Thoughts and perspective on racial bonuses.

http://community.playstarbound.com/index.php?threads/racial-differences-why-not.50779/#post-1504392

Pretty big thread with a bunch of people split into two camps. Lots of good reasoning in there.

 

I think some of us do just want reskins. This isnt an ARPG where you build up different classes. I dont want to be forced to play or not play as a character because of bonuses. The character choice should be purely aesthetic.

 

Race is the taxonomic principle of grouping living things based on common heredity, physical attributes, and behavior, and where all members belong to the same species yet appear to warrant further classification.

Species are members of the same category of organisms that can produce fertile offspring.
For example Horse and a Donkey can together produce a Mule, but Mules are sterile, thus Horse and Donkey are not of the same species.

Breeds are a stock of animals or plants within a species having a distinctive appearance and typically having been developed by deliberate selection.
All dogs are of the same species, cause they can all produce fertile offspring. However they are different in appearance and the offspring will inherit the traits of both parents.

Hope that clears things up a bit more.

 

Making any form of parallel between different races in fantasy or sci-fi, and eugenics, skin color, etc... is irrelevant. These fictional universes are based on the idea that multiple races, different species, have evolved, and been able to form civilizations. Since these are different species, it makes a lot more sense that they have different traits; and these traits are not only logical, but they strengthen the ludo-narrative bond, giving them a real value in the game. There is no arguing that birds can fly, apes can climb, robots aren't waterproof, and flowers need sun. And by the way, the only thing that comes close to being relevant in your statement is the fact that stereotyping the personalities of different races in a fantasy universe is an oversimplification, and isn't interesting; but that criticism doesn't apply to sandbox games like Starbound, as you can choose every aspect of your character's personality through your actions, thus making your entire pseudo-philosophical statement completely worthless.

 

Because suggesting that all fish can swim and all birds can fly is racist, and following those stereotypes makes us a bad as Hitler?

Obviously I'm exaggerating what you said, but I think you are reading way too much into it.

 

Do you really feel absolutely compelled to make choices based on minor bonuses that a species may or may not have?

Most people aren't suggesting vast sweeping changes, but it feels awkward for some people when you can play as species as wildly different as apes, birds, robots, and plants, but have them feel 100% identical, it messes with immersion and suspension of disbelief.

 

Essentially, the idea that different species are different is raciss. Everyone can agree that dobermans are a better breed at guarding and collies are better at herding, but ask for differences between humans and elves, or plant people and bird people, and suddenly raciss. We're not even talking about about breeds/races/subspecies here, but entirely different species.

Furthermore, Nazis!

The more a word is frivolously used, the more it loses its power.

Political correctness has no place here. Take it to the real world.

Racial bonuses are tied to armour sets.

 

You aren't forced to do anything and giving a race certain bonuses still wouldn't hinder you from playing how you want to play.

If there were racial disadvantages then it would be more apt to force you to play as a certain race to avoid negatives but I'm not for disadvantages I'm for racial bonuses.

 

And why are the racial armors not enough then?

 

I don't understand the reason for this topic at all. Tolkien invented the popular elves and dwarves, but really they come from Norse mythology and maybe even from further back then that.

Unless we are talking perfect clones, if you compare two person,s be it huamns or aliens or whatever, they will most likely be different in some ways. One is better at sports then the other, whatever. Saying this is not prejudiced, it is a testable fact. It only becomes prejudiced if you infer that one is generally superior then the other based on their performance in whatever you measured.

On the topic of starbound, would it make sense for all the different races to get different perks? Yes it would. Does it work form a game design perspective thou? It can, but it would be hard. You can be sure that, with 6 races, one of the perks would be viewed as the best and people would make characters only for the perk. You would also openm yourself to futire peoblems. Say one of the perks is cold resistance. Seems useful, right? But everyone can craft snow armor, so how useful is it really? Say one of the perks is breathing underwater. Seems useful too, right? Then why is there no craftable or findable scuba gear? Theres snow armor, so we want scuba gear!

The racial armors in Starboundare an elegant solution to this problem. Everyone can wear any armor, so can get any perk, but to craft it yourself you need to find the recipes. You can work around this of course, specially in multiplayer, but that does not cheapen the system. You can also never have more then one racial perk.

 

I'm way too baked to drive to the devil's house.

 

Species.. if it was going to be anything it would be speciesism..

Any true Trekky will be able to relate to you the difference. When you are talking about a single species, and races within that set, then trying to define one of those sub-sets as being inferior, thats dangerouse and ignint.

If you are talking about species of creature that evolved completely differently or even on other worlds, no it is completely obvious that they would have different traits, strengths and weaknesses.
It isn't about different races of the species, its not like when you change the base colour of your character they gain/diminish intelligence.

Anyway, whilst I can respect the OPs underlying idea, I feel it may be a little overboard.

 

I already said this in another topic but they could also add the ability to craft what I'm calling a gene splicer.
This would allow characters to either gain or change race bonuses.
Eg a Floran could start with solar power but use the gene splicer to grow leafy wings and gain the Avian bonus.

 

I'd prefer racial bonuses to be minor, but give a slight edge to certain races based on the type of environment they're in, and how certain mechanics work.

 

An elegant sidestep of the problem, you mean. Deciding not to face an issue because it may be troublesome can be commendable, but I don't agree that this particular problem can't be solved in a balanced and entertaining fashion.

Basically, I'd just like for the species to feel different, and not like people wearing funny costumes, currently there is no difference between a human wearing an ape costume and an apex, and there should be.

 

QFT.
But to address the "racism" in fantasy and sci-fi genres, it's put there intentionally as a way to connect a world very different from our own and give us some similarities. I personally think the The Witcher books/games and the Dragon Age universe would be extremely boring if everyone got along and there was a harmonious society.
Even in other cultures' fantasy lore/mythology there's hardly a point of peace and prosperity for very long between the fantastical beings.

 

But they do. The armors you craft will grant you a bonus unique to that race, unless you happen to stumble over blueprints for other races.
So since you have to make armors, you'll have the racial bonus for your race, by default. It's just not permanent, can be exchanged, and has some requirements.
In my opinion, this is much better for balance, since every perk can be gained in theory, even though you start out limited to a specific one, for your own race.

 

I would also like to see this, in fact. however I cannot come up with a list of 7 (Novakid will also be in th game at some point) perks that would not cause people to scream imbalance. If you can do it, do it Then we can both demand that it be added to the game.

I also find your idea of a human wearing an ape costume and passing himself off as an apex to be racist. Why sir, you should know damn well that apes and apex have very little in common save their inherent good looks! Both also go well with ketchup, but really what doesn't?

 

Wtf am I reading.

Really? There is no way you're serious.

Did you compare being a fish who can breathe underwater to the Nazis?

 

I agree, that's the main problem I see. Balance. I'm not opposed to racial boni, but it seems impossible in a game like this to get balanced perks. Which is why interchangable armor sets are better in my opinion.