the search.
 

DeletedUser117610

It is a sad state of affairs when privileged white players feel they can lecture a person of colour that ethnic diversity does not matter.

A quick perusal of the avatars reveals page after page of white faces. This is not a good representation of the world in which we live. It is not a political statement to say that people want to feel that the image they use to represent them in the game might somewhat reflect themselves.

In a time when people across the globe are marching to demand equality, it is absurd that keyboard warriors in this little corner feel they can make snide and sarcastic comments to diminish a very reasonable request for greater representation. Surely players can agree that greater diversity is a good thing. Yes it is just an icon, but that does not mean that you can tell other players that the way they are represented does not matter.

Surely it is a simple gesture of good will to vote in support of this idea and leave it to the developers to decide if they support diversity. My experience is that most Germans as especially sensitive to these issues given their history, and I would hope that our noble developers would fall on the right side of this discussion once the matter is brought to their attention, as it should be.
 

Kabiro

Private
I will start by pointing out that we all seem to agree that this is a simple request. It is a subtle matter, and one that is clearly of symbolic psychological significance to at least some of us, that one doesn't find many avatars that look like any other ethnicity aside from one. I don't think there were any nefarious intentions behind this having been the case, just as I feel there are likely no nefarious intentions on any side of this discussion.

So my question to everyone here is this: What does it "cost" to make the avatars more representational of the world we live in? What would we stand to give up by letting this proposal be considered by the development team? Even if some of us look at this as a trivial matter that doesn't warrant much contemplation, what is wrong with putting it forward for consideration? Clearly at least a couple people here seem to somehow be affected by it.

Your "yes" vote would simply make this be considered as a potential update in the future. It would not lead to any loss or harm to anyone. On the other hand, a "no" vote potentially sends the incorrect message that certain groups of people don't deserve to be heard or have their suggestions considered, and I don't think any of us want to send that message.
 
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Kabiro

Private
Those who have already voted, I urge you to please see if the message below changes your view in any way.

I will start by pointing out that we all seem to agree that this is a simple request. It is a subtle matter, and one that is clearly of symbolic psychological significance to at least some of us, that one doesn't find many avatars that look like any other ethnicity aside from one. I don't think there were any nefarious intentions behind this having been the case, just as I feel there are likely no nefarious intentions on any side of this discussion.

So my question to everyone here is this: What does it "cost" to make the avatars more representational of the world we live in? What would we stand to give up by letting this proposal be considered by the development team? Even if some of us look at this as a trivial matter that doesn't warrant much contemplation, what is wrong with putting it forward for consideration? Clearly at least a couple people here seem to somehow be affected by it.

Your "yes" vote would simply make this be considered as a potential update in the future. It would not lead to any loss or harm to anyone. On the other hand, a "no" vote potentially sends the incorrect message that certain groups of people don't deserve to be heard or have their suggestions considered, and I don't think any of us want to send that message.
 

DeletedUser113278

Come to think of it, I haven’t seen any black citizens, Asians or South American natives wandering around my city also... a storm trooper would also be a nice addition too..may as well tack that on :)
 
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