Any settings you find underutilized in games?

[Segata]

Natives. Native focused game that isn't white washed and/or focused on bows and arrows warriors and all that.Never Alone wasn't a good game but the idea of the game is awesome. Through the journey you get actual narration of that culture from an actual native of that culture. I'd love to see someone take something like that on again but make it fun to play. Maybe team the people behind Never Alone with the people who made Journey/Abzu.

I like this. Goes well with MrEco's point about mythology from cultures besides generic European mythology and Japanese. I don't know how much of a chance we would get with Native American culture though, I'm not sure if those folks would be willing to let their culture be lended like that, and the gaming industries record on dealing with culture is pretty bad all around unless the makers are from that culture, as you suggested.

Same with the Middle East suggestions. I would gladly welcome anything not related to modern wars over there. We do have a bit of that touched on thanks to RTS games and things such as CKII, but we could always use more.

Psychological stuff is an interesting one. If its handled with care, great. I do worry about someone not taking the proper care with it, as has been mentioned. I personally have a hard time visually imagining how that would work. I know that indie developers have pulled off some nice stuff.

I know a few Natives and they would be fine with them being represented as long it fully respects them. Of course they don't speak for everyone. Never Alone hired a real elder native from Inuit people to narrate a story from his culture. The idea I said in this topic I proposed to my friend who is Taino and loved it. I also been writing a story for years and the second main character is my own creation in a fictional world but I have done a lot of homework to make the character as genuine as I can for being something that is entirely fictional. Why I get advice from my friend. Tho yes many natives dislike how they are portrayed in games like Turok,Assassin's Creed,Horizon Zero Dawn and such. I think the key is work closely with people from native cultures to get a idea what to do and not do in respect. Whether it's based on a real culture or not. A lot of games don't.

[AppleQueso]

gaming needs to return to the infinite black voids of the 80s

also I'm incredibly pleasantly suprised at the discourse happening and how much folks in here value authenticity of experience when it comes to basing games on more personal and identity related subjects

[Forlorn Drifter]

also I'm incredibly pleasantly suprised at the discourse happening and how much folks in here value authenticity of experience when it comes to basing games on more personal and identity related subjects

Can't speak for anyone else, but I know the rare occasion that someone like me is represented (excluding race and gender for obvious reason) in games, I'm generally not happy with it. I imagine its only worse if its something you can't change.

[Segata]

Short people as a main character. No I don't mean a dwarf or a elf or some fantasy setting. Just people who are short. From just shorter than the average (I'm 5'4") person to a real little person. Also be neat for those missing limbs or in wheelchairs and it's not portrayed as super strength robot arm or disabled/disfigured person is the bad person.

Funny thing is that in the comics of X-Men Wolverine is 5'3" tall. Games and films show him at normal height. One of the coolest things about him being short is he's the character everyone thinks is the most badass and one of the most feared X-men.

[Tanooki]

I don't think short is really undercast in games as you see it quite a bit as a choice with a customization feature of a character or very commonly in stuff out of Japan especially JRPGs. As to the other...it kind of goes both ways with the fake limb thing, but good luck pitching a game with someone in a wheelchair and selling enough to be profitable. Sometimes underutilized isn't that, it's more like unprofitable, which they have to be or no more paycheck.

[AppleQueso]

I mean thats why this kinda stuff tends to stay in the indie realm. Fuck profit, make games for the sake of making games.

[Jagosaurus]

I really dig that 1800s/early 1900s Victorian type setting as well.

We have military strategy games such as the Advanced Daisenryaku (Advanced World War) series, but there aren't many true SRPGs that fit the bill. Shadow Wars on 3DS & the Advanced War games get a lot of praise. Surprised there isn't more military SRPGS (versus world strategy type games). Seems like a logical fit.

Wild West SRPGs were mentioned earlier. I think it's a fun genre to "plug & play" different settings. What about a haunted mansion or escape a horror setting SRPG? Things like that would be awesome.

Edit/Add: I'd love to see more horror games like the Friday the 13th that just came out. Can you image a Freddy one? Trippy dream sequences...

[Xeogred]

Edit/Add: I'd love to see more horror games like the Friday the 13th that just came out. Can you image a Freddy one? Trippy dream sequences...

Although the tones are about as different as it gets, I've always kind of drawn some comparisons between Elm Street and Silent Hill. Even Freddy's usual "bases" are like underground factories and such haha.

[marurun]

The problem with 80s horror films is that most of the "protagonists" are horrible people and all but one or two die. That can make it difficult to frame a game around.

[Segata]

The problem with 80s horror films is that most of the "protagonists" are horrible people and all but one or two die. That can make it difficult to frame a game around.

The problem with 80s horror films is that anyone does survive...it's ok when Kurt Russel survives tho. I'll allow that one.


btw 80s horror films are my favorite type of horror But I think horror is truly best when there is no happy ending. The viewer is left scared and hopeless and sense of dread. Filling them with actual terror. Letting someone live gives them hope. Fuck that noise.