Request: Quasi-African Representation

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Kambrius, Jul 9, 2014.

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  1. Kambrius

    Kambrius Avatar

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    Disclaimer: This is not a race-baiting thread nor is this a thread about whether SotA is a western European medieval fantasy game or not. Nor is this meant to be a discussion of whether people of color should or should not be represented proportionally to that of the U.S., Europe, or the rest of the world; nor is this about the racial representation of gamers. You can discuss these things if you like, but this disclaimer is to make known what my intent for this thread is or is not. Moving along...

    With the Asian flair being introduced in terms of architecture and theme for Ardonis, I wanted to place a request for a quasi-African settlement that would exist in Novia (perhaps tied to some virtue). Something like an ancient Carthage that combines West-African oral storytelling techniques (with elders teaching the younger generation and visitors about their culture), traditional African musical instruments, pan-African foods, clothing styles, etc. I think it would enrich the greater storytelling experience of the game and maybe even introduce creatures based upon ancient African pantheons.
     
  2. Ronan

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    Let's see Stephen create us houses like this.
     
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  3. Kambrius

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    Why not?

    I found this pic for Carthage:

    [​IMG]

    Maybe I should wait for Time Lord to flood the thread with images...;)
     
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  4. Ashlynn [Pax]

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    While I am all for seeing some interesting cultures in the game it depends where and how they are done. There is already a lack of unity just with the traditional medieval stuff where we have early modern smock windmills next to 8th century viking-like longhouses next to something built by Nikolai Tesla (or it could be mistaken for a big modern water tower!). There's this real danger of just having a huge hodge podge of random cultures thrown in together with the end result being a big inconsistent mess with no unifying theme or aesthetic.

    On a side note Carthaginian culture isn't african. =P
     
  5. Lord Baldrith

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    Perhaps there could be areas that are cultural that only allow that theme to be placed...Kind of limiting but can't think of another way to keep things consistant :)
     
  6. Myrcello

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  7. Kambrius

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    I know it's Polynesian Phoenician (stupid quick draw fingers). I was not referring to Carthaginian culture, just a city like Carthage.

    I know additional continents have been mentioned as well for subsequent episodes too.

    As far as inconsistency, I don't think it's a problem if things like climate, natural resources available, etc. dictate the harmony between style and functionality. If those factors are taken into account and mingled with elements of a made up quasi-African culture, I think it could work well especially if there isn't a stark contrast of walking in from a Western European settlement setting into this type of setting. I think transition zones between cultures are important and can highlight hybridization due to migration, trade, cultural transmission, etc.
     
  8. Nemo Herringwary

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    Assuming the map as we know it is all the landmass on the world might be questionable, as later Episodes may very well add more... I'd be tempted to say we're dealing only with an island at present, a continent at best, so widely varied cultures might not be expected. However I would like to see more support to the idea that the Outsiders are coming from all over our real Earth, and more cultural artefacts to express that. But not specifically "African" cities; similar styles yes, as the current is a sort of pseudo-Medieval European but with a twist, convergent evolution rather than "Earth With A False Moustache On". Indeed, it might be more amusing to see African architecture with a higher level of technology because on New Britannia the people near the equator/deserts could use the harsher sunlight to boil water and went steampunk quicker... something to shake up the parallels between worlds. But absolutely themes and ways that make peoples from other cultures here feel like they can come through the same gate to the same place.
     
  9. dp_dropout

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    Say what? :eek:
     
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  10. Kambrius

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    Sorry Phoenecian...
     
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  11. dp_dropout

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    Good ;)
     
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  12. smack

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    This would only be explained by avatars migrating to/from New Britannia throughout millennia. And we see that with the regional cultures that have sprung up across Novia during that time. The problem is with our disruptive entry into Novia that will drastically change the cultural identity of those cities because we're allowed to build anywhere with anything.

    I'm frequently reminded of this quote from the original Kickstarter video:

    3. Craft logically constructed, internally consistent and socially relevant stories.

    Third, we're crafting logically constructed, internally consistent, socially relevant stories for the player to explore. This makes it easy to suspend your disbelief and feel that the world is a real place which we can explore together.

    When you let tens of thousands of avatars migrate simultaneously into this new world, and you allow them to instantly build a house wherever and however, the suspension of disbelief and enjoyment of exploring a "new world" are essentially diluted. All you see are reminders of modernity upon initial entry, rather than experiencing that diversification over time. But yes, with the 5-episode story arc, we sort of do experience that, which gets to the following well-made point:

    This diversification and hybridization of cultures will be very interesting to see (and experience) as the episodic storytelling progresses and new lands and new cultures are revealed. What "footprint" was left by previous avatars over a millennia of New Britannian history, and what "footprint" will we, as the newly arrived ones, will leave throughout the next set of episodes? Given the popularity of player towns, I suspect us to have a greater impact, far faster and greater than New Britannia has ever seen.
     
  13. Time Lord

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    "Race and Cultural Proximity"
    I would like to point out something I found fascinating about the area of Thailand where I live...
    All of these "and more" are different tribes of people and consider themselves a different race than the other.
    Yet this tribes have existed within 100 miles from each other and some as close as 20 miles from each other for 100's of years that are known and 1000's of years in historical speculation. Some of these tribes that I have seen here that are not depicted, display a different nose very similar to the Aztecs, while others display a more flat nose and some the button nose... but there is no doubting there many different styles and I am told that most do not marry outside their tribe because of cultural clashes, which they consider race related as well as cultural related.
    I point this out here, because it would be very similar to have such things as race styled cities in close proximity to those of different racial flavor, customs and styles.
    I do wish for a very divers land, with many different cultures and races everywhere!
    ~Time Lord~:rolleyes:
     
  14. Biblik

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    For player cities I would fully expect for the governors / city Councillors to implement themes to maintain consistent in the designs used. For the open city lots there are going to be hodge podges I am sure but there are probably going to be silly things as well like you would find in a bazaar.

    Inevitably someone is going to draw cartoons on the ground or something on their lot.
     
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