Post by Ayla on Apr 9, 2016 15:44:59 GMT 8
www.metronews.ca/news/edmonton/2016/04/06/edmonton-video-game-developer-creates-transgender-character.html
Online gamers have heaped criticism on Edmonton video-game developer Beamdog for their inclusion of a transgender character in a game, saddening one long-time fantasy writer.
Last week, the company — founded by former Bioware creatives — released Siege of Dragonspear, an expansion to Baldur’s Gate, a Forgotten Realms adventure that's one of the world's mot popular role-playing games.
Siege of Dragonspear features a character called Mizhena, who identifies as transgender, plus a joke about 'Gamergate.'
Both of those elements have generated online vitriol.
Comments include accusations that Beamdog is pushing the “gay agenda,” including “feminist garbage” and “hamfistingly [sic] shoving their political opinions” into a classic game.
A few commenters identifying themselves as members of the LGBTQ community also chimed in to call the character “poorly written” and “patronizing.”
There are also complaints about the writing and the bugginess of the game.
But the comments about the Mizhena character have become personal, said Trent Oster, the CEO of Beamdog, in a statement.
“Some of the negative feedback has focused not on Siege of Dragonspear but on individual developers at Beamdog — to the point of online threats and harassment,” said Oster.
“I want to make it crystal clear that Beamdog does not condone this behaviour, and moreover that it will not have the desired effect as we stand behind all our developers 100%.”
He added the company will be making changes in future.
“In retrospect, it would have been better served if we had introduced a transgender character with more development. This is a lesson we will be carrying forward in our development as creators and we will be improving the character in a future update.”
Ed Greenwood, a Canadian-born fantasy writer and creator of several Dungeons & Dragons, posted a note on Facebook Tuesday to say he's “saddened” by the criticism of the trans character.
Greenwood pointed out that the games have a history of magical objects and deities changing gender, plus half-orcs, half-dragons and half-elves.
“Surely, if you can handle the basic notion of cross-SPECIES sex, having a full variety of gender roles should be something that doesn’t blow your mind
Online gamers have heaped criticism on Edmonton video-game developer Beamdog for their inclusion of a transgender character in a game, saddening one long-time fantasy writer.
Last week, the company — founded by former Bioware creatives — released Siege of Dragonspear, an expansion to Baldur’s Gate, a Forgotten Realms adventure that's one of the world's mot popular role-playing games.
Siege of Dragonspear features a character called Mizhena, who identifies as transgender, plus a joke about 'Gamergate.'
Both of those elements have generated online vitriol.
Comments include accusations that Beamdog is pushing the “gay agenda,” including “feminist garbage” and “hamfistingly [sic] shoving their political opinions” into a classic game.
A few commenters identifying themselves as members of the LGBTQ community also chimed in to call the character “poorly written” and “patronizing.”
There are also complaints about the writing and the bugginess of the game.
But the comments about the Mizhena character have become personal, said Trent Oster, the CEO of Beamdog, in a statement.
“Some of the negative feedback has focused not on Siege of Dragonspear but on individual developers at Beamdog — to the point of online threats and harassment,” said Oster.
“I want to make it crystal clear that Beamdog does not condone this behaviour, and moreover that it will not have the desired effect as we stand behind all our developers 100%.”
He added the company will be making changes in future.
“In retrospect, it would have been better served if we had introduced a transgender character with more development. This is a lesson we will be carrying forward in our development as creators and we will be improving the character in a future update.”
Ed Greenwood, a Canadian-born fantasy writer and creator of several Dungeons & Dragons, posted a note on Facebook Tuesday to say he's “saddened” by the criticism of the trans character.
Greenwood pointed out that the games have a history of magical objects and deities changing gender, plus half-orcs, half-dragons and half-elves.
“Surely, if you can handle the basic notion of cross-SPECIES sex, having a full variety of gender roles should be something that doesn’t blow your mind